Memories

During my short life I've been blessed to attend many games played by my beloved Clemson Tigers. I've laughed, cried, had countless near hear attacks, and cheered until I lost all of my voice for the Orange and White. I wouldn't change a thing and I'm proud to say I'm a part of the Tiger Nation! Today I will relive my Top Ten Clemson football victories of games that I attended.

#10. 2002- Clemson vs Georgia Tech 24-19



One of my very first Clemson games so this one will always stick in my memory. Known to some as the battle of I-85. These cross division rivals from the ACC seem to go toe-to-toe nearly every meeting. It was a rainy afternoon that Saturday when the Tigers got out to a 24-6 lead early in the 2nd half. The yellow-jackets rallied though and made it a nail bitter. The rally party came to a crashing halt however when Eric Sampson intercepted a A.J. Suggs pass at the Clemson 16 yard line to secure the victory for the Tigers late in the game. Derrick Hamilton had a big day for the Tigers that included a 79 yard punt return which set up a Clemson touchdown.



#9. 2009- (#23) Clemson vs Virginia 34-21

The home finale for the 2009 season that, with a win, would clinch the Atlantic Division title and a trip to the ACC Championship to face Georgia Tech. The game gave them the outright bid after officially clinching the title just before kickoff as Boston College fell to North Carolina 31-13 earlier that day. The game was kept close by Virginia in the 1st half but C.J. Spiller and the Tigers simply would not be denied that afternoon with hopes of winning their first ACC Championship since 1991 hanging on the balance.



#8. 2011- (#7) Clemson VS North Carolina 58-38


Another great home performance in Death Valley during the 2011 season on a day where Clemson celebrated its 1981 Championship Reunion. Maybe that was what gave Clemson the extra motivation in this game in which they trailed early in the game. In what turned into a shootout, Clemson proved it was too much for the Tar Heels with an explosive 3rd quarter that sealed the fate for UNC. Boyd was on the money, passing for 367 yards and 5 touchdowns, all of which were to separate receivers. The defense, led by two scores from Kourtnei Brown came up big when it mattered most forcing 6 turnovers on the day. Quite an exciting game to watch that kept fans on the edge of their seats for most of the game.



#7 2009- Clemson vs Florida State 40-24 

For a young Clemson fan like me, this one was really special. Growing up I was always used to FSU sticking it to us year after year. These days the tide has turned completely and on this night, it was all Clemson. The valley was rocking all night long and C.J. Spiller put on a show and once again proved he deserved to be in the Heisman discussion. Down 24-21 in the 4th, a fire was set under Clemson and they exploded. On the night, Spiller rushed for 165 yards. When Spiller started to run out of gas, in came Andre Ellington into the game with fresh legs and kept the accelerator pushed down and ran right at the Noles defense. In a memory that is one of my all time favorites across the board, the stadium sang "We Will Rock You" moments before a Deandre McDaniel Interception return that ended with FSU QB Christian Ponder getting rocked and put on his back trying to save the pick-6 inside the 5 yard line. Clemson would score one last time and Ponder, shaken up from the hit, did not return to the field for FSU's last possession of the game.


#6 2005- Clemson vs (#17) Texas A&M 25-24

The final game of a home-in-home series against the Aggies that featured the #17 ranked crew from Texas A&M playing in Death Valley. The Tigers were hungry for revenge after falling to the Aggies in the first meeting. Jad Dean was the man of the night proving true for 6 field goals during the game, the biggest a game winning 42 yard field goal that passed through the goal post with two seconds remaining. Dean had predicted to his friends earlier in the week he would kick the game winning field goal and he was correct. The kicker was 6-6 on the night with kicks of 18, 21, 21, 25, and 45. (along with the 42 yard GW) It was even more special because the final drive was led by back-up QB Will Proctor because Whitehurst had suffered a mild concussion in the previous series. One of the key plays of he night was a 47 yard punt return by Chansi Stuckey, who leaped over punter Justin Brantly on his way into the end zone.



#5 2008- Clemson vs South Carolina 31-14

This game was a measure of true Clemson and Carolina fans. It was a cold and rainy Saturday in Death Valley that ended with jubilation for Clemson fans as they defeated the Gamecocks 31-14 to extend their recent domination (at the time) over their arch-rivals. The game was highlighted by a trick play created earlier in the week called "cock-a-doodle-doo". The play composed of Ford walking towards the sideline and kneeling as if he was tying his shoe but lingering around the sideline. After losing the attention and focus of the defenders, he streaked down field wide open turned around and caught a 50-yard pass from Harper as he was inches away from being sacked. The crowd erupted and you could sense it was going to be that kind of day for the Gamecocks. After the game fans chanted, "DABO.......DABO" as his players carried him off the field, it was pretty clear that the new era of Clemson football was set to begin and Coach Swinney was gonna be taking the reins.






