News Article: Dabo Swinney is College Football’s Real Evil Villain

[RollTide_HTTR]

I didn't bother trying to start this in the football thread as its clearly very political.

College Football’s Real Evil Villain

Swinney’s stances against player autonomy, in both college and professional sports, are legendary. He criticized Colin Kaepernick’s protest, saying that “it’s not good to use the team as a platform” and that “two wrongs don’t make a right” while citing Martin Luther King Jr., something he later had to apologize for. He claimed players don’t pretend they have concussions to stay on the field and that football is “safer than it has ever been.” (Both statements are false.) He once kicked a player off his team — and thus out of college — for “having a bad attitude.” He doesn’t tolerate cursing at his practices. Oh, and remember the Clemson football team’s visit to the White House during the government shutdown, when President Trump gave out all that fast food? The Root reported that while most of Clemson’s black players did not attend, the ones who did go did so because they feared Swinney would punish them otherwise. (Swinney denied this, as did several players.)


Swinney’s unsavoriness goes beyond seeking to maintain his own power and profits. He has said America doesn’t have a “race problem, it has a sin problem.” In 2016, he refused to investigate an allegation that Clemson players had used racial slurs against South Carolina players, saying he could forgive college students for making mistakes but not media for reporting on them. (He actually said that the reporters who published the allegations should have been fired.) He has said that activists should “move to another country.” He even once called himself “Osama bin Dabo,” which is sort of offensive but mostly just weird.

 

[AlexanderFan]

The whole “Osama bin Dabo “ is taken out of context. He is using the term to signify how unliked he is in the state of Alabama after beating the University of Alabama. It’s not that difficult to understand if you actually use your brain for something other than trying to find something to be offended about.

The “We don’t have a race problem, we have a sin problem” is also part of a much larger speech as well. I happen to love that speech he gave in which he pointed the finger at all of us, regardless of race, as to the problems we face in our world. He’s not wrong.

I am not really familiar with all the other points this guy is trying to make, but these two issues have to be taken in a much larger view to understand where he is coming from.

https://youtu.be/Z7sBNkUkRdA

Five minute mark is where the remark happens, however, the speech should be listened to entirely to get the context. He’s asked about disciplining a player for not standing for the National Anthem.

Dabo could very well be a villain, but skewering him over remarks out of context is wrong.


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[Chukker Veteran]

The whole “Osama bin Dabo “ is taken out of context. He is using the term to signify how unliked he is in the state of Alabama after beating the University of Alabama. It’s not that difficult to understand if you actually use your brain for something other than trying to find something to be offended about.

I think it's insulting to suggest the reason he is disliked in Alabama is because he beat the football team. We don't all operate on that shallow level.

Many, including me, object to his tendency to suggest when he wins a game it was because God was on his side. Dabo, of all people, should understand God is an Alabama fan.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

*I think it's insulting to suggest the reason he is disliked in Alabama is because he beat the football team. We don't all operate on that shallow level.

**Many, including me, object to his tendency to suggest when he wins a game it was because God was on his side. Dabo, of all people, should understand God is an Alabama fan.

*I don't think anyone who falls into the category Dabo is speaking about truly "dislikes" him for beating Alabama. They're just ticked off that not only have we lost to them twice in the title game. But the most recent loss was a second half curb stomping that left an awful taste in their mouths they're not used to having. That, more than likely, is what he's talking about. The comment in and of itself (which I watched the video in which he said it) was so lighthearted and in fun jest. Anyone who is "offended" by it is just looking to get offended.

**I said a year or two back, this was going to be what "gets" Dabo. I find it very hypocritical of him to tell players (whether it be in college or pro's) to not use the team as a platform for personal convictions. While every time a microphone is stuck in his mug he's using it as a platform for his religion.

 

[crimsonaudio]

The whole “Osama bin Dabo “ is taken out of context.

Who cares? He's a cheese bag.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

FWIW, the author did say that it's "mostly just weird." I don't think anyone is seriously offended by the "Osama bin Dabo" thing

**I said a year or two back, this was going to be what "gets" Dabo. I find it very hypocritical of him to tell players (whether it be in college or pro's) to not use the team as a platform for personal convictions. While every time a microphone is stuck in his mug he's using it as a platform for his religion.

Agreed with this.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

FWIW, the author did say that it's "mostly just weird." I don't think anyone is seriously offended by the "Osama bin Dabo" thing




Agreed with this.

I wasn't necessarily saying the author was "offended". Just saying if anyone was/is they're just looking for something to get offended about. The comment wasn't even "weird". In context it was a funny comparison made in very lighthearted jest. But I'm not surprised it has gotten this much attention. In today's climate, anyone who has to speak to the public would be best to simply have anything they're going to say, typed out on index cards and read. Any questions would be answered at the next press conference and read from index card.

 

[Crimson1967]

I don’t hate Dabo just because he beat us. He isn’t particularly obnoxious about the wins so that isn’t an issue.


