January 1, 2023

Alright Alright Alright…Happy New Year IBO!
It’s that time again for our Monthly IBO Newsletter and just like that, the Clemson Tigers
2022 Football Season is done. So, what have we learned? What have we seen? I always believe success and failure leave clues. So, saying that, let’s take a look back.
Clemson’s Offense amassed 484 yards and penetrated the Tennessee side of the field eleven times, ran 101 plays (tying an orange record), and had 34 first downs, but ended up losing 31-14. The offense didn’t seem to be the problem. Lack of execution and play calling has to be the biggest suspect for the loss. That can and should be addressed moving forward.

Looking back, we have cried, we have laughed, and we have felt the thrill of victory and agony of defeat. Emotions are good. They keep us human and grounded if kept in perspective. But one thing is certain. The recent Demar Hamlin injury in the Buffalo Bill’s last game put everything in perspective. At the end of the day, football is just a game. But it’s a dangerous game at that! The main thing that Hamlin’s injury resonated with me was that we are all human. It’s been big news and brought a lot of people together, regardless of team preferences, race, economic status, etc. We never want to see what happened on the field during that Buffalo game. But on a good note, it showed the human side of football. The compassion, the prayers, and the families and players coming together as one. That’s the universal side-the love and compassion for a young man’s life. That’s priceless. And yes, the power of prayer is strong. The latest breaking news is Demar no longer needs the ventilator and is responsive from a cognitive standpoint, and he just had a facetime call with his team! AMEN!

Moving forward we can learn a lot from the first two paragraphs of this IBO newsletter. As I’m writing this, the Clemson vs Pittsburg basketball game is about to start. We are currently 1st in the ACC, but I’m not going to get too Pollyanna about this nice run at the beginning of the season. I’ve been a fan for a long time and it would be nice to see our basketball team have a great season and make a run in the big dance. But we have a lot of ball games to be played. Just remember we have a healthy PJ Hall and he’s a beast for lack of better words. So, anything is possible. Go Tigers!

In closing, we are about 234 days away from Clemson’s 2023 first game and the start of a new football season. Damn that seems like a long time but one thing I realized is the older we get; the faster time goes. Spring will be here before we know it and summer will have passed and Death Valley will be full of the spirit of a new and hopeful season of wins and post-season play. I personally am very optimistic moving forward. Cade will be more mature and improved. Hopefully, the mistakes mentioned at the first of this newsletter will be corrected and I’m sure they will be!

Coming Soon: I Bleed Orange Bottled Water and Cigars. We are excited by this so stay tuned for details.

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