#4 2011- (#21)Clemson vs (#11) Florida State 35-30

The second of three Clemson/FSU showdowns that made my top 10 ten list. This one was an early season match-up that had heavy ACC Championship implications. After falling behind early, Clemson pulled it together and freshmen Sammy Watkins proved his performance against Auburn the previous week, was no fluke.  He had 7 catches for 141 yards and 2 TDs. It was the first time I had seen him in live action and I can say without a doubt he was the best true freshmen I had ever seen play. He had a 6th sense for the football and end zone and was on another level. Tajh Boyd threw for 344 yards and 3 TDs en route to a 35-30 victory. This game really opened the nation's eyes to Clemson and its new offense and gave opposing defensive coordinators nightmares on how they were going to stop this explosive offense with so many dangerous weapons in its arsenal.




#3 2006-(#12) Clemson vs (#13) Georgia Tech 31-7

My most favorite Clemson game in Death Valley. Woke up at 5am to go get a good spot for College Gameday out on Bowman Field. It was homecoming so the floats and sea of orange made for quite the scenery. Clemson fans showed up in a great numbers, packing the field for the show and broke the record for loudest college gameday crowd. It would be good practice/warm-up and  a preview for the nights showdown. Making a quick costume change after warm-ups, Clemson appeared at the top of the hill wearing All Purple after sporting Orange tops when leaving the field before pre-game. The Valley was as loud as ever and rocking all night long. I couldn't hear my own voice when trying to talk to friends around me during the game. It. Was. IN-SANE!!!!! It was a beautiful fall night, but Thunder and Lighting struck Death Valley and numerous times in the form of the dynamic duo James Davis and C.J. Spiller. With all eyes on the prime time College game day feature, Clemson put on quite a show dominating the yellow jackets in every aspect of the game. The game was highlighted by a play I will never forget. Spiller caught a bubble screen pass at the 50 yard line near the FSU sideline. He made the first guy (a senior) miss with a quick juke to the left, two more steps then another juke to the right sent the second defender (also a senior) flying and from there, it was off to the races as he sprinted down the sideline untouched for the score. It sent the fans in Orange into a whirlwind. One of the greatest plays I've ever seen in person. The defense also was stellar holding tech to 7 points and keeping Calvin Johnson catch-less for the entire game, something that seemed impossible. 

#2 2006- Clemson @ (#9) Florida State 27-20

Arguably one of the best of the "Bowden Bowls". (as they were called when Tommy's Tigers faced his father, Bobby's Seminoles.) One this night I distinctly remember hearing chants of "Who's Your Daddy??" as Clemson had knocked off FSU at home for the first time since 1989 and the 3rd time out of the last four overall. In a back and forth game that saw two Clemson kicks blocked and returned for scores by Tony Carter, FSU was lucky to even be in the game in the second half. After FSU tied the game at 20-20 with just over 10 min left, Clemson fans began to fear the worst. But luck would be in the Tigers favor this warm September night. Late in the game with Clemson trying to put together a game winning drive, the Tiger offense noticed some confusion on the FSU side of the ball. None of the linemen were set and the linebackers looked lost. Ready for the snap, Proctor called for a quick count and dished the ball to Davis who busted through the gaping holes in the Seminoles defense and was finally tackled 47 yards later inside the 5 yard line. Three plays and a FSU off-sides penalty later, Clemson had taken the lead and silenced the stunned FSU faithful. C-L-E-M-S-O....-N echoed through Doak Campbell and the fans in Orange had themselves a party for the final 8 seconds of regulation. As my first road game, I will definitely never forget this night. I went to the game with my good friend Alex Moore and his family and we did Clemson chats and  celebrated with other fans all the way back to the car and up the interstate back home. A wonderful experience I will never forget!




#1- 2011 ACC CHAMPIONSHIP
(#15) Clemson vs (#11) Virginia Tech 38-10    




For anyone who has followed Clemson football in the past twenty or so years, this one should come as no surprise. I purchased these tickets as soon as I got home from the win over North Carolina mid-season. That decision almost came back to haunt me when Wake Forest came to town and I had to check updates via my phone at work all day to see if my Tigers would be playing for their first ACC crown in 20 years. Luckily, we pulled through. We had defeated the Hokies 23-3 during the regular season in Blacksburg, but a lot had changed since then. (or so we thought) Clemson had struggled towards the end of the season and we were sure to get Virgina Tech's best shot and their chance at revenge in the ACC Championship. However, it wasn't meant to be. As kickoff drew closer a mild cautious optimism filled the air. The game atmosphere was amazing for both sides, though it would begin leaning in Clemson's favor quickly. On the first play from scrimmage, the Hokies turned the ball over via a fumble and Clemson capitalized on the opportunity with a 24 yard TD pass from Boyd to Dwayne Allen to take the 7-0 lead. The Hokies would respond however with a strike of their own to D. J. Coles for a 45 yard score tying the game 7-7 at the end of the 1st quarter. That would be just about the only excitement for Tech on the night, though. After matching Clemson's FG in the 2nd, the Hokies were unable to score another point the rest of the way. A 3-touchdown 3rd quarter put the game away and sent Clemson fans into pandemonium as we could sense it was our night and we were on our way to Miami for the Orange Bowl. In the 3rd stanza, Dwayne Allen hauled in another TD catch, this one from 8 yards out. Sammy Watkins continued to impress blowing pass the Hokie secondary untagged for his 53 yard TD and  Ellington capped off the quarter with a 29 yard score to put the nail in the coffin for Virginia Tech. A 1 yard rush from Boyd in the 4th would be the cherry on top of a great night for Clemson. As time expired in Bank of America Stadium, Clemson fans went nuts. For the last five minutes of the game, there were numerous stoppages in play as Oranges that had been thrown onto the field had to be removed. There are no words to describe how great that night was and how happy I am that I was able to experience it first hand.

