First he had a tummy ache. Then his foot hurt. Now he’s got a “bruised rib.”
But are these “injuries” – all of which have ostensibly been sustained by Jadeveon Clowney this season – really symptoms of a larger disease? Is the University of South Carolina’s superstar defensive end afraid of something? Specifically: Is he more concerned with protecting his 2014 draft status than he is with contributing to his current team?
We wonder … but here’s a news flash for Clowney: Unless he digs deep and rediscovers his commitment to the No. 13/14 Gamecocks, then his draft status is going to start dropping like a Led Zeppelin.
The whispers about Clowney’s commitment to the University of South Carolina have been heard all season – and based on his less-than-inspiring on-field performance, they’ve been justified.
But after Clowney held himself out of the Gamecocks 35-28 win over Kentucky on Saturday – citing sore ribs as his reason – those whispers have morphed into a full-throated cacophony of frustration with the 6-foot-6, 274-pound All-American.
South Carolina’s coaches – including head coach Steve Spurrier – didn’t know Clowney was a “no-go” until right before the team took the field. Gamecock fans and the rest of the college football world had no clue he wasn’t playing until they saw him walk out of the tunnel during the team’s “2001” introduction without pads.
Hmmmmm …
We fully expected the post-game press conference to feature Spurrier (hopefully a sober Spurrier) addressing Clowney’s status as no big deal – providing an explanation of what was wrong with his superstar, why it was necessary for him to miss the game (in which his team was a 21-point favorite) and assurances that he would be ready to go for South Carolina’s upcoming three-game SEC road trip.
That did not happen. Instead, Spurrier expressed frustration with Clowney – passive aggressively implying he was sandbagging.
“If he wants to play, we will welcome him to come play for the team if he wants,” Spurrier said. “But if he doesn’t want to play, he doesn’t have to play. Simple as that.”
Wait … what? Isn’t Clowney on scholarship?
Meanwhile USC defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward – whose unit looked as helpless without Clowney in the lineup as it has looked with him on the field – said he was “totally surprised” by what happened.
Then there was Clowney himself – who told a reporter “I don’t know” when asked if he would be suiting up next Saturday in Fayetteville against the Arkansas Razorbacks.
WTF?
The following day Spurrier attempted to explain away his frustration.
“It was just we didn’t know he wasn’t playing until right before the game,” Spurrier said. “That is always a little frustrating. Usually the trainer or doctor comes and tells you this guy is out, and that did not happen last night. But on the other side if a player is in pain and can’t play, I don’t want him to play. None of us do.”
Sure … and in Clowney’s defense he did miss practice Thursday with his rib injury (officially diagnosed as a muscle strain). And theoretically speaking it would make sense for him to sit out against a big underdog like Kentucky with SEC road games against Arkansas, Tennessee and Missouri looming over the next three weeks.
Here’s the thing, though: We’ve been writing “in Clowney’s defense” a lot this year … as opposed to writing about Clowney’s actual defensive play.
That has to stop … especially if the Gamecocks want to start moving up in the polls as opposed to watching teams pass them by each week.
Clowney is a once-in-a-lifetime talent – which is why he remains at No. 1 on NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper’s big board for 2014 (despite his lackluster, drama-filled 2013 season). But he needs to decide now whether he’s going to finish what he started at South Carolina or focus on going pro.
Because this half-in, half-out, half-assing it doesn’t cut it …
His coaches deserve better. His teammates deserve batter. His fans deserve better and frankly the draft scouts he’s hoping to impress need to see better.
Bottom line? It’s time for “Doo Doo” to sh*t or get off the pot.
48 comments
The Clown will play sparingly the remainder of the year for USC. A desperate NFL Team will offer him a wheel barrow load of money next year. He will play a few games until he realizes the other teams don’t care about “The Hit”. other than the hit they put on him
Halfway through the season he will start suffering a series of debilitating injuries ( hang nail, nasal drip, pink eye, jock itch, fever blisters, etc) and retire before the end of the first season.
