Football field is not a Safe Space

I’ve read a lot of posts all year that basically say stop picking on DJ. “He’s a great kid” “He’s doing the best he can” “It’s not his fault” “It’s other people’s fault” “He just needs encouragement”….well. Folks, this is the “everybody gets a trophy” mindset creeping into Clemson. Like it or not, Clemson is big-time college football and big-time business, not a summer camp for fragile kids. For the most part, college football is a merit-based enterprise. Play well, fare well. PLay poorly, get benched…everywhere except Clemson under DJ. Yes, maybe he is a great kid. I don’t know him. However, I do know his tendencies in a game. AS WE ALL SAW last night, obviously Cade was ready. And if his statement in the interview was true and he has not practiced with the 1st team since fall, then our coaches absolutely do deserve a lot of scrutiny. Stop the woke or go broke. You can’t say best is the standard and then not pursue it…that makes you a hypocrite and a liar. The football field and the locker room are not safe spaces, and when they are turned into that the game and the program will suffer.

willy1505®

CU Guru [1581]

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Joined: 3/1/11

Re: Football field is not a Safe Space

Dec 4, 2022, 7:47 AM

Unfortunately, it appears that you can't see the forest for the trees. I've never said the football field should be a "safe place." I'm the farthest thing from a "now flake." But I have been quick to say trust Dabo and don't bash DJ. My point is, we are at a disadvantage already in this era of NIL. Clemson isn't as large as most other "big time football schools" which means fewer alumni and supporter.
And Clemson isn't located in the oil fields of Texas and Oklahoma. So we need to do everything we can to make Clemson as appealing as possible to new recruits. That precludes getting on social media and bashing our players. And if you don't think they, and their parents, are on this site you are delusional. That topic has come up in interviews with prospects. So we should do everything in our power to preserve, and even foster, the "caring family atmosphere" Clemson has come to be known for. But you don't get on social media and "bash" family; not if you genuinely care about them. Do I wish Dabo had played Cade sooner? Absolutely!! Do I think it would have made a difference? Without a doubt. Would it have furthered the cause of Clemson football in any way for me to come on here and bash our coaches and players? Absolutely not! This just isn't the place to berate the young men who are busting their tails 52 weeks out of the year to be the best they can be. Rest assured, it's easy to criticize with a remote in your hand or from 40 rows up in the stands. Dabo wants to win worse than we do. The players probably want to win worse than Dabo. But Dabo has led us to the Promised Land and now we feel "entitled." Get over yourself. We aren't entitled to a thing. Why not enjoy the good times and stay off social media with personal attacks of the 18 to 22 year old young men who are representing us? They deserve that from their fans and much, much more. Go Tigers!

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Re: Football field is not a Safe Space

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