1978 GATOR BOWL Clemson Tigers - Ohio State Buckeyes

[@richard_the_piano_man]

How is it possible that the ABC camera crew CLEARLY got the shots of the punch, plus continued showing Woody Hayes (since the coach is now the story here), and were able to follow the storyline here, but Keith Jackson and Ara Parseghian couldn't?

[@kevindouglas5333]

Love how the announcers just ignore the punch

[@82dorrin]

To be fair, it happened in the middle of a crowd of players, and a coach punching a player from the opposing team is probably the last thing they were looking for. Quite possible that Keith Jackson just didn't see it.

[@ss4gogeta05]

It’s obvious they were directed to ignore it. It was clear on the replay and they’re acting like they don’t see what caused the commotion. It’s funny how things used to be.

[@jamesmarkscott6202]

@@ss4gogeta05 how things used to be, as a tv announcer, was that you had your eyes to call the game. you might have 1 black & white tv monitor, (which may or may not be showing the camera shot actually going out on the air) but the technology was light years removed from the digital age today where you have 10+ cameras covering a game, all of which can be easily recorded and played back. in those days, the broadcast director had to choose, in the moment on each play, which camera was going to be used for possible replays. plus, if you ever went to a night game at the gator back then, it wasn't nearly as well lit (as in lights, not the fans) as stadiums are today. the actual punch took about 1.5 seconds before players from both teams got in the scrum. if keith and ara were looking elsewhere on the field its quite feasible they didn't see woody's punch. and the replay from the endzone shown afterward shows an arm going toward bauman. fans knew it was woody from the live action shot... but you couldn't tell it on the replay if it was the only perspective. there was no conspiracy or cover up. simply a much less sophisticated and less technical era of broadcasting live sports.

[@derricklowe2823]

@@ss4gogeta05 I never thought of that but it makes sense. Someone got in their ear and told them to ignore and not comment on what Coach Hayes had just done, for whatever reason, because it was obvious for all of us to see what just happened. I was 17 years old and knew what he did was on purpose.

[@5IvanDrago5]

@@ss4gogeta05 Honestly, I think it was correct they ignored it. The potential fallout was certainly going to lead to discipline for Hayes and possibly legal fallout. It was not the broadcasters job to go into business for themselves and become part of the narrative. This is just my humble opinion, not saying Im right.

[@sarge1231]

As a life long Clemson fan, I was watching this game. As soon as I saw the punch, I knew Coach Hayes was toast. I was thrilled that Clemson won, but I found it impossible to enjoy the victory. I just felt too badly for Woody Hayes, who was a truly legendary coach, who I knew was going to get fired. I also knew even then, that in spite of what a legendary coaching career he had, that he would not be only remembered for all his success, but also for this punch. I imagine he likely replayed that punch a thousand times in his mind, wishing he could somehow go back in time and stop himself from doing that. I do not think most Clemson fans wanted to see this legendary coach go out that way, and at least as far as I am concerned, I can understand how he lost it that night. He was always very passionate about the game he loved for so many years. In one second of lost control, he threw it all away. I am not saying he should not have been fired, because a coach can't hit a player...ever...but I still found it sad.

[@Smokeless1167]

OSU did the right thing. Hayes talked to his players the next morning and told them that he was going to be fired and that they need to finish school. The people in charge chose principles and wasted no time firing Hayes. To this day OSU has only lost to Clemson. I think it's almost a curse considering OSU has even beat the vaunted Alabama program. I am worried about the NCAA playoffs considering Clemson is a shoe-in. What you have to ask yourself is what the hell Indiana was thinking keeping a coach like Bobby Knight for as long as they did. It made Indiana look horrible.

[@sarge1231]

@@Smokeless1167 Not really remembering what Bobby Knight did. I do not keep up much with any teams outside of the South to be honest. As a Clemson fan, I am mainly keeping up with ACC and SEC teams with the exceptions of Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame. If it makes you feel better, Ohio State is not alone in having issues playing Clemson these days. On the other hand, I think Ohio State may have the best team they have ever had this year. To be honest, I think that Ohio State, Clemson, and LSU are all as close to equal as any three teams in history. It is a little difficult to see any glaring weakness on any of those 3 teams. It may come down to who wants it more. It has been quite some time since my Clemson Tigers lost so often to weaker teams that the word Clemsoning was invented. Since 2015 Clemson is 66-4 including 26 straight since the last loss. It admittedly helps that the ACC is just so horrible the last 2 years.

