TigerNet -- Blogs -- Mickey Plyler's Blog

Ryan
Hope everyone had a great weekend. I wanted to pass along the good news about Ryan from yesterday. He is eating on his own now and had his best day yet Sunday. Before yesterday, the most steps he had taken with full control was six but yesterday he took ten steps. After being around Ryan on Sunday, I am more encouraged than ever. He is absolutely the most incredible kid I have ever been around and the biggest inspiration I have ever witnessed in my lifetime. Thanks for your prayers.

Wake Forest Review
I wanted to get back to our normal blog schedule this week and unfortunately Monday’s are a game review. I would rather take a four-iron to the shin then to go back and review that nightmare but Terry Don Phillips and Jim Barker are not going to give any details this morning on the coaching situation so we must move on. Barring anything coming up unexpectedly, here is the schedule for the rest of the week:

Pardon me if I have to go vomit during this review. I know people are still sick about this season and would love to get some closure on coaching issues and quarterback issues but let’s examine the latest Clemson football nightmare first.

What a pathetic performance. That was awful. That performance took 11 days to prepare for? What we heard all week before the Wake Forest game was that Clemson still controlled its own destiny and 10-2 was still a possibility.

I guess we will hear this week that 9-3 is still a possibility and they are not mathematically eliminated just yet.

The Corey Lambert-to-guard experiment lasted about as long as the flavor in cheap bubble gum. The position was already weakened with Barry Humphries and David Smith out. It got worse when Mason Cloy went down in the first half. Jamarcus Grant is a good kid but he is also banged up and he is not the answer. What does it say about the program when the team picture in August has Bobby Hutchinson as a student assistant coach and now he is your best offensive guard?

I guess it can be said about the entire program right now too. This is a soft football program. My college roommate lettered as a walk-on under Coach Ford and Coach Hatfield. He sent me a text after the game that read, “I am sick and tired out watching our guys laying around on the field hurt every play. We look like the battle of Gettysburg hit our team. SOFT!”

What hurts worse is that Wake Forest was the tougher of the two teams. Wake Stinkin’ Forest. And please don’t tell me how much improved Wake Forest is because I saw them play Navy the week before. Wake Forest is just an average football team from an average conference.

I hate being right but this loss only validates my feelings after the Maryland loss. Some tried to convince me that Maryland was a good football team too but I can’t find those folks after Virginia hammered them the following week.

The facts are that Clemson is 3-4 in its last seven games. The Tigers are 1-4 in their last five games against Division I-A opponents with the only win coming against a pitiful NC State team.

Maybe the worst part of the ordeal is the expectation to lose and the desensitizing of losses. It was the first time in a long time I expected Clemson to lose a football game. Also, it does not hurt as bad losing used to and apathy is right around the corner. Wow. That hurts to admit.

This football program is broken. The leadership is missing. But perhaps the worst part is the apathy.

Who is ready to be man enough to lead? Hopefully it is Willy Korn but his head coach did not give a ringing endorsement last night after practice. He kept referring to Korn as the other guy. He did not step out and rave about Korn’s ability to lead this team.

I am upset that a guy that was not good enough to get significant snaps before now is all of the sudden the guy that is supposed to lead this team to victory. If Korn wins Saturday it will be behind a bad offensive line. He will also win with some of his teammates questioning the coaching staff. Like many others, I have been asking for some snaps for Korn. But, in my opinion, Korn has been put in a terribly difficult situation.

I hate to be a pessimist but this season is over. All of the major goals that I had for this team are now gone. There will not be a new flag flying over the West Zone next year that says, “ACC Champions 2008.” Sure 9-3 is better than 8-4 and 8-4 is better than 7-5. My college roommate tried to convince me Saturday while watching other games that pride is still out there and every time Clemson wins a football game it should be celebrated. He is right and I am wrong. I am wrong for feeling so hopeless about the football program. I am hopeless for this season. I am hopeless that this staff can fix it. I am hopeless that this administration can fix it. I am hopeless that this administration will make football a priority again.

I am hopeful because of Clemson basketball. I am hopeful in Ryan’s progress. I am hopeful that at some time in the future of Clemson University that someone will step up to be a leader again and inspire me. There has to be someone out there who can give the Clemson Nation a reason to follow them. For some it may be the continued goals of this pursuit of the approval of U.S. New and World Report. For others it may be a new president or athletic director or head football coach. Right now, I am inclined to follow Willy Korn and Oliver Purnell. At this point, I am not sure who are the other options I trust and am willing to follow.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

Comments:

When will we see the article about issues in the Ath. Dept.? Great week for it.

