All-In [49613]
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Sunday sermon: things of beauty in a time of ugliness
Oct 12, 2014, 9:59 AM
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Sometimes, you can't win for trying.
A week after perhaps the prettiest win in years for Clemson, we collect what was easily one of the ugliest wins since Dabo took the helm.
Or was it? Was it really ugly. Taken to the heart of things, is ANY win "ugly"? Not pretty, for sure ... but ugly?
I'm going to give you 5 things of beauty from yesterday's game. If you still wish to dwell on the less-than-gorgeous parts, then you may. If you wish to call the conscious decision to revel in beauty than wallow in squalor pumping, then you may. With so much pain in the world, I've never really found it necessary to go searching for more.
But I am happy -- and proud -- to share a few beams of beauty from yesterday.
1. The crowd: If you were there, and you cannot speak this morning, YOU are the reason Clemson won yesterday. You know it, I know it and I'll go to the mat for the Sons of Clemson who never lost faith, even if they lost voice. The Voice of Clemson was heard long and loud Saturday ... and it was glorious. You have added to the legend of Death Valley, and provided a high ground when your team desperately needed shelter.
Never let anyone tell you "The crowd doesn't matter." You proved them wrong and the credit for this win is your's.
2. The heroes: If, Saturday morning, I asked for three names that would provide the points for Clemson, I'm willing to bet the trifecta of "Humphries, Lapik and Stoudt" would not be among the leaders.
But when things go sideways, and they went horribly sideways when DW's finger snapped, you look for heroes with heart. And in those three oft-maligned Sons of Clemson, we found our heroes.
You've heard the grumblings about our punt return game. "Fair-catch Humphries," good hands, no feet ... well you can shut up now. Who's the last guy to run a punt back for a score? Wanna say something bad about him?
And if folks disparaged Adam, they were downright ruthless about Ammon after the FSU game. Yet, who put the winning points on the board Saturday? Who prevented our red zone problems from becoming downright fiascos? Who, when everything is said and done, has managed to bury the disappointment of Tallahassee?
But the last ... absolutely last ... expected hero Saturday was Cole. More Lazarus than backup, he not only wasn't expected to see the field, he barely had any practice after crunching his shoulder last week. So, here he comes, stone cold into the game against one of the toughest defense in the nation. I say "one of" for reasons that will be forthcoming. The first two plays, a near-pick and a sack. You thought it ... ####, I thought it, too. We're in trouble.
Good thing Cole didn't think it. With trainers furiously working on him between series, Cole dragged this team to victory. DW probably would have gotten us there with more style points, but DW had his arm wrapped like Boris Karloff in a 30s monster movie. The weight of this game ... and the season ... rested on the batter shoulders of Cole Stoudt.
Without their heart, the Tigers are looking at a loss, and the board is looking at a major meltdown.
You can whine about the shotgun snaps on fourth down, but Cole didn't call them. He went out and performed....and won.
3. The beasts: Want a look at Clemson football the way it used to be? Saturday's game was as close as you'll come on the defensive side. Rip-roaring, body-slamming, no fear and no quarter. There was blood in the water every time Louisville got to third down ... and they converted there only once.
I love good defense, more than good offense. And I hope to see better offense this week, with Cole getting a chance to practice.
But I don't know that we'll see much better defense in our lives. Savor every snap, Tigers.
I'm not Pollyanna enough to say these guys won't miss a beat with DW out. But he is out, possibly for quite a while. So ... you can wallow in the ugly, or you can, the words of the military "embrace the suck" and keep marching, knowing there will be beauty for those who do so.
A rougher path sharpens the harrows. If, indeed we are in this together as a family, there are many better days ahead.
Dig down deep and claim them, Tigers.
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