[@mj6493]

@@sarge1231 Didn't Knight throw a chair across a basketball court? Oh, and there's the issue of assaulting a police officer in San Juan, PR. May still have a warrant out on him in Puerto Rico.

[@zyrrhos]

@@sarge1231 If anything, he probably replayed calling a pass instead of a run with it being third and 5 at the Clemson 24-yard line with 2:30 left. A field goal would have put them ahead.

[@jeffclark7888]

Are you still crying about this monster?

[@dg1019]

Woody Hayes made comments that basically Clemson and the Gator bowl was beneath Ohio State leading up to the game. Clemson rightly so did not take that well and the were looking and pointing at Hayes all night after every big play.

[@starman1004]

Who's here after the Clemson Ohio State playoff game?

[@capitanfuturo594]

Me !!!

[@Buckeye7Gaming]

BrandonGamer 921 me if I was head coach I would've done that to the refs Saturday night love Woody and the way he did things

[@wormunit]

Stay classy Buckeyes

[@zyrrhos]

Woody should have punched his quarterback instead.

[@rudert56]

Actually, it was Ron Springs fault. Years later he stated he felt responsible because he ran the wrong route.

[@zyrrhos]

@@rudert56 Looking at it again, the receiver looked pretty open and the LB (#58) appeared to be obscured by the charging defensive lineman and one of the QB's own men. This play caused quite a hubbub at the time.

[@lionelhardcastle7271]

@@zyrrhos Exactly! I think it was case of get mad at the cat and kick the dog, because he don't like the dog as much.

[@jeffclark7888]

@@rudert56Ron Springs suffered from a dearth of intelligence.

[@jky3889]

Or himself. Probably should have run the ball to set up a short FG. Apparently, Hayes let Schlichter throw the ball because he was having a good game. Schlichter was a freshman.

[@philipem1000]

The sad end to Woody Hayes' career. I saw this game on TV and saw the punch, I guess no one told the announcers what happened until after.

[@sheltonadams5526]

What coach Woody Hayes did to a Clemson defensive player after the interception was un-called for. Woody Hayes is the Great Satan of college football. I am so glad that the Clemson Tigers beat those damnable Ohio State Buckeyes 17-15. They deserve to lose. I sure do not want Woody Hayes as my coach. He is downright nasty, mean, egotistical, rough, tough, and unloving. He reminds me of Bobby Knight, Frank Kush, Bill Belicheck, Bill Parcell, Red Blaik, and former Montreal Canadiens coach Mario Tremblay. I am glad that he was fired after that incident.

[@lesliebell4189]

Charlie Bauman deserved it.

[@ynp1978]

@@lesliebell4189 LOL!

[@bmarus]

all the coaches you named have winning reputations.

[@DavidBayliff]

woody got what he desevre and im from ohio and like osu scine i was a kid

[@lamarlauer725]

I was 39 and i couldn't believe it when he did that. I figured he was going to get at least fined didn't think he would get fired.

[@stevesayewich8594]

Was at Death Valley in the summer of 1977. I was jogging in the summer heat and every day saw Danny Ford out there working with that team. I know why it was called Death Valley. Woody, whether provoked or not, visibly took a short. Keith Jackson must have see it but chose not to comment. Sad.

[@Smokeless1167]

Hayes was known to slap his own players in the face. A reporter saw it in the 60s and regretted not speaking out then.

[@scotashton766]

My cousin played for Woody Hayes and said he was the biggest SOB and meanest cantankerous person on the face of the earth and he could suck the oxygen out of the room. It was his way or no way and I am so glad Clemson won.

[@pauldavis5459]

Who is your cousin? If he's going to make accusations name him!! If not get a spine.

[@justinedse8435]

If you don't name him then you're a liar.

[@jky3889]

@@justinedse8435 There are numerous well-known examples of Hayes attacking players and journalists, and he was even fined a several times for the latter, with fines ranging between $1000 & $2000 on at least 3 different occasions. And of course Hayes was fired for the incident at the 78 Gator Bowl. Given the examples that are known for certain and there are other examples that are certainly feasible, the claim by scotashton above falls within the realm of possibility. Everybody knows Hayes was a hothead and cantankerous when it came to football.

