Dabo Swinney’s comments stir the pot with Clemson Football fans
By John Chancey
Myth 2: Negative fans aren’t ‘All In’
I think Coach Swinney has a different definition for bandwagon fans. One of the first slogans he installed with this program when he took over was ‘All In’.
It’s a simple way to create a mindset. Do nothing halfway. You can’t be one foot in and one foot out. Everyone is focused on a goal and dedicated to achieving it.
When I read Swinney’s quotes from Monday night, I tend to think his definition of the bandwagon fan is the fan who isn’t ‘All In’. That is another myth about fandom, but I don’t blame Coach Swinney for getting that one wrong.
Again, it’s all about mindset. A coach or player must have the mindset that no matter what adversity comes your way, you adjust and overcome. The team can’t just roll over and die because they lost the first game.
Swinney is right for having that mindset as a coach, and he would be fair to expect that from his staff players. This is where I think the truth comes from in his statements, but you must be able to put yourself in his shoes to understand it.
Where Swinney gets this wrong is that he is applying his mindset to fans, and I think that is an unrealistic expectation.
It is alright for fans to express themselves. It is alright for fans to criticize. It is alright for fans to have an opinion. Being expressive, critical, or opinionated doesn’t mean fans are negative. Negativity is when you step over that line into personal attacks or general insults.
There are some fans out there who have taken exception to Swinney’s statements because they feel like he is talking about them. Swinney isn’t talking about fans who simply have an opinion. He is talking about the ones who step over that line.
Can fans go overboard with the negativity? Yes, and several of them do. I see it every day, even after the team wins.
Can fans exercise poor judgment? Yes, and I have seen some Clemson influencers I generally like and respect say some illogical things since Swinney’s comments came out last night.
Some Clemson fans say insensitive things, and some of them aren’t nearly as wise as they think, but it doesn’t mean they aren’t fans.
Swinney is the one in the wrong for saying that fans who aren’t 100% positive all the time need to be “dropped” from the fanbase.