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250 Baldwin Road,
Baldwin Pointe
Seneca, SC

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Friday July 27, 2007

Friday E-Mail Bag

Friday E-Mail Bag
Each Friday I publish your comments and answer your questions. To submit a comment or questions please e-mail me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com.

Mickey,
Georgia Tech's OL ranked 9th in the conference? How did Tashard Choice lead the league in rushing last year? ESPN has us rated as the 5th best in the nation. Other rags have us pretty much universally in the Top 20 O-lines in the nation. Curious as to how you have Georgia Tech's as 9th......in the conference.

Tech Fan

Tech Fan,
I have seen this offensive line up close and I was not impressed. I get a chance to see several of the ACC’s offensive lines and I watched them in pre-game warm up and throughout the game in person and I was shocked at Tech. I just was not impressed in anyway. Gardner is solid but the rest were average. Choice led the league in rushing because Ore got hurt and missed a couple of games. Davis and Spiller split carries or they would have led the league. Choice is good but not as good as Ore, Davis or Spiller. Others are entitled to their opinion but I don’t think Tech is that great this year. I have seen Miami’s linemen, Maryland’s linemen, Wake Forest’s linemen, etc and I think Tech is about 9th in the league at this position.

Mickey,

I am responding to your comment that people criticize Wake Forest for chop blocks. According to NCAA rules, a chop block is defined as "an obviously delayed block at the thigh or below against an opponent who is in contact with a teammate of the blocker." The rules also state it is illegal to commit "a high-low, low-high or low-low combination block by two nonadjacent linemen."

The real issue with Wake Forest is NOT criticism of great blocking technique; it is about trying to stop a team from cheating. NC State was also criticized about this in 2005 after one of FSU's players was injured. I do not begrudge anyone for teaching great blocking technique, but chop blocking is not great technique. It is illegal to commit because a player can be seriously injured.

Best,

Kirk

Kirk,
I think Wake walks a fine line but I know it aggravates defensive linemen. Too many coaches and players have complained about it for there not to be an issue here. I would be interested to hear conversation between coaches and officials concerning their blocking.

Hey Mickey,

What is the deal with the timing of Clemson's home games? The Florida St. game is at 8:00 on primetime, but the rest of the home games are in the early afternoon. Part of the tradition for many people is getting to the games to tailgate and socialize hours before the game. With these noon and one o’clock games, tiger fans are gonna have to rush in early just to try to get a parking spot and set up for tail gating too early. Plus it takes away from the home field advantage. Death Valley is electrifying during evening and night games. Noon games most people are trying to block the sun from their eyes and beat the heat. The Clemson faithful however, will still show up in great numbers to cheer on their Tigers, but be discontent because of being rushed to get there early and battling the sun. I'm sure that Television broadcasting has most to do with picking the slot times for the games, but every game early is nonsense. How many other Clemson fans feel this way? I know I can't be the only one!

Thanks Mickey, love the show!
Matthew from Seneca

Matthew,

Clemson only sets the time of games that are not televised. This year the Louisiana-Monroe game and Furman game are not on TV so far. The athletic department went back to the traditional 1:00 PM start for those two games. Until TV started to change the times all Clemson games were at 1:00. Some have to come from long distances like the earlier game because it gives them time to get back home. I like night games but I live 2 miles from the stadium.

Mickey,

First, as a relatively new reader, let me thank you for your excellent coverage of Clemson sports news! I live in Vermont. I am not a Clemson grad but my daughter is (2005). My alma mater (Clarkson Univ) and our local university (Univ of Vermont) have strong Div 1 hockey teams but no football programs. As result, we are primarily a hockey family but I have long been a college football fan in need of a team to support. Well, no longer! Although I've only been able to attend 1 game at Death Valley I was hooked and am now a big Tiger football fan! It's not easy to see the games this far North but with internet radio and game trackers, I can usually follow the action. I also eat up all the great game analysis and recruiting info that folks like you provide between games and in the off season.

