Great piece on your plan as to how to get the ACC rolling. I fully agree with you, leadership is key. You stated in said blog, “If the ACC wants to improve the conference then it is obvious a new leader is required.” If that’s the case, who would be your top, say, two or three replacements? Since you’re piped in a bit more than we schmucks are, I figured you may have an idea or two. Now, please don’t dance around not giving us a few names off the top of your head. After all, you opened this door to begin with. Keep up the good fight, man.

Anyway I enjoy your blogs on tnet but for some reason can never reply? Just read the one on road trips and this was going to be my reply...............

After going to 368 consecutive games home and away let me say BC is the best road trip in the ACC hands down. Now the game experience may not be say what FSU is but as for as the trip it's the best. Boston is a great city with so many restaurants/bars you can't make all of them you want to.

The North End is like stepping into Sicily. And this Yankee fan recommends a tour of Fenway even if the Sux aren't in town. Also I'm a history buff and we took a Duck Tour and I heard things I had no clue about.

GO TIGERS and GO YANKEES

I'm very excited about the Auburn game this coming season. I was raised both a Clemson and an Auburn fan (both parents graduated from both schools), with Clemson taking the edge during my teens. Regardless, I still love to watch Auburn succeed (the only SEC school that I like to see succeed, actually). It's been interesting that the Auburn/Clemson games have almost made a resurgence over the past years: the Chick-Fil-A Bowl a couple years ago, now this coming game, etc. It's been some time since I've been to Auburn, but I remember it being an all-around positive experience. Comparisons to Clemson are easy to spot, from the downtown area to the bell tower. Toomer's Corner is a great experience (as long as your team is not the reason the trees are getting decorated), and Jordan-Hare has a great atmosphere. As far as your question about food goes, the only place that I can really remember is a small sandwich shop called "Momma Goldberg's", which was wonderful. I will be at the game this year, along with my "divided" family, and I hope to see a lot more Clemson Tiger faithful there.

I didn't pay much attention to college baseball until I became a student here, but I did know that Clemson, traditionally, had a good baseball program. That seemed to be the case early this year as well. This slump has me wondering, is the typical for Clemson? Is it time to be worried about possibly sneaking in the backdoor to Omaha, or do we have time/the ability to turn things around?

Thanks again for the blog, and sorry for the length of the email: just trying to procrastinate on studying for a few finals.

The following was written by Carrie Dean, VP of the NYC/Tri-State Clemson Club. I am compelled to share it. We will not soon (if ever) have another representative of Clemson in his class. Enjoy!

"With only minutes to spare, because his flight was more than a half an hour early, we rush into place, distribute our welcome signs and Clemson flags and await the arrival of OUR CJ. Not everyone making the hour-and-a-half trek out to JFK has made it in time, so those of us who have are particularly thankful and spirited.

With signs aloft, we cheer long and loud as the Adidas-clad CJ Spiller comes through the glass doors all alone. No entourage, no agent, not even his family – the rest of ‘team Spiller’ will arrive the next morning – just CJ with his head phones on. As he lowers his headphones and walks towards us, his smile is broad and warm but slightly tentative… perhaps we’re a bit too spirited for this unassuming star.

One by one, we all shake his hand and introduce ourselves. He quietly offers greetings and thanks to each and every one of us, making a point to make eye contact and repeat our names. There’s some joking around… “You don’t have any orange on,” I say, “I’m not sure how I feel about that!” “Aww, it’s in my blood now so I don’t always have to be wearing’ it” is his good humored response… We present him with some gifts: flowers for his mother – which he promises to deliver, remarking how nice it was of us to think of her; a NYC Clemson Club t-shirt – telling him it’s our hope the Giants take him so we can make him an official Club member and he laughs; and the NYC Clemson Club’s very own “rock” – which one of our members brought back from Death Valley (the desert, not the stadium) that we’ve used as a good-luck charm for our club for the past few years and we hope it helps to bring him the contract of his dreams from the team of his choice (please be the Giants!) this week. He accepts each gift with genuine gratitude, the smile (no longer tentative) never leaving his face. He poses for pictures, answers questions and laughs at lame jokes he’s probably heard a million times. He’s gracious and appreciative of the simplest gift or smallest compliment.

When you meet CJ Spiller, there’s a shyness and a sweetness that is unexpected. Despite his hero status to those of us who’ve cheered for him these last four years, CJ Spiller doesn’t have a huge persona. He carries himself with dignity but no arrogance. Obviously, he knows he’s talented; he knows he’s adored by thousands; he knows he’s about to be a multimillionaire… he must know these things – but he certainly doesn’t act like he knows these things. He acts like a man grateful for his gifts and thankful for the opportunity to do the most with those gifts.

In this era of over-indulged superstars behaving as if morality and humility are qualities best forgotten the moment you ink your first 6-figure endorsement deal, how proud am I to be a CJ Spiller fan?

And I am a CJ SIPLLER FAN!

I am a Clemson fan – born, raised and graduated – but my affection for CJ will extend beyond Clemson. My affection for CJ will extend to whatever team is smart enough to draft him on Thursday night. My affection for CJ will have me buying Adidas gear, eating at Subway and patronizing any other business that has the wisdom to sign him as a spokesman.

CJ Spiller is special. Not just a great football player – though he is that, to be sure. But CJ’s greatness on the football field seems to pale in comparison to that of his character. His character is what shines through that big, bright smile. His character is what strikes you when he looks you in the eye.

Before he left us at JFK, I had the opportunity to have a quiet moment with CJ. I locked eyes with him and told him that I believed he beautifully embodied the lesson of Luke 12:48 (“to whom much is given, much is required”), that it is clearly a guiding principle in his life and that I find that truly inspirational. His expression changed and a tender seriousness came into his eyes. He said “that is really important to me, I believe that, and it means a lot to me.” I know it does, CJ.

I am so proud that CJ Spiller is a Tiger. I am thankful he chose my Alma Mater as his own. I am overwhelmed at our great good fortune that he is, indeed, OURS."

After reading your blog on Tuesday, "A Plan for the ACC," I could not help but wonder about the likelihood that the ACC would replace John Swofford as their Commissioner. I wonder if we have a different perspective than other ACC schools. Maybe a majority of ACC schools like the status quo. If that is the case, then we will be stuck with not only Swofford, but also poor bowl games, lousy TV deals, a pitiful conference championship venue, and terrible referees for awhile longer.

Today's column logically points out Commissioner Swofford shortcomings and begs for new leadership. However Swofford seems entrenched in his role as ACC commissioner and, as you point out, the conference is doomed to mediocrity under his leadership. What do you see as a realistic means for change? Obviously we can’t vote him out in November.

I just about jerked the radio out of my car yesterday I was so angry. What I was so angry about was the pulling of Leone in favor of a struggling Lamb. We pitched Leone yesterday because Lamb has been struggling so much in the beginning of every start and then Leggett puts him back in there in a tight spot to try and finish the game. Makes no sense what so ever.

I am totally sick of this type of thing. We haven't had a pitcher pitch a complete game all year. UNC pitches their starter 156 pitches on Friday and wins. I am not saying that is the answer necessarily but something has to give. I just don't see Leggett ever letting up on these strict pitch counts. Any chance we make a change and bring in Corbin or O'Sullivan? What is their history with incorporating pitch counts into the game plan? I will appreciate any input you may have.