Clemson Crossover Game

[bke1984]

There are far greater financial impacts than just the bowl payout. Most people realize figure that out.

Donations from alumni? That's probably the biggest one. I'm sure the wealthy alumni are going to shell out more if we drop the game that, along with Georgia, consistently produces the highest attendance from the fan base

 

[Animal02]

Sure, I get that. But you could argue the same thing about playing Georgia for that matter. Supposedly there was a time in the not too distant past when Tech considered dropping Georgia. The argument then was that the series had become lopsided, that it hurt Tech's bowl chances and so forth, and that if Tech dropped Georgia it would only take a decade or two before fans no longer missed the rivalry.

I think it would take far longer than that.......though I can see why some consider dropping the mutts....it is not like the playing field is level there either. (especially when we play 11 against the 16)

 

[Animal02]

Donations from alumni? That's probably the biggest one. I'm sure the wealthy alumni are going to shell out more if we drop the game that, along with Georgia, consistently produces the highest attendance from the fan base

Seriously? That is all you could come up with?

The "increased attendance" from that game or two does not come close to matching having a extra home game playing a FCS opponent.

 

[bke1984]

I'm sorry if I was unclear. I never meant to tell you to stop posting your opinion. I only wanted you to understand that what you are arguing about is purely your opinion and to point out that we can argue the legitimacy of the rivalry until we are blue in the face but that no matter what, no side is more right than the other. Which is why I wanted the discussion to steer back to how to fix the perceived problem and not the emotional subject of whether the rivalry is real.

So back on topic...I do not believe there is a problem. If I have any problem with our schedule, it is the FCS teams we play every year. I love playing Clemson, and I think our conference schedule is tough, but very fair. I mean we've played in the ACC Championship Game four of the last nine years (GT - 4, VT - 4, DU - 1)... Don't see why anything needs to change.

 

[bke1984]

Seriously? That is all you could come up with?

The "increased attendance" from that game or two does not come close to matching having a extra home game playing a FCS opponent.

Do you go to the FCS games? They are generally empty and the tickets cost half as much. Clemson game is sold out just about every year.

 

[bke1984]

Do you go to the FCS games? They are generally empty and the tickets cost half as much. Clemson game is sold out just about every year.

Not to mention we pay the FCS teams like $1,000,000 to come play us...

 

[bke1984]

Alright, I'm done arguing. I've stated my opinion. I honestly just can't wait for the season to start again so we stop talking about this crap

 

[Animal02]

Do you go to the FCS games? They are generally empty and the tickets cost half as much. Clemson game is sold out just about every year.

It doesn't matter.......they still generate far more than., including the payout .

 

[Skeptic]

You were doing well until this. Don't weaken your argument. I know plenty of people who regret to this day our dropping Auburn, one of Tech's most important historic rivalries. And as seldom as we have played them in the last several decades they are still one of four teams that we have played the most in our history. And again, whenever the topic of Tech scheduling comes up there is a strong lobby to bring back Auburn.

As for records in rivalries, I have read that Dodd's rivalry with "The Bashful Baron of Barlow Bend" was just as important to fans in the Southeast as Dodd's rivalry with Bear Bryant, even though both were fairly one sided.

You have gone and done it, forcing me to Google "The Bashful Baron", a term I've never heard. Since Google never lies it refers to Frank Howard, the Clemson football legend, a known fact since it is on the building named for him. Scores aside, the man made Henny Youngman look pedestrian with one-liners. Once said he had a lifetime contract, but the administration declared him dead. Or that he retired for health reasons: "The alumni got sick of me." Sometimes he humor overshadowed his considerable coaching skills, as Dodd would attest I suppose. Why in the world would we agree to end this rivalry, piling it atop Alabama, Auburn and Tennessee? Replacing them with, what?

 

[dressedcheeseside]

You have gone and done it, forcing me to Google "The Bashful Baron", a term I've never heard. Since Google never lies it refers to Frank Howard, the Clemson football legend, a known fact since it is on the building named for him. Scores aside, the man made Henny Youngman look pedestrian with one-liners. Once said he had a lifetime contract, but the administration declared him dead. Or that he retired for health reasons: "The alumni got sick of me." Sometimes he humor overshadowed his considerable coaching skills, as Dodd would attest I suppose. Why in the world would we agree to end this rivalry, piling it atop Alabama, Auburn and Tennessee? Replacing them with, what?

As a high school senior, I heard Frank Howard speak at a GT pregame function. He was a great listen, a funny, funny guy and so natural. The GT Textile Engineering department sponsored a recruiting weekend for qualified high seniors which included a GT/Clemson game ticket. After the presentation we sat in the old horseshoe endzone.

The old TE building we toured that day was later torn down and the Campanile was built on or near the spot. That was the first time I heard the phrase "socks for jocks."

 

[Chattjacket]

http://espn.go.com/college-football...rest-demon-deacons-agree-nonconference-series

I had not seen this before today, when it was mentioned on ESPN's ACC Blog. That is a potential solution to keeping the rivalry if the ACC gets rid of permanent crossovers. Scheduling home-and-home vs. Clemson as non-conference games in the years they are not in the conference rotation would keep the rivalry alive and potentially boost the OOC strength of schedule.

