Thursday March 01, 2007

Widmann; Diamond Notes; Golf; $425K; MLB Update

Widmann
I am not hearing positive news on Stan Widmann's injury. The Tiger shortstop will see a specialist in Charlotte but those close to the situation feel the injury is very serious. There are some that feel his career may be over but there is also a chance he may be able to get play again after seeing the specialist. According to a source Widmann may not be expected to return this season.

Neck injuries are always a major concern so please keep the Widmann family in your prayers. I think we could know something more on the injury by the weekend but hopefully the prognosis will improve after the specialist visit.

Baseball Shows Resiliency
The Tigers improved to 7-1 with a 6-4 win over Winthrop, a win that looked a lot like some other recent Tiger victories. Clemson has made it a point to get behind early only to come back in fairly dramatic fashion. Yesterday the long ball was a welcomed sight when Taylor Harbin and Andy D'Alessio hit a couple of bombs.

I know fans are looking to see bing numbers in blowout wins but there is also a school of thought that says these close games will help in the long run. At least Daniel Moskos has had some big save opportunities and the batters have faced some pressure at-bats.

Has 20 Wins Ever Felt So Bad?
I think of myself as an optimist and have been called a Clemson apologist by some but like many of you the feeling I get from this basketball team is not pretty. Has 20 wins ever felt so bad?

Last night coach Purnell said he was he felt some of the things being written and said about his team may be a little harsh. He made the point that they have been close and the ACC is extremely difficult. Again I usually don't do too much of the bashing thing but a few recent items have been disturbing. Consider the following:

*The Tigers were 7 of 21 from the free throw line until the overtime period. Now I will give them credit for shooting 70% from the line in overtime but 33% from the line is ridiculous.

*The post defense has been horrific against Maryland and last night against Miami. The Tigers have to find a way to stop giving up so many points in the paint. Teams have destroyed the Tigers down low and this must not continue. Miami outscored Clemson in the paint 46-34. Maryland outscored the Tigers in the paint 46-24.

*Depth has turned into an issue. Last night they got only 38 minutes from the bench. Vernon Hamilton and Cliff Hammonds combined to play over 80 minutes last night.

*After shooting 7 of 12 from behind the arch in the first half Clemson was just one of seven from three in the second half and overtime.

*For some reason Clemson goes through very long scoring droughts. Last night the Tigers did not score a point in the final 5:03 in regulation.

With that said, there were positives from last night's game. Hammonds continues to play well by creating opportunities without turning the ball over. The junior leads the ACC in the turnovers-to-assists ratio. Also I thought Trevor Booker played one of his best games in the last few weeks. He once again looks like a player you can build around.

Golf Update
Larry Penley's golfers came up with a great final round this week to finish tied for second in the Puerto Rico Classic. Sam Saunders, Tanner Ervin and Kyle Stanley finished in the top ten in the event that featured some of the top programs in the country. I spoke with Penley last week and he really liked this team potential and thinks this is one of the best young teams he has had in recent years. The Tigers started three freshmen and a sophomore in the opening event of the spring.

Where Will It End?
Today's edition of the Tallahassee Democrat confirmed what we had been hearing about new Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher's contract. The newspaper says that Fisher will make $425,000 annually. He is one of three Seminole assistants to make over $300,000. Defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews and offensive line coach Rick Trickett will also top the $300K mark.

This is news coming on the heels of Clemson assistants being offered jobs from other schools that also featured huge raises. Perhaps the most important commitment an administration can make is to their coaches and now the bar has been raised in the ACC.

MLB Update
Jack Leggett has produced great talent in recent years and many of those former players are in spring training and trying to make a major league roster. One of the things I will try to do on the blog in the coming weeks is update the status of the former Tigers in Florida and Arizona. There are a couple of good websites I will link to keep those interested in the progress of the former Tigers.

One Final Note
For those that have not moved to Clemson yet I have some motivation for you. Yesterday was one of those rare days you live for where you could have played 18 holes at the Walker Course, caught an exciting baseball win over Winthrop and top the day with a trip to Littlejohn to check out an overtime win over Miami. For those that don't call Clemson home, I think Tom Winkopp has a couple of condos that have your name written all over it.

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