A few weeks after retirement he will get a notice from the bank notifying him his checks are bouncing due to insufficient funds. His attorney will sadly inform him that the money he was promised was based on his promise to play. Unlike his stay at USC the NFL ain’t going to kiss his ass.
However his future is still bright. Once he gets off the night shift at Pilot Auto and Truck Stop he will go over to DOT and become the biggest Stop and Go Sign Man ever to wear a yellow reflective vest
.
This thread is full of self-loathing and spoiled Gamecock fans, Clemson fans, and just haters in general. Clowney has missed two games his entire career USC (one was when we pulled him against Wofford to protect him against their OL that likes to cut block), and the other was this past weekend. Contrary to popular belief, he’s played hard this season and affected every game we play with his presence. But don’t tell that to the idiots who expect him to sack the QB or decapitate a RB on every other play.
And yes, his future is bright. I’m not sure what you do for a living Jim Lewis, but my guess is that if careers are measured in money, he’s going to be a lot more successful than you.
LOL Clowney is already more successful than Jim or you. Odds are he is already on an NFL team’s payroll. There isn’t anything “wrong” with Clowney, he’s just already moved on leaving a pitifully conditioned and ill-prepared defense to try and function without him. Clowney couldn’t care less about South Carolina or “his team”.
Now, can you really trust doo-doo to keep his mouth shut? That’s funny as he is already living large….I smell some big NCAA sanctions coming down the pipe for SC and Spurrier knows it….why else would the Old Ball Sack let a player tell him when and if he is going to play? This ain’t going to go away….nope…..get out the popcorn and soda….there will be fun TV viewing for all as this thing plays out to its inevitable sorry end. Get ready to lose 3 straight on the road too….at least the NCAA won’t have to take any wins from those away.
LOL. In your dreams dude.
“Already on an NFL team’s payroll”? Which one?
Heard he going to play for Buck Farack’s new team the Washington Sodomites
Buck is going to convert DooDoo to tight end
You Sakerlina people sure do bitch and whine a lot…
Tigers don’t eat their own like shamecocks. Not even in the worst of circumstances. Not even coaches. They got sick of me in 1969 and gave me an office in Jervey Athletic Center. I stayed there until I got my permanent box behind the South Stands.
I’m a Tiger for eternity.
Yeah. Human beings who pull for Clemson are totally different than those that pull for Carolina. Liking a certain school makes you a different person. It’s a fact.
Oh, and Clemson will last forever.
Hey FITSNEWS,
A better title might be:
“Why Coach Spurrier Drinks”
Throwing his visor only helps so much, ya know…
How much should you expect from some one nicknamed doo doo??
He should have quit after last season. He could have signed some huge endorsement deals right off the bat and spent the year conditioning for NFL. I don’t blame him, a cheap shot to the knee and that 20 million dollar signing bonus is “dust in the wind”. He’s getting some crappy advice.
Prime example of a true student athlete.
From the State…Asked about Clowney’s commitment to the Gamecocks, Spurrier said, “You’ll have to ask him that.”
With an agent like Jay Z offering “free” advice to Clowney, this is what you get.
Were I USC, I’d give up on doo doo and start worrying about the rest of the defense. USC fans..you do know you were a 2 pt conversion and a lucky touchdown from losing to Kentucky, right?
Spurrier commented on his show today that they would know Thursday or Friday if he would play next Sat. Or maybe we will find out gameday.
Sounds like Clowney is calling the shots at practice. How many others?
We have the worse conditioned defense in the SEC. Fire Ward and put Clowney on the bench. No highlights, no pre game or in game comments. Watch that stock plummet. Then maybe his handlers will wise up. Until then the beatings continue until morale and conditioning improve.
His draft position is set regardless if he plays another snap in college. If I were his parent I would have took him out after last year. Double and triple team every snap is a sure way tone chopped blocked or worse. He has done enough at this level and anyone arguing against this is selfish.
