Since relatively early in the basketball season I told anyone who would listen that Clemson is not any good. Since I was speaking to mostly South Carolina fans I did not receive much opposition. Having grown up in Greenville, I have seen the pattern emerge every year the exact same way. Clemson plays a terrible OOC and starts off 10-0 or 11-2 or something like that. The Greenville News then writes an article about how they should be ranked, and they aren't getting respect, and they are a legitimate Sweet Sixteen team, etc, ad nauseum. The Clemson fans (who must be the most ignorant basketball fans in the ACC based on when the home crowd boos) begin talking about Final Fours and ACC Championships and Dental Hygiene and all other manner of things with which they are not the least bit familiar. And each year, just as I have had about enough ACC conference play shows up and reminds everyone just how bad Clemson is.
This year was no different. The hysteria of starting 17-0 had only been previously matched in Tigertown by the unmitigated braggadoccio of fans following the football team's beating Georgia Tech. Then, what happened? Nothing. Clemson didn't suddenly play worse. They started playing real opponents. In short order they were exposed. Now with a win at mighty Miami in overtime no less, Clemson looks poised to lock in a NIT bid.
I thought I was one of the few to recognize this phenomenon early in the season until I came across this:
"Rob Daniels, an enterprising reporter at the News & Record of Greensboro, N.C., dug a little deeper this week. He found that the Tigers will secure yet another dubious dishonor if they continue their free fall from 17-0 and fail to make the NCAA Tournament. According to Daniels' research, 30 ACC teams have started the season with a 10-0 start or better since 1979-80, when the NCAA lifted its limit on bids awarded to each conference. Of those 30 teams, just three failed to advance to the NCAAs.Take a wild guess which teams were responsible for those flameouts. Clemson (10-0 in 1994-95), Clemson (11-0 in 1985-86) and Clemson (11-0 last season)."
And you will be able to continue to add to this list for years to come because Clemson will continue to play a joke of an out of conference schedule.
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2 comments:
General,
Since the expation of 64 teams in 1985, there hasn't been a team in the ACC with 20 wins during the regular season, that hasn't gotten in to the NCAA tourney. What about the Wahoo's of UVA? Virginia and VT, I would have never guessed.
Good to know Moose. I would expect this year to be the exception then.
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