Tommy Bowden made the first of his weekly guest appearances on my show today.
Now just four days away from the season opener, Bowden still comes across as a man of extreme confidence. It's not the arrogance that he was accused of during his first couple of years here, not by any stretch.
No, this - as I've written before - is more of a quiet, business-like demeanor that shows no signs of stress.
And it could be that Florida State is one team with which he can afford to be confident. After an 0-4 start in Bowden Bowls, son has defeated father in three of the last four. Hard to believe, considering the early years, that the redshirt seniors on this 2007 team have a chance to say their class beat FSU four times.
Yet to do so the Tigers are going to have to overcome a new Seminole offense. Jimbo Fisher, late of LSU, is the new offensive coordinator. Rick Trickett, architect of West Virginia's dominant offensive lines, is also on board.
So Bowden and defensive coordinator Vic Koening are looking at a brand new offense that contains a little bit Seminole, a little bit WVU and a whole lot LSU.
What to expect, you ask?
If Fisher's past is any indication, plenty of running game and play-action pass. So Clemson's chore would seem to be simple - stop the run and make Drew Weatherford's arm beat them.
Of course, nothing is simple in the Bowden Bowl. The stress on the family has reached such a point that Tommy said his mother probably wasn't attending this game.
It's a far cry from the circus atmosphere surrounding the very first meeting back in 1999.
But for the loser Monday, a brand new big top might be in the works.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
Don't Panic. We're Still Here
No, the blog hasn't gone away.
I've just taken a few days off while working on some things both at home and for the show. But all is well. We will crank it up hot and heavy again in the next day or two.
Oh, and go Reds.
I've just taken a few days off while working on some things both at home and for the show. But all is well. We will crank it up hot and heavy again in the next day or two.
Oh, and go Reds.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Successful Season Up For Debate
On my Monday show on WCCP I posed the question to Clemson football fans:
What, to you, would constitute a successful 2007 football season?
I brought up the question because of the buzz swarming around the new Seat Equity Plan coming to Death Valley in 2008, and the fair question many donors are asking:
If I have to give more, shouldn't I expect a better product on the field?
Most would agree that the answer is yes. But what is a better product? What would constitute a successful season in the minds of Clemson fans?
My proposal, simply for the sake of argument (and generating calls) was this - A 10-2 regular season with losses to Florida State and South Carolina, and a spot in the ACC Championship Game. Not that I expect the Tigers to finish 10-2, but the scenario captures a beautiful dilemma for Clemson fans:
Would they accept another loss to the Gamecocks, knowing they were going to play for the ACC title the next week anyway?
Surprisingly, the calls and emails - and there were bunches of both - ran about 50-50. Some fans are simply so unable to get past their hatred of South Carolina that they would rather give up the chance to do the one thing many of them have been screaming for Tommy Bowden to do - play for championships - than lose again to Steve Spurrier's crew.
It made for an intriguing three hours of talk radio, to be sure. But it also required me to take a closer look.
At 60-38, Bowden is averaging less than eight wins a season during his eight years at Clemson. So it's easy to understand the cries for better production this far into his tenure.
Let's say that the non-conference games with Furman, Louisiana-Monroe and Central Michigan are already in the win column. Clemson then has eight conference games remaining, plus the year-ender at South Carolina.
If Clemson goes 5-3 in the conference and beats USC, that's a 9-3 record. But three losses likely eliminate them from the ACC title game. So, then, what about 6-2 in the ACC and a loss to USC? Again, a 9-3 record but this time you have a shot at the title game depending on how things play out.
How about 8-4- beating the Gamecocks but going 4-4 in conference play? Or another 8-4 scenario, losing to USC but finishing 5-3 in the conference?
The possibilities are enough to make your head spin.
The bottom line here is that Bowden is up against a bit of his own history. He's had but one 6-2 conference record in his eight years here (2000). His team's have finished 4-4 on four occasions, 5-3 on three others.
Can he at least equal the 6-2 mark of 2000? Can he finally reach the ACC Championship Game? Is beating USC again (he's 6-2 vs. the Gamecocks) simply a must in 2007?
In reality, though fans will weigh in all season long, right now only one man's opinion really matters - athletic director Terry Don Phillips.
And what he's thinking, no one knows.
What, to you, would constitute a successful 2007 football season?
I brought up the question because of the buzz swarming around the new Seat Equity Plan coming to Death Valley in 2008, and the fair question many donors are asking:
If I have to give more, shouldn't I expect a better product on the field?
