Posted by Block-C Staff

Willy Mac:

I’d like to preface this article by saying that I only go after people who really deserve it.  Most notably, people that make assumptions and go on hunches and relay it as reliable, trustworthy information.  The last time I went off and just bulldogged someone was this guy.

I sat down today and was checking my email and Tomahawk Nation (Florida State blog in the sidebar) sent us a link to an article they wrote entitled “Attention Potential Recruits: The Florida State Seminoles can play in bowl games and on television.” I read it and mushed it around in my head over breakfast.

What I came back with is the following: There appears to be something dumber than the Tigernet on this wonderful place we call the internet.  I was astonished at how uninformed and how serious this guy took himself in his article, especially considering his “source.”  Let’s break this thing down, shall we?

“I wrote this because a source of ours told us that persons affiliated with Clemson told some prominent recruits that FSU is no longer eligible to play on television or in bowl games.  This source has been correct on multiple Clemson issues in the past, including tipping us to the probable hire of defensive coordinator Kevin Steele nearly a month before Clemson made the move.”

I hate to burst your bubble pal, but the Clemson internet cesspool known as Tigernet where every Clemson hayseed and their brother comes to take a dump on anything resembling intelligence in the Clemson community broke this story a month or two beforehand as well.  You mean to tell me that you wrote this seething pile of biased shit because someone who knows someone who might know something told you a rumor?  Really?

“I will call Jimbo Fisher tomorrow and pass him the news. This conduct does not reflect well on new Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, who has never beaten Florida State as a head coach.”

I’m sure the last person that Jimbo Fisher wants to hear from is a blogger who spends their free time fanning the flames that set the rumor mill ablaze.  Also, now we’ve gone from “persons affiliated with Clemson University” to our coaches in the same breath.  Are you on of those people that writes angry letters in response to insignificant things that offend just you to large corporations that are indifferent and could care less about what you think? Having trouble feeding your family of five?

He then goes on to link an article from ESPN that indeed confirms that a recruit named Brandon Willis made multiple unofficial visits recently, most notably to Clemson and UNC.  They claimed the article “confirmed their findings.” Look man, the article doesn’t even hint that our coaches told this kid anything about your program.  Nevermind the fact that news of your school’s bed shitting is on every five seconds on all the ESPN channels, can be readily found via most sports media outlets on the internet and in print, and is being talked about by every joe blow on a radio show or around a water cooler.  And you want me to believe that our coaches are responsible?

I hate to say it, but you guys probably do deserve some television restrictions and a bowl ban.  Cheating is cheating, and you guys got caught not just redhanded, but balls deep in your evidence.  The facts are as plain as day so don’t try to avert attention or make someone else your scape goat.  Even our good buddy Bill from ScalpEm gets a little hot under the collar on the subject, which is fine and is expected.  We commend him on having at least a level head on the subject.  Hell, we’d be pissed if it happened at Clemson, but we wouldn’t try and make excuses about the thing and find something else to talk about.  We don’t make excuses about our shady past under Pell and Ford.  We fully admit that we were cheaters and that we were good at it.

“Let’s hope all of our coaches are hitting the recruiting trail and speaking honestly with these potential recruits in order to correct the lies told by coaches from other schools… Clemson University should issue an apology to Florida State.”

Really?  You think so?  Well, we’re still waiting on ours from when we got hammered back in the 80′s and your very own Bobby Bowden did the same thing to us.  What comes around goes around and even if it is true that Clemson coaches are the main and sole reason that some eighteen year old kid who thinks with two heads and acts on instinct and in the moment doesn’t choose Florida State and goes with one of the sixty other top flight programs that are literally beating his door down and stuffing his mailbox with scholarships… then good.  I’m glad.  Same thing happened to us.  Deal with it.

Chili:
I think this whole thing is sort of childish. I like Tomahawk Nation most of the time, but the same blog who declared themselves “legit media” last week, (before quickly scrambling to edit that claim out once they were called on it in the comments section) is now citing “inside sources” for information like there’s some kind of jort wearing Deep Throat out there in a musty trench coat dishing the dirt on Clemson to some self promoting FSU blog. The thing that is most amusing to me is the faux naivete present in the post, pretending to be shocked that schools would spread rumors about other programs when recruiting gullable, dumb athletes, and then demanding an apology like an outraged soccer mom who found foreskin in her jar of Jif. Really? You want an apology? Don’t be a fucking baby.

