Good job with the Blog, especially the one on Thursday. Also, thank you for doing the Blog, despite all of the negative comments people make about your opinions. You must have some mighty thick skin. In response to Thursday's Blog:

First, I did not interpret your blog to mean we had to choose between academics and athletics, but rather that we could do a better job of giving our athletic teams the tools and support they need to succeed. That could be in the form of completing the west end zone, or it could be in the form of giving coaches moral support. I have no doubt that our coaches are doing the very best they can, but that is much easier when they believe they have the full support of the athletic department and the administration. Who wants to go to work when you do not believe your boss has your back?

Second, I think your comparison of us and Alabama really illustrates your point. Alabama just wants it more than us. It was obvious that they wanted it more last September in the GA Dome, but it is obvious in everything they do. Last September, you saw one school who wanted to be a Top 20 Public University, and you saw another who was committed to winning championships, and the school that wanted to win championships whipped the other school. It is painful for me to say that, but that is the truth. Also, I don't believe it is the fault of the players or coaches, but rather the culture in which they live. USC's program is poisoned by a culture of losing and apathy, and I just hope we are not going down the same path. That said, I believe Dabo will succeed and get us over the hump, but that will be because of what he, the assistant coaches, and the players bring to the table, and not because of great support from the administration.

Third, what exactly do you think would have happened had they not fired Danny? I would absolutely love for you to do a blog where you go back in time, change those events, and then bring us back to the present.

Another example of our wonderful administration not giving a damn about the CUAD?!?!?!? I am soooo surprised!!! I mean Jim Barker was an athlete when he was a cu student, he goes to basketball games (occasionally, but definitely when the games are on TV!) and dresses up in the tiger mascot outfit and does pushups (sort of) so that means he cares.....ummmm right???? I mean he is the same person who came up with a goal of making the final four in basketball before we have even been to an ACC title game right!?!?!?! Same clown who promised Bowden football facilities in 1998 that STILL aren't finished today but somehow he finds money to raise his academic budget at every turn, how surprising!!!! Do you want to know why he does it because we have alumni who don't care if we ever win another ACC title or national title in ANYTHING!!!! Just reading responses to your latest blog shows that some people think that their degree is somehow cheapened by trying to actually matter in athletics, give me a break!!! When someone asks me where I went to school during football season and I tell them do you think the first response out of their mouths is about my degree???? Nope!!! It is about how we underachieve as a football program!!! Just a reminder, Clemson is NOT Harvard no matter how hard Jim Barker tries to make it. My degree is not some golden ticket to a great life so get a grip people!!! If you people don't care about the football program fine, if you think Barker is great fine, maybe Barker should come out with a new list of goals for the CUAD, that goes in line with the support he is actually going to give it!!! Enough about BCS games in football and final four's in basketball and just cut it down like he has the CUAD budget. As for the people who think somehow MP is off base and how he needs perspective maybe YOU need the perspective. If you don't care about athletics that is fine, don't support it, but to say if we somehow make a final four or win the ACC in football and make it to the Orange Bowl is going to "cheapen" your degree, that has to be the MOST ludicrous thing I have ever heard!!! Not only would winning make people more aware of Clemson UNIVERSITY it will be a source of pride more many alumni (like me) who are sick and tired of being mediocre!!!

The numbers are not misleading. We have not won championships because the university has not chosen to support athletics. It is foolish to think that academics and athletics are on a continuum that forces you to choose one over the other. Unfortunately, I believe such a belief exists at Clemson. We are fully capable of doing well in both areas. More importantly, many economists that study athletics can show you strong evidence of the positive benefits of athletics to a university.

I had the opportunity to meet President Barker last year and through our discussion of Clemson Football received the same vibe as highlighted in your blog. While I respect President Barker and also believe his vision toward making Clemson a Top 20 University is an important one, I also think Athletics is a Major driver of the notoriety and outright recognition of an academic institution. A reputable Athletic program attracts the attention of talented high school students seeker to further their education, which enhances the future academic output of a school like Clemson.

Thanks for keeping guys like me informed on the day to day of Clemson athletics.
I appreciate your honesty and dedication to Clemson University and its Alumni.

The big question is Dr. Barker's goal to be a Top 20 university. That seems to be driving everything -- the question is it worth it? How many folks really care? I think we have a great school and I would rather we put some more resources into the athletic department. To me this rating is like the old adage of keeping up with the Jones. We are sacrificing our university to belong to a group we really don't care about anyway. I think it's just an ego thing for Barker.

Thanks for what you are writing…….why don't you ask someone on the hill about the $5.5M and ask them why the university needs the AD to support them. Then, when the AD needs money to make some change, we don't have it.

THANKS!

I guess the question is whether Leggett can truly bring the Tigers back to national prominence. Is Coach Leggett still the guy to lead the Tiger baseball team? Sometimes you simply need to consider bringing in new blood with a different approach to the players and the job. We should be able to get our freshman to excel if other teams are able to do it (in all sports).

After OP’s latest miss in the NC$$ dance. And after watching the last 15 years of West+Bowden’s football Tigers, I’ve finally come to a conclusion…It ain’t rubbing rocks, burning chickens, or using Pitchforks.
The problem with the Tigers has been, and will remain, STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING. Clemson has the folks to compete, we just don’t get them ready to compete for the entire season. Think about it, Rivers may have been among the best guards in ACC history, but he flaked out at the end of the year. Not only this year, but the last 3 years.
Charlie, while 4-0 against USC, also flaked out at the end of the year.
Clemson doesn’t need better athletes. We just need better folks to make them damn athletes into winners and winners at the end of the season.
I’m sick of caring for a 5 & zero football team when the best we beat was Furman, or a 13 and zero basketball team when the best we beat was Sister Mary’s Catholic School for The Blind and Deaf.

I called you on the show today about the Sears Cup, Wake Forest, etc.

Point of clarification: Is no longer called the Sears Cup, is now Learfield Cup. The newest rankings just came out yesterday, see link below: Wake Forest is ranked 21, Clemson is ranked 63.

http://www.nacda.com/directorscup/nacda-directorscup-current-scoring.html (Click on March 26-yesterday!)

The rankings you were giving were LAST YEAR. Let's discuss on-air tomorrow.