LET'S PUT THIS MATTER TO REST ABOUT DABO....

May 5, 2013, 4:41 PM

I rarely weigh in on these matters, but the attempts by certain posters to denigrate Dabo Swinney have gone far enough, for those who continue to label him as a bad coach know very little about leadership.

A good leader doesn't have to be a great coach...or general...or CEO. He has to have the ability to choose superior subordinate leaders to execute the grand strategy of the organization, then the ability to push those subordinates relentlessly to excellance. I have posted the example of Dwight Eisenhower's leadership role previously.

Eisenhower was never considered a great combat general. George Patton won the kudos for that. But Ike had the flair for choosing great subordinate leaders, all of whom contributed to the allied European victory. Occasionally, he had to replace some of those leaders; however, overall his management of his subordinates, including the allied commanders produced the grand result.

I don't regard Dabo as a great offensive or defensive coach, and frankly, I don't care if he is. I do care that he continues to have the foresight to select excellent subordinates, then push them toward excellance. I care that he continuously motivates his staff and team by whatever method he chooses. I care that he continues to motivate the team members. And I most certainly care that he replaces his subordinates when the need arises.

Has he been perfect? No. Has he made poor choices? Yes. Has he relentlessly pushed his staff and team toward excellance? Yes. Am I confident of his ability to motivate himself to push himself toward excellance? Yes.

That being said, I remain convinced that the final verdict is out regarding his leadership. He is making progress; he has achieved noteworthy goals. But most of all, by God, he has given the Clemson Nation a reason to stand cheering in the aisles...to honestly believe in our ability to attain great success on the gridiron...and to once again sing proudly that old refrain..."Where the Tigers reign supreme alway."

Am I a "pumper?" Yes, by God, I am...I've been one since the first days I entered Clemson in 1965. I spent countless hours in pep rallies and on the sidelines, home and away, yelling in exhortation of our fans to cheer on the Tigers. I learned something about motivation. And while I temper overt enthusiasm, I do want Dabo to be successful...AND I AM D@MN PROUD THAT HE IS OUR COACH!

AND I PUT MY NAME WHERE MY WORDS ARE:

HARRY TINSLEY
Clemson, Class of 1969

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LET'S PUT THIS MATTER TO REST ABOUT DABO....

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