Its Rivalry week

Nov 27th 2008 - Written by: Derek Chinners

Ah, that wonderful time of year when all the family gets together to give Thanks to all that has been, all that is, and all that will be. I have to say that even though the year has not progressed as expected, I’m very pleased to be playing South Carolina this weekend. No matter how the year has gone or how good they’re supposed to be, we always seem to have their number and roll to victory nearly every time. It’s not really a rivalry when one team simply dominates the other like we do.

This rivalry is a little different then others around the country. For instance, I live in Texas, and routinely you will have A&M & Texas people as friends and mingling amongst one another as if it is merely a friendly game. Whereas in South Carolina, for the most part, we don’t like them, they don’t like us, and we steer clear of one another. I will pull for any team against Carolina, and I have to say watching Urban Meyer build up BCS brownie points last week was the highlight of the weekend. We simply don’t like each other, on any level, period. That is unlike any rivalry I’ve seen across the country.

This year is a little different. Many tough seniors are playing their last game in Clemson, and many top-notch NFL caliber juniors for Clemson are playing for their coach’s livelihood, a bowl game on the horizon, and a return to Clemson next year for a run with Dabo. Many have said publicly that they will return if Dabo is retained in lieu of turning pro. The players will be going all out to perform for their beloved coach whom they wish to prosper and keep indefinitely. This will be a very emotional game on all levels.

Dabo will have these kids fired up and ready to play. It is simply remarkable what he has done in a very short time. For him to rekindle the Clemson Fan Base interest in this season is phenomenal. He has given us something to look forward to again. He has given us something to talk about again. He has brought us back together as One Clemson, and with everyone working towards the same goal it will be possible to reach much greater heights than previously conceived.

To do all of that in six weeks is something to talk about. Imagine what he could do with a full year, or imagine where we’ll be in five years with his determination and commitment to this program.

After they announce that he will retain the position it would shock me if we didn’t have a flurry of eight to ten high profile recruits sign with us within days of that announcement. Dabo is a great recruiter. Not good, great.

With where we are with this program right now, we don’t need new blood, we just need to pass that torch to someone who can stoke that fire and make it burn brighter and hotter. Dabo puts a fire into his players, into us fans, and into this program with everything he’s got. All day, every day… he’s all in.

When you witness someone invest that much into anything you follow suit. You begin to put it all on the table yourself. His players see this, the fans see this, the University sees this, and it has made everyone a little better in a very short time.

I haven’t seen a Clemson Tiger Football team play as tough as we have played the last few weeks in a very long time. We have truly played tough, at full speed, and hitting the other team in the mouth left and right. That hit Byron Maxwell put on last week was priceless. That’s the way it’s supposed to work with that Zone D scheme… you can catch it, but you’re going to pay a price for it. I look forward to witnessing the same imposing will this weekend against Carolina. We will be the tougher team.

It will be a dogfight; Death Valley will be rocking, and the fans will be rabid. Carolina has a very tough team with a very tough defense so we’ll have to play our best game, but I believe we’ve got it in us. I look forward to a tough defensive hard-hitting battle in the Valley this weekend, and may the best man win.

Let’s win this one… For Dabo!

Go Tigers!

If you would like to comment on this column then you can email Derek at chinners.derek@lycos.com.

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