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[Tidewater]

Maybe I'm in the minority, but not everyone who disagrees with me is ipso facto evil. There are plenty of people with whom I disagree, and there are those about whom are things for which I do not care, but that disagreement or characteristics generally do not make them evil.

There are things about Dabo I do not love, but I seriously doubt he is an evil man. I don't know. He could be evil (I've never met him), but I doubt it.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Maybe I'm in the minority, but not everyone who disagrees with me is ipso facto evil. There are plenty of people with whom I disagree, and there are those about whom are things for which I do not care, but that disagreement or characteristics generally do not make them evil.

There are things about Dabo I do not love, but I seriously doubt he is an evil man. I don't know. He could be evil (I've never met him), but I doubt it.

If you were talking about his time on staff at Bama, I would say "compromised." However, I do feel he's moved on past that. However, I do have a bit of an aversion to those who wear religion on their sleeves...

 

[Tidewater]

If you were talking about his time on staff at Bama, I would say "compromised." However, I do feel he's moved on past that. However, I do have a bit of an aversion to those who wear religion on their sleeves...

I do too (I find it a little creepy), but I do not think that makes him "evil."
I guess I just object to the overlaying of moral judgements onto every difference. Thomas Jefferson said, (1st inaugural): "every difference of opinion, is not a difference of principle."
Auburn fans are weird, cultish, envious, and suffer from a serious inferiority complex, but, by and large, are not evil.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I do too (I find it a little creepy), but I do not think that makes him "evil."
I guess I just object to the overlaying of moral judgements onto every difference. Thomas Jefferson said, (1st inaugural): "every difference of opinion, is not a difference of principle."
Auburn fans are weird, cultish, envious, and suffer from a serious inferiority complex, but, by and large, are not evil.

I guess it depends on the definition of the word "evil," as applied to a fan base. Take UGA, for example. They trashed our campus back in the '90s and I watched them steal our SEC pennants off the north EZ, after they barely edged us in OT. They not only trash other campuses, they trash their own. They are the only school I know of to have banned tailgating for several years to try and interrupt the trashing tradition. Maybe not evil individually, but perhaps as a group...

 

[crimsonaudio]

If you were talking about his time on staff at Bama, I would say "compromised." However, I do feel he's moved on past that. However, I do have a bit of an aversion to those who wear religion on their sleeves...

If we're placing all the cards on the table, one wonders how he has recruited (and somehow kept NFL eligible players) as well as he did before the last three seasons.

I don't think anything about the man has changed at all - virtually every Christian I've ever know who wore it on their sleeves ended up being a dirtbag, using religion as their cover. That, combined with his history at UA and his current recruiting prowess makes it very difficult for me to to believe he's a changed man.

I think he does what he thinks he has to in order to win, and it's no different than it was 20 years ago.

But that's just me, and it's one of the reasons I don't want him anywhere near our beloved program, wins or no.

ETA: and I'm saying all this as a Christian. I just don't feel like I have to work that fact into every conversation I have or feel like it's necessary in order to establish good character or morals.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

If we're placing all the cards on the table, one wonders how he has recruited (and somehow kept NFL eligible players) as well as he did before the last three seasons.

I don't think anything about the man has changed at all - virtually every Christian I've ever know who wore it on their sleeves ended up being a dirtbag, using religion as their cover. That, combined with his history at UA and his current recruiting prowess makes it very difficult for me to to believe he's a changed man.

I think he does what he thinks he has to in order to win, and it's no different than it was 20 years ago.

But that's just me, and it's one of the reasons I don't want him anywhere near our beloved program, wins or no.

ETA: and I'm saying all this as a Christian. I just don't feel like I have to work that fact into every conversation I have or feel like it's necessary in order to establish good character or morals.

I understand perfectly. I guess I'm hoping he's moved past his history. BTW, did you get my text last night from the Microwave Dave concert?

 

[GrayTide]

I simply do not care what Swinney says or does, good or bad, it is on Clemson. Like him or not, he will be around for quite a while so you had better get used to his antics and commentary. Like Earle said, I am put off by his over the top references to religion and "family".

 

[crimsonaudio]

I understand perfectly. I guess I'm hoping he's moved past his history. BTW, did you get my text last night from the Microwave Dave concert?

Aye, good to see him still killing it! Was at the beach so I've been in and out.

 

[crimsonaudio]

I simply do not care what Swinney says or does, good or bad, it is on Clemson. Like him or not, he will be around for quite a while so you had better get used to his antics and commentary. Like Earle said, I am put off by his over the top references to religion and "family".

My response to Dabo posts revolve 100% around Bama fans who want him to come after Saban leaves.

If there was not a group of people eventually wanting him at Bama, I'd not care less how much of a cheese bag he is.

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

I guess that "Aw, shucks" attitude sells in many places....................I just laugh and go on

 

[GrayTide]

The "aw shucks attitude" sells at Clemson because Clemson is not Alabama.

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

The "aw shucks attitude" sells at Clemson because Clemson is not Alabama.

True....................their fans love Dabo, and swear he would never leave them for another love. But they can never acknowledge without spasms of angst that their success and relevance came about because of Bama alumni