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Devotee [325]
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Email to Barker and others...
Jun 6, 2010, 3:49 PM
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This is an email that I just sent to President Barker, TDP, and several others high in the Clemson governing bodies. I also plan to snail mail a few copies down to Clemson and will hand deliver a few more to Sikes Hall when I head down to visit and check on my apartment.
The main reason I am posting this is because Tigers29to7 thought it would be a good idea in case anyone else wanted to use something along the same lines if they want to contact some administrators.
Heres the letter:
[Insert Admin Title Here],
The coming week is an important one for the future of Clemson University and the entire collegiate sporting world. With looming conference expansion in the West, with a potential Pac 10 / Big XII merger, and in the Midwest, with the Big Ten’s prospective addition of member universities, it is important that Clemson remains proactive. If the above conference realignment takes place, it is highly probable that the Southeastern conference will look to expand as well, likely looking to add four teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference (i.e. Clemson University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Florida State University, University of Miami, or Virginia Tech). It has been rumored, among Tiger faithful and many close to the situation, that if the SEC were to offer an invitation to Clemson to join their league, that Clemson’s governing bodies would decide to decline that invitation due to the academic standing of universities currently affiliated with that conference or several other factors.
I urge you to consider the effects that would ensue if the offer was given to and accepted by the other major programs in the ACC, and not Clemson. The SEC is already the prominent football conference in the country, winning four of the last five BCS National Championships. If Florida State, Miami, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech leave the ACC to join that conference, Clemson will be left on the proverbial back-burner and will be forgotten as a relevant contributor to sports, especially football, on a national scale.
Now, I know that I am unaware of the inner-workings of conference affiliation, but as a diehard Clemson fan and student, I simply want what is best for our university. In my opinion, that would be joining the rich sporting heritage of the SEC, if an invitation is extended. If this invitation has not been extended and the SEC is showing no interest in our university, then I urge you to reach out to their leaders in an attempt to sell Clemson to them. The point I am attempting to make is that, no matter what, Clemson should not allow other schools and conferences to make the decisions that will determine where our university ends up after the smoke clears from eminent conference expansion. Clemson alumni, students, and fans want to ensure that we are left with options. I have no problem with staying in the ACC, if it remains intact with all current member universities. However, if any of the major football programs show signs that they are on the way out the door, the Clemson must do everything it can to make certain it has options and can be part of the change.
Again, I urge you to be proactive in your decisions and discussions that involve the future of Clemson University athletics and academics.
Thank you for your time and willingness to be open to the ideas and desires of Clemson nation.
Joseph L. Black
Clemson University
Mechanical Engineering
jblack4@clemson.edu
Again feel free to use the ideas from this letter, but our message will be felt more strongly if it isn't in the same words, so change some things up instead of just copy and pasting it. haha
Sorry for the long post, lol. GO TIGERS! Let's see what happens.
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CU Guru [1109]
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Point. Very well done***
Jun 6, 2010, 3:56 PM
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CU Guru [1203]
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that's cute Joey.***
Jun 6, 2010, 4:02 PM
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Fan [67]
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Heard dat big dawg!******
Jun 6, 2010, 4:03 PM
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Devotee [325]
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Preciate it.
Jun 6, 2010, 4:34 PM
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nm
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All-Conference [401]
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Re: Email to Barker and others...
Jun 6, 2010, 4:57 PM
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WHY? Let peolple handle it that know what they are talking about . . . you do not.
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Devotee [325]
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Because I want the people that represent ME to know
Jun 6, 2010, 5:08 PM
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where I, and the majority of Clemson fans, stand. You can't just assume that they feel the way you do, what's wrong with letting them know what popular opinion is?
I'm sorry I didn't resort to the Communist idea of just accepting what we've got. We know that NO ONE except the BoT, President, and AD would be happy if we were left in the ACC with the likes of the basketball schools, NC St, UVa, and Va Tech because they will still be getting paid.
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All-Conference [401]
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Understand making yourself known in a proper way but...
Jun 6, 2010, 5:47 PM
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do not make the bold assumption that your opinions are shared by as much of a vast majority as you think.
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Rooter [217]
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Re: Because I want the people that represent ME to know
Jun 6, 2010, 6:29 PM
[ in reply to Because I want the people that represent ME to know ] |
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You just made yourself sound like an immature, arrogant, and misinformed young man. How do you know the popular opinion of Clemson fans? Slow down, take a deep breath, and just try to think this through before you speak again. Read my other post below for another side of the story you may not have yet thought about. Go Tigers!
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Devotee [325]
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I apologize for using the term "majority"
Jun 6, 2010, 6:53 PM
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I forgot that word was off limits...
