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All-In [25393]
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AN OPEN APOLOGY to my Clemson friends:
Mar 15, 2015, 7:53 AM
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Last night's victory by Notre Dame for the ACC crown was commendable, yet bittersweet.
Bittersweet, as Pacificbeachtiger so eloquently stated, because they've only been in the ACC for two years, while we are charter members.
Many of us older Tigers have at times been large supporters of Clemson, financially and physically; thus in positions where we could have exhorted the BOT and administration to powerful commitments to our basketball program. Yet, we failed to do so. We accepted our support of football, while also accepting our mediocrity in basketball. We accepted the Tobacco Road influence and its center-of-the-universe role in Greensboro. And now, unfortunately, our failures are manifesting themselves among our younger alumni and fans.
I invested three years at Clemson on the sidelines in Fike, exhorting our fan base to cheering on our teams; I invested several years, including one as Editor-in-Chief of "The Tiger," exhorting our teams to superior performances. Yet, after four years of active military service following Clemson, I have invested most of my time building a business. Though a heavy financial contributor at times, I am one of those who accepted the status quo, and for that, I am disgusted with myself.
John F. Kennedy once said, "The torch has been passed to a new generation...(sic.)" Now, that torch rests with my younger friends on TigerNet and among our fanbase, for you will have to light the torch and make your voices heard.
I'm not convinced our current efforts are well-reasoned, for when I built my business, I started anew trying to build a strong foundation before I built the walls. I've seen the plans for LJ, but I question whether or not they are the proverbial lipstick on the pig approach, for I believe our basic basketball foundation to be weak...shaky at best. And unless we first rebuild the foundation, no amount of money will fix our problems. I like Brad Brownell, but I question whether or not he is the right man to rebuild. I strongly appreciate our team members' efforts and welcome all to our Tiger Brotherhood. But we must find the means to recruit better with an audacity of a Duke or UNC or a Kentucky or whomever.
Lastly, any endeavor is only successful only as its members contribute to its success. I learned at Clemson how important our alumni and fans were. I learned how much influence those same alumni and fans could have on our programs. And I know d@mn-well that our present-day alumni and fans can make a difference. That difference will have to begin with our BOT making a strong statement of commitment, then allowing that to extend down through the administration to our students and alumni.
Can we excel in a major sport other than football? Of course...because I choose to believe. My regret is that I should have kicked my own buttinski long ago to have helped. I didn't, and for that I apologize to all of you...pumpers, dumpers, optimists, pessimists...all.
Message was edited by: hartins®
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Heisman Winner [134494]
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Re: AN OPEN APOLOGY to my Clemson friends:
Mar 15, 2015, 10:32 AM
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Good morning my friend...You can't do it alone. It is amazing Clemson can't win the ACCT. Besides football, we are medicore in basically all other sports.
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All-In [48078]
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True........
Mar 15, 2015, 10:44 AM
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For me though, I care the most, by far for football, basketball next, and then baseball a distant 3rd. I don't care what we do in sports after that. I believe we can turn the hoops program around at one point. When will that be? Who knows. I believe it is possible though.
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Heisman Winner [134494]
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Re: True........
Mar 15, 2015, 10:58 AM
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your order is the same with me. the only difference is I would like to be competitive for championships in all sports. But Football is king for me too.
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Oculus Spirit [90820]
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Hey friend "Hartins"..we all have sat still & watched BB & Baseball take 2nd
Mar 15, 2015, 11:10 AM
[ in reply to True........ ] |
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Fiddle to our football heritage (and it too had gone into the toilet all too often until WE yelled, and the BOT & Administration listened)..and So the same improvements in coaches, staff & facilities will (and have) happen again in these sports IF & WHEN we let it be know to "The proper authorities".
And don't forget..it takes Money, and IPTAY is just one avenue for raising that commodity..which reminds me I owe another payment to the Club that Sikes & Howard formed over 75 years ago to save little ole CLEMSON from being overpowered by our opponents!
Want to help out immediately..join IPTAY or rob a bank & throw the money bag off at AD's office with a note to use on whatever the Basket or Base Ball Teams need to "buy" some great players and/or coaches (sic).
Git er done TiGER Fans..and keep wearing that Orange that makes the Coots angry!
