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Ask Paul Strelow about the Tigers

Paul Strelow

Paul Strelow has been immersed in state sports since 2000, having covered USC, recruiting, high school football and Carolina Panthers training camp as a writer for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal. He has won numerous state awards for enterprise writing, features and game stories. Reach Strelow at pstrelow@thestate.com.

Most Recently Answered Questions

Questions 1 - 15 of 173 (Page 1 of 9)

Submitted by Claude from Parksville, SC

Q: Paul -who is doing the article on the former athletes from each county of the state? His/her e-mail address? Thanks for your help.

Answered 07/30/08 15:14:21 by Paul Strelow

A: Claude, I think it varies by county, but Pat Obley has done a number of them. He's at pobley@thestate.com. Hope that helps.

Submitted by Derrick J. Strelow from Elon, NC

Q: Hey Paul, why don't you grow a beard?

Answered 07/30/08 15:13:47 by Paul Strelow

A: I thought we just shut down this Q&A segment for reasons such as this -- so family members couldn't reach me! What's next, you want me sporting a bowtie?

Submitted by Didier Norris from North Augusta, SC

Q: Why didn't the state report on the arrest of Clemson football player DeAndre McDaniel? It was in the Augusta Chronicle today. I assumed the State was "fair and balanced."

Answered 06/30/08 11:08:41 by Paul Strelow

A: I'm told we did run stories on it. I was on vacation, so I can't vouch for what appeared, but I don't believe anyone ignored it by any stretch.

Submitted by Al Robbins from Kingsport Tn

Q: Paul, Why don't you clean up the "Recent Conversation" listing which shows the anti Tommy blog from November 2007?

Answered 05/21/08 00:16:36 by Paul Strelow

A: They barely let me access my own e-mail ... or else they understand that's all I have the capability of handling. I'll pass along the request, though.

Submitted by 66 Gamecock from Charlotte,N.C.

Q: What does Bowden think of the "Saban Rule" and how has he adjusted his personal recruiting?

Answered 05/21/08 00:15:39 by Paul Strelow

A: Well, 66, I haven't spoken to him personally about it. But feedback I've gotten is that while Bowden has no problem w/ it because it eliminates a lot of traveling around this month just in order to keep up w/ the Zooks and Meyers who are aggressive recruiters. Come to think of it, Bowden has to love it considering the recruiting haul Clemson has brought in by basically having Billy Napier and his assistants recruiting against other assistants right now. Judging solely from recruiting rankings, the Tigers have racked up under the new guidelines.

Submitted by Freehawk from atlanta, ga

Q: Paul, is Tommy Bowden installing a new "package" that you haven't told us about? On freshman Kyle Parker, who is having a really good season with the baseball team: “I’ve watched him practice and I’ve watched him play (baseball). He’s really good looking. If I was a girl, I’d be very interested in him. He wears those tight pants. When you wear loose stuff, you can’t tell the definition of a guy’s body. In baseball, everything’s tight and you can tell he’s very well put together

Answered 04/07/08 12:38:48 by Paul Strelow

A: Kinda makes you wonder how Tommy handles letting Kyle go to baseball practice every day.

Submitted by toby from advance n.c.

Q: hey paul,,are you still there??

Answered 04/07/08 12:32:24 by Paul Strelow

A: Barely. My response time lagged to, say, months later after the birth of our third child (all under 4 years old).

Submitted by TigerFan from Spartanburg, SC

Q: Why don't you come back to the Herald-Journal? Matt Cobbs sucks and is definitely a Carolina fan. Read his column after the Clemson-Shamecock game. It's horrible. I'm sure you won't print this, but it was worth an email. We want Eric Boynton back!

Answered 04/07/08 12:31:42 by Paul Strelow

A: I had a blast working at the H-J, I'll say that. I can understand why you'd want Boynton back. He is good.

Submitted by Anonymous from No location specified

Q: DO you think Hamlin, Davis, and Merling will stay for their senior years?