[@scottweisel3640]

What makes it worse is that the game did not have national championship implications. Ohio State had 3 losses and a tie entering this game. What should have been an enjoyable trip to Florida for the players turned into an tragic nationally televised debacle of poor sportsmanship by an iconic coach whose 28 year legacy was wiped out in a single moment. What was Hayes thinking? Was this just one more disappointment in a disappointing (by OSU standards) season? Did he think an upset win against a 10-1 team would validate him and his team’s season? To NEED to win this game so badly that you have a major meltdown over a turnover is still unbelievable after all these years. His subsequent lack of composure was an embarrassment to the game and to OSU. He had to wait another day to be told he was fired, but I’m sure the AD fired him on the spot in his mind.

[@stevegust2100]

At least the players and schools cared about the bowl games then. None of this "opt out" garbage

[@davidkahil5158]

that was awesome, what a legend

[@indyfan22k]

When did the Game change from a night game to Noon start time?

[@Sargebri]

I think it was after they moved the game from late December to New Year's Day in 1996.

[@ynp1978]

When the 50 other bowl games sprouted up. (The potato salad bowl and so forth)

[@crimson1million]

It’s finally over

[@Macdonnell1]

Great memories!

[@TheJeancooper]

In today's environment Hayes would/could be charged

[@y2films]

@Buckeye4life 440 Its called assault Bucknut

[@y2films]

@Buckeye4life 440 your invited to come down yourself. 40 years later and you're still Clemson's bitch

[@zyrrhos]

@Buckeye4life 440 Bucknut. lol

[@SuperDeuser]

@@y2films not anymore

[@chuckcollins2349]

@@y2films who's the bitch now?..OH!

[@Sargebri]

You know, the funny thing some people have mentioned on this is that some people think Schliester did it intentionally due to his post collegiate "activities".

[@dalepress1581]

Very possible given his reaction afterwards which looked a little too dramatic to me.

[@johnkennedy7170]

That stupid stunt put Woody Hayes in the unemployment line

[@adolfiehillarious6076]

WOODY HAYES GREATEST HITS! (AND THEY ALL SUXED TOO!)

[@jordanraddick505]

lol woody hayes

[@merrillashby7064]

A great coach, but the OSU president should have fired him before the game ended.

[@AustinDickerson2001Tiger]

Ladies and gentlemen, please remain OFF the playing surface! Please remain off the playing surface!

[@desertrose58]

The day Woody Hayes lost his mind and his job.

[@justjoshin5900]

Aaaah the woody curse. Not sure if osu will ever beat a clemson team over this. Sports gods may not allow it for a while.

[@jerrycallo]

Sugar Bowl

[@FSUOSU25]

48-28 curse broken

[@charliebabbitt3314]

U always hear these coaches preach about staying in control of your emotions etc then his qb throws it right to Clemson linebacker and of course he loses total control and slugs the kid in his neck...totally unprofessional (to say the least) as I'm sure it didn't hurt nonetheless totally uncalled for and had one of his players done the like I'm sure he would have been all up in his grill no doubt about it....I did just hear that Woody was a severe diabetic and that would bring some clarity to this situation....However simply no excuse coming from a guy who I'm certain preached everyday for his kids to stay in control of their emotions at all times....Sad ending but u cannot continue to act afool which he did and I'm sure got away with acting disrespectfully towards anyone that crossed him much like a tyrant does....It is what it is, Woody should have apologized to everyone involved for his behavior immediately instead of sticking to his ridiculous story that he was just going after the ball which makes 0 sense...Not in any way making excuses for it but I don't think the man should have been fired for it but obviously he likely had a long list of transgressions that had accumulated and this was the final straw...The man clearly had anger/emotion issues that he simply could not control....He did run a clean program and I know placed great emphasis on education and I'm sure did many good things for his kids, so just a sad ending for a dying breed at that time....RIP Woody

[@trudydeakins7908]

Amen getter done!

[@jimmyvick3222]

I was at the game and a Clemson fan. The stadium was a sea of orange and had been riding Woody worst than any coach ever!! Not defending his loss of control, but you would have had to been there to understand. I would have lost it far earlier. Coaches are supposed to be better.......but they're still human

[@fscap811]

Jimmy Vick And being human like all of us, are held responsible for their actions...and Woody was.

