Friday October 31, 2008

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,
I know that a lot of people feel kind of bitter about Tommy's buy out of $3.5 million. I guess they think that is a lot of money for a coach that didn’t meet our goals. We have to understand that buy outs are part of this business. I understand that $3.5 million is a lot of money to 99.99% of this world but let’s put this into perspective. I thought I heard the other day that Tommy Tuberville’s buyout is $6 million! If we want to compare ourselves to schools like Auburn and other SEC schools and top programs around the country, we have to understand that how much the coach gets paid and how much his buy out is, is all part of that. Plus, what big name coach would want to coach here if he can go to other big schools for more money and a better buy out. Your thoughts?

Jacob

Jacob,
I agree with you. Unfortunately, buyouts are part of the business. Schools want to be protected in case their coach is interested in other schools and fans have no problem with that. You have to give in on one side to get what you want with the other. College football is big business and I think most people are pretty understanding of that.

Mickey,
While reading my ESPN the magazine last night at work I came across an article about Georgia State and their start up of the football program. Read this quote:

Steve

Steve,
You get it. Thanks for writing in. Athletics are important and they need to be “ALL IN” as well. They want to tell you that they are but that is easy to say. I agree and think it is time to stop trying to fool Clemson people. Don’t tell me. Show me. “One Clemson” sounds great but it has been a one-way street that flows uphill from Jervey to Sikes and usually does not return back down the hill. This is not an original thought. Just ask former athletic department employees or former coaches here. The current one will tell you off of the record too if they feel comfortable with you. Send the administration a message.

I hope I am wrong but at this point I don’t see a sport at Clemson that will be favored to win the ACC again this season. If Clemson fails to win an ACC title this year in any sport it will mean they have won three ACC titles in five seasons. Pathetic! It sounds good to say how supportive you are and to make it a public goal but the facts are Clemson has not won ACC titles like it used to. The athletic department has issues but Sikes could help. Or you could just tell us that winning championships is not important. If championships are important then we are failing at achieving those goals. Is it a coincidence that Clemson cannot win ACC titles across of the board? Have all of the coaches lost their ability at the same time? Are all of the facilities bad or all of their budgets bad?

I hope I am wrong but football does not look like it will win the ACC this season. Men’s soccer has a big uphill battle. If indoor track won it would have to be a big upset. Men’s swimming is not one of the favorites in the league. Cross Country should not win it. Baseball is not expected to win it. Golf may have the best shot of the men’s sports.

The women’s programs are even worse. Women’s basketball is pitiful. Indoor track and field, cross country and outdoor track are among the worst in the league. Swimming should be a favorite. I don’t know a lot about rowing. But Virginia wins it every year. Volleyball is tied for first and I hope they can pull it off again this season. Maybe women’s tennis can win it again.

The facts are that Clemson won the ACC in baseball in 2006, volleyball in 2007 and women’s tennis in 2008. They did not win a title in 2005. So going into this year the Tigers had won three ACC titles in four years. I hope we can add some this year but I just don’t know where the titles can come from.

I think more need to be “ALL IN”.

Mickey,
I am a 2004 grad of Clemson and was there doing the time that the current head coach of MTSU Rick Stockstill was there as RC and WR coach. Has there been any talk of bring him back to tiger town? During his time there he owned the state as far as landing the state’s top talent to tiger town, and had his way with the Florida schools as well. If you look at the time frame from when he was there just about all if not all of the Pro players that were drafted was sign by Stockstill. He has done a great job at MTSU with less. Conference Champs in his first season, has improved the team's APR from last in the NCAA to within the top five and has a few wins over schools from bigger conference such as University of Maryland who if I can remember correctly beat the tigers this year in Death Valley. I think that with his past history in Clemson and his players first attitude he would be a great fit for the tigers program. Yes I am not a radio broadcaster or an ESPN guy all I know is a good man for a job when I see one, and Ithink that Rick Stockstill is the man for the JOB!

LaTroy

LaTroy,
Great e-mail. I am glad you brought Stock’s name up. He spent 14 years here busting his butt with a bad situation and average facilities. He recruited the all-time leading passer, rusher and receiver here. He has coordinator experience and has won the coach of the year twice in his league. He also has won a conference title and has taken MTSU to a bowl. His biggest accomplishment was the APR. MTSU lost 13 scholarships due to their APR which was among the worst in America. He personally went to study hall everyday and held his players accountable and now they are among the best in the country in terms of APR. He has coached in 12 games against SEC, ACC or Big East competition where he has no chance to win but his teams are usually competitive. I think he would make a terrific choice and deserves an interview.

