Friday September 15, 2006
Friday Mail Bag
On Fridays we publish your e-mails and answer your questions. To submit a question or comments please e-mail me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com.
To Whom It May Concern,
Ever since I was a youngster my family has always traveled to Clemson games in other venues. Be it a bowl game, Texas A&M, and even the Mirage Bowl in Japan. I guess you could say that our family would follow the Clemson football team to the ends of the earth. On many occasions, going to away games has been a pleasant experience and the opposing fans have usually not been a problem. On certain trips the opposing fans have gone out of their way to make us feel welcome, much like we do at Death Valley. I was a bit close minded at the beginning of the trip having never traveled to Boston before. Once I arrived and interacted with the citizens of Boston I immediately fell in love with the city and surrounding areas.
The Boston College Gridiron club hosted a party at Champions Sports Bar. I met Mr. Paul Criscione and his friends and fellow BC alumni and had a blast with them. The environment was very welcoming and I was very excited about the game that Saturday. When Saturday rolled around, however, things didn't go too well. I want to say that many of your fans are very nice and welcoming people. You also have a very nice football stadium and excellent facilities. There is one thing I would change about your program and that is the overall hostile and aggressive nature of many of your fans and MOST of your students. I was unfortunate enough to be seated directly beside your student section and I’m sorry to say that I never want to return to your stadium as a result of it. I hate to sound rude. but I feel that someone needs to hear my frustrations about the seating arrangements.
I was astonished that not only were our fans verbally accosted, they were also physically attacked. I’m going to spare you most of their remarks except one that really irked me. They made a remark directly to me that they thought it was funny “that we haven't segregated yet.” The reason this really did irk me is because this is certainly not the truth. It also hurt me because it came from a fan that represented a largely white fan base. On the other cuff, some students literally “spiked” a water bottle (as they referred to it, I’m guessing spike as in “Spike a football”) off of an old woman’s head a few rows in front of me. I saw exactly who did it because he was the one high fiving his friends and remarking “We got her! We nailed her right in the head!” Sadly to say, I tried to turn him into security and even a police officer and both declined saying that they were “too busy to deal with it.”
In closing, I apologize if you feel that this is a personal attack against you or your school. I realized after the game that you were trying to build traditions with your new Eagle Statue, but perhaps it might be best if you started with the tradition that we put first and foremost which is making our stadium a very friendly environment to all walks of life. You did have a video that you played before the game about sportsmanship, but the students in our section booed the entire time.
Sorry again I had to write this letter. Thank you for your time
Regards,
Will
Clemson Student
Will,
I did not have as bad of a time as you did but you did the right thing by sending this letter to their Athletic Director. I am not sure what they can do but he needs to know about it. Hope it gets better there.
Dear Mickey:
I called in earlier about the replay official being part of the officiating crew. It was my opinion initially that the replay official was not part of the officiating crew but I have nothing to back up that opinion. I sure would like to know because if the replay official is part of a bad crew, which is any crew headed up by Ron Cherry. I sure hope the replay official is not part of the Cherry's Crew the next time he officiates a Clemson game. Here I am bad mouthing Cherry's Crew and the official on the spot got the Hamlin interception right.
On that subject there was not anything but indisputable video evidence that the Hamlin made a clean interception and that the Boston College receiver never had possession of the ball. I do know the rule so what a reception is.
Also in regard to the replay official I do not understand why the official who made the actual call does not get on the phones to the replay official and discuss the call with the replay official instead of the head official unless the head official made the call.
I also have a question as to whether there is any discussion with the head official on the field and the replay official in regard to the final call on the play in question. It is my understanding that the replay official does not have discussions with the official on the field but makes the decision on his own sort of like a dictator. What about that?
Tom in Greenville
Tom,
The replay system is broke. The head coaches don’t have to challenge any call because the replay judge calls down to the field about 20 plays a game. They wanted to speed the game up but have slowed it down. I want the right call but this is ridiculous.
Mickey,
Everybody is criticizing the special teams right now, and I must admit they stink, but the pass rush is non-existent.
The BC quarter back had time to clip his toenails before he threw the pass. I believe he called his mom once back there in the pocket and said hey mom watch this--then the pass was completed.
Did you see over two blitzes all day?
Saying that, I was still proud of the heart the young men showed Saturday, I think we will end up 9&3 this year, which is not bad.
Your opinion please
Tigerman1959
Tigerman,
I agree. Clemson’s scheme is to not put as much pressure with extra blitzers and sit back and play a soft zone. I don’t understand it. Ryan had a bad ankle and I would have tried to put more pressure on him.
Mickey,
In today's blog you posted "It was my son’s first MLB game but I had to promise him we would go to Yankee Stadium next season to see the greatest professional sports franchise.".
I had the opportunity to attend a game at Yankee Stadium back in 2003, and while I am not a fan of the Yankees, I must say it was an awesome experience. You can just feel baseball history oozing out of every corner of the stadium. It is a shame there are plans to build a new stadium. Everyone who has the opportunity, should pay a visit to Yankee Stadium.
James
James,
I just came across two tickets for a play-off game in Yankee Stadium in October and am taking my son. He should have a great experience. We are also looking forward to going to the new stadium in 2009.