Yeah, we know workin’ for the man is beneath a brother’s dignity, certainly an elite athlete’s.
So, we gonna work for the man at the next level if we find one unable to recognize the lack of passion and committment to his teammates.
Amen
WTF did the defense do in the off-season? Play drinking games? They damn sure didn’t hit the weight room or treadmill/track.
That’s funny, last time I checked we’d won three straight.
Maybe you should wait to complain about beatings (you know, in the plural sense) until they actually start happening. With the way the schedule is set up, we may be worse than we were in 2012 and still not lose another game.
I have defended Clowney all year. More and more, he is starting to remind me of JaMarcus Russell.
Hey Doo Doo, some Purple Drank will fix you right up.
Which is clear proof that you haven’t been paying attention if you think a DE reminds you of a QB. And, yes, I know what you were trying to say, but it still makes no sense. A DE does not need to learn how to read defenses and throw an accurate ball, which were Russell’s problems. A DE can have a great career simply relying on his unique athletic ability, whereas a QB cannot.
Now there’s talk that he’ll have the bone spur surgery now so that he’ll be ready for the combine. If true, that basically means he’s done with USC football.
Do Do will be riding the pine. That’s what he wants and that’s what he’ll get.
Leave JD alone. Get the surgery on your bone spur. In USMC Parris Island boot camp, I saw bigger men than JD sidelined for bone spurs. He beat Michigan and for that…thank you JD. JD is going to be a NY Giant…YES! That is my team. Tackle Lattimore for me JD.
If he doesn’t want to play, we will play without him.
Give him a skirt and put him in with the band. Pussy.
Anybody remember Albert Haynesworth?
1) scholarship is no leverage with this particular guy.
2) Wins can’t be removed if the player involved in the violation did not play.
3) JD has been showing up at parties driving a reallllllllllly nice car and running his “mouff” to students about his stash of cash.
4) Care to guess who is in town sniffing around?
5) George was the only guy they thought could get through to him and he basically told George that he is a white-washed cracker puppet.
JD is history and we may end up on probation because of him.
I miss Melvin!
Taken straight from fan fantasy-fiction on Tigernet, I’m sure.
LOL…..LOL……
**** Attention all Somalian Terrorists ****
This article is a classic media spin article and is a disgrace to all media afficionados. While you terrorists are planning Mall Attacks and getting everyone worked up, you should be watching the actions of Jadeveon Clowney and watching a very SMART man follow in Ali’s footsteps. This man (young) is not stupid. He seems to understand media and Marketing. He understands his net worth a year from now and ten years from now….not just today. How would you use this man’s actions on a football field to send a message on your own “Battlefield”..!?! Stop being stupid “terrorists” and START being marketing and media terrorists that tell everyone how you are making WAR LOOT.!!
Just think, how many Americans or USC football players even know how much of your country’s fishing industry is being “pirated” and “LOOTED”…!! No wonder you are all mad as “Tim Tebow”…!! Not to mention how your coastline is being used as a “Landfill”..!!!
Somalian Terrorists…..WAKE the FREAK up and STOP getting yourself KILLED..!!! IS Jadeveon Clowney getting his NFL career KILLED..??
Heck, WIl Folks is now the enemy for NOT telling the “Marketing” truth.
Money TALKS……….fitsnews “WALKS”….!!
We wonder if US Senator Lindsey Graham understands how students would use this article to show support for NANCY MACE…?? We wonder how many Somalian diplomats would..?
Clowney should quit USC. Being part of the “millennial” generation, why should he be forced to play college football to show how good he is? He should be escorted to the pros, and allowed to show that he should start above everyone else. He needs to paid..and more of it…just… because. After all, his mother always told him he was special.
Hmm……..imagine if you “controlled” the points spread on certain wagering in Vegas. How would JD change the dynamics if he DID or DID NOT play..?