So would you disagree with me, that if the SEC was to offer up an invitation to Clemson and it was turned down, that there would not be an uproar from a large number of Clemson supporters? That's the only point I was trying to make. I'm sorry if I included you or anyone else in something you did not want to be included in.
And what's the point of playing the game if it is not your goal to be the absolute best, no matter who you play? It sounds like a lot of people are "scared" to play in the SEC because of a much tougher schedule. Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't that sound like the excuse that we criticize Coot fans for using every year? Of course it will be tough in football, but we would we not compete in practically every other sport, at least up to the level that we do already in the ACC?
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Rooter [217]
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Re: I apologize for using the term "majority"
Jun 6, 2010, 7:21 PM
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Sure, there probably would be an uproar if Clemson declined the invitation. But there would also be an uproar if Clemson accepted. There are always two sides to every equation, and that is the point I was trying to make.
With your comment about being scared of the SEC, or the Carolina excuse: There is a difference in "manning up", and being reasonable. One could speculate that if expansion took place, the SEC east would become Florida, Florida State, Miami, Georgia, Clemson, Carolina, and Tennessee. Vandy and Kentucky would probably shift west. That would mean our conference schedule EVERY season would be the other seven eastern teams, plus at least one from the west. The current SEC is daunting enough, but reasonable, particularly in reference to your point of wanting to be the best/beating the best. I absolutely respect that. What I think is unreasonable would be this new roided-out-super-ultra-mega-juggernaut SEC. NOBODY would be able to survive unscathed. Why would Clemson want to be a part of that, other than to stick our chests out and boast about being included? It just seems foolish.
Right now we have a 1/12 chance of winning the ACC in any given sport. With expansion, our chances would automatically drop to 1/16. I believe this is the biggest reason why expansion will not take place, for athletic directors do not want to face a slimmer chance of progressing their career accolades and reaching greater heights for their respective programs.
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Rooter [217]
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Re: Email to Barker and others...
Jun 6, 2010, 5:37 PM
[ in reply to Re: Email to Barker and others... ] |
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Let's try to win the ACC before thinking we have a shot in SEC football...Look, I'm a die hard Clemson fan, but I'm also a realist. The SEC, like you said, has won four of the last five national championships in football. The ACC has not had a team play for the national title in a decade (Florida state in 2000, and they lost). We've played in one conference title game, and lost. If the SEC adds these teams, do you realize the schedule we would play?! Yes, there would be lots of money involved. But how do you honestly think we would fare playing the likes of Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Florida State, and Miami...EVERY SEASON? That's probably what would happen if the SEC expanded, and we tagged along. Come on, let's be real here, that schedule would be insane, and that's only six of the games.
The ACC has; however, won five of the past ten national championships in basketball, along with a runner up during that time, GT in 2004. The SEC is a football powerhouse, that's a fact. The ACC is a basketball powerhouse, and that is also a fact. You need to look at more than just football. The only major sport our conferences are fairly comparable on is baseball. If you opened your mind to more than just football, you may just realize it really isn't in our best interest to join the SEC. I feel pretty strongly that other schools in the ACC feel the same way, and that our conference will stay the way it is, for now.
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110%er [6169]
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Not that I'm against going to the SEC....
Jun 6, 2010, 5:16 PM
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but to do so would concede any future championships in pretty much any sport.
The money would be good, and so would the regular season. But the trophy case would be empty.
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All-Conference [404]
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Re: Not that I'm against going to the SEC....
Jun 6, 2010, 5:32 PM
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That trophy case is pretty dusty right now.
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110%er [6169]
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At least we added a division title trophy to it....
Jun 6, 2010, 5:33 PM
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And there's a chance we can add more.
The SEC kills any chance of any of it.
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Devotee [325]
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What does a division title mean?
Jun 6, 2010, 5:37 PM
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That you finished second in your conference, basically. That's just some new piece of metal added that means nothing except you were second best, imo.
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CU Medallion [58501]
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The point is, I think, we would likely fare even worse
Jun 6, 2010, 5:58 PM
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in the SEC, all other things being equal. That the SEC is a better football conference is not debatable, it's a matter of historical fact. Our chances of winning a title will go down if we join.
We'll be a smaller fish in a bigger pond; it would just be part of the deal, of being able to poke out our chest and announce that we're part of the mighty SEC.
I don't really care that strongly one way or the other at this point. Joining the SEC would have many advantages, but winning more championships would not be one of them.
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CU Guru [1636]
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Re: The point is, I think, we would likely fare even worse
Jun 6, 2010, 8:48 PM
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Just the excitement of the teams we would be playing, and the road trips to historical venues, among many things, would make it up to me. It's not always about championships. Currently Florida and Alabama are head and shoulders above everyone in football, but besides them, Clemson would have a shot at every other team in that conference.
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110%er [6169]
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You have to win a division to win a conference....