People give Coach Swinney hell about his coaching style and how he does his job. But the bottom line is he loves Clemson. He gives 100%, is one of the best recruiters in the nation and has won two divisional titles and one conference title in his short tenure as head coach of the Tigers. I'm happy to have him as a coach and thrilled about the direction the program is headed. Here's to another Championship next season and many more to come along with a few BCS bowl victories! GO TIGERS!

A Little Something for Everyone

Venus Williams sent packing in first round at Wimbledon 

32 year old Venus Williams saw her time at Wimbledon cut short yesterday as she fell to Elena Vesnina in the first round. It was her earliest departure since her first appearance 15 years ago. An overall rough day for the star, who is drawing closer to the end of her great career. Williams however still believes she has more gas in the tank and will be back. "I feel like I'm a great player....I am a great player. I'm up for the challenge, I have great tennis in me. I just need the opportunity. There is no way I'm going to sit down and give up just because I have had a hard time the first five or six freakin' tournaments back. You know, that's just not me" Her age as well as Sjogren's syndrome is wearing on her and the energetic Williams was sluggish in her play, not something we are used to seeing from her. But for those that believe this is the last time we will see her at Wimbledon she responded with "I'm planning on it" when asked if she will return for next year's tournament. 

Ray Allen headed to South Beach? 

Word on the street this morning is that Ray Allen and the Miami Heat are sharing "mutual interest" in each other. Allen is hoping to join the Big 3 so he can win one last Championship before he retries. I, for one pray that this doesn't happen. I've had quite a few discussions this morning about it but if this trade goes through I'm boycotting the NBA. Not too long ago, Stern rejected the big time trade that would have sent Chris Paul to the Lakers yet he's allowed James and Bosh to join Wade down in South Beach. If he allows Allen to join them as well, what message is that sending? It would seem VERY suspect if this trade is granted. Not really sure if it happens, though. For one, it just doesn't seem right. Especially for my generation. All I've ever really known is Ray Allen in that #20 Celtics jersey. Seeing him wearing anything else would be strange. Like Kobe wearing something other than Gold and Purple, or when MJ was in Washington....it just didn't look right. Ray Allen has NOTHING left to prove in his career, though you can't blame him for wanting another ring. Boston is one solid trade or addition to their roster away from being able to win the East and play for another NBA championship. However, I'm not sure if Ray is willing to wait that long. A move to Miami would just about unofficially give Miami their 2nd straight title. I expect there to be quite a bit of significant movement on rosters this off-season and it will be interesting to see who ends up where. But even as a Lakers fan, I wish him nothing but the best. He is one of, if not the best, shooters to play the game. A class act who gives 100%  every time he steps on the court. Best of Luck, Ray Allen! 

Larry Bird steps down as Pacers President

There will be a new face around the Pacers organization next season as Larry Bird announced he will not return as president next year. The 55 year old has operated under a yearly handshake agreement as he did not want to commit to a long term deal. After much speculation on when Bird would call it quits, he confirmed that he will no longer serve as president and is "100% sure" that his departure from Indiana is the real deal. Bird is currently battling health issues and will likely take time for himself to relax and decide what the next step will be. The Pacers, meanwhile will keep moving forward. Last season was their first playoff appearance since 2006 and this year they took a 2-1 lead against the Heat in the Eastern semi-finals before losing in six games to the eventual champions. The program is headed in the right direction and hopefully they can keep moving forward. 

Arizona sweeps South Carolina in College World Series Championship, wins first title since 1986

The magical run for the Gamecocks (49-20) came to an end last night as the Arizona Wildcats (48-17) defeated South Carolina in game two by a score of 4-1 to clinch the 2012 NCAA title. The Wildcats held Carolina to only 2 runs in two games. It was a tough pill to swallow for the Gamecocks who battled throughout the entire tournament and clawed their way back to their 3rd straight finals appearance. They have left a mark on Omaha and will likely be back again next year, though they will be without their beloved pitchers Roth and Price among others. Congrats to both on a heck of a season and and a special kudos to Arizona on winning the College World Series.      

A Dream Fulfilled

Chris Bosh and Lebron James joined Dwayne Wade down in Miami with one common goal in mind, to win a Championship. Thursday night, that dream became a reality as the Heat finished off the Thunder in game 5 121-106. Miami was a team on a mission and smelled the blood after game 4 and seized the opportunity left before them putting together an impressive win. Oklahoma City was hoping to finally put together a complete game and extend this series, but it was simply too much Heat for them to handle. Led by James with 26 points, all of the starting five scored double digits for the Miami. Not only was it the starters stepping up last night, but Mike Miller was CASH MONEY last night going 7-8 from downtown for 23 points, his lone miss being a little too strong and rolling off the rim. Last night he was the extra spark for the Heat and helped carry them to victory. OKC finally saw some production out of Harden who dropped 19 and Fisher who added 11, but Miller's hot hand and Miami's determination to finish the job was too much for the Thunder to overcome.

