I apologize for my one misspelled word. I have addressed and fixed the issue. I also apologize for stating every football player has rubbed the rock, because it is a lie. But I guess we all forget things at some point, maybe like forgetting your football team didn't start in 2009 (Friendly jab, there is no malice intent in this.. So don't bust a cap..). Howard's Rock is symbolic to the university as for one, it is one of the many faces of Clemson's football program. I'd much rather prefer something that is unique and the only entrance in college football like it, than something that is ultimately a let down and is like most college football entrances (Running out of a tunnel, into clouds of fog. Does it really get your blood pumping knowing your entrance is like most others?!). On account of feeling worthless, I'm sure USC also knows the feeling. Finish a season ranked #4, start the season #9 and then end up going, what was it? 7-6? I too would feel quite devastated continuing to get my 3rd place SEC rings and having a major let down season. But I guess you get used to it eventually. I believe you are very mistaken on the fact Clemson cheated for our national championship. Have you ever actually read the infractions against Clemson? Question. If we cheated to get out national championship, why do we still have it but got sanctioned by the ACC the following two years? I believe that if we did end up cheating to gain a national championship, we wouldn't have one.
Reasons why we didn't cheat to gain a natty are listed below:
(Before I continue this list I would like to point out something. Most of the "terrible" violations happened prior to the 1980 season) (
Giving a ride to a recruit anywhere, even from his HS to home, is a violation. This is one that has occurred at Clemson and SC in recent memory.) If you would care to read the FULL list,
have at it.
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Paying two prospective student athletes ($500 a piece). This was not a coach of any kind, it was a Clemson booster in Knoxville. In the end these two guys never even enrolled at Clemson. Neither even got into a Div 1 program.
- a
former assistant football coach and a representative of the university's athletic interests offered to provide the mother of a prospective student-athlete transportation to attend the university's football games during her son's enrollment. What is this crap. Are you kidding me?! She didn't even have a vehicle to drive herself.. AND the guy that would have driven her was a
former coach.. Ridiculous.
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In February 1981, the head football coach offered to help find a job for a recruit's mother. (The first of two accounts of Danny Ford being accused of having direct involvement)
- In the spring and summer of 1979, a
former assistant football coach arranged for a recruit to receive medical examinations and treatment for an ankle injury at no cost to the young man.
- During the 1978-79 academic year, a former assistant football coach gave a recruit cash to pay the necessary fee to take a college entrance examination. Are you kidding me? If this is considered "buying a player" then this is the poorest definition there is. Paying for the kid to take an entrance exam. Really?!
- In the fall of 1979, a
former assistant football coach gave a white sport shirt to a prospective student-athlete, and numerous recruits have been provided T-shirts, football jerseys or souvenir photographs during visits to the university's campus,
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April 1980, the head football coach, director of athletics and dean of student affairs arranged for the university to pay the cost of a dental bill on behalf of a student-athlete. (The only other mention of Ford having a direct involvement)
- In the fall of 1981 and again in late February 1982, an assistant football coach telephoned the father of a recruit, which were reasonably interpreted a being request to provide the NCAA false
information concerning his son's recruitment by the university.
Cam Newton ring a bell?
- In the fall of the 1980-81 academic year, an assistant football coach provided a recruit's father round-trip automobile transportation between his home and the university at the time he accompanied his son on an official paid visit to the university; further, the coach filed a false mileage reimbursement receipt with the university concerning this transportation.
- In spring of '79, an assistant football coach contacted a recruit for recruiting purposes at the young man's high school outside the permissible period for in-person recruiting contacts. Again it happened in 1980 several times and in Sept. 1981. (This still happens today)
- In the fall of 1979, an assistant football coach provided round-trip automobile transportation for
a friend of a recruit to accompany the prospect on his official paid visit to the university.What.. A friend.. Are you serious..
- In the summer of 1981, an assistant football coach
and a high school coach arranged for a recruit to be provided automobile transportation to attend the university's summer football camp. WHAT?!
- In the fall of 1979, a recruit was timed running the 40-yard dash by a
former assistant football coach.
- In December 1978, a
former assistant football coach arranged for a recruit to be employed by a booster prior to the completion of the young man's senior year in high school. (Probably left with Pell)
- During the 1980-81 and 1981-82 academic years, the university's football coaching staff entertained prospective and enrolled student-athletes off campus at a restaurant located outside of Clemson, South Carolina. Oh no!
- In July 1980, an
assistant football coach gave cash to a high school assistant football coach to reimburse the coach for expenses incurred while transporting two recruits to the university's summer football camp. I really don't understand how some of these things are violations.
- In January 1981, an assistant football coach permitted a student-athlete to use his automobile to transport a recruit during his official paid visit to the university.
This continues to happen everywhere. A recruit is assigned a host, and if he has no car of his own, he must borrow one or rent one.
- In December 1980, a
former assistant football coach permitted two recruits to use his personal automobile during their official paid visits to the university
- In November 1979, an assistant football coach
provided his automobile to a student hostess in order to transport a recruit during his official paid visit.
- During the 1980-81 academic year,
individuals who were not enrolled in the university served as hosts for recruits on their official paid visits to the university.
- During the 1980-81 academic year, a recruit was provided four official paid visits to the university's campus.
- In July 1980,
two recruits attended the university's summer football camp for one day at no cost to either young man. Watch out. They got a free day, it's not like schools continue to do this.
- On three occasions during the 1980-81 academic year,
a booster entertained a recruit for a meal.
- In October 1980,
a booster gave a student hostess cash for her gasoline expenses to transport a recruit from his home to the university's campus.
- In the summer of 1980, two recruits were employed by a booster in order to assist the young men in paying the costs to attend the Clemson football camp. So what? The booster was helping them gain money in order to pay for camp. If this was an infraction why not just go ahead and pay for the camp instead of giving the kids a job. You'd end up in the same place.
I'm not going to lie and say we didn't deserve the NCAA punishments but by no means should we have gotten the extra two years from the ACC. Taken as a whole, it's not the best slate, but does it add up to a "bought and paid for championship"?
Not even close, especially considering that most of the really bad violations seem to have taken place prior to 1980. There is also no proof that players who may have been given favors or cash were in any way responsible for the Tigers' success in 1981.
