Friday August 21, 2009
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,
Mickey, I have a buddy from UGA. He is a colleague of mine in the practice of optometry. He says he has a good friend in Alpharetta that runs, maintains, provides the buses for college game day for travel, advertising etc. This dude is evidently involved with advertising currently, and he CLAIMS that he is holding the original Howard's Rock in his back yard! I have called BS on this numerous times and says it is a replica because NOBODY would be allowed to move, much
less have, the most recognizable symbol in all of Clemson. Mickey, would you please take a picture as it sits in its rightful place so I can probe to this bulldog that dude does not have the real Howard's Rock? I live an hour away or more, and just thought you would like the story if nothing else.
Enjoy your blog and website.
Go Tigers
Steve
Steve,
I am not sure how to post pics on the blog but I rode by the rock yesterday and it was still there. Tell him I have the original Hedges in my front yard.
Mickey.
I read an interesting column about Nebraska’s nutrition program (http://huskerextra.com/articles/2009/08/20/football/doc4a88a79700b45406843045.txt). Seems pretty slick. Does Clemson have anything like this? Can you expound on the football’s nutrition program, what they have, what they don’t, etc? Thanks.
Marc
Marc,
I enjoyed the link. Clemson has a full-time nutritionalist on staff and the student-athletes have individual nutrition guidelines. Every player and position has different needs and the student-athlete is given a plan. Now, like all diets, it just depends on how committed they are to sticking to it. But this is an area where they have began to focus on in the past couple of years.
Mickey,
I remember last year preseason when Bowden said Sapp was not blockable. This year, the same is being said of him and Jarvis Jenkins this year. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for backing the Tigers win or lose. However, your comments beg the question are Sapp and Jenkins so superior to any o line or, given that the same players are back on the offensive line, the Tigers will struggle on offense? Convince me the o line is far superior to last year's line at Alabama?
Bigatiger
Bigatiger,
Sapp has had a good career but not a great one yet. I do hear offensive coordinators or head coaches talk about his speed and they gameplan for him. Maybe Clemson does not help with the backs and tight ends like others have. I do expect bigger things from him this season. Jenkins is in great shape. He is serious about football and has a bright future. Maybe you are right though. Maybe Clemson’s offensive line is just not that talented. I guess we will begin to find out in two weeks.
Mickey,
I think it important to point out to people who are not familiar with the QB situation that both Parker and Korn were highly recruited prospects. It’s not as if Korn lost out to a walk-on player with a lesser skill set. These two players would have a chance to be the guy at a lot of programs and Clemson is very lucky to have them both. Throw Tajh Boyd into the discussion and Clemson has 3 incredibly talented QBs on the roster. I think there is a school in the Columbia area that would kill for this problem
Brian
Brian,
I agree. This is the deepest and most talented the Tigers have been at quarterback in years. They obviously lack experience but talent is not the question. All three have talent. I think all three could play in a lot of programs.
Mickey,
I like your idea for players wearing No. 17 during the season from week-to-week to honor Stanley Hunter. Perhaps you could share that idea with a coach on the football staff.
Kirk
Kirk,
I think they have a pretty good idea of how to handle things without me. It will be interesting to follow and see how this story progresses.
Mickey,
Enjoy the blog. Assuming that all goes well with Kyle Parker (I realize that is a big assumption) and he stays away from injury, will we ever see Willy Korn start a game for the Tigers, or is Parker our "bridge to Boyd"?
Thanks
Swalsh
Swalsh,
You bring ups interesting questions but I am not sure how it will play out. I can see a scenario where Parker plays well and keeps the job for four years. I can see a scenario where he struggles and Korn keeps it for three years. I can see either play well but Boyd still beats them out. If anyone tells you they know how this thing is going to play out then they are mistaken. Injuries and development are difficult to predict. I can tell you that the position will be in good hands over the next few seasons but can’t tell you whose hands they will be in.
Mickey,
I really believe we're in trouble offensively. According to people who have gone to the practices, our offensive line is not good, the center to quarterback exchange is not good and our WR's have not stepped up. Our defense is as good as any team in the conference. This team has 6-6 or 7-5 written all over it. I know I sound like a broken record, but, once again, we will be mediocre in a mediocre conference.
I will say this: This coaching staff knows they need to produce. They will not have the luxury of time. Two seasons of 7 win football and we'll be looking for a new coach....again. It really bothers me that, each year, we have this conversation about our football program. When does the
mediocrity end? I've asked this question for years and no one has offered an answer.
Hopefully, I'm dead wrong. Flame away.
Rick
Rick,
I hope you are wrong too but I can’t sit here in August and tell you that are wrong or right. Clemson does have issues and question marks. But every team in the country has question marks. I think the offensive line is better but could be wrong. I think quarterbacks will play better but can’t tell you for sure. I think the Tigers are a better football team than they were last year but time will tell. I also think the conference is improved.
Hey Mick,
As by now you may have heard (in a weekend article released by Tiger Illustrated), Brandon Maye and Willy Korn are going to wear Stanley Hunter's #17 in the first two football games to honor their teammate. Maye will wear it in the opener, Korn the next week at Georgia Tech.
Stanley Hunter has such a tremendous story. Some may still not be aware of what this young man has been through in his life, not to mention having to give up football recently.
I am going to wear an orange t-shirt this year to games with a #17 on the front and back to honor Hunter. I hope the fans will honor him in their own way as well.
Do you think doing a blog on Stanley Hunter and his story at some point before the opener would be a good idea so that his story can be brought to the forefront for Tiger fans to enjoy, yet at the same time rally around Stanley during what will probably be a difficult time for him.
Thanks for all you do.
Neil
Neil,
Great idea. I hope others will get involved. Stanley Hunter is a great story. Several of our local papers have documented his story over the past few weeks but I may do a blog on him soon. Thanks and I will look for the guy in the #17 shirt this season.
Mickey,
Hope you are doing well. Sorry I have not called the show recently. I will try to do so very soon. I was not able to post a reply to your Friday mail bag. Can you either mail this to NJTiger or post it for me? If you email … please include my email address with an invite to contact me directly.
Thanks,
Larry
NJTiger, I live in Texas, subscribe to ESPN gameplan, and see almost every game the Tigers play via this package or ‘normal’ networks. Hopefully ESPN GP does not black out games in your area that are televised in Texas. Also for the ESPN360 games, you can plug a laptop into a tv if you have the right interfaces and cables. I don’t think there is a regular webcast of games. ESPN GP runs me about $115 and is worth every penny. Good luck and Go Tigers!
Lonestar Larry
Larry,
Thanks. I hope NJTiger will find the info helpful.
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 list 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:
Finn Brookover, Larry in Naples, FL, RTG-Pawsitive Tiger, Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter), 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, Amy Murphey, Jack Huffman, Nancy Winkler, Dr. Nancy Strom Morgan, John Reeve, Eileen Woodrum, Ethel Southard, Vinnie Brock, Jean-Pierre Bailey, Kaitlyn L, Delores Weaver, Eric Boessneck, John Bowers, Jimmy Ness, Susan Miller, Joyce Harley, Steve Proveaux, John Petrey, Chalmers Carr, Drayton Melton, Jeffrey Greene, the Hutto family, Sherl Drawdy, Caleb Kennedy.
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