Another part of this post that really gives me a good belly laugh is the part where they play the “valiant defenders of FSU” and get all super serious:

I will call Jimbo Fisher tomorrow and pass him the news… …There should be no doubt, however, that this is going on in multiple locations.  Luckily, FSU has 11 months to get the word out.  They subjected themselves to this negative misinformation campaign and now must do their job to set the record straight.

This isn’t a fucking political scheme, it’s a recruit not grasping the ramifications of FSU’s probation through either his own misunderstanding or, perish the thought, through a “negative misinformation campaign,” you know, unlike all those positive misinformation campaigns. So go ahead, call Jimbo and let him know this valuable nugget, and then inform him that you put on those new break pads and he should pick up his car between 8 and 6, Monday through Saturday.

The article they cite provides such scant information, that to imagine that it provides any foundation for accusations against Clemson is silly. Hell, I hope they are spreading shit about FSU. We watched other teams pluck our recruits from under us during the coaching change over the past year, so fuck em. Recruiting is a dirty game, we all know this, let’s not get all self righteous and pretend to be shocked about the whole thing.

Posted by Chili

Last night Clemson was absolutely manhandled by the Tar Heels, losing to the tune of 94-70 to make it 54 losses in a row in Chapel Hill. We will briefly discuss this game and then it will be stricken from our collective memories until we play in Chapel Hill once more.  The loss was, frankly, fucking embarrassing. The team was absolutely dominated in the second half.

The OP has a good take on the game. Got some pretty damned nice seats too.

People can bitch about Oglesby or Sykes all they want, the latter having become a scapegoat for most Tigernetters over the past two games, but I put the losses squarely on Purnell’s shoulders (while also realizing that both of our past two opponents were superior teams). Oliver Purnell is a hell of a coach and probably our best coach at any sport currently at Clemson, but I thought the gameplanning and halftime adjustments (or lack thereof) were poor the last two games. Honestly, even with a perfect gameplan we may not have been able to top UNC’s talent and ability to get favorable calls. Against Wake Forest, we consistently drove to the basket only to be absolutely cut off when the towering WF defenders would close in. Instead of trying anything else, we just kept doing it. Additionally, Trevor Booker was just lost out around the three point line. WHY ARE YOU SO FAR AWAY FROM THE BASKET ALL THE TIME BOOKER? Each one of these problems manifested themselves against UNC. Someone please give Terrence Oglesby (who had a fantastic first half) tapes of JJ Redick to show him how to move without the ball and get open. Redick was guarded ten times as hard in his day and was able to get open time after time. Look, I don’t know, I mean there were a lot more issues than just the ones presented here, including our lack of ability to cover three point shooters effectively. I can’t remember the last time we gave a team so many wide open shots. That’s all I’ve got for now, I’m going to put this whole mess behind me.

At least Hansbrough lost a tooth. DID YOU SEE HIM, HE WAS SO COURAGEOUS AND CRIED AND RAN TO THE LOCKER ROOM WITH SUCH INTENSITY!

Posted by Willy Mac

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Oh geez, Willy Mac has been listening to the local sports talk radio shows again.” Ok, so I have.  So what.  I also regret to inform you that I’ve lapsed back into a deepened state of paranoia concerning our ongoing coaching search.  My mind can be compared to a dryer with bricks inside of it.  Just a noisy, beat up mess that isn’t getting anything accomplished.  Ok, bad example.  Terrible example, but you can at least see how this whole ordeal makes my head hurt when I think about it.  Things are bad enough that we have to deal with a Clemson message board that has retarded itself into an internet cesspool because of it’s members.  But now, now we have to listen to local idiots, both South Carolina and Clemson fans, call up some little sound padded trailer outside of Liberty and hee haw their way through a conversation with all-too-patient hosts on this situation.  Just my opinion, but I wish that when the radio guys take a call from someone with their radio turned up or that speaks with a over bearing redneck tongue that they would just drop the call.

Honestly though, besides Brent Venables (Oklahoma Defensive Coordinator) and Bud Foster (Virginia Tech Defensive Coordinator),  I don’t really see anyone fit for the head coaching job.  Especially now that Will Muschamp has been locked up.   Even if Muschamp were available, he even said that he was not even close to being ready to take a head coaching position anywhere.  Is Terry Don Phillips just shuffling his proverbial deck of Dabo Swinney playing cards??? I know, I know, “One more Dabo Poker reference = gun + mouth.”  Does Dabo already have the job locked up?  Is he TDP’s guy?  Now I know that some of you out there have already made up your minds and put on your horse blinders, but chew this cud just a bit for me.

