As a Clemson alumnus and fan, there have been no shortage of huge disappointments in their recent football history. A program that once dominated the ACC has not won a conference title in 20 years despite having rosters stocked with NFL talent. The Tommy Bowden era was rife with disappointment as his teams were renowned for being preseason darlings and flopping down the stretch. So, in just the last 10 years, what have been Clemson football's biggest disappointments?
10.) 2010 season
No one was predicting the Tigers to be a great team, but coming off of a berth in the ACC Championship game, the reigning Atlantic Division Champions were returning the majority of the offensive line and virtually its entire defense. Sophomore quarterback Kyle Parker was returning after being a 1st round draft pick by the Colorado Rockies, which many had called head coach Dabo Swinney's biggest recruiting victory to date. Everyone knew that replacing all-everything running back C.J. Spiller and 2009's leading receiver Jacoby Ford would be difficult, but the offensive implosion that resulted was unexpected. The team finished 6-7, the first losing record for the Tigers since 1998, and offensive coordinator Billy Napier was dismissed following the season after his unit finished 84th in points per game and 88th in yards per game. Increasing the frustration was the outstanding defense fielded by the Tigers (19th in total defense, 13th in points allowed, 10th in tackles for loss) and the excellent season by first-team All-American defensive end Da'Quan Bowers who led the nation in sacks with 15.5.
9.) Back-to-back losses to South Carolina (2009, 2010)
Face it....beating South Carolina has become commonplace for Clemson. The Tigers lead the series 65-39-2 and had not previously lost to the Gamecocks two years in a row since the 1970s. In 2009, the Tigers likely had the better team, per ESPN's Heather Dinich, but went into Columbia and got smacked. Then, in 2010, when the Gamecocks had already wrapped up their first SEC East title, they came in to Death Valley and easily snuffed out the woeful Tigers, 29-7. This helped lead to a tumultuous offseason for the Tigers and spawned all sorts of uproar among the Tiger faithful.
8.) 2004 season
Coming off of a 9-3 season in 2003 which was capped by a 63-17 demolition of rival South Carolina and a Peach Bowl victory over Tennessee, expectations were high for the 2004 Tigers. However, with an entirely new offensive line, things fell apart rather quickly. Record-setting quarterback Charlie Whitehurst stumbled to a woeful 7-17 TD:INT ratio after throwing for a then-school record 21 TDs in the previous season. The season started with an unsettling overtime victory over Wake Forest, followed by an especially painful, last second loss to Georgia Tech at home. Despite being ranked as high as 11th in the preseason, the team fell to 1-4 before rallying to win four in a row including a win at #10 Miami. The season ended with a 29-7 win over South Carolina, but neither team accepted their bowl bids following the sideline-clearing brawl that occurred during the game which made national headlines. The team finished a lackluster 6-5.
7.) Duke (2004)
There is no shame in losing to Duke in basketball at Cameron, but there is in losing to their football team at Wallace Wade. Nevertheless, Clemson dropped their 2004 contest with the Blue Devils 16-13 on a 53-yard field goal. Sandwiched between a road victory over 10th ranked Miami and a home victory marred by a brawl with South Carolina, this game was an unexpected blemish on the Tigers schedule.
6.) 2001 season
Following a 9-3 season and led by Heisman-contending quarterback Woody Dantzler, the 2001 Tigers again had high expectations. In Tommy Bowden's third season, much was expected out of his fast-paced offense and it's fleet-footed signal caller. Despite losing heralded offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez, who left to become the head coach at West Virginia, the team was ranked in the top 20 heading into the season. After two unimpressive wins to start the season over Central Florida and Wofford, the Tigers dropped a road game at Virginia. Despite Dantzler becoming the player in NCAA history to pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in the same season, the team sputtered to a 7-6 record and a Humanitarian Bowl win.
5) Roscoe Crosby
Crosby, a 6'3" 200 lbs. receiver, was the top-ranked player at his position in the nation by many recruiting services and a top-rated baseball player who was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the second round. He set a Clemson freshman receiver record (since broken), hauling in 27 receptions for 465 yards in 2001. However, he missed the 2002 season after having Tommy John surgery and never wound up playing football again. He fell behind academically and suffered some personal tragedies as well and was soon out of school. He made a brief attempt at both the NFL and MLB but neither panned out.