This is a classic case study…
“Will the real Jadeveon Clowney please stand up?”
He would, but he’s ribs hurt and he’s tired from “working all day”. (HT to Johnny Lee Hooker)
edit: he’s to his
HE HAS ALREADY BEEN BOUGHT AND PAID FOR. Next Spring’s draft is just a formality…..the only “mystery” will be which team is it that is signing the checks.
Why in the hell should he play a few more college games? He damn sure isn’t going to get himself hurt now. And the way he ran that mouth over the summer he’s got a freakin’ target on his back. He will continue to have “issues”, not the least of which is a sucky ‘tude…I predict he will be the next TO in the NFL. If I were Spurrier I’d go ahead and just bench his whining ass the rest of the season and pull the defense together without “Doo Doo”….this on again/off again, I might play/I might not bullshit is bad for team morale not to mention game plans. I hope Spurrier goes ahead and makes the decision for him…for the rest of the year.
If you are a Clemson fan, I’m sure you do hope that Spurrier benches him for the rest of the year. If you are a USC fan, you are clueless.
Clowney should behave like the good slave, Marcus Lattimore, and risk a career ending injury and millions of dollars so that Massa Steve can beat Kentucky, and so the hoards of screamin’ rednecks can satisfy their blood lust at his expense. Fight, Mandingo. It is what we are paying you, or rather, not paying you, to do. And look. You get a college degree in PE or sports or something. That’s worth something, right? So suck it up, you pussy. Who cares if your ribs hurt? Be a man. And if those bone spurs are bothering you, you can get them fixed when you are on your own time. In other words, dance, big fella.
Who is Clowney receiving compensation from right now? USC. He’s getting a free education, free room and board. Would your employer sit back and let you slack off because you’re going to make more at your next employer? Either he plays or he gets cut.
The guy has always been a punk, he didn’t practice in high school either, he’s in for a rude awakening in the NFL with this attitude. If he misses practice he’ll be fined, if he doesn’t practice he won’t be playing, you don’t play teams will cut you. I expect to see him last about three years in the NFL if his attitude doesn’t change.
Sorry to say I drank the clowney Kool-Aid too. I was hoping that this year he would continue the damage on the other tea as he was doing last year. Typical kid that can’t handle the fame and fortune of being noticed on a national spotlight. He is pea brain, he is thinking that if I lay low and don’t get hurt I will do better in the NFL. Hey dumbass, you look like crap on the field and you are not a team player and on the national talk you are losing credibilty. In your terms “Money” down the road. You would come off better presenting yourself as a star and getting better national recognition, but laying off andlooking like a girl on the field is killing you. I wish you had the heart of lattimore, but lets face it you are only a thug from southpoint and you always will be and you will never be a Lattimore. I hate it for the Gamecocks that you can’t handle the fame. Some of the other comments are correct, this will all blow up in your face and you will not amount to what you think you are in your own mind. You need to practice a saying: “Do you want Fries with that?”
Let him quit and go to the NFL now. No one wants a sandbagger on the team.
I think he’ll find things just a tiny bit different in big boy world.
College football is a modern-day form of slavery,and ‘education’,as this blog constantly reminds us,is not a core function of,’government'(entertainment IS?).Even if Clowney is faking,and looking out for himself,instead of making the rednecks in the stands happy,good for him.
Giving someone an education in exchange for playing a game is somehow “slavery”? I’m certain that if black men (and women) from 200 years ago who were whipped and beaten within an inch of their life were here now, they would certainly argue with you.
I thought spurrier had a rule that said if you do not practice on thursday
you do not play on saturday.
I would agree. Guess which way he will go? That is a no brainer. I don’t blame him. I would not risk my career for Spurrier.
Clowney is out for the rest of the season.
He’s taking the money and not risking a potential $18 million dollar contract bonus.
You can’t blame him.
But, he should never have come back if that was his long term goal.
It cost USC an important Defensive Scholarship.
He hurt the team: big time.