Posted by TigerGrad'93 on October 13, 2008 at 10:56 AM EDT #

When will we see the article about issues in the Ath. Dept.? Great week for it.

Posted by TigerGrad'93 on October 13, 2008 at 10:56 AM EDT #

It's going to take a fan mutiny and major drop in both IPTAY giving and attendance for this administration to get it. I dare say an organized march on Sikes or the president's mansion may be required to get these bozos attention.

Barker and the BOT are on a misguided and ego driven quest for this meaningless top 20 crusade and they don't care how badly it hurts Clemson to achieve it. Barker doesn't take a dump without first considering its top 20 implications. That is no way to run a university. Clemson is losing its uniqueness and identity over an objective with no real tangible benefits.

Someone needs to remind these bozos that Texas, UNC, and Michigan are top 5 schools that also have AD budgets and commitments to athletic excellence that dwarf ours. Why? Because the two compliment each other!

Posted by flatiger66 on October 13, 2008 at 11:34 AM EDT #

Barker is a virus.

Posted by OldTiger05 on October 13, 2008 at 11:41 AM EDT #

Mickey - That was depressing and I'm surprised with a few days to prepare this was the best you could come up with; and yes, that is a play on the words from your article.

The season is disappointing and the coaching leadership is lost. Korn deserved a far better initiation to the starting job.

But when a sports writer tells me my team's season is over, and all hope is lost -- well quite frankly, who needs you then?

I'm not giving up on the team. Get your head back in the game because this kind of stuff is incredibly destructive. Don't make the mistake of thinking that T-Net is anything more than 50 - 100 smart alecs with a cutting remark to anything that is said. What the opinion of T-Net represents is absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Leaders get out in front and keep everyone's eyes focused on the goals. You said 'who is man enough to lead?' Well Mickey?
- Gary

Posted by tigerpawclemson1 on October 13, 2008 at 11:54 AM EDT #

WHY DOESN'T ANYONE WANT BRAD SCOTT FIRED? I hear about teams all the time with underclass linemen in the game and never do they have the blocking issues that I hear about at Clemson. THE ONLY REASON WILLY KORN IS GOING IN IS TO TAKE THE HEAT OFF OF THE COACHING STAFF. Write that down because at the end of the season I get to say, "I told you so."

Posted by Alans24 on October 13, 2008 at 11:58 AM EDT #

Mickey: I know it's depressing, but I would have enjoyed reading your standard "Sarah Palin, Nancy Grace, Rachal Ray" analysis of the Wake game.

Although the offensive line didn't do very well on run blocking, I think the bigger problem was the play calling. Starting with the first series, Wake stacked the box (often with 5 down-lineman) on first down to stop the run- which Spence predictably called. Then, having successfully forced Clemson into obvious passing situations, Wake rushed 3 or 4 and played pass protection. So Wake had a numbers advantage most of the night due to Spence’s predictability. The O-line usually gave Harper enough time to throw intermediate passes, but Harper was usually inaccurate, and Spence didn’t call many quick 7-15 yard passes. Most passes were screens, flats, or long. Wake anticipated Spence’s calls perfectly.

My dad (who watches pro-ball, and rarely Clemson) called me and said, “Clemson’s play calling is awful & predictable.” Yep.

Posted by Razzmatazz on October 13, 2008 at 01:25 PM EDT #

How about a supplemental edition now that Clemson fired Bowden?

Posted by Razzmatazz on October 13, 2008 at 01:46 PM EDT #

I feel like we just won a championship. It's champagne time time everybody and not the cheap stuff either.

Posted by tiger7272 on October 13, 2008 at 01:56 PM EDT #

This is one Clemson fan that is excited about this coming Saturday. Willy is free and ready to torment Ga.Tech. Let's get behind Dabo and the team. IT'S TIGER TIME!

Posted by CLEMS75 on October 13, 2008 at 02:10 PM EDT #

Mickey you are the man. You cut out the cancer and now everything is great! Everyone thanks you. Lets all drink tonight and kill Ga Tech Saturday. wk and dabo 6 - 0. thanks to Mickey!!!

Posted by GWC on October 13, 2008 at 03:13 PM EDT #