ACC Basketball Teams as Car Companies: Teams 7-12

Here is the rest of my teams as car companies review/revision for the remainder of the alphabet.

Miami- Mitsubishi.
Mitsubishi is all over the place. They make decent cars that few people buy because they charge too much. They are the sole provider of rear projection- old school- large screen TVs. They are all of these things and simultaneously none of them. They are a conglomerate of independents working as a unit under the tri-diamond umbrella of the name. They operate much the same way under The U at times. This year they don't have the steady scoring and leadership of Jack McClinton. They will, instead, be lead by James Dews. Miami seems to still be selling the brand of 1990s football that brought Miami into the national media spotlight. They play decent basketball, have some decent players, but can't break through. It might be difficult this year as well; they were picked to finish 10th by the ACC Media writers.

North Carolina State University- Jaguar.
Jaguar, I think, was once a luxury car brand. They have a proud heritage that extends back to 1922. But last year, they were sold by Ford to Tata Motor Company, an Indian company. They have retained some of their essential British-ness, but little else other than the name still exists. NC State has long played the step-child to UNC in basketball, and really most other things as well. And while they haven't sold themselves to the enemy, that might have to be an option soon. The fan base seems to have a chip on their shoulder, but the players, at least under Sidney Lowe, lack this conviction. The athletic department hired Sidney Lowe in an attempt to bring NCSU back to its Valvano glory days and their national championship. That has not happened. It will not until NC State atones for its Sendek sins and admits it was wrong. The athletic department and even the fanbase is too stubborn to do that.

University of North Carolina- BMW.
BMW is the more sensible German car choice, at least when compared to a Mercedes. Their prices are much more reasonable and their cars have been consistently reliable, less a few hiccups - see the BMW redesign controversy-along the way. UNC is the same- think the Doherty era. This year, however, UNC will be reloading after their national championship run, but are still picked by the ACC media to finish first (tied with Duke) in the ACC. What UNC lost is more than most teams will ever have and what they have now is more than most as well. While UNC loses Hansborough, Lawson, Ellington, and Green, they have Thompson, Ginyard, Davis, Zeller and then the freshmen: Henson, McDonald, and the Wear twins, plus wild card Larry Drew II. It looks like another successful season in Chapel Hill.

Virginia- Dodge.
Ok Dodge, you need to stop making everything except trucks. I mean it. Everything else you make is sub-par- not in a good, golfing way. You have a niche; exploit it, carve it out, get comfortable. Virginia, I suggest you do the same. Find someone/something which you value, be it character, talent, or whatever and stick to it. The Cavaliers need to find an identity- fast. And though last year's ACC ROY Sylven Landesberg is returning with a new coach, Tony Bennet, who loves the glacially-paced offensive attack. And while it might not sell in the ACC just yet, at least UVA is looking. Hopefully they find the focus and identity they have been looking for since, oh, I don't know, Ralph Sampson.

Virginia Tech- Jeep.
Jeep is sort of in a class all its own. When they have tried to adapt to the times with smaller, less powerful vehicles, they have often failed. When they have stuck to what they do well, they have been successful. Much is the same with Virginia Tech. Seth Greenberg has found a strong guard in Malcolm Delaney and a powerful forward with Jeff Allen. With the departure of AD Vassallo, and little else in between Delaney and Allen, if someone else doesn't step up to fill the rest of the slots, VT could be on the outside looking in in March.

Wake Forest- Volkswagen.
I guess Volkswagen, why not? VW's have been around, they are associated with hippies and tie-dye, Wake Forest has that lame black and yellow tie-dye logo, ergo, VW. Beyond that, Volkswagen has tried to position itself as the people's car/wagon/whatever, but then put out the $90,000 Phaeton. Which one is it? The sleek VW that wants to be the Mac of the car world or their bubbly heritage driven by middle-aged women? Wake Forest, to me, is in much the same place with their identity. While they have a much stronger product than NCSU, as far as the "big four," German cars or NC-ACC teams, are concerned, they are usually a distant third, or sometimes fourth. Wake has had some strong years, but have also had some flame-outs. This year, the Deacons could be ready for a breakout with the return of Al-Farouq Aminu and Ish Smith. Additionally, they bring in a strong recruiting class lead by Ari Stewart. With this nucleus and Chas MacFarland, they could have what it takes to make a run in the Sweet 16.

