Wednesday August 02, 2006

The Players’ Choices; Putting the Death Back in Death Valley; Heat Wave; SEC and National Coaching Staff Rankings

The Players’ Choices
I just picked up my copy of the Clemson press guide for this season and the SID staff asked 22 players to fill out surveys. Some of the questions they were asked were: Best all-around athlete, most respected teammate and player that will surprise you. Here are the results:

Best All-Around athlete
C.J. Gaddis 9 votes
Chansi Stuckey 5 votes
Will Proctor 1 vote
Nic Riddle 1 vote
Duane Coleman 1 vote
Gaines Adams 1 vote
Sergio Gilliam 1 vote
Thomas Hunter 1 vote

Most Respected Teammate
Anthony Waters 10 votes
Gaines Adams 3 votes
Reggie Merriweather 3 votes
Chansi Stuckey 2 votes
Michael Hamlin 1 vote
Will Proctor 1 vote
Marion Dukes 1 vote
Thomas Hunter 1 vote
Dustin Fry 1 vote
Duane Coleman 1 vote

Player That Will Surprise you
Will Proctor 7 votes
Rendrick Taylor 3 votes
Thomas Austin 2 votes
Michael Hamlin 1 vote
Jacoby Ford 1 vote
Sadat Chambers 1 vote
C.J. Gaddis 1 vote
Akeem Robinson 1 vote
Durrell Barry 1 vote
Chris Clemens 1 vote
Kavell Conner 1 vote

Putting the Death Back in Death Valley
In the last 18 home games the Tigers have gone 15-3. Those three losses were a last second collapse against Georgia Tech in 2004, a triple overtime loss to Miami last season and an overtime loss to Boston College a year ago. Over the 18-game span Clemson has won some close ones where the home field advantage was the difference in the game. I also think during that span the stadium has been as loud as it has been in 10 years. In comparing the 18 home games before the current success the Tigers were just 11-7 at home.

Bowden lost his home opener to Marshall in 1999 but since then he has gone 14-1 at home against non-conference competition.

You never know what a season has in store for teams but I think going into the season that Clemson should be favored in each of its seven home games this season.

Heat Wave
On my radio show Tuesday, we talked about the heat index and humidity that has hit much of the nation this week. I love football but I know I would want nothing to do with a full-pad practice in these temperatures. How would you like to be Barry Richardson and carry around 320-plus pounds in heat indexes that reach over 100 degrees? The sacrifices these guys have made in the off-season have been amazing. Sometimes we criticize a guy for missing a block or throwing an interception. Remember, it is very easy to criticize from our air-conditioned offices.

SEC Coaching Staff Rankings
1. Auburn
2. South Carolina
3. Georgia
4. Tennessee
5. LSU
6. Florida
7. Arkansas
8. Alabama
9. Vanderbilt
10. Mississippi State
11. Ole Miss
12. Kentucky

National Staff Rankings
1. Notre Dame
2. Texas
3. Southern Cal
4. Iowa
5. Louisville
6. Ohio State
7. Oklahoma
8. California
9. Penn State
T-10. Oregon
T-10. West Virginia

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