The "Root for Who?" Edition

Why do college fans root for their conference? Swanny investigates. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Each time, or Clipson Sports Talk with Lawton Schwan.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Now finally Clemson Sports Talk has come back to drive time.

(00:50):
Hell everybody, Lawton Swan back in the saddle once again.
It is the show that Shakes the Southway and Clemson
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(01:13):
The website dot com on it, Dog on it. That's
Clemson Sports tal dot com.

Speaker 3 (01:19):
You know.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
Three four five zero zero eighty six. That is the
text line in the phone line. And again the show
The Shakes of south Land brought to you in part
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Mets Plumbing two two six seven to one zero eight.

(01:41):
Give them a call today, all right out of the gates.
Interesting conversation. College football on the back burner for just
a minute, obviously, Clemson and North Carolina facing off this
weekend in what is a big game, certainly for the
Clemson Tigers. But major League Baseball, I've over the years,

(02:07):
even in this business, have kind of made it a
goal of mine to not watch a live pitch of
regular season baseball. I will happily lock in like I
did yesterday, to a multitude of games professionally in the postseason,
these best of five series. But a buddy of mine,
I was talking to him because he's a New York

(02:30):
Mets fan, and we know catastrophically the Mets spent a
lot of money and got a little bit out of
it and are sitting at home during the postseason. But
I asked him about the Yankees and the Red Sox
because that was such an amazing game yesterday and I
just wanted to know, like, who do you root for
in a situation like that? And so that got us

(02:52):
kind of talking about like how we pull for, who
we pull for in which sports and what's interesting to me.
I think Major League Baseball did a great job by
having these leagues separated for so many years, because what
it allowed to happen when I was younger was to

(03:13):
find maybe a team or two one in the American League,
one in the National League, and you could root for
both and the odds that those two teams ever faced
off in the World Series were likely very slim. I mean,
you could be a die hard Boston Red Sox fan
and a diehard Atlanta Braves fan, and the odds that
those two ever met up before we had interleague play

(03:36):
slim to none brilliant. I mean, that concept allowed people
to do something that we don't get to do in
the NFL and other sports. You don't really get to say, well,
you know, I've got the Jaguars in the AFC and
I'm rooting for the Carolina Panthers in the NFC. No, no, no,
it's too much crossover. I have dropped the Carolina Panther

(03:58):
flag for the Jacksonville Jaguar flag. You might say, why, well,
big tray of the Giant Killer and Travis etn together,
that's more than enough reason for me to throw my
chips into the Jacksonville Jaguars while those guys are playing there,
for sure. But then they got me thinking and we

(04:20):
were talking about this, and what's interesting is college sports
has such a different attitude towards the rivals in your division.
Because my buddy's a New York Giant fan and he's
like dude, I can't stand the Philadelphia Eagles. I don't
care who they play. I want them to lose every
single game. And he feels the same way about the Commanders,

(04:41):
and he feels the same way about the Cowboys. And
I said to him, I said, you know, it's weird.
And I've never really thought of it like this because
I'm not a Northern guy. I don't really get into
those rivalries that you have in professional sports. But he
got me thinking about college sports where fans in the

(05:05):
Southeastern Conference and he even brought this up. And he's
a guy from New He's from New York, New Jersey.

Speaker 4 (05:09):
You know.

Speaker 2 (05:11):
He goes, I can't understand how teams down here.

Speaker 3 (05:16):
You know.

Speaker 2 (05:17):
He's like, my buddy's a Georgia fan. And Alabama was
playing Michigan or whatever the game was. He said, well,
who you're rooting for in this game? He said, Oh,
I'm rooting for Alabama. And my buddy said, why are
you rooting for Alabama? He said, well, because they're from
the SEC. They're from my league. He goes, what, I

(05:41):
root at all costs against teams from my league in
professional sports. He said, I don't get at swany what's
what's the take? And I had to think about it,
and I told him, I said, look, I'm going to
talk about this on the show today because I think
it's fascinating. I think it is fascinating eating that college
football fans will support their conference versus hoping that teams

(06:05):
in their league get beat down. I've never been a
big fan of rooting for teams in my league, but
I also understand with the way this system is currently constructed,
your teams in your conference doing good because you play
the majority of games against them enhances the way you

(06:26):
look if you're not the conference champ. And it is
my hope that we will, at some point along the
way cross over a bridge to where we are more
similar to professional sports, where fans say, I'm not rooting
for anybody in my conference except for my team. I

(06:47):
want my team to win my conference, and everybody else
can go squadoosh oh for the season for all I care.
But we don't have that in college sports. Weirdly, people
root for their conference. They root for their team, and
then they root for their conference. Nobody else. There's no

(07:09):
nowhere else does that happen. You don't pull for the
Los Angeles Lakers, and then when they get eliminated, go
all right, let's go Golden State, bring it home for
the Western Conference. I just think that it's strange, and
it's much more intimate than even that. Like, you know,
maybe maybe you go American League, National League, maybe you

(07:30):
go Western Conference, Eastern Conference. Maybe I'm wrong on that,
but when you talk about just your little division, I
don't know of anybody it says, well, if my team
can't win it, you know, if Jacksonville can't win it,
let's go Houston. If the Panthers can't win it, hey,
come on. Falcons. Baseball presents again interesting dynamic because you

(07:56):
can pull for a team in either league and they
don't often play and with inner division play, I love that.
But very few people, even in that scenario are gonna go, well,
if the Braves are out, you know me Metsky like,
that's not how it works. That's just not how it works.
And I'm intrigued as to why college sports has built

(08:21):
this support system for the teams in your league. And
I think the biggest reason is because it's a beauty paget,
and to look more beautiful, you need the people around
you to look more beautiful and instead of making you
look like the ugly duckling, all of a sudden, you
look like one of a few beauties. That's the only

(08:42):
thing I can figure is because we don't have a
structure in place, even with an expanded college football playoff,
with the way we are currently doing it, Even with
the expanded college football Playoff, I think everybody still, for
the most part, goes gotta root for my conference. My

(09:07):
team's out, I got a root for my league. And
what really doesn't make sense though? When I will say that,
I'll take it one step further. When your team is
out completely and there's no validation for your team based
off of what Georgia or Alabama do. And look, perhaps

(09:30):
I'm talking to some of our fine feathered friends, so
you could.

Speaker 5 (09:33):
Continue to peek over the fence at the best radio
showing the nation.

Speaker 2 (09:38):
I may very well be. But once your team is out,
I get it. You wouldn't root for Clemson. But why
root for Alabama? Why root for Georgia? Why hope those
teams win? Well? I got to pound our chest about
how tough the SEC is. Who cares? Aren't you better

(09:59):
off if that championship? I get it. If it's Clemson.
It's pretty bad for you. So I get it if
you say, well, I don't want it to land at Clemson,
But why would it hurt you if that championship landed
at Michigan Ohio State. That doesn't really impact you. Just
a thought here out of the gates on a Thursday afternoon.

(10:20):
Timber Ray, by the way, coming up in hour number two,
age zero, three, four five h zeros or eighty six
text line phone line, would love to hear your thoughts
on that. You could text us for sure. It's just
a strange aspect of college sports, and it exists really
across the board. It exists in basketball, it exists in baseball,

(10:49):
and I just wonder if it would also diminish if
we changed how we decide who's in the postseason. And
we've got some adjustments that are being made to college
football and how the twelve team playoff is selected. But

(11:15):
maybe this goes back to the whole conversation that I've
had about how we should determine who's in the playoffs,
Like if we took the top two teams in the
regular season from every conference, you really would have no

(11:38):
reason at any point in the year to root for
anybody from your conference, right, you would never root for them.
And so if you finished first or second in the
regular season with some tiebreaker scenario in plays, those two

(12:05):
teams are automatically in the college football playoff. That's it.
Those two are in. That's eight of the twelve. Now,
let's say we're at sixteen at a sixteen team playoff
as well, but maybe not, who cares, Maybe we get
rid of that, Maybe we just stay at twelve and

(12:26):
do it this way. All right, So there's eight of
the spots taken. Now, Teams three and four in every
conference play in the conference playing game, and the conference
play in game gives every league their third team, all right.

