Wednesday January 14, 2009

A Clemson Basketball Carol

A Clemson Basketball Carol
Obviously Charles Dickens and I have little in common but as Saturday approaches a few visions come to mind--The Ghost of Clemson Basketball--Past, Present and Future.

The Past-The Biggest Game in Littlejohn History
First is the reflection of the biggest game ever in Littlejohn. When Clemson and Wake Forest played in January of 1997 it was a match-up of the national powers. Clemson was ranked second in one poll and third in the other. Wake Forest was fourth in one poll and third in the other.

Tim Duncan was the man in Winston-Salem. The face of the Clemson program came in the form of the head coach, Rick Barnes. Clemson had good teams in the mid-1970s and some good one in the late 1980s but this was new and it was exciting.

I remember the energy and the emotion. The buildup was amazing but the most lasting memory from that night was the noise. To this day it is still the loudest sporting event I have ever attended. The Miami-Clemson football game in Death Valley was the loudest football game I have ever been to but the noise in Littlejohn that night has not been surpassed since.

The game was important here but it was important in the conference and on the national scene. The truth is that one regular season basketball game in January is not ultra-important. But as far as regular season games go, this one was huge. The ACC regular season hinged on this game. The national polls and seeding in the NCAA tournament were factors in the game also. This game was bigger than big for a January contest.

Wake jumped out early but the Tigers fought back. In the end it was too little, too late and the Deacons held on for a great win on the road. The loss hurt but it was not devastating. I think most fans just enjoyed the atmosphere and the experience. Many of us had never experienced big-time basketball until that night.

The Present-Saturday’s Battle
Obviously games like this have not happened too often in Clemson, therefore I am going to really enjoy it. I want to take in everything. I will take in the sights, sounds, spirit, energy and emotion of the remarkable event. I want to feel the noise. I want to take hold of the moment and appreciate its significance.

This is not the biggest game in Clemson history. That honor goes to the Final Eight matchup against UCLA in 1980. It is not the biggest game in Littlejohn. That was the Wake Forest game of 1997. It is not even the biggest game of Oliver Purnell’s era at Clemson. That was the ACC Championship game last season.

However, it is huge. It is one of the five biggest games in Littlejohn. It has to be one of the top 10-12 games in school history.

I will have a blog tomorrow previewing Wake Forest and looking at the difficult match ups that the Deacons bring to the table. Today, I am thinking more about the big picture. Saturday in Clemson will be electric. The place will be a zoo.

I want Clemson to win Saturday but, like 1997, a loss is not devastating. There is no shame in losing to the number-two team in the country. I want to win but I am going to spend more time enjoying the event.

The Future-
I can’t help but to wonder if Saturday is just a preview of future top 10 games in Littlejohn or will I have to wait another 12 years for the next one. Will we see another top ten game when Duke comes to town later this year? Will next year bring more huge, national impact games? Will the program continue to improve to the point where this kind of thing continues to happen even more in the future?

The success of the basketball program in the past was always based upon short-term success. In the 1970s when Clemson rose up to challenge the UNCs and N.C. State’s of the world, you never got the sense that this could turn into a long-term deal. I never got the feeling that the success of the late 1980s was going to be around a while. When Campbell and Davis were gone, I felt the program was going with it. In Barnes era, I always thought it was more about Barnes and never felt the program was on sound footing.

Purnell has the fan base excited because this thing could last for a while. Getting close to the top has been fun in the past but we don’t know what it feels like to maintain it. I guess this is what UNC and Duke fans feel like. This feels good.

Big games in Littlejohn are extremely exciting but the most exciting thing is that Saturday will not be the last big game in Clemson thanks to Purnell.

The Ronald P. Barnette Scholarship in Agriculture
Clemson lost a good friend Monday evening when Ronnie Barnette passed away.

I met Ronnie five or six years ago and can honestly tell you that I enjoyed every one of the many conversations I ever had with this Clemson Gentleman. Ronnie was Clemson. He loved his Tigers and he loved people. He was a pleasure to be around and I will miss him.

Ronnie was the guy that made the grill at the Walker Course warmer and more interesting. He was the Clemson fan who loved going to football practice and his relationship with some of the best coaches in Clemson history.

He hired my daughter to work for him a couple of years ago and was very good to all of the Clemson students who worked for him. If any student had a test on a work day, Ronnie was there to work for them.

The family wants his love for Clemson to live forever so they have established an endowment that we all can contribute to. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Clemson Foundation to establish the Ronald P. Barnette Scholarship in Agriculture, 110 Daniel Drive, Clemson, SC 29631.

Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Thursday in Barnwell County Memorial Park, Barnwell, S.C., (near airport) with Reverend Dr. Norman Rogers officiating. Visitation will be Wednesday night from 6 to 8 p.m. at Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home in Central. Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home, Central-Clemson Commons.

Rest in peace Ronnie. We will miss you!

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

Prayer List
We have started a prayer list on the blog. Here are the guidelines:
*If you are offended by prayer or prayer lists then I apologize in advance. The blog is free and the prayer lost will be on the bottom of the page so you don’t have to read it.
*If you would like to add someone to the list please e-mail me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com
*If you want the reason for the prayer to be added to the name please specify in your e-mails.
*Please let me know when it is appropriate to take the person off of the prayer list

Those who need our prayers include:
Corey, Bob and Finn Brookover-Corey is pregnant with Finn and her water broke in mid November even though her due date was not until March. She is doing well but has been on bed rest at Greenville Memorial since November. She is now at 30 weeks and baby Finn is doing well.

Mrs. Kathleen Bowers

Larry in Naples, FL. Larry is currently being kept sedated in ICU and has acute pancreatitis. Larry is going to be transferred this week to Shands in Gainesville, FL for surgery on his pancreas. The doctors are saying that there is a 40% mortality rate with this surgery and if successful, there will still be a very long recovery. Larry is a great guy and a wonderful husband/father. Larry is 32 years old.

RTG-Pawsitive Tiger

Kaitlyn L-4 year old girl in TN who has seizures and a brain lesion that may be a slow-growing tumor. She will likely have a biopsy in February.

Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter)

Sandy Wright

Jo Ann Bachman

Frank Taylor

Kenneth Bryant

Pruitt Martin

Got igers and his family

David Rowland

Leonard Gillespie and his family

Jim S

Christine Hepfer

Daniel Rosborough-4-year old Inman, SC who will have a kidney transplant 1/14/09 in Charleston

Special Prayer Request from Peggy Lesley at Brookwood Church .
I am starting a signing for my son's best friend who has cancer (Hodgkin's Lymphoma). He is 11 years old and is not doing well at all. He was diagnosed with this cancer 2 weeks ago and the tumor is next to his jugular vein and entwined in it...has moved his wind pipe over a inch making it hard for him to breathe. The tumor is the size of a large eggplant and is sitting right above his heart. This little boy needs all the prayer he can get. I would like you to sign this and pass it on to as many people as you can. Once we get to a thousand people can you please send this back to me at: 1volsgirl@bellsouth.net When I get the 1000 people that have signed it...I am going to print this up for my sons best friend and show him how many people care and how many people are praying for him to get better. If you have a heart at all, you will all do this for me. I love this child as though he is my own and we really need all the prayers!
Thanks,
Peggy