mogrits on 
AParker on 
Willy Mac on Larry Williams reports that Coach Swinney cancelled practice today to, as he put it “coach these guys off the field.” Swinney took the Tigers to Greenville Children’s Hospital. Dabo said he conceived of the idea right off the bat last week when he was named interim head coach.
“There’s a lot of ways to coach people,” he said. “You can coach them out there on the field – how to block, how to tackle, and all that stuff. But you can also coach them on how blessed they are and what we have and to not take things for granted. There’s no woe is me. You don’t have to look very far to see other people who have a lot more difficult struggles than we have.
“I thought it was just a great team-building thing, and just a really, really good experience for everybody.
Dabo is doing everything right off the field so far. Win a couple of games this season and he’ll have made an extremely solid case for dropping the “interim” off his job title.
1manse
on Oct 22, 2008 at 9:54 pm:
There’s something in my eye.
2JamesP
on Oct 22, 2008 at 10:22 pm:
I’m touched by this however how bout doing this after you have won an ACC title. I hope I dont come off being harsh but last time I checked this is a football team that could use all the practice they can get under a new HC. Something like this should be done in the off season. I think he is doing these things to get the HC job. How bout just win games and you can have the job.
3Seigler
on Oct 22, 2008 at 10:31 pm:
it’s a bye week, give him a break
4JamesP
on Oct 22, 2008 at 10:37 pm:
Ok for the sake of an argument it i bye week so why not wait til saturday and spend the time that would have been spent at a game, at the hospital. Don’t get me wrong it is commendable thing to do but don’t cancel a practice for it
5Chili
on Oct 22, 2008 at 11:02 pm:
JamesP how the would Dabo as an interim coach of a 3-3 team win a league title?? He’s doing the best he can with what he’s got. But I see your point in that this could be viewed as a ploy to get the job but what would you expect? I think it’s brilliant in terms of strategy. You can’t blame the guy for pulling out all the stops to get the job.
6Charlie
on Oct 22, 2008 at 11:02 pm:
On one hand, its a great thing to do.
On the other, our OL needs to practice their blocking.
I’d say go do this at the Children’s Hospital, and then bring the lines back to practice for another hour.
7Chili
on Oct 22, 2008 at 11:32 pm:
You guys are being hard as fuck on Dabo. Take it down a notch, seriously, it’s a bye week and he’s doing a good thing for his team and the community.
And Charlie, a month of bye weeks won’t prepare a line that’s injured and fragmented for what’s ahead.
8NoleCC
on Oct 23, 2008 at 8:42 am:
Frankly I wish I see more of that stuff at FSU. At lot of those guys need to be reminded that it’s a privilege to play college football, especially at a place like Clemson or FSU, in the FBS national spotlight constantly. Dabo may not end up getting the head coaching job, but it’s a shame if he doesn’t get the chance, and it will be thanks to boosters that are all too hungry for a BCS Title at the expense of the players.
Seriously, look at FSU. There are always tons of character issues, because the coaching staff, boosters and fans put everything on win, win, win. The last 7 years the base has sounded like Alabama fans, everyone on a quest to get back to what the used to be at any expense.
If Dabo doesn’t cut it, I hope that Clemson finds a coach that’s a winner, but also cares about the development of his players as human beings. A lot of those kids need that more than winning a ring at a bowl game.
9Lawtonfunk
on Oct 23, 2008 at 9:06 am:
I think Dabo is just rebuilding the psyche of this team. They have been beat up, beat down, and just lost their coach. He’s wants them to have some perspective. When you don’t have the weight of the world on your shoulders, it’s a lot easier to do your job. We have good and some great players. You can’t sprains, bruises and breaks, but you can prevent mental mistakes on the field. A good head on your shoulders keeps you from fouling after the play.
Would you rather us turn into a bunch of Marcus Vicks?
10TigersFtblFan31
on Oct 23, 2008 at 9:42 am:
I honestly cant believe there are comments as ignorant as those posted by Charlie and Jamesp. Its a BYE WEEK dumbass!
you normally have 3 practices and rest for the weekend. That way the players have time to get healthy.
please..don’t post any further shit as stupid as you just did.
