The Heart-Attack Boys
Tommy Bowden?
I love you and your Tigers.
But enough with the heart-stopping comebacks! I can only take so much!
Clemson 28, Maryland 24
I'm ashamed to say we've got more than a few trolls in fans' clothing ready to tear down our team the minute we get into trouble. Case in point: after we dominated the opening quarter with a near-10-minute drive to go up by a 7-0 score, Maryland goes on a passing frenzy as QB Sam Hollenbach picked apart our secondary like a master. By the 4th quarter, we faced a 24-14 deficit. Byrd Stadium was letting us have it. We couldn't mount any threat.
I browse the Clemson message boards as I'm wont to do during games I watch on TV, and what I find is truly a sorry site. A handful of so-called fans claimed our season was doomed, clamored for the firing of Vic Koenning, our defensive coordinator, and basically started all sorts of garbage. This after the week-long momentum we had built up on a victory over #17 Texas A&M. We get punched in the mouth, and the spectators are calling it quits.
Well, thank goodness the Tigers didn't. This team does not quit. Hear that, Kirk Herbstreit? We're not quitters.
With seven minutes to play, our offense finally came to life. Charlie Whitehurst, who'd had a very efficient outing throwing safe passes for 8-12 yards, found Curtis Baham downfield for a brilliant 51-yard touchdown reception. Jad Dean's extra point put us within striking distance at 24-21, and suddenly, you could see the fire in our eyes.
The Tiger defense followed suit, shutting down Maryland and forcing them to punt, giving our offense the football with about four minutes to go. We drove inside Terrapin territory and almost broke a huge 29-yard rushing play, but it was wiped out by a holding penalty. I was going crazy, unable to believe that we'd have to score on the last drive again to win the game. But following a timeout, that's exactly what we did. Our offensive line, with receiver Kelvin Grant making a huge block, sprang Reggie Merriweather for the 38-yard touchdown run to put the Tigers ahead to stay. I tell you, James Davis may be the freshman phenom, but Reggie's in a league all his own. We can always feel confident when Charlie hands it off to #37, he'll get the complete, total effort of a poised workhorse.
So to you fans who gave up on your team when things looked tough ... shame on you. I'm just glad you were at your computers and not at the stadium saying those things. How do you think the Tigers would have felt, to see their own "fans" quitting on them even while they're out there in a hostile environment trying to find a way to win the game? I'm well aware this comprises only a small minority of our network, but still, it's a sorry site to behold.
Congratulations, Tigers! 2-0, 1-0 in ACC play! Bring on Miami!
Song of the Day: FFH - "Still the Cross"
Verse of the Day: "The Lord will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge." - Isaiah 33:6
I love you and your Tigers.
But enough with the heart-stopping comebacks! I can only take so much!
Clemson 28, Maryland 24
I'm ashamed to say we've got more than a few trolls in fans' clothing ready to tear down our team the minute we get into trouble. Case in point: after we dominated the opening quarter with a near-10-minute drive to go up by a 7-0 score, Maryland goes on a passing frenzy as QB Sam Hollenbach picked apart our secondary like a master. By the 4th quarter, we faced a 24-14 deficit. Byrd Stadium was letting us have it. We couldn't mount any threat.
I browse the Clemson message boards as I'm wont to do during games I watch on TV, and what I find is truly a sorry site. A handful of so-called fans claimed our season was doomed, clamored for the firing of Vic Koenning, our defensive coordinator, and basically started all sorts of garbage. This after the week-long momentum we had built up on a victory over #17 Texas A&M. We get punched in the mouth, and the spectators are calling it quits.
Well, thank goodness the Tigers didn't. This team does not quit. Hear that, Kirk Herbstreit? We're not quitters.
With seven minutes to play, our offense finally came to life. Charlie Whitehurst, who'd had a very efficient outing throwing safe passes for 8-12 yards, found Curtis Baham downfield for a brilliant 51-yard touchdown reception. Jad Dean's extra point put us within striking distance at 24-21, and suddenly, you could see the fire in our eyes.
The Tiger defense followed suit, shutting down Maryland and forcing them to punt, giving our offense the football with about four minutes to go. We drove inside Terrapin territory and almost broke a huge 29-yard rushing play, but it was wiped out by a holding penalty. I was going crazy, unable to believe that we'd have to score on the last drive again to win the game. But following a timeout, that's exactly what we did. Our offensive line, with receiver Kelvin Grant making a huge block, sprang Reggie Merriweather for the 38-yard touchdown run to put the Tigers ahead to stay. I tell you, James Davis may be the freshman phenom, but Reggie's in a league all his own. We can always feel confident when Charlie hands it off to #37, he'll get the complete, total effort of a poised workhorse.
So to you fans who gave up on your team when things looked tough ... shame on you. I'm just glad you were at your computers and not at the stadium saying those things. How do you think the Tigers would have felt, to see their own "fans" quitting on them even while they're out there in a hostile environment trying to find a way to win the game? I'm well aware this comprises only a small minority of our network, but still, it's a sorry site to behold.
Congratulations, Tigers! 2-0, 1-0 in ACC play! Bring on Miami!
Song of the Day: FFH - "Still the Cross"
Verse of the Day: "The Lord will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge." - Isaiah 33:6
posted by david @ 9:48 PM
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