(12:50):
So now three times four, that's twelve. That's a twelve
team playoff where everybody has earned their way in the
top two teams through the regular season, and the winner
of the three to four game in the postseason. Now,
you could argue that that first game, that three to

(13:12):
four game for the acc SEC Big ten in Big
twelve is technically a playoff game, which I guess, hypothetically speaking,
would make that a sixteen team tournament. Your league would
just eliminate a portion in that first round but if

(13:34):
we have to involve the group of five, which I'm
hoping will get their own system, then we'll have to
include them. But if we could get to a place
where they weren't included in the party, I mean, that's
a beautiful scenario. That's a beautiful way to do it.
And I guess again, I think technically in that sense,

(13:55):
it is a sixteen team playoff. The eight teams that
qualify automatically by being number one or number two in
your conference. You go, but but we were third in
the SEC. We were third in the SEC. We should
be in dude, Go look at the NFL. There are

(14:17):
teams with ten wins that don't get in for an
eight and eighteam different divisions, and you don't have to
like flex about how strong your league is. People just
look at you and go, well, you know what, finish
in the top four and get your crack at it.

(14:43):
Take a shot. But if you're not there, or if
you're in that third or fourth spot in your league
and you lose in your little playing game, even if
you were worse than one of the top two teams
in another league, oh well, at least I think that

(15:05):
would eliminate the ridiculous conversations that people have about supporting
their conference. It just gets rid of all that mumbo
jumbo again if you're just joining us. Look, here's my thing.
I don't like it. I don't like that some of
you root for the Southeastern Conference. That doesn't make sense

(15:26):
to me. It doesn't make sense some of you root
for the Atlantic Coast Conference. The way we fix that
is the group of five starts their own thing that's
good for them, and the Power four leagues take the
top two teams with some tiebreaker that's built into your
league alone, and those are two teams from your conference

(15:50):
that are in the College Football Playoff. That's simple. That's
eight teams, then three and four in a college football
playoff playing game, the old conference championship game, and the
winner of that is in. And that takes a sixteen
team field when you include the playing games from each

(16:13):
league down to twelve, and then we have the playoffs
set up the way we do now. You could see
that how you want. I don't really care that much
about the seating quite frankly, but what I do care
about is a season where you don't have to worry
about what Texas is doing or Georgia or Alabama. You
just worry about what you're doing and can you finish

(16:35):
in the top four in your conference, and if you can,
you're in the playoff. Enough said, and it's across the board. Well,
your conference is weaker than our conference. Again, that's the
NFC East argument versus the NFC South. But you go
out and you play it on the field in your

(16:57):
conference and you don't have to for anybody in your
conference ever. That just makes sense. The fact that people
are chanting at like events SEC SEC. I mean, could
you imagine Philadelphia and Washington. They're in the playoffs and

(17:22):
they go and win a game on the road and
somebody starts chanting NFC East, NFC East. What that is absurd?
You'd never see that happen. AFC South, AFC South. No,

(17:49):
you only pull for your team and your dog on shore.
Don't pull for teams who are in your division. You
want those guys to be terrible, terrible, because if you
go to my scenario, right, the teams that are terrible

(18:11):
aren't in the top four. You want everybody to be bad,
and you'd really like to differentiate yourself. You'd like to
be like when New England or somebody went like fourteen
and two and the other teams in their division were
all eight and eight, Like you want to really separate yourself,
Not to mention. The other thing that it would do

(18:32):
is it would give college ball the mindset. It would
give you the mindset that all these losses don't just
crush your season. Like Clepson right now would be sitting
there going, hey, you know what, it's not great, but
we can finish in the top four. We can still
make the top four. It's gonna be tough, but making

(18:55):
the top four is twice as easy as it is
to make the top two. So you've already opened up
the playoff and the opportunity to get into the playoff
to many more people. And you're no longer rooting. You know,
if you're an Ohio State fan, I know you say

(19:17):
you don't want to root for Michigan, but it does
you good when they win. That shouldn't be the way
it is. The Only thing that should really matter to
you is whether you win. But there are a lot
of people that worry about what everybody else does. They
worry about all these other teams. What a weekend for
the Southeastern Conference? Yipied do I mean, maybe you hear

(19:42):
a little bit of that in the NFL, like if Philadelphia, Washington, Dallas,
and New York all like beat the brakes off of somebody,
but it doesn't impact how they're seen when it comes
down to the playoffs at all, and it shouldn't in
college sports either. Stay with us, rocking and rolling along
with you. Clempson Sports Salt and Swan kay Club Nick,

(20:06):
Clemson quarterback, met with the media yesterday. We put an
article together about k about Christopher Vezina. I mean, I really,
I really wanted to take an honest approach at it,
and we've talked a little bit about it here, but
you're welcome to go read it on Clemson Sports su

(20:27):
dot com. A lot of people chomming in all on
social media about it as well, and we could certainly
read some of those comments to you here in a minute.
But I do want to play a little bit of
Kaye Club Nick. I don't know if y'all have noticed lately.
I think I mentioned this the other day, like I
got that throat coat hot medication stuff that Qualk recommended

(20:51):
and whatever else. I do not feel ill. That's tough
to say. I do not feel ill. At all. I
really don't, but for whatever reason, I just got a
little a little more gravel in the back of my
voice for some reason, and I'm really looking forward to

(21:12):
it started this week. I'm really looking forward to the
weekend to give my vocal cords a couple of days
to to get back to good. So with that being said,
we've got Timberrey coming up an hour number two. But
I'm gonna give you a good bit of Ka Klubnick
here to preserve some of the sultry tones if you will.

(21:35):
Here's Kay Klubnick ask about what he did during Clemsons
bye week.

Speaker 3 (21:40):
Sure, it was. It was good.

Speaker 6 (21:43):
It was just kind of a good mental reset. I
think for me something I really needed, just kind of
flush but also just kind of bury it, just kind
of bury the past, learn from it, but then just
kind of move on and realize we've got an eight
game season and that's really what matters now. So for me,
I just hung out here, cleaned my house on Sunday.

Speaker 3 (22:04):
It was good.

Speaker 6 (22:05):
It was getting a little dirty during the season, so
I was good just kind of throwing some music and
cleaned it and watching watching Paul watch the tape for
this for this next opponent and just kind of reset,
And I feel like in my mind just kind of
came to ease for a little bit, which is good.
I needed that and just kind of a little bit

(22:25):
of a calmness over me, just in my mind and everything.
So it's been a while less, you know, four or
five weeks, so it was good to just kind of
reset and.

Speaker 7 (22:36):
Refocus.

Speaker 2 (22:37):
Okay. Club That was also asked about whether or not
he found things that he'd liked to improve on while
watching that tape.

Speaker 6 (22:45):
No, I feel like, you know, I've got a great
routine that I do. We're just gonna continue to get better.

Speaker 3 (22:50):
I was.

Speaker 7 (22:50):
It was a really good bye week in terms of.

Speaker 6 (22:54):
Practice wise, just you know, excusing executing fundamentals and everything
that we're doing.

Speaker 7 (22:59):
Just really got to fine tune those.

Speaker 6 (23:01):
I mean that, you know, we've got all the talent
in the world, but we got to be better at
executing and the details and and just overall just mental
and physical toughness. We got to just contain to hammer
those things and we will and we'll continue to get
better those. So that's really what you know, we we
really did throughout the you know, the actual week. So
and we're gon we're going to continue to do that

(23:21):
for the next eight games, so kay.

Speaker 2 (23:24):
Club. That was also asked about, you know, whether or
not like he gives suggestions or for the game plans
or adjustments, perhaps even for game plans.

Speaker 3 (23:34):
And things.

Speaker 7 (23:35):
You know, that's their job.

Speaker 6 (23:36):
I'm not I'm not really gonna, you know, probably get
into that. Just you know that that's their job. And
I've been loving what they're doing. And we all got
to be better.

