Doing it the Right Way

Talk about rocking my world. I came across this video a couple of nights ago and I felt the need to share this with my loyal readers.

In this blog, I've talked a lot about doing things the right way. In countless discussions about the Clemson football program and the never-ending Tommy Bowden debate, I've always reasoned that, to me, doing things the "right way" was as important as wins or losses.

I had a reader email me shortly after one of my Tommy Bowden articles and ask, "Who cares about off the field 'crap'? College coaches are paid for wins and losses. Players need to produce."

I didn't have a good answer for him at the time, but now I do. There are at least two individuals in the Clemson community who were blessed last Sunday to meet some of our finest student athletes. Once again, these guys never cease to amaze me. On top of classes, workouts, and life, they continue to find time to add something to the atmosphere at Clemson. I tell people all the time that it's about much more than just staying out of the negative headlines. At Clemson, it's about more than dodging the legal bullets that our feathered friends in Columbia seem to attract. Here, it's about recruiting, coaching, and training the right kind of men who will be successful and make an impact regardless of how they perform on Saturday. Luckily for us, guys like Cullen Harper, C.J. Spiller, Tyler Grisham, Thomas Austin, Jacoby Ford, Willy Korn, and Jeff Ogren are also a joy to watch on Saturday.

Kudos to those guys for doing something awesome.

Enjoy this video.

A Reason to Love Baseball, and Life

I came back to Clemson from home today because I have to cover Friday night's Upper State softball championship game at Wren. I had absolutely no idea I would be writing a story about a game of hardball on Thursday night.

With a little time to kill and nothing better to do, I decided to take in Dan Scott's Friends Appreciation Night at the Jervey Meadows behind Doug Kingsmore Stadium. I came to the diamond with my new best friend, Hemingway's Blue Marlin (Marley for short), a 9-week old Blue Weimaraner who has taken a particular fondness to both baseball and free food.

I wasn't really sure what to expect when Marley and I approached the makeshift baseball diamond full of capable souls. I had heard about the event on the radio during my trip to Clemson, so I had some picture of what the evening would look like. Still, I didn't expect to find so many ball players, nor did I expect to view such passion and zest for living.

The players took the Diamond, with a few filling each of the defensive positions. The kids were dressed in their baseball gear, looking like they were ready to step out onto Old Crosley Field for opening day. These guys and gals had physical ailments of varying degrees, but not even the most debilitating kept them from enjoying the action.

After watching the game for a little while, I was reminded of a rhyme that one of my friends shared during my latest fit of selfishness. "I once knew a boy who sang the blues because he had no shoes," it went. "Then he stumbled onto the street and met a man who had no feet."

To be honest, the evening wasn't a night to lament about what was lost, though. Instead, it was a celebration of all that is right in baseball and in life. When they crossed the chalk lines onto the all-clay infield, each of these kids was a huge winner. With the help of parents and other friends, they fielded tough ground balls, made the plays on some difficult Texas-league hits, and ran the bases with valor.

I had no intention of becoming emotional, but I couldn't help feeling a tear or two. I watched one young man run right through the stop sign at third base, his mind set on scoring the run. He was fearless and in the end, his courage paid off. As he crossed home plate, cheers from onlookers pierced the ears and the joy on his face was tremendous. He raised his hands to the sky as if to say, "I made it."

Dan Scott brought the play-by-play with his own impression of Marty Brenneman. The broadcasting, however, was not the story for me. It was the fact that Scott and company made these kids feel like Pete Rose picking up hit number 4256 or Hank Aaron belting home run number 714. Brenneman got to make those calls, but I'd be willing to venture that he'd have loved just as much to broadcast tonight's game.

This was my first chance to experience the work that the folks at Upstate Challenger Sports get to do. They give kids with disabilities the chance to enjoy sports just like every other kid. I don't know about you, but baseball, football, basketball, and other sports made up a huge part of my childhood. I learned some very valuable lessons on the ball fields of Darlington, and this awesome program gives lots of kids the same chance to just enjoy life. It gives them the chance to love the game of baseball more than anyone else who ever played.

When the game was over, there was no scoreboard to cut off, and I have no idea who scored the most runs. The two teams retreated for cover from the rain and they ate their fill in hot dogs. A few of the kids wanted to spend a few minutes with Marley, who did her part to bring an ounce of joy into their lives. I heard countless kids greet my dog with "I love you". It was the first time in a long time that I'd left a sporting event with nothing but absolute joy.