Tigers can't close the deal against Wake

The OP Stat of the Game: Demontez Stitt 21 points, 3 ast, 3 stl

So it is. The Tigers close the regular season with a loss. Last night's game is a microcosm of the season thus far.

Season: started 18-0
Game: started slow, built up an 10 point lead

Season: 2 back-to-back losses
Game: finished 1st half with a respectable 4 point lead, despite defensive collapse at the end of the half.

Season: 4-5 last nine games, including a blow-out win over Duke
Game: stayed in the game until the final stretch, Wake pulled away for the win 96-88.

The Tigers were winning when they were the aggressors, but lost because they did not sustain the aggression- offensively or defensively. Case in point: FTs. Wake shot 24, Clemson shot 15. I don't think this is entirely because of officiating or blown calls- the refs seemed to make up for those almost immediately after so doing- but rather, our inability to push the ball inside, drive the lanes, and make shots. Which, on the other hand, is exactly what Wake was able to do.

Wake hit nearly 60% of their shots, and was shooting even higher than that for the second half. The Tigers couldn't do everything that needed to be done. Had the inside presence been stronger and TO been on, it would have been a different.

Nonetheless, Stitt played well. KC kept us in the game and even our bench: Young, Grant, and Smith provided some solid minutes. Notably absent after his strong senior day performance was Sykes. He was a non-factor offensively and defensively. Much of this is because of Wake's size, but we needed more from him last night.

The final game was a disappointing end to a captivating, exciting regular season. Hopefully the excitement this team has generated spreads among the Clemson fanbase into the postseason this year and beyond.

Read what the real news says about the Wake game:
Clemson falls to Wake Forest
Some Greenville News Commentary
Tigers come up short in Tall Task
Clemson Basketball Buzz
Tigers fall to Wake, limp into post season
Now, it is off to Atlanta to play GT in the ACC tournament as a 5 seed.
Here's the official .pdf bracket. We play at 2pm on Thursday.

Powers Out!

Go Tigers!

Tigers take on Wake tonight

Tigers finish regular season against Wake Tonight

Where: LJVM, W-S, NC
When: 3/8/09 6:00pm
Listen: WCCP-FM
Watch: FSN
Follow: SCACCHoops

It has been a little slow around the OP lately. Today things start hotting up again starting at 2 with FSU at VT, then 4 Duke at UNC, possibly without Lawson, and capped at 6 by Clemson at Wake.

A few things have popped up around the internets in anticipation of the tonight's last regular season game against Wake.

Tonight's game affects the Tigers in one way- seeding for the ACC tournament. It is 4 or 5. To be a four seed, the Tigers have to win and FSU has to lose to VT. Anything else and the Tigers are five a 5 or a 6 seed. As a 5 seed, we would play 12 seed GT next Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in the first round of the ACC tournament or; as a six seed we would play against 11 seed UVA at 9:30. From the Greenville News. UPDATE: We can slip to sixth now because of the BC win- Here is an explanation. (Thanks for the comments)

Would a win by FSU affect the way Clemson plays:
"It could," Clemson coach Oliver Purnell admitted Friday. "Our guys are human. But I like to think that with the experience of our club, they understand the importance of us playing well regardless."

Tanner Smith continues the tradition of Academic excellence for Clemson Basketball players- no I'm not joking. Think Cliff Hammonds- as he was named to the Academic All-ACC team.

Booker is set to lead the ACC in rebounds and FG%

Rivers is hurt and will be probably be wearing some sort of elbow protection today.

