CLEMSON BASKETBALL

Steele: Littlejohn feared no more?
Littlejohn's student section with just under 2 minutes before the game on Sunday.

Steele: Littlejohn feared no more?


by - Staff Writer -

It wasn’t that long ago that Clemson’s Littlejohn Coliseum was revered as not only one of the toughest places to play in the ACC, but as one of the toughest in the country.

It was just five years ago that EA Sports named Littlejohn as the toughest place to play in America, and it was just four years ago that College GameDay made its first and only appearance for a Clemson basketball game.

Now what was once a proud student section is filled with fans who bought upper level tickets and are moved down by event staff because the students won’t show up to support the basketball team, a team that was picked to finish 14th in the conference but is fighting for fifth place and an invitation to the NCAA Tournament.

Clemson head coach Brad BrownellBrad Brownell
Head Coach
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told TigerNet Monday that a less than stellar turnout at basketball games isn’t unique to Clemson, and that other schools around the country have had the same problem

“We don’t have bad crowds, but we’re not 10,000 strong every night either,” Brownell said during his weekly ACC conference call. “Student attendance has kind of come and gone. There have been nights where we’ve had really good student attendance and then there have been others like yesterday where it was just okay. It’s not just unique to our situation. I see games on TV and I go to other arenas in the league and we all struggle from time to time to garner student interest.”

However, Clemson should be the exception, not the rule.

When I chose to attend Clemson University in 2004, it wasn’t because it was like every other university around, it was because there is something special about Clemson – the way we rally around every cause, around every team, around each other.

Clemson is a small community and it’s not uncommon to have a class with a Rod HallRod Hall
Jr. Guard
#4 6-1, 210
Augusta, GA

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or a K.J. McDanielsK.J. McDaniels
Jr. Forward
#32 6-6, 200
Birmingham, AL

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, and if you do, then you probably see how hard each one of those guys are working on and off the court. So why not show up and support your classmates and those that are representing the university that you are so lucky to attend?

Brownell laid out all of the excuses for the low student turnout, but he was quick to point out that the regular fans, the paying fans have been fantastic with their support this season.

“There are a lot of things going on. Yesterday, it was a gorgeous day down here. It was 70 some odd degrees and people were outside,” Brownell said. “There was a baseball game against South Carolina just after the basketball game so I’m sure some people were doing that. There’s a lot of stuff for people to do right now. I think our traditional fans have been very good this year, our season ticket holders, our fans that come and support us that aren’t students – that fan base has been great all year. I think our students have been kind of come and go. We have to continue to do our best to motivate them and market them and make them understand what we have with basketball sometimes that we have so many games going on.

“It’s not like with football where everybody comes on a Saturday and there’s only one a week. This week we have three games in a row. We didn’t play at home for a month – we had one home game in 20-some odd days. I think that can lose interest too when all of a sudden your basketball team isn’t home for so long and you forget about it a little bit. It’s a bunch of different things and I don’t think it’s unique to Clemson.”

In the end though, those are all just excuses.

I was a student not long ago and I remember the long nights of studying and the exams and the social activities, but it’s two hours.

Two hours is all it takes to show the basketball team that their hard work isn’t for naught, and that basketball can be as important as football and baseball. I help with TigerNet's Twitter account during the games, and one convenient excuse I hear is that Clemson basketball isn't fun to watch.

Since when is winning not fun? Would they rather be entertained by up-and-down the court basketball and two ACC wins? Since when does a win not count as entertainment?

As a Clemson student and a general fan, you have two more opportunities – Tuesday night and Saturday afternoon to see one of the most exciting players to ever play basketball at Clemson University, and to support a team that is scratching, clawing and fighting for every win heading into the post season.

“I think this is a team that plays really hard and has been fun to watch,” Brownell said. “I certainly think we have one of the most exciting players in all of college basketball in K.J. McDaniels. I said that earlier in the season that if our fans aren’t careful, they are going to miss one of the most athletic and special players to play at this school.

“There isn’t a game that goes by that he doesn’t do something that makes you shake your head in amazement. To watch him is special. Our team competes hard. We’ve kind of got an over-achieving group that the collective parts have really blended well together. If you appreciate guys who compete hard and play well together, then you will really appreciate this team.”

