CUin1993 on 
CUvinny on 
Blair on 
Willy Mac on 
5knklshfl on 
“Today I settled all family business”
Per Larry Williams of the P&C:
Offensive coordinator Rob Spence has just left the McFadden Building after hugging secretaries and telling them he’d be back to clean out his office later.
He refused to comment to me, but I think what I just witnessed gives a good indication that he’s gone.
LW
Update from LW:
Just got it confirmed that interim head coach Dabo Swinney has fired offensive coordinator Rob Spence.
Athletic director Terry Don Phillips gave Swinney the option to retain Spence or let him go. Spence, who was in his fourth season with the Tigers, left the McFadden Building about a half-hour ago.
I’m guessing Swinney will promote a graduate assistant to fill the open spot on the staff, but I’m really not sure right now.
An excellent and tough move right off the bat from Coach Swinney.
1DwightClark87
on Oct 13, 2008 at 1:59 pm:
Crazy. If this is a dream, don’t wake me up. I bet those secretaries immediately rubbed hand-sanitizer all over themselves after hugging creepy Spence. Yeesh.
I’ve got my fingers crossed that some big things fall into place now. Still can’t believe Tommy is out this early, but I hope it’s indicative of TDP having the next steps plotted out.
2Clem
on Oct 13, 2008 at 2:02 pm:
I can’t flip fast enough between all the sites!!!
3CUvinny
on Oct 13, 2008 at 2:05 pm:
Damn yall are fast. Was about to post the same thing.
That just leaves Brad Scott but to be honest, we probably need him to be the OC or something. Running out of coaches.
4cuin1993
on Oct 13, 2008 at 2:08 pm:
Couldn’t agree more, Dwight.
I hope that TDP really thought this one out several moves in advance knowing what he had and what he can get and the fallout with the rest of the staff.
Bowden and Spence gone and Dabo is the HMFIC. I’d love to see him do well. Spence’s departure increases the odds of his success exponentially.
5huj
on Oct 13, 2008 at 2:08 pm:
Hopefully Brad Scott is next.
6Dabo Swinney
on Oct 13, 2008 at 2:13 pm:
Brad, Gotta minute?
7CUvinny
on Oct 13, 2008 at 2:13 pm:
Dabo was the one who handed him his walking papers.
http://www.charleston.net/blogs/tiger_tracks/2008/oct/13/swinney_cans/
Love him already
8RichmanA2
on Oct 13, 2008 at 2:36 pm:
Who should replace him if Dabo isn’t offered the job after the season? I think we need a well established, big name coach. 18-4 at Tulane won’t cut it. Plus I think some big named coachs will want the job. It’s the ACC which, I’m sad to say, is on the weaker side. There is no reason Clemson, with a good coach, can’t win 10 + games at the very least. Clemson also can recruit at a top 10 level. I’m kind of liking Bill Cowher, he is 149-90 in the pros, through 15 yrs, a .623 average, and 12-9 in the post season, plus a super bowl ring or two. sounds great to me.
9Tully
on Oct 13, 2008 at 2:38 pm:
Give Dabo his shot this season. If we finish 8-4 or better I say we give him a 1-2 year contract. Think of it like an extended job interview.
10Chili
on Oct 13, 2008 at 2:41 pm:
People need to move on from Cowher. Seriously. Get over it. He’s expressed zero interest in returning to coaching -much less to college ball, has zero experience recruiting, and save for Pete Carroll, career NFL coaches have not translated well to college.
11Tom
on Oct 13, 2008 at 2:44 pm:
People, lay off Brad Scott. The man is a good coach. This crap that we’ve seen out of our OL has been Spence’s idea.
I know this, first hand. I know Brad Scott is a good offensive line coach, and he’ll do things Dabo’s way.
12Chili
on Oct 13, 2008 at 2:44 pm:
I know Brad Scott and think he’s a good coach and a hell of a good person to boot.
13Kyle
on Oct 13, 2008 at 2:50 pm:
lolololololol
http://www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com/2008/10/13/phan-tommy-of-the-opera/
14Willy Mac
on Oct 13, 2008 at 2:51 pm:
Agreed. Scott could possibly fill the OC as he was the OC of the last FSU NC team, correct?
