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Friday November 21, 2008

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.

Mick,
Can you tell me if any of these guys are candidates?
1. Stoops
2. Grobe
3. Patterson
4. Leach
5. Rich Rod
6. Brian Kelly
Thanks.
Carl

Carl,
I cannot say for sure if any of these coaches are legitimate candidates but I have formed opinions of their candidacy based upon information I have received.
1. Stoops-I hear rumors like everyone else but I have nothing solid. I just think this is such a long shot.
2. Grobe-I do get indications that there is mutual interest from both sides.
3. Patterson-I have no contacts here and really have not heard his name recently.
4. Leach-I think his name may arise after the season but he has his hands full right now with this season. I also think he is higher on Tennessee’s list.
5. Rich Rodriguez-I think there may be some interest from both sides after the season. I would keep an eye on this situation.
6. Brian Kelly-I have no contacts with him either but he seems to be higher on Tennessee’s list too.

Mr. Plyler,

I need help with ESPN GamePlan. I moved to Vermont to start a career. The only negative is that I don't get to watch the games for free anymore (the cold air is starting to count too). I ordered the ESPN GamePlan so I could see Clemson play. Last weekend the game was a blackout although Raycom didn't inform ESPN to blackout in the game in my area. Even more Raycom informed me the ACC territories are the only areas that get blacked out and Vermont isn't one.
I've tried to contact ESPN the whole week and I've been on hold for 4 hours since Monday. I'm worried about this weekend.

I wrote the Clemson Athletic Department and they were diligent and gracious, but they couldn't get the information that was needed to explain the blackout or to ensure it won't happen again in my area (Winooski, VT).

I'm asking for your help to find out about this weekend. I was disappointed last weekend and I don't want that feeling again. I see the tv map, but I don't trust it anymore.

The kicker is that I can't get AT&T or Verizon up here so ESPN360 is out of the question too.

God Bless,

Josh

Josh,
I have never heard of an ACC game being blacked out in Vermont. I have no idea why that would be the case. This weekend’s game is a little different too. This is a split broadcast. Viewers in North Carolina will get the UNC-NC State game while most of the rest of the areas will get Clemson-UVA. I have no idea what you will get this weekend. I am just helpless in what direction to shoot you to.

Mickey,

The reason that Jim Grobe has no intention of going to a school like Clemson is easy to understand. At WFU he can have a losing season here and there and not get fired, but that is not the case at the Clemson's of the world. He would never be allowed to redshirt as many players for the future as he has done at Wake because people don't have that kind of patience. He has job security in Winston-Salem that he would never have at bigger football schools.

If Clemson doesn't hire Swinney, then we can expect USC, UGA, and other competitors to go after him and Napier. Are we willing to let them go, and then have to compete against them against one of our rivals?
David

David,
My people tell me that Grobe does have interest in listening to Clemson. I am not saying he will be the guy but I think he is interested in interviewing. He was very close to taking the Arkansas job last season. I don’t think that job is all that different than Clemson.

Hi,

Given the posts on TNet, it would be great to see an article or a Mickey blog on the fact that a "big name" coach does not guarantee success - it guarantees a big salary, but not success. Saban is the exception, not the rule. I can think of several big name guarantees without doing any research: TBowden @ Clemson, CWeiss @ ND, Al Groh @ UVA, SOS @ SC, Lou @ SC, Deitzel @ SC, RRod @ Mich, etc. There is no guarantee so the best route is to trust TDP who actually has a track record of hiring good coaches. Would make a great story and hopefully inject some rationality into the discussion.
Troy

Troy,
Good point. I wonder how many schools lost the press conference but went on to win on the field. Big names are not much more of a sure bet. Every candidate brings risk.

Mickey
These HC search opinions are almost too much to bear. Is it as painful for you as it is me to read the T-Net posts and realize how ignorant some of our fans are? Since when is hiring a coach a matter of democracy, as if our vote counts? Whether you have faith in TDP or not, it doesn't really matter because it's not our call and our opinion matters even less. Fans need to sit back and enjoy these last two weeks of football, and treat the announcement of the new HC as Christmas morning. I'm excited about the hire whomever it is because it means new hope and something different than Bowden (even if it's Dabo).

As I believe you've noted, the fans seem to divide themselves over everything and now this. T-Net poster, it sounds like if your man for HC isn't the chosen one then you're going to be critical from day one. Have fun with your miserable life. I - and hopefully most Tiger faithful - am going to enjoy watching the changes and seeing how and if we advance. If I want to be critical of the new HC I'll at least wait until year three of his four-year contract.

Finally, finding the "right fit" has been mentioned by both Barker and TDP, and that means a lot of things at Clemson and being in the South. Living and recruiting in the southeast requires one to consider the component of one's faith when making a selection. To think otherwise is simply naive. The HC doesn't have to wear it on his sleeve like Bowden, but it is a factor here. No matter how successful Clemson becomes, the vast majority of our recruits will be from the Bible Belt and that can't be ignored. Spiller, Harper, and now JK Jay are just a few examples of kids who made (or are making) a decision largely on the criteria of the HC and his faith.

Bobby

Bobby,
Good e-mail. I agree. Rich Rodriguez was a great fit at West Virginia but an awful one at Michigan. Every job requires a different person with different skills. Clemson is no different.

Mickey,
A caller a couple minutes ago stated that Dabo isn't a candidate for any head coaching job, right? Well the reason is because no one really knows anything about him except us!
Say I have a business and I need to hire someone as vice president, people keep telling me that there's this young and smart guy out there that would be perfect for the job. But if I can't ever get him in there to interview for the job, I would never know anything about him. THAT'S THE REASON THAT NO ONE HAS DABO LISTED FOR A JOB ANYWHERE ELSE, CAUSE HE HASN'T INTERVIEWED FOR ANY HEAD COACHING JOBS AND NO ONE KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT HIM, EXCEPT.........CLEMSON!

If Clemson hires Dabo, I trust that they seen something in him to give him a legitimate shot at being the Head Coach at Clemson. People just need to trust in Terry Don Phillips and let him make the coaching decision!

I agree with you as well. I couldn’t care less what the national perception would be. Clemson needs to hire the man that they feel is right for their program. Good points.

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Posted by Mickey Plyler @ 12:07 PM EST [ Comments [25] ]