Even as an "anti-Lebron" sports fan, it is very hard, basically ignorant, to not give the man his respect after this. He put the team on his back and led like a true veteran all series long. Without James, Miami doesn't even make it pass the Pacers, who at first, gave the Heat headaches. LBJ would simply not be denied this year and again last night had that crazed, yet focused look in his eyes. When that happens and you have Mike Miller shooting like his life depends on it, you're in trouble. When asked by Stuart Scott during post game what his initial feelings were when the clock struck 0:00 James replied, after a short pause, "It's about damn time....its about damn time!!" Durant, who scored 32 to lead all scores, and his Thunder just didn't have enough left in the tank. A close wire to wire series had worn down the Thunder who almost appeared to ease off the gas in the 2nd half as it seemed almost inevitable that the Heat would prevail Thursday night in front of a sellout Miami crowd.

The good news for OKC is that they are a very, very young team with the top 6 guys on the roster still under the age of 30. They will be a force again next year especially if they are able to make some solid additions to the roster that can provide Battier, Chalmers, and Miller type performances during crunch time. With the exception of last night, this series kept you on the edge of your seat and provides hope for more finals like it in the future. The Thunder and Heat are the face of the NBA now and the younger generation is taking over the game. I saw someone tweet last night that the Thunder/Heat are in position to become my generations Lakers/Celtics. That is quite the statement, but after watching one of the greatest series in NBA history, it definitely makes for a solid argument.







After a close out performance like last night, there is not much left for me to say without beating a dead horse. Some games speak for themselves and if you have half of a brain and watched the game last night, you understand. It was LBJ's and Miami's time to shine. No more Lebron "No Ring" James jokes now, though Chris Bosh didn't do himself any favors with his locker room celebrations. (pictured below) In my eyes Miami will be even more dangerous next year. With another season under their belt of playing together and with James knocking the Championship Monkey off his back, he will be focused and hungry for greater things. A healthy Rose and Bulls team could be a potential roadblock for Miami, but unless they are to add some role players to the roster, the threat won't stand. Rose can't do it alone, especially against the Heat. The Celtics are old, so who will step up to challenge the Miami in the East? We will have to see.  But for now, Miami reins as Champions.


I leave you with some shots recapping last night's Miami win to clinch the NBA title!

The Big 3's 4th Man

I've said all series long that both teams were going to need to find non-major role players to come in and be productive for either team to win the series. James and Durant are going to get their points regardless and there isn't much you can do about that, but when Wade, Westbrook, etc are having off nights or evening so-so performances, who is going to give that extra boost? For Miami, Battier has been proving he can provide that extra spark when needed to help the Heat. Last night Mario Chalmers had a career night matching Wade's 25 points and, temporally at least, becoming a part of Miami's Big 3 as a substitute for Bosh. His effort was exactly what the Heat needed as they knocked off OKC for the 3rd straight game 104-93. Bosh still, however, had a good game bringing in 13 points and 9 rebounds. But the resilience of the Heat to rally late in the first half and ability to find that fourth or fifth man to produce points was the difference. The Thunder have yet to find that player to step up besides Durant and Westbrook and it has hurt them. To makes matters worse James Harden has done ultimately nothing all series long and hasn't scored double digits in a single game. (Had 8 points, 10 boards last night) Harden (and others) MUST dig deep and find a way to help their dynamic duo. They can't do it alone, especially when Miami is getting significant help from it's non major role players.



Will the "King" be crowned Thursday Night?

James, who led the Heat in scoring with 26, battled cramps late in the fourth and missed some playing time before returning to nail a crucial 3 pointer with 2:50 left before exiting for the final time on the night. He had to watch the finals seconds from the bench as the pain was too great to allow him to continue. But it seemed his re-appearance, tough brief, encouraged the Heat as they went on a 7-0 run once he came back into the game. Lebron is now one win away from finally knocking the monkey off his back and winning a ring. And much deserved, as he's stepped up when it mattered most time and time again all playoffs. I get the feeling that even if the Heat wins Thursday night, people will still be out against him and not give due credit. I also feel that he won't care and he will put on his hot-off-the-press NBA Champions T-shirt and Hat, answer a few questions then walk off the court with his Finals MVP trophy smiling from ear-to-ear.


As someone that doesn't poetically care for LBJ, I've come to a crossroads. Though I still don't like him, I am starting to, as my friend Seth Rothell would say. "respect the movement." He has been great overall during the playoffs and pushed this team to wins. None bigger than his season saving performance against Boston in the Eastern Finals.


But as Lee Corso would say....NOT SO FAST, MY FRIEND!!!