More times than not, especially with Clemson sports, we get caught up in who is doing this and who is not doing that. We fight over coaches, and plays, and Leggett's rainy days. We debate bubble screens, underachieving teams, and the pain it all brings. I can honestly say that what happened behind Beautiful Tiger Field tonight is what it's all about.

I don't know anything about how to donate or get involved with this organization, but if it ever comes up on Dan Scott's radio show again, I encourage you all to at least take notice. If you're anything like me, you'll be served a dose of perspective and humility.

A Little Easter Morning Perspective

I'm not usually one to fly off the cuff with knee-jerk reactions, so I let Friday night's loss marinate for a while before weighing in. It's Easter morning now, so I think the time is right to shed a little bit of perspective on something that so desperately needs that sort of interjection.

It is my sincere hope that those people who have spent their last 30 hours bashing the Clemson basketball team and its coach will wake up this morning, walk outside, and try to engage themselves in something other than Clemson sports. It's healthy, and it will help you keep all of this in its correct place. The world didn't end on Friday night, nor did basketball end. When I return to Clemson this afternoon, the university will still be standing, or so they've led me to believe.

It's Easter, folks. It's time to celebrate the ressurection of our savior, and for you Tigernet regulars, I'm not talking about Willy Korn. If you've blown a blood vessel in anger over the Clemson "collapse", then your focus might be better spent somewhere else on this day.

As for the basketball itself, I can say that I was disappointed, but not devastated. I've read a lot of jibberish where some individuals (once again) feel like Clemson sports "owes" them something for their long time fandom. I've said it once, but it bears repeating. Clemson and its athletes owe you nothing. Consider yourself fortunate to be able to watch them and celebrate their hard work. You were blessed this year to get to see Cliff Hammonds, James Mays, and Sam Perry receive the payoff for their four years of dedication. When they lost on Friday night, I was hurting for those three guys, not because a Clemson loss somehow takes away from my life. If the source of your "pain" was something different, then a serious life re-evaluation should be on the docket.

I've developed a bit of system to help myself enjoy Clemson athletics, and I sincerely hope you all will adopt it if you already haven't. It's really quite simple. ENJOY THE LITTLE THINGS! For the life of me, I can't understand those people who let one loss (no matter how devastating) take away all of the joy from a season that was full of it. I encourage you to invest your energy in thinking about Cliff Hammonds crashing over the bench on Valentine's Day in pursuit of a loose ball. Think about James Mays finally getting the best of James Gist in leading Clemson to the big win at Maryland. Remember Sam Perry's resurgence and all of the energy he provided in his final season.

Clemson fans must find a friendly balance there. Winning matters, but if you're going to enjoy this, you better take a look at your focus. In the end, there's absolutely nothing you are going to do to change the outcome of the game you're watching, so why beat yourself up about it?

I'll step off my soapbox now in time to make it to church. Happy Easter to everyone, and Go Tigers.

Not Satisfied: The Future of Clemson Basketball

Let me start first by saying a big thank you to the benevolent Duke fan who came to us, like an angel, with three reasonably priced tickets prior to Sunday's ACC Championship game. If you're reading this, it was truly a blessing and we enjoyed your company Sunday at Bobcats Arena.

With that in mind, Sunday's scene was something special. Having myself grown up through the ugly years of Clemson basketball and having witnessed Clemson's re-birth coincide with my own college career, it was really cool to be able to see Clemson on the league's grandest stage Sunday afternoon. A funny thing happened that day, too. It was almost as if Clemson belonged.

That's where I want to jump in and mention the future of Clemson basketball. I've had the pleasure of listening to Coach Purnell speak on a number of occasions and he's not satisfied. Clemson's seniors aren't satisfied, either. They didn't just want to get to the championship stage, they wanted to bring home Commissioner Swofford's cheese. You can bet they're not happy to just be in the tournament, either.

Clemson basketball is truly on the brink of taking the next step and it's happening for three reasons. For one, Oliver Purnell understands the goal and he's gotten his team to buy into that. When Clemson fans were sitting around, picking their butts, and starting message board topics wondering, "How many more games can we lose and still sneak into the tourney?", Purnell and company were out there worrying about how many games they could win to improve their seeding. It is that confidence and that vision that's propelled Clemson basketball up from the salty abyss that it used to inhabit.

