http://blogs.thestateonline.net/pstrelow Clemson beat writer Paul Strelow blogs about Tiger athletics Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:35:10 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en After suggesting two posts ago that Clemson has to feel unlucky it doesn’t get the chance to end its dubious 54-game losing streak at UNC this year, here’s thinking I probably oughtta ride into the blog sunset on top. Even then, though, can’t say I saw Wednesday night’s 83-64 thrashing coming, ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/pstrelow/2010/01/14/tarred-and-feathered/ Invites to the postseason college football all-star games and the NFL Combine are out. And is it relates to Clemson, there appears one surprise, at least to me. The lack of pre-draft activity for senior corner Crezdon Butler. Four Tigers were invited to the Combine, three of whom were no-brainers: RB C.J. Spiller, ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/pstrelow/2010/01/12/butler-conspicuously-absent-from-all-star-circuit/ Surely it was no coincidence that on the football team’s biggest weekend in terms of recruiting – both in terms of volume and stature of prospects making official visits with their families – that the school honored the Atlantic Division champs at halftime of Saturday’s basketball game. Dabo Swinney took the ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/pstrelow/2010/01/09/decades-past-and-present/ One recurring theme swirling around Clemson basketball team, at least externally, is the contribution – or lack thereof – from its vaunted freshmen trio of Milton Jennings, Devin Booker and Noel Johnson. Don’t think it's been a stretch to suggest this team’s ceiling will parallel the development of that group considering the cast of ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/pstrelow/2010/01/07/the-mcdonalds-hoops-value-menu/ Generally when a coach is fired, it seems the team that axed said coach often looks for the opposite of what it had. If you had a player’s coach, the fans want a disciplinarian, and vice versa. If you had a finesse offensive coach, you go for a physical, defensive guy, ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/pstrelow/2010/01/05/yo-ho-ho-and-a-bowden-in-the-running/ FROZEN TUNDRA OF ARCHDALE, N.C. -- Oliver Purnell is right when he points out that in No. 21 Clemson’s wins, you can usually count 7-8 players at game’s end who have played well. That’s how his system works. When you have 7-8 players who play pretty poorly – mainly on the ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/pstrelow/2010/01/04/the-duke-disaster/ On Christmas Eve, Clemson junior center Jerai Grant and family were visited at their home near Washington D.C. by Duke guard Nolan Smith, a close friend whom Grant competed with locally for years. Sunday night’s ACC opener between the 21st-ranked Tigers (12-2) and 7th-ranked Blue Devils (11-1) was fast approaching, so ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/pstrelow/2010/01/01/basketball-season-really-begins-sunday/ It’s been 11 seasons since a Clemson receiver failed to log at least 50 catches (1998, Brian Wofford had 35). Gotta wonder whether the Tigers will have any receiver get there next year. If you’d have asked me who their “No. 1” guy in 2010 would be before this past year, I ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/pstrelow/2009/12/30/missing-marquan/ My goal next week is to produce a to-do wish list for Clemson’s offseason. And the more I’ve loosely brainstormed some ideas, the more one item has come front and center: Show offensive coordinator Billy Napier some love. That can obviously come in various forms – none more salient than a raise, ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/pstrelow/2009/12/29/my-apparent-pitch-to-be-napiers-agent/ Few quick thoughts from Sunday night’s Music City Bowl, beyond the fact Clemson trumped my prediction. Don’t know how much Clemson will really gain by the victory other than the chance to feel good about the season – which, actually, is pretty substantial. But beating Kentucky was so important in the sense ... http://blogs.thestateonline.net/pstrelow/2009/12/28/music-city-mishmash/