Why I believe in Dabo

Oct 9, 2009, 5:28 PM

The short answer to that question is, because he is the head coach of my beloved Clemson Tigers.

But after reading the interview on the home page, I can't help but feel like as mad, upset, and frustrated as we all were after the UMD game, he was that times ten. I never got the feeling that a loss kept Tommy up at night. I can see that with Dabo. Dabo's past family history has been well documented and his struggles through life growing up and as a walk-on at Bama are well known. Dabo didn't grow up with a silver spoon in his mouth. Not saying Tommy did, I don't know his history as well. But Dabo knows he was given a gift and a golden opportunity to be successful here at Clemson. He doesn't expect a decade to prove himself. Heck, he's even put himself on a timetable of what, three years? That would be before anyone he brought in as a freshman would even be a senior. I always got the impression that Tommy felt like the job would always be his, no matter how he did. Look at his interview after he was fired last year. He said that he expected to "turn it around" and that we would at least get to a bowl game. Just getting to a bowl game isn't turning it around. He had ten years to "turn it around". Dabo has had five games. I don't buy the interim portion of his term last year either. He was put into a difficult situation and he made the best of it. He rallied the team, almost beat GT's triple option on 4 days notice, beat a BC team that Tommy couldn't beat, and got us to a bowl game.

I knew this season would be tough. I wasn't expecting a loss at Maryland but we lost a lot of talent last year. And I don't want to hear about how EVERY team loses talent. To me that's as worthless a quote as "half the teams lose every Saturday." Show me a successful team that replaced a two year starter at QB with a RS freshman, their second leading rusher in school history, and the all-time conference leading receiver. There AREN'T ANY. You don't lose that type of talent in one year, along with adding a new head coach, and expect to be successful immediately.

Dabo has shown the judgment and ability to make changes. Letting Spence go was not a difficult decision, but letting VK go was. We upgraded in that area with Steele. Someone said the other day that it would be tougher for Dabo to fire people on the offensive staff because these were "his" hires. Since when does a WR coach hire the O-line coach? Dabo didn't "hire" Napier or Scott. He promoted some of them into different positions, and they deserve at the minimum, a full season to see how they perform. I doubt seriously anyone with a job was as good in week 5 of the job as they will ever be. There's been all this talk on Tnet about what a good OC McCorvey would be....hmmm....who hired him again? How about the coach of the tight ends that everyone wants us to throw to, Pearman? Oh wait, that was Dabo. And the secondary coach, Charlie Harbison.....yeah, Dabo there too. He knows how to assemble a staff and he WILL make changes if need be. But not after five games.

I have said things both critical of Dabo and in support of Dabo. I have tried to base my opinion on the facts I have seen and the performances in the games without letting how I feel about the team and the coaches get the best of me. But after reading his article, I am fired up about Clemson Football again in a way that I have not been for several years. Maybe it's the article, maybe it's the off weekend and the fact that we don't immediately have a chance to try to fix what was broken against Maryland, maybe it's the fact that our next game is against the Deacons (who, because I lived in Winston-Salem and worked with a bunch of WF grads for awhile are my second most-hated team next to the coots), or maybe just because it's Friday and I don't have a game to look forward to tomorrow. So flame me, rake me over the coals, criticize me, whatever, but I CAN'T WAIT for next Saturday!

GO TIGERS!!!! BEAT WEAK FOREST!!!

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Why I believe in Dabo

Re: I flamed with a well deserved point. TY, well put ! ! !***

Re: I flamed with a well deserved point. TY, well put ! ! !***

Let's get em! BEAT WAKE!

Re: Why I believe in Dabo

Re: Why I believe in Dabo

Exactly the way I feel as well, point for you sir!***

OK...that was a good read for a Friday night...

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