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CU Guru [1250]
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That's Not Accurate
Mar 15, 2015, 11:15 AM
[ in reply to Re: AN OPEN APOLOGY to my Clemson friends: ] |
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I would think that the men's soccer team and women's track team would be surprised to learn that they are mediocre.
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Heisman Winner [134494]
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Re: That's Not Accurate
Mar 15, 2015, 11:20 AM
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valid point. Maybe it TNET covered more of these sports, it would get noticed.
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All-TigerNet [10639]
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Outstanding letter, my friend, and I think we all owe the...
Mar 15, 2015, 10:48 AM
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University and BOTs and apology for us not holding them accountable and insisting that we become competitive in other sports. and in particular basketball! In the past we hAve been competitive in soccer and baseball, but eventually we became complacent in those. Every school has lapses from time to time, but having never won an ACC tournament championship in bSketball is inexcusable. I too like Brad Brownell - a lot - but he needs to understand we need progress and eventually a championship.
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Orange Blooded [2663]
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can all the negative nellies please try to grasp that ND
Mar 15, 2015, 11:00 AM
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didn't just fall out of the sky? They've had an excellent basketball program going back at least 50 years. There is NO COMPARISON between our two programs. Notre Dame recruits nationally and has ALWAYS done so. They're an enormous CAtholic university, with a group of followers who believe putting a condom on Mr. John Thomas is some kind of venial sin, so new point guards and tall interior players are getting popped out yearly.
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Legend [18790]
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True but then how do you explain Miami and FSU?
Mar 15, 2015, 11:31 AM
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I am listening...
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Heisman Winner [134494]
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Re: True but then how do you explain Miami and FSU?
Mar 15, 2015, 11:35 AM
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fsu has had pretty good teams but I believe they were able to "out muscle" most opponents. I think most of Clemson's problem may be in their head as much as anything. just my thoughts.
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Legend [18790]
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I am seeing what you're saying but I think the point is just
Mar 15, 2015, 11:42 AM
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that those programs aren't traditionally any stronger than we are. Yet they both are able to beat UNC at Chapel Hill and win the ACC basketball tourney in a relatively short number of years in the ACC compared to us being a founding member.
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Heisman Winner [134494]
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Re: I am seeing what you're saying but I think the point is just
Mar 15, 2015, 11:44 AM
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i agree. that's why i think it is in Clemson's head. I even think fsu beat unc in chapel hill on their first try. that just befuddled me.
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Orange Blooded [2663]
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that's fair. it IS discouraging that we can't even manage to
Mar 15, 2015, 12:13 PM
[ in reply to I am seeing what you're saying but I think the point is just ] |
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produce a team--even during the Dougherty years--that could be UNC at Chapel Hill. And I don't think that's in the kids' heads, 'cause I doubt kids pay that much attention to stuff like that. We'll get it together. For many years, we just decided I think that we were going to sacrifice basketball for football.
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CU Guru [1639]
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Re: that's fair. it IS discouraging that we can't even manage to
Mar 16, 2015, 2:33 PM
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One thing to consider, well2, I gurantee it is drilled into the UNC player's heads -do you want to be the first team in history to lose to Clemson at Chapel Hill? And there is the referee factor - like the game when Barnes was coach that the last few minutes of the game we only had 4 players on the court. I also remember the ACC tourney finals against the heels when Tree Rollins was playing that if the dunk hadn't been outlawed he would have scored the winning basket.
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All-Conference [441]
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Re: can all the negative nellies please try to grasp that ND
Mar 15, 2015, 1:45 PM
[ in reply to can all the negative nellies please try to grasp that ND ] |
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< They've had an excellent basketball program going back at least 50 years. There is NO COMPARISON between our two programs. Notre Dame recruits nationally and has ALWAYS done so.>
This is the truth. They've also stuck by a coach for 15 years when a huge number of fans wanted to start over. And they have shooters. If Brownell can get the team to closer to 40% from 3 they'll be in the NCAA's. They are getting the open shots. We all know all the excuses but they just haven't had several quality shooters since Andre Young, Tanner Smith and co. When Brownell went to the tournament with the 2010-11 team they shot .349 from 3. Since then it has been .321, .317, .303, .299. They're getting open looks in the system too and win-loss records in the ACC are in order of 3 point percentage. Judging by that Washington Post article featuring Brownell he probably is planning to focus on shooting. One last thing is that it takes years of recruiting to build that foundation and Brad's had a few that we don't need to waste.
