Thursday September 28, 2006

Reviewing The Blog

Reviewing The Blog
I can’t believe it has been 5 ½ months since we started the blog. Tom Winkopp, our title sponsor, came on board and all of our sponsors have been awesome. The readers and responses have been incredible. I went back last night and read every blog to see where I have been right and where I have been wrong and to see what improvements I could make. It was interesting seeing how some of our projections have turned out. Here is a look back at some of our previous thoughts:

*We caught flack from USC fans about ranking Clemson’s running backs and wide receivers so high. The season is only ¼ of the way done but I think they might want to reconsider the criticism.

*I did not have Will Proctor high enough. I should have had him in the top two or three in the league. I did have FSU and Miami lower than anyone I have seen and I think we did OK there.

*I ranked the Clemson O-Line number one in the ACC. Have you seen a better front this season?

*On July 4, we ranked Clemson’s D-line second in the ACC.

*Monday July 10 was a hard blog to write in the aftermath of Jarrett Foster’s death.

*On July 12, we ranked Clemson’s linebackers number two in the ACC behind FSU. That was before the Waters and Billie injuries.

*July 18 we previewed ACC schedules and talked about how FSU had the easiest run to an ACC title.

*July 19, we talked about how Proctor gets it and how hard he worked in the off-season. We talked about his mental preparation and how he could be the next Chris Morocco in leading Clemson to a win over FSU in Tallahassee.

*July 20, I wrote about Clemson’s big effort on special teams. I have been wrong about the return teams so far.

*July 28th, I was wrong in saying I doubted a network would pick up the Temple game for TV.

*August 3, I wrote that this was the best Wake Forest team I have seen. This was before their 4-0 start despite losing their QB and RB. I was wrong about NC State being better than people thought though.

*August 7 I revealed our Game Worksheets, which might be the most popular segment of the blog.

*August the 8th I wrote:
I talked to two good friends in the past few weeks and they shared some good information concerning the 2006 Tigers. First was from a friend who knew Richie Wessman. Wessman is a former Southern Cal quarterback who was the back up to Carson Palmer and Matt Leinhart in his days as a Trojan. He joined the Clemson staff in the spring but has since left to go to the NFL as an assistant. Before he left, Wessman was very complimentary about the Clemson program. He said the way this staff is building this program and the way recruiting has been going, he said this program felt like Southern Cal right before they re-emerged on the national scene.

The other bit of optimistic review I had the other day came from a former administrative assistant that is still very close to the players and the program. He told me that he has never seen a team like this. He told me, “Mickey I have been around this program for seven years and I have never seen the players taking this kind of attitude. They hold each other accountable. They work every day. There is no animosity among any of them. They really feel like they have a chance to do something special.”

*It was good to see New Orleans in the spotlight Monday. It reminded me why on August 8th we wrote about Clemson running back coach Burton Burns.

*August 14 brought us the great news about Jack Leggett’s new contract.

*August 15 I wrote about plans for future baseball improvements to the stadium.

*August 16, I wrote about how important it was for Miami to beat FSU to help Clemson. I was also wrong about the ice cream not being as good as it once was.

*August 31, I was wrong about Notre Dame blowing out Georgia Tech but right about how bad Mississippi State was heading into their game against South Carolina.

*August 24, I looked back at Clemson’s 1989 defense in comparison to today’s team. I also wrote about hearing Tiger Rag for the first time all year as the band practiced.

*August 28th, I congratulated Trevor Adair on a great start to the soccer season.

*August 29, we ripped the NCAA and ACC for not helping Ray Ray McElrathbey. That blog later made it on national radio.

*August 31, we wrote about the future Hall of Famers in Clemson.

*September 13, I talked about how the trip to Tallahassee was not as gloomy as it once was and made a case for a Clemson win.

I have been wrong a few times and right a few times. The grammar and typos have been awful. The highlights in my opinion have been the Wake Forest prediction, the FSU preview, Ray Ray’s story and remembering Bob Bradley.

But the real highlight for me comes from the feedback I get everyday. Not a day goes by that I don’t get some great e-mails, phone calls or in-person feedback. I feel like I am the luckiest man of the face of the earth because I get to live in Clemson and write and broadcast information and my thoughts about Clemson. How lucky can one man be? Thank you for your support and support of our sponsors!

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