A Good Man is Canned!!!!!!

The Big One’s Blog

Oct. 13, 2007

Sometimes just being a good man is not enough. Former Clemson Head Football Coach Tommy Bowden could be described as a good man. He is a devout Christian and not afraid to talk about his faith. Many players and their families have stated that one of the main reasons that they went to Clemson was because of their coaches, and the staff’s faith. He even got on the ACLU’s bad side because he had a annual team lets all go to my church this Sunday day where all the players on the team were invited to attend church with Coach Bowden.

However, just being a good man is not enough in the high stakes world of college football. The mantra is still win, win, win, and some schools would do whatever it takes to win. Look at some of the schools that have had success in the past and look at the troubled athletes that were members of their team. Take Miami for example, back several years ago their players stayed in so much trouble they were nicknamed Thugville U. Even at in-state schools like South Carolina under Lou “Granny Clampett” Holtz many troubled athletes were recruited and you see the results. Steve Spurrier has had to weed out some of the bad apples, and change the attitudes on others. And no, he is not perfect in his recruiting; he has had a few discipline problems too.

To his credit, Tommy Bowden did not have near the problems that most schools do. He has had a few problem players but they are few and far between. He just seemed to have a natural sense of who would be a good kid as well as a good recruit.

Unfortunately, that does not always win football games. This year the Clemson faithful had their heart set on an ACC and then a National Championship, all wrapped up in an undefeated season. Clemson had loads of talent, and then the injury but bit and bit hard, and suddenly the Tigers are three and three and sporting a two game losing streak in the ACC. All the dreams of the fat cat donors were dashed and only a sacrifice would suffice to keep them happy and their money flowing to the program, and you know the rest of the story…… Bowden is fired and the Clemson football program begins yet another rebuilding process.

Tommy Bowden is not mad, maybe a little upset, but not mad at Clemson. He is a good man who loves his players, and loves Clemson. Plus he has three and a half million reasons not to be mad. He will go gently into retirement and join the list of Coaches who could not measure up to the lofty goals of the fat cat donors at Clemson. Sorry guys, but there is only one Danny Ford, and he don’t want to come out of retirement for any amount of money. That’s my opinion, but what do I know, I’m just the fat guy.

God Bless,
The Big One