So today, the task is to beat Wake in Winston Salem, where the Tigers haven't won since Feb 21, 1990. This is a real possibility. Wake gains nothing with a win. We need/want a win, hopefully more than them.

Wake is tall, fast, and has several NBA-type players. The 10 point loss earlier this season was tough. Wake outclassed us on the court- maybe not off, remember McFarland vs. Clemson Fan. Today could be different.

I got to thinking about it. I don't know which arena is most difficult to play in for a visiting team, but can anywhere be more visually disturbing than Lawrence Joel Veteran's Coliseum? That giant black and gold tie-dyed roof bandana is atrocious. I usually don't discuss fashion tastes, but that tie-dye is heinous.

A scouting report is not really necessary for Wake at this point. They like to run fast, score a lot, and pack it inside. However, here it is- Aminu, Johnson, McFarland and even Tony Woods and Ishmael Smith all score primarily in the paint. Johnson likes the right baseline as well. Outside of Teague, no one on their team shoots many 3pts. Teague can shoot from most anywhere, but doesn't shoot alot from the corners- Let's try to force him to shoot from there.

Per the Tigers, we are going to have to try to make them uncomfortable defensively. The press will be used, but it will need to be adjusted and mixed up, because Teague and Smith can run right through it or pass over it. If our outside game is on and our defense can pressure them, it could be a good game. If FSU wins and the Tigers know, however, it could get ugly.

It pains me to say it, but let's root for the Hokies.

Powers Out!

Go Tigers!

Clemson frustratingly loses to Wake

The day started out solid as I was entering at the same time as Milton Jennings.




I took a few pre-game pictures.


I sent a text message to see who the announcers were.

Somewhere between here and there, things went wrong.

Here is a brief selection of some of the texts I sent:

-WTF? Does Teague not get called for fouls.
-CJ and Dabo are the halftime entertainment.
-These are the worst refs ever.

I really don’t know what to say right now. We weren’t hitting our shots and we weren’t playing our game- at least offensively.

We could not break and sustain the 10 point threshold.

Wake is clearly a national caliber team. Chas Macfarland plays dirty- with the fans.

More analysis later.

Go Tigers!

Clemson Basketball enters TOP 10 in both polls

Wake vs. Clemson, 1960s - Fike Gymnasium- ( tiger memories)

The last time Wake and Clemson played when both were ranked in the top ten, Clemson was actually ranked 2nd while the Deacons were ranked 4th- Wake ended up winning 65-62. Rick Barnes was the coach and the Slab Five was still intact. Greg Buckner had 20 points as Tom Wideman, Harold "The Big O" Jamison, and Mohammed "Mo-Wo" Woni kept Tim Duncan in check with 16 points. The Tigers had a chance to win, but Jurkunas was called for a foul.
That was the year Jurkunas lost his mojo. He went from a three-point specialist, to an also-ran.

Am I trying to break your heart?

This weekend, the Tigers host Wake in a very similar situation. Again, the Tigers have very good players, but no real superstars, a la Tim Duncan, or now Jeff Teague. What we have now is a solid coach, one who might not bolt Clemson and later blame the local school system.

Here's to hoping we can control the Deacons and force turnovers. They will be coming off a Wednesday night game at BC. At least in terms of scheduling, this is a grueling phase for them as it is for us as well.

Congratulations on the being in the Top Ten Tigers- that alliteration is easy.

Some still think the Tigers are not deserving. Yep, that guy from San Jose has the Tigers ranked #23- though he bowed to public pressure, at least a bit saying, "I simply could not in good conscience continue to leave the undefeated Tigers unranked."

And if all else fails this weekend, hopefully we will see OP's sweet, sweet, suede orange blazer.


And no, I won't sell you my tickets for this game.

Go Tigers!

Clemson defeats Wake in OT

The OP Stat of the game: 22. 2 3pg% for Wake.
Or, is it, 43.8% FT shooting for the Tigers?

Apparently the Clemson Tigers love playing ACC Basketball so much, they want to play even more. So it went, again, into overtime against the Wake Forest double-d's.

