The Tiger Vol. 84 Issue 12 1990-12-07
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Announcement What's Inside... This is the last issue •Story of the Year on page of The Tiger for this two. •Assistant Sports Editor semester. The next Eric Lyons looks at the issue will be SUje ®tgcr Sports Year in a Nutshell on page eight. published •Memorable cartoons from NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID 1990 on page five January 18. CLEMSON. SC FREE. ONE PER PERSON PERMIT NO. HI Volume 84, Number 12 Ciemson University, Clemson, South Carolina Friday, December 7,1990 *7^e 'ty&wt t*t ^etrtetv hen the clocks rang in the newborn minutes of last January, few could have forseen the changes that the coming year would bring to our world. On both a world-wide scale and on the local level, friendly faces and familiar institutions have faded from proximity into the realm of fond (and often, not so fond) memory. It is not the purpose of this special edition of The Tiger to reflect on the events in Europe or the crisis in the Persian Gulf or even to deal with issues which have affected change on our nation. Instead, this issue will concentrate on those matters which have most directly impacted Clemson University and the surrounding community. This year may prove to have an awesome legacy that will endure for generations to come. For this reason, we bid farewell to 1990 not with nostalgia or melancholy, but with a firm determination to meet the challenges of the coming year. When the clocks ring this coming January, who knows for whom they'll toll? Page 2 / YEAR IN REVIEW The Tiger December 7,1990 NEWS 1990 Kevin Taj lor/ head photographer 7<fe 1fem U Review Protesters crowd Bowman Field during a protest of Ford's resignation "I deny any wrongdoing on my read "CU later Max" and "IPNAY providing a field to play on and a part, and I am confident that an - I'll Pay None A Year" to display bed to sleep in. STORY OF THE YEAR impartial review of the facts will so their harsh feelings towards the ad- "Our success at Clemson will be prove." ministration. reflected in the lives of our players Ford's football program overthe The football team even joined after they leave Clemson Univer- January: Ford Resigns years had been termed by Sports the fray. "[We have] met and made sity. We want to make them the Illustrated and others as one with a team decision. The bottom line is: bestpeople they can be. We want to "an outlaw tarnish." Immediately We want Danny Ford," stated Stacy maximize their potential. That is following Ford's national title in Fields, then a junior tight end. The our challenge," stated Hatfield. 1982, his team was slapped with a team even went to the extreme of "We wanted to go by the rules three-year probation for NCAA re- announcing a boycott of the 1990 and do whatever we could to com- cruiting violations, under then- season if Ford weren't re-instated. pete honestly. We tried to do it that coach Charley Pell, which restricted But try as they might, they were way and did and we are going to do the Tigers' bowl play and televi- unable to retrieve their country-boy that here (at Clemson)," remarked sion appearances. Another scandal hero from the dark pits of collegiate Hatfield. under Ford's helm, even if he were politics. Danny Ford hung up his Even though Hatfield's basic unaware of the violations, was too coaching cap, stuck to his resigna- scheme in the play book was barely much of a load for Clemson to bear. tion letter and walked away with a different from his predecessor, his Ford had never been implicated on more than gracious settlement. But coaching style showed a drastic recruiting violations, but his track many still wondered if Danny's in- metamorphosis. Hatfield imple- record and his insistence on butting tense disagreement with Athletic mented a "no-cussing" policy on heads with the administration were Director Bobby Robinson was the the field during practice for both enough to warrant his resignation. actual reason for Ford's early re- coaches and players alike. He also Ford's resignation sent shock tirement. encouraged the upperclass football waves through out the Southeast. Robinson would not affirm any players to seek housing outside of The faithful Ford followers were accusations of that nature but did the football dorm so as to promote far from giving up. Cries of protest remark that " ... we (Ford and I) mainstreaming the football players came from all over. After all, Coach have honest differences of opinion in with the rest of the student body. Ford was the fourth-winningest ac- on