Anybody remember the last time there was this much preseason hype about our

Jun 26, 2025, 10:08 AM

beloved Tiger footsball team? I believe the year was 2008. THIS was going to be the year Tommy Bowden finally got over the hump and won the ACC and beyond. And, it all would start with a throttling of once mighty, but now downtrodden, ALABAMA! But, as Coach Corso would say, "Not so fast, my friends."

Bama had Little Napoleon Nick Saban at coach, having recently returned to college football after finding the NFL not to his liking at all. And that first year back in college at Bama in 2007 hadn't been anything to write home about either. It took a bowl win over Colorado in the minorest of bowls just to get a winning 7-6 record. They were going to be cannon fodder for the Tigers in that 2008 season opener.

Well, we who drank the Koolaid certainly got deaded on the griddleiron that day. Not only were we beaten, we were flat out HUMILIATED by those Pernicious Pachyderms. Nobody really knew it at the time, but this was Nick Saban firing that warning shot across the bow of college football that he was indeed back, for a long and eventful stay.

Tommy Bowden, on the other hand, was suddenly on the fast track out the door at Clemson. We Tigers do not take kindly to having our dreams shattered, especially when such is followed up by lemons like the Weak Florist 12-7 debacle of 2008. I have never felt more disillusioned as a Tiger fan than when I penned my letter to the Clemson President and AD, following that Demon Deacon game, begging for Bowden's ouster. I didn't even know who we could get to replace him, but at that point my mindset was ANYBODY BUT TOMMY! Luckily, my letter was the deciding factor, and Bowden resigned immediately, after being told he was done after the season anyway. (That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.)

We now know who replaced him, and how that story is still being written. Dabo is a big student of history, so I believe he will have this particular bunch of Tigers ready to face the challenge. Because, make no mistake, if we do not show up ready to play, those stinking Corndoggers will be more than happy to have History Misery repeat itself. The only History EYE want to see repeating itself is Brian Kelly leaving Death Valley with that same glazed over look in his eyes as after The Monsoon Game in 2015. GO, REAL Tigers! Send those Faux Tigers back to their fake Deaf Valley in Red Stick with their corndogs tucked bwtween their legs.