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Subject (Replies: 148) Author
spacer New Story: Steele: Littlejohn feared no more?
TigerNet News®
spacer Neither is BTF.***
DefensiveTackleU
spacer Re: Neither is BTF.- I disagree
74TIGER
spacer Re: Neither is BTF.***
fatboy
spacer Re: Neither is BTF.***
allorangeallthetime52®
spacer CUAD even tried giving away
GWPTiger®
spacer Who?***
DefensiveTackleU
spacer The only coach who has beaten the coots this year
GWPTiger®
spacer Re: The only coach who has beaten the coots this year
clemtiger117
spacer Re: The only coach who has beaten the coots this year
fatboy
spacer Tennis?***
DefensiveTackleU
spacer Do I look like T_I_P?***
GWPTiger®
spacer Not sure. What's that chick look like?***
DefensiveTackleU
spacer I don't get it...
uproar84
spacer Yes, I agree
GWPTiger®
spacer this wednesday vs SC at home
T_I_P
spacer Student section was packed for baseball
PenthouseTiger
spacer Re: Student section was packed for baseball
deleted
spacer It was pretty full for EMU and Maine on the warm days***
PenthouseTiger
spacer Re: Student section was packed for baseball
armsb
spacer the students say they have to study during the games, but...
Nobody's Fool
spacer ITS ACC BASKETBALL ARE YOU EF ING KIDDING ME!!!!!??
1portroyalty®
spacer The Duke students seem to be able to find a couple hours to
cutigerbob®
spacer No no no bob
CUtiger2012
spacer Re: ITS ACC BASKETBALL ARE YOU EF ING KIDDING ME!!!!!??
allorangeallthetime52®
spacer It's actually pretty easy to be studying and also be on
FootballFan36
spacer Re: New Story: Steele: Littlejohn feared no more?
milkingoatswithjehnir
spacer Re: New Story: Steele: Littlejohn feared no more?
clemtiger117
spacer Re: New Story: Steele: Littlejohn feared no more?
armsb
spacer Re: New Story: Steele: Littlejohn feared no more?
allorangeallthetime52®
spacer Did you ever go to college?
Tha_TigerFan
spacer I'm not sure why no one doesnt understand
xtiger®
spacer Syracuse plays low scoring games
NutCutterU
spacer Re: Syracuse plays low scoring games
OldGreenTom
spacer Re: I'm not sure why no one doesnt understand
hazer
spacer Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner. If I wanted to see
Tiger5
spacer So it is because of hte fast paced game they play and not
clemsongt
spacer So the Depaul students come to their games? Maybe we can
CM Shack®
spacer ok genius, tell me why no one is coming to games?
xtiger®
spacer We have ###### basketball fans...DUh...Do you ever come to
CM Shack®
spacer uh dumb ###
xtiger®
spacer Then how do you know what it's like? Why should I
CM Shack®
spacer ya, cause you cant see anything on tv.***
xtiger®
spacer As far as the crowd goes, no , no you can't***
CM Shack®
spacer Why would you watch on TV if Clemson BB is boring
Tiger5
spacer also I can remember great fan seasons at Clemson
xtiger®
spacer First of all, Brad's style is similar to Barnes' style and
CM Shack®
spacer if you dont understand the difference b/w Barnes style
xtiger®
spacer No, you're right, Rick ran an exciting slow down plodder
CM Shack®
spacer if people...
cutiger250
spacer Care to defend your statement? We were winning and the style
CM Shack®
spacer pace of play is a lame excuse IMO. there are other issues
Smack Daddy
spacer Re: ok genius, tell me why no one is coming to games?
clemtiger117
spacer Attendance struggled EVEN while OP was winning, people that
CM Shack®
spacer "But we'll never be great in BB, just good." -xtiger
Judge Keller®
spacer I want to watch CLEMSON. Could care less if Duke and
Tiger5
spacer Re: I'm not sure why no one doesnt understand
lhaselden
spacer first of all most games are not like yesterdays
xtiger®
spacer Maybe if you understood the game better, you wouldn't get so
CM Shack®
spacer The Cuse and UVa say hello, only the top 2 teams in the
striperfan
spacer Well, we played "boring" football in the 80s and 90s
Judge Keller®
spacer Re: I'm not sure why no one doesnt understand
armsb
spacer As a freshman student
Tmatthk®
spacer REALLY?
Country Gentleman
spacer Agree - every excuse he points out is total
bisraeljr
spacer Should've just said "I don't really want to go to the games"***
camcgee®
spacer I used to pregame for almost all the basketball games with
CUtiger2012
spacer You are obviously not a basketball fan
BobRoss
spacer Re: You are obviously not a basketball fan
Tmatthk®
spacer As a student at Clemson you really ought to know the
FootballFan36