Again, Mays is less effectual than he needed to be, as was Booker, Stitt, Sykes, and Hammonds.

Escalade driving Oglesby made up for some of the lack of efficiency, as he was 3-7 from 3pt range.

Now, really? OT for the third time against Wake. (Five ACC games, Three OT games).
OP and the boys are not going to make it easy this year.

Booker should have been dominating MacFarland. Really, he should have.

Nonetheless, we are locked into 4th place in the ACC after Five Games- only eleven more games to go, should my heart and my sanity make it that far.

Our next game is not until Sunday, at Miami, followed by a home game nearly a week later against BC.

Look for an OP giveaway and a few new features prior to the BC game.

Congratulations Tigers. Don't savor it too much, just get ready for the hurra.

Until then,

Go Tigers.

An Open Letter to the Clemson Men's Basketball Team

Dear Tigers,

I know you have been slighted by the polls, dismissed as paper tigers, promised that this year will be different, and been heralded as the strongest Clemson team in the past 10 (-ish) years.

I know you lost to Ole Miss in Puerto Rico; well, what happens in Puerto Rico...you know the rest.
I know you heartbreakingly lost to UNC on a last second three point shot while the students chanted who's down with OP(P)?
I know you had a hangover loss to UNC-c at home, I've had bad hangovers too.
I know you lost to Duke in Cameron, despite out-rebounding them by 16.

I know, because I was there- not always physically, but psychologically. Well, I really don't know, but I will pretend for the sake of pretending.

Now, you are 14-4, 2-2 ACC, and you still need to prove yourselves, especially tonight- one of the Wake freshmen, James Johnson, has a blackbelt in karate for god's sake.
It make take some of Booker's backstreet Whitmire magic to take this team down.

Wake is looking to make some noise. Make them STFU.
Really, do it.
Cover their mouths and win.

Do whatever is necessary to make it happen. Do not play Wake's game. Make them play your game- whatever it is going to be.

Unlike last Saturday, protect your balls. Duke was able to steal the ball 21 times.
21 times, Bueller.

21, Tim Duncan. 62-65.

Demon Deacons, Really? Get it together Tigers.

Win!

- The OP.

Clemson v. Wake: Halftime notes

1. KC Rivers must score more.
2. 25% 3 point shots = unsat.
   
3. Clemson 3-6 FT% means we are not being aggressive and we are settling for jump shots.
4. Visser needs to continue to be contained.
5. Wake 12-14 FT%, they are being aggressive AND hitting their FT, both of which we are not doing.
6. Plenty of time is still left for us to win in winston.

GO TIGERS!

Clemson Basketball: Tonight @ Wake

Note:

1. Wake has won 15 straight in series at Winston-Salem.
2. Clemson can and should win this game.
3. A Clemson loss = NIT bid.
4. A Clemson win tonight and two-three more solidifies our NCAA chances.
5. Clemson's schedule the next four days is treacherous, and dangerous. It is imperative not to look forward to the Duke game.
6. I know OP likes Sam Perry, but 4.8 ppg and 3.0 rpg? Ishmael Smith of WF, listed height 5-11, averages 3.4 rpg.
   

Open letter to Sam Perry:

Dear Sam,

I am glad to see you are such an integral part of the Clemson Basketball team. The T-shirt you wear beneath your jersey which once gave the team such a boost you were labeled an "Energy Brother," seems to be weighing you down. Why not try just wearing the jersey? What about a material with moisture-wicking? Nike and Under Armor both have solid products. This has been bothering me for a while and I apologize. I know your sleeves aren't as long as Shawan Robinson's were, but I still think you should look into it.

Let me know what you think.

Signed,
the-op.blogspot.com

Also, we are still in the "should be in" category in ESPN's drive to 65.
ESPN's Bracketology has us listed now as a 7 seed playing Missouri St. in New Orleans. However, I think things could be shaken up a bit after FSU's win last in Chapel Hill.

Until the future,

Go Tigers!