Monday March 08, 2010

Wake Review; Baseball Weekend; Open Practice

Wake Forest Review
I know not everyone will agree with this point and I am not saying that I am right about feeling this way, but I had chalked last night up as a loss before Clemson even boarded the plane to get go to Winston-Salem.

The team did not and the staff did not, nor should they. And if we continue our ascension in the college basketball world, maybe one day I won’t feel this way. However, I must be honest about how I felt and I knew Clemson could not win in Winston-Salem last night. Not on Senior Night. Not with Wake maybe needing a win to get into the NCAA tournament. Not with Hess and Lindsey officiating. It was just not going to happen.

To be clear up front, Clemson did not play well and the Tigers still had chances to win. If the Tigers would have played better then they could have won but it was going to be an uphill battle.

I personally don’t think Hess is a bad official but I did have a caller on my radio show this morning point out that over the last two seasons including the ACC tournament, Hess has worked 10 Clemson games and the Tigers are 1-9 in those games. In the 23 ACC games he has not worked Clemson is 17-6. We win 10% with him and 74% without him.

I am an irrational fan but I don’t think he has anything against Clemson. Maybe it is just pure coincidence. But that is a decent sample size and 74% and 10% over 33 games is a big margin.

Also, it should be pointed out that both teams had terrible calls against them last night but since my team lost, I find it fair game to focus on the ones that affected my team. The jump ball call and the foul on Potter late instead of a jump ball were two of the worst calls I have seen this season. That was just pure incompetence.

I have been watching ACC basketball for 37 years now and I saw another first last night. Chase McFarland had a triple double last night when he had double digits in points, rebounds and FOULS. Officially he was only whistled for five fouls but we all saw at least ten more. I head Gminski and Brando compliment his defense but when you are allowed to foul so often it makes defense easier.

The scene that I will remember last night was the look on Clemson assistant coach Ron Bradley’s face when they called the foul on Potter instead of a jump ball and then Booker comes out to patch up the bloody face.

ACC Tournament
The loss means the Tigers will play NC State Thursday instead of the gaining a first round bye. This is a big deal for a couple of reasons but perhaps the biggest will be the difficulty in winning four games in four days. I don’t think it is a coincidence that Clemson’s best ACC tournament was two years ago when the Tigers made it to the finals of the tournament when the Tigers enjoyed their only first round bye.

I don’t think the fatigue issue is a huge factor but Clemson’s style of play would benefit from an extra days rest. The bigger deal would be just winning four times in four days. The Tigers face a hot NC State team on Thursday. If they win then one of the best defensive teams in the country in Florida State awaits. Then perhaps Maryland and then perhaps Duke. That sounds like a very difficult road to the Tigers’ first ACC tournament title. However, I do think the Tigers are very capable of beating any team in this tournament and a title shot is not unimaginable like many years in the past.

Baseball Review
We are ten games into the 2010 baseball season and I want to touch on this team more later this week but this past weekend was a big boost for this team. I really liked what we learned from the team this weekend. We saw yesterday that the Tigers have some power which was showcased by the five home runs including two grand slams. We learned that Clemson can put up a few runs against good pitching as they did OK against Blake Cooper and Sam Dyson. We also saw some clutch hitting in Friday night’s win.

There were a few concerns as well. Everyone would have loved to have held onto the lead Saturday and gained a sweep. Also the number of strikeouts may also be of some concern but this was a successful weekend series.

I was out of town all weekend but I did hear positive reviews from both Gamecocks and Tigers on my radio show this morning concerning the neutral site game in Greenville Saturday. Next year is the last year of the contract but it sounds like both programs would be willing to listen to offers to do the same again on 2012 and beyond.

Spring Practice
I just wanted to drop a quick note about football practice and remind fans that practice today and Wednesday are open to the public. Today’s practice is at 3:30 and Wednesday’s is at 6:30 PM. I can think of no better way to spend a Wednesday afternoon than a Clemson-Gardner Webb baseball game at 4:00 followed by spring football practice at 6:30.

Clemson takes next week off for spring break but two practices the following week are also open to the public.

Speaking of spring, maybe Dabo has a little of Coach Ford in him. Back in the old days the players used to say that Coach Ford controlled the weather because football practice was always hot and it never rained out practice. Some called him “Lord Ford.” Maybe Dabo has something to do with an expected high of 70 degrees on the second day of spring practice.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

Prayer List
We have started a prayer list on the blog. Here are the guidelines:
*If you are offended by prayer or prayer lists then I apologize in advance. The blog is free and the prayer list will be on the bottom of the page so you don’t have to read it.
*If you would like to add someone to the list please e-mail me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com
*If you want the reason for the prayer to be added to the name please specify in your e-mails.
*Please let me know when it is appropriate to take the person off of the prayer list

Those who need our prayers include:
Finn Brookover, Larry in Naples, FL, RTG-Pawsitive Tiger, Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter), Jo Ann Bachman, Frank Taylor, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard, Gillespie and his family, Jim S, Christine Hepfer, Daniel Rosborough, Amy Murphey, Jack Huffman, Nancy Winkler, Dr. Nancy Strom Morgan, John Reeve, Eileen Woodrum, Ethel Southard, Vinnie Brock, Kaitlyn L, Eric Boessneck, John Bowers, Jimmy Ness, Susan Miller, Joyce Harley, Steve Proveaux, John Petrey, Chalmers Carr, Drayton Melton, Jeffrey Greene, the Hutto family, Sherl Drawdy, Caleb Kennedy, Teresa O'Connor, Matt Jacobs, Mike Kingsmore,Perrin Seigler, Carole White Begley, Candee Massee, Lindsey Jordan, Sam Catoe, Tyler Felch, Steve Cato, the Nicolopulos family, Cason Palmer, Candace Fallaw, Scott Jackson, "the Jacksonville, FL guys", Kim Sims, the Coyle familty, Ryleigh Tedder, Steve Lee.