Wide receiver Roscoe Crosby, who received a medical absence waiver Wednesday from the ACC, has spoken with coach Tommy Bowden about returning to the team this fall. Apparently, Crosby hasn't decided when he'll return:
Technically Crosby has until 10 days after school begins (Aug. 20) to get enrolled in classes and report to Clemson's practice. However, waiting that late would seem to damage any chance he would have of being a solid contributor to the offense for at least the first half of the season.
The State is reporting that Crosby is definitely returning. According to radio reports, Crosby wasn't at practice Friday afternoon, but he's expected to show up soon. Whatever happens, Crosby's teammates seem excited about his return.
PRACTICE UPDATE: Beyond the heat, there wasn't much to report from Thursday's session. Bowden says he's seeing some leaders develop, singling out J.J. Howard and Khaleed Vaughn for praise.
SIMMONS SAGA CONTINUES: Former Clemson quarterback Willie Simmons is set to play for The Citadel -- if the NCAA lets him. The bureaucratic maze that is the NCAA is unbelievable.
In that same vein, here's a column by the Greenville News' Bart Wright that rips the NCAA for the unfairness of the Simmons fiasco and takes shots at the ACC for what Wright considers the arbitrariness of the Roscoe Crosby waiver decision. I agree with Wright on the Simmons issue, but disagree with him on Crosby. Playing football and continuing his education will be a positive influence on Crosby's life. Lord knows the kid has been through plenty of tumult over the past two years.
IMPROVING THE PROGRAM: Clemson has developed a six-point plan to improve the school's athletic department:
-Create a multicultural academic and social environment conducive to the success of minority student-athletes.
-Improve athletics' position within the ACC and NCAA Division I.
-Improve student-athlete retention and academic success.
-Ensure ACC and NCAA rules compliance and institutional control.
-Generate sufficient revenues to support athletics' strategic direction.
-Plan and build championship quality facilities.
Yep, that sounds like a plan.
JOE-BOB SAYS CHECK IT OUT: The documentary movie Bragging Rites: The Carolina-Clemson Rivalry premiered Thursday in Columbia.
I visited the movie's wonderful Web site yesterday (the URL in The State's story is wrong) and checked out a couple of clips. I was really impressed. It's shot in the familiar style of a Ken Burns documentary, with lots of still photos, rare footage and voice-overs. While there's plenty of on-the-field action to savor, Bragging Rites seems to be about much more than sports. It's really a slice of South Carolina's social history. I'll be ordering several copies, both for myself and to give to others.
RADIO DAYS: The Tiger Tailgate Show, that seemingly bottomless bowl of pregame cornpone (is it STILL three hours long?), will get some new personalities this season. Talented sports broadcaster Don Munson will be joined by Bubba Britton, who was a contestant on ESPN's Beg, Borrow & Deal, and former Tailgate Show personality Whitney Walters. "Hurricane" Duane Evans will continue to provide the music. No word on whether they'll be getting any new jokes this season.
QUESTIONS ABOUND: The State's Ken Tysiac has posted more answers to queries from Clemson fans. Read them here.
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