Answered 12/12/07 21:03:23 by Paul Strelow

A: Hamlin I go back and forth on. Is he 1st or 2nd-round material? No. Rangy, heady player, but has speed limitations. Will his stock get any better with another year at Clemson? I would argue no, especially if the underclassmen committee peg him as a 3rd-4th rounder. So it depends if he is looking for a reason to go or looking for a reason to stay. Davis could change his mind 50 times between now and the Jan. 15 deadline. Despite the underlying negotiation in his message, I believe how (often) Clemson uses him in the bowl will be a factor. Merling maintains he's coming back, so you have to take him at his word, but he's the most valuable commodity of the three. And I think his stock will only rise. But it has to help Clemson that his mentor is his position coach/uncle.

Submitted by toby young from advance nc.

Q: Paul.When did cold, dirty, crime ridding Atlanta become a desired bowl location?.I,d much rather be in the Gator Bowl..BC is the ACC secound team.I love my Tigers but last time we went the ten er see fans spit on us and threw beer.You should use your postion to call the ACC out on this snub of BC and send us were its warm and they don,t engage in dog fights.

Answered 12/12/07 20:57:55 by Paul Strelow

A: The advantages of beating Auburn in one of both teams' primary recruiting areas clearly outweighs anything to be gained with success at the Gator, Champs, etc. Plus the Tigers can get motivated for an SEC team much more so than anyone else.

Submitted by Anonymous from Raleigh, NC

Q: Why ask Paul anything? He hasn't updated this Q&A since October.

Answered 12/12/07 20:55:59 by Paul Strelow

A: You make a great point. That one I can't argue. But I can contend I will try harder to get to them.

Submitted by The Fence from Va Beach, Va.

Q: So, after the ship was righted and the chicken boys in cootlumbia lost at home AGAIN, I dont see many "bowded" "tammy the tater" questions come up. #6 to 6-6. My question to YOU is, by reading some of your replies to the DA coots above, does The State KNOW youre a closet USC fan?

Answered 12/12/07 20:54:35 by Paul Strelow

A: Fence, Not sure how you reached that conclusion, unless you've been pricked by too many barbed wires. I have no ties to either school.

Submitted by Anonymous from greenville, south carolina

Q: I did not see any male cheerleaders for clemson at the duke game. were there any there and if not, why

Answered 12/12/07 20:52:28 by Paul Strelow

A: If you can't pick someone out of a crowd at a Duke football game, chances are they weren't there.

Submitted by CUgeezer71 from Gainesville, GA.

Q: Paul, I'm out of state and don't get much coverage locally. I don't go to games and depend on my PC to keep up. Some time ago I read that Korn had an injury to his shoulder. Nothing more in any of the SC papers on that since. Question is to what extent? Also, does this allow him to redshirt this year even though he ran a couple of plays early in the year? Harper is doing "so well" that it would be a waste of Korn's career to lose a year of eligibility while having to wait another year to have his shot. Could be that Korn will have his Phd by the time he leaves Clemson.

Answered 12/12/07 20:50:49 by Paul Strelow

A: Funny last line. The trick in all this is no one would ever reveal the extent of Korn's injury "in case" he had to be used, therefore tipping opponents on his potential limitations. Suffice it to say, there is some medical documentation (x-ray) of an injury, but for how long and to what degree it limited Korn will remain a mystery. There will be a medical hardship waiver filed on his behalf after this season to seek recovery of this year's eligibility.

Submitted by Reid from Columbia, SC

Q: Okay, point taken on the Bowden issue. If you think the offensive line will have another uphill battle, what are you reasons for thinking that? Is it simply a depth issue or are the players they have just not talented enough to make an impact in D1 football? Linebacker also seems to a concern for next season, any thoughts?

Answered 12/12/07 20:47:58 by Paul Strelow

A: How's this for a delayed reaction. Anyway ... I think it takes 2-3 years before most high school offensive linemen can be groomed to handle college ball both physically and conceptually. And it's pretty well documented that Clemson's recruiting was lacking until this last 2-3 year span, so the fruits of recent hauls are only beginning to come into their own. That said, the Tigers have not exactly brought in a bunch of top OL prospects since then, either. Thomas Austin will be pretty darn good, as will Landon Walker. Lightly recruited Chris Hairston will start next year as a redshirt soph. And redshirts like David Smith, Wilson Norris and Mason Cloy project as future starters, too. Next year's linebackers will be on par to this years -- several good players, no dynamic presence just yet. I still have high expectations for SAM Scotty Cooper by his junior year.

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