I just wonder what you all and the bloggers will say when none of this happens, after all the “done deal” talk.
I am thinking the same thing. I foresee some stalling/excuses/etc when August comes and goes and Clemson/FSU are still in the ACC. Again, if it happens, it happens…but to create all of these Big XII Pep-rally posters on the various threads…that is putting the cart a mile in front of the horse and will be tough to digest if nothing happens. If I am wrong on this, I’ll take the “I told you so’s”...I really am not that vested in this whole affair (I haven’t made any avatars/posters).
I like Dabo’s points. Dabo doesn’t care about third-tier TV rights. I still think there is something to be said for having 8 of the team’s 10 away games in 2011/2012 played within half a day’s drive from campus. WVU had to go to the Big 12 to save itself, I don’t think Clemson does. As far as recruiting, kids from Houston aren’t going to all of a sudden want to go to Clemson just because they’re in the Big 12.
The ACC just needs to win some big games and get back to being a viable conference on a national scale. One could argue its recruiting base (at least prior to A&M) was better than that of the SEC with Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida.
The parity in the league over the past 6 or 7 years has also hurt. No offense to the Deacons, but having Wake Forest playing in a de facto division title game in mid-November while 5-4 Miami and 6-3 Florida State are playing an irrelevant game is not good for the league.
This is the smartest thing swinney has said since he became head coach. He knows the clemson to the big XII talk has/will hurt recruiting and recruiting is what he is about.
Why will in hurt recruiting though I can’t see it at all!!
We can’t even pull a kid out of Georgia this year, a rich recruiting ground that we’ve done well at in the past while STILL in the ACC and the ACC Champs. Thats before the Big 12 talk hit the media too. Come on guys, wake up and get real…....whats REALLY hurting recruiting? How does going to an empty Duke help recruiting? Just because Momma and Daddy can go? Clemson will have what, at least 6 home games a year, is that not enough for parents? Personally I went to college to get away from home and start my own life…..not sure about the rest of you, or these recruits. I just don’t understand how you can sell a riveting Clemson vs Duke/BC/Wake game at noon inside of an empty stadium against a Big 12 match up that may be further away but will have a more national audience and have fans in the seats. I can’t wait until these parents start getting BC, Pitt/Miami, and Syracuse on the schedule at the same time. Its like selling a laptop and the laptop is already bad, but its going to be so far behind technology in 1-2 years and you are still trying to sell it as the best one out there. I understand we are still in the ACC and he can’t say “Come to Clemson because being in the Big 12…” But he has to look ahead and see that its a very strong possibility. Now whats he going to look like to recruits once this thing really happens??? Terrible judgement by Dabo.
Clemson needs to look at the big picture. Clemson will be around long after Dabo is gone, and TDP is gone…...and we need to look ahead not fester in the present cesspool. I’m sure glad Keenan Allen stuck in ACC country he must really be hurting out there in California, oh wait. What about Mark Ingram who went from Michigan to Alabama, yeah terrible decision on his part, oh wait. Ok ok ok, Matt Stafford and Knowshon Moreno, from Texas and NJ both went to Georgia, terribleeeeeeeeee decision. GIVE ME A BREAK. The kids that actually want to get into the NFL do NOT look at small regional games infront of MAYBE 20k on regional TV to get them there. Kids don’t have a problem moving miles to play the best football they can.
Yeah, we might take a hit if we move, for a year. Then we’ll be in a big boy league and the payoffs will show themselves. We have to look at the big picture here. The Big 12 will be a harder conference, we might take some hits, we might get beat up some but its putting yourself in the best possibly position to become nationally relevant in a 4 team playoff system. I don’t know about you but I’d learn from my mistakes quickly if I was punched.
I had not read that particular one but I put it over on scout. Knowledgeable Clemson fans had best hope Dabo does not know what he is talking about or is just part of the act. If he doesn’t know what he is talking about, I am sure he will get an earful today at the BOT meeting.
Meh, why would the Big 12 stop at 11, essentially thats what they will be doing football wise because ND won’t be playing football until 2016. No championship game with 11. ND would have to drop contracts against USC, Michigan, etc to be able to play more Big 12 teams as a partial member. I don’t know if I buy this fully. I can see 12.5 happening, would make MUCH more sense. What the Big 12 would be doing with that move is isolating FSU and WVU and giving up any chance to make an eastern pod, can’t see it.
As to Dabo, you really think you know more about how recruiting is going than he does? I guarantee you South Carolina and other ACC programs are beating the Big 12 talk over recruits heads. Negative recruiting is a constant. You don’t think it is being used against you? Baylor (RG3 is gone) and Iowa St are the games you need to think( in front of 40k) about more often than Texas and OU. You can at least drive to Durham. Anyhow Texas and OU will be in the Pac 16 by the time you join.
I just wonder what you all and the bloggers will say when none of this happens, after all the “done deal” talk.
No, I don’t know more about how recruiting is going than Dabo, but that’s not the point. As you say, negative recruiting is a constant, & other teams will say/do anything to lure a recruit, so something is ALWAYS negatively affecting recruiting. If it’s not talk of switching conferences, it’s the loss of a head coach, or an assistant, or playing time concerns, or competition level, or lack of indoor facilities, or lack of Twinkies & Gatorade after practices. B12 rumors are not hurting recruiting any more than the normal recruiting landmines coaches have to navigate.
As far as competition is concerned, playing Baylor, ISU, KU, KSU is no different than playing Duke, Wake, & the round-robin of consistently inconsistent & low-mid tier ACC teams (UMD, NCSU, BC, UNC, UVA & now Pitt & Syracuse). However, I’ll gladly take regular games against TX, OU, OSU, TCU, TT & WVU. Much better games & more TV exposure.
As far as travel time, who the **** cares if I can drive to Durham? That’s a day trip that can only be improved by an uppercut to the taint. Besides, aside from GT & Wake, & possibly Duke/UNC, most games are really outside comfortable driving distance. The ACC has an expansive footprint. Even before the addition of Pitt & ‘Cuse, our average travel distance was 413 miles, w/7 of the 11 other teams requiring a 5+ hour, 1-way drive…w/Pitt & ‘Cuse that jumps to 459 miles & 9 out of 13. Those are completely impractical drive times, & at current gas price levels, the cost of driving v. flying at those distances is negligible. The travel argument is a joke.
& of course, it’s funny that you would take jabs @ people for assuming that a move to the B12 is immenent, yet you speculate that OU & TX will be in the PAC12. Give me a break. *SMFH*
The recruiting excuse is short-sighted nonsense. Something is ALWAYS hurting recruiting (bad seasons, departing coaches, etc, etc, etc)...this is nothing new. Anytime there’s upheaval it hurts recruiting, but staying in the ACC will hurt Clemson much, much more than moving to the Big 12. & whatever negative effect it’s having will be short-term. Being hamstrung by the ACC’s weak revenue position will put us at a competitive disadvantage that will do enormous long-term damage. If there is a plan to get us into the SEC, great, but as Tickle says, the chance of that is slim to none. The Big 12 is our best, & most likely shot at this point in time, & if we have the opportunity, we should take it.
Lord I miss your posts…this one is tame…
I am holding to a belief that we are not going to quickly jump to the Big 12 if there is a chance of the SEC. I think that is the endgame.
LOL…sorry to disappoint. Not enough time/energy to get into a full-blown Dabo debate, but I’ll try harder next time. Besides, it’s still the off-season. Not a lot to discuss @ the moment.
Besides, it’s still the off-season. Not a lot to discuss @ the moment.