Mickey,
This is turning into a nightmare on injuries. I hate that man. Your entire season is riding on this weekend. It sucks for you guys having to play these two games in September. I noticed FSU schedule is a joke this year. You guys are the only test left on their ACC Schedule. Road games @ NC State, Duke, and Maryland. Home games BC, Virginia, and Wake. If you guys lose this Saturday they will have to lose 3 conference games from 3 of these teams and Clemson will have to go undefeated the rest of the way. I hope you guys win this game. If you guys win, this could be the momentum to carrey you the rest of the way. I watched that BC game again and I still can’t figure out how you guys lost that game. 17-10 and I thought it was over. Our September schedule is pretty easy. We had 1AA W. Kentucky, @South Carolina, UAB, Colorado, @Ole Miss. Probably going to be 5-0 going into the Tennessee Home Game. After that game we have Vanderbilt and Miss State at home. If we beat Tennessee we could be 8-0 going into the Florida Game and possibly in the top 5 in the nation. Already 9 and 10 in both polls. Everyone ahead of us will be playing tougher schedules in September and October. Loss to Florida, and then a bounce back win @ Kentucky and we could be 9-1 going to Auburn. Lose that game and we could be 9-2 with a week off before Georgia Tech. A win there and we have our 5 consecutive 10 win seasons, even a loss to Tech and a bowl win would give us the 10 wins. With a little luck we might actually beat Florida and Auburn this year. Richt has loss only twice on the Road and we usually beat Auburn at there place, by then Stafford will have several games under his belt. Who knows, if we don’t get plagued with injuries we might have a miracle year, doubtful but hay, after the 18-0 win Saturday being only a 3 point favorite I feel as though we are invincible. That means we probably will lose to UAB this weekend or win by 1 point (Air Force and Tennessee). If Florida loses 3 games to Tennessee, Auburn, and LSU we will sneak into Atlanta again for the SEC C. Game. Good luck the rest of the Season. I hope you beat Georgia Tech this year.
Randy
Randy,
Clemson has had some nightmares so far. However, the season is young. I think the program is headed in the right direction. There are few programs that could lose three of their four best defenders on one side of the ball and not be affected. UGA looked good and I think you guys will be undefeated heading into the Auburn game. UGA looks like an SEC championship caliber team.
Mickey,
As an official, I made some other observations in regards to the officiating. The interception overturned was the correct call. After reviewing it several times, it is apparent that both players landed (with one foot touching the ground) while simultaneously possessing the ball. By definition that is a reception for the offense. What happened after they fell down is irrelevant - it was a dead ball at that point. The officiating was not bad in this game and is not what cost Clemson the game by any means. The revolting officiating that I witnessed in the ACCCG and others last year was much, much, much worse.
The thing that hurt Clemson the most was the play of SSLB Nelson. He was out of position all day, and BC took advantage with the slot receiver and TE. There were some other plays where Nelson was way behind the receiver, but Ryan missed him. Even on a couple counter-draws, Nelson bit inside and the back was able to cut behind him into the area he had just vacated for large gains. IMO, the injuries to the Clemson LB's was the difference in this game. Also, the tackling on the kick returns was just bad. There were players in position to make the plays, but they just tackled poorly.
Keith
Keith,
I agree Clemson did not tackle well but the missed call on the block in the back did have a direct outcome in the game. Officiating was bad but that is to be expected in the ACC.
Mickey,
Got a crazy question for ya right off the bat.......
What number does Willy Korn wear at Clemson, had to ask.
Next question,
I think Procter showed the Clemson coaches in the BC game that they can put the game in his hand .Do you see them continuing that against a tough FSU defense? In other words,
I feel it’s going be tough going trying to run against the Noles.
Finally, can you see Ford becoming part of the offense any time soon?
Thanks Mick,
Wayne
Wayne,
Korn wears 11 at Byrnes but Tribble Reese wears it at Clemson. Proctor played great at BC and if he plays like that again Clemson will win. FSU can be beat but it will take execution. Ford looks a little tentative to me. He needs to be more comfortable with the offense to be more effective.
Mickey,
I was wondering if the artificial turf made the difference as far as Jad Dean's kickoffs? Think about his plant foot as well as getting under the ball...
Ray
Ray,
I don’t think it was a factor. Clemson has a practice field exactly like BC’s.
Mickey,
To answer your question, if an offensive lineman goes downfield and blocks, and a pass is thrown across the line of scrimmage, that lineman has committed offensive pass interference. It seemed that is what happened on Sat. The camera angles did not show it clearly.
Keith
Keith,
If a lineman is downfield then he an illegible receiver downfield. The call was against an eligible receiver (Merriweather) who is in the opposite corner of the end zone.
Mickey,
What’s up with Gamecock Will getting all emotional about his South Carolina Gamecocks. Hey Will, trust me it will be all right the tradition of South Carolina isn't going anywhere. The Tradition of losing and running off coaches isn't going anywhere, and Spurrier brings a little more tradition into South
Carolina....not being able to beat a Bowden at their place. Come on Gamecock will just look at the all time records against your fellow SEC opponents.
vs. Alabama 3-10
vs. Auburn 1-5-1
vs. Arkansas 6-8
vs. LSU 2-14-1
vs. Florida 4-19-3
vs. Georgia 13-44-2
vs. Kentucky 10-6-1
vs. Mississippi St. 6-6
vs. Mississippi 5-8
vs. Tennessee 3-19-2
vs. Vandy 13-2
Oh yeah and against Clemson 35-64-4 and Duke 17-24-3
So don't worry it will be all right.
-FSU ROCKER
FSU Rocker,
Gamecock Will loves his team and is passionate about fighting for it. I think they can handle Wofford this weekend.
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Posted by Mickey Plyler
@ 01:04 PM EDT
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