I root for Clemson, but not because of their cool school colors or the fact they are national champions. I root for Clemson because of their head coach, Dabo Swinney, who loves his family, motivates his players, and succeeds with total class and dignity. He has fun. He gets it.
According to Coach Swinney, the enemy does not wear a different jersey.
He quips, "(The Bible) says, 'Love your neighbor as you’d love yourself.' It doesn’t say love your neighbor from the same religion. It doesn’t say love your neighbor if they’re the same color as you. It doesn’t say love your neighbor if they pull for the same team as you. It doesn’t say love your neighbor if they’re the same gender as you, or whatever. (It doesn’t say) love your neighbor if they have the same sexuality as you. It just says, 'Love your neighbor as you’d love yourself.' If we all lived by that in this country, we wouldn’t have near the problems we have.”
He also does not measure success by wins and losses, though the championships WILL come if the proper methods are employed.
He says, "Let the light that shines in you be brighter than the light that shines on you.”
In the end, all he can ask of his players is the same he will ask of himself.
He told a reporter a few years ago after a big win over Notre Dame, “I tell our players, 'We give you scholarships. We give you meals and a place to live. We give you nice uniforms. But I can’t give you guts. I can’t give you heart.' Hey, tonight it was B.Y.O.G. — bring your own guts. And they brought some guts and some heart and they didn’t quit until the last play.”
Clemson brought guts last night as it easily defeated the seemingly-invincible Alabama Crimson Tide. When it was over, Coach Swinney got to hoist a national championship trophy over his head.
Some would say that made him a winner.
I say he already was one.