Mickey Plyler joins this edition of The Clemson Dubcast on Tigerillustrated.com for an hour-plus-long conversation that features very little talk about Clemson's defeat at N.C. State, and not a lot of talk about the Tigers' 4-4 start.

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And therein, perhaps, lies the genius of Dabo Swinney bringing the heat to fans both Monday night and at his Tuesday press conference.

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Whether calculated or spontaneous, Swinney's sermons took the focus off the football team's struggles and left the Notre Dame-week radio and social-media debates more about what is OK and what is not when it comes to fan criticism, and a head coach's response to that criticism.

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Plyler, who has spent nine hours this week in the middle of it as a morning host at WCCP-FM, reflects on the big-picture meaning of it all, and offers some thoughts on how everyone involved -- fans, coaches, media -- can be better.

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