Most would agree that the answer is yes. But what is a better product? What would constitute a successful season in the minds of Clemson fans?
My proposal, simply for the sake of argument (and generating calls) was this - A 10-2 regular season with losses to Florida State and South Carolina, and a spot in the ACC Championship Game. Not that I expect the Tigers to finish 10-2, but the scenario captures a beautiful dilemma for Clemson fans:
Would they accept another loss to the Gamecocks, knowing they were going to play for the ACC title the next week anyway?
Surprisingly, the calls and emails - and there were bunches of both - ran about 50-50. Some fans are simply so unable to get past their hatred of South Carolina that they would rather give up the chance to do the one thing many of them have been screaming for Tommy Bowden to do - play for championships - than lose again to Steve Spurrier's crew.
It made for an intriguing three hours of talk radio, to be sure. But it also required me to take a closer look.
At 60-38, Bowden is averaging less than eight wins a season during his eight years at Clemson. So it's easy to understand the cries for better production this far into his tenure.
Let's say that the non-conference games with Furman, Louisiana-Monroe and Central Michigan are already in the win column. Clemson then has eight conference games remaining, plus the year-ender at South Carolina.
If Clemson goes 5-3 in the conference and beats USC, that's a 9-3 record. But three losses likely eliminate them from the ACC title game. So, then, what about 6-2 in the ACC and a loss to USC? Again, a 9-3 record but this time you have a shot at the title game depending on how things play out.
How about 8-4- beating the Gamecocks but going 4-4 in conference play? Or another 8-4 scenario, losing to USC but finishing 5-3 in the conference?
The possibilities are enough to make your head spin.
The bottom line here is that Bowden is up against a bit of his own history. He's had but one 6-2 conference record in his eight years here (2000). His team's have finished 4-4 on four occasions, 5-3 on three others.
Can he at least equal the 6-2 mark of 2000? Can he finally reach the ACC Championship Game? Is beating USC again (he's 6-2 vs. the Gamecocks) simply a must in 2007?
In reality, though fans will weigh in all season long, right now only one man's opinion really matters - athletic director Terry Don Phillips.
And what he's thinking, no one knows.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Weekend Wrapup
It's a lazy Sunday afternoon.
I say that with approval, with respect. I love my Sunday afternoons.
Of course, in a couple of weeks Sunday becomes just like every other day. One which will require at least some level of work done to fulfill my Clemson coverage requirements. But again, I'm not complaining. It beats digging ditches. And having done that for a summer, I know of which I speak.
Anyway, just a quick take today to mention the great time we had at Easley on Friday night for the first high school football broadcast of the year. Tom, Tosh and I were greeted warmly again, as we always are. And we ended up with another good, exciting game (in case you didn't know, announcers hate blowouts almost as bad as the losing coach).
Check out our website - www.wccpfm.com - each week for a few paragraphs of my thoughts on each game, plus audio highlights. It's another new addition to what we feel is the best high school football coverage in the state.
It gets further enhanced this week when Stan Olenik joins us for the second straight season with his 30-minute Upstate preview show and postgame scoreboard show. He'll be along for the ride the rest of the year.
It promises to be fun, for sure. Now, back to my regularly scheduled nap.
See you Monday morning, 9 a.m.-Noon, for Cruise Control, and then Monday night (7-9 p.m.) at Croc's off Pelham Road in Greenville for some preseason Monday Night Football.
I say that with approval, with respect. I love my Sunday afternoons.
Of course, in a couple of weeks Sunday becomes just like every other day. One which will require at least some level of work done to fulfill my Clemson coverage requirements. But again, I'm not complaining. It beats digging ditches. And having done that for a summer, I know of which I speak.
Anyway, just a quick take today to mention the great time we had at Easley on Friday night for the first high school football broadcast of the year. Tom, Tosh and I were greeted warmly again, as we always are. And we ended up with another good, exciting game (in case you didn't know, announcers hate blowouts almost as bad as the losing coach).
Check out our website - www.wccpfm.com - each week for a few paragraphs of my thoughts on each game, plus audio highlights. It's another new addition to what we feel is the best high school football coverage in the state.
It gets further enhanced this week when Stan Olenik joins us for the second straight season with his 30-minute Upstate preview show and postgame scoreboard show. He'll be along for the ride the rest of the year.
It promises to be fun, for sure. Now, back to my regularly scheduled nap.
See you Monday morning, 9 a.m.-Noon, for Cruise Control, and then Monday night (7-9 p.m.) at Croc's off Pelham Road in Greenville for some preseason Monday Night Football.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Great Job Green Wave Fans
Wanted to take just a moment to thank the folks at Easley High School.