Though the director has cued the fat lady and she is warming up, she ain't singing just yet. There is still a big game left to be played. Every game played so far as come down to the wire so I expect no difference in game 5. Furthermore, closeouts games are extremely tough, even at home. I picked OKC to win this in 6, and though that clearly can't happen now, I'm standing by my prediction of them winning the series. A win tomorrow night sends this baby back to OKC where the Thunder only have one playoff loss. (Yes, it was to Miami...but still, they are tough to beat at home.) To send this back to OKC though, Harden has to step up. Fisher, who played 22 min and went scoreless and rebound-less with one lone steal, has got to step up, Perkins doesn't have to score 10 points, cause that's not even realistic, but he has got to toughen up and bring down some rebounds to give his team the ball. Ibaka has to hit the boards harder also, and try to pitch in 6-10 points down the stretch or get to the line a few times and knock down FT's. Westbrook delivered 43 points last night, Durant added 28 but it wasn't enough. Harden is far past due for a breakout game. His team desperately needs that stellar performance to happen in game 5 to extend the series. Miami can smell the blood and the Thunder will just about have to play their best game of the season to get out of Miami alive and the way things are going for them and in contrast for the Heat, I'm not sure it will happen. Like I said, I stand behind my prediction of OKC winning the series because changing it now would be cheating. I believe in this team, if anyone can knock off Miami Thursday night, its Oklahoma City.  Here's to another great game between these two young gun teams and what hopefully, will promise us at least a game 6!


Go Thunder!

One Streak Comes to an End, Another continues

The Streak is Over



The Gamecocks saw their  22 game post season winning streak snapped Monday night in Omaha to the hands of SEC foe, Arkansas. USC battled, but fell short to the Razorbacks 2-1 in front of a 20,000 plus crowd. The Gamecocks now head to the losers side of the bracket and will face Kent St, who sent Florida packing in the first game of the afternoon on Monday. Arkansas now 2-0 has the privilege of sitting out the next two days and preparing for their next game, which, with a win, could send them to the best-of-three finals series.






Daniel High School Delivers yet again!

Clemson continued its string of players out of nearby Daniel High School in Central, SC (see Jarvis Jenkins, DeAndre (Nuk) Hopkins) this past weekend when it picked up a commitment from RB Jae'lon Oglesby who becomes the 4th member of the 2014 class. His offensive line coach Jamie Wilson told TigerNet, he is versatile, "able to play at running back, defensive back, receiver, or safety...he can play. Its in his blood, he's got that grit." Oglesby chose Clemson over interest from South Carolina, Penn State, Alabama, Maryland, Virginia Tech and Norte Dame. As a sophomore for the Daniel Lions, he rushed for 1,750 yards, 28 TD's and averaged over 8 yards per carry. Great pickup for the Tigers!


He will have the luxury of running behind 2013 class member Maverick Morris (bottom right) a 6-5, 290 pound OL from Georgia who committed after attending camp last week. Morris, who had drawn interest from FSU was set to attend their upcoming camp as well but has since declined on those plans following his verbal to Clemson. The Tigers also picked up another member of the 2013 class in 4 start DE Elijah Daniel. Ranked as high as #4 DE in the nation, he will be yet another great addition to Venables' defense. A HUGE, HUGE, week past week of commitments for Coach Swinney and company. The future continues to look bright in Tigertown. The much needed improvements to the defense are being made and the pieces to the puzzle of winning a BCS bowl are coming together quite nicely for Clemson. Good days are ahead and I'm excited to see how Venables transforms this defense and brings back the "hit you in the mouth" defense Clemson built its history on.

Don't Panic.....at least not yet!

Its funny how fast people throw their team under the bus and likewise how opposing teams fans count the other out when there is still a lot of basketball left to be played. Obviously Miami is in the more favorable position up 2-1 with the next two games on their home court, but with the way the first three games have all gone down basically to the final minute, how can you count either one of these teams out? Lebron is silencing the haters and got the job done yet again in game 3. As I said earlier, these games would come down to free throws and in game 3, Miami was clutch hitting 31-34 FTs for a solid 88.5% including some BIG ones down the stretch that sealed OKC's fate. The Thunder were 15-24 for 62.5%. Another big difference in game 3 was Wade. He was only 8-22 from the field but was 9-11 at the line giving his team a much needed boost scoring 25 points on the night. Durant was uncharastically quiet in the 4th quarter only scoring 4 points to add to his 25 for the night. KD, Harden, and Westbrook all though, struggled in the fourth quarter making crucial mistakes and misses. The duo of Harden and Westbrook combined for 29, 19 of which came from Russell. Turnovers were a big problem for both teams but doomed the Thunder. Though they had 1 less than Miami with 11 total turnovers, all of which seemed to come at the worst time, none more inconvenient that the miscommunication from Sefolosha and Westbrook on the inbound pass that sealed the deal for the Heat. It was disappointing for Sefolosha, who had been having a solid night. With the 91-85 victory, Miami now controls the series and could ultimately finish things off in Miami in game 5. A good start Tuesday will crucial for the Thunder. They can't afford to play catch up all night for another game. The crowd won't be doing them any favors so the mistakes must be kept to a minimum and for heavens sake, you're NBA players, HIT YOUR FREE THROWS!!!! Nevertheless, I'm sure we'll be in for another exciting game, and for the sake of extending the series for at least another game, I hope OKC can get the job done, I feel like they are due for another breakout game. We'll see what happens.