Speaker 4 (23:44):
You know.

Speaker 6 (23:44):
Uh, players got to make plays. That's why we're on
the field, so you know, every single one of us.
So yeah, I don't I don't really have much to
say about that, yeah, club.

Speaker 2 (23:55):
And it was also asked about whether or not he
felt like he was kind of pressing. That was a
criticism that a lot of people have had about him,
that you feel like he's kind of pressing, maybe trying
to make every single play. Here's what Kate had to
say about what he thought based off of his first
four games this season.

Speaker 6 (24:13):
I was, you know, pressing it all? No, Yeah, I
mean I didn't feel that, you know, I'm just you know,
I'm excited to go play again. Like I said, it was,
it was a really good week, just kind of reset,
reset my mind, just kind of slow things down and
just focus on every day.

Speaker 2 (24:34):
So so Kate Clubmic essentially say no, he doesn't really
feel like he was pressing at all. I think the
tape to me is contrary to that. I mean, when
I watch Kate Clebnick, I feel like he is shaky
under pressure. I feel like he is making ill you know,

(25:00):
ill informed maybe is not the right word, but that's
kind of what it feels like decisions because he's panicking,
and I think he's panicking because he's shaky. It is
interesting though, Again we mentioned this yesterday, Bill Belichick and
Dabosweeny only the second time ever that a Super Bowl
winning head coach and a National Championship winning head coach

(25:21):
will face off collegiately. And he was asked about going
up against a guy like Bill Belichick.

Speaker 7 (25:29):
You know, he's he's probably god of all coaches.

Speaker 6 (25:32):
So what an honor to be able to step on
the field with them. I actually got to meet him
last year at Many Pass Academy. We got to chat
it up a little bit, and then, you know, not
gonna be playing him, so it'll be it'll be great. Obviously,
a huge honored to be able to play somebody like
that and step on the field with him, and.

Speaker 7 (25:51):
You know, he's a legend.

Speaker 6 (25:52):
So never would have thought that, you know, whenever I
committed here, So it'd be pretty cool now.

Speaker 2 (25:59):
I think the question Belichick has to be, you know,
do you really think he's gonna be around a whole
long time at North Carolina. I don't even know if
you really. I mean, you know, he's still what seventy two.
I mean, he could he could coach in the NFL
again if he wants, and he'll certainly be pursued, I
would imagine, but I just don't see this lasting very long.

(26:19):
Final thing from k club Nick, he was asked what
he feels like this Clemson team could do to get
started on a better foot. They've had just slow starts
over and over and over.

Speaker 6 (26:29):
First downs is definitely huge. So just be really efficient,
stay ahead of the chains, no negative plays. Just fight, man,
just fight, you know till the very end. We've had
some good starts and we've had some good second halfs,
and we need to really just kind of put two
really good halves together.

Speaker 7 (26:48):
I think that that's what really need to do. So
she gotta go just rip it.

Speaker 3 (26:53):
You know.

Speaker 6 (26:54):
I know that's kind of a QP term, but really
just everywhere, you know, just just go to run routes
and go k falls and go run, and go block
and go tackle and just go go play with energy
and just be excited to play.

Speaker 3 (27:09):
You know.

Speaker 7 (27:10):
I think that that's what.

Speaker 6 (27:11):
That's what I need to do, and that's what this
whole team needs to do, is just go be excited
to play and go celebrate and score touchdown and go
have some fun.

Speaker 2 (27:18):
So yeah, go have some fun. Yep, that can do
it sometimes just enjoying yourself, and it has not looked
like Clemson's enjoyed football at all this season. Quick, great,
we'll come back with more here. On a Thursday afternoon,
Lawton Swan Clemson Sports saw Tim Beray joining US an
hour number two Clemson in North Carolina at noon this

(27:43):
weekend up at Keenan Stadium in Chapel Hill. Clemson favor
by thirteen and a half going into that ball game.
We'll see if they can have some fun. As Kay
club me talked about before the break, you know, looking
at the Atlantic Coast Conference standings though, and this is

(28:05):
the thing that you know, we kind of talked about
a week or so ago about where Clemson sits and
sort of what you need to have happen, because at
this point you do have to have some luck, right,

(28:26):
You do have to have some luck to make it
to where you want to go. And the team, it's
interesting the team is talking only in terms of hey,
eight games left, like not saying they're not going to
make a bowl game, but just they're basically saying, hey,
we've got eight games to go out and play. And

(28:48):
I think Davosweeny's trying to plug that mindset into them
so that they're not scoreboard watching because you get certainly
go through the schedule in the Atlantic Coast Conference and decide, Okay,
the team A wins this game, team B loses and

(29:10):
how does that all play out. But I think one
of the bigger things actually happened this past weekend, and
that was Florida State getting beat by Virginia. Because the
Florida State seminoles this weekend based off against Miami. And

(29:34):
with that, if you don't think that Florida State is
going to win that game, right, then that's gonna give
them their second loss. And you don't have to worry
about teams that have two losses that you play later.

(29:55):
As long as you can win, the big problem becomes
do Syracuse and more importantly, Georgia Tech fall enough that
you can get ahead of them, because they would have
to fall three times. But maybe other scenarios begin to
present themselves that are of the shocking variety. For example,

(30:19):
maybe Florida State wins this weekend and drops Miami to
zero to one in conference play, and perhaps somewhere else
along the way, Miami also picks up another loss. Well,
Clemson doesn't play Miami, but Clemson does play Florida State.

(30:44):
So if the Tigers somehow turned the momentum and Florida
State were to pull an upset this weekend, maybe it's
not Georgia Tech that you need to kind of get
out of the way, and maybe it's Miami, and perhaps
Florida State winning this weekend would be a positive for Clemson.

(31:09):
Now you could argue the other way around, but what
I'll tell you is either way, win or lose in
this game. For Florida State, you still have to beat them.
And if you beat them, regardless of what they do
in this game against Miami, you would still be in

(31:32):
front of them. If you beat them. And so that's
why I think it's probably best this weekend, now that
Florida State's got a loss, that they go deliver a
loss to Miami and then you just take your chances
that you can somehow fight to be a two lost
team in a conference that's muddled in the middle. So

(31:53):
what if it's Georgia Tech that goes seven to one
or whatever. You just hope that in some tiebreak scenario
with three or four teams. I mean again, you face
Duke they're two and zine conference, you face Louisville they're
one to zero. You go and win those games. Maybe
you put in enough work that six and two in

(32:17):
the league is good enough to qualify you for the
ACC Championship. Now, I get it, what you've seen this
year does not look like a team that's going to
deliver that, and around the conference there still has to
be a lot of chaos to take place. But I
think most of us assumed at this point you would
be talking about undefeated Miami, undefeated Florida State Winter coming

(32:40):
out of that with one loss. The fact that now
Florida State has the ability to deliver Miami a first loss,
which opens up the door for Clemson to down the
road deliver a second loss to Florida State, and maybe
Miami in some other game this season gets their second loss.

(33:05):
But because you Clemson beat Florida State, maybe that's the
bump that puts you above the Hurricanes in a six
and two scenario. Like I think the Virginia win by
Tony Elliott was big for teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference,

(33:26):
Clemson specifically that needed top tier teams to pick up
some losses along the way. Now, there is no margin
of era at all. I do not deny that fact,
zero margin of era, and they haven't looked like a
team that can perform with zero margin of era. But

(33:48):
I have to also engage in the truth of what
Tony Elliott delivered, not just to Clemson but to the
Atlantic Coast Conference. A loss to one of the teams
that was kind of felt like like would be in
the ACC Championship game with the way they played out
of the gates this season beating Alabama in the opener. Now, however,

(34:09):
and for Florida State fans, this Miami game becomes a
huge one because you might just think that Alabama was
a one off and the Crimson Tide were overlooking you
because currently other than that win, it's East Texas, A
and M and Kent State not exactly you know, Murderer's row.
So was Florida State just fortuitous in week one? Or

(34:33):
do they have another gut punch to a team that
Clemson and other teams in the conference who already have
two losses absolutely need. You need those top tier teams
to collect an early loss so that any other trip
up along the way just pulls you. Even as disappointing
of a start as Clemson has had, Tony elliott ironically,

(34:56):
I think delivered a pretty good step. He may have
Tony Elliotts done more for Clemson in the Atlantic Coast
Conference this season than Clemson has done for Clemson. All Right,
quick break, we'll be right back. Final segment of our one,
the show that Chasy south Land Timberrey coming up an
hour two. All right, So, last night, my daughter is
a cheerleader and middle school football. I will say this.

