I was reading Stewart Mandel's Mailbag on The Athletic today. He had an interesting response to a reader's question about Dabo Swinney and Clemson's recent bitching and complaining:
To me, Dabo is a classic case of the perils of power. As his program has grown into a full-fledged dynasty over the years, he’s ascended to a place personally where he can pretty much do and say whatever he wants, because who’s going to stand up to him? I’m guessing no one in and around Clemson University has said “no” or “maybe you shouldn’t do that” to him in years. When you’re that powerful, and you basically spend every day within the walls of your own self-designed football palace (complete with putt-putt course) surrounded by people you either hired or recruited … well, you could see why the guy doesn’t much care whose feathers he ruffles.
It’s too bad. Dabo had been so darn likeable, a refreshing antidote to Nick Saban and his band of football-robot proteges. The tables have turned since the start of the pandemic, where Saban is now the calming, intellectual voice of reason to Dabo’s petulant child.
To me, Dabo is a classic case of the perils of power. As his program has grown into a full-fledged dynasty over the years, he’s ascended to a place personally where he can pretty much do and say whatever he wants, because who’s going to stand up to him? I’m guessing no one in and around Clemson University has said “no” or “maybe you shouldn’t do that” to him in years. When you’re that powerful, and you basically spend every day within the walls of your own self-designed football palace (complete with putt-putt course) surrounded by people you either hired or recruited … well, you could see why the guy doesn’t much care whose feathers he ruffles.
It’s too bad. Dabo had been so darn likeable, a refreshing antidote to Nick Saban and his band of football-robot proteges. The tables have turned since the start of the pandemic, where Saban is now the calming, intellectual voice of reason to Dabo’s petulant child.
