Before Florida State’s 36-24 loss to Clemson on Saturday night, a plane carrying a banner urging the school to fire Seminoles coach Mike Norvell hovered over Doak Campbell Stadium — and the winning coach was furious about it. Tigers coach Dabo Swinney called the stunt “embarrassing” and “shameful”.
Dabo Swinney (Credits: ESPN)
Why the ‘Fire Norvell’ Plane Banner Made Dabo Swinney Angry
“That was embarrassing. Florida State’s better than that,” Swinney said after the game. “That’s not good for these kids. They didn’t even spell his name right. It’s disrespectful. Mike Norvell is a good man. He ain’t gonna say it, but I’m gonna. Whoever did that, you ought to be ashamed of yourself.”
The banner didn’t just target Norvell — it also called for the chair of FSU’s Board of Trustees, Peter Collins, to lose his job. Swinney took particular aim at the personal cruelty of the stunt: “I don’t know why we think because people make money you have the right to destroy people as humans. It’s like a blood sport now. You lose a game, fire everybody, everybody stinks. It’s shameful to me.”
Clemson Beats FSU 36-24 as Seminoles Sink to 3-5
On the field, Clemson improved to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in ACC play with the road victory. The Tigers led 26-10 entering the fourth quarter before Florida State scored 14 late points.
Frustrations are high at Florida State, with the 3-5 Seminoles in danger of posting a third straight losing season under Norvell — and a fifth losing season in his seven years leading the program. Still, Swinney closed by expressing sympathy for Norvell, his family and the FSU players: “My heart goes out to Coach Norvell and his family and that team that just fought their butts off every single play.”
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Source: ESPN — read the full story there.