Cycling in and Out

Dec 3, 2024, 1:36 PM

Multiple thoughts here:

I've been vocal about the decline in our football team's performance for two years.
I've cut my IPTAY in half. In part because of my health and being unable to attend games, but also in large part because of our decline in the product we're putting on the field.
This year I stopped watching the games. Not because I'm not a real fan of Clemson football, but because I was allowing the poor play calling, lack of execution and poor coaching to control my emotions way too much. That's on me, not them.

I've been a fan since 1969, when I first visited the campus with my next door neighbor who was a student. I fell in love with it and later became an orange-wearing, orange glasses fan. But then something happened. I started to grow up.

I learned not to become too invested in the outcomes of games. Ups and downs were normal. I saw us go through an undefeated national championship, followed by a stretch of insignificance, the Bowden/West years, being happy with a trip a bow - any bowl. More conference championships, 2 natty trophies. And now, what seems to be another decline. Same cycle as everyone else.

How long did UGA go with zero national relevance? Bama had a longer run than most. But now?
Even the current #1 - Oregon has had 1 playoff appearance since 2010. And that was 2014(I think.)

Point is, the NORM in college football is Ups & Downs. Do you know what they call those of us who allow the lows to control our emotions? Unstable. Fanatics. But do you know what they say about those who can't recognize the low points? Insane. I've been guilty of all of it. But I'm trying.

Lets all get real. At some point, we will have another low point. At some point, it will be time for Dabo to leave. At some point, we won't be relevant. At some point, we will be again.

Lets all stop allowing the normalcies of the sport to control us, and focus on how we're going respond to the low points. Or as I like to say, lets focus on us... it's the only thing we can control.

Sorry for rambling. I had a few minutes to kill