Friday August 01, 2008

Friday E-Mail Bag

Friday E-Mail Bag
Each Friday I publish your comments and answer your questions. To submit a comment or questions please e-mail me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com.

I have a few simple questions. How many players can Clemson "dress out" for a home game? Away Game? Is this limit set by NCAA or conferences?

Phil

Phil,
The NCAA limits the number of participants to 115 on a team at any point but only 85 can be on scholarship. The ACC does not have a limit on top of that. Clemson can dress out all 115 players for home games but they limit that number on road games to cut costs. The only conference that limits a number that can dress out is the SEC. I am not sure what that number is or if they still do it but in years past they limited the number of players who can dress out in conference games.

Mickey,

Tiger Fan

Tiger Fan,

Thanks for your prayers and kind words. I have not heard a lot about the leadership for this team but I always think that is hard to judge. Leadership is an intangible that is hard to get a hold of. Anyone can lead in good times and Clemson is still undefeated. Let's see who is a leader when adversity strikes. Burton Burns used to always say that every team is different and every team would gel at different times. Jeff Davis always says that the players should run the team and motivate the team. He said the players are the key to leadership. I am not a conspiracy theorist but you have convinced me.

Hi Mickey,

Kirk

Kirk,
Thanks for the nice words about Ryan. I have talked to several very close to the McDaniel case. I what each side claims but I don't know what actually happened and who is telling the truth. I do know that the university had a hearing and decided not to take any action at this point and Bowden sat down with several involved and did not take any action. Both reserved the right to take action if more information comes out that would warrant more action. The case should not be heard for a while and that is why I wrote what I did. If McDaniel is guilty then he is done at Clemson. If he is not guilty then he will not be done at the university. But I don't think we will know if he is guilty or not until much later. Our judicial system is flawed in that it takes so much time in some cases. However, it is not flawed because we are innocent until proven guilty. Don't be upset. Anyone can be accused of anything at anytime. But if he is convicted he will not play any game for Clemson.

Mickey,
I read with interest your blog on the economy. You stated that it was an increase of only $30.00 dollars and all true Tiger fans should bite the bullet and come the games. You based your assessment between Clemson and Columbia. I would like to inform you that there a lot of Tiger fans in the Pee Dee, Beach and low country that will have to pay more than $30.00. I have Emailed Clemson AD and other officials that the schedule is out of balance with no reply. Clemson has four home games back to back in the month of September. I have checked the schedule of all the ACC games, and no other team have this schedule. Base your assessment if Clemson was in Georgetown and you had to drive from Greenville every game day. I consider myself a dedicated Tiger as I am a IPTAY rep, season ticket holder, and 42 year continuous IPTAY member.

Gerald

Gerald,

Clemson does not make its ACC schedule. They are told what days they will have available for out of conference games but the ACC makes out the dates and locations of every ACC game. Clemson's schedule is out of balance in September in terms of home games but Clemson had nothing to do with that. Unfortunately, when they decided to add the Alabama game that meant they had to add another opponent and those options were limited so SC State was added. Clemson did not have to add SC State but when they added Alabama they had to add someone and SC State fit the bill. The ACC could have done fans a favor and switched NC State or Maryland for a road opponent like Virginia or Wake Forest in September but Clemson had no control over that.

Also, I sympathize with anyone who has to drive to see the games. I consider myself fortunate that I live a mile and a half from the stadium. But when I lived in Hilton Head for three years I made the drive. I lived in Columbia for about ten years and made the drive. I know I am a fanatic and did not have a family or kids for most of my life but I made Clemson football a priority (probably too much of a priority). But my point is that Clemson is ranked in the top ten of the preseason poll for the first time since 1991 and only four times in school history has this program been ranked higher in the pre-season in it's history. So, gas would have to be a heck of a lot more expensive to keep me away.

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