Wednesday February 10, 2010

The Road to the NCAA; Top Ranked Tigers; Masters Prep

The Road to the NCAA
After Clemson beat NC State in Raleigh on January 16 the Tigers were 15-3 overall and 3-1 in the ACC. The talk was about a first round bye in the ACC tournament and a high seed in the NCAA tournament.

Fast forward 25 days later and Clemson has lost four of its last five and have dropped to 16-7 overall and 4-5 in the league. Now the talk surrounding the post season places the Tigers on the bubble.

I still maintain the injury to Demontez Stitt was the biggest factor in the Tigers decline as it exposed other weaknesses. But Stitt’s minutes are climbing and the Tigers have a three game home stretch that will say a lot about this team’s post-season plans.

Tonight Clemson faces Florida State at 7:00 PM in Littlejohn. The Seminoles are 17-6 overall and 5-4 in the ACC. Clemson will also play in Tallahassee on the last day of February. The two games with FSU are important for the chances of an NCAA tournament bid and are extremely important in the conference standings and in case there is a tie-breaker between the Seminoles and the Tigers.

I just have a hard time seeing a path to the NCAA tournament with a loss tonight. In fact, I think the Tigers need to sweep the next three home games to make the tournament. A sweep would put Clemson at 7-5 overall. A 2-1 mark over the next three games would leave the Tigers at 6-6 with three of the final four ACC games on the road.

A losing record in the league would almost eliminate any chance of the NCAA tournament so an 8-8 record is just about as low as any ACC team could go and even that is not a guarantee.

A loss in any of the next three games would mean the best Clemson could be would be 6-6 with four games left. The final four regular season tilts are at Maryland, at Florida State, Georgia Tech at home and at Wake Forest. I am not sure the Tigers could split those four games.

So the blueprint to the NCAA tournament starts tonight. A win tonight would even the conference record. It was also provide some confidence heading into Saturday’s home game at noon versus Miami. A two game winning streak against the Sunshine State schools would put Clemson back over the .500 mark at 5-4 in the conference and add even confidence with a two game winning streak and a week off before Virginia. Beat the Cavs at home and get to 7-5 in the league and 8-8 is certainly a realistic goal.

But it all starts tonight. Here we are facing another “must win” game.

Top Ranked Tigers Try to Stay Undefeated at Home Tonight vs. Seminoles
A new tradition among a few of my friends is to text comments to each other about 2 minutes before each home basketball game with comments about the student section in Littlejohn.

We can tell the energy in the building based upon the arrival time and size of the student section.

For years I have beaten the dead horse about student involvement at home sporting events. I am sure no one wants to read another blog with me begging students to get more involved. So maybe someone else can take on the role.

I say we get the student newspaper to print the headline saying, “Top Ranked Tigers Try to Stay Undefeated at Home Tonight vs. Seminoles; Student Tickets Free.”

The article could talk about great seats, great parking, a study break and all of the benefits of attending the game.

Trick em. That might be the next plan. Ripping them or attempting to shame them did not work. Then the “kill them with kindness” plan failed. So plan C might need to involve tricking them.

That Doesn’t Suck
Speaking of students, I see one of my favorite students around town about every two or three weeks. Ben Martin is a senior on our men’s golf team and a two-time All-ACC performer.

Last summer Ben was the runner-up at the US Amateur at Southern Hills in Tulsa, OK. With that feat comes an invitation to the 2010 Masters in April and an exemption to play in the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach in June. It will be the second consecutive US Open for Ben who had an early lead in the first round last year at Bethpage Black.

A couple of weeks ago I ran into Ben at lunch and asked him what he was up to and said he was going to class but it was his last class of the week. Ben is a humble kid so I had to drag the information out of him about his preparations for the Masters.

As it turned out Ben was headed to Augusta that next day for another trip to Augusta National. One of the perks of being invited to play in the Masters is the fact that once invitations are sent in December or January, the invitee can play the course as often as he pleases.

How cool would this be? Check to see if anything is going on this weekend in town. Nope? Check the class schedule to see if you have any tests. No? No big deal. Check the weather channel and see if Mother Nature is cooperating next. Then fire off a phone call to the club to set up another round at Augusta National.

I would say that would be a pretty cool way to spend three and half months of your last semester in college. BTW-Ben has already graduated with a degree in accounting. I think he may be able to use that Clemson education to help him with his future winnings in professional golf.

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, Bob Pollock, 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.