What Clowney ate for breakfast

Thought about titling this thread "*****Clowney commits...*****" then writing inside the post "to making fans at Clemson and South Carolina pull every last hair out of their heads as he builds suspense for his Monday announcement."

But that would be cruel.

I don't have any insight into this -- leaving that to Ryan and Cris, as usual with recruiting stuff -- but it's impossible to not have some thoughts on it as the drama builds.

-- Has Jim Gray been hired to interview Clowney before his decision?

But seriously, this question did occur to me yesterday: Had LeBron's "The Decision" circus not occurred, would the Clowney drama be unfolding in this manner?

The LeBron spectacle set a new standard -- and maybe a new low -- for creating maximum impact. So it wouldn't be a stretch to think that episode is indirectly influencing this process. And it certainly wouldn't be a stretch to think ESPN might be milking this thing just a little bit.

-- Seems like only a few years ago that powers from elsewhere would annually raid the Palmetto State of its elite talent.

I don't have the specifics in front of me, and maybe some of you can enlighten further, but it sure seems like both Clemson and South Carolina have done an excellent job lately of keeping the best players home.

At Clemson, it's been Da'Quan Bowers, Ricky Sapp, Charone Peake, Lateek Townsend, and some others.

At South Carolina, Marcus Lattimore, Alshon Jeffery, Cliff Matthews, Stephon Gilmore and Devonte Holloman have stayed in-state.

And now Clowney, regarded by many as the nation's top recruit, apparently will sign with either the Tigers or Gamecocks.

This is a good thing.

-- Whose fan base will be more devastated at not securing Clowney?

No question, South Carolina's.

Sure, Clemson fans will be disappointed if Clowney signs with the Gamecocks. But given that the Tigers only recently pulled into legitimate contention for him -- and given that Clemson already has banked a star-studded class -- the orange-clad folks have to feel as if they're playing with house money at this point.

Some folks say fans are so consumed with recruiting that they get more excited over bagging a highly-regarded player than by bagging a victory on a fall Saturday. No doubt losing Clowney -- and losing him to Clemson, no less -- would feel like a lost football game for Gamecocks fans. Heck, probably even worse than a lost football game.

-- That's a nice segue into just how out of whack this process has become. Everything about big-time sports is about excess these days, as anyone who watched the Super Bowl can attest. And so it should be no surprise that the attention devoted to college football recruiting can lack perspective and proportion.

Clowney certainly looks like a three-and-done type, the kind of talent who will make a bunch of money in the NFL. But he hasn't even stepped foot onto campus yet, and other variables will play a role in determining whether he justifies the hype. Surely the case of Da'Quan Bowers, who by his own admission was entitled and lazy his first two seasons at Clemson, should show us that all the talent in the world doesn't mean as much if the player isn't driven.

But then again, you can understand why fans are consumed with the recruiting game. Those backflips everyone was doing when C.J. Spiller signed with Clemson five years ago? Safe to say they were justified.

And South Carolina's acquisition of Lattimore demonstrated the importance of adding one elite playmaker. That's the biggest reason Steve Spurrier's offense was finally feared again last season, and Clemson's offensive staff is envisioning a similar transformation with the influx of talent from Sammy Watkins, Mike Bellamy and Charone Peake.

Is the consumption with recruiting excessive? Sure. But again, tell me what isn't excessive about big-time college football. Fans are consumed with recruiting, but they're also consumed with coaching searches, winter and summer workouts, indoor facilities, training tables and other stuff on the periphery of the actual season.

-- Behind every great recruiter, there's a great woman ... or something like that.

That's definitely the case with Dabo Swinney, whose wife Kathleen assisted in the recruiting of Clowney when he and his mother were on campus.

Kathleen might be the nicest, warmest person on the planet. So you figured it had to bode well for Clemson's chances with Clowney when she and Clowney's mother sat together and gabbed for the entirety of Clemson's basketball game against Florida State.

Even if Clowney ends up in Columbia, it has to be considered a victory for Clemson that the kid is even seriously considering the Tigers.

When you see Dabo interacting with Clowney, and his wife interacting with mama, you begin to understand how so many high-profile prospects have been turned in Clemson's favor over the years.

You begin to understand how Clemson can suddenly become a major player in these crazy Clowney sweepstakes.

LW