I'll start by saying, I'm a Ryan Blaney fan, so today's outcome at Martinsville was good for him. But, the end of the race was a major black eye for the sport. There are too many ways to manipulate the points. There is no way they can make rules to cover everything. Blaney's win was legit...best car all day.

The Chevys were obviously blocking for Byron for the last 20 laps or so and it was a terrible look at a short track. Toyota/Bubba "feeling like a tire is going down" was equally bad. Bell overdriving the last corner to go for it, getting into the wall, and then unnecessarily accelerating cost him a chance next week. NASCAR said it was a "safety violation". BS IMO. Like Jeff Burton said, it is "just a damn shame" what the sport has become. It is just too damn subjective.

I know what some will say, and I get it. It died when Big E died. They should have stayed true to their roots. All true. But the technology, data, metrics, and advanced communications is what is going to drive the last of us old fans away. I doubt NASCAR cares though.

Dabo said he's day to day.

Plays with a pretty good Arizona team.

He is on the verge of taking every top recruit in the state. Our state doesn't produce many rivals 250 players but he is taking them all.

Who would be a home run hire to replace Goodwin (outside of Venables)?

Or do we need another Tyler to rise up among us.

Injury report. Results may have more to do with our late season results THIS season than all else being discussed.
Anxiously awaiting news. Sometime.

We were in the process of driving for a touchdown to end the 3rd quarter, leaving us down by only 2 scores with a full quarter to go. Hadn’t been playing great, but the game was still salvageable.

End of Q3 happens, the band plays Tiger Rag and the Rally Cats start their routine.

Almost nobody stands up. People were still there, they hadn’t started leaving yet. Looking around the stadium maybe 5% of the fans (not students, the students were fully engaged) stood up, clapped and spelled out C-L-E-M.

I’ve never seen anything like it in Death Valley and it was truly embarrassing.

ly bad:

- Going back to the '22 season Clemson is 3-6 in games w/ 2 weeks or more rest.

- Clemson has been outscored by a margin of 217- 269 in those games.

- Clemson is 23 - 3 in 'regular' games, here are the margins by season in those games;

2022- 397- 216 (11 games)
2023- 324- 177 (10 games)
2024- 222- 92(5 games)

What can you say? Might need to scrimmage on that Saturday before or something.

Here are the games:
GT- 41- 10 W
ND- 14-35 L
Tenn- 14-31 L
Duke- 7- 28 L
Miami- 20-28 L
Kentucky- 38- 35 W
UGA- 3- 34 L
NC St- 59- 35 W
Lou- 21- 33 L

Week to week, Dabo just said.

NM.

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It’s being unprepared after a bye it’s the other coach exploiting a weakness and our inability to correct it. It’s getting bullied at home.

I’ve see plenty of losses with better effort coaching and heart. Not sure I’ve seen too many loses like last night. Felt bowdenish.

twice (to make it a 12-point game) instead of going for two.

"We talked

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From the top down. From Dabo to the players you should be ashamed!! Disgraced The Paw!! You won nothing and beat nobody all year. Stop reading how good you are and know you actually cannot compete with above average teams!!

Got embarrassed and butt kicked in Death Valley!!

Go coach and find elite players or do not touch The Rock!! You do not deserve it!

Turn in your paycheck this week! Players and all!! Disgusting

😂😂🤷🏿‍♂️🤷🏿‍♂️

I’m too lazy to look it up but did any of our coaches provide a meaningful update about our tempo (or lack thereof).

Thought tempo was part of the offense but haven’t really seen it this year and most surprisingly, didn’t see it last night when it mattered most, which is alarming.

Taking out the first half season, where this was not Dabo's program, his career win-loss record is 171-42 (80%).
.
His first four years: 36-18 (67%) 7-10 vs Top 25 1-1 vs Top 5
From 2013 to 2020: 100-12 (89%) 26-9 vs Top 25 9-7 vs Top 5
Last four years: 36-12 (75%) 7-5 vs Top 25 0-4 vs Top 5

Clemson Football's all time winning percentage is 64% over 123 seasons.

Though the past four years have been to an elite level, a 75% winning percentage is still much better than the winning percentage over the entire history of Clemson football. Clemson is no longer an elite program, but we are still good. Since Clemson is essentially a small market team in the current arrangement of college football, it seems reasonable that expectations correspond accordingly.

This doesn't make last night any easier to understand, but it does confirm that under Dabo Swinney, Clemson is winning games at a much better rate than the program historically has. It seems obvious that changes need to be made, but anyone asking for a new head coach needs to be careful what they wish for.

Let’s assume (and I know this is a big assumption) that Dabo goes all-in on the portal this year.

Let’s also assume (and I know this is an even bigger assumption) that he will use NIL on portal recruits since odds are high he will find some better than guys slotted to start.

My biggest question is if he will operate in the gray area and try to poach a kid before he enters the portal. If he doesn’t, do we even have a chance at landing anyone who can make a difference? Even if he actively recruits transfers with NIL?

My honest opinion is he won’t, or it will be a long time until he does. And I’m speaking to applying pressure to make changes, not firing Dabo of course.

As bad as last night was at the end of the day this team is 6-2, which likely means they’ll chalk this up to a bad night rather than systemic issues.

Unfortunately, this could remain a slow bleed IMO.

Wes Goodwin just visited with the media. A few of the more interesting themes:

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From intern Toby Corriston:

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This team watched a three loss Louisville barely squeak by BC last week —the Tigers became overconfident, lost focus and overlooked the Cardinals.

Whats worse the Coaching staff seemed to do the same and let them—which is inexcusable with what was on the line.

Also NIL and the money that comes with it has made a lot (not all) players softer and unfocused.

Feel free to add more.

Disclaimer i hate all pro sports and think its ridiculous the amounts some pro athletes get paid to play a game hence i don’t go out of my way to support or watch. So I am bias against overcompensation of athletes.

But i’m also ok with NIL for its true intended purposes but not the straight pay for play, buying of players—especially out if HS who haven't done jack $#!+ to prove themselves on a collegiate football field