Thursday September 25, 2008

Dear Clemson Students

Dear Clemson Students,

I hope your semester is going well. I understand you have very busy schedules but I wanted to reach out to you because I need your help.

I have noticed empty seats in the student section this season and also noticed more students leaving games early. My vocabulary is limited so I cannot describe how I felt when I saw hundred of empty seats in the student section during a couple of games this season.

This letter is not intended to criticize you and your classmates. Instead, it is an attempt to get a better grasp of the situation. I want to know your concerns and hope to help rectify some of those issues. Together maybe we can voice them in an attempt to make some positive changes.

My daughter is a senior who will graduate in December and I get upset with her when I find out when she leaves a game early. I remind her all of the time to enjoy her time in Death Valley as a student because it is special but it is also limited.

I hear students are upset about the Alabama game and I understand. A lot of people were disappointed so I can sympathize with you on this one.

I also understand the home schedule is not the best.

It has been brought to my attention that some have a hard time making it to noon kickoffs but I have less compassion on this complaint.

The facts point out that your time at Clemson is limited. You only have seven home games a year. I hear from recent graduates that complain about the lack of availability of tickets when they graduate. Some regret not taking advantage of their student tickets when they had a chance but those days are gone for them now.

However, the main reason I am writing is to reach out and try to get a better comprehension of why the student section has been lacking at Death Valley this year.

It has been brought to my attention that parking is an issue especially for off-campus students. Also I received an e-mail from one student saying that tailgating opportunities have been taken away from students on campus.

This letter comes in the form of a request. Please e-mail me anything that might help encourage students to become more active this season and in the future. I will compile a list of concerns and forward them to Jim Barker, Terry Don Phillips, Tommy Bowden, IPTAY and anyone who needs to hear the concerns.

Please understand that there is nothing that can be done about some concerns. The schedule, the times of games that are televised and some parking issues are out of our hands. But there has to be some issues that we can get together and help. I hope you will take advantage of this chance as a student to voice your opinion. I can’t promise changes but I can promise they will be forwarded to the administration. Your voice will be heard.

Please forward this letter to any student that you know who has issues that need to be heard. My e-mail address is mickeyplyler@hotmail.com. Please respond by the first of next week so I can compile them and forward them by mid-week. Also if you are a student, please respond through e-mail instead of the comment section at the bottom of this blog. It will be easier to compile them through e-mail.

Again, I don’t know what your concerns are and don’t know what the solutions are. However, I do know that the football team at Clemson needs the full support of the student section. I know that Death Valley is a special place and one of the main reasons it has been special in the past is the student section. So many times in life older adults lead young people but Saturdays in Clemson are different. The student section is where the energy starts on Saturdays in Clemson. The atmosphere begins in the student section and resonates throughout the entirestadium. We need your leadership this Saturday and every other Saturday when the Tigers play at home. The alternative is not a solution. We need you to be the catalyst. Please let me know what we need to do and hopefully we can get the Valley rockin’ again. Failure is not an option here.

Please feel free to contact me anytime I may be of assistance. Thanks in advance for your consideration and good luck with the rest of the semester.

Go Tigers!

Mickey Plyler
WCCP-FM 104.9
mickeyplyler@hotmail.com

864-834-6060

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