You want me to blow your mind right now?  As far fetched as this may seem… and I mean that this is seven levels of creepiness on top of being far fetched… and I reiterate the fact that this is absurd… but what if TDP isn’t searching for a head coach?  Now hold on.  Don’t lose me just yet.  Look at it this way, Dabo is a young coach who is extremely unproven and inexperienced.  The guy was selling insurance just a few years ago and it seems he’s been a lifer in terms of being a wide receivers coach when he has worked in college football.  He’s a good coach, but not many people know that nor will they.  All they see is the “Interim” stigma attached to him.  Or as EKR likes to call it, the “Internet” stigma.  It’s going to be extremely difficult for him to go out there and recruit new players, run a program, and replace most of his staff at the drop of a hat.  Rumors are already swirling abound about the possibility that Dabo could be named the head coach before the game as well.  Again, these are just rumors and speculation.

Now obviously, there are some coaches that will stay but we know that Koenning is gone at the end of the year regardless if Dabo stays or leaves.  Calling back to what we’ve gone over earlier, the two high profile candidates we’ve interviewed that are actually considerable for the job just happen to both be defensive coordinators who both have their own stigmas that might keep them out of a head coaching position for now.  Venables apparently “didn’t build that defense, Stoops did.”  Foster gets weeded out of the short list on every major head coaching job he’s interviewed for so there “must be something wrong with the guy.”  So what’s to say that TDP isn’t out there, beating on doors looking for someone to fill an “Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator” position with the big bank account that he just dusted off?  All I’m saying is this: Money talks.  And apparently TDP isn’t too afraid to spend it… economic hardships be damned.

Now I know this is extremely far fetched and mostly implausible but admit it: This isn’t as far fetched as a lot of things that you’ve seen on the internet or heard on the radio since this coaching search monster was born. In addition to that, you have to take into consideration that anything is possible in today’s day and age.  This holds true especially in matters underneath the college football umbrella.  We live in a world where the dollar is king with loyalty being a thing of the past and this is only magnified by the economic troubles our world is in.

You hear what they’re putting in the West Zone??

I sound like a kook, but whatever.  Take what I’m saying with a grain of salt. Tell me what you think in the comments section…

Posted by Willy Mac

We were listening to Dan Scott’s radio show on WCCPFM this morning and he covered an article that was posted on The Bleacher Report a few days ago about college basketball coaches that should be on the hot seat for this upcoming season.  The article is a blatant example of how to write an article and do absolutely zero research on a subject that you are completely unfamiliar with.  The article, The Road to the Final Four at Ford Field: Coaches Whose Seats are Hot, Hot, Hot, was penned by Jameson Fleming.

If you start the article out, it seems fine enough.  It lists in the number one spot Northwestern coach Bill Carmody.  Carmody has gone 3 – 33 in conference play over the last two years.  Then, just below him at number two is Clemson head coach Oliver Purnell.  Did you hear us? I SAID THAT HE LISTED AS OLIVER PURNELL AS THE SECOND MOST COACH IN THE COUNTRY WHO SHOULD BE ON THE HOT SEAT. OLIVER PURNELL ON A HOT SEAT.  HOT SEAT.  LARGE WORDS IN BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS.  IMPORTANCE!!!!

Let’s peruse through the reasons that Jameson Fleming is wrong. By the way, his  name just screams, “I’m a nerd.  No, not the Georgia Tech kind… worse than that.”

- It’s OBVIOUS that he DIDN’T do ONE BIT of RESEARCH for this article.  Because googling phrases like “Oliver Purnell” or “Clemson basketball wiki” is way too hard.  Standing on a metaphorical soap box and just spouting biased opinion is much better journalism… or at least easier.

- He’s been at The Bleacher Report for seven months and he’s a senior writer.  The guys over there tried to get us to write for them about four months ago (back when we were DFIG) and we pretty much told them no.  They continued begging so we finally told them that they could feed our articles but we were going to do zero work.  Hrm.  Following that progression, where is the DFIG article feed in this chain of command?

- Oh, ok.  It’s obvious why you should be writing on matters related to Clemson.  Because you go to Syracuse University.  And you’re a broadcast journalism student…  at a school that is 850 miles away.  Great.  Grand.  You’re an idiot.

- Wait… is that your profile picture?  That’s… you?

