Clemson Football: Excitement level for Orange Bowl remains high

I’ve been a Clemson football fan long enough to appreciate 10-3 and 11-2 seasons and not take them for granted.

I feel a little like I need the guy from the Progressive commercial to tell me to not be my dad, but it hasn’t always been this way as a long-time Clemson fan.  By this way, I mean 10-win seasons.

Dabo Swinney is 161-38 as Clemson’s head coach and even more remarkable than that was he started 19-15.  That means the Tigers have won 142 of their last 165 football games.

I don’t care who you’re playing this side of the West Pelzer Y, that’s pretty good.

But the human condition has us always wanting more, or maybe it’s the American condition of whatever you have is not enough.

In my mind, there are really two types of people.  Those who celebrate everything and those that celebrate nothing.

As it relates to Clemson football, there are those that celebrate every win, no matter who the opponent is, and those that only celebrate playoff appearances and National Championships.

I like to think of myself as somewhere in between these two groups.

Maybe it’s that Clemson is beginning to see opt-outs that will only increase in the future.  Maybe it’s the injuries that are piling up that will make the team that takes the field on December 30th a shell of what it was when healthy.

Maybe it’s a feeling that college football is headed down a path that is probably not healthy for the sport long term in my opinion. (I could certainly be wrong on that)

I’m not sure what it is, but I’m not excited as I should be for a Clemson-Tennessee matchup in the Orange Bowl.

But, Clemson fans are.

I have to admit a bit of surprise that as of this writing 88% of respondents are between 8-10 on the excitement level.

I wish I was there with you.

It’ll be a different team that takes the field for the Orange Bowl than the one we saw on the balance of the season and the same can be said of Tennessee, who will be without some of their biggest stars, too.

It’s not losing to South Carolina and getting texts from people I haven’t heard from in 7 years.

It’s not missing the playoff, I never really considered this team a contender.

I don’t begrudge anyone opting out, I’d say it’s probably the best decision and I’d probably do the same.

I hate that guys are injured, it’s not like they want to be.

I’m actually looking forward to seeing new guys have an opportunity to gain some big time experience on the field.

With two weeks until Clemson football plays in the Orange Bowl, I’m not feeling it yet

There’s still two + weeks till the game and when it rolls around, I’ll be watching, screaming at the TV and I’ll likely even plan my day around it like I do almost every other Clemson football (and baseball and basketball) game.

Right now though, I’m in that “4-7: Ask me later” range.

Things are changing in the sport, some of them for the better, some for the worse and some to be determined.

Bowl games like this are one of those things changing.

You know the old saying about change, right?  I’m all for it, as long as it doesn’t effect me.

When the 30th rolls around, I’ll be “there” (likely on my couch), watching and cheering and living and dying with every punt, pass and kick.

Right?

Right?