Tuesday May 06, 2008

Who Are Your Yellow Lights and Red Lights?

Who Are Your Yellow Lights and Red Lights?
A theory on dating says that you always monitor your mate’s habits and traits especially when you start a relationship. You try to learn as much about the person before it gets too serious and whenever a negative shows its face you must determine if it is a yellow light or a red light. A yellow light means caution and might include some minor behavior. A red light means stop and would include behavior like spousal abuse. It is OK to run some yellow lights but if they add up then it becomes dangerous. Red lights should never be ignored.

I was reminded of this philosophy as I have been watching the Roger Clemens saga. I was excited last year when Clemens signed with the New York Yankees last summer but I would have the opposite reaction if they tried to sign him again in the future. I am a loyal fan and as a Yankee fan I have had to try to defend Darryl Strawberry and Doc Gooden but it has been difficult. Clemens has turned into this kind of nightmare and I could not defend his hypothetical return to the Yankees (even though it would never happen).

On this morning’s radio show, I asked fans, “Who are the yellow lights and red lights to your favorite teams?” In other words, who could your favorite team trade for or sign that would have you second guessing your loyalty? Is there a coach out there that would make you cringe if your favorite team hired him? Is there a player that you could not pull for if he was traded or transferred into your favorite team or program?

This happened to me last summer when I found out my favorite NASCAR driver turned to the enemy. Had Dale Earnhardt, Jr. signed with any owner other than Rick Hendrick then would still be a fan. However, the day he announced he was headed to Hendrick Motor Sports I ripped off the number 8 sticker off of my SUV.

I would not stop pulling for the Yankees but if they ever signed Curt Schilling then I would cringe. It would be a yellow light but it would still hurt.

The normal cast of villains was mentioned this morning. Barry Bonds would make almost any fan’s list. I mentioned Pacman Jones and Tank Johnson. Unfortunately, sports gives us a lot of examples of who we don’t want. Our sports idols are too often giving us front page news.

But our loyalties are to the uniforms instead of the people. We pull for our teams not people. Sure it helps when they are good people but the teams are the focus. The people change but the teams don’t. Clemson was Clemson before Bowden, Ford, Howard and even Heisman. Clemson football will be here after every current player and coach moves on.

I know South Carolina fans that could not stand Lou Holtz before he took over in Columbia. I was in Williams-Brice when Steve Spurrier was booed when he was a Gator. Sports talk radio in Columbia aired the unthinkable idea that Spurrier was obnoxious and arrogant before he arrived in Columbia. But things certainly changed when he took over the difficult task as their head coach.

I doubt there are too many coaches who could be hired or players that could transfer in to Clemson that could be seen as a red light to most fans. I can’t imagine an individual that would be a red light for you and me as loyal Tigers.

However, there is a long list of yellow lights out there.

I would have to take a step back if Al Groh strolled to the microphone as he is introduced as the next head football coach of the Clemson Tigers.

I think I would throw up in my mouth if I ever saw Chuck Amato in D&G sunglasses and orange shoes roaming the sidelines as the head coach of the Tigers.

Wake me up after a Tom O’Brien press conference introducing him as the next head coach at Clemson.

Maybe Clemson could turn into a national basketball powerhouse if they lured Mike Krzyzewski away from Duke. But it would be difficult seeing the “Rat” every game and hearing his family’s language every night.

Bob Huggins would not play well with the Clemson administration. Someone would have to explain Vickery Hall to him.

Clemson is probably not the place for Robert Montgomery Knight to make his comeback.

In baseball, Florida State’s Mike Martin has been the enemy for so long that his days as the head coach at Clemson might not play well in Tigertown.

Maybe the only other guy I can think of with that reaction from Clemson baseball fans would be former South Carolina assistant and current Liberty coach Jim Toman.

Maybe Duke head coach Sean McNally would not go over all that well but at least Mike Echols and his fantastic grounds crew would have some more spotlight.

From a player standpoint, Greg Paulus and Tyler Hansbrough would not look right in orange and purple.

I could not imagine Stephen Garcia touching the rock.

Hypothetical situations are usually impossible situations and in many of these cases we can only hope they stay impossible. The questions remain, “Are there any red lights in your Clemson loyalty?” and “Who are your yellow lights?”

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