The second thing that I've noticed has to do with the culture of winning that seems to have permeated the program and its players. Credit Cliff Hammonds, James Mays, and Sam Perry for staying the course. Credit Purnell for pushing his players to the brink. Now, when the Terrance Oglesby's of the world come to Clemson, they do so with an attitude. They come here to win and they play with a swagger. It's something that has been passed down from class to class. With enough of that winning attitude, a tradition of excellence will be built at Clemson.

The Tigers have adopted a one-game-at-a-time-do-whatever-it-takes-insert-your-own-sports-cliche-here mantra. Pundits and talking heads like to use these terms, but Clemson basketball has adopted it. They haven't plastered it on t-shirts, they've plastered it on their faces. When Clemson takes the court these days, they are going to scrap you, out-shoot you, and they're looking to dominate you. They expect to win no matter who they're playing. That's why I think they're poised for a long tournament run. (Edit: enjoy this fantastic tribute video I found on Youtube. Thanks to whoever took the time to put this together. I'd give you some name credit, but I have no idea who you are.)




***A Villanova Note***

Those who know me can tell you that my second passion (behind Clemson basketball) is Georgetown basketball. In other news, I've already chosen the bridge I'll jump from if I have to watch Clemson duke it out with the Hoyas in the Elite 8. The point is, I've followed Big East basketball enough to get a pretty good feel for the Wildcats of Villanova.

I think Clemson matches up pretty well here, for one reason. Nova is a bit lazy on perimeter defense and big men who can pass have really given them trouble. The obvious example here is Georgetown, who hit a school record 17 3-pointers in their Big East quarterfinal against 'Nova. These were open looks, too, from just about every capable three point shooter on the team. The Hoyas just sent the ball in to Roy Hibbert or Pat Ewing or Vernon Macklin, none of whom really had any interest in scoring on the inside. Those guys found the open shooters with diagonal passes and the Hoyas drilled the open shots.

If Villanova has similar effort on the perimeter against Clemson, they will suffer a similar fate. Clemson's sharpshooters are every bit as capable as Georgetown's trio of Wallace, Summers, and Sapp.


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I am really glad this hard working team will finally get a chance to shine. I'd expect them to become a favorite of the casual tournament observer, simply because of the style of play and the fact that they're a bunch of cool dudes. Clemson's guys don't take any crap, which is a quality that Joe Everyfan will like.

Mixed Emotions: Clemson Seniors Give it One More Go

For about two years, I've been excited and sad about this coming weekend. Now that it's finally here, I'm not sure which emotion is more powerful. Cliff Hammonds, Sam Perry, and James Mays will play their final home game tomorrow afternoon, bringing to a close four years of hard work, dedication, and plain old excitement.

Their journey through the college basketball world can be viewed in a couple of different ways. When you look at the trio as a group, it's easy to note the overall progress that they've helped to initiative. When you look at them as individuals, you see a much more colorful picture, though. These three guys have meant a lot to me in their four years at Clemson and I can honestly say they've played a big role in making my four years at Clemson as good as they possibly could be.

I met Cliff Hammonds during my first class ever at Clemson. I knew something about basketball recruiting, so I recognized his name when our Spanish professor called out Cliff's name on the roll. Hammonds didn't look like your normal college athlete. He was there early, in his seat, ready to kick the crap out of college. He carried a goofy looking bookbag that you wouldn't associate with big time college basketball. I didn't know much about Cliff then, but I quickly found out that this guy was all business. I ended up having a couple of different projects with Cliff Hammonds and a funny thing happened. When that guy was in your group, it made you want to get the work done. I didn't see this as a precursor to his college career, but now it's so evident to me.

One of my friends and the owner of http://www.featurepresentationonline.com, Doug McKinney, described Cliff Hammonds this morning as "a soldier". I think war metaphors are overrated, but this one might actually work. Cliff Hammonds has been there from the beginning, working harder than just about any student at Clemson. He goes to class in the morning, polishes his 4.0, then heads to practice where he cleans up his jumpshot. Then he makes it home in time to kiss the wife and tuck in his kid for bed. Talk about responsibility. Over my four years at Clemson, I've come to learn a new definition of what it means to be great. Greatness in sports and in life usually have little to do with statistics. Make no mistake - Cliff Hammonds stacks up well in terms of Clemson history with his overall stat line. It's what else he's done that makes him such a special human being. If you were to draw a picture of what a Clemson athlete is supposed to be and what he is supposed to represent, then that picture might have a funny looking goatee, a broken right wrist, and it would probably be missing a tooth. It might feature a guy who has taken on all comers, made the most out of his ability, put in maximum effort, and above all else, a guy who has represented Clemson with class and dignity for all of his years.