Instant Classic!

What started off has a runaway Miami victory slowly turned into a potential nightmare for the Heat.The Thunder once again battled back and nearly erased a 16 point deficit cutting the lead down to three late in the game. They outscored Miami 29-22 in the 4th, but couldn't complete the rally and fell to the Heat 100-96 Thursday night in Oklahoma City. Lebron James had another solid game leading the Heat yet again with 32 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assist. The difference tonight is that Lebron has more help from his teammates. Wade pitched in 24 points and 6 rebounds and Bosh posted a BIG double-double with 16 points, 15 rebounds. Shane Battier also stepped up, scoring 17 points in 42 min on 6-8 shooting. Once again the 4th quarter ignited a flame under Durant who matched James' 32 points. Harden had 21 points, 4 rebounds and Westbrook added 27 points 8 rebounds and 7 assist nearly missing a triple double. Derek Fisher had an off night playing for 24 minutes and going 1-5 from the floor scoring only 2 points. Another issue tonight was the lack of scoring from the Thunder starters. Nobody other than Westbrook and Durant scored double digits and Perkins, Ibaka and Sefolosha scored a combined 14 points. (4, 7 and 3, respectively)


Tonight was an instant classic. At times in the 4th it appeared the game was over but a turnover here and a clutch three pointer and Durant dunk there and it seemed the game was in the balance. However clutch free throws and perseverance were on the side of the Heat Thursday night and they pulled through."LeBron James dominated and he finally closed. This was good for him." -Magic Johnson Now the series moves to Miami for the next three games with game 3 being HUGE for both teams. The winner of game 3 will take control of the series, and if Miami, who plays well at home, can get the W, Oklahoma City will really have its work cut out for them. I'm still sticking behind my prediction though and think the Thunder will serve some payback and "steal" game 3 in Miami.

 After two amazing first games, we can rest assured we are getting our moneys worth out of both teams. I'm ALMOST to the point where I don't even care who wins now, I just want to continue to see these two great teams battle it out for the Championship.

Good Days Ahead for Clemson Football

Moving On Up! 



When you head over to Death Valley this fall, you will notice there have been some upgrades. Earlier this week Terry Don Phillips announced that this coming season there will be a new main video board. The new board will be up to speed with the newest technology and style and will eliminate the ads seen on each side, thus making the board look bigger. Along with the main video board being upgraded, we will all have to luxury of having two smaller board added to the West End Zone so that fans seated on the Hill will be able to watch the screen without turning around behind them. It will also benefit anyone who sits inside the 20 yard line of the South Stands Upper Deck. No more missing awesome replays because of that massive tree blocking your view! (been there, done that...it was not a fun experience!) The old video board in DV has already been taken down and will be re purposed to Doug Kingsmore and Riggs giving all the major stadiums upgrades to their current system. Along with the new video upgrades, expect a brand new state of the art sound system that will be among the nation's best. (Nothing like hearing "We Will Rock You" in "HD Audio", right? These upgrades should help enhance Death Valley and the game day experience. Upgrades that will hopefully help with recruiting.


And speaking of recruiting....

Clemson picked up the #1 recruit in the nation as Robert Nkemdiche committed to Clemson Thursday afternoon during his visit this week. HUGE, HUGE pick up for Dabo and company. You can say what you want about Coach Swinney, but he is one heck of a recruiter and proved it once again today. Nkemdiche is 6-5, 265 DE/RB out of Loganville, GA at Grayson High School. He had 19 sacks in each of his last two seasons and will be a great addition to the Clemson defensive line. Seems like we've had a string of great DE's dating back to the late Gaines Adams that have had great success at Clemson and beyond. Hopefully Nkemdiche will be no different. He joins HS teammates and good friends David Kamara, a 5-11 185 CB and also Wayne Gallman, a 6-9 195 RB that that ran for 700 yards and 8 touchdowns his junior year. These guys have been dubbed the "Grayson Trifecta" and are wanted all over the country, CLEMSON has all three of them. Nkemdiche publicly confirmed the commitment saying, "I did commit. I love Clemson!" Hats off to the coaching staff for getting these guys to Tigertown and best of luck to them in their senior year of high school next fall.





On A Serious Note:

I send my prayers out to the entire Auburn Community as they go through this senseless tragedy. Things like this make you realize just how fragile life can be and how nobody is promised the sunrise of tomorrow. Three 20 year old gentlemen, Edward Christian, Demario Pitts and Ladarious Phillips had their lives cut short over senseless garbage. And as a 20 year old myself, it really hits at home. Prayers and strength to their friends and families during this difficult time. God Bless you, Auburn!










And just in case you were wondering....

ONLY 79 DAYS UNTIL KICKOFF!!

Did I speak too soon?

