Dabo Sweeney > Danny ford

Legend [16186]

TigerPulse: 100%

Posts: 8524

Joined: 11/30/98

Re: Dabo=Danny

Jul 29, 2017, 10:45 AM [ in reply to Dabo=Danny ]

My favorite Clemson coaches have been Frank Howard, Danny Ford and Dabo Swinney. I sat in the stands and watched a couple of Coach Howards teams, saw most of Coach Ford's team's games live, and I've seen most of Coach Swinney's teams live for most of their games.

I am glad Coach Howard laid the foundation, took our program to the point of national recognition and was completely loyal to Clemson Univesity.

I was there in the spell from 68-76 when we posted 8 losing seasons in 9 years and often looked bad while doing it. I recall when The Hill was empty for most games and the cops tried to make the hippies stop playing frisbee during the games because they got larger cheers than the football team.

I was there for the rise under Charlie Pell and all of Coach Ford's tenure. Coach Ford casts a long long shadow. He was a football coach's football coach and he was much beloved by his players and his fans. I love it that the players on the 81 team have been such loyal Clemson fans, followers and boosters for so long. I love it that so many of them have lived completely laudable lives, contributing immensely to Clemson and to their home communities. Ford's National Championship made our past relevant and our future possible. For many years I was sure I could never like a coach more than I like Coach Ford. I love it that he remained loyal to Clemson despite an administration and a board of trustees who were not loyal to him.

No one can or should forget that between 1975 and 1993 Clemson was cited for rules violations 5 times in 2 sports. Our program broke the rules, got caught at it and suffered huge embarrassments for our misdeeds. (Our sins were more or less just like those of Florida, Alabama, Auburn, FSU, Georgia, South Carolina, Miami, and so on ad naseum. But that doesn't make what happened then right.)

Coach Swinney has constructed a program at Clemson that has won more big games than any coach who preceeded him. Coach Swinney's program has been ranked higher, longer than any Clemson coach who preceeded him. The sport of college football is bigger now than it has ever been and the competition is better and more uniformly better than it has ever been. Coach Swinney's teams are riding a streak of 6 consecutive ten win seasons and they have won almost all the really big games for a long term. Last years National Championship was a dream come true and was in no way an upset. Heck, we shoulda/coulda won two titles in the last two years. No streak of Clemson teams has ever been better than the current streak of Clemson teams.

Finally, Coach Swinney has raised the academic standards of the athletes at Clemson and his graduation rate is unprecedented in the modern era. Coach Swinney has been a sports media star of the first order, attracting all sorts of positive attention and impact for our University. I love it that Coach Swinney has such an unswerving focus on academics, character and excellence in life. I love it that he's been a driving force in bringing a great many former Tiger greats who left school without a diploma back to school to complete their education.

It's clear to me Dabo Swinney has already been the best football coach AND the best university spokesman Clemson has ever had. Nationally the profile of our football program and our university has never been higher. Thanks Coach Swinney.

Coach Howard was a unique figure from a different era and he cannot be compared in any way to Coach Ford or Coach Swinney, but it is clear he did not win at the rate both later coaches achieved.

Dabo>Danny

BTW, I was not in favor of the Swinney hire.

flag link

military_tech

thumb_down

thumb_up

Good response. Enlightening. I was born in 1980 and became a fan in 1986. Maybe I'm just being nostalgic because of the impression Clemson football laid on me as a kid. As I wrote the response above I had the violations in the back of my mind but I didn't think they were as major as they were made out to be. Keep in mind that I may have it wrong when I say this but wasn't the 82-83 probation over a couple of guys who never set foot on campus? Anyway, the reason why I view then as equals at this point is because double digit win seasons were harder to come by because we played less games back then. The probation set Danny back in the mid 80s. Again Dabo has more to work with because of what happened while Danny did. Everything you said about Dabo is true but to me it's apples an oranges. This is just a different time than the 80s. I don't think Danny would work today nor do I think Dabo would work then. I know I'm a youngun' compared to you so I'm here to learn and not be contrary. Feel free to add to your point or correct my perception of the 80s.

This should go well.***

Re: Dabo Sweeney > Danny ford

Yes.

Re: Dabo Sweeney > Danny ford***

Your spelling < third grade***

"Sweeney" really?

Re: Dabo Sweeney > Danny ford

Re: Use compairing Apels to oringes***

What a dummy

Sweeney or Queenie no

Re: Dabo Sweeney > Danny ford

I was enrolled during the early part of

Re: Dabo Sweeney > Danny ford

80's mall Chick-fil-a > today's Chick-fil-a

Re: 80's mall Chick-fil-a > today's Chick-fil-a

Re: Dabo Sweeney > Danny ford

Dabo=Danny

Re: Dabo=Danny

Re: Dabo=Danny

Re: Dabo=Danny

Thanks, Harley....another classic.***

Re: Dabo Sweeney > Danny ford

This is a public service announcement !

Re: This is a public service announcement !

Re: Dabo Sweeney > Danny ford

Re: Dabo Sweeney > Danny ford

A hundred times YES. Ford had some "baggage"

Yes. Dabo has accomplished more against better competition,

Re: Dabo Sweeney > Danny ford

disrespectful to both clemson's goat coaches***

I'm sorry but I must ask......

Pretty clearly***

TigerBoard POTD