Pink slip!

And a deserved one. Although they're saying that Tommy Bowden stepped down and wasn't canned. I'm sure that didn't happen without a heavy dose of pressure.

Tommy Bowden earns the grand distinction of being the first coach to get canned during the 2008 season. It is debatable whether or not schools gain much by letting a guy go mid-season. There seems to be some feeling that TB had 'lost' the team. Who ever knows what that means though?

Interesting that offensive coordinator Rob Spence also left the team. Not sure I've seen that one before.

Here's the one thing that irks me slightly about this situation. The administration extended the contract of this guy in the offseason. WHY? What had Tommy Bowden possibly have accomplished to warrant a vote of confidence?

The Clemson AD said today that the extension was offered because Arkansas had sent out some feelers to see whether or not Tommy Bowden might be available. Are you fuckin' kidding me?

Tommy 'Chronic Underachiever' Bowden was worth re-upping to keep him from leaving for another conference? PLEASE.

The AD needs some heat on that one in my opinion. I will never understand why these schools are so desperate to hang onto mediocre coaches.

Kirk Ferentz gets an extension in the offseason? FOR WHAT? He's already overpaid. What's the worst that could happen, he goes somewhere else?

These schools can do better. These coaches get paid too much. And as a result, unrealistic expectations are the norm, not the exception.

What's unrealistic about winning the conference once in ten years though? Tommy Bowden couldn't pull that off. Even before the ACC became the 'next SEC' by adding VT, Miami and BC, he NEVER won the conference. That's damning when you've been at the same school for that long. And it's not like Clemson is Duke.

I've said it 100 times and I'll say it 100 times again. Expectations get coaches in trouble. Clemson started the season in the Top 10 and was favored to win the ACC.

To Tommy Bowden's credit, he went to a bowl game every year he was at Clemson except for one. That was 2004 when Clemson was invited to a bowl but declined because the team got into a brawl with South Carolina during the last game of the regular season.

It should be pointed out however that TB won only three of those bowl games. When you're not winning the conference and not winning the national title, the bowl games are the lasting image fans and alumni are left with during the nine months of offseason. Ask John Cooper how rough a road that can be.

The reality is it was over for Tommy Bowden halfway through the Alabama game. Sure, 'Bama is a good team and Saban is twice the coach TB will ever be. I'm sure the alums had seen enough though after only 30 minutes of play. This year the Tigers didn't even wait until the second half of the season to disappoint.

I never watched Clemson or Tommy Bowden all that closely. Frankly, they didn't warrant my attention. Or anyone's really.

I can say that on the few occasions that I did check in on the Tigers I found Tommy Bowden to be most uninspiring. I think Clemson QB Cullen Harper might agree.

"He got what he deserved. (He) tried to motivate us but guys were off the bandwagon."

Ouch.

I guess Cullen's comments aren't all that surprising when you consider that Bowden attempted to save his job by benching the senior QB in favor of an inexperienced freshman yesterday. Guess that wasn't enough for the powers that be.

Probably the best news for everyone? We won't be subjected to those ridiculous 'Bowden Bowls' anymore. As if anyone wants to hear from Mrs. Bobby Bowden about anything, ever.