For years, Dabo Swinney has trotted out varying versions of his Little Ole Clemson trope. With his down-home accent and aw-shucks persona, Swinney has always clung to the familiar underdog role. As years passed and Clemson emerged as Big Ole Clemson – toppling Florida State for ACC supremacy and passing Alabama as the flagship national program – the remarks were easy to chuckle off as Dabo being Dabo.
He went on a diatribe that reportedly lasted 25 minutes. He questioned narratives, pondered collective amnesia and said that ESPN provocateur Paul Finebaum “works for the SEC.”
While much of what Swinney complained about is difficult to quantify, this statement stood out: “This team is playing way better than last year’s team,” he said.