In the last 10 days, the basketball team has split a set of 4 games. That leaves the team 2-1 in conference while it leaves everyone else wondering how they hell they managed to lose to Charlotte.

In brief summary:
1/6 - UNC - L, 90-88 (OT): stupid fucking overtime
1/9 - Charlotte - L, 82-72: ???
1/12 - FSU - W, 97-85 (2OT): sweet! I love overtime!
1/15 - NCSU - W, 70-54: at least we beat one team from North Carolina

In FT % summary:
UNC - 14/27 = 51.9%
Charlotte - 18/26 = 69.2%
FSU - 14/22 = 63.6%
NCSU - 6/12 = 50%

Next: Duke, in Durham, Saturday at 6PM, with cheating clock operators, and what I predict will be a 16/30 = 53.3 % free-throw shooting performance from Clemson.

Defense
2 sacks
3 Int’s

Offense
608 yards on 89 snaps

So why is everyone on the Tiger team speaking as if they just lost another close game? Probably because even though the team is young, they have all been in the undefeated seat before. In fact, just last year the Tigers were sitting on top of the world after beating the 15th ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets before a Virginia Tech defense decided to literally steal the wheels off the Tiger offense and show the world what the Tigers were made of. So, to say the least, the entire Tiger Nation is wary of what undefeated means.

Enter “Finish the Job” and “One game at a time”. Two mottos that have now been emblazened on every player, coach and fan to emphasise this season. Tommy Bowden and the coaches are doing an excellent job balancing the good and the bad as well as getting the team to focus on each game. Until this point, the Tigers have sounded as if every game is the most important game of the season. The “One game at a time” mantra has effectively placed a mental door in front of every player mind which can only be opened after that weeks opponent walks off the field. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if the coaches didn’t have a season schedule past the upcoming weeks opponent in the locker rooms every week. As Tommy Bowden said in the most recent post game interviews: hey don’t hand out trophies for 4-0, so let’s see if we can get to 5-0. And that is the exact mentality that the team has adopted as seen through Thomas Austin’s quote: “Georgia Tech next week, that’s the only game that counts.” And that should make every Tiger fan take comfort in the mentality of the team.

The coaches and the fans know how special this team is after watching the offense crumble on its run dependency last year. With Cullen Harper breaking records weekly and the dynamic duo of Davis and Spiller foaming at the mount with anticipation for the defenses to finally respect the pass again, this team is clicking on all cylinders and making some noise across the conference and possibly nation. But with each win, no matter how big, the coaches and even the players nit pick and criticize their performances. In the last game against the Wolfpack, the special teams allowed a 99 yard return, that is understandably going to be the glaring sore spot this week. But when the red zone efficiency and field goal kicking are brought up as potential game killer sin the future, you know that the team is determined to improve with every game and practice. Red zone efficiency was not 100% and that just won’t do for this new team mentality, they want TD’s not FG’s and the FG’s have got to be 100% as well. Never mind that one of the kicks was for 51 yards, if you do it in practice you do it in the game. And when your coach and QB are both agreeing that the team SHOULD have done better, then that should not only get the attention of the fanbase but everyone that is in the path of the Tigers this season.

So in the end, if Tommy continues to preach the “you don’t get trophies for X and 0″ and the team continues to be critical of itself even in big wins, the Clemson faithful may be in for a great ride. The only road bump? The Atlantic division seems to carry the big boys this year and Clemson has to play em all. It all starts this week. And you can say that again next week after the Tigers walk off the field down in Hotlanta.

