Clemson Is The Best Place Ever

This is a blog I took from the Clemson message board website. It's about a coach that took a job at West Virginia, then decided that he didn't want to leave Clemson. It gave me chills.


Why Come Back?I was asked yesterday, “Why did Ron West come back to Clemson after taking the West Virginia job?”
The question came from a friend in his middle 40s who went to Clemson, moved away and since returned to live and work here.
Never answer a question with a question but I could not resist. “Why did you come back?” I inquired.
“Yeah but he turned down more money,” he then retracted and added “So did I.”
In fact he turned down a better title, much like my friend.

I have been waiting to write a fluffy, feel good blog but now it is pretty timely. Ron West came back to Clemson because it is Clemson.
Joe Sherman claimed, “There’s Something In These Hills.” I believe it. My friend believed it. In fact, most of my Clemson friends believe it and apparently Ron West believes it.
I moved back to Clemson at the age of 37 and after living here for 18 months I ask myself all of the time, “Why did it take you this long to get back here?”
Clemson is not perfect and we have a lot of things we can improve upon. This is not a national title contender at this time and the program has not been what it was 18 years ago. But I found it amazing that coaches love to come here. I find it more amazing that they do not want to leave once they get here. And I find it even more amazing that many think about coming back to retire here after their coaching days are over.
Assistants leave in their pursuit of a head coaching positions but how many coaches have left Clemson as a head coach to take another position? Press Maravich left for a better basketball job at NC State and soon turned it into the head coaching post at LSU. Rick Barnes also left for Texas. Charlie Pell left for Florida. I can’t remember anyone else. I don’t count John Heisman, Josh Cody or Jess Neely because we did not have the lake yet and our town was much different then.
Quite frankly coaches love coaching here. They love the size of the town. They love the schools. They love the lake. They love the mountains. They love the campus and the community. Perhaps more importantly, their wives love it and we all know that no one is happy if momma is not happy.
At one point in time I have had assistant coaches like Woody McCorvey, Ellis Johnson, Tommy West, Miles Aldridge, Rick Stockstill, Burton Burns and a few other tell me their happiest years in coaching were at Clemson. Burns told me last week that his family may consider keeping their house and maybe retiring here one day.
Speaking of coaches retiring and returning to Clemson, that is exactly what Larry van der Hayden, Whitey Jordan and Lawson Holland have done. Danny Ford kept his farm after the stint at Arkansas because he knew he wanted to return home. I don’t think Bill Wilhelm and Jim Davis ever considered leaving after their coaching days ended.
If Sherman was wrong then why are people coming back in record numbers? My friend Tom Winkopp laid it out beautifully for me when he explained why his projects are so successful. Real estate is about location, location, location and apparently Clemson is a grea location. Winkopp projects sellout many times before construction is completed.
National advertising works for the Cliffs communities because of the area. I was shocked to find out that many of the multi-million dollar homes being sold on Keowee, Jocassee and Hartwell are third homes. I can barely afford my one home but people are doing well to afford these third homes. I am not Donald Trump or Tom Winkopp but it does not take a genius to get the idea that people don’t buy third homes in common, everyday settings.
How many towns or cities have a lake downtown like we do at Clemson?
But its not just the lake and mountains.
Where else does a cheeseburger come with conversations like you get at Mac’s?
Had a better hot dog than at Skins? All you can eat crab legs or a rack of ribs from Sardis is good enough to make any man move back. Please name a better chicken salad sandwich than the ones they serve at Goobers. Ever been to Dyers after church on Sunday? If you have then you don’t have to ask why Ron West came back.
Ever had a better beer than the ones they serve at the Esso?
Where else can you go to a doctor like Bill Dukes or a dentist like Jere Ross?
What is better the clothes at Mr. Knickerbocker or the scoop?
Go stand on the tenth tee at the Walker Course and you will not ask why Ron West returned.
Clemson is maybe more about the people than anything else. It’s the Terry Longs, Lane Millers, Byron Harders, Billy Wares and Al Whitleys of the community that really make it.
There is not enough space on this blog for me to explain it to those who have not been here. I could go on about the botanical gardens or name another few hundred people that make this place special but I think that is enough fluff for today.
In the end, Ron and Becky West realized what many of us already know. There really is something in these hills.

Funny Email About My Friends

Here's an email exchange I just had. It seems to be the epitome of my married friends from home. I thought the email was hilarious. Enjoy.

From: Smoke
Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 4:59 PM
To: Creegs
Subject: RE:

That's why I didn't call back. I have no news. I am boring. My life islike "Groundhog Day" - I begrudgingly wake up while it is still darkout, I eat the same breakfast (waffles and water) while I watchSportsCenter, then I drive to work. I talk to a bunch of advisors whodon't really want to talk to me, I try to sell funds but with minimalsuccess. I drive home, maybe stop by the gym to walk in one place for 30minutes, and then go home and eat dinner. At 10pm, I go to bed and thenget up again the next day and do it all over again. See, I saved you phone minutes! Blah! ---

--Original Message-----
From: Creegs
Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 4:52 PM
To: Smoke
Subject: RE:

luscious?!?! that's hot. Didn't want to talk about anything. I was just calling to say what up. See what's going on around your home front.Nothing mind bending.

From: Smoke
To: Creegs

Subject: RE:
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 16:11:43

As for the call back, what did you want to talk about luscious?