(35:23):
I will say this about the middle school football game.
There was some popping going on, Like there were some
pads popping. I was kind of shocked. I think part
of it. I think part of was accidental, Like I
don't think all of that pad popping that I heard

(35:44):
was all about technique and form. I think some of
it was just I'm running full speed towards you, You're
running full speed towards me, and boom pads popping. But
it was Meadow Glen Middle School versus Lakeside Middle School. Now,

(36:08):
this is a weird situation for a multitude of reasons. Alright,
first and foremost, Lakeside is a new middle school and
it feeds into River Bluff High School. But when River

(36:28):
Bluff High School was created, they made the middle school
the Gators as well. Right, so one of the two
feeder schools the kids start as Gators. The other feeder school, Lakeside,

(36:49):
they are the Raiders. Now, I did wonder if they
made gators and raiders so that the cheer squads, since
my daughter's on cheer I thought about this. When they
get together, it's not a complete When they're at River
Bluff as gators, it's not a complete. Well, we got
to change it up, you know, Like if it had
been the Lakeside Warhorses, that's a little tougher to switch

(37:10):
into cheers to sound like gators. So I thought maybe
they went with Raiders and Gators. If I'm wrong on that,
oh well, if I'm right, that's genius. It's also genius
that I figured it out if I'm right, because nobody
ever told me. But you're probably wondering, why are you
talking about middle school football right now, Swane. Well, here's

(37:36):
the thing. Both of those schools feed to the high school,
which means there are parents, okay for the Lakeside children,
Raiders whose high school siblings are Gators, and on Friday
night will be on the home side of the stands.

(37:56):
But yet in this game at River Bluff High School,
those Raider Gators, if you want to call them, they
were on the other side. So first off, you're on
the visiting side, even though you are going to be
on the home side eventually as a fan, as a player,

(38:16):
all of that, every one of those kids that's playing
for Lakeside will be playing for Riverbluff JB football. And
this is the positive of what happened last night as
the Raiders beat the Gators forty four to eight I
think was the final. The running back for Lakeside, this

(38:44):
kid looked like he was on another planet. Opening kickoff
to the house up flag on the play gotta bring
it back. Okay, So this kid just went like eighty
yards on the kick return opening, Carrie seventy five yards

(39:06):
to the house. You know, next Carrie seventy five yards. Oh,
holding bring it back? Oh next carry fifty eight yards.
This kid, I can't remember his name. I wish I
could this. This kid deserves a little airtime here more
than just hey, he's the middle school running back for Lakeside.

(39:30):
The only thing positive that came out of that game
for Meadow Glenn and River Bluff High School is that
that kid is zoned to play at River Bluff. It
was unbelievable. Like, I haven't seen a lot of middle
school ball, But if every middle school game looks like that,

(39:55):
like there's one kid that you just clearly go that
guy should be playing something else, then maybe this is
the norm. If most middle school ball is just kind
of kids, you know, smashing together for three yards in
a cloud of dust and the occasional completion. Okay, but
that dude was going untouched, and I don't think it

(40:19):
was because his offensive line was just opening up like
these gaping holes for him to run through. This kid
looked like he was ready, and I think he'll probably
be on the varsity next season. I don't see how
even in a five day high school, unless you just
can't play varsity as a freshman, I don't know what

(40:40):
all the rules are. He looked like he'd be hard
pressed to be kept off of the field. Now his size,
I don't really know, Like he didn't look overwhelmingly large
compared to the other kids. Like I remember when like
we were playing against Bamberg Earhart and they had Chris
Franklin who went on to play at Clemson, and Chris

(41:04):
Franklin just stood out. Now this is not middle school,
this was high school. You just couldn't look at it.
You go, well, those are regular players and there's a
college kid. I mean, that kid didn't give that vibe.
Like you didn't get like, oh yeah, college vibe. But
I got he's a lot better than he needs to

(41:26):
be at this level. Like, holy smokes, it was something
to watch. It was something to watch. That kid was
up and down the field and there was one play
late in the game where a couple of guys had him.
I mean he had maybe three guys on him and
he just carrying him to the end zone. He was

(41:50):
tough as nails. And again the good news is for
the Gators, the Varsity ones and the jv ones. He's
in the feeder system to come to this high school
and not to like Lexington to your rival high school.
Lexington apparently gets kids from beech Wood and Pleasant Hill

(42:11):
Middle School. I think now, So there you go in Lakeside,
by the way, the artist formerly known as Lexington Middle School.
They had to make that switch a few years ago.
All right, our two Temporey joins us. Stay with us.

Speaker 1 (42:26):
Each time for Clipson Sports Talk with Lawton Swan.

Speaker 2 (43:07):
It is our number two. That's drivetime right here on
the show The Shakes the Southland. Clemson Sports Talk Lawton
Swan hanging out with you on a Thursday afternoon and
of course the Show That Shakes thea Southland. Brought to
you in part by our good friends over at mets
Plumbing mets plumbing dot com two two six seven one

(43:28):
o eight. That's mets Plumbing two two six seven to
one oh eight. Go check them out today or online
at mets plumbing dot com. We also have links on
our website. You can find them there. Let them know
Swany sent you. Timberray, longtime Clemson sid joins the program
ahead of Clemson's return to the Gridiron as they take

(43:48):
on North Carolina at noon on Saturday. Tim, welcome in.
Thank you for being a part of the program. We
certainly appreciate your time.

Speaker 5 (43:57):
Glad to be with you a lot. And it's a
beautiful weather weak up up here, and so I think
the Tigers have gotten in some good work in preparation
for this game.

Speaker 2 (44:11):
Yeah. I think this is an interesting situation that Daboswenny
has found himself in because over the past few years, right,
they've made some coaching changes and some coaching hires, and
they're not a team that really utilizes the portal. So
you've got consistency, it feels like in the locker room,
but you got maybe some new faces and stuff around

(44:31):
the athletic office over the past three years or so.
And I think a lot of people are kind of
looking back at it right like it feels like it
just fell off a cliff, but maybe it's kind of
been a little gradual slide, if you will, you know
when you look at it right now. Though, Dabosweny has said, hey,
this program's in a great spot. Do you agree with
him and his assessment that this has really just been

(44:52):
a coaching failure this year.

Speaker 5 (44:58):
Well, let's see, I think you asked me multiple questions there.
I'll take the first one that said, yeah, I think
still think the program.

Speaker 8 (45:06):
Is in it's in great shape. I mean, fourteen straight
years of at least nine wins, and thirteen of those
of ten, as he said in the final Top twenty five,
and in all of them. There's not many programs in
the history of college football have done that. That said,
you're off to.

Speaker 5 (45:25):
A one and three start this year.

Speaker 8 (45:27):
I know he put.

Speaker 5 (45:28):
Put it on his coaching staff and his press conferences week,
but you also you know the players have got to execute.

Speaker 8 (45:38):
Only only he.

Speaker 5 (45:39):
Can evaluate whether the coaching somehow is not putting them
in the best position or frame of mind to.

Speaker 8 (45:53):
Execute what they're supposed to do. So I'll make it
a real finite example. And we've talked about the next
to the last play of the LSU game when Tyler
Brown was wide open going across the middle and it
would have been a touchdown pass and tied the game
and sended in overtime. Ad didn't see it, or didn't

(46:15):
read the defense right or made the wrong decision. Did
he make the wrong decision because he wasn't coached to
do that, or did he just make the wrong decision
on his own. I don't know the answer to that question.
I assume that Dabo has had plenty of time to
evaluate some of those situations, and kids can make a

(46:38):
determination and make corrections going forward.

