Liebe, Lust und Leben » in the fourth quarter of San Francis

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Dabo Swinney ran toward the tunnel after Clemson took yet another game down to the heart-stopping last second -- this time against rival Florida State. His shirt was drenched in sweat, but his smile, well, his smile said everything. He beamed while he high-fived fans and screamed, How about that win!Swinney finally beat Florida State 37-34?in Doak Campbell Stadium, an accomplishment that had eluded the Clemson coach his entire career. But more than that, his undefeated team survived on the road Saturday night to stay right in the College Football Playoff hunt. Was it perfect? No. Did it have to be? No. For the fifth time this season, Clemson found a way to make one more play in another close game.Theres got to be something more to it than just: Well, they got lucky, Swinney said. Thats your heart. Thats your guts. Thats your toughness. Its your whole culture of your program. Thats what it takes to win those type of games. Its a belief. Its just an undeniable will to win, and its special to be a part of.Undoubtedly, Clemson went through its schedule a season ago without as many close calls. But these Tigers have embraced the close calls, thriving at a time when most others stopped believing. But the mind-set makes sense, considering how much Clemson has used being counted out as motivation.The mantra last season? Well, nobody believed in Clemson. Though the Tigers have been favored in every game but one this year, they are still trying to find ways to make everybody else believe in them. It sure would be easier to give themselves some breathing room. But in a way, maybe Clemson doesnt want to.Its a strange bit of reverse psychology, but Clemson clearly relishes the moments when it needs to make a play to win.I dont know what to say other than this group just believes theyre going to win, Swinney said. I never thought wed lose, but, boy, we make it hard sometimes. Theres just something to be said about it. They love each other, they care about each other. They just believe somebodys going to make a play.In a wild fourth quarter that featured three lead changes, Clemson got the ball with 3:23 left, trailing 34-29. Offensive players looked at each other in the huddle. Deshaun Watson took the lead, but they all told each other, Lets be special. Lets do this. This is us.Two years ago, Clemson lost a devastating overtime game in Tallahassee that it probably should have won. Running back Wayne Gallman remembered the scene in the locker room afterward: players crying, crushed at the loss.Watson refused to let that scene play out again. With steadiness and poise, he delivered a 25-yard pass to Jordan Leggett on first down. Four plays later, he found Leggett again for a 34-yard touchdown pass and the lead.Just a great play call. Weve seen it all game. We came back to it in one of our play calls and knew it was going to work against this defense. We called it at the right time. We executed it and hit it, and the players made big-time plays in big-time moments. Thats what were about. Everyone kept believing and having faith.But Watson was not done, delivering the crucial two-point conversion pass to Mike Williams to give the Tigers a three-point lead.The defense took over and put the pressure on Florida State QB Deondre Francois. The game ended with back-to-back sacks and too many hold-your-breath moments to count.But the outcome could have easily been different. Watson threw two interceptions that Florida State converted into 14 points, and the Tigers allowed too many big runs from Dalvin Cook.Watson called his interceptions bonehead decisions that I shouldnt have made.I tried to be greedy and tried to force throws, but its something else to learn from.Going back to the season opener against Auburn, Clemson has won five games by a touchdown or less. The Tigers have been taking heat all season for being in close games, because the natural expectation was for them to pick up where they left off last season and start rolling all over again.But this is a new team with new players and the ability to survive when it feels like they should not. Whether they can keep living on the edge and continue to win remains to be seen. But with only four undefeated Power 5 teams left, it might not matter how close Clemson plays its games.If it wins -- whether by 1 point or 30 points -- then it makes the College Football Playoff as an unbeaten Power 5 champion. Swinney and his players know it, too.At the end of the day its about getting the W no matter what the scoreboard says, Watson said. New Balance Clearance Outlet . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services. Cheap New Balance Shoes . Pence singled in the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning to give the Giants a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday. http://www.cheapnewbalanceaustralia.com/ . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. New Balance Australia Sale . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. New Balance Australia Clearance . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick said Sunday he believes his comments to South Florida media last week?about former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro were taken out of context.What I said was I agree with the investment in education, Kaepernick said. I also agree with the investment in free universal healthcare as well as the involvement in him helping end apartheid in South Africa. I would hope that everybody agrees those things are good things. And trying to push the false narrative that I was a supporter of the oppressive things that he did is just not true.On a conference call with Miami media last week before Castros death, Kaepernick was asked about a T-shirt he wore early in his protest of racial oppression and inequality that showed Castro and Malcolm X together in 1960 with the phrase like minds think alike.Miami Herald reporter Armando Salguero, a Cuban exile, and Kaepernick went back and forth on the subject. Kaepernick pointed to Castros investment in education, leading to a high literacy rate in Cuba, as a positive outcome of his time in power. Kaepernick also said he was wearing the shirt in support of Malcolm X more than as a commentary on how he feels about Castro.All of that happened before Kaepernick and the Niners played the Dolphins on Sunday in South Florida, which has the largest Cuban population in the United States. Dolphins fans loudly booed Kaepernick as he and the 49ers offense ran onto the field for their first drive.After the Niners 10th straight loss, Kaepernick said he could understand why this community would have objections over any support of Castro, but he again said the goal of the shirt was not to show support for Castros oppression.I can understand the concern, but for me, what I said was that was a historic moment for Malcolm, Kaepernick said. Im not going to cut out pieces of Malcolms life. In 1960, when they met in Harlem, that was a historic moment -- and thats something I will always be true to what Malcolm was, what he represented, because Im not going to cut out history.Castro died Friday in Cuba, sparking an emottional reaction and celebrations in the Little Havana part of Miami over the weekend.dddddddddddd Kaepernick called the fact that he played in South Florida two days after Castros death very unique circumstances.Before Sundays game against the Dolphins, Kaepernick again knelt during the national anthem as he has all season. After the game, he wore a Malcolm X T-shirt, as he has after other games.Ive worn many Malcolm X shirts, Kaepernick said. He was a great man and he lived the life that he talked about. He was someone that truly walked the walk, was a great leader for the African community, and was someone that I admire. Kaepernick has faced plenty of scrutiny since his protest was first noticed in August, recently getting negative reactions for his decision not to vote and then for his comments on Castro.Asked if he was worried that his message was being lost in some of those choices, Kaepernick demurred.I dont worry about people losing track of what the message is because Ive been true to the message, Kaepernick said. Im against systematic oppression and voting is a part of that system, and I have talked at length about why I believe that.Kaepernick fell to 0-6 as the 49ers starter this season but rallied his team in the fourth quarter of San Franciscos 31-24 loss Sunday.The 49ers trailed 31-14 with eight minutes left but scored twice, forced a punt and started at their 38 with 1:44 to go. Kaepernick drove them to the 6 but scrambled on the final play and was stopped at the 2 when sandwiched by Kiko Alonso and Ndamukong Suh.I could tell he was going to try to tuck it in and run, and everyone did a good job of running to the ball and stopping him, Alonso said.Alonso, ironically, is a Cuban-American. He said he was pleased to learn from relatives about the former dictators death and the resulting celebrations in Miami.I heard there were some big parties on Calle Ocho, Alonso said. I know that my father was happy.The Associated Press contributed to this report. ' ' '