I started calling him "Clutch Cliff Hammonds" two seasons ago for his penchant to hit the big shot. Today, he's great Cliff Hammonds, a rare breed of athlete and human being that is rarely seen in this world and will be greatly missed by Clemson and me personally when he's played his last game.

Then there's Sam Perry. The first time I saw Sam Perry play, I thought he was Superman. "Look at him jump!". Oliver Purnell's first class of guys saw two from North Carolina, one from south Georgia, another from Connecticut and one local guy from Woodmont. I always liked Sam, even before I had the chance to get to know him.

Perry's career as a basketball player has been a roller coaster ride. He's started more than 50 games in his Clemson career and he's made some of the most memorable plays of my four years here. He's battled a lingering knee injury that threatened to take the springs out of his shoes. He's dunked on multiple All-Americans. If you want to know what it's like to be the ultimate team player, then Sam's your guy, though. Whether starting or off of the bench, Sam has never complained for a minute. When you need a big blocked shot or just some energy, call on Sam.

Perry has this spirit, though, that most people never get a chance to see. He's got a smile and a positive attitude that has no other option but to infect the world around him. I'm going to miss Sam Perry for all that he's done for Clemson basketball. I'll miss having #32 around to do the things that most guys would bitch and moan about.

The third remaining member of that class, well you know him well. James Mays is a love him or hate him case. I can't count the number of times I've had arguments with people who have called Mays "lazy". It just makes me so angry. Never have I seen a player develop his game so much from year one to year four. When James came to Clemson, he was raw. He could block shots and run, and not much more. Now, he's an accomplished passer, a good ball handler, a strong finisher. He's even got a little bit of a jumpshot. That's not the story of James Mays, though.

The story of James Mays is one about a guy who had every reason to quit and not make it back into school. It's of a guy who spent an entire semester away from his teammates, and it ripped his heart out every second. He worked hard and did all of the things he needed to do, just so he'd have the chance to come and prove himself again. I understand the plight of Mays, because I've been there, just not on the basketball court. Most of us have had something we love ripped away from us because of stupid mistakes we've made. Not all of us get the second chance to make it right. Mays got his second chance after a long period of making himself right. I'm hoping to share his fate.

When Mays left Clemson in December of 2005, I let him know that if he ever needed anything, all he had to do was pick up the phone. When the news broke that he would be back for his junior season, this sense of pure joy came to me. It's that kind of perseverance that makes great basketball players and great people. That time in his career was sort of a microcosm of his entire career. He's worked, and worked, and worked some more. Some people have doubted him, but here at the end, James Mays is still standing. He'll be out there to receive a huge ovation before the game tomorrow and when the game is tipped off, you can bet he'll be throwing 100% effort into the mix.

These three hold a special place in my heart for all of the awesome moments in Littlejohn that they've been apart of. For Cliff, my one lasting memory is of him diving over the benches after a loose ball in the second half of the Georgia Tech game this season. My best memory of James Mays is also tied to Georgia Tech, but a different game and for a different reason. His was about the joy of redemption. When he hit the game winning layup against the Yellow Jackets last season, he had made it all of the way back. In one moment, all of the agony he had been through during the last year was erased. For Sam Perry, it's about the roar that went up in Littlejohn when he got his chance to step back into the starting lineup following Demontez Stitt's injury. All of his patience had paid off, and he played like Sam again.

I hope people really appreciate what these guys have done for the Clemson basketball program. They've been an extension of Oliver Purnell on the basketball court. Though they are completely different players and completely different people, each of them has contributed something special to the university and they've all made my experience at Clemson an awesome one.

Here's to hoping they make a run in the tournament, so that the nation can see what Clemson fans have been so lucky to enjoy over the last four years. There are three big Valentines in those three gentleman and for me, that's all an athlete should ever be required to give.

Rendrick Taylor: Setting the Record Straight

When a buddy of mine left me a late night message this week asking if I could call him back, I knew something was wrong. The call came from Rendrick Taylor, and it wasn't long after the news of his supposed position change and the subsequent message board kneejerk had taken place.

Rendrick was disappointed, quite frankly, with both the articles written about the situation and the resulting reaction from so-called "fans". When I called him back the next day, I heard a guy who almost had his spirit broken, but not quite.