With the high school football season set to open Friday night, Easley had a community pep rally downtown on Thursday evening. The Green Wave will take on rival Pickens in the opener at Brice Field, and we at WCCP will make it the first stop again this year for our Friday Night Lights High School Game of the Week.
I was happy to accept when asked to emcee the pep rally. Between the cheerleaders, band, football players and 300 or so fans gathered on an early evening in which the temperature again hovered near triple digits, even I couldn't mess up things.
In fact, the crowd was kind enough to laugh at my feeble attempt at the occasional joke. My youngest daughter, Rebekah, was shocked that her old man was received so well.
But it's that way everywhere we go for our game broadcasts.
Upstate fans have embraced us, and we thank you for doing so. To me, even all these years later, there's still something special about those football Friday nights.
So whether it's Easley this week or anywhere else on our schedule, we look forward to seeing you all.
Let the games begin.
With the high school football season set to open Friday night, Easley had a community pep rally downtown on Thursday evening. The Green Wave will take on rival Pickens in the opener at Brice Field, and we at WCCP will make it the first stop again this year for our Friday Night Lights High School Game of the Week.
I was happy to accept when asked to emcee the pep rally. Between the cheerleaders, band, football players and 300 or so fans gathered on an early evening in which the temperature again hovered near triple digits, even I couldn't mess up things.
In fact, the crowd was kind enough to laugh at my feeble attempt at the occasional joke. My youngest daughter, Rebekah, was shocked that her old man was received so well.
But it's that way everywhere we go for our game broadcasts.
Upstate fans have embraced us, and we thank you for doing so. To me, even all these years later, there's still something special about those football Friday nights.
So whether it's Easley this week or anywhere else on our schedule, we look forward to seeing you all.
Let the games begin.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Bowden Searching For Leadership
CLEMSON - Temperatures hovering near triple digits continue to be yet another obstacle for Clemson's football players.
The sun beats down with nauseating consistency. It doesn't care who's hurt, or who's tired. It seemingly has but one function these days - to make the hot even hotter.
This week, more than any other in camp, will be the biggest grind of them all.
Wednesday was the second of three scheduled two-a-day sessions for the week. None of them so far have been given a break from the intense heat.
Add to the formula the usual fall camp ingredients - players tiring of seeing only each other day after day, nothing (even school) to serve as even a minor distraction or mental break from the monotonous routine of meetings, practice, more meetings and sleep - and coaches undoubtedly watch their troops begin to simmer and/or wilt.
It's at this juncture that Tommy Bowden and others like him across the country begin looking for true leadership.
Not the guy who does the most talking, but little else. No, the search this time of year is for the guy who is able to keep his motor running consistently despite the heat; the guy who catches a teammate giving less than his best effort and challenges him to do better.
The guy who, though totally exhausted and perhaps beaten on the previous play, drags himself back into position and wins the battle on the next snap.
Those are the guys coaches look for on the football field.
And at Clemson, it's just about time for such leaders to emerge.
"With so many underclassmen I don't think we're near where we need to be," Bowden said following Wednesday's second workout. "But I think there's a lot of potential, and I think a lot of that will materialize over the course of this week...We're not where we need to be or want to be, but I think there are a few other guys who will emerge before the first game."
The most likely candidates are players chosen by their own teammates.
In the current Clemson media guide, the players were polled as to which teammate they respected most. The top two vote-getters were defensive end Phillip Merling and quarterback Cullen Harper. Running back James Davis was third.
Ironically, most of Merling's votes came from offensive players against whom he has worked in practice. Likewise with Harper, who got most of his votes from Tiger defenders.
But there's room for more on the leadership bandwagon, and Bowden's hope is that a number of different players hop on for the ride. And sooner, rather than later.
Of course Merling, Harper, Davis or anyone else who may show up can be a fine leader in the preseason.
The final test, though, comes once the season gets underway.
"That's the dissertation for the doctorate," Bowden said. "I think that's the only time, really, you can find out. You're in the fourth quarter, down 14 or 21. Second half and you've got to come back...You can't duplicate those things in practice.
"Only when the games begin do you get the true sense of your team."
The sun beats down with nauseating consistency. It doesn't care who's hurt, or who's tired. It seemingly has but one function these days - to make the hot even hotter.
This week, more than any other in camp, will be the biggest grind of them all.
Wednesday was the second of three scheduled two-a-day sessions for the week. None of them so far have been given a break from the intense heat.