Speaker 2 (46:41):
Yeah, I think that play specifically, and I don't remember
if you and I talked about it, but I think
that play specifically, Kate Klubnick did probably what he's taught
to do in that moment because that defensive end, if
you remember, on that Playtimp cut down to the inside,
which would appear that the tackle has leverage on him.

(47:02):
But what Kate doesn't know is that was a bait
and switch, if you will, and they're bringing that linebacker
across the top. So I think Kate actually made the
right play there because he expects that he'll be able
to sprint to that corner. But again, if he stays
in the pocket, which I think his instincts didn't tell
him to do, he's probably got, like you said, Tyler

(47:24):
Brown wide open. But there's been a lot right with
this team, and I think the thing that surprised me
the most too, and maybe it's just come down to
the situations in these games that Christopher Vezina hasn't played
more or gotten a chance to show if he could
spark this offense a little bit. Do you think his
lack of play? Actually wrote about it today, but do

(47:45):
you think his lack of play is just more about
situational You know that Clempson really had had a moment
where they felt like we have to go to him
just yet. And do you think if things start slow
this weekend inch Apple Hill, that they might give Christopher
Zina a series early?

Speaker 5 (48:06):
Yeah?

Speaker 8 (48:07):
I can I can see that happening. I mean there's
I mean, there's history with Dabbo in this regard. I mean,
in particular, was it two thousand and twenty three, I
can't remember who we were playing, but you know he
took DJ out of the game and put Kate in
at Notre Dame in twenty twenty two, he took DJ

(48:27):
out and put Kate in. Right, you know, nothing great
happened when he made the switch, but you know he
showed a willingness that he will do that if he
if he if he feels that needs.

Speaker 5 (48:40):
To be done.

Speaker 8 (48:41):
The only thing that's that you have to take into consideration,
and that only Dabble knows, you know for sure in
his relationship with his with his players, is if at
this point, this early in the season, the fourth game,
now you know, maybe that's the end of the early season, but.

Speaker 5 (49:02):
You know he's taking him out, going to ruin his confidence,
which he basically said tuesday this press conference that there
are players on the team that felt they've they've lost
some of their confidence.

Speaker 8 (49:14):
So you take Kay out now and in this situation
and Vesina doesn't do well, have you ruined kid from
a confidence standpoint that if you put it in it
back in, he's gonna do worse. So that's what you
get to evaluate as a as a coach, trying to
determine whether you could make a you know, make a

(49:35):
switch or not.

Speaker 3 (49:36):
I mean, you know, part.

Speaker 8 (49:37):
Of the thing you also have to evaluate is, you know,
is Kate really been that bad or is it because
we had such high expectations for him that he hasn't
met that Maybe he's not that bad, he just hasn't
had he met the expectations that we had for him.

Speaker 2 (49:56):
No, I think it's a fair point, and I think
some of it goes back to and I thought this
was one of the bigger statements I heard all week
was Matt Luke when he was talking about the fact
that when you win games, you still have tons of
missteps on the field, but people don't analyze them, you know,

(50:17):
with a magnifying glass the way they do when you
lose those games. And I'm talking about I'm sure the
coaches do, but I'm talking about you know, guys like
me who have to talk about it two hours every day.
And with that being said, you do wonder if this
team was three and one, say Tim, and these same
glaring mistakes were on tape, would we have the level

(50:42):
of concern that I think a lot of people do
about this team. And I'm thinking that the answers absolutely
know that. You would go, you know, we had some
good fortune, but this is still a really good football team.
But when it's bad fortune, I think you start going, Man,
is this a bad football team? And that's what I
think fans are asking right now. And I don't know
that we'll even know that if they play well against

(51:05):
North Carolina, because this North Carolina team doesn't appear to
be a very good football team either.

Speaker 5 (51:13):
Yeah, it's it's probably a situation where it's it's almost
I can't win situation. If this weekend, if Clemson does well,
he wins thirty five to fourteen, you know, people will say, well,
you'd beat a bad football team. And if we do,
if we win fourteen to ten, people.

Speaker 8 (51:29):
Say, well, see, we're not any good. So it's almost
like I can't.

Speaker 5 (51:33):
Win right a situation you can't win for loser standpoint,
I know. So you know we just have to wait
and you know, wait and wait and see. But I
think there will be indicators though that you know, you'll
be able to tell if if if they're if you
know Clemson has improved, you know, or not.

Speaker 2 (51:56):
Tim beray with us here on the program. I do
want to turn our attention real quick though, Tim to Charlottesville,
Virginia and Tony Elliott, former Clemson offensive coordinator and former
Clemson player. I know you know him very well. That
matchup against Florida State on Friday was such a fun
game to watch and obviously the biggest win in Tony

(52:16):
Elliott's tenure as the head coach for the Cavaliers. What
was kind of going through your mind on Friday is
you had a chance to watch all of that and
knowing how well you know, Tony, what were you thinking.

Speaker 5 (52:32):
I'm laughing because after the game I texted Tony, I said, congratulations,
Clemson fans are counting this as a win. Yeah. So
he got a big, you know kick out of that.

Speaker 8 (52:45):
But you know, you know, we did very well when
you know, I think I got into this with you
last week. And we have so many Clemson fans that,
you know, think there are too many Clemson graduates of
former players on the staff.

Speaker 5 (52:58):
But you know, when when when.

Speaker 9 (53:01):
Brandon Streeter, Tony Elliott and and Jeff Scott were uh
you know, basically running the offense, you know, we were
I think seventy and eight.

Speaker 8 (53:12):
So, you know, I think Tony's.

Speaker 5 (53:15):
Got a good football mind.

Speaker 8 (53:17):
I think he's you know, it's it's a lot about
the players and and and.

Speaker 5 (53:21):
The quarterback he's got, who he's known since he was
a kid.

Speaker 3 (53:27):
You know.

Speaker 5 (53:27):
I just think that has made all the difference in
the world for them. You know, Virginia arguably lost their
best offensive player, the kid Malachi who's sitting at Notre
Dame now, and he's Notre Name's top receiver.

Speaker 8 (53:42):
So think would they'd be offensively even if they had him,
but he was able to bring in some other guys
from other schools and a couple of guys who are
already on the team. And and you know, the one
game they lost this year, they had five hundred and
they had two hundred and fifty seven yards rushing in
two hundred and fifty seven yards, passing over five hundred

(54:05):
yards and still.

Speaker 5 (54:06):
Lost the game to NC State. But you know, they've
won all the others. Have got a really interesting game
this weekend against Louisville.

Speaker 2 (54:13):
Yeah, and that's a Louisville team that came back twice
against pitt this past weekend down seventeen points at one point,
then fell back down ten and still came back in one.
Talk about coming from behind for a victory, but to
do it twice like that, that's pretty rare in sports,
I know. I mean, either you don't have the stat

(54:34):
on it, but you don't see that very often.

Speaker 7 (54:38):
No, you don't.

Speaker 5 (54:39):
I do have this stat for you though, that.

Speaker 8 (54:43):
You know, Clemson has only lost three games in its
history when against at least five hundred yards total offense.
One of them was against Syracuse. Tigers are at one, twelve,
three and one when they have at least five hundred yards.

Speaker 5 (54:55):
But already this year, three ACC teams have gained five
hundred yards in again they lost. Wow, Florida State did.

Speaker 8 (55:02):
It to against Virginia, Virginia did it against NCA State,
and Clemson had five hundred yards and the loss to Syracuse.
So it's very rare. But it's already happened three times
in the East.

Speaker 5 (55:12):
Seas this year.

Speaker 2 (55:13):
That's unbelievable. Again. Follow him on Twitter at Tim Beray.
What a stat there. I will say this too, right, like,
I don't know how many five hundred yard games there
were in say, I don't know nineteen eighty nine. I
would imagine that's kind of a newish number. I mean,
what were the what were the books like back then?

