Life of a Clemson Fan

The last time I wrote for Bleacher Report was after Clemson's loss at Georgia Tech.  That article was focused almost solely on the bad play-calling.  That was not the issue here tonight, however.

Sure, there were some questionable play calls on offense,but they were only questionable because they did not go for big yards. 

Tonight, the players simply did not make the plays necessary to go to the ACC Championship game.

There were simply too many mistakes.  Fumbles, interceptions, snaps deflected off the center's legs, countless missed tackles, blown assignments, and dropped passes—I was simply dumbfounded by the lack of execution.

After Clemson missed a field goal as time expired, I had to get away from it all.

I did something i had never done before.  I walked out of the terminal and turned right, going against the crowd and walking the long way out of the stadium.  I could not help but make eye contact with every Tiger fan going the opposite direction.  My blank stare was returned by other fans, who were asking themselves the same question I was:

"Why does this continue to happen to us?"

For once, I am not blaming this on Bowden.  But if I hear one more person talk about how we were "one play" or "point" away from an ACC Championship Game bid in the postseason press conference, I do not know what I am going to do. 

The season is not over, but this is where Tommy has to earn his millions.  He has to get a bunch of emotionally riven young men to pick their heads up and get ready to face that other school down the road. 

I have no idea what he could tell them after tonight's game.  Who knows—maybe Lou Holtz will tell us during halftime this Thursday.