What is the average age of the people ripping OP?

Mar 20, 2009, 8:06 PM

Clemson basketball ain't Clemson football. Anybody who lived through the 80's and most of the years after that knows that where Purnell has the Tigers now is unchartered water. I'm actually a bigger basketball fan than football fan, which means that I've suffered through plenty of dark years. I thought after Barnes left that we were forever doomed.

But to see OP BUILDING A PROGRAM and CHANGING THE CULTURE has just been remarkable. By the same token, to see a bunch of nimrods blasting him for two losses in the NCAA tournment has been disheartening to say the least. We went 9-7 in the premiere basketball league in the country (on a year-in, year-out basis)--our second consecutive winning year under Coach Purnell. Do a little homework and see when that happened last. And people are freaking upset. Unbelievable.

I know people say it all the time, but it's true--Clemson basketball is equivalent to USC football in a lot of ways. When the conference had 8 teams (and I bet a lot of folks ripping OP don't even realize that was the case), Clemson was a regular particpant in the Friday noon game--we were an 8 seed getting trounced by a 1 seed over and over. And then we went to nine teams and became a regular participant in the 8-9 play-in game. Instead of being ousted on Friday, we were now being dumped on Thursday.

Cliff gave us a few good years, and I liked him. But he went the JC route and that always seemed to leave us in a constant state of rebuilding. Barnes followed and injected serious life into the program, and I really think had he stayed, we'd be in great shape. But he didn't. And we hired Larry Shyatt. And all hope was lost. Until now.

I'm utterly thrilled with Coach Purnell. He's met and exceeded any expectations we could have had, and it's only getting better. These jokers that want him gone don't get that--they don't understand that, yes, we're playing with guys that we may love, but they weren't top-line prospects. But those top-line guys are coming because of what they see Purnell doing with the guys he does have. If he leaves now, I think we're in for a serious fall. Clearly not just anybody can win here--otherwise, they would have done it already.

To speak to the two NCAA tourney losses in the last two years, I know it's tough to lose as a higher seed, but it happens to teams better than us every year. And Villanova was a good team (a much better than average 12), and Michigan ran a screwy defense and has a hell of a coach, too. Those facts might not excuse either loss, but it's not like we're losing to Coppin State or Richmond.

I see Purnell as the face of the athletic department--his class and unwillingness to shirk repsonisbility, not to mention the stellar coaching/building job he's done makes him so. To lose him would set us back in more ways than you can imagine.

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I too am the rare fan of Clemson that loves the game of basketball more than football. While I was lucky to see successful teams during my time as a student (graduated in '89), I have longed to see Clemson sustain a successful stretch. Given the last two years and the recruits on the way, we have a chance to be better (maybe even significantly) next season.

I wouldn't worry too much about the folks that are complaining. As a whole, and it pains me to say this, we not only have a pretty spotty basketball fan base, but we also have a basketball fan base with a relatively low basketball IQ. Hopefully, this is changing or will soon change. If we let OP get away, we would be losing a great coach and a great representative of Clemson University.

What is the average age of the people ripping OP?

I have wondered the same thing myself (the age of the

Re: What is the average age of the people ripping OP?

Amen brother

Great post!***

My only regret is....

Re: What is the average age of the people ripping OP?

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