Will they be ready?
posted by LW, Thursday, December 24, 2009
I remember being stunned watching Kentucky slap Clemson around in the 2006 Music City Bowl.
Looking back, though, the ingredients for a letdown -- and meltdown -- were all too apparent.
The Tigers were favored by 10 but came in having loss three of their previous four, including their first defeat to South Carolina in five years. Judging some of the sights and sounds in the bar district in the nights that preceded the game, some Clemson players seemed more interested in mixing it up with the locals than mixing it up with the Wildcats.
Listening to coaches and players entering Sunday's Music City Bowl, you're told there's no way that happens again. They're saying all the right things.
But then, they were saying all the right things three years ago, too.
I tend to believe we'll get a much better showing from them this time around. There are still players on this team who suffered through that debacle, who know about the virtual road-game atmosphere that will greet the Tigers on Sunday night.
Still, you never really know.
Ed McGranahan of the Greenville News writes that focus hasn't seemed to be a problem so far.
Also, a look ahead at the Tigers' search for their next playmakers.
Looks like Kentucky's players aren't exactly happy to be in Nashville for Christmas.
"It's tough," sophomore receiver Randall Cobb said. "I haven't missed a Christmas with my family ever. It's different. But there's nothing I can do about it. I just have to go out there and get myself ready for this game."
Junior tailback Derrick Locke said it will be the first Christmas he won't spend with his 3-year-old son, Kelton.
"I'm not going to lie," Locke said. "It sucks. But it'll be OK. He knows Daddy's working."
Rich Brooks wasn't enamored of his team's first workout at the bowl site.
"It was sluggish," Brooks said. "I had to yell a little bit too much. But at least we finished pretty good."
Greg Wallace of the Independent-Mail writes about one of the team's cool stories of 2009: Honoring Stanley Hunter by wearing his No. 17.
Every time Stanley “Buster” Hunter sees his No. 17 jersey take the field on the back of a Clemson teammate, chills run down his spine and tears well up in his eyes.
“It’s kinda surreal,” the now-former linebacker says. “Every time I go into the locker room and see it, I think of the first time, the first game I played against Alabama and seeing it for me to wear, the first time all over again. The nervousness, the chills, the thought process of knowing my plays, knowing what I’m doing and getting ready to play.
“All that goes to my mind so quick every time I see one of those guys in my jersey.”
Chad Diehl, who had Hunter's number tattooed onto one of his arms after hearing the news that Hunter's football career was done, will wear the jersey on Sunday.
Travis Sawchik of The Post and Courier remains on the psychological couch in today's story on how the Tigers can end their slump.
"The funny thing about slumps is they can change in a play, in a moment in football," said Joe Fish, a sports psychologist who works with the Clemson basketball team and professional teams like the Philadelphia Flyers. "To me, when you have a plan to address something like a slump you have a better chance to feel like you are more in control. You feel more confident: 'We can get out of this thing.' "
Looks like Mike Hartline could get some playing time Sunday.
Here's a story on Morgan Newton's development.
Clemson assistant Dan Brooks says his old boss (Phillip Fulmer) deserves a job.
Old white guys aren't exactly a hot commodity right now.
"I stay in touch with Phillip and he told me he really would like to get back in (coaching) and he's pursued a couple of things that haven't worked out,'' Brooks said. "It's just really hard to believe that guys like Phillip, who won a national championship and 75 percent of all the games he ever coached, and Tommy Tuberville, who went through a season undefeated (2004), and with all the other games he won, are having a hard time getting back into coaching."
Fulmer, who is working as an analyst for CBS, was considered a candidate for the Louisville job that went to Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong.
Tuberville told the Kansas City Star he was interested in the Kansas job, which went to former Buffalo Coach Turner Gill.
"This business is crazy sometimes,'' Brooks said. "To get a job it has to be the right guy and the right fit and you have to be exactly what an athletic director is looking for."
Former Clemson beat hack Brett Jensen takes issue with The Sporting News naming Dabo Swinney ACC coach of the year.
Rob Daniels of The ACC Sports Journal has his Music City Bowl preview and prediction ... and a standard reference to Henry Kissinger.
That's all for now. Hope everyone has a great Christmas Eve.
LW
Click here for the "Eye On The Tigers" blog archive.
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
I remember being stunned watching Kentucky slap Clemson around in the 2006 Music City Bowl.
Looking back, though, the ingredients for a letdown -- and meltdown -- were all too apparent.
