Football is a sensitive sport, played and coached by delicate men who don’t like to have their feelings hurt.  At least, that’s the message coming out of Clemson, where Tommy Bowden’s Tigers used their off week to reconnect with their emotions.

(Tommy’s Tigers shouldn’t have to tell you when they’re upset!)

According to the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, the Tigers’ go-from-ahead loss to Maryland several weeks ago sparked a firestorm of ire from fans, who called for Bowden’s dismissal and proclaimed the team’s season to be effectively over.  Blubbery cherry-picked quotes after the jump.

“I was hurt. Losing is not fun, and I know everyone else was hurting,” center Thomas Austin said.

“I just guess in my mind and the way I look at life, this is one of those times in life when you fail,” offensive coordinator Rob Spence said last week.

“You hate losing because you don’t want to hear them say those things,” Bowden said. “When you lose like we did, then you deserve it some as a head coach. It just happens to be publicly, but it’s what you deserve.”

This heightened level of sensitivity has not been seen in the sport since Merlin Olsen was pitching FTD bouquets.  Having finally drawn a line in the sand, the Tigers are expected to install spyware on your laptop and check your cell phone to see if you’ve been texting that other team that keeps calling you.