2016 College Football Preseason Top-10

A lot of you guys don't follow me on twitter (@K_Mart10), but I did a preseason top 10 countdown for the last week and a half leading up to the first Saturday of the college football season (last Saturday). I've consolidated the complete list into this blog for your viewing pleasure.

No. 1 Alabama

• More of legacy pick than anything. Stacked at OL & RB, so mediocre QB play should be enough.
• Tide's defense will be great as always. We'll see if anyone can beat them. I think they make the playoffs again. #No1Alabama

No. 2 Clemson

•  Hesiman front-runner Deshaun Watson leads a offense full of studs. Gallman, Legget, Scott, Cain, Renfrow, Mcloud, etc.
• Tigers return top-notch OL along w/ #1 WR, Mike Williams. Defense lost some key pieces, but returns top-tier DL. Need some guys to step up.
• Season comes down to @Florida State, but game vs. Louisville scares me. Breakout players: WR Cain & DE Ferrell. #Clemson
• Tigers have best player on the field w/ Watson. Special season in store for CU. Think they make playoff for 2nd straight yr. #No2Clemson

No. 3 Florida State

• Dalvin Cook is the best RB in the nation, & returns behind a GREAT OL to go along w/ a top-tier WR Corp. #Seminoles
• I think Francois should be the Seminoles guy at QB. Think he's a player. Defense is really good, as always. Bunch of werewolves everywhere.
• Tough to start vs Ole Miss (neutral site) w/ a new QB, & @Louisville & @Miami are tough, but season comes down to 10/29 vs. Clemson. #Noles
• Think they lose to the Tigers, but still have a great shot to make the playoffs w/ 1 loss. Cook & Francois are that good. #No3FloridaState

No. 4 Ohio State

• Dual-threat QB J.T. Barrett will lead this O, & RB Mike Weber & WR Noah Brown will be household names by end of the year.
• Buckeyes have to replace a lot, but have been stacking talent. They have some guys on defense I really like in DB Conley & SS Hooker. #tOSU 
• We'll find out what they have in week 3 @Oklahoma. Schedule isn't terrible after that, play @Wis mid-season then finish @MSU & vs Michigan.
• I really like this Buckeyes team. Think they're flying under the radar. I've got Meyer, Barret, & Co. making the playoff. #No4OhioState

No. 5 Oklahoma

• QB Baker Mayfield & RBs Samaje Perine & Joe Mixon make for one of the most explosive backfields in the nation. #BoomerSooner
• Sooners need some guys to step up at O-Line & WR. Defense will be solid, & secondary led by J. Thomas, Parker, & A. Thomas is superb.
• Schedule starts off with 3 marquee games in 1st 4 weeks, w/ Houston (neutral site), vs. Ohio State, & @TCU. Boomer could easily lose 2.
• Not as high on OU as most. Always seem to underperform when picked high. I think Mayfield & crew will have a rough 1st month. #No5Oklahoma

No. 6 Notre Dame

• Irish offense should be really good. Have 2 above average QBs in Zaire & Kizer, & to be honest, idk who I would start.
• Folston & Adams at RB are good players to go along with talent at WR, but they've got a lot to replace on the O-Line w/ 3 new starters.
• Defense has a lot to replace. Recent loss of Redfield is big, & they need Rochell to step up production. D needs to increase sacks & TOs.
• Schedule is ridiculous with only 3 true road games. Irish have a good chance to win 10+ games & maybe make a run at playoff. #No6NotreDame

No. 7 Michigan

• Harbaugh's 2nd yr in Ann Arbor has the potential to be a big one. Have to find a QB, but WRs are deep & return 4 O-Lineman.
• The Wolverines defense will be salty, led by do-it-all sensation Jabrill Peppers. Were 4th overall in total D last season & could be better.
• Schedule is pretty easy, just @ Michigan State in late October then @ Ohio State to end the season. Could slip up @ Iowa, but doubtful.
• I'm not as high on this team as a lot of people. I don't believe in their QB & offense as a whole. Still think they win 10+. #No7Michigan

No. 8 Houston

• QB Greg Ward Jr. is the real deal. One of the most exciting players in college football, he led his squad to 13-1 last year.
• The Cougars have athletes all over the field on offense to help Ward. The O avgd 40.4 ppg last year, & there's no reason they won't repeat.
• Defensive front 7 is nasty & absolutely shut down then run. (see Dalvin Cook: 33 yds on 18 carries in the Peach Bowl win by the Cougars.)
• Secondary is shaky & has to replace a lot. Have a HUGE game vs. OU to open then late vs UL (both neutral sites), rest of sched is cake.
• If the Cougars somehow run the table, they may be able 2 sneak into the playoff. Expecting a huge season from Hermann & Ward Jr. #No8Houston