Wait… hold on.  This is better:

That’s because just like in the movie your name and your journalism belong in MADE UP FUCKING FAIRY TALE LAND, FAGGLE. You’re a douchebaggot (see what I did thar?)  Next time, do your homework. Please.  Purnell had two straight disappointing seasons?  What are you, huffing adhesive spray mixed with ether?  Clemson basketball used to be terrible.  At least it’s respectable now.  Believe it or not, that first disappointing season was an improvement on the season before that.  And that second disappointing season… catching on yet, Fleming?  Get it together before the owners over there fire you and give DFIG newsfeed the title of “senior writer”.

**UPDATE** You’ve got to give him credit.  Jameson nutted up and changed his article.  We were hard on him but cmon, it was fun as hell.  We do appreciate you volleying back and forth with us.

Posted by Chili

A very special t-shirt edition of Dumb Shit on Tigernet. Rednecks love a slogan. Not to say that all Clemson fans are rednecks, that these Clemson fans are rednecks, or that being a redneck is a bad thing. But these fans behavior leans towards “kool-aid drinker,” “mouthbreather,” and “redneckish.” Anyway, rednecks love a slogan. GIT-R-DONE, HERE’S YER SIGN, AIN’T SKEERED, YA MIGHT BE A REDNECK IF…, and Clemson specific ones like FINISH THE JOB, the painfully inappropriate slogan for the 2007 squad.

At his first press conference, Dabo Swinney made a passing comment that he loves watching “that poker show”  on ESPN, and that he wasn’t dealt pocket aces but he did have pocket tens. He later added that his players better be “all in.” And with that, the rusty wheels started to turn on Tigernet. “ALL IN?? OH MAN THAT SOUNDS SLOGANY!!!!!!!! RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!!!!1!!1! I WANNA BUY MERCHANDISE THAT INCORPORATES THIS PHRASE!!!!!”

RRTigerGuy has taken it upon himself to beat a phrase to death and then fuck its corpse. The only thing worse than this is the parade of people clamoring to get ‘em some.

Here’s the shirt for you curious folks out there.

I threw away my “Finish The Job” shirt from last year and lit my “Clemson Football 2008: No Excuses” shirt on fire Monday, so I need a replacement ASAP. Catchy phrases on orange cotton really distract from my “manboob problem.”

Screw Similac! Baby can go hungry! I gots to get an ALL IN shirt!!!

RRTigerGuy squats over the fanbase and drops a big sartorial stinkrope on Tigernetters. So many bad shirts. It’s a double flusher, at least. I think that two options are sorely lacking on this poll – “none of the above” and “if you ever design a shirt again you should choke yourself to death with it.” Too far?

Here they are, if you’re interested.

OH MAN OH MAN OHHHHHHHH MAN TIGERTOWN GRAPHICS PICKED EM UP IM FAMOUS IM FAMOUS IM FAMOUS1!!!!

Can’t knock the guy on this image, as he admits it’s laughably bad. But still… damn.

This just gives me the creeps. I… I just can’t articulate that strongly enough. This guy needs his Photoshop license revoked.

I would rather wear a shirt that says WARNING: REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER than this thing.

Here’s our buddy Tom with his own contribution to the cause, if you’re a Tennessee fan, apparently. I don’t think the sexual nature of the statement is lost on anyone. Other rejected slogans for this half of the season are CLEMSON FOOTBALL: BALLS DEEP! and CLEMSON FOOTBALL: AT YOUR CERVIX, LADIES.

That’s all for the t-shirt abominations, on to general shit.

To answer sleestack’s question, if both of those things occurred I would probably kick Scarlett Johansson out of the bed and then go piss liquid gold, because apparently I’d be living in some sort of CRAZY FANTASY LAND.

We’re actually working on something like this, only more EXTREME.

Here’s another one of these messageboard creeps who think every recruit is out there, just waiting for a concerned Clemson fan to take them aside and give that one great pitch that’s going to lock them in. Yeah, I can see some 2012 Heisman Trophy winner at the podium, “Thanks to coolgroovedaddy, without whom none of this would be possible.” Just the sort of desperation and schmaltzy, sappy tone of this post is hilarious to me. Even that ESPN hack Tom Rinaldi thinks this is trying too hard to tug at your emotions.

That’s the latest DSOT. I’m sure I’ll grab some more after this weekend’s win or loss, send any possible DSOT links to ‘chili at block-c dot com.’

***UPDATE***
This horrendously awesome video was brought to my attention. It’s so awful it makes me want to shut down this whole fucking blog and go root for Idaho or some shit.