spacer Re: As a freshman student
lhaselden
spacer Good lawd that was silly...
camcgee®
spacer Sad, really sad, but then again the people on this board
clemsongt
spacer Re: Sad, really sad, but then again the people on this board
Tiger9113
spacer Re: Sad, really sad, but then again the people on this board
Tmatthk®
spacer You are the problem.
ClemsonTiger06
spacer Re: You are the problem.
Tmatthk®
spacer I'm embarrassed.....for you, that is***
Nobody's Fool
spacer Would love to give this kid a squirley
drewtigeralum03
spacer Re: Would love to give this kid a squirley
Tmatthk®
spacer Tell you what...I was able to get my friends to go to games
drewtigeralum03
spacer 15 minutes early. LOL I camped out for SIX DAYS for Clemson/
tigerdrummer®
spacer Re: 15 minutes early. LOL I camped out for SIX DAYS for Clemson/
joeyblack
spacer OMG...did you really just say that??..
cutiger250
spacer Wow, that might just about be the whiniest post I've seen.
TigerHawk76®
spacer Re: As a freshman student
tigergirl
spacer Pics?***
DefensiveTackleU
spacer Re: As a freshman student
tigersnake1954
spacer Re: As a freshman student
Tmatthk®
spacer pardon my French.
tigerdrummer®
spacer Re: As a freshman student
BKendall36
spacer The Clemson freshman
Tmatthk®
spacer Keep digging kid
soccerkrzy®
spacer OH DEER LOWERED, not the mixer excuse again
drewtigeralum03
spacer Re: The Clemson freshman
clemtiger117
spacer You are no diehard.***
tigerdrummer®
spacer Re: As a freshman student
clemtiger117
spacer Re: As a freshman student
Tmatthk®
spacer Close games are "annoying" — I have now heard it all***
rockthejohn
spacer Student Seating
clemsonboy6754
spacer Re: Student Seating
manewto
spacer Lol! If I made up a student response that was intended
Swarley
spacer Any way to kick this one out of school
RainyDayHillSitter
spacer Well, here is the answer. We need to seriously revise our
tpaw79
spacer Re: As a freshman student
manewto
spacer Daddy can't get you a front row seat?***
RC Tiger®
spacer Re: As a freshman student
armsb
spacer It's not JUST the students...I have been to several games
CM Shack®
spacer Old News But..We Need Some Lights Out Shooters/Scorers --
Xander5000
spacer 2 Problems
ClemsonTiger06
spacer Let's be honest, the school hasn't changed that much.
soccerkrzy®
spacer I doubt the SAT scores have gone up that much from 2003
camcgee®
spacer You just don't understand Pokeman cards
drewtigeralum03
spacer Re: You just don't understand Pokeman cards
armsb
spacer The "changed student body" argument
CTiger423®
spacer From a students point of view
LennMcCartJr
spacer Re: From a students point of view
oldguy999
spacer LOL....oh for the days of waiting outside for the Fike FH
CUTIGR69
spacer Re: New Story: Steele: Littlejohn feared no more?
TigerFan46
spacer Re:It seems to me that we play better when only a few are
peanut
spacer Re: New Story: Steele: Littlejohn feared no more?
BKendall36
spacer I WAS THERE...from Charleston
TigerGreenWave
spacer Re: I WAS THERE...from Charleston
tigerz2
spacer Student Section is just plain sad.***
thetigerdaddy®
spacer 2 Clemson basketball players just posted this picture on
Bryanttiger®
spacer THANK YOU FOR THIS STORY. GET INVOLVED FANS!
deleted
spacer Re: New Story: Steele: Littlejohn feared no more?
scjaw54
spacer Was LJ ever really feared?
IPTAY FAMILY
spacer it had a fierce reputation
tarheeledtiger
spacer Ok, how about LJ has the POTENTIAL to be fierce
IPTAY FAMILY
spacer this pic is not fare the baseball team was playing south
fatboy
spacer Are you fat...you sound fat
drewtigeralum03
spacer I went to both
IPTAY FAMILY
spacer What about next year
Tmatthk®
spacer If they do what GT did, Party Buses!
IPTAY FAMILY
spacer Maryland game
cutiger16
spacer Re: Maryland game
Tmatthk®
spacer You are really full of it
drewtigeralum03
spacer welcome newbie
potatoes and gravy®
spacer Do notice : this pic is during warmups***
Seegs
spacer Re: New Story: Steele: Littlejohn feared no more?
Melclem
spacer Students are only part of it. Season ticket holders are not
3rdGenTiger
spacer Folks, try moving away a few years
Tiger TC®
spacer I think Clemson's record at home this year, coupled with
tigerpaws®
spacer First Sign
Ocracoke13
spacer Then why did boring football sell tickets for decades?
Judge Keller®
spacer Re: New Story: Steele: Littlejohn feared no more?
sosjr88
spacer Current Clemson Student
sosjr88
spacer Brah hears ya and thinks that we could use more comments
Brah