Tommy Bowden is Now Available

Breaking news on ESPN.com reports that Tommy Bowden has been canned as Clemson's coach. This is kind of unusual to do during the season.... most of the time they just finish out the year and are let go then. It's not the NFL, after all.

My first thought, I'll admit, was "I wonder if Purdue could get him?"

I know, I know, not fair to Danny Hope, our coach and savior in 2009.

But what was really interesting was some of the commentary by brat QB and his clearly classy father about Bowden.

"They just told us. It's what he deserved," said senior quarterback Cullen Harper, who was benched after the Tigers' loss to Wake Forest loss and replaced by highly regarded sophomore Willy Korn. "Dabo Swinney is a fine man and will do an excellent job."

Wow, classy kid. Way to kick the guy on his way out of town. And then you hear from his father and realize why he's already an arrogant little prick.

Harper struggled playing behind an inexperienced offensive line this season. His father, Jeff Harper, an offensive lineman on Georgia's 1980 national championship team, said Bowden's dismissal was justified.

"I'd call it karma," he said. "I thought it needed to be done. I think anytime a head coach or someone in a leadership position starts to place blame on his coaches and players, it weakens their respect on the team. His past experiences have shown he's done that."

Yeah, he was also 72-45 at Clemson, but hey, he benched your kid so you're probably right.

J Mone/Tiim Bowl '08

Thanks for nothing, Mildcats.