What you fail to understand is that not only are the students embararrased and fed up with the Bowden era, but a host of other Clemson graduates are also sick of him. Bowden has had more than enough time to win. He should have won an ACC title long ago, and he blames everyone else when things don't go right. Bowden needs to move on so we can get a coach that can take us to the next level! I'm sure Bowden is nice man, but that does not win ball games.

My name is Dave - Class of 88 and 89 and I live in Anderson. I was listening to your program this morning just like any other day and this morning you were talking about the students attending games, noon games, tailgating and parking. I was going to call which I have done about 2 times in the last 5 years (just not a radio guy) but I was pulling into work.

I would like to comment on Noon games and why my family, friends and myself have a hard time with them as well as getting fired up for them.

One comment I always here is people have to get boozed up for the later games and they cannot do that if it is an early game. In my case the majority of my Alumni Friends this is not the case - if fact at our tailgate we have not had "drinks" for over 15 years. This is not a part of our life.

For us, the experience of a Clemson game is not just the game but everything surrounding the game which in a large part includes tailgating. When we have a noon game or like last week a 1:00 pm game this time is severely cut into and limited. I park in Lot 13 the old Rugby Field (not lot 10). No matter what time the game is we get here as early as possible to allow for enough time to tailgate.

Well during the last week and it will be the same this coming Saturday. Here is how things went this past Saturday with a 1:00 pm start - everything this week will move one hour forward:

1. Packing - started on Thursday night loading up the car with all of the no perishable items. Why - my daughter and son are involved in TL Hanna Football and we have the games on Friday night.

1a. Packing more - Friday night - till about 11:30 pm - packing the car more with coolers of ice and soft drinks and arranging the balance of the food in the kitchen

1c. Packing - Saturday morning - up at 5:00 am to finish the packing now the food items and loading onto the car as well as adding all of our flags etc. to the Car - showering and getting a quick bite to eat to hold us over until the tailgate.

2. Leave the house at 7:45 am to Clemson and arrive in the Parking Lot at about 8:20

3. Setting up all of the Stuff and putting out the food - 9:30 to 9:45 am.

4. Start cooking until food is done at about 10:45 am and Eat :11:30 am

5. As soon as we are done eating - pulling down all of the stuff we just set up and packing the car so we can leave when the game is over. Done at Noon - start walking to the Stadium.

6. Arrive in the Stadium at 12:25 at our seats and watch pre-game

7. 1:00 - Tigers come down the hill - all pumped up.

8: 1:05 pm - Sit my butt down because I realize I am freaking tired along with the whole family since we have been rushing around the last two nights and all morning. I know I am not alone in this opinion. Once again - this has nothing to do with drinking etc. It is alot of work to attend a Clemson game and do it right.

Now how in the heck am I supposed to be pumped up for a game. With a 3:00 pm start or later we get to read the paper, take our time cooking out, watch another game on TV, having time to go to the Tiger Tailgate show, visit friends tailgates - maybe go downtown - this is all part of the experience - I know the game is important but equally important to us and our friends in the time together in a great tailgating setting.

I know personally I feel cheated when the school schedules these games early and for all of the price increases and having my parking be pushed further and further away from the stadium I am about fed up by the time I arrive at the game. (I will not get into my issues with the coaching and the death traps of games like we have this weekend).

So as you said this morning - we only have 4 more games to enjoy this year at Clemson - you are right, but right now 50% of my enjoyment has been cut out due to the early starts with no guarantee of having that complete experience in the coming weeks.

Many persons say - well tailgate afterwards - which on an occasion we do. However, many times sitting in the sun and rooting on the Tigers when the game is over we are ready to leave and catch other games on TV at the house.

Lastly, I do not buy the argument that TV is what dictates the Noon and 1:00 pm starts - it is the ACC, School, IPTAY and the Athletic Dept that allows TV to dictate the schedule to us. If we make is well known to the ACC and the persons who negotiate these contracts that Clemson's fan base prefers their starts after 3:00 pm then that should be part of the contracts on keep the real early starts to an absolute minimum. My confirmation of this argument is look at South Carolina - for a program that has been down in relationship to Clemson's over the past 10 years their percentages of late starts is much higher than ours. Also what about the non-televised games - why in the heck are these starts early - in these cases they are teams like the South Carolina State etc. and having a good relaxing tailgate is just that more important since the game itself will be lacking excitement like this past weeks game.

In any case, I am done venting on this because nothing at Clemson will change in regards to this. Right now the University is all about the dollar and not taking care of the fans that really support the program through thick and thin.

Thanks for listening and since I have not told you myself we have been praying for your family and Ryan - we are glad to hear your talk about even the littlest of progress he is making.

Ok, here's my take and this will tick a lot of people off but I don't care. In my opinion the single biggest problem with college students is plain and simple - ALCOHOL. There's nothing more disappointing than to drive through campus and see a beautiful woman who can barely walk but she's got a firm grip on a bottle of Jim Beam or toting a case of Coors Light. It gets even worse when you sit in the stands surrounded by the future of our great country, the leaders of my children someday and they are sloppy drunk or can't wait 'til halftime to get back to the beer and liquor at their tailgate. It blows my mind that these people come in, sit down, cheer/not cheer and it's like they're on a timer to get back to the parking lots. I'm not thumping the Bible or preaching. I don't mind having adult beverages but they don't dictate my life on any given Saturday.

My solution to the tickets that are not used is to have a 5 PM cutoff on Thursday for the CU students. If they don't get their tickets they lose them for that game. CU should take the left over tickets and give them to the local schools or civic organizations. Keep fighting the good fight. God bless you, your family and Ryan.

I'm a season ticket holder and my blood runneth orange. I sit on the
lower deck, south stands (home side) on the 2nd row, 10 yd line west
side. Now that being said I've always marveled at how much louder the
student section is than the rest of the crowd...except for this
season. Look the fans need to get off their hands and cheer this team
on. Get up off your butt and scream and chant.

Students can't park? Come on ride the cat bus or, God forbid, WALK to
the stadium from public parking. Can't tailgate?? Ever heard of the
Esso club? Come on, those excuses are ridiculous. Get your butts in
the stands, get on your feet, and by God when that defense is on the
field scream until it hurts. Trust me you will make a difference. This
isn't just pointed at the student section either. Those fans, the big
donors near the 50 yard line need to yell more too. When Clemson is
spelled around the stadium you can barely hear the N being said. Get
up and yell it, it’s not difficult.

Now we all need to come out and support the team every game! Help them
win and we all will be happier in the end.

Thanks Mick, love the show.

I was reading your SC State Worksheet and it dawned on me that the goals you use for offensive productivity seem really low (More than 225 yards passing - 227/ More than 150 yards rushing - 189). If you add the passing and rushing goals, then we aspire to about 375 yards of total offense. I would think we would strive for over 400 yards total offense which should be reflected by the sum of passing and rushing. So, how about goals of 225 yards passing and 175 yards rushing or 250 yards passing and 150 yards rushing?

Anyway, just a thought. I hope Ryan is continuing to make great progress on his road to recovery.

The actual reason the band was too early playing was due to confusion from the Athletic Department. Apparently TDP wants to lower the amount of time the players spend jumping up and down behind the Rock, so the Athletic Dept. told Dr. Spede to have the band play when the team rounds "the corner." Since they didn't specify, there was some confusion and the band
played as they rounded the first corner, NOT the second one, causing the whole mess. But they were just following instructions.

But this really plays into what you said about the AD having a "disconnect" with the fans. Why are we fixing something that isn't broken? WHY limit the amount of time on top of the hill when it's been done the same way with success for 30 years?

What do you think?