Jun 6, 2010, 6:37 PM
[ in reply to What does a division title mean? ] |
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Having division titles means you're putting yourself in a position to win the conference.
Going to the SEC will completely and wholly destroy any chances of winning anything.
Like I said, I'm not necessarily against going to the SEC. But to do so, we, as a fan base, would have to accept that our days of winning anything at all are over.
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110%er [7980]
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Id rather stay in a "weak" ACC then go to the SEC
Jun 6, 2010, 5:26 PM
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Im sorry but the ACC feels like family and the SEC feels like a #####
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All-In [27389]
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Re: Id rather stay in a "weak" ACC then go to the SEC
Jun 6, 2010, 5:30 PM
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I don't get it! Many of you have talked s^*% about the SEC for years and now you want to be a part of it. Why not leave expansion to those who know all that is going on with the proposed conference additions. No way do you know what is best for CLEMSON.
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110%er [6611]
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Times Have Changed in case you haven't notice
Jun 6, 2010, 5:39 PM
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Last year Clemson Athletics were in the Red...If were are to be able be competitive, pay competitive coaching salaries, then if going to the SEC is the best place for Clemson the we need to go...
A "Watered-Down" ACC is simply not acceptable. The ACC is already looked down upon and if we were left out ended up in a ACC-Big East left over league with a lousy TV deal, we will be in a bad way.
The SEC is Tough but the significance of the South Carolina game becomes big time and getting back to play UGA would be great. In fact playing in 85-105K stadiums every week is some to get excited over...
The ACC has been part of Clemson for over a half century, but if it cannot serve out needs any further then we need to move on.
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CU Medallion [58501]
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There will be both good and bad if we jump to the SEC.
Jun 6, 2010, 6:18 PM
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Right now a lot of people are focusing on one or the other, while the truth is it will be a mixed bag.
The thought of change, something new, being part of the best football conference in the country and being "one of the big boys", renewing our rivalry with UGA, adding meaning to to our rivalry with the coots, all sounds very, very exciting.
Much less chance of winning a conference title, being a smaller fish in a bigger pond, and being even more of a red-headed stepchild than we were in the ACC; none of that sounds very good.
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Rock Defender [54]
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Clemson can not afford to get left by FSU, GT, Miami in a
Jun 6, 2010, 7:24 PM
[ in reply to Re: Id rather stay in a "weak" ACC then go to the SEC ] |
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depoleted ACC. People at least need to stress to the administration that we expect them to do all that is necessary and proper to see that Clemson has options that are in Clemson's best interest. Nobody is saying the k now better than the adminisration, but we do know that the administration can not just sit and let things happen without presenting Clemson's interests.
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Rookie [13]
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Re: Email to Barker and others...
Jun 6, 2010, 5:43 PM
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Thankfully, people far brighter than you make decisions for the institution that is Clemson. Go Tigers & go ACC!
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110%er [6611]
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Are these the same people that,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Jun 6, 2010, 5:47 PM
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Sign Tommy Bowden to an extension with a huge buy-out then the next year fire him halfway into the season having to pay the buyout???
I think assumption is the mother of all Phfuk-Ups,,,,,,,
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110%er [5298]
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Re: Email to Barker and others...
Jun 6, 2010, 5:49 PM
[ in reply to Re: Email to Barker and others... ] |
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Why are you trying to insult a guys intelligence for wanting his voice to be heard? I would encourage everyone to write those in power during what looks to be a pivotal time in Clemson athletics. At least in the future, if something does happen, each individual can feel like they at least did what they could to affect the outcome they want. I would venture that most everyone on this board loves Clemson and wants what is best for their athletics to succeed in the future. I don't see the point in attacking someone for voicing their opinion on what they think is best.
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110%er [6155]
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Rock Defender [54]
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He hits every point in this email.***
Jun 6, 2010, 7:20 PM
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110%er [7971]
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I don't want to offend anyone, but.....
Jun 6, 2010, 8:22 PM
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I would rather have a mediocre record against the best competition than win a conference championship in a conference that is depleted of many of it's better schools. Granted, if expansion doesn't happen, we should stay pat. If it does happen, do u really want to remain in a conference with GT, FSU, Miami, and VT gone? Wooohooo, we win acc championship against UNC, Duke, NCST, and VA. Sorry, doesn't sound that impressive.
I hate to think that any of us are scared of the SEC competition. I'm not delusional, I don't think that Clemson would win an sec title right away. But, the only way we will be able to compete in the future is to get the funding that will go along with these superconferences, should it begin to happen.
I don't know what the "majority" of Clemson fans think. But I'm not going to hammer a guy for voicing his opinion.
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Aficionado [124]
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for the SEC to expand is akin to diluting a fine drink
Jun 6, 2010, 8:23 PM
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to the point of being very distasteful.
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