He asked me to relay a message to those who preach from their message board perch. Taylor was hurt by some of the reaction in which he was called, among other things, "selfish", "fragile", and "a waste of talent". Taylor said that players know what's being said about them outside of the football field, and it doesn't sit well with them.

Rendrick Taylor is a hero, of the most uncommon kind. He chose Clemson, as a four star receiver out of a USC-stronghold town, when there really wasn't a whole lot of reason to choose Clemson. He committed early, unlike a lot of today's prospects, and kept his pledge, unlike a lot of today's prospects. He has worked hard in the classroom, on the field, and in the community. He's made the grades and he's spoken to local youth in classrooms and churches. Simply put, Rendrick Taylor is a guy you would want your son to emulate. That can't be said for a lot of today's athletes.

On the football field, he's contributed to his share of Clemson victories, including making big plays in Clemson's first win at Florida State since 1989, in a Tiger win at N.C. State this past season, and in the thriller at Williams-Brice last November. He's done the dirty work, going across the middle and clearing space, while avoiding safeties.

Taylor is a Tiger, so imagine his surprise when someone told him that his so-called fans were spouting off at the mouth about his selfishness and toughness. While those people were on their electronic soap boxes, Taylor was getting up at 5AM for MAT drills.

"It's really hurtful to sit back and read some of the things that so-called fans have to say about me," Rendrick said in his email to me. "If you want to talk about me, come to get to know me and then you can say whatever you want. Until then, you really have no room to talk."

Taylor went on to express the same frustration that I've had for months when dealing with fans on the net. To be frank, I have to stand up for him here. I'm not sure what it is about sports that makes people forget that college athletes are people. I don't under why people think that they can demean athletes who are working hard just so fans can be entertained on Saturday. Simply put, I think it's bullshit that somebody like RT has to put up with this.

In his email, he said, "It's funny how some people can sit behind a computer
and talk about someone and not know what's really going on. I have shown
nothing but loyalty to Clemson and its football team. I have tried to do
everything for this team."

Then there was the ragging on Taylor for his injuries. Where do these people come from? I know how hard Rendrick Taylor works and I think it's crap that someone can sit on a laptop with a beer gut and call him "soft". I encourage you to hit the weight room, put on some pads, and go play division 1 football. Until you do that, you have no right to call anybody "soft" or anything like that.

Rendrick had this to say, "Its not my fault that I have had some injuries,
But I believe that everything happens for a reason and God has a plan for
me so at this point I have put everything in his hands."

The articles about Rendrick Taylor are wrong, and out of context. Rendrick Taylor did not go to the coaches begging to be moved to linebacker. He didn't selfishly request this move for his own personal reasons. According to Taylor, he was asked by a Clemson coach if he would be willing to take some reps at linebacker and even tight end. The coaches wanted Rendrick to think about how he could help the team, and not suprisingly, he did it.

All of the articles that are making Rendrick into a beggar are wrong, and they're demeaning. I wish reporters would be a little bit more responsible to get all of the facts before they released something like this, especially given the fallout.

Rendrick wanted to say, "All of these articles making it out to seem as if I was begging to play defense are false."

Simply put, it's time to set the record straight. Taylor's move to linebacker may or may not be a permanent one, and it's very much just an idea at this stage. Depending upon how he performs this spring, he may be back in the fold as a starting WR in 2008. If you've run off at the mouth about Rendrick Taylor, then shame on you. If 99% of the people criticizing had any idea what was going on behind the scenes, they likely wouldn't make themselves sound so ignorant.


Full text of Rendrick Taylor's email to me:

Hey man Whats up this is Rendrick you can post this e-mail or just pick
out the main points

I was asked by a coach behind closed doors about the upcoming football
season. Me playing Linebacker was brought up as well as me playing tight
end, in the meeting. I was asked to think about it so I did. All of these
articles making it out to seem as if i was begging to play defense is
false. Its really hurtful to sit back and read some of the things that so
called fans have to say about me. If you want to talk about me come and
get to know me then you can say what ever you want. Until then you really
have no room to talk. It's funny how some people can sit behind a computer
and talk about someone and not know what's really going on. I have shown
nothing but loyalty to Clemson and its football team. I have tried to do
everything for this team. Its not my fault that I have had some injuries,
But I believe that everything happens for a reason and God has a plan for
me so at this point I have put everything in his hands. I just want it to
be known that my move is nothing permanent unless I have an outstanding
spring. We as players do hear and read whats being said about us outside
of the football field and meeting rooms.

You down with OPP?