Thursday June 26, 2008

Ryan Update / Lucky?

Ryan Update 6-26
Ryan continues to make little improvements. He sat up in a special chair for a few hours today. They were able to take him out in the hall way. His doctors want him up and in the chair four to six hours a day.

His physical therapists worked with him but he was too tired to do anything, so he got a good stretch instead. It was funny because the physical therapist is a Red Sox fan and she was trying to motivate Ryan by talking about how the red Sox were better than the Yankees.

His physiatrist has order a new drug to help stimulate brain activity. We still have not heard anything from the EEG that they did yesterday. It seems like it took about three days to get the information last time.

The doctors seem to have taken a special interest in Ryan.

I have been pretty good at predicting dates of major steps in Ryan's improvement and I think next week he will make another big step. Until then we will do the only thing we can and that is be thankful in our prayers.

Lucky?
I have heard others mention it and I have bought into the idea of luck being a factor in determining the success of a football program. I am convinced more now than ever that luck is one of the intangibles that we must pay attention to in short term and long term analysis.

The short-term analysis of luck can take shape of the ball just bouncing the right way on one play in one game. It can be a bad call by an official. It could be an injury to a key player. It can be wind or weather. Luck can show its face at any point in any game.

Long-term effects of luck can happen and actually did happen three years ago at Clemson. Maybe not all luck but a little luck is part of the reason Clemson is so highly thought of heading into the 2008 season.

The time was late January of 2006 and the Clemson staff had to make a big decision. The staff had done a terrific job of recruiting James Davis the previous year and he enjoyed an incredible freshman. Bowden and his crew knew they needed to add depth at running back because Reggie Merriweather was going into his senior season and Davis might consider a jump to the NFL the following year.

Clemson was recruiting some of the nation's most sought after backs. Craig Cooper of Memphis, TN, Josh Adams of Cary, NC, Marcus Sims of Tallahassee, FL, C.J. Spiller of Lake Butler, FL and Terry Grant of Lumberton, MS had offers from Clemson. The staff decided to aim high and shoot for the best.

Adams committed to Wake Forest fairly early in the process. Cooper had genuine interest on Clemson but he chose Miami in mid January so the staff had to turn their attention to Sims, Spiller and Grant.

Spiller was the top target. He was the top back in Florida and was the top player on the board for most of his senior season. Still, Spiller was a long shot. FSU, Florida, Southern Cal and Miami were ahead of the Tigers fairly late in the process with Spiller. He liked Warrick Dunn and wore number 28 in honor of the former Nole back. Some felt Spiller grew up a Seminoles fan. The pressure to go to nearby Florida was mounting as well. Most of the people in the community thought the best thing for Spiller was for him was to stay close to home and become a Gator. Sims' mom and dad ran track at Florida State and his brother played football there plus they lived in Tallahassee. Grant was from a place where Clemson had few ties in Mississippi and this was SEC country.

Dabo Swinney was the primary recruiter for Spiller and Sims and Burton Burns was recruiting Grant. The staff knew the players were very aware of each other and the idea of signing two of the three was not a factor.

In many years Clemson looked more like you and me and less like Brad Pitt in a singles bar. Brad Pitt could just sit back and play his cards right and eventually get the pick of the litter. Jennifer Anniston could have to take a back seat to Angelina Jolie.

However, this year was different. Clemson was sitting in the fabled cat-bird seat. They actually felt pretty good about each prospect heading into the final weekend. But the deals were starting to be brokered and they staff had to make a move. Sims was ready to commit but the family wanted assurance that he would be the only back. Spiller gave them good vibes and they were confident that Spiller was their guy but they were experienced enough to know how crazy things could get especially when you consider how many Gator boosters were in the area. And Grant was just sitting back and taking a wait and see approach.

As it turned out Grant committed to Alabama first. The staff decided to roll the dice and believed Spiller would stay strong instead of folding to the pressure. They then told Sims they were going in the direction of Spiller, so Sims committed to Florida State.

Signing Day 2006 is a day Tiger fans will not soon forget. Spiller was able to stand up at a press conference and tell everyone including his mom for the first time that he was not going to Florida. His orange would be trimmed with purple.

It all worked out for Clemson. You can't chalk it up to luck because that would diminish the hard work and diligence of Swinney and the rest of the staff. But even Swinney would tell you that the Tigers had a big battle even minutes before his press conference.

I hear some say Bowden has been unlucky and snake bit during his tenure and in his chase to get Clemson over the top. But like most of life, luck is more about perception. There is a book on how to become lucky and one of the things the author says is you have to think you are lucky. I think Clemson is lucky to have Swinney and Spiller.

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