(55:35):
Was it high three hundreds? Were teams getting into four
hundred yards back then?

Speaker 5 (55:42):
Oh? Yeah, no, I'd say, you know, in the in
the nineteen eighties, he still had not as many teams as.

Speaker 8 (55:48):
You do today would give a five hundred yard game.
But I'm sure Oklahoma and their a day of running
the wishbone average five hundred yards a game. At nineteen
ninety three, Florida State led the nation in total offense
and they averaged five hundred and fifty seven yards per game.

Speaker 5 (56:05):
So, I mean it's been around for a while, and
that's over thirty years.

Speaker 3 (56:09):
You know.

Speaker 5 (56:09):
Back but yeah, before about nineteen eighty five, though, you
didn't see many teams getting five hundred yards.

Speaker 8 (56:16):
They might rush for three hundred. But it is interesting
how the passing game is just so much more prevalent. Actually,
look this week, there's only eleven players in the country.
We're averaging one hundred yards rushing per game.

Speaker 5 (56:31):
And that's that's not a lot. Two of them are
right out one hundred, So you know, it's you got
way more three hundred yard passers than you have one
hundred yard rushers.

Speaker 2 (56:41):
Tim Bray with us here on the program for a
few more minutes. Tim, I was thinking about the overtime
in college football this weekend. There were so many good
games that went to overtime, and then the Sunday night
game with the Cowboys went to overtime as well and
ended in a forty forty tie. And I just want

(57:03):
to get your thoughts. What do you think is the
best way to settle a game that is tied. Do
you like the college model, do you like the pro model?
Is there a Tim Bray model. We need to know about.
What do you think?

Speaker 3 (57:20):
Well?

Speaker 5 (57:20):
I hated the pro model when a team basically could
win the coin flip drive, get forty yards to kick
a field goal and.

Speaker 8 (57:27):
Win the game and the other team never had possession
of the wall.

Speaker 5 (57:30):
Hated that rule.

Speaker 8 (57:32):
So at least now the pro the pros, you each
have an opportunity to have possession of the ball.

Speaker 5 (57:41):
Now, I'd be honest with you, I kind of like
the pro model a little bit better than the college
I do too, we have a situation where both teams
get the ball.

Speaker 8 (57:51):
Yeah, the college model, I just.

Speaker 5 (57:53):
You know, you're driving from the twenty five and and you.

Speaker 8 (57:57):
Know, and again the coin flip makes such a big
difference there because you know, if you win the coin
flip and you go on defense, you know what you
got to do when you have position of the ball. So,
you know, true overtime is is to me, is you know,
not totally changing the rules by which you have played

(58:17):
sixty minutes of regulation. And we kind of do that
in the you know, in the college in the college game.

Speaker 2 (58:25):
Yeah, and and then how quickly you go to the
forced two point conversion kind of blows my mind. A
little bit. And then the fact that from the third
overtime and all that's all we're doing is every little
three yard gadget play, right.

Speaker 5 (58:42):
You're right, I don't I don't like that either. I mean,
you're determined that you're you determine the outcome of the
game based on a two point conversion player I.

Speaker 8 (58:50):
Know can happen, and but I mean you're doing all
over time in that way when you get past the
second overtime. So yeah, I don't like that either.

Speaker 5 (58:58):
I mean, I know what brought it about.

Speaker 8 (59:00):
It was the seven overtime game we have with any
Texas A and M and lsu.

Speaker 5 (59:04):
Yep a few years back, And that's what brought it
about because the game went to like one o'clock in
the morning, and but you know how many of those
did we have? One or two?

Speaker 3 (59:14):
That was it?

Speaker 5 (59:14):
So I don't know if we're gonna do one now.
I kind of like the pro model better than the
college one again.

Speaker 2 (59:21):
Clemson heads up to North Carolina for a big matchup
on Saturday at noon. Don Munson, Tim Berey, Reggie Mary
whether they'll be on the call to him final thing
this matchup with Dabosweeney and Bill Belichick. It was noted obviously,
just the second time that the super Bowl winning coach
and a national championship winning coach will face off collegiately.

Speaker 5 (59:42):
Actually, it's the first time multiple super Bowl champions. Oh
and yeah, because Bill Walsh. Bill Walsh faced Lou Holtz
a couple of times, he faced Bill McCartney, He faced
other national championship coaches, but though all those coaches only

(01:00:04):
won one national champion, Dabbler won two as coach Paterno did.
So it's just the second time that a multiple super
Bowl champion coach has faced a multiple college coach.

Speaker 2 (01:00:18):
Ah, okay, so slightly slightly different. The thing I kept
thinking about a little bit different, But yeah, what about
it the NFL? Like, has there been a guy that's
won multiple that went to the NFL and beat a
coach that had won a national championship, like say Jim
Harball collegiately. I also wondered, there's got to be something
out there. I didn't expect you to know that one,

(01:00:40):
but I did not realize that it was the multiple
national title thing that makes this one you need.

Speaker 5 (01:00:45):
It's it's uh, yeah, it's it's uh, it's multiple. But yeah,
I'm trying to think the only other college coach who
won a national championship, I mean, who then went to
the and then won a Super Bowl? Would you have
Jimmy Johnson Johnson and did Pete Carroll?

Speaker 2 (01:01:06):
Pete Carroll? Yeah, I would guess maybe Barry Switzer.

Speaker 8 (01:01:12):
Barry Switzer did uh he won multiple college championships and
won Super Bowl?

Speaker 5 (01:01:19):
Yes?

Speaker 2 (01:01:20):
Interesting? Nonetheless, Bill Belichick Dabo Sweeney this weekend and again
Tim bray Don Munson, red Emior Weather on the call
for the Clemson have like Network, Tim always appreciate you
have a great week, and we will talk to you
next Thursday.

Speaker 5 (01:01:34):
Sounds good, lawding.

Speaker 2 (01:01:37):
There you go, that's Tim Burray hanging out with us
here on a Thursday afternoon.

Speaker 3 (01:01:44):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:01:44):
See, that's why we bring him on. Straighten me out,
you say, Swannye, that's got to be in the game notes, right,
I haven't even opened those. They came out a little
later this week. Normally we get those game notes on
like Sunday or Monday. I don't think we got him
this week until two and so I just hadn't had
a chance to take a gander at them. I'll do
it after the show, people, I guess I could do

(01:02:06):
it during the show and give you some Yeah, yeah, yeah,
there you go, Swanee. Simple work, simple work. Just look
at the notes. All right, we'll hit up barreat, we'll
come back. I'll give you some of the notes off
of Clemson in North Carolina right after this Clemson's sports
tal lot and swine. That was Tim Bray before the

(01:02:28):
break eight O three four five O zero zero eighty six.
That's the text line in the phone line. Hey, hour
number one. I forgot to remind you about our friends
in Alumni Hall right there on the corner of campus
on College Avenue of downtown Clemson. It's a loven they
haul for all your officially licensed Clemson merchandise, hats, T shirts, Telgate,
garn Moore. Don't forget about those sweet dry fit Nike

(01:02:50):
polos and I love so much, Like I told you,
got them for Clemson, got them for River Bluff. We
made the switch to Nike. I was like, yes, sir,
but yeah, Alumni Hall again right there, a stone stow
away from historic Riggs Field. Go check them out today
or online at Alumni Hall dot com. And don't forget
a more than just Clemson not in store downtown. But online, Yeah,

(01:03:16):
they've got a ton of different schools, so maybe your
friend's a Tennessee fan or a Virginia Tech fan. Alumni
Hall where Tigers shop online at alumni Hall dot com,
all right, will help. Former Purdue football player. I don't

(01:03:37):
think Alumni Hall has got a Purdue outfit yet, but
you don't need one if you're will Haul anymore. You
got the tiger gear. Will Help met with the media
and he was asked about the bye week. Will Help's
pretty quickly taking on as being the face of this
Clemson Tiger defense in his first his first season in Tigertown.

