Report: Dabo Swinney eliminating live calls from weekly radio show
Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney will not have a weekly call-in show this season, according to Chapel Fowler. Swinney will continue to have a weekly radio show.
However, instead of fans calling in to talk directly with Swinney, they will now submit questions to Swinney via text/email.
“It’s official: Clemson FB coach Dabo Swinney will no longer take live calls from fans on his weekly radio show,” Fowler posted on Twitter. “The new format is called ‘Tiger Sports Hour with Dabo Swinney.’ Fans will able to submit questions to him via text/email. First show tonight at 8 on @1055TheROAR.”
The decision to stop taking calls comes after Dabo Swinney had an encounter with a fan — “Tyler from Spartanburg” during last football season after Clemson got off to a 4-4 start.
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Tyler called in and angrily questioned Swinney and what made him worth his $11-plus million per year salary.
“You make $11.5 million a year. That’s second in college football, if I’m not mistaken. I’m curious why that salary has led to a 4-4 [record]? … After that 2018 national title, something changed. And there seems to be a lot of arrogance that came in. There’s a lot of friends and family,” Tyler said. “I mean three of the 10 on-field football coaches are external, experienced hires. Everyone else is an internal hire that had no experience before or was a former player or friend. So I’m curious, why are we paying you $11.5 million to go 4-4? And it’s not just this year. It’s been just the refusal to accept…”
Dabo Swinney made it clear at the time that he did not appreciate Tyler’s comments. Swinney and Clemson went on to win their final five games of the season and finished the year 9-4 after getting off to a 4-4 start.
“I’ve listened to enough of you, Tyler. You can have all your opinions all you want. I don’t know how old you are, don’t really care. But let me tell you something, we won 11 games last year. And you’re part of the problem, to be honest with you. Because that is part of the problem. It’s people like you, that all you do… the expectation is greater than the appreciation. And that’s the problem.
“We’ve had 12 10-plus seasons in a row. That’s happened three times in 150 years. So if you wanna know why, Clemson ain’t sniffed a national championship for 35 years. We’ve won two in seven years. And there’s only two other teams that can say that – Georgia and Alabama, OK?
“Is this a bad year? Yea. And it’s my responsibility. I take 100 percent responsibility for it. But all this bull crap you’re thinking and all these narratives you read, listen man, you can have your opinion all you want. And you can apply for the job. And good luck to you, alright?” Swinney said as part of his response.