Add to the formula the usual fall camp ingredients - players tiring of seeing only each other day after day, nothing (even school) to serve as even a minor distraction or mental break from the monotonous routine of meetings, practice, more meetings and sleep - and coaches undoubtedly watch their troops begin to simmer and/or wilt.
It's at this juncture that Tommy Bowden and others like him across the country begin looking for true leadership.
Not the guy who does the most talking, but little else. No, the search this time of year is for the guy who is able to keep his motor running consistently despite the heat; the guy who catches a teammate giving less than his best effort and challenges him to do better.
The guy who, though totally exhausted and perhaps beaten on the previous play, drags himself back into position and wins the battle on the next snap.
Those are the guys coaches look for on the football field.
And at Clemson, it's just about time for such leaders to emerge.
"With so many underclassmen I don't think we're near where we need to be," Bowden said following Wednesday's second workout. "But I think there's a lot of potential, and I think a lot of that will materialize over the course of this week...We're not where we need to be or want to be, but I think there are a few other guys who will emerge before the first game."
The most likely candidates are players chosen by their own teammates.
In the current Clemson media guide, the players were polled as to which teammate they respected most. The top two vote-getters were defensive end Phillip Merling and quarterback Cullen Harper. Running back James Davis was third.
Ironically, most of Merling's votes came from offensive players against whom he has worked in practice. Likewise with Harper, who got most of his votes from Tiger defenders.
But there's room for more on the leadership bandwagon, and Bowden's hope is that a number of different players hop on for the ride. And sooner, rather than later.
Of course Merling, Harper, Davis or anyone else who may show up can be a fine leader in the preseason.
The final test, though, comes once the season gets underway.
"That's the dissertation for the doctorate," Bowden said. "I think that's the only time, really, you can find out. You're in the fourth quarter, down 14 or 21. Second half and you've got to come back...You can't duplicate those things in practice.
"Only when the games begin do you get the true sense of your team."
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Seating Issue Coming Up
The new seating plan for Clemson football is being unveiled next week by the University.
Already the source of much speculation and angst, the reseating of Death Valley is a step the athletic department believes will not only get it in line with most other major football programs around the country, but also mean increased revenues.
Some long-time season-ticket holders are going to have a difficult decision to make, to be sure - significantly increase what they give to IPTAY in order to keep their choice seats, or give them up because someone else is willing to pay more for them. Either way, there are going to be many folks more than a little bent out of shape over the new policy.
But, in this current era of big-time collegiate sports, such is life. Clemson either has to try and keep up with the Joneses (or in this case, the Auburns, the Alabamas, the Florida States, the Tennessees, etc.) or be left behind both on the field and in the facilities arms race.
Of course, the other alternative is to drop scholarship sports all together and find an Ivy League-type conference to play in. But I daresay many of the same folks who will scream about reseating will turn around in the next breath and scream about the very idea of downgrading the Clemson athletic program.
Such is the conundrum facing the school, its fund-raising arm, and its fan base.
Hoping to shed a little light on the subject, senior associate AD Billy D'Andrea will be a guest on my show - Cruise Control - at 9:25 a.m. Thursday. You can catch the interview live on 104.9 FM, The Drive, or you can get it live on the Internet at www.wccpfm.com.
Already the source of much speculation and angst, the reseating of Death Valley is a step the athletic department believes will not only get it in line with most other major football programs around the country, but also mean increased revenues.
Some long-time season-ticket holders are going to have a difficult decision to make, to be sure - significantly increase what they give to IPTAY in order to keep their choice seats, or give them up because someone else is willing to pay more for them. Either way, there are going to be many folks more than a little bent out of shape over the new policy.
But, in this current era of big-time collegiate sports, such is life. Clemson either has to try and keep up with the Joneses (or in this case, the Auburns, the Alabamas, the Florida States, the Tennessees, etc.) or be left behind both on the field and in the facilities arms race.
Of course, the other alternative is to drop scholarship sports all together and find an Ivy League-type conference to play in. But I daresay many of the same folks who will scream about reseating will turn around in the next breath and scream about the very idea of downgrading the Clemson athletic program.
Such is the conundrum facing the school, its fund-raising arm, and its fan base.
Hoping to shed a little light on the subject, senior associate AD Billy D'Andrea will be a guest on my show - Cruise Control - at 9:25 a.m. Thursday. You can catch the interview live on 104.9 FM, The Drive, or you can get it live on the Internet at www.wccpfm.com.
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