15RichmanA2
on Oct 13, 2008 at 2:54 pm:
I still don’t like Brad Scott from his Sakerlina days. I didn’t know someone had already brought up Cowher my bad. What about Larry Coker? Sakerlina fight round 2 anyone?
16huj
on Oct 13, 2008 at 2:57 pm:
No way am I sold on Scott, period. He’s been terrible at everything he’s done. And if memory serves, Mark Richt was the OC on FSU’s last NC team, not Scott.
17RichmanA2
on Oct 13, 2008 at 2:58 pm:
big difference
18Tully
on Oct 13, 2008 at 3:01 pm:
Holy. Shit. EDSBS just rocked face on some Rock-Opera concerning the Tigers.
19madmac corleone
on Oct 13, 2008 at 3:02 pm:
I know this sounds insane, but why can’t this be a viable option: Brad Scott has OC experience. Make him interim OC until the end of the season. That leaves us without an OL coach….I know a damn good one in Pendleton. Just on an interim basis. Discuss….
20Willy Mac
on Oct 13, 2008 at 3:07 pm:
Scott is a good coach. Also, there’s no way we want Larry Coker burning down what TB spent ten years building up. We need a Urban Meyer type coach to capitalize on what we’ve got.
21The Human Cow
on Oct 13, 2008 at 3:08 pm:
Today is the greatest day in a long time.
22foothills tiger
on Oct 13, 2008 at 3:10 pm:
Bowdens like the tin man on the wizzard of oz. A good soul but no heart. No wonder his teams lack enthusiasm. The talent is there, just need a man to pump some motivation and physicality in this squad. And screw the bubble screen.
23Penthouse Tiger
on Oct 13, 2008 at 3:10 pm:
well said Human Cow, well said
24RichmanA2
on Oct 13, 2008 at 3:15 pm:
Hey Coker was a joke. I would like to see a fight again though, with Spurrier getting cock punched. Personally I like Jeff Tedford. I know he’s a newer coach, but I like his style of offense. Plus, he’s a standup guy. I know its a long shot though.
25Lawtonfunk
on Oct 13, 2008 at 3:18 pm:
Now, I have to watch the Godfather again when I get home.
26Tolley jenkins
on Oct 13, 2008 at 3:23 pm:
shit
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/acc/0-2-413/Clemson-recruiting-already-unraveling.html
27Penthouse Tiger
on Oct 13, 2008 at 3:28 pm:
better to lose a few recruits now than have the entire team quit on a coach they dont respect
28edbo
on Oct 13, 2008 at 3:37 pm:
Bound to happen. Always does when you can a head coach. Shouldn’t come as a big surprise.
29Chili
on Oct 13, 2008 at 3:42 pm:
Nah and both were already decomitting.
30Tully
on Oct 13, 2008 at 3:47 pm:
Can we refer to today as “Black Monday”? Or how about “The Day Mediocrity Died”?
Is that assuming too much?
31JasonL
on Oct 13, 2008 at 3:56 pm:
The Day Mediocrity Died has my vote. Very good.
Don’t care about what recruits are thinking on a day like today. It’s all about the fan base and they are ecstatic. Now that Spence is gone, I feel like I’ve just gotten head from Carmen Electra.
Don’t care what ESPN says, don’t want a washed up former coach (Coker), don’t want a former NFL coach that has NEVER coached or recruited before (Cowher). Don’t want another flavor of the month (Bobby Johnson/Skip Holtz).
I agree with Willy Mac. We need a coach that will utilize our talents and build rather than run it down (a la Hatfield). Keep Petrino’s/Gundy’s/Zook’s/Tuberville’s/Shula’s hands off my Tigers, dammit!
32Tully
on Oct 13, 2008 at 4:02 pm:
I think the Clemson fanbase is for the most part “united” now. I found it hilarious that a pastor from Anderson (i think) was starting a “Bring Back Coach Bowden” club. He is ALMOST as delusional as Sakerlina’s entire fanbase.
What are you guys more happy about? Getting rid of Spence or Bowden?
Personally, I’m more glad to be rid of Spence than Bowden. At least Tommy put a good face on the program, helped us get facilities going, recruited well, etc. Spence just seemed to fuck everything up and couldn’t even answer questions in press conferences without stumbling and stuttering. Stuttering Spence is gone!!!! Good riddance screen plays and short passes that don’t work!!
