Friday October 19, 2007

Friday E-Mail Bag

Friday E-Mail Bag

Each Friday I publish your comments and answer your questions. To submit a comment or questions please e-mail me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com.

Mickey,

Go Cocks!
Willis

Willis,
Ken Hatfield had run Clemson’s program down in a hurry. Go back and look at each game and the results and you will see he was not doing a great job. In fact, he left the program in much worse shape than he took it over.

As far as what Clemson fans want I think I have a pretty good idea. First, I don’t believe Clemson is better than Bowden or Bowden is better than Clemson. He has done a lot of good things at Clemson and whenever he leaves the program I think he will leave it in better shape than where he found it. I also feel the Bowden tenure has been successful and his legacy will be a successful one. Clemson fans are disgruntled with the last two seasons and rightfully so. The Tigers will have to play better in the second half of the season for the staff to stay intact.

I think Clemson fans want to win a championship.

I can personally say that the next time Clemson hires a football coach I want one attribute and maybe it is not even an attribute. Hall of Fame coach George Allen said, “Every time you lose you die a little bit. A piece of you dies….not every part of you but maybe just your liver.” I want the next Clemson football coach to have to pull over on the side of the road on his way home after a loss because he has to throw up. I want the next Clemson football coach to be so ultra-competitive that he can’t sleep after a loss. I want the next coach at Clemson to have bags under his eyes after a loss because of the gut wrenching feeling in his stomach after a loss. Liver transplants after each loss.

Mickey,
I continue to enjoy your blogs each day. Although I am frustrated, I feel there are still good things to come for 2007. The reality is, I think we will still control our destiny when it comes to getting to the ACC championship game. Hopefully 11/17 will be the big one, and the next week will be icing on the cake!

Go Tigers!
Eric

Eric,

I have been to College Park many times and it is not a pretty site. Parking is not a problem so you should not a have any problem finding a decent spot close to the stadium. As far as pre-game festivities are concerned I have not heard of any but I would call the IPTAY office at 864-656-2115 to see if any local alumni groups have anything planned. One final note on this and any future trips to College Park—I would not take my grandmother or my young children unless you want to spend Sunday explaining what the four-letter words that were hurled at you all day were about. Small children do not need to hear what Terp fans suggest Clemson fans can do to themselves or their mothers. Ear muffs to Little Johnny and Susie.

Mickey,
You wrote the following:

David

David,

Spence feels it allows them to hit their targets better. The Clemson offensive line has specific targets they have to aim for in their blocking scheme and this allows them to be for flexible. It also does not give away the play (3-point run, 2-point pass). I have never coached an offensive line but some coaches I have talked to across the country do not agree with this philosophy. There is nothing wrong with having a different philosophy but you make a good point when you ask why other teams don copy it more.

Mickey,
I’m tired of the fire Tommy talk. I’d like to make a few observations and then a suggestion.
1) Clemson graduates no QBs, no RBs, one non-starting TE, one non-starting WR, one non-starting DL, two LBs, one non-starting DB, and no kickers.
2) Clemson has five OL graduating and one OL that will return as a senior.
3) Clemson has one five-star DE, six four-star, five three-star, and two kickers as commitments according to Rivals.Com. We have four months to secure additional commitments.
4) Clemson is young, but talented.
My suggestion is that we honor our contract to Tommy but give no extensions until special teams improve. Improvement = extension. Also, honor Brad Scott’s contract, but again, no improvement means no extension. Tying performance to extensions will naturally provide the required solution. Hopefully, we could have coaches with a long history of contract extensions. We can use the $4 million suggested for buyouts for something more productive.

Chasn79

Chasn79,
I agree Clemson is young but you will have a hard time not giving a coach an extension because that will hamper recruiting. If you are not going to give Bowden an extension then he is recruiting with one arm tied behind his back.

Hello Mickey,
I enjoy reading your blog and listening to your show in the morning. I don't get to hear as much of it as I did your afternoon show, but I catch as much as I can. I read your blog statement about not seeing as many(or any) Tommy supporters after this loss and wanted to say that we are still here. We may not voice our support on the pages of TN and CUT, but those of us that support Clemson, including TB, voice our support in the stadium. Like yourself, my wife and I stayed through until the end of the game to support the Tigers.

Matt

Matt,

That offensive depth chart would be interesting. If Clemson played William & Mary then it would be William & Mary against Willy & Barry.

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