 

[bke1984]

http://espn.go.com/college-football...rest-demon-deacons-agree-nonconference-series

I had not seen this before today, when it was mentioned on ESPN's ACC Blog. That is a potential solution to keeping the rivalry if the ACC gets rid of permanent crossovers. Scheduling home-and-home vs. Clemson as non-conference games in the years they are not in the conference rotation would keep the rivalry alive and potentially boost the OOC strength of schedule.

Wow...this is going to complicate the hell out of things. Whether or not we all agree that cross-divisional games should count, I think it should definitely be clearly defined one way or another. I mean this really introduces strange scenarios where we could just be ignoring the fact that UNC lost to a cross-division team while we count the fact that someone else lost to a cross-division team.

If this sort of thing is allowed then we could technically drop the permanent cross-over with Clemson and put them on the normal rotation, but still play them every year. In years where it counts towards conference play, fine...we just have an extra non-conference game. In years where it doesn't, we just have a series with Clemson that doesn't count.

This could get really confusing...

 

[bke1984]

Wow...this is going to complicate the hell out of things. Whether or not we all agree that cross-divisional games should count, I think it should definitely be clearly defined one way or another. I mean this really introduces strange scenarios where we could just be ignoring the fact that UNC lost to a cross-division team while we count the fact that someone else lost to a cross-division team.

If this sort of thing is allowed then we could technically drop the permanent cross-over with Clemson and put them on the normal rotation, but still play them every year. In years where it counts towards conference play, fine...we just have an extra non-conference game. In years where it doesn't, we just have a series with Clemson that doesn't count.

This could get really confusing...

If this sort of thing is going to become normal, than I'm all for just dropping the requirement for playing the cross-divisional games altogether. We'd play 6 division games, still play Clemson every year and schedule whoever we want in the remaining five games (ACC or not). Then at that point I'm OK not counting the cross-division games towards division championship.

It'd be cool to have an additional power-5 game outside of the conference. I'd love to see us play some old SEC foes or some Big-10, Big-12, or PAC-12 teams we've never played before (Ohio State, Oklahoma, UCLA to name a few). It'd even be nice to play Michigan (only meeting in 1934).

 

[JacketFromUGA]

Way late response but the two FCS teams who play for their National Title play 16 games a year. 17 games lines up about right with that. The top seeds wouldn't have the play in game and would actually only play 16 games.

As a guy in his mid-20's I have grown up with and hold Clemson as our current #2 rival behind UGA. I understand Auburn used to be but in the past few decades Clemson 100% is right now. It doesn't matter what made it that way that's just the truth.

 

[UgaBlows]

VT is pretty up there with Clemson for me in rivalry strength

 

[Animal02]

If this sort of thing is going to become normal, than I'm all for just dropping the requirement for playing the cross-divisional games altogether. We'd play 6 division games, still play Clemson every year and schedule whoever we want in the remaining five games (ACC or not). Then at that point I'm OK not counting the cross-division games towards division championship.

It'd be cool to have an additional power-5 game outside of the conference. I'd love to see us play some old SEC foes or some Big-10, Big-12, or PAC-12 teams we've never played before (Ohio State, Oklahoma, UCLA to name a few). It'd even be nice to play Michigan (only meeting in 1934).

I have said in the past, I would love to see the ACC have a Big Ten Challenge in Football like they do in basketball. Opening weekend (or maybe 2nd week) alternate home and away with the conferences pairing the teams top to bottom.

Imagine this schedule the 2nd week of the season....

Clemp - Ohio State
FSU - Mich State
GT- Wisconsin
VT-Nebraska
Louisville -Minnesota
UNC - Penn State
NCST - Iowa
BC-Rutgers
Pitt -MD
Cuse - Illinois
Duke -NW
WF - Indiana
UVA -Purdue

 

[Animal02]

Way late response but the two FCS teams who play for their National Title play 16 games a year. 17 games lines up about right with that. The top seeds wouldn't have the play in game and would actually only play 16 games.

As a guy in his mid-20's I have grown up with and hold Clemson as our current #2 rival behind UGA. I understand Auburn used to be but in the past few decades Clemson 100% is right now. It doesn't matter what made it that way that's just the truth.

We never played Clemson when I was at Tech - played Tulane often. as well as Bama and Auburn. Tulane made for a great road trip.

 

[Eastman]

I am all for fairness and a level playing field (although it can never be perfectly achieved) and some of the ideas sound promising. However I also like having big tough games. Beating Tulane or Wake is good but not nearly as sweet as beating Gag and Clemson. I hope scheduling never becomes only focused on setting the table for a playoff run.

 

[Skeptic]

I am all for fairness and a level playing field (although it can never be perfectly achieved) and some of the ideas sound promising. However I also like having big tough games. Beating Tulane or Wake is good but not nearly as sweet as beating Gag and Clemson. I hope scheduling never becomes only focused on setting the table for a playoff run.

Swinney is on the record as getting a tough schedule to win national recognition and be in contention for the NC and their 2015 schedule looks a lot like ours, and by the time we play both of us will have ND comparisons.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Tulane made for a great road trip.

Yes, I have a soft spot in my heart for Tulane.