33AParker
on Oct 13, 2008 at 4:11 pm:
Hmmm… I like tommy, and I know I’m going to get flamed for that statement, and probably ignored for the rest of my time on this blog. Thought he was a good man, who ran the program like a college coach should. We are in lots of trouble for the rest of the year, as now we have no HC to recruit, no OC to call plays. This Saturday at GT is going to be very very very bad. Good thing I know where to get liquor. I hope that TDP doesn’t piss away this chance with hiring a coach like Spurrier, or Cowhler. And definietly stay away from Skip Holtz and Bobby Johnson. I wouldn’t mind Muschamp, or Kiffin. Lets keep our fingers crossed and see what happens…
34Chili
on Oct 13, 2008 at 4:16 pm:
Nobody is saying he wasn’t great at some things, AParker. He’s a good man, but I think he lost his team this season, as is evident with the comments now coming out. He took the wagon train as far as he could, and we have improved facilities and recruiting to show for it.
35JasonL
on Oct 13, 2008 at 4:19 pm:
AParker, you see the glass half empty. I believe the rest of the world will agree it’s overflowing with golden-y goodness.
Saturday will be extra special and I predict a win. The reasoning? The energy will be palpable and I think the players will respond because Swinny is energetic. He actually seems to give a damn.
No one is saying that Bowden isn’t a good person. And he’ll do great at a Big Easy (Big East) or MAC conference school. However, he didn’t make the right decisions and he’s guilty of riding Rodriguez’s coat tails.
Oh, and yes, I will ignore you for the rest of your life.
36Tom
on Oct 13, 2008 at 4:21 pm:
one thing I want to point out: Didn’t TDP said no move would be made until the end of the season?
look folks, you can’t always believe what people say to the media, especially in athletics.
37huj
on Oct 13, 2008 at 4:35 pm:
I would entertain Scott as INTERIM OC, for certain. But I get the feeling Dabo may call the plays.
Spence, Scott, etc…the main thing is Bowden is gone and that’s the first big step toward ACC championships instead of just hyping about them. How about Cullen saying Bowden deserved getting fired? Many say he shouldnt’ have done that, but IMO Bowden has thrown too many innocent players under the bus (Proctor, Dean, Harper) to save his hide so yeah, he deserves it alright. Karma. I’ll be dimes to dollars that Harper is now the unquestionable locker room leader because he had the balls to call it out like it needed to be.
38Willy Mac
on Oct 13, 2008 at 4:39 pm:
HUJ, I agree. I tell you what, I know he’s done a shit job, but I would like to see if Harper can salvage this season through some miracle. We also need Willy Korn sprinkled in there, but I would love to see Harper turn his season around starting here.
39Joe
on Oct 13, 2008 at 4:39 pm:
Why are people talking about our recruiting getting bad? Dont you people know Dabo was the coach that actually recruited most of the big name reqruits we have now?
40edbo
on Oct 13, 2008 at 4:40 pm:
I’m wondering if Korn still starts this Friday. I think he probably will but you never know. For sure Swinney’s gotta do something to iron out the mess Bowden made Friday. I agree, I’m glad Harper tossed Bowden in front of the Greyhound.
41Tully
on Oct 13, 2008 at 4:45 pm:
Um, we play Saturday IN CLEMSON. Edbo, we don’t play on Fridays and Aparker, we play at home, not ‘at GT’.
I think that Cullen should have taken the moral high ground here, but I don’t blame him for calling out Bowden like that, either. I think it’s fairly obvious Tommy threw Cullen up as the goat to make himself look better. When you do that to your own players, that’s about the worst thing you can do as a coach.
All of that now is in the past, let’s move on and focus on GT. We’ve cleaned house, now its time to beat the nerds.
42edbo
on Oct 13, 2008 at 4:50 pm:
Brain fart on the Friday thing. Drunk and giddy on happiness……..
43Daniel
on Oct 13, 2008 at 4:54 pm:
Yeah, I think Harper should have kept his thoughts to himself too although I can understand why he did what he did. Still doesn’t change the fact that he’s thrown some really bad INTs this year and deserves to split time. Before it starts up we do not need to go after Lane Kiffin. I say we go hard after Grobe.