4.) Willy Korn
One of the more celebrated recruits to ever come to Clemson, Willy Korn was a record-setting quarterback at nearby Byrnes High School. Rated as the #5 dual-threat quarterback in the country by Rivals.com and the #8 quarterback overall by Scout.com, many expected Korn to unseat untested junior Cullen Harper as a true freshman. Despite throwing for 125 touchdowns in his career, eighth-most in high school football history, Korn would only throw 3 at Clemson. Korn injured his shoulder initially against Furman in 2007, he would suffer a more significant injury to his shoulder against Georgia Tech in his first college start in 2008 which required surgery. He was then beaten out by Kyle Parker in the fall of 2009. He later transferred to Marshall and again to North Greenville (Division II), where he led the Crusaders to the unofficial national championship of the National Christian College Athletic Association.
3.) 2008 season
The Tigers came into 2008 with lofty expectations after a 9-4 season in 2007 and were ranked 9th in the preseason. Senior quarterback Cullen Harper was the preseason ACC Player of the Year and had a record setting junior year (282-433, 65.1%, 2,991 yards, 27-6). He would be throwing to experienced receivers and handing off to the powerful combo of James Davis and C.J. Spiller. In addition, the defense featured several future NFL-ers. However, the one concern was an inexperienced OL and LB corps. In the first game of the season, Alabama dominated the Tigers on national television, 34-10 in the Georgia Dome. After disposing of The Citadel, NC State and SC State, the Tigers fell to Maryland and Wake Forest in consecutive weeks. Tommy Bowden was fired shortly thereafter, leaving Dabo Swinney as the interim coach. The team rallied to finish 7-6, ending the regular season with a 31-14 over South Carolina and a loss in the Gator Bowl to Nebraska.
2.) Second half of the 2006 Season
The 2006 Clemson Tigers were explosive on offense, averaging 42.2 ppg in the first 8 games. The peak of the Tigers season came in a 31-7 victory over 13th ranked Georgia Tech with Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso and College Gameday in Tigertown. The following week the Tigers took their 8-1 record and 11th overall national ranking into Blacksburg, VA and were embarrassed, dropping a one-sided contest 24-7. Despite a senior-laden and physical offensive line, the Tigers averaged only 17.4 ppg from the Virginia Tech game on. The season ended with a loss to the Kentucky Wildcats in the Music City Bowl against a Wildcat team that had one of the worst rush defenses in the country.
1.) Aaron Kelly's drop vs. Boston College; 2007
In one of the biggest games in Clemson Memorial Stadium's history, the ACC's all-time leading receiver Aaron Kelly dropped what would have been a sure touchdown and probable victory over Boston College. The winner of this game would go to the ACC title game, simple as that. Quarterback Cullen Harper threw a perfect pass to Kelly who had beaten the corner badly. Kelly, however, slipped and the ball bounced off his hands at the goalline. This game probably ended Tommy Bowden's career, although the Alabama game to start the 2008 season likely nailed the door shut. The entire stadium seemed to deflate as the ball ricocheted off of Kelly's fingertips, and the disappointment was palpable on an otherwise electrifying night in Death Valley.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
More NBA: Who would win in 3-on-3?
I think it's pretty fair to say that Miami's Big 3 are the best trio the NBA has seen since Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish manned the Celtics frontcourt in the 1980s. With all of the talk of 'LeBron is the next great (insert star)' it's looking more and more apparent that he and Dwayne Wade are 1A and 1B, depending on the night, with Chris Bosh a solid 3rd option. I know this trio does not have a ring together yet, but that appears imminent. Will this be a dynasty? Possibly. Will they win 6-7 rings? Doubtful, just because of how hard it is to achieve that, and the fact that these guys have ALOT of mileage on their tires despite their relative youth (mid-late 20s). How does this trio stack up to other great threesomes in NBA history? Let's see how a fictional match-up with great trios in history might pan out.
Cousy-Havlicek-Russell.
Bob Cousy, John Havlicek and Bill Russell combined to win eight NBA championships for the Boston Celtics in the 1960s and 70s. That being said, Cousy was 6'1" (which may be generous), Havlicek 6'5" and Russell 6'9". The 6'4", 6'8" and 6'10" (Wade, James, and Bosh) would just be too long and athletic for this trio to overcome. Advantage: Heat.
