Monday December 03, 2007

30-14; Game Day; SEC; Hostage Situation

30-14
The Clemson-South Carolina basketball series stopped after the Gamecocks left the ACC in 1972. The two state rivals got together on the hardwood again and have played at least once every year since the 1977-78 season. Since the rivalry renewed 30 years ago Clemson has dominated the Gamecocks compiling a 30-14 record against USC. Clemson has won 10 of the last 14 contest against USC.

Oliver Purnell has won four in a row against Dave Odom and the Gamecocks after Saturday’s 85-74 win over USC. Some things I noticed Saturday:

*Clemson played perhaps its best basketball of the season in the first half. The numbers looked good but I thought the intangibles were also a difference in the first stanza. Part of the reason the Tigers were able to build a 17-point lead was the hustle stats. Clemson seemed to get every loose ball throughout the entire half.

*I thought another major difference between the two teams was half-court defense. Clemson was much better on the defensive end especially in the first half.

*The Tigers shot 83% from the free throw line. Last year Clemson set the record for the worst free throw shooting in ACC history with a 57.8% clip. Through seven games this season Clemson is shooting 64% from the line.

*Cliff Hammonds continues to amaze me. The senior guard logged 38 minutes again Saturday playing point guard and shooting guard. He had two big threes in his 13 points but it was the little things again that set Hammonds apart. He had five more assists without a turnover and was all over the court in getting the loose balls.

*K.C. Rivers had 24 points and has turned into the “go to guy” in the Clemson offense. It is nice to have Rivers as an option late in the shot clock.

*James Mays is a key part of this team so it was nice to get two big home wins against Purdue and South Carolina without him.

*Terrence Oglesby is a terrific shooter but we saw another great strength Saturday. I thought it was Oglesby passing that made a big difference.

Game Day at Clemson
No, not Corso and Herbstreit again. This one is about Clemson basketball. I spent most of Friday talking to the Clemson basketball staff, Clemson athletic department officials, former Tiger basketball players and local business leaders about Clemson basketball in an attempt to improve the game day experience at Clemson.

I have already written tomorrow’s blog where I will layout details of some ideas we have come up with to help promote the entire game day experience for Clemson basketball.

Please read the blog tomorrow and please e-mail me responses on which ones you approve and disapprove. Also after reading tomorrow’s blog I would like you to add any ideas to help the cause. Thanks again and please check out the blog tomorrow.

SEC
Clemson will play Auburn in the Chic-fil-a Bowl on New Year’s Eve in Atlanta and that should be the second of three consecutive games against SEC competition.

The Tigers defeated South Carolina 23-21 in Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia two Saturday’s ago. The battle of the two Tigers should be an exciting tilt in the Georgia Dome on the last day of the month. And the two schools are still working on Clemson and Alabama getting together to start the 2008 season back in the Georgia Dome in late August.

Three SEC games with all three being away from Death Valley are tough but Clemson fans should be excited.

Closing out the 2007 season a fun question among Tiger fans on Tigernet was, “Would you rather win the Atlantic Division of the ACC or would you rather beat South Carolina?” I enjoyed that debate and would now ask, “Would you rather beat Auburn in the Chic-fil-a Bowl or Alabama in the 2008 season opener?”

Beating Auburn would give you 10 wins and would mean a higher ranking in the pre-season poll of 2008. Beating Alabama to start the 2008 season would mean instant credibility and help the rise in the next poll.

I could make an argument for either game. So would you rather beat Auburn in the bowl game or Alabama in the opener? Much more later on the topic.

Hostage Situation
I am always on the side of the little guy. In labor disputes in pro sports I always side with the players over the filthy-rich owners. In the college game I always with the coaches and players over the administrations. Heck, I only own two ties and neither are bowties.

But I am little sick of what is happening in college football as it deals with coaches salaries. Auburn is currently being held hostage by Tommy Tuberville and I think it stinks. Don’t get me wrong, I think it stinks just as much as what Auburn did to Tuberville during their flirtation with Bobby Petrino but now Tuberville has turned the game around.

The Auburn head coach is negotiating with Auburn but is rumored to also being courted by Arkansas. One published report had Arkansas offering Tuberville 7-10 years at $3 million per year. Also remember Tuberville has a $6 million buyout at Auburn. Would Arkansas be willing to pay $36 million for Tommy Tuberville?

Maybe or maybe not but that is what Auburn has to deal with in their leverage with Tuberville. I know it is a business and I understand that negotiating is all about the leverage. But I personally don’t think he is worth $36 million dollars.

Clemson’s Tommy Bowden, Wake Forest’s Jim Grobe and North Carolina’s Butch Davis are being mentioned now at Arkansas too. Heck, Davis was making $1.8 million this year but got a $200,000 raise from UNC to entice him to stay in Chapel Hill despite a 4-8 record this season. UNC was held hostage because of the Arkansas rumors.

Perhaps former Clemson athletic director Bill McClellan had it all figured out years ago. His philosophy was to support his coaches and he would tell them that we love ya and want ya here but if you don’t want to be here or think it is better somewhere else then we are sure gonna miss ya. He would add that we wish you all of the luck in the world at your new job.

The fact is that Tommy Tuberville did not invent Auburn football. Shug Jordan and Pat Dye won before him and the next guy can also win. Some of these athletic directors get held hostage and they pay the ransom. I would call their bluff and if they left then I would go out and hire someone who really wanted to be at our place.

Be careful Tommy.

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