No. 9 LSU

• RB Leonard Fournette is a stud, & their defense will be really, really good under Dave Aranda's 3-4 scheme. #Salty
• Fournette, WRs Malachi Dupre & Travin Dural, & a solid OL could make for a great O, BUT they've got to get more out of QB Brandon Harris.
• Schedule isn't terrible for the Tigers, only tough stretch is vs Ole Miss, vs Alabama, & @Arkansas towards the end of the season.
• I don't think Harris will be good enough for them to win a title, but Fournette will still carry them to a top-10 season. #No9LSU

No. 10 Stanford

• Heisman Finalist RB McCaffrey is one of the best players in the country, and he'll make it easier on an inexperienced QB and OL.
• The Cardinal D should be REALLY good at all 3 levels, anchored by stud DL Solomon Thomas. If they can hold teams < 25, have a good shot.
• Schedule worries me, w/ USC, @UCLA, @Washington, Washington State, & @Notre Dame all in a row. Add in @Oregon at the end, & that's TOUGH.   
• This Cardinal team goes as far as Christian McCaffrey takes them, & I think they've got a great shot to win the Pac-12. #No10Stanford 

A few sleeper teams:

•      UNC-High powered O & TJ Logan 
•      Texas Tech-Love Kingsbury & my boy Pat Mahomes #Heisman 
•      Okla State-Rudolph is a star

Follow me on twitter @K_Mart10

2015 College Football Preseason Top 10

So just in case you guys didn't notice, I've been doing a preseason top 10 countdown on my twitter (@K_Mart10) leading up to the first Saturday of the college football season. Well, I ended that countdown tonight, and I've consolidated the complete list into this blog for your viewing pleasure.

No. 1 Ohio State

·      QBs Barrett & Jones are 2 of the best, doesn't really matter who starts. Elliott is a beast, & OL is big and physical.

·      D-Line is nasty, but IMO Bosa is a little overrated. Miller will have a big year at WR. So tough to repeat, but who's going to beat them?

No. 2 TCU

·   Trevone Boykin is one of my fav players in the country. Reminds me of TB10. Season comes down to ‪@OKLA & vs.BAY in last 2 weeks.

No. 3 Oregon

·      Big fan of the QB Adams and the Ducks' offense as a whole. I think they make the playoff again & might win the whole thing.

No. 4 Baylor

·      Return 1k-yd RB, 2 1k-yd WRs, & all 5 OL. Russell is legit dual-threat QB. DL is top 10 in CFB, & entire secondary is back.

No. 5 Michigan State

·      Very good defense and legit, veteran QB are why I have them so high on my list. Think they lose late ‪@Ohio State.

No. 6 Georgia

·      Chubb is poised for HUGE year. LBs lead Pruitt's improving Def & w/just solid play from QB Ramsey, Dawgs will have 10+ W season.

No. 7 USC

·      Big fan of Sark & QB Kessler. Cravens leads the D, & finishing with @Oregon & vs. UCLA. Trojans could make run to playoff.

No. 8 Alabama

·      Offense has to replace A LOT, so I'm skeptical. Defense will be really good & have best P in the nation. Down yr 4 the Tide.

·     The more I think about it, I really wish I hadn’t had them in this top 10. I think they’re in for a down year.

No. 9 Auburn

·      I'm a believer in new QB Jeremy Johnson & a huge fan of WR Duke Williams. Malzahn's O will thrive w/the better passer Johnson.

·      Johnson is a better passer than Marshall was, but is physical runner also. Several options @ RB 4 the Tigers, but Robinson is a kid I like.

·      Muschamp will definitely help improve the defense. Secondary is still a big questions mark, but D-Line is nasty. Lawson, Adams, Cowart, etc.

·      Not a terrible schedule, LOU to open the season could be tricky, but all comes down to last 4 weeks: @aTm, then vs. UGA, Idaho, & Bama.

·      Could be a special season for the Tigers on the Plains. All rides on Jeremy Johnson's development & Muschamp's improving defense. #No9Auburn

No. 10 Notre Dame

·      The Fighting Irish are big and physical. Zaire is a dual-threat QB that brings an added dimension to the offense.

·      O-Line is solid, and WR is deep. The DT Day, CB Russell, and LB Smith anchor a solid defense. Have a big question mark at safety right now.

·      Schedule is tough w/ GT and USC at home, and Clemson & Stanford on the road. I think Kelly's group takes some Ls this season. #No10NotreDame 

A few sleeper teams: Arizona State, Texas A&M, UCLA, Georgia Tech

As always, you better watch out for my Clemson Tigers!

Follow me on twitter @K_Mart10

My Christmas Movie Power Rankings

Hello everyone, I know it's been a while, but I hope everyone is having a great Christmas season so far! A lot has happened since my last blog, so I'll be getting everyone up to speed sometime in the near future. Speaking of Christmas though, that's what this blog is all about: my Christmas movie power rankings along with one of my favorite quotes from each.

5. A Charlie Brown Christmas

An anti-commercialism classic in which Charlie Brown and friends find out the true meaning of christmas. "I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It's not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love." 

4. It's a Wonderful Life

A classic that has stood the test of time. It teaches you that it's not money that makes you rich. "Remember George: no man is a failure who has friends."

