Still in disbelief

Jan 10, 2017, 4:59 PM

Drove to Tampa with a close friend. Tried my damndest to get in the game. Can't believe how insanely difficult it was to get this ticket late--and for good reason--congratulations to all of those who made the smart decision to get in early or purchase through IPTAY. I would have loved to have been in the stadium with so many of you all but I had a blast tailgating with friends and watching the game right outside of the stadium.

I graduated in '06. I was too young to remember the glory years in the 80s. I was convinced that our little 'ol program with a fading memory of a national championship was going to forever be mired in mediocrity. I was convinced our ceiling was a perennial top 25 type of team and I resigned myself to being happy with that. Maybe every once and awhile a breakthrough year but never in my wildest dreams did I think that Dabo Swinney could actually get us to the top of the mountain. After the first four or five games in 2011 I remember thinking how special that team looked. I never thought we'd see another player as impactful to the game as CJ Spiller again for awhile yet there looked to be insane talent all over the field that year. The 2012 season was another HUGE one for me. We only lost to USC and FSU. It was the first year in forever that we didn't lose one that we shouldn't have. Dabo kept preaching about consistency being the hallmark of great programs and this was the first year we really achieved it. When we went undefeated and made the NCG last year I really started to believe we could actually do it. We came up a bit short but when we made it back this year you could just feel it..our entire fanbase knew that we had more than a chance in this game. To get all the way back there and the way we played at the end of the year...you could just feel it. It was truly our team.

Ben's speech really fired me up man. I was so happy he called out the former players like that. I know he can't name everyone but what a stud move that was. He was dead on. Thank you to all the former players who got this thing rolling brick by brick. Just so happy for the Clemson family. What an accomplishment for Dabo Swinney and his legacy. You did it. You brought a small, rural non-flagship-state-school, non-blue blood all the way to the top of the mountain when those other programs have all the advantages. It starts and ends with the type of man that Dabo Swinney is. A true leader of men that brings out the best in everyone around him. So happy for everyone connected to the program. Go Tigers!

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Still in disbelief

Correction

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