Final Tally, Too Many Tar Holes

Final Tally
I split the final two bowl games to finish 16-12 straight up, 14-14 against the spread.

I will give you my thoughts on the Oregon-Ohio State game before next Monday.

Too Many Tar Holes
North Carolina beat Clemson in basketball last Saturday night. That's not an earth-shattering event because it has happened a lot.

Sure, the loss was disappointing. But the biggest disappointment was in the stands. Clemson had no home court advantage because some Clemson fans thought it was a good idea to put their tickets on line so the Tar Hole fans could gobble them up.

There was baby blue everywhere you looked. There was a lot of baby blue in the season ticket area and even some on the front row. That should never happen. Whoever allowed it to happen, should have their season tickets revoked.

The lunatic fringe is against rebuilding Littlejohn. They see it as a waste of money. They also were against the building of the West End Zone and the indoor football practice facility. The West End Zone and indoor practice facility have had no impact on recruiting (biting my lip trying not to laugh).

It's the same deal with basketball. Top-flight recruits come to Clemson and leave laughing. Clemson basketball doesn't have any bells and whistles. Compared to the rest of the ACC, Clemson is taking a pocket knife to an AK-47 shootout. Got no chance. None.

Next season is going to be tough because the Tigers are going to play in Greenville and practice at some place to be determined.

The point is -- Brad Brownell needs some time. This year, next year, and two years after that. If there is no progress after that or the program has declined, then make a change. But don't tie one of his hands behind his back and expect him to compete in the toughest basketball league in the country.

Clemson has never been a consistent winner in basketball because there hasn't been a commitment from the school or the fans. The school is getting ready to make a major commitment. The fans need to get "All In" too. If you are a "fan" and you don't like the style, then don't go to the games. That leaves space for a new fan to develop, someone who can appreciate the effort Brownell is putting into the program. There certainly was no problem with the style when the Tigers made their run in the NIT last spring.

I remember when I first started going to Clemson basketball games, the Tigers had less talent than the rest of the ACC and played a defensive style under Tates Locke. But Littlejohn was a pit and sometimes, not all of the time, the home court made a difference. I remember coming out of Littlejohn with my ears ringing because the noise level reached jet-plane levels during the game.

Fans don't want to hear it, but Clemson is a tough basketball job. There's a story about an African-American assistant coach who was asked a few years ago if he was interested in being the head basketball coach at Clemson. He shook his head and said he would rather have an STD than be the head coach Clemson.

Next up for the Tigers is Louisville at Louisville on Wednesday night, the Cardinals' ACC home opener. Most of the time, the ACC road can be cruel. This is one of those times.