(01:04:01):
Here's will Helt's thoughts on how things went for Clemson
during the bye week.

Speaker 10 (01:04:07):
Yeah. I think it came out a good time for us.
It was a good physical and mental reset. But yeah,
I mean the message moving forward is just we got
an eight game season and we're just going to focus
on the one in front of us.

Speaker 3 (01:04:18):
So excited about that opportunity.

Speaker 2 (01:04:20):
And you feel bad for a guy that will help
at least I do. I mean, now, granted, look he's
probably making some pretty decent money he's getting to play
at Clemson versus Purdue, but you know, he thought when
he came to Clemson that they were going to be
in the college football playoff conversation, not the Well, we're
just going to focus on these next eight games, and again,

(01:04:40):
you got to have a lot of luck to get
where you want to go. We'll see if it all
breaks out for the Tigers. Help was asked about the
first four games of the season. Here's what the big
defensive end had to say.

Speaker 3 (01:04:53):
Where you're at.

Speaker 10 (01:04:54):
Yeah, I mean, obviously it's not where any of us
envisioned ourselves here four games in. But all we can
focus on is what's in front of us. If I'm
being honest, and I'm just excited about that.

Speaker 2 (01:05:07):
That's will help talking about this Clemson Tiger football team
and their focus. He was also asked about his experience
in the transfer portal and in what that was like.

Speaker 10 (01:05:19):
Yeah, I mean, it was a positive experience. The portals
is pretty hectic. A lot of people don't really think
about it this way, but it's like your whole high
school recruitment but slammed down into like three weeks.

Speaker 3 (01:05:31):
So I mean it's a little bit of a stressful time,
but it was good.

Speaker 10 (01:05:35):
Yeah, I mean, I mean the reason I'm here is
because I want to win games and I still intend
on doing that, and I just want to be developed
into the player I can.

Speaker 3 (01:05:43):
I can become so excited about that.

Speaker 2 (01:05:45):
Help was also asked about, you know, the attention that
he received from Clemson as a transfer. In my hunch
is that these are or we're probing questions to kind
of get some insight into how Clemson he the use
of the portal because obviously, looking at the start of
this season, I think there's going to be more encouragement

(01:06:07):
from fans to do something to fix issues. The problem
with the way college is set up. It's not a problem,
but you know, you can't make a mid season trade.
You can't say, hey, we'll give you a We'll give
you two cornerbacks for a defensive lineman, right, Like, I mean,
the guys you got are the guys you got. But

(01:06:29):
here's will help kind of explaining the attention he received
from Clemson in the transfer portal.

Speaker 3 (01:06:36):
Flatter you, Yeah, I mean I think so.

Speaker 10 (01:06:38):
Obviously, like you said, they don't really take guys, so
I think it says something when when they are reaching
out in the show interest.

Speaker 2 (01:06:46):
So maybe that'll help the Tigers in their pursuit of
other players at different positions this coming season. Here's will
Help kind of giving his thoughts on what he's seen
from North Carolina's off so far, which has struggled this year.

Speaker 10 (01:07:02):
I mean, I think they've got some dynamic playmakers. You know,
they they do some things well up front that that
we need to be prepared for. But I think that
I think that we're excited about getting on track this
week and getting effort on them.

Speaker 2 (01:07:18):
That's will help. He was also asked about Bill Belichick
and what he thinks that'll be like going up against
one of the greatest coaches of all time.

Speaker 10 (01:07:26):
I think, I think that's a cool opportunity. Obviously, he's
dreaming about playing against a coach like that, so gro
washing a guy like that.

Speaker 3 (01:07:33):
So that's that's exciting.

Speaker 2 (01:07:36):
That's Clympson defense, Ben will Help. He was also asked
about former players who have shared their opinions about this
team's play thus far, and there have been several they
have questioned the effort in the heart of this group
and how hard they're playing. Here's will Help's response to that.

Speaker 3 (01:07:58):
I guess he to live up to.

Speaker 10 (01:08:01):
I mean, to be honest, I don't really spend much
time thinking about it. I think they've earned the right.
They put in the time, they've earned the right to,
you know, say how they feel, say what they're thinking,
but don't put too much thought into.

Speaker 3 (01:08:13):
That, to be honest.

Speaker 2 (01:08:14):
And it's been guys like Shaq Lawson, who's brothers on
the team, who Dabo Sweeney, you know, I think they
expect to play him a lot more Jaheim Lawson. I
mean he's called him a bright spot savior Thomas who
was in the program for many years, kind of calling
the guys out on social media as well, And that's

(01:08:35):
where I just key in on. I feel like it's effort,
Like I feel like players know, man, I feel like
players know. I really do. Here's will Help kind of
giving his thoughts on the coaching staff taking accountability for
the unfortunate start to the twenty twenty five campaign.

Speaker 10 (01:08:56):
Yeah, I think everyone in the building throughout that by
wekend coming into this week needed to just take a
look in the mirror and you know, focus.

Speaker 3 (01:09:03):
On their one eleventh or one whatever their job is.
So yeah, I think that was important for that.

Speaker 2 (01:09:10):
All right, final thing from Will Help, he was asked
about the difficulties of possibly preparing to face two different
quarterbacks because North Carolina could throw two at the Tigers.
Here's what he had to say.

Speaker 10 (01:09:24):
Yeah, obviously one of them is a little bit more
of a runner than the other. So I think that's
something that to be cognizant of, especially from a defensive
line standpoint, that that we're going to be prepared for.
But you know, just I think I think we're ready
to go. Not not too worried about that, more so
worried about what we got to do on our side.

Speaker 2 (01:09:45):
That's Will Helton. Of course. The two quarterbacks, Max Johnson,
the former LSU quarterback, and Go Lopez, both of those
guys there at North Carolina. Quick Break, hard time Break,
stay with us, clem Sports, tal lot and swan back
with you on a Thursday again. Think it a tim
beray for being a part of the program. Major League

(01:10:09):
Baseball postseason play Underway kind of talked about my thoughts on.

Speaker 3 (01:10:16):
You know, the.

Speaker 2 (01:10:18):
I guess the reason I got a couple of text
messages I only get to, you know, my thoughts on
how in college sports you tend to pull for teams.
A lot of people pull for teams from their conference,
but you don't see that in professional sports. I'll get
to those texts in a minute. But that got me
thinking about Major League Baseball and that marquee matchup tonight

(01:10:43):
eight o'clock on ESPN between the Boston Red Sox and
the New York Yankees, Game three, winner take all, great matchup.
Last night. Cleveland and Detroit were underway during the first
half of the Shit Show last night. Look, Detroit was
winning that game, and then at the top of the

(01:11:07):
hour five PM, Chicago and San Diego got underway. And
you know, I don't follow a lot of baseball. You
guys know this about me. It's not it's just not
my thing. I will watch postseason baseball, I will. I
will be watching some of these games for sure, no

(01:11:30):
doubt about it. But you know, yesterday, in a situation
where teams could have been eliminated, every series went one
game apiece except for Los Angeles and Cincinnati, and even
that game late that was an eight to four win

(01:11:52):
by the Dodgers. Even that game late Cincinnati had maybe
two guys on maybe three years. I can't remember the
tying run ever came to the plate. That was really
late last night. But anyway, I started thinking about these
wild card series, and I just don't know if I

(01:12:16):
like the format. I really don't. I mean, I kind
of feel like and again I'm not a baseball guy,
so you shoot this down if you want, but I
feel like these should be five game series two to
two and one. And I think, weren't they liked that
at one point? I mean, maybe this is the different now.