Clemson Basketball...for the Future

(Note: two posts today, this is the second one, there's one right below this one)

All that know me well know that I was a manager of Clemson basketball under Rick Barnes (Texas head coach), Larry Shyatt(UF Associate Head Coach), Dennis Felton (UGA head coach), and Ken MacDonald (Texas Associate Head Coach) during my freshman year and part of my sophomore year before I left to do something about that acting bug I had. Well it was well known that my favorite player to work with was Greg Buckner, current NBA player with the Dallas Mavericks. Here's a great story on him that I thought I should share from the Charleston Post and Courier. Enjoy!


Clemson's next basketball coach
Published: 1/12/2007

DALLAS - Hey, Clemson management and fans, listen up.
Boy, have I got a deal for you: A head coach insurance policy that goes beyond Oliver Purnell. An heir apparent for whenever Purnell retires, or is fired, or bolts for the NBA, or parlays a Clemson Final Four appearance into a better college job. Texas? Duke?
No rush.
This candidate isn't even finished playing in the NBA.
But, oh, what a candidate. Smart and personable. A veteran philanthropist. Ex-Clemson star guard. Kid brother helped Duke win an NCAA championship. Willing to complete his degree and work his way up.
Greg Buckner says all the right things, too.
Like ...
"My dream job is to coach back at Clemson," Buckner said inside the Dallas Mavericks locker room, home of the team with the NBA's best record. "I want to bring Clemson a championship, bring Clemson to the basketball elite. I don't want it just to be known as a football school."
And ...
"I don't like Clemson playing the kind of non-conference schedules they always do. I know the ACC schedule is tough, but I want to play the big boys in non-conference games."
Glory days
Let it be known that Buckner thoroughly respects Purnell and what he has done to get the No. 17 Tigers to 17-0 going into Saturday's game at Maryland.
What Buckner wants is a kind of consistency Tigers fans enjoyed during his years on campus: Three straight NCAA Tournament appearances under Rick Barnes from 1996-98.
Buckner's place as one of Clemson's greatest players is secure, thanks to his consistent impact during four seasons as a starter.
He won the ACC Rookie of the Year award in 1995, leading an overachieving Clemson team to the NIT in Barnes' first year as head coach.
His last-second dunk in 1996 gave Clemson a precious and unprecedented ACC Tournament victory over UNC to seal an NCAA Tournament bid.
He led Clemson to the Sweet Sixteen of the 1997 NCAA Tournament, where a double-overtime loss to Minnesota in San Antonio cost the Tigers an Elite Eight shot at UCLA.
He was Clemson's leading scorer in 1998 for a record fourth straight season, and helped the Tigers earn a third consecutive NCAA Tournament bid. Then Buckner ran out of eligibility and Barnes left for Texas.
Clemson hasn't been back to The Big Dance since.
"Yeah, I'm well aware of that," Buckner said. "These guys (Mavericks teammates) remind me all the time."
The Tigers with Buckner in the lineup won four times against South Carolina and broke school records for home attendance.
"Every team needs a (really tough guy) and Buckner is our (really tough guy)," is the printable version of Barnes' frequent praise of Buckner's measurable and intangible talent.
Charity work
At 30 and in his eighth NBA season,
Buckner has his best chance to win an NBA title. Flamboyant owner Mark Cuban and the Mavericks gave Buckner his NBA start and re-signed Buckner after he spent the last four seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets.
"We have a great opportunity to win a championship, and that's the reason I came back," said Buckner, who is averaging 4.6 points per game as a reserve. "For Mark Cuban and (General Manager) Donn Nelson to invite me back, it's been a blessing."
At all of his NBA stops, Buckner has been heavily involved in charity work. He founded GBUCK - Giving Back an Unconditional Commitment to Kids (www.gregbucknerfoundation.net) - in his hometown of Hopkinsville, Ky.
"It's important to me because I've been around a lot of unfortunate kids who didn't get what I felt was a proper education," Buckner said. "I just want to help those little ones and improve their educational background. It's a shame when you're 15 or 16 and you can't read or write. I just feel like I should give back and try to give those kids and opportunity."
Such father-figure leadership is what might make Buckner a fine college basketball coach, in the mold of his former Clemson mentor.
"It's obvious that Coach Barnes is a special guy," Buckner said. "Look at what he's done with the Texas program, too. He could recruit and he could relate to his players, yet was very stern and very disciplined. That's why we had some good years while I was there."
Buckner was also why those years were so successful, and why one of Buckner's Clemson jerseys is autographed, framed and on display in Barnes' Texas office.
Hey, Clemson management, are you listening?

Duke Lacrosse

I tend to try to leave my political ignorance out of this blog. I will continue to do so. If you're interested in my beliefs in politics, hit up www.bdonin.blogspot.com, however, even though this really isn't a political case, I was sent a link to another blog about the Duke Lacrosse case. I, for one have been following this case pretty closely considering Reade Seligmann is a Delbarton School alum and quite honestly, I still don't like Delbarton. But as the case has been going on I've been drawn in to what a mockery is going on with it.

Check out this link: http://durhamwonderland.blogspot.com/


I'm off to Boston this weekend to be a witness to my nephew Owen get baptized. There's an open bar after the service. Every stereotype about Irish Catholics in Boston is so true. I'm so happy to be Irish Catholic heading to Boston. Probably not a "blog-worthy" weekend, but you never know. Stranger things have happened! Have a safe and great weekend.

PHEW!!!

CLEMSON -- On Tuesday, there were media reports in the state of Florida that Clemson freshman running back C.J. Spiller was considering transferring to another school. After meeting with Head Coach Tommy Bowden, C.J. Spiller released the following statement:
"I discussed the situation with my mother and I decided it is best for me to stay at Clemson."
In 13 games last season, Spiller averaged 7.3 yards per carry and scored 12 touchdowns. He finished second in the ACC Rookie of the year voting.