Days after I gave James praise for his clutch performance in saving the season and finishing off Boston to win the Eastern title, he reminded Tuesday night why I had felt the way I did for so long. After last season James was criticized for his lack of productivity in the fourth quarter. Last night proved to be no different as the MVP was 2-6 from the field, 3-4 from the line, for a total of 5 points in the fourth quarter. He did, however, lead the Heat with 30 points, 9 rebounds 4 Assist. Now of course we can't place all the blame on James, I know, BUT shouldn't the 4th quarter be a time where the MVP steps up and gives his team the extra push they need  during crunch time? Not fade away and add a few free throws and defensive rebounds? Warren Sapp tweeted late in the game "Amber Alert: Missing 6'9 PF in 4th Quarter of NBA Finals! #Lebron" Yes, I saw it and re tweeted it, shoot me. I know it seems at times its James vs the world but frankly when you put a bulls eye on your chest, win the MVP but frequently disappear during crunch time, people are gonna talk about you. That is just how it is, especially when you're matched up against Durant is who arguably the best in the game right now. Durant, who posted 36 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assist caught fire in the fourth going 6-8 scoring from the field for 17 points and 4-4 at the line, now that's a clutch 4th quarter "MVP" style performance.

Game one definitely didn't disappoint as the Thunder fans were rocking and rolling all night long and rallied behind their team who put together another 2nd half rally erasing a 13 point lead en route to a 105-94 victory. In doing so, they take the drivers seat of the finals series. However, with games 3-5 in Miami, winning again tomorrow night in OKC will be CRUCIAL for the Thunder and could go a long way in ending this series in five or six games.

Hard to say what I expect out of Game 2. Again I think the home court plays a big role in the advantage for OKC and they must capitalize on it. Miami needs to make some adjustments on the defensive end and find someone on the roster other than Wade, Bosh or James to make a significant impact for the rest of the series. As I stated in a past post, you aren't gonna get "Game 7 vs Boston" type performances out of Miami every night so the other guys and the bench HAS to step up and give Miami's big 3 some help. That being said, I don't think Miami gets that together yet and if they do, it still might not be enough. Durant seems near unstoppable, especially in the 4th when he turns into an animal. Best case scenario for Miami is to try and score as much as humanly possible and pray that its enough to hold off the notorious 4th quarter Thunder rally.

Prediction:
Until Miami can prove it can stop Durant and play four full quarters of basketball, Oklahoma City will continue to win. I picked them to win Game 1 and I'm picking them to knock off the Heat yet again in Game 2 however I expect a "closer" game than what the finals score suggested last night. Not to take anything away from the Thunder, but I don't see another 11 point win coming in game 2. Expect another down to the wire game, and for the sake of both teams, I hope they practiced their free throws tonight while they were off, they will be a strong determining factor in deciding the winner of Game 2.

Are You Ready?

The College World Series has its field of 8 teams set and we are ready for Omaha! The Cinderella team of the tournament appears to be Stony Brook, who knocked off LSU down in Baton Rouge to advance. They will take on UCLA, who defeated TCU, Friday at 5pm in the first game of the CWS. Florida State represents the ACC and will take on Arizona in the nightcap starting at 9pm. The Noles had their way with Stanford to keep their season alive while Arizona knocked off St. Johns. Saturday's games feature Kent St, who shocked Oregon over in Eugene, up against another SEC squad in Arkansas, who defeated Baylor. The night cap of Saturday's game features the 2-time defending champions South Carolina Gamecocks who are riding a 21 game tournament win steak as they take on the 3rd team from the SEC in the tournament, the Florida Gators. South Carolina knocked off Oklahoma in the Columbia Super Regional while Florida slid past North Carolina State. Should be another outstanding College World Series with South Carolina primed and in position to make it a 3-peat. Should be a fun one to watch!



The NBA Finals have arrived! 

Tonight is game 1 of  the Finals between Oklahoma City and Miami. The format of the series is 2-3-2 and starts in Oklahoma City. The well rested and fast paced Thunder will be a handful for the Heat, who are coming off arguably their best game of the season closing out the Boston Celtics in game 7 of the Eastern Finals. The crowd OKC has behind them is unreal. The atmosphere throughout the playoffs has been outstanding giving the game a college type atmosphere. The crowd will play a big role again tonight and I think that the Thunder, having had a few more days rest, might be too much for the Heat tonight in game 1. It will be interesting to see how the Durant/James match up plays out tonight as well as Wade/Westbrook. Grab your popcorn, cold beverage and comfortable seat and enjoy what should be an exciting start to this classic finals match up. I'm really on the fence about my pick for this series but after failing miserably at my prediction last round, my gut is telling me to believe in Oklahoma City. And that's exactly what I'm going to do.

PREDICTION:
Oklahoma City in 6 games!

