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Hope Springs Eternal
I don’t claim to know a lot about Alexander Pope or his poem, An Essay on Man. I am familiar with the most famous line from the poem though when Pope said, “Hope springs eternal.”

We don’t know the future but we do know that optimism is a healthier way to go through life and without hope, we have nothing.

So, I was sitting on my couch earlier this week leaning on hope. Hope that my herniated disc would heal fast. Hope that the brutal winter would soon yield to better weather. Hope that my nephew arrives into the world healthy. Hope that soon things would brighten up. Hope that this spring will be good to Clemson athletics.

Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for what I have and consider myself lucky but cabin fever was setting in and I needed some hope.

Bruce Springsteen wrote a song called “Reason to Believe” where he basically said we all have to have hope. So here are a few things I am hopeful for this spring:

*I hope Jack Leggett can find enough pitching especially in the Sunday starter and the mid-week guys.

*I hope the weather gets better soon. In Clemson the average high this time of year is 59 degrees but we have had only one day where it has gotten onto the 50s so far this month.

*I hope Kyle Parker does not wear himself out this spring and hope the new plan for his spring will be beneficial to both the baseball and football programs.

*I hope Dabo does not have to come off of the hip with his own money for the raises or salaries of the new positions in his program.

*I hope other schools are finished coming after Clemson assistant coaches this year.

*I hope Tajh Boyd is the real deal. I hope there is real competition at quarterback this spring.

*I hope the Jamie Harper we saw in the bowl game is the one we will see this spring.

*I hope I am not wrong in thinking that Andre Ellington can be a great number-one back.

*I hope we won’t see a huge drop off in the return game with the departure of Spiller and Ford.

*I hope the offensive line continues to improve this spring. They built some momentum late last fall and I hope we will see that continue.

*I hope the red-shirt freshmen like Shuey, Shatley, Christian and McNeal will make an impact this spring.

*I hope this basketball team can make the NCAA tournament for the third consecutive year.

*I hope Clemson can win some ACC titles this spring. I would love to see Larry Penley get another golf title.

*Speaking of golf, I hope the Clemson contingent on the PGA Tour continues their recent success. It sure is nice to follow so many familiar faces on tour each week.

*I hope the spring game is a success. I like the idea of a 4:00 PM start and hope it works well.

*I hope my little nephew that is planned for a March 3 delivery will like his C.J. Spiller jersey.

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, Kaitlyn L, 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, Bob Pollock, Teresa O'Connor, Matt Jacobs, Mike Kingsmore,Perrin Seigler, Carole White Begley, Candee Massee, Lindsey Jordan, Sam Catoe, Tyler Felch, Steve Cato, the Nicolopulos family, Cason Palmer, Candace Fallaw, Scott Jackson, "the Jacksonville, FL guys", Kim Sims, the Coyle familty.

Comments:

I HOPE that Mickey gets out of the house more often and stops doodling :)

Posted by RU4GOD2 on February 17, 2010 at 04:44 PM EST #

I HOPE you don't get paid to write these "blogs"

Posted by CM Shack on February 17, 2010 at 05:11 PM EST #

There must not be a lot to write about these days. I like your blog, and understand you can write whatever you want to write, but it was much better when you wrote about topics that really mattered to the average fan. What prospects are going to be on campus this weekend for Junior Day? What is the outlook for spring practice, and will anyone change positions? Is Demontez Stitt at 100%? What is going on with the ACC television contract negotiations? What is going on with the committee that oversees the Athletic Department and how did it come about? Where will CJ, Jacoby, and Rickey Sapp be taken in the draft? Does Tajh Boyd have a real shot at being the starting QB next year? What would it take for Kyle Parker to go to MLB after this coming baseball season? For the record, I hope the things that you hope for come true.

Posted by Locotiger on February 17, 2010 at 05:14 PM EST #

I liked this blog Mickey. Blog's don't always have to address serious topics, sometimes it's nice to have fun and 'hope'. Since we're hoping, I hope the Clemson basketball team wins the ACC tournament and the NCAA tournament. An ACC title and a national championship for the football team would be nice too...Maybe I've crossed the line between hoping and dreaming.

Posted by McRib on February 17, 2010 at 05:46 PM EST #

C'mon guys. Maybe not one of Mickey's best blogs, but cut him a break. I can't imagine coming up with new material to write about EVERY day (in addition to maintaining a job, family, house, etc.) Keep up the good work Mickey!

Posted by Razzmatazz on February 17, 2010 at 06:08 PM EST #

Perpaps a blog of, 'Great Expectations,' is up next!

Posted by ClemsonTiger1988 on February 17, 2010 at 06:30 PM EST #

With how poorly our defense played last year I was hopeful that Harbison and Steele would have taken the other offers. Our defense basically had two really good games, BC and Wake. They played decent in the second half of Maryland and Virginia (I think the running QB injury had a lot to do with that) games. But vs any team with an above average offense they really struggled. I cannot remember a year where other teams routinely gained over 400 yds vs our defense, well since the Reggie Herring blitz at all costs days. Steele = Herring. Simple man to man defense and blitz at will. VK's defense was much better than Steele's with the exact same players.

Posted by DV_1981 on February 18, 2010 at 08:34 AM EST #