Long Winter
Struggling in basketball is nothing new to Clemson. Having little hope for better in the future is new.
I don't know many who thought Clemson would upset North Carolina Saturday night in Littlejohn, but I also don't know many who thought the Tigers would be down 20 in the first half.
I have written a few negative blogs about this team and every time I am hopeful that I am wrong.
I really like
Brad Brownell
Brad Brownell
Head Coach
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and his staff. My heart wants to be wrong about how I feel about this team. However, my eyes tell me a different story.
I am puzzled by this team. Brownell built his program and I thought it was heading in the right direction. What I thought this program was about was playing hard on the defensive end, but I have not seen that this season.
I thought this program was about grinding out offensive possessions, but that has not happened this season. Instead we just get empty possessions.
I thought this program was about player development, but the only players who have improved since last season are Jaron Blossomgame and Josh Smith. I don't think it is a stretch to say Rod Hall, Demarcus Harrison, Austin Ajukwa, Jordan Roper and Landry Nnoko have not progressed since last season.
Clemson should be underdogs to North Carolina. I thought seven points was about right. However, I did not see this one being over in the first 15 minutes. I didn't see the Tigers shooting 28% from the field, getting out-rebounded 49 to 30 and having only eight bench points. But this is what we have seen for two months now.
This team is a shell of what I thought it would be. I really liked what Brownell had built here. I thought his program was on track. I really liked how tough we were and how hard we played.
However, I don't like this team. I don't see any fire. I don't see passion. I don't see a sense of urgency.
The worst is yet to come. The schedule is about to get more difficult. At this point the conference schedule looks daunting. This looks like a long winter on the hard wood.
I am not sure what can be done to save this season. Brownell needs to inject passion into his program. He needs to get his players to play harder. He needs to add energy back into his program.
Next season the Tigers will play their games in Greenville. This can't be an easy task. They will open a new building the following season and the fan base needs something to get excited about.
Brownell has a tough job. It has always been difficult and it isn't getting any easier. He has to find a way to make us proud of his team once again. His job is difficult but it’s not impossible. I have seen Clemson fans get passionate about basketball in the past. It can be done. Now he has to figure out how to do it again.
The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency
Prayer List
The prayer list is a medium for our community to recognize those that are in need. If you would like to add someone to the list, please email me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com. Please let me know when it is appropriate to remove a person off the list.
Those who need our prayers include: Jo Ann Bachman, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got Igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard, Gillespie and his family, Jim S., Daniel Rosborough, the Huffman family, Nancy Winkler, John Reeve, Vinnie Brock, Kaitlyn L., Susan Miller, Joyce Harley, Steve Proveaux, Jeffrey Greene, the Hutto family, Sherl Drawdy, Caleb Kennedy, Teresa O'Connor, Matt Jacobs, Perrin Seigler, Candee Massee, Lindsey Jordan, Sam Catoe, Tyler Felch, the Nicolopulos family, "the Jacksonville, FL guys," Kim Sims, the Coyle family, Ryleigh Tedder, Steve Lee, Kelly Trakas, Jimmy Moore, the Thomas V. family, Emary Claire Young, Kitty Bowers, Julie Locke, the Scheider family, Lauren Kittles' family, Frank Gentry, Stacey McKeown, Dale Childs, Larry Lentz, Jr., Carl Sharperson, Scott Hannon, William Perry, Tyler Swaney, Lillian, Mark Feit, David Frame, the family of Matthew M. Watson, the Dowis family, Alan Putnam, the Olivers, Lee Tate, Ronnie Abrams, Eddie Greene, the Jackson family, Bill Vader, Jim Taylor, Tina DeWitt, Rock Horne, Bobby Wayne Thomas, Emma and Danielle Carothers, Robert Ditty, Mr. and Mrs. Murray Smith, Millie Heatley, Lynn Martin and family, Michael Pinson, Jake David family, Angie Crowley, Ira, Mike Tolson, Poly Wells, Dr. Muriel Bishop, Jack Cunningham, Emily Jefford Meister, Zachary Stoller, Aaron Clackum, Pat James, Cortney Moore, William Moore, Angelia and Savannah Anderson, Scott Johns, Frank Carroll,
Brandon Thompson
Brandon Thompson
Defensive Tackle (2008 - 2011)
#98 6-2, 310
Thomasville, GA
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, Alvin Sammons, Georgine McAlhaney, Glen Davis, Mike Price, Clay Childers, Aaron Knight, Danielle Johnston and family, Nicholas Abrams, Lana Kuykendall, Gary, Gary G., William Huggins, Jim Bennett, Chantz Fowler, Ethel McElveen, Michele Gurganus, William Gentry, Lewis Usher and Tanya Sanders, Shon Cooper, Nick Collins, Amanda Peake, Danny Hammond, Chip Turner, Nick Collins, Allen Steen, the Sturkey family, the Lance family, Nick Chrisley's family, Allison Williams, Lt. Kyle Walker, Summer and Joel Johnson, Nicole O'Donnell, James O. Johnson, Joy Pruett and family, Bill Schmidt, Jack Bailey, Gardner Family, Charles Turner, Kathy Bartholomew, Ray Sanders, David and Robin Blocker, J.R. Ray, Kenneth Kowe, Lauren Sielicki, Jenna Phipps, Mark Lawrence, Jonathan and Jacki Sullins, Peter Laboy, Kat and Carlisle Jones, Elizabeth Galloway and family, Anita McDonald, Willard Harryman, Liz Surratt, Molly Senn, Jackie Shearer, Richard Sellers, Tim Drisdelle, Edward Easterling, Dawson Bourne, Susan and Mike Brown, Julie Goodman Marshall, Willard and Dorothy Harryman, Justin Jernigan, Jack Cunningham, Mia Daughtery, Tee Senn, Bob Garrett, Skylar, Joseph Thomas, Mrs. Nelis, Jeanne Thompson, Sean Rowell, George Parker,
Levon Kirkland
Levon Kirkland
Linebacker
# 0, 0
,
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and family, Catherine Sewell, Randy Davenport, David Vaughn, Keith Dalton, B.T., Bill Hilbig, Rita Elrod Hammond and family, Jim McKeller, Tony Alewine, Sharon Storck, Dick Baird, Richard Bagnal, Dustin and Brittany Peurifoy, Jan Allan, Josh Cox, Gregg and Sylvia Lewis, Travis Hamrick, Kaki Harmon, Brandy Stephens, Jammie McKellar and babies, Karen Edwards, Jackson Lindsey, Cathy Hutson Gregg, Kristin Heckman, Jennifer Johnson, Jay Johnson, Lyndsie Johnson, Emily Davis, Hayes Davis, Judy Towe, Johnny Towe, Ken Brown, Elaine Brown, Rhonda Thompson, Tim Davis, Jacob Greinke, Jack Finley, Richard and Clara Crawford, Zach and Griffin Johnson, Israel, Frankie Allen, Bobby Allen, the Wessinger family, the Parsons family, Todd Price and family, Rosemary A Flynn, Dr. Mickey Shealy family, Sarah McManus, Mr. Gillespie, Al Evans, Craig Rush, Bobbi Nicholson, Earl Gilstrap, Dr. Matt Stower, Tyler Kemmerlin, Parks Hutto, and our great country and the men and women in uniform that protect and serve it every day, plus their families.
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