Bird-McHale-Parish
While the Heat have a size advantage over the original Celtics trio, they are significantly smaller than this group of Bostonians. Bird was 6'9", McHale 6'10" and Parish 7'0". For all of the LeBron being compared to Jordan, which really isn't accurate, he is more of a Bird-type player. More athletic obviously, but not nearly as good a shooter as the Hick from French Lick. Don't believe me? Compare career numbers (through their first 7 seasons):
Larry Bird: 23.9 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 5.9 APG,
LeBron James: 27.7 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 7.0 APG
Bird would give LeBron/Wade serious trouble with his size and shooting range, and very underrated passing skills. However, James or Wade would be much too quick for him to handle. McHale could never guard LeBron on the perimeter, but Parish would provide some around-the-basket interference as a 7-footer, which is not something Wade, Bosh or LeBron have faced often in this shorter, quicker NBA era. While Wade or LeBron could beat Bird or McHale off the dribble, Parish and McHale would give Bosh considerable trouble. Meanwhile, the Celtics trio would clean up on the boards. Advantage: Even
Magic - Worthy - Kareem
Instead of using last names, Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabaar need no introduction. These Lakers combined for three championships together as the "Showtime" Lakers. While LeBron is frequently compared to Magic, I still contend that the Bird comparison is more appropriate, at least statistically:
Magic (through 7 seasons): 18.5 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 12.3 APG
LeBron: 27.7 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 7.0 APG
Surprisingly, a backcourt player (Magic) without great hops (30" vertical), has more rebounds than a frontcourt player (James) and far more assists. Kareem vs. Bosh is a virtual no-brainer, as Kareem is easily going to win that match-up. Magic is the same height as LeBron (6'8"), but not as big (215 lbs. vs. 240+ lbs.) or athletic. However, he was a better passer and had very quick hands (twice lead the league in steals). James Worthy, at 6'9" 225 lbs., is an imposing match-up for either James or Wade. Neither trio features any real lights out shooters, but Kareem's patented sky hook was unstoppable/unblockable. Advantage: Magic-Worthy-Kareem
Chamberlain-West-Goodrich
Going back in the day once more, the trio of Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and Gail Goodrich won a league-record 69 games (which has since been surpassed) and won the NBA Championship. West averaged 25.8 ppg and 9.7 apg, while Goodrich led the team in scoring (25.9 ppg). An aging Chamberlain averaged 14.8 ppg but 19.2 rpg. This trio, while formidable, is small compared to what the Heat have now. Goodrich was only 6'1", West 6'2" and Chamberlain 7'1". Even in his later years, Chamberlain would have been able to control Bosh, but West and Goodrich would likely get swallowed by Wade and James. Advantage: Heat
Jordan-Pippen-Rodman/Grant
Since the Bulls won 3 titles, Jordan retired, and then 3 more with a different member of the trio, I have to include both Horace Grant and Dennis Rodman. Michael Jordan, who LeBron has been most commonly compared to, would have his way offensively with either Wade or James, and could defend either of them, although LeBron's strength could be a problem. However, James has yet to develop a solid post-game, so Jordan's superior quickness (lead the league in steals 3 times) could offset the size difference. In addition, Jordan and Pippen's mid-range shooting is superior to that of Wade or LeBron. Perhaps most intriguingly is Pippen's defense on LeBron, which would be much more difficult for LeBron than most realize. Pippen, himself at 6'8" 210 lbs., had incredibly long arms and significant hops (40+ inch vertical). Bosh would have his way with Grant, but Rodman would frustrate and outrebound Bosh as he did Karl Malone and Shawn Kemp in their NBA Finals match-ups. Advantage: Jordan-Pippen-Rodman/Grant.
One last comparison between Jordan and James (through 7 seasons, including Jordan's 2nd season in which he only played in 18 games due to a broken foot):
Jordan: 31.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 5.6 APG
James: 27.7 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 7.0 APG
As suspected, more points for Jordan, more rebounds and assists for LeBron. When Jordan's first 7 full seasons are included, the following averages result:
Jordan: 32.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 6.0 APG.
Through their first full 7 seasons, Jordan has a signficant lead in points per game, and James's advantage in rebounds and assists is lessened. Also, just for argument's sake, Jordan averaged 2.7 steals per game, compared to James's 1.7 spg. Again, this is more similar to Larry Bird (1.8 spg) than Jordan or Magic (2.28 spg).
Cousy-Havlicek-Russell.
Bob Cousy, John Havlicek and Bill Russell combined to win eight NBA championships for the Boston Celtics in the 1960s and 70s. That being said, Cousy was 6'1" (which may be generous), Havlicek 6'5" and Russell 6'9". The 6'4", 6'8" and 6'10" (Wade, James, and Bosh) would just be too long and athletic for this trio to overcome. Advantage: Heat.