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All-TigerNet [11934]
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Applying the term "rebuild" in reference to CU hoops is
Mar 15, 2015, 11:04 AM
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a bit off target.
It implies that there was ever anything of substance to "re-build" ...
After some 66 years of participating in the ACC in basketball, I believe that we are still faced with the challenge to actually "build" a foundation in basketball at Clemson.
Nothing we have ever done over those 66 years has shown the sort of legitimate commitment necessary to create a strong foundation for the program.
And sadly, I do not believe I'll live long enough.
Maybe some of the younger fans will get to see it happen.
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All-In [48078]
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Well said..
Mar 15, 2015, 12:31 PM
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So will we ever dump the cash at basketball facilities to compete with the best programs? I am thrilled that LJ is getting a facelift, but we all know that 66 million is just a start if we really want to be elite. Does Clemson even have the money to do that or would we ever? I would love to see us relative in the Spring and not just the Fall with football. Should I just give up on the dream?
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Legend [18790]
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Don't be so hard on yourself.
Mar 15, 2015, 11:04 AM
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We all need a kick in the butt.
None of us here are asking to be Kentucky but the losing streak at Chapel Hill is the most embarrassing albatross in the entire sports world just about. And after 60+ plus games we are actually losing ground to ending it.
Finding the right coaches aren't as big of a problem as keeping the right coaches. Our admin/BOT should have also been more vigorous about moving the ACC out of Greensboro especially after they moved our baseball tourney out of Greenville for home court advantage reasons. Watching the championship game last night made me sick, might as well been played at Smith Arena. I lived vicariously through ND like night which made it easier to stomach.
We decided to put "lipstick on a pig" as you put it instead of building a new arena. I think that sends a strong message to all of us.
The BOT should INSIST that UNC gets EXTRA probation from the ACC for the academic scandals like they did us in football.
The officiating should be studied because UNC and Duke statistically aren't getting the same calls in the tourney as they are in the ACC. I think that's been proven. The BS Duke shot clock crap and the 30 PF against us that one time at LJ playing UNC examples come to mind but those memories are endless.
I don't know if not not allowing the ACC open NC hypocrasy towards the rest of the ACC would help us in basketball but that really doesn't matter. We took it up the butt and said thank you, Tobacco road. OK, I'm stepping off the soap box.
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CU Guru [1250]
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So, What is Your Next Move?
Mar 15, 2015, 11:18 AM
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Are you going to actually voice your displeasure with the current state of the basketball programs and offer your support to the people who can actually make things happen or just limit your efforts to TNet?
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All-In [30593]
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Boycott ESPN
Mar 15, 2015, 11:36 AM
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right?
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CU Guru [1250]
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Re: Boycott ESPN
Mar 15, 2015, 1:30 PM
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How would that be productive?
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All-In [30593]
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its a
Mar 15, 2015, 1:46 PM
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joke
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Legend [15492]
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Re: AN OPEN APOLOGY to my Clemson friends:
Mar 15, 2015, 1:15 PM
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Very eloquently put. The sad truth is that Coach Brownell is now in the incredible position of rebuilding from his own previous coaching. He just ended his 6th season in worse shape that his 1st season.
Bite the bullet, spend the money and hire one of Duke's or UNC's or any other winning programs assistants as our head coach. Until we're willing to do that, we'll continue to be the only charter ACC member never to have won the tournament. When UNC lost Dean Smith? They stole Roy Williams from Kansas where he had ALREADY won a national championship!
6 years is plenty of time to see what your coach can do. Sorry Brad, you were good at Wright State in the Horizon League...but this is the ACC (40–46 (.465). It's time to move on.
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Legend [17612]
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Thanks for classin' up the Board & University, Hartins
Mar 15, 2015, 2:15 PM
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Most of us owe you thanks ... not forgiveness. Agree it's important to be honest on the state of the program. And sometimes it's hard keep it real and keep it classy, but somehow you seem to pull it off. Best wishes moving forward, MB "Soc" Howell, Class of 1984
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Orange Blooded [3677]
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You NEVER have to apologize for anything
Mar 15, 2015, 2:57 PM
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my friend.
You are golden.
Very well written and thank you for your service.
w
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