Though we are officially in the Fall season the weekend weather in Raleigh won’t feel like it. Moderate temps and occasional showers for those rolling in or living in the RTP are for Friday. AM showers are expected but should be out of the area by kick off. Hope those going to tailgate have a tent. Temps are supposed to jump to the mid to upper 80’s that afternoon. Expect Carter Finley to feel a bit like a sauna for most of the afternoon. Remember, this game is on TV, so you’ll be in the stadium for a bit longer than the past two home games. If you are staying in the area through Sunday, expect a hot one. Highs will be back to the summer time 90’s. Note – Gnome weather forecasts are guaranteed, even on the road. We travel for a reason.
On the field, expect Spiller and Davis to scorch the Pack D. This should keep their ends from putting too much pressure on Harper who stays cool as a cucumber. Should their D keep our boys in check, watch for this game to be a low scoring grudge match with our revamped FG squad pulling at the W. Score guestimate using what’s under the pointy hat. Tigers 31- Pack 20 . Gut feeling Tigers 17 - Pack 13 padded with a late Tiger field goal.

Thanks to NC State blog Section Six for serving up this gem of officiating negligence.

Section Six has been on the link list for a while. I like their statistical analysis of games, which you typically don’t find in a box score or anywhere else.

Also recently added are Tar Heel Fan and ScalpEm. Both are worth checking out for getting a non-Clemson perspective of sports in the ACC.

Clemson’s future out-of-conference opponents are always up in the air, but at least we know which ACC teams we’ll play through 2015 (assuming the conference stays together).

2007 Clemson Football Scheduled Opponents (in no particular order)::
@Maryland
Wake
@ NC State
FSU
BC
@ Ga. Tech
@ Duke
Va. Tech
(OOC: Furman, UL-Monroe, some MAC team, SC)

Read the rest of this entry »

These just don’t even pass the sniff test. Various online “sources” of dubious quality and reputation are reporting that Clemson’s basketball team is not only ranked, but undefeated at 17-0 (3-0) after beating NC State in Raleigh 87-76.

The only reason why I might believe this is true is that Clemson reportedly shot only 5-13 (38%) from the freebie line.

Next up another road trip, this time to Maryland on Saturday. Game time is set for 2:00. The Terps are 14-2 (0-1) and appear in the top 25 of the ESPN/USA Today poll, Sportsline RPI*, and Sagarin ratings.

* The official NCAA RPI will start to be published sometime next week (or so I’ve read).

The latest Shoeless film is available for download.

And now for some random thoughts:

• Shoeless films are becoming too much like ESPN: fluff and filler when what I want most are scores and highlights. If he starts including spelling bees he will meet an untimely demise.
• Early every week I wish I could watch a replay of the previous weekend’s Clemson game. I can never watch it because I have always stupidly forgotten to tape it. Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life. In the future I’ll opt for just fat and drunk.
• I did not see the offsides that was flagged against Clemson on the goal line stand. If someone was lined up offsides, then there should have been dozens more flags for this throughout the game.
• You know you’re a “special” referee when everyone knows your name. FireRonCherry.com is available. Anyone? Anyone?
• Shoeless redeems himself with A Tribute to Geometry & Physics Extraordinaire: Ron Cherry
• Hopefully James Davis is back up to full speed by the 25th.

I’ll try to keep this short.

NC State is 3-6 for a reason. That reason is that they aren’t very good at playing a full game of football. They are inconsistent, unpredictable, prone to throwing picks, and capable of scoring once they’ve lulled everyone to sleep. They may play dead for 45 minutes, but they never actually roll over and die.

At least not yet.

I don’t know what the magic recipe for beating them is, but getting them at home at noon looks to be an advantage. Striking early and often will destroy their tempo and they’ll abandon the run. They’ll complete some passes and move the ball, but they’ll have problems with sustaining drives.

State is capable of scoring 35 points — not that they have done it, but they could. Expect for them to find 20 points to put on the board. Therefore Clemson needs to find a way to put 21 on the board in the first half. Then protect the ball in the 2nd half. NC State won’t give up, but they won’t be able to come back unless you give them opportunities.

If State is capable of scoring 35, then Clemson is capable of 50. Easily. We have seen that. The spread is 17. I think Clemson wins the game, but State beats the spread: final score 34-21.