The Future of Clemson Basketball |
The Future of Clemson Basketball
The athletic administration at Clemson has some difficult questions facing it concerning Clemson basketball. They are good questions to have but they are still questions. You can't judge an entire program based upon the results of one game, but Sunday's atmosphere changed my perception of the potential of Clemson basketball’s future. I don't have to be reminded that this is only the NIT, but Sunday was more about the bigger picture to me. I have witnessed Clemson basketball in its finest hours over the past 40 years. Unfortunately those hours have been few and far between. The lack of sustained success in basketball at Clemson led me to wonder if Clemson fans even really care about basketball. I have often questioned the fan base as to where basketball stood among its priorities. Often I have doubted that many Clemson people really even care about the sport and would ever consistently support it. Sunday gave me hope once again. Sunday's game was a glimpse of what basketball inside the new coliseum could look like. It looked much different than what most games inside Littlejohn. I love it when the place is rocking and Sunday showed me it can be done. The question remains how to accomplish this on a more consistent basis. Winning can cure all ills in sports and I think the future of Clemson basketball looks pretty promising. But outside of that, what can the administration do to help ensure Sunday become the norm not the exception? Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich is committed to a new building. They will gut Littlejohn and rebuild inside its current walls. Radakovich says that the new building will look nothing like the current one and he hopes the new coliseum will help propel the program to new heights. The tentative plans for the new building will decrease seating down to around 8,500 from 10,000. Is that a good idea? I understand the idea of creating demand but Sunday we proved that 10,000 is obtainable. Would the athletic department be willing to change its ticket policy? The general admission is not perfect but it has given many fans a chance to get a much closer look the game. Would they be willing to reserve certain lower sections for general admission seating? Is it possible to reward 1,000 supporting fans who want to get there early with great seats? In the new building what will be the student ticket policy? Over the past couple of seasons many close to the program have been discouraged by the student attendance. How can the program help to engage the student body again? Ticket prices certainly helped Sunday morning's capacity crowd. Would the administration consider more games where lower ticket prices were available? How will the athletic department continue to promote the sport? Will we see even more social media? More billboards? More advertising? How will the sport be funded at Clemson? Is the administration ready to give Clemson basketball a budget that is on par with the nation's top programs? Will JUCO recruiting become more prevalent in the future? Can this program start to recruit more on that level? How committed is Clemson to
Brad Brownell These are tough questions and ones that I may have had a different answer to before Sunday. What I saw Sunday was a fan base that is hungry to win in this sport and one that is willing to give its support. This is not the first time we have seen this, though. Again the problem is these occurrences don't happen often enough and have proven to be difficult to sustain. A few years ago the board of directors and the athletic administration got together and gave full support to
Dabo Swinney Clemson is a football school and I doubt I will see the day that changes. However, basketball here can be successful. Is the administration willing to go "All In" with Clemson basketball? table align=right> 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 email me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com *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, Jo Ann Bachman, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got Igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard, Gillespie and his family, Jim S., Daniel Rosborough, the Huffman family, Nancy Winkler, John Reeve, Vinnie Brock, Kaitlyn L., Susan Miller, Joyce Harley, Steve Proveaux, Jeffrey Greene, the Hutto family, Sherl Drawdy, Caleb Kennedy, Teresa O'Connor, Matt Jacobs, Perrin Seigler, Candee Massee, Lindsey Jordan, Sam Catoe, Tyler Felch, the Nicolopulos family, "the Jacksonville, FL guys," Kim Sims, the Coyle family, Ryleigh Tedder, Steve Lee, Kelly Trakas, Jimmy Moore, the Thomas V. family, Emary Claire Young, Kitty Bowers, Julie Locke, the Scheider family, Lauren Kittles' family, Frank Gentry, Joyce Bussey, Stacey McKeown, Dale Childs, Larry Lentz, Jr., Carl Sharperson, Scott Hannon, William Perry, Tyler Swaney, Lillian, Mark Feit, David Frame, Chad Berry, the family of Matthew M. Watson, the Dowis family, Shervin Messer, Alan Putnam, the Olivers, Lee Tate, Ronnie Abrams, Eddie Greene, the Jackson family, Bill Vader, Jim Taylor, Tina DeWitt, Rock Horne, Christopher Tuten, Bobby Wayne Thomas, Emma and Danielle Carothers, Robert Ditty, Mr. and Mrs. Murray Smith, Dot Cartee, Ayden Mills, Millie Heatley, Lynn Martin and family, Michael Pinson, Jake David family, Angie Crowley, Ira, Mike Tolson, Poly Wells, Dr. Muriel Bishop, Jack Cunningham, Emily Jefford Meister, Zachary Stoller, Aaron Clackum, Pat James, Cortney Moore, William Moore, Angelia and Savannah Anderson, William Ross, Meredith Legg, Scott Johns, Frank Carroll, Brandon Thompson, Alvin Sammons, Georgine McAlhaney, Glen Davis, Mike Price, Clay Childers, Aaron Knight, Danielle Johnston and family, Nicholas Abrams, Lana Kuykendall, Gary, Gary G., William Huggins, Jim Bennett, Chantz Fowler, Ethel McElveen, Michele Gurganus, William Gentry, Lewis Usher and Tanya Sanders, Shon Cooper, Nick Collins, Amanda Peake, Danny Hammond, Chip Turner, Nick Collins, Allen Steen, the Sturkey family, the Lance family, Nick Chrisley's family, Allison Williams, Lt. Kyle Walker, Summer and Joel Johnson, Nicole O'Donnell, James O. Johnson, Joy Pruett and family, Bill Schmidt, Jack Bailey, Gardner Family, Charles Turner, Kathy Bartholomew, Ray Sanders, David and Robin Blocker, J.R. Ray, Kenneth Kowe, Lauren Sielicki, Doug Bailey and family, Jenna Phipps, Mark Lawrence, Harlan Sullins, Peter Laboy, Kat and Carlisle Jones, Elizabeth Galloway and family, Anita McDonald, Willard Harryman, Liz Surratt, Molly Senn, Jackie Shearer, Richard Sellers, Tim Drisdelle, Edward Easterling, Dawson Bourne, Susan and Mike Brown, Julie Goodman Marshall, Willard and Dorothy Harryman, Justin Jernigan, Jack Cunningham, Mia Daughtery, Tee Senn, Jim Lanier, Bob Garrett, Skylar, Joseph Thomas, Mrs. Nelis, Jeanne Thompson, Sean Rowell, George Parker, Levon Kirkland and family, Catherine Sewell, Randy Davenport, Patrick Destefano, David Vaughn, Keith Dalton, B.T., Bill Hilbig, Rita Elrod Hammond and family, Rebecca Davis, Jim McKeller, and our great country and the men and women in uniform that protect and serve it every day, plus their families. 
Brad Brownell
Head Coach
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? Some schools have already inquired. Is Clemson willing to do whatever is necessary to keep Brownell around when bigger "basketball schools” come calling?
Dabo Swinney
Head Coach
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and the football program. They built a state of the art indoor facility. They gave him a big budget for assistant coaches. They gave him a bigger support staff. They gave him a training table. In summary, the commitment was increased by the administration and the results have been obvious on the field.The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency
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