certain basic aspects of the foot- As for his success on the field, tive coach in the nation on percent- ball program." Hatfield did not lose a single game age and the only coach in ACC Ford's exact reason for leaving in Death Valley his inaugural sea- history to have over a 70 percent seemed to be a mystery, but the son. Two losses on the road to winning average. Some people even biggest question still remained: Virginia and Georgia Tech, teams made trips from Florida. They all "Who will replace him?" ranked nationally during the sea- came, young and old, decked out in Enter Ken Hatfield. son, caused some diehard Ford sup- their Clemson game-day colors. The Arkansas head coach was porters to come out of the woodwork They came... for a candlelight vigil hired soon after the university an- to criticize the new Tiger coach. for Danny Ford on Bowman Field. nounced a search for a replacement. But the new Tiger Coach took What was planned to be a peace- Clemson fans were concerned about the criticism with a grain of salt. ful demonstration turned into an his ability, but his 10-2 records for From day one he had been bad- ugly march towards Clemson Uni- each of the previous two seasons gered by angry fans, but he sought versity President Max Lennon's demonstrated a capacity for con- a way to make the worst situations house. The approximately 6000 tinuing the winning tradition of into a positive experience. fans who had come to show their Clemson football. But Coach Hat- "There was this one old lady support for Ford stampeded up field brought more than just a win- who said, 'Stop being so nice to me. Lennon' s lawn to show their dislike ning record to Clemson. He brought I don't want to like you.' I said, 'I for the lack of support giving to an attitude that had been scarce can'thelp the way you think, ma'am. Ford by Lennon and Robinson, who among the ranks of Clemson foot- But you showed up here tonight (at David Cliamberl a in/editor-in-chief many perceived to have pressured ball. He brought with him an atti- an IPTAY meeting) and you wore Former Clemson head football coach Danny Ford Ford into resigning. People shouted tude that the University's obligation orange so I love you,'" laughed slogans and displayed signs that Hatfield. by David Thomas Even though the Tigers found to the player is one of more than just sports editor themselves once again on the NCAA's blacklist, many of the Tiger football fans had every fans and players alike felt that the reason to look forward to a new allegations served would not be season of football in 1990. After substantiated. Many thought that all, the orange-clad Clemson fans Clemson would get at most a slap had just seen their ominous defense on the wrist from the NCAA. In devour nationally-ranked West the days before the Gator Bowl, Virginia and its Heisman-candidate rumors spread that the matchup quarterback Major Harris 27-7 in with the Mountaineers would be the Gator Bowl. The Tiger squad Ford's last as a Tiger Coach, but was brimming with youthful enthu- loyal fans dismissed the hearsay. siasm for the next fall. "Coach Ford's not a quitter. There had been the usual talk of He's never quit on us, and he said a national championship waiting he' s not going to quit now," argued around the corner for the Tigers in center Hank Phillips after the vic- 1990, the kind of talk that some- tory at the Gator Bowl. times floats through the air down at But to the chagrin of Phillips, the Esso Club or at Charles' and and only 18 days after that glorious Al's. defeat over West Virginia, But this time it was different. Clemson's victory boat capsized People other than Clemsonites were with the resignation of Head Coach praising the Tigers' talent and as- DannyFord. Clemson's high hopes sessing their chances of a visit to of sailing to its second national yesteryear when Homer Jordan took title in less than a decade were Ford and Clemson to the Tigers' sucked to the bottom with the first ever national title in 1982. wreckage and the chaos left after Sportscasters were labeling the Ti- Danny's departure. gers as one of the premier teams of In Ford's letter to Athletic Di- Kevin Taylor/head photographer the 1990 season. rector Bobby Robinson, he stated. President Max Lennon welcomes Ken Hatfield to Clemson University December 7, 1990 The Tiger YEAR IN REVIEW / Page 3 February: Over 11,500 receive vaccinations by Bill Swain program. news editor In order to inform the Clemson populous, the February 8, 1990 — In University held a forum in response to a recommen- Tillman Auditorium to an- dation from the S.C.