Mickey
I am impressed with Todd Graham from Tulsa
1. HC EXP
2. Young 44 years old the same age Bowden was when he came here
3. A former high school coach so he would relate well to high school coaches
4. Runs the spread @ an up tempo speed
5. Has had some success @ two D1 Programs Rice and Tulsa
6. Worked under coach Rod @WVA

Jamey

Jamey,
I hear good things on Graham but don’t know enough about him. I do know someone who has coached with him and need to give him a call to get a better feel. I will try to get more information on Graham from my source soon. I like his style and he has been very successful but I need to find out more information.

Mickey,
Those names you listed were never high on my list, thankfully for us they lost. Hopefully people that wanted Bobby Johnson will wake up (Hello JIM BARKER) and see that he is NOT what we need. I just hope Kiffin didn't get eliminated like it sounds he might have been. Then again I have no idea if TDP has even approached him and didn't get a good feel, maybe Kiffin has no interest and he wants to stay on the left coast. I just hope he isn't off the "list" because he is a west coast guy. The only person who thinks he has low character and isn't a good coach is that deranged lunatic Al Davis.

Steve

Steve,
Kiffin is a candidate in my opinion but think he is also a candidate at Washington and Syracuse. Washington makes sense because of the West coast deal. The AD at Syracuse used to be at Southern Cal so there is a connection there. My only concern with Kiffin is his familiarity with this region but that could be handled. In the end I am not sure he is currently on the top five candidates at this early stage but could go up the list.

Mickey,

Greg

Greg,

I don’t see how you could do a one-year trial. In essence all coaches are on a one-year trial because they all could get fired at any point but Clemson would get killed in recruiting if you only had a coach on a one-year trial. Recruits want to know who will be there their entire four years.

Mickey,
In a perfect world Clemson Nation could have "held their water" and waited to the end of the season to fire Tommy. His fate was sealed after the Alabama loss. The wolves gathered and the faithful were prepared to leave the fold at the next misstep. I am not faulting either but in a perfect world...

Texastbone

Texastbone,
First, I appreciate your prayers for Ryan. It means a lot.

I think the next coach understands that championships are needed and won’t have ten years to win one. Clemson’s move to go with an interim was the right thing to do. This has enabled the administration to get its ducks in a row and go out and get ahead of other schools with a search. This team was not going to win the ACC after the Wake Forest loss. The important thing is to get the right guy this time and the extra time helps in that effort.

Hey Mickey,
I have a question to ask you about our next coach. I am pulling very hard for Dabo to be our next head coach. I think he just might be a perfect fit for us with his enthusiasm and passion for the game and also his vast knowledge. However, a person at work today informed me that Dabo will not be chosen and as a matter of fact no assistant anywhere will be chosen. It will be a current or former Head coach. He said his info comes from a good friend that sits in the suite with Pres. Barker. According to the source Barker stated this to him. 1. I hope the info was wrong and 2. Terry Don should be the one making the decision. By the way this came from a South Carolina fan.

Ken
Life Donor and 34 years of IPTAY

Ken,
Thanks for the prayers. I think Terry Don will have a one-man search then make his recommendations to Barker. I hope it is Terry Don’s call. I think there are very good candidates out there that have never been head coaches. Mark Richt and Bob Stoops were not and they turned out OK. Coach Howard and Coach Ford were not and they turned out better than Hatfield, West and Bowden who were head coaches before. I a not sure how involved the president will be but I hope he will not micro manage and let the qualified people he hired do the job that he hired them for.

Mickey,
I am a long time listener, and have only called a couple of times. I will call more in the future. Like many others, Ryan has been an inspiration, and so has your dedication to your family. All of our lives are better for what you have done.

Bill

Bill,
I have not spoken to Dabo about staying if he is not the guy but that would be great if he is not chosen. Also I am not sure Muschamp would feel threatened if he kept Dabo. Who knows? I think Dabo would keep about half of his current staff but I am not sure which ones at this point.

Thanks for the kind words on Ryan. He is truly an amazing kid with this inspirational story.

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