Clemson thoughts

As you watch the Tommy Bowden mess unfold at Clemson, all BC fans should thank our lucky stars for Gene D. Our AD is not perfect by any means. I could go on about fundraising issues, marketing challenges or various other complaints, but his iron grip on the Athletic Department has its upside during moments like this. Just compare and contrast Bowden-Clemson with O'Brien-Boston College.

Paying for results
Walking out of Death Valley after BC's win last fall, it was clear that the majority of Clemson fans were tired of Bowden. A few weeks later Arkansas came calling and offered him their job. Clemson, fearing a missed opportunity with their returning talent, got in a bidding war and resigned Tommy with a $4 million buyout. In 2006 when TOB had turned off a good portion of BC fans and NC State came calling, Gene D. let TOB walk. He could have opened up the checkbook and probably got TOB to come back. He certainly risked wasting Matt Ryan's senior year with an unknown coach. But he rolled the dice that change needed to be made. He wasn't going to get in a bidding war for a coach he and his fans didn't want.

Dealing with Alumni and Boosters
It seems like Clemson boosters were calling the shots here and forced the move after Bowden fumbled away the Wake game and then threw his QB under the bus. When BC made its change, the Alumni were kept at a distance (for the most part). There were some gripes afterwards from movers and shakers like Greg Barber but it was an university and athletic department decision, as it should be.

Protecting the students
After the Bowden news broke Clemson players started sounding off in the media with a variety of vicious quotes about their former coach. I couldn't believe this. It didn't surprise me that this guys were pissed. It did surprise me that no one from the school rounded them up and gave them talking points and media coaching. Where was their AD? Where was their SID? Why didn't one of the assistants get them in a room and remind them to take the high road in all interviews? When TOB left BC all you heard were a few cookie cutter sound bites from team leaders. All praised TOB and all spoke positively of the future at BC. Letting your student athletes speak off the cuff like Clemson did is irresponsible. The kids are too close to the situation and lack perspective. How bad does Cullen Harper look right now? If Clemson had any leadership someone would have controlled media access to the players.

BC has had its rough patches, but a smart and empowered AD makes a world of difference when things are in flux.