(01:12:37):
I know that at one point they had like a
one game playing thing, and I think that maybe what
this is morphed into, remember that it was like the
playing game. They don't still do that, do they? Maybe
they do. I don't watch it, text me let me know,
but I do know this. I feel like it is

(01:12:57):
such a decided advantage for the home team, and maybe
that's why they've done it like this and just done
three games at home. You could do them back to
back to back, mix for a great couple of days midweek,
and then you get into the remainder of postseason play

(01:13:17):
after that. But yeah, big games tonight for sure. Winner
take all all three of these games, let's see. Texts
got to get to them, all right. So I talked
about fans rooting for their conference and how NFL fans

(01:13:39):
would never root for their division. Tanner. I think we
heard from Tanner before down in Charleston. He said, I
actually agree with rooting for your conference, Swanee. If the
SEC looks strong, it helps everybody's national perception. It makes
sense why fans want the league to shine. Yeah. No,
I get that. I get that, Tanner. But don't you

(01:14:03):
feel like we should have a format in place for
college football so that you don't.

Speaker 5 (01:14:11):
Have to do that?

Speaker 2 (01:14:13):
I mean, that was kind of my point. My point is,
I think that it would be ideal if college football
had a setup that forced us to not care about
what the teams in our leagues do. I mean, what

(01:14:39):
happens at North Carolina shouldn't matter a hill of beans
to what's going on in Clemson, and what happens at
LSU shouldn't matter a hill of beans to what's going
on in Auburn, and nobody in Auburn should be rooting
for LSU to be good. That's counterintuitive to rivals, and YadA, YadA, YadA.

(01:15:08):
That That's kind of what I'm I'm saying, Like, I get,
I get why it's done, but I don't get why
we haven't created a system that eliminates that, like, I
think that's that's weird. I know why it exists, but
I think it's weird for a sport that you would
hope that, you know, it's better for South Carolina for

(01:15:29):
Georgia to be good. That doesn't make sense. It's not
better for the Cowboys for the Commanders to be good.
It's just better for the Cowboys to be good for
the Cowboys. Lynn says, I'm a Clemson fan through and through,

(01:15:52):
and I don't care if the ACC looks good or bad.
I'm never pulling for Florida State or Miami rival a rival.
I agree with that rivals arrival, but I think we
also have to acknowledge right Land that the way we

(01:16:15):
currently have it, not everybody feels that way, all right.
A couple of more from the text line. Marcus says,
if Kate Clubnick comes out flat in the first quarter, again,
I say give Zena a real series, not just a

(01:16:37):
mop up drive. Let's see if the kid can move
the ball. This, Marcus is precisely what needs to happen.
And you know, Tim Berray said, well, I think the
concern is what if, you know, you kind of rattle
Kate Clubnick at this point I and I wrote this

(01:17:00):
and not maybe not in so many words, but you
have to look at the future now, and you are
one in three. And if you go to North Carolina
and give up a couple of drives and don't score,
and then you give up a third and they score,
the game has been shortened so much you can't afford it.
You say, well, you can't afford to put Bozina in

(01:17:21):
there either. Dude, you gotta try something because unless you
portal somebody in next year, Zina is going to be
your guy in the opener in Baton Rouge quick Break,
we'll put a ball on the show next.

Speaker 4 (01:17:37):
What have you done for me lately? It's a fair question.
Just don't lose sight of the bigger picture. Don't forget history.
Lucky for us at Clemson, the answer to the questions
what have you done for me lately?

Speaker 5 (01:17:55):
What have you done?

Speaker 3 (01:17:56):
Always are the same.

Speaker 4 (01:18:03):
We win.

Speaker 2 (01:18:49):
Final segment on a Thursday Tomorrow, busy day, Will Van
der Bort Tommy Balden should be a lot of fun
looking at the Detroit Cleveland. I mentioned before the break,
the last thing I saw was two to one Detroit.
I have now seen six to one Detroit so not

(01:19:11):
looking great for Cleveland at home in that series as
the Guardians and the Tigers face off there in the MLB.
But again, the big matchup tonight, I think for most
people right is certainly Boston at New York big money
versus big money baby old school rivals. That that's just

(01:19:35):
a great, great rivalry. And what was it that four series?
Is that the one down three to zero where the
Socks come back and win four straight and then go
on to win the World Series? What was that for
the first time since they traded Babe ruth Away?

Speaker 7 (01:19:58):
Is that?

Speaker 2 (01:19:58):
What that was that sin nineteen oh three or something.
I can't I can't remember all the all the numbers
on that stuff, but I feel like that's the case. Anyway,
we talked briefly about college football in terms of some
of the scheduling stuff that we've got coming up this weekend. Again,
things will get going tonight actually at nine o'clock with

(01:20:19):
Sam Houston and New Mexico State on CBS Sports Network,
and then tomorrow there are five games on the docket,
none of epic proportion by any means. The best game
is a number twenty three BYU hosting West Virginia Rich
Rodriguez ten thirty on ESPN out in Provo, Western Kentucky

(01:20:40):
and Delaware tomorrow, Charlotte in South Florida, New Mexico and
San Jose State and Colorado State San Diego State at
noon on Saturday, Number twelve Georgia hosting Kentucky. That's on ABC.
You've also got and that in that noon window, Cincinnati
hosting four rank Iowa State, Michigan hosting twentieth rank Michigan

(01:21:03):
by the Way hosting Wisconsin, and twenty second Illinois on
the road at Purdue. All of that along with Clemson
at North Carolina that's on ESPN. That Clempson North Carolina game.
That spread has now gone up to fourteen and a half.
In this show, that spread went from thirteen and a
half to fourteen and a half. While you've been hanging
out with me today, You've also got Kansas State at Baylor.

(01:21:27):
I think a lot of people thought that would have
been a bigger game. That is on ESPN plus. Okay,
later in the day, you've got number nine Texas going
to Bnhill Griffin Stadium to take on the Florida Gators
at three thirty, and if Texas wallops Florida. Is that
the end of Billy Napier? I mean he is on fragile, fragile, fragilize.

(01:21:52):
Also at three thirty, the big game of the weekend,
I guess College Game Day is going to be there.
Sixteenth rank Vandy a tenth ranked Alabama three thirty at
Bryant Denny Stadium, Alabama ten and a half point favorites.
But it was Vandy and Dino Pavia that shocked the
college football world a year ago with that and they
entered with that victory over Alabama, and they entered that

(01:22:15):
game this weekend undefeated, And what a win would mean
there for Vanderbilt. Holy moly, can you imagine? Also at
three point thirty, number twenty four Virginia and Tony Elliott
at Louisville. The Cardinals survived coming back twice from down
seventeen to down ten against pitt. Louisville's a team that

(01:22:38):
you need to pick up a loss. Maybe Tony Ellie
can go out and deliver another big win for Clemson
up at Virginia. And then later in the day the
night cap Miami at Florida State. We talked about it
earlier seven thirty on ABC Miami's favored by just four
and a half in that one. I think you're good

(01:23:00):
at Florida State wins. I think that's a positive for
Clemson and Florida State wins quite frankly. Ohio State will
also be playing in that seven thirty window, the top
team of the country, hosting the Golden Gophers of Minnesota
on NBC. Ohio State's favored by like twenty four. And
then another game, Colorado at TCU. Been a rough start

(01:23:26):
out of Colorado this year for Deon Sanders, you know,
with all the stuff he's dealt with personally, help wise,
you know, I think they likely lose this game. They're
thirteen and a half point underdogs. I think everybody that
miraculous turn around, everybody thought that what's happening there in Colorado.

(01:23:48):
They're about to go to two and four, with two
and five steering him in the face next week against
Iowa State. And that's just the facts. I don't know
how much longer he's got in him. He doesn't want
to recruit the help, all the stuff.

Speaker 3 (01:24:01):
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (01:24:02):
He's my favorite player, but I don't know that he's
a great coach. I don't think he's doing the work
that you gotta do. I think he wants to get guys,
you know, coach guys the right way and get them
the right motivation, but I don't know if he's got
the the wherewithal to do it. And then the other
game that might be interesting is Mississippi State at Texas

(01:24:25):
A and M. I mean, I don't really think the
Bulldogs will win it, but A and M has been
known to slip up from time to tom even when
they're in the catbird seat, and they are the number
six team in the country. So we'll see how that
one plays out as well this weekend. All right, we
gotta get out here. We'll talk to the other to morrow.
Till then there's always y'all. Take care now and go Tigers.