Bird-McHale-Parish
While the Heat have a size advantage over the original Celtics trio, they are significantly smaller than this group of Bostonians. Bird was 6'9", McHale 6'10" and Parish 7'0". For all of the LeBron being compared to Jordan, which really isn't accurate, he is more of a Bird-type player. More athletic obviously, but not nearly as good a shooter as the Hick from French Lick. Don't believe me? Compare career numbers (through their first 7 seasons):
Larry Bird: 23.9 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 5.9 APG,
LeBron James: 27.7 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 7.0 APG
Bird would give LeBron/Wade serious trouble with his size and shooting range, and very underrated passing skills. However, James or Wade would be much too quick for him to handle. McHale could never guard LeBron on the perimeter, but Parish would provide some around-the-basket interference as a 7-footer, which is not something Wade, Bosh or LeBron have faced often in this shorter, quicker NBA era. While Wade or LeBron could beat Bird or McHale off the dribble, Parish and McHale would give Bosh considerable trouble. Meanwhile, the Celtics trio would clean up on the boards. Advantage: Even
Magic - Worthy - Kareem
Instead of using last names, Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabaar need no introduction. These Lakers combined for three championships together as the "Showtime" Lakers. While LeBron is frequently compared to Magic, I still contend that the Bird comparison is more appropriate, at least statistically:
Magic (through 7 seasons): 18.5 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 12.3 APG
LeBron: 27.7 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 7.0 APG
Surprisingly, a backcourt player (Magic) without great hops (30" vertical), has more rebounds than a frontcourt player (James) and far more assists. Kareem vs. Bosh is a virtual no-brainer, as Kareem is easily going to win that match-up. Magic is the same height as LeBron (6'8"), but not as big (215 lbs. vs. 240+ lbs.) or athletic. However, he was a better passer and had very quick hands (twice lead the league in steals). James Worthy, at 6'9" 225 lbs., is an imposing match-up for either James or Wade. Neither trio features any real lights out shooters, but Kareem's patented sky hook was unstoppable/unblockable. Advantage: Magic-Worthy-Kareem
Chamberlain-West-Goodrich
Going back in the day once more, the trio of Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and Gail Goodrich won a league-record 69 games (which has since been surpassed) and won the NBA Championship. West averaged 25.8 ppg and 9.7 apg, while Goodrich led the team in scoring (25.9 ppg). An aging Chamberlain averaged 14.8 ppg but 19.2 rpg. This trio, while formidable, is small compared to what the Heat have now. Goodrich was only 6'1", West 6'2" and Chamberlain 7'1". Even in his later years, Chamberlain would have been able to control Bosh, but West and Goodrich would likely get swallowed by Wade and James. Advantage: Heat
Jordan-Pippen-Rodman/Grant
Since the Bulls won 3 titles, Jordan retired, and then 3 more with a different member of the trio, I have to include both Horace Grant and Dennis Rodman. Michael Jordan, who LeBron has been most commonly compared to, would have his way offensively with either Wade or James, and could defend either of them, although LeBron's strength could be a problem. However, James has yet to develop a solid post-game, so Jordan's superior quickness (lead the league in steals 3 times) could offset the size difference. In addition, Jordan and Pippen's mid-range shooting is superior to that of Wade or LeBron. Perhaps most intriguingly is Pippen's defense on LeBron, which would be much more difficult for LeBron than most realize. Pippen, himself at 6'8" 210 lbs., had incredibly long arms and significant hops (40+ inch vertical). Bosh would have his way with Grant, but Rodman would frustrate and outrebound Bosh as he did Karl Malone and Shawn Kemp in their NBA Finals match-ups. Advantage: Jordan-Pippen-Rodman/Grant.
One last comparison between Jordan and James (through 7 seasons, including Jordan's 2nd season in which he only played in 18 games due to a broken foot):
Jordan: 31.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 5.6 APG
James: 27.7 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 7.0 APG
As suspected, more points for Jordan, more rebounds and assists for LeBron. When Jordan's first 7 full seasons are included, the following averages result:
Jordan: 32.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 6.0 APG.
Through their first full 7 seasons, Jordan has a signficant lead in points per game, and James's advantage in rebounds and assists is lessened. Also, just for argument's sake, Jordan averaged 2.7 steals per game, compared to James's 1.7 spg. Again, this is more similar to Larry Bird (1.8 spg) than Jordan or Magic (2.28 spg).
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