11Daniel
on Oct 23, 2008 at 10:45 am:
Yeah, I think Dabo did a really good thing. These players need a break from football and to be around each other in a different setting. I think this was a great opportunity for them to be around some individuals who have not been given some of the abilities that they have and also have much more important issues to deal with than who won or lost a football game.
12edbo
on Oct 23, 2008 at 10:52 am:
When you take talented athletes and install character and discipline you build a football team. This guy’s a winner in my book. I hope to hell he makes the cut.
13Penthouse Tiger
on Oct 23, 2008 at 12:12 pm:
He’s done everything right so far, but I’m still not supporting him for the HC job until he proves he can win and produce a consistently high level of play
14JasonL
on Oct 23, 2008 at 12:13 pm:
gotta say that his enthusiasm is infectious. I hope it translates into wins. I wouldn’t mind Dabo as the next non-interim Head Coach. But I fear he might turn into a Mike Shula.
I can understand that cynicism that JamesP and Charlie are wielding right now: “Just win, baby! Fuck that girly shit!” I don’t agree with it, but I understand it.
However, this is positive press, which helps the teams national image. I also think Lawton and Daniel hit it on the head with their comments.
15JamesP
on Oct 23, 2008 at 12:22 pm:
I will say one thing towards TigersFtblFan31, I do respect Dabo for this action and getting the players mentally back together as one, but this reminded me of something Lou Holtz would do and lastly I don’t think the personal attacks are necessary to people who just disagree with you.
16Charlie
on Oct 23, 2008 at 1:01 pm:
Personal attacks are something left to TNetters. If you disagree with my viewpoint I understand, but to me winning is the only thing that matters on a coaches resume. I think Dabo is doing every right thing he could possibly do from a PR standpoint, and although I like the guy, and would love him to stay on the next staff if not picked, its the things on the field that make me determine whether or not I support a coach. I’m of the opinion that you use a Bye to a) rest and heal injuries and b) fix your major problems, thats all. If he can do all these things and win, I’ll be in his corner til I die.
17TigerSACK
on Oct 23, 2008 at 1:20 pm:
Just seeing the picture on the front page says more than a touchdown. That kid, no matter how big a fan, forgot about football and so did JD and CJ. All that mattered was those kids. Dabo is fighting for his life by doing all the right things some choose the alternative.
18VladimirUlianov
on Oct 23, 2008 at 1:46 pm:
I can see valid points on both sides of this argument. The team certainly does need practice to shore up the offensive weaknesses. But, I think the extra day of rest may be more beneficial at this point. Korn has a bone bruise and wasn’t really expected to practice this week anyway. Harper just had surgery, and altough it was supposedly minor and relatively unobtrusive (not sure if that’s a word), any type of surgery will require some recovery time. So, would one more practice where your top two QBs aren’t participating that significantly really do that much to solve our offensive woes? I don’t know. Futhermore, all the practice in the world won’t do any good if the team is psychologically down and divided (see Bowden and Spence era).
Also, I’d like to suggest removing ourselves from the Clemson perspective and look at this from the perspective of the kids at the hospital. SOme of these kids might not make it to see next year, and this could be the greatest experience of their entire lives. That’s gotta count for something, I hope.
19Bingo
on Oct 23, 2008 at 2:12 pm:
Pete Yanity didn’t go did he?
20Bingo
on Oct 23, 2008 at 2:13 pm:
It’s Orrrange in the hospital. Come on Pete, give me a break.
21Kyle
on Oct 23, 2008 at 3:02 pm:
Our problems on the offensive line need in-game reps and continuity (and quality!) of personnel up front to turn around. If everything goes according to plan, we’ll be as healthy on the line next weekend as we’ve been since week 1 or so. Humphries came back for about 20 snaps last week, and David Smith should return this week as well. Let ‘em rest. They all know what’s at stake, and considering fall camp the past few years, more practice is just more chances to get injured. :-p
22manse
on Oct 23, 2008 at 4:24 pm:
Agree w/ Kyle’s last sentence. I would add that it feels like ever since Anthony Waters went down a couple years ago, our players have been made of glass. We can’t get through a game or a week of practice without what seems like a remarkably high number of injuries. I realize injuries are bound to be common place in a sport that focuses in no small part on “knocking that mother fucker out!!” (Muschamp), but am I crazy to think we rack up more injuries than most?