The Tigers were favored by 10 but came in having loss three of their previous four, including their first defeat to South Carolina in five years. Judging some of the sights and sounds in the bar district in the nights that preceded the game, some Clemson players seemed more interested in mixing it up with the locals than mixing it up with the Wildcats.
Listening to coaches and players entering Sunday's Music City Bowl, you're told there's no way that happens again. They're saying all the right things.
But then, they were saying all the right things three years ago, too.
I tend to believe we'll get a much better showing from them this time around. There are still players on this team who suffered through that debacle, who know about the virtual road-game atmosphere that will greet the Tigers on Sunday night.
Still, you never really know.
Ed McGranahan of the Greenville News writes that focus hasn't seemed to be a problem so far.
Also, a look ahead at the Tigers' search for their next playmakers.
Looks like Kentucky's players aren't exactly happy to be in Nashville for Christmas.
"It's tough," sophomore receiver Randall Cobb said. "I haven't missed a Christmas with my family ever. It's different. But there's nothing I can do about it. I just have to go out there and get myself ready for this game."
Junior tailback Derrick Locke said it will be the first Christmas he won't spend with his 3-year-old son, Kelton.
"I'm not going to lie," Locke said. "It sucks. But it'll be OK. He knows Daddy's working."
Rich Brooks wasn't enamored of his team's first workout at the bowl site.
"It was sluggish," Brooks said. "I had to yell a little bit too much. But at least we finished pretty good."
Greg Wallace of the Independent-Mail writes about one of the team's cool stories of 2009: Honoring Stanley Hunter by wearing his No. 17.
Every time Stanley “Buster” Hunter sees his No. 17 jersey take the field on the back of a Clemson teammate, chills run down his spine and tears well up in his eyes.
“It’s kinda surreal,” the now-former linebacker says. “Every time I go into the locker room and see it, I think of the first time, the first game I played against Alabama and seeing it for me to wear, the first time all over again. The nervousness, the chills, the thought process of knowing my plays, knowing what I’m doing and getting ready to play.
“All that goes to my mind so quick every time I see one of those guys in my jersey.”
Chad Diehl, who had Hunter's number tattooed onto one of his arms after hearing the news that Hunter's football career was done, will wear the jersey on Sunday.
Travis Sawchik of The Post and Courier remains on the psychological couch in today's story on how the Tigers can end their slump.
"The funny thing about slumps is they can change in a play, in a moment in football," said Joe Fish, a sports psychologist who works with the Clemson basketball team and professional teams like the Philadelphia Flyers. "To me, when you have a plan to address something like a slump you have a better chance to feel like you are more in control. You feel more confident: 'We can get out of this thing.' "
Looks like Mike Hartline could get some playing time Sunday.
Here's a story on Morgan Newton's development.
Clemson assistant Dan Brooks says his old boss (Phillip Fulmer) deserves a job.
Old white guys aren't exactly a hot commodity right now.
"I stay in touch with Phillip and he told me he really would like to get back in (coaching) and he's pursued a couple of things that haven't worked out,'' Brooks said. "It's just really hard to believe that guys like Phillip, who won a national championship and 75 percent of all the games he ever coached, and Tommy Tuberville, who went through a season undefeated (2004), and with all the other games he won, are having a hard time getting back into coaching."
Fulmer, who is working as an analyst for CBS, was considered a candidate for the Louisville job that went to Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong.
Tuberville told the Kansas City Star he was interested in the Kansas job, which went to former Buffalo Coach Turner Gill.
"This business is crazy sometimes,'' Brooks said. "To get a job it has to be the right guy and the right fit and you have to be exactly what an athletic director is looking for."
Former Clemson beat hack Brett Jensen takes issue with The Sporting News naming Dabo Swinney ACC coach of the year.
Rob Daniels of The ACC Sports Journal has his Music City Bowl preview and prediction ... and a standard reference to Henry Kissinger.
That's all for now. Hope everyone has a great Christmas Eve.
LW
Click here for the "Eye On The Tigers" blog archive.
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
Donnie Patterson. Donnie Patterson is the founder of Patterson Tax Service, located in Easley, S.C. He has been active in tax preparation since 1970, and offers a full range of tax and bookkeeping services.
Larry Williams. Larry has covered the daily beat at Clemson since 2004. Williams, who worked for the Charleston Post & Courier from 2004-08, joined Tigerillustrated.com in November of 2008. He may be reached by email at ldubya08(at)gmail.com. Replace (at) with @.