44AParker
on Oct 13, 2008 at 5:07 pm:
Kiffin would be an amazing OC. And he, like Dabo, was the major recruiter for USC during his tenure there. So your big names from the Lienart and Palmer years, those were his guys. Even so, I doubt we will be able to court him, I think you’ll see Tennessee or Auburn getting him. Also, I doubt that we will take any HC from in-conference. There is no Tom Obrien for us to go after, and plus who would we take? Maybe go after that coach up at Minnesota, went 1-11 last year, and now 4-2 (not positive on this but close) this year. Huge turn around especially with almost same line up.
45Cullen Harper
on Oct 13, 2008 at 5:11 pm:
Starting Korn would be silly – like putting 28 inch rims on the faildozer.
46byrdman33
on Oct 13, 2008 at 5:33 pm:
I pray this signals the last year on our “lease” at the Chik-Fil-A Bowl.
47cuin1993
on Oct 13, 2008 at 6:26 pm:
Glad to see the change to the banner.
X gets the center square.
Now I can get rid of my Paul Lynde gravatar.
48tmac9wr
on Oct 13, 2008 at 6:29 pm:
I think going after Kiffin would be a mistake…I don’t think it’s being a recruiter for Southern Cal necessarily makes you a great recruiter. Yes, they do get top-5 recruiting classes every year, and they get more 5-star recruits than any other school…but Southern Cal is a school that sells itself.
“Come to Los Angeles: you are the only football team (that counts) in Los Angeles and you instantly become a rockstar (just look at Matt Leinhart’s social life when at USC).”
I think Muschamp would be the best guy to go for. Anyone who is apart of the Saban bloodline is good to me. My only question is whether he would be willing to leave Texas so quickly…they’re obviously having a pretty successful season, and it’s only his first year there. They’ve got a list of potential coaches on Rivals…I don’t like the possiblility of us going after that TCU guy…we learned with Tommy that success at small schools doesn’t necessarily translate. If we were to hire the TCU coach, I feel like we’d be making the same exact mistake twice.
49JasonL
on Oct 13, 2008 at 7:37 pm:
And herein is the reason that I despise some of the Tiger fan base:
>>>
Stewart Fowler, 48, an Anderson insurance agent and church pastor, said a “Bring Coach Bowden Back” movement already had taken root and was growing rapidly as of Monday, the day the announcement was made regarding Bowden’s departure.
“We wanted him there for a lifetime,” Fowler said. “We want everyone to know that we need to bring coach back immediately.”
Fowler said it was a moral issue, and that his new organization would stand against the university.
“This is the No. 1 injustice in Clemson history,” Fowler said. “I’ve been a fan, the No.1 biggest fan, for 40 years and my wife is a Clemson graduate. This is the stupidest thing ever done. We will have tens of thousands of supporters. I thought we were above things like this and not like other places.”
<<<
Perhaps the douche-iest of all douche bags. And is probably a multiple poster on TardNet. Its a moral issue? Seriously? I wish I could find this insurance salesman/preacher so I could kick the shit out of him. Faggot.
50Penthouse Tiger
on Oct 13, 2008 at 7:44 pm:
tens of thousands???? seriously??? what is this guy smoking?
51Mogrits
on Oct 13, 2008 at 9:56 pm:
I hope Harper rides pine for his public comments. Totally classless. He can say “Thanks Dad” when the season wraps up.
This is the second time Clemson parted ways with a “Good Man” (No. 1 being Tommy West). We owe Bowden a LOT more than we owed West.
Had Clemson fired him mid-season I would have been embarrassed.
52Willy Mac
on Oct 13, 2008 at 10:13 pm:
I’m not so sure you’re seeing it right. From what I can take from it, this seems kinda like a situation where Bowden saw the writing on the walls and stepped down before the AD fired him.
53Seigler
on Oct 14, 2008 at 7:29 am:
Swinney and newly promoted quarterbacks coach Billy Napier will handle playcalling. From Yahoo Sports, FYI
54Lawtonfunk
on Oct 14, 2008 at 9:07 am:
So, Napier/Swinney will be calling plays. . . that’s good, I thought we were going to instigate some type of instant polling from the fan base for each play, but his seems like a much better idea.