This is why I love sports

First I'll start by giving my congratulations to South Carolina as it appears they are well on their way to Omaha after knocking off Oklahoma 5-0 in the first game of the Columbia Super Regional behind another stellar, dominate performance from Michael Roth who went 7 2/3 innings giving up 6 hits and no runs. "I'd be lying if I told you it was just another game." said Roth, who was in his last as a Gamecock at home and he went out in style. I saw a tweet from Andy Demetra from @GamecockRadio that stated Roth's numbers at home in the post season were as follows: 32.2 IP, 20H, 5R, 3 ER, 0.83 ERA. Its not everyday you see those type of numbers. Its clear that when his teams needs him the most, time and time again Roth has stepped up and delivered. Hats off to him and I wish him the best.


One of the things about being in my future profession is not only the ability to predict and talk about sports (and rub it in when you are proven correct) but to also admit when you were wrong. Well darn it, I'll admit...I was wrong. I was wrong thinking the Spurs would make it to game 7 against OKC and I was wrong again tonight about the Celtics pulling out the W and returning to the Finals. As a Lakers fan I should have known better to pull for and bet on the Celtics even though I'm one of the biggest "haters" of Lebron James and the Heat. Placed a little wager with my long time friend and brother from another mother Chris Fawver and looks like I will have to pay up. He wasn't down for my proposal of double or nothing for Game 1 of the finals....and I honestly I can't blame him.


What does this now mean for the original Big 3? Is this the end of the road? Many would believe that is the case. They had a good run but it is clear that they need to make some changes and get in some younger guys to keep up with the new blood that is on the rise in the NBA. Ala Miami and Oklahoma City. Hard to argue now that maybe, just maybe, Miami is now truly THE Big 3 of this time. When they are all healthy and playing together, the Heat are dang near impossible to beat, that was evident tonight. They scored the last 31 or so of the game including all 28 of the fourth quarter. That. Is. Absurd. (On the night, James added 31 points/12 rebounds, Wade had 23 points with 6 rebounds and 6 assists.) Some naysayers might say that though this looks impressive, where is the rest of the team and this won't last. Well yeah it might not last, but when The Big 3 are playing at this level...who cares what everyone else is doing? They are making it work. Despite the lack of credit he gets, Bosh proved again tonight that his team works better with him in the lineup. Coming off the bench after his injury, he put his pride on the back burner and put his team first and was rewarded with a great performance that helped put his Heat over the top. Bosh posted 19 points including three HUGE 3 pointers, all coming in at perfecting timing during the game.

More on the Celtics:

Sportsmanship is huge and I was disappointed that both Garnett and Rondo were seen walking into the locker room as the final seconds ticked away without shaking hands with Miami. Of course Ray Allen was shown in the next shot shaking hands and giving his best wishes to the Heat following the game. CLASS ACT. You gotta be crazy not to like Ray. He is great team player who gives 100%. In the 4th quarter of tonight's game they showed a replay of Allen putting a screen on James in the paint, moving back to the left wing to catch a pass then passing the ball down into the post for a quick touch, moving over the the far corner 6 feet away and completing a perfect catch and shoot drilling the 3 pointer. (young guns, please take note!!) He plays like he's 20 despite being 36, which is, for all intensive purposes getting old for an NBA player but he still has some gas left in the tank, so I'm not counting him out. Not yet.


Now the Finals are set!

Here we go, NBA fans!

Oklahoma City will take on Miami in the finals which begin Tuesday in OKC with a 2-3-2 format. A prime example of how the young guys are taking over the NBA and how the elder Spurs, Lakers, Celtics, etc MUST get some younger talent on the roster if they don't wanna be left in the dust. The fast paced Thunder up against the exciting Heat makes for a classic Finals match up that should easily keep us entertained for 6-7 games. I will save my prediction for the series until Monday so be sure to come back and check that out. The match up between Durant and James is one that will have sports fans drooling. Two of the best in the game at their position right now, we couldn't have asked for a much better of a match up. It will be very interesting to see who steps up and makes Finals history in what, on paper, looks like a great series. The two teams split the head-to-head meetings in the regular season. Can't wait to sit back and watch this classic. I'm sure it will live up to every bit of the hype.

And Last but not least,

If you've stuck around to read this far first I want to thank you! Either you really love me or you enjoy what I'm doing either way, I appreciate it! For those that know me on a personal level, you know, as I've said before, I'm anti-Miami Heat and don't like James. BUT, I must say after tonight, he took a big step in winning me over. I always love any opportunity to blast him for this slip ups.  (missing crucial FT's at home vs the Pacers, history of fading away in the 4th quarter, etc) I'm a big Kobe fan and I've gotten into some HEATED (no pun intended) debates over who is better over the past few years. You can probably guess what my main argument has been ...and as the scene in the movie "Bad Teacher" discusses against Jordan/James (which is a complete absurd argument, by the way) its all about CHAMPIONSHIPS. Nobody cares how many triple-doubles you posted in your career if you have never won a ring. (here is the link to that clip). As much as I hate to say it and I HATE the bandwagon Miami has acquired over the past two years, I'm willing to finally take off my Gold and Purple tinted glasses and give the respect Miami and James deserves. That being said, calling, referring to him as, or acknowledging him as "King James" is out of the question and not up for debate. Three rings from now, I may change my mind and open it up for discussion.