All the above background was to set up a reply to your 7/19 Blog listing 6 reasons for increased season ticket sales. Regarding reason 6, you are right on target. If I lived closer, I'd be on board with season tickets and that is driven far more by the tradition & atmosphere (tailgating, the Hill, the Rock, the band playing Tiger Rag, etc.) than any individual players. Your other 5 points are probably valid as well but it is #6 that really rings true with me.

Thanks again for all the great information you provide!!

Best regards,
Al

Al,
Thanks for the wonderful e-mail. It is good to hear from the new fans and a different perspective. I am pleased to see you had a great experience in your only visit to Death Valley. It is an awesome place. Stay in touch and come see us next time you get down south.

Dear Mickey:

I am replying to your Blog today entitled, "It Doesn't Add Up." I would suggest that the concerns' of our fans are real. However, Clemson fans are also inherently loyal to the university and its athletic teams. I remember the Red Parker days!

So, they are expressing their loyalty to Clemson through season ticket sales, but voicing their concerns about the football team's performance in blogs and radio talk shows. I believe that Tommy Bowden's teams have not lived up to their potential. We should expect more from our players and our coaching staff than to finish the 2006 season losing 4 out of five games. Losing to Kentucky, please? Losing to USC at home, please? If I had the money I would be among the season ticket holders AND I would also complain about our team's performance over the past eight seasons. We can do better!

Best,

Kirk

Kirk,

I agree with your e-mail and every point you made. Clemson fans are extremely loyal. Losing some of the games Clemson has lost is unacceptable. Clemson can do better. The only thing I would guard against is the public complaints because you have to be careful from a perception standpoint.

Mickey,
I would like to add that one reason a person can be disgruntled about the program but still purchase a season ticket is that many of us feel that the system (coaching, offensive game plan, etc) has failed to utilize the talent we have brought in. Even though I might not agree with the program’s strategy, I WILL support the student athletes and football team no matter what. I would compare to the fact that I will support our young troops in Iraq with all of my heart, though I can disagree with America’s strategy in dealing with Iraq. I am thankful everyday that talent like James Davis and CJ Spiller came to Clemson. Tommy Bowden and the rest of the coaching staff have a responsibility to make sure these guys leave with a first class education and to make sure they have been given the opportunity to excel on the football field. I believe that Tommy Bowden has become a very conservative play caller since Whitehurst graduated. He did not trust Proctor to throw the ball and I don’t think he has much faith in Cullen Harper. I hope I am wrong! It would be nice to see the first offensive series against Fl. St. be all passing plays! That will make the defense think twice about putting 8 men in the box! Go Tigers!

Sorry I had to use politics to make my point…just thought it made a good comparison.

Chris

Chris,
I get the comparison and I think it is relative. I support the war and I support Bowden and Bush though. I agree that you have to get the eighth defender out of the box but I think Clemson can still run the ball against eight in the box. How many do you think GT had last October? I would rather try to run with Spiller and Davis with eight in the box than pass it with a below average passing game. Outside of Virginia Tech, no one stopped the running game last year and they had eight in the box.

Mickey,

First of all, thanks. Great work. My questions are about the QB position. Do you think that Harper can be a Whitehurst type passer to take the pressure off of the run for us? He seems to have a better pocket presence than we saw last year from Proctor. Also, if Harper falters, do you see Korn getting a chance because in the past (last year), when the QB falters, he is left in the game. I would liked to have seen Harper last year agains maybe VT or Maryland and especially the bowl game. Do you think that Harper wasn't allowed snaps because of inferior ability or because Proctor was being allowed a chance to redeem himself?

Thanks,

Wes

Wes,

Harper is not as talented as Whitehurst. He is a better passer than Proctor. I would be shocked if Korn did not play early. I am not sure why Harper was not given more of a chance last fall. In the end I think Harper will be serviceable but Korn will be a difference maker.

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Posted by Mickey Plyler @ 11:24 AM EDT [ Comments [2] ]