The top 10 fan panic questions
Sorry, like Henry Paulson I cannot answer all of your phone calls, e-mails and text messages.
But five games in, here are the consensus Palmetto State football concerns, quibbles and accusations from people threatening to jump off the ledge of their tailgates:
1. Why is it that players get the blame at South Carolina and coaches get the blame at Clemson?
The Gamecocks' Head Ball Coach gets credit for success at Florida that was so great it changed the sport and he has publicly blasted players after wins and losses at South Carolina (often citing "effort" issues). Bowden gets blame for always coming up just short at Clemson and, more like famously loyal Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox than Steve Spurrier, has ways of dodging questions critical of players, and Clemson offensive coordinator Rob Spence would sooner fight a bear with a spoon than publicly rip a player. Both approaches work — when things are going well.
2. Didn't you pick Clemson to go 12-0 in the regular season and South Carolina to go 7-5 followed by a bowl win?
I blame the players and the coaches.
3. Is Rob Spence the Clemson problem?
He was not part of the solution in Saturday's 20-17 loss to Maryland.
4. Is Stephen Garcia the South Carolina solution?
He was not part of the problem in Saturday night's sluggish 26-13 victory over woeful Alabama- Birmingham. Garcia, by the way, is the kind of mobile quarterback ideal for Spence's statistically dazzling but much criticized offense. So is Willy Korn.
Block and tackle
5. What is Clemson's single biggest weakness?
Everyone knew the offensive line was a sore spot before the season and then injuries forced the Tigers to use a front wall including three freshmen. Unreliability like that is a formula for disaster in pipsqueak football or the NFL, where the St. Louis Rams have Pro Bowl-caliber skill position players but lack blockers and cannot score.
6. What is South Carolina's single biggest weakness?
Like pizza delivery, buddy, it's a performance business.
7. Anyone with a football IQ or binoculars could see that Maryland defensive coordinator Chris Cosh adjusted to Clemson's running game at halftime Saturday. So why didn't the Tigers throw long passes in the second half?
Not exactly the by-the-book way to play while ahead and your quarterback is struggling, but let me run that by some of my NFL pals and see if they can re-invent the strategy wheel.
'Cause' and effect
8. Running plays worked so well in the first half against Maryland, so why didn't Clemson run more in the second half?
Heat and timidity. With the run-pass debate running about even among Clemson fans, it's clear that 10-year-olds who play Madden know more about football schematics than non-video gamers eating nachos.
9. Aren't Bowden and Spurrier entitled to one losing season?
Not at their pay grade. Bowden has lost five times to unranked teams in Clemson's last 18 Football Championship Subdivision games and, even more stunningly, received a mega-contract extension during that stretch. Spurrier has lost six straight Southeastern Conference games.
10. Could Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips follow the path Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis blazed in firing head coach Lane Kiffin and, in an attempt to duck a fat buyout a public school cannot afford, cite "cause" after firing Tommy Bowden?
Not unless Bowden is caught embezzling IPTAY money earmarked for new orange oars in the rowing team budget. Because he is 7-2 against South Carolina and typically out-recruits the Gamecocks, which means if Bowden is fired, it might make South Carolina fans happier than Clemson boosters.
Gene Sapakoff can be reached at gsapakoff@postandcourier.com or 937-5593.
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Comments
This article has 6 comment(s)
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Posted by tgrfan2 on October 2, 2008 at 6:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The line has been a weakness for most of TB's 10 seasons. Nothing new there. Rob Spence has been here as long as SOS has been at USC. He has had 3 good QBs. Two have made it to the pros and the third is expected to do the same.
Willie Korn is supposed to be the perfect QB or RS's system. So was Will Proctor said to be the perfect QB for RS before 2006.
Harper was supposed to light it up this year because he would be the first Clemson QB to start for RS for 2 years. By most accounts the O line played well vs Md. None of this has mattered!
Rob Spence is Clemson's single biggest weakness AGAIN.
Posted by softbatch on October 2, 2008 at 9:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I just love how the media pumps 3 months of pre-season hype into Clemson fans saying how good they are, they will be favored in all of their games, they will run away with the ACC, they may go 12-0, etc....Then want to jump all over the fans when we "panic" or want to fire the coach. If you, the media, weren't so dead wrong on your predictions, maybe us fans wouldn't have such high expectations. I still blame most of Clemson's problems on the coaching, but the media has a hand in what has gone on thus far as well.
We all like to bash the weather man for being wrong all the time, perhaps that virus has moved down the hall to the sports desk too.
Posted by robbybobby on October 2, 2008 at 11:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Players or coaches, coaches or players?? That is the question. What's the answer?? All of the above coupled with kool aid expectations. Simple truth is the tiggers are doing as good as they have in the past and will in the future, even with a cupcake a she she schedule. It matters not who coaches or who plays, never has, never will. Basic football program at a basic school in a basic place. Basic. It goes with orange.
Posted by Rebel_Yell on October 2, 2008 at 11:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sappy for Janitor! More dribble from a man who knows nothing about football. Why can't we get a new unbiased sportswriter who actually knows something about football in this state instead of this idiot who just makes it up as he goes along. Sappy's parents should take a punch in the face for creating this pathetic excuse for a sportswriter.
Posted by sptiger on October 2, 2008 at 11:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
bobbinrobby - so i guess usc is below basic then huh? while clemson has been somewhat irrelevent on a national scale for almost 20 yrs, what has your revered school done to make you bow your chest up now? the careers of two hall of fame coaches (morrison & holtz) have been flushed down the toilet like last nights enchilada and its hard to argue spurrier is not headed in the same direction. the only thing that matters between USC and CU is on the field results no matter how close a rivalry game is. clemson owns carolina and will continue to do so. i recall my disappointment after the 06 loss and the comments from all my chicken friends spewing stories of how the corner was turned and greatness was only a season away. and what happens next........#6 to 6-6 and a heartbreaking loss to your hated rival to cap it off. how did that bowl game turn out? clemson may not fare too well against other SEC competition, but you'd be insane to argue that we don't have your number.
by the way, in case you couldn't gather, the word tigger gets under my skin just as i'm sure coot annoys you. don't be an idiot next time and post facts to put clemson in its place, not your loser jealous mentality. i'll bet you tried to get in the CU and couldn't so you wound up at USC....or did you even attend there? Losers tend to associate with underdogs!
Posted by surfer on October 2, 2008 at 2:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
leave it up to a tiger fan to ignore the basic problem, not address the question, and go to the ONLY thing you do best, boast to us Carolina fans. Get a life sptiger, the only thing you tigers have ever done is own us and buy a national championship. THe truth is tough to handle isn't it? Apparently you can't handle the truth. As much as we love to be optimists in this state the TRUTH is football in the state of SC is mediocre at best.