[@renatogarciaguerrero7323]

Ruquito loco, al bote lo debieron de haber metido....

[@TexasNewsOwL]

He should of hit his quarterback who was in debt to the bookies.

[@jamesmarkscott6202]

that night schlichter actually played one of the better games of his freshman season; 16-20 passing (80% completion rate) for 200+ yds (his counterpart was just 9-20 for 120 yds) plus 18 rushes for 70 yds and 2 td's. his only mistake was not realizing a middle guard had dropped into pass coverage. and if you see art's reax on the replay (both hands over his helmet in despair), it's pretty obvious his future gambling woes weren't on his mind in that moment.

[@vanhouten64]

Bauman must have been talking some trash or something to make Hayes pop his cork like that....not that that would justify Hayes' reaction.

[@jamesmarkscott6202]

to me the irony is that bauman was blocked so well out of his initial rush, that he simply (and smartly) just moved laterally to his left following schlichter's eyes. qb's don't key on d-linemen in progressions/scanning the field. art never saw him. for tosu fans, the same thing happened in the sugar bowl win over alabama when steve miller dropped into coverage on a zone blitz call, picked off blake sims, and went 40-some yds for a key td. fwiw it looked like bauman was posing more than talking after getting tackled out of bounds. today that's a given; back in the 70's, not so much, especially on the opponent's sideline. but as you said, didn't excuse what woody did. and seeing his demeanor as abc's cameras followed him off the field, it looked much more than just dejection after a loss. imho he realized the probably weight of his actions.

[@johnmongani5223]

Bauman did trash talk the Ohio State players after he was tackled. Can be seen pretty clearly on the replay so Hayes had a legit motive to hit him.

[@gambinotorriosaenz9453]

Woody Hayes one of the greatest coaches the Clemson player must have said something very disrespectful for Woody Hayes to act like

[@creativejoye4131]

Wow, really? It was the Clemson players fault that Hayes lost his shit, assaulted a player? He was so great that, even if Clemson player did say something, he could only resort to violence, trying to choke a young kid?

[@zyrrhos]

If you're a 65 year-old man easily triggered to physical violence by something a college kid says, you are an emotionally-stunted man-child.

[@dough6759]

Look at the video. Charlie didn't even know Woody was there!

[@jamesmarkscott6202]

@@creativejoye4131 you think woody (or any coach) taking a swing w/his bare fist at a football player in uniform, pads and helmet = assault??? lmao. that truly is creative logic. doesn't make what woody did right... his temper got him in trouble plenty including this incident, obviously. assault/violence, it was not.

[@jimsmith4669]

It looks like there is some type of interaction between Bauman and the sidelined Buckeye players. Maybe trash talking on one side or both. Is Bauman rubbing it in? Is Bauman just staring down the Bucks players? It almost looks inconsequential because Hayes slugged him pretty quick, but Hayes first tries to pull Bauman away from the Bucks players. It doesn't take Hayes long to forearm. I don't think Woody was just going off on his own. I think Bauman said something, which is why Bauman has kept quiet about it all these years.

[@SaleGuy]

The "punch" was fake. Woody had diabetes and was half-cocked at that point. It was a work.

[@zyrrhos]

@dave4248 Bauman shrugged it off, but that doesn't excuse Hayes' actions. Hayes had no one to blame but himself. On third and 5 at the Clemson 24-yard line with 2:30 left, Hayes called a pass instead of a run. A field goal would have put them ahead.

[@adambaum9732]

EVERYTHING is fake, the world is flat, the moon is made of cheese, the police have never killed anyone, and the ghost of Cesar Chavez stole the election for Sleepy Joe Biden. "It was a work."

[@fscap811]

@@adambaum9732 So the Chavez thing is finally out

[@adambaum9732]

@@fscap811 President Trump is still the President of the United States, the Nazis won World War II, nothing is real, your existence is nothing but a fever dream of a pixie dancing on the head of a pin.

[@pauldavis5459]

@@zyrrhos How do you know Woody called that play? QB might have ignored it and called his own play!!!

[@bremenrooster]

Hit him Woody….no good SOB was probably running his mouth! Either that or Schlicter had to settle a gambling bet!! Either way…..you were always OK with us!