3. The Santa Clause

Scott Calvin becomes a Santa Clause in training. The 2nd and 3rd ones were ok, but the original was clearly the best. "Does this look like a little weight to you?!"

2. Home Alone (1 & 2)

Both 1 and 2 were awesome. Kevin (great name by the way) fends off the Wet Bandits. I don't know about you guys, but when I was a kid I tried to come up with ideas of how to do things in the house like he did. "Buzz! Your Girlfriend! Woof!"

1. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

My favorite, without a doubt. The Griswolds and all of their Christmas tradition failures are a hilarious. One reason I think myself & a lot of people love this movie is because parts of it hit home and remind us of our own families. "You serious, Clark?"

Honorable Mention: Elf, Jingle All The Way, A Christmas Story, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, A Christmas Carol (Mickey's and original), Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Richie Rich's Christmas Wish

I know everyone has their favorites, so let me know yours! Also, I hope you all remember the real reason for the season! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

College Football Preseason Top 10

I don't know if you guys have noticed, but I have been doing a preseason top 10 countdown on my twitter(@K_Mart10) leading up to the start of the college football season. I decided to consolidate the complete list into one location, so here it is.

No. 1 Florida State

• Heisman Winner Jameis Winston returns to lead what should be a great FSU team on both sides of the ball.
• The RB Williams is a beast. WR Greene is a big-time playmaker. TE O'Leary is as solid as they come. Oh yeah, they also return 4 OL starters.
• Defense is loaded as well. Edwards, Goldman, Smith, Darby, Williams, Ramsey; the list goes on & on. Hard to find a weakness on this team.
• Schedule sets up well: Clemson, ND, & UF all at home. RB Williams becomes a star & he & Jameis lead this team to a repeat. ‪#No1FloridaState

No. 2 Alabama

• This team has tremendous skill players & a great O-line. The question is at QB. I think Coker should be the guy.
• Yeldon & Henry at RB, & Cooper & Jones at WR are as good as anyone in the country. The Tide need the D to return to what they used to be.
• Guys like the DE Robinson & the S Collins should help with that. I still have a wait & see approach as to how they deal with hurry-up teams.
• Schedule is tough, as always. ‪@OleMiss, ‪@LSU, & home vs. Auburn are the big ones. Think this team loses 1 & still makes playoff. ‪#No2Alabama

No. 3 Oregon

• Heisman frontrunner Marcus Mariota is back at QB, & he will lead one of the nation's best offenses.
• The Ducks' RB Marshall is really explosive, & they have one of the best OLs in the country. However, they need a playmaker to step up at WR.
• The defense is really solid as well. I'm a big fan of their secondary, especially DB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu & the freshman safety Tyree Robinson.
• Schedule sets up well. Get MSU & Stanford in Autzen, but ‪@UCLA is scary. I think Mariota leads this team to the playoff. ‪#No3Oregon

No. 4 Oklahoma

• Riding high coming off of their Sugar Bowl win over Alabama, the Sooners return 14 starters, including 8 on defense.
• QB Trevor Knight has tons of potential, but he has to be more consistent. I think he will be & the offense will be able to score a bunch.
• Big fan of the Sooners' defense, especially the LBs Alexander & Striker. On offense, they need a RB to step up & WR Shepard to make plays.
• Schedule is easy, as they get Baylor at home. One game that scares me is ‪@TTU. I think Knight leads this team to the playoff. ‪#No4Oklahoma

No. 5 UCLA

• I love this team, & especially QB Brett Hundley. Their offense is going to be tough, & the team as a whole returns 17 starters.
• Offense will be one of the best in the country. Return QB, top 4 rushers, & 5 of top 6 receivers. Defense gets back 10 of top 14 tacklers.
• They need to find a RB besides Myles Jack, as he also starts at LB. Secondary is really good, but they need some young LBs to step up.
• Schedule sets up well for the Bruins, play Texas in Arlington at AT&T Stadium, but they get Oregon, USC, & Stanford at home.
• I think Heisman Hopeful QB Brett Hundley has a great shot to lead this team to the Pac-12 championship & get them to the playoff. ‪#No5UCLA

No. 6 Auburn

• They have one of the best O-Lines in the country, & QB Nick Marshall will only get better in year 2 of Gus Malzahn's system.
• I really like Sammie Coates on the outside for the Tigers, & WR D'haquille Williams is who to watch out for, a JUCO All-American.
• The D-Line should be above average, but schedule is really, really tough. Think they lose at least 2 & miss the playoff. ‪#No6Auburn

No. 7 Baylor

• QB Bryce Petty, RBs Shock Linwood & Devin Chafin, & WR Antwan Goodley form one of the best offensive units in the country.
• The Bears defense does have some question marks, but they are athletic & I really like the pressure their D-Ends can apply & the LB Hager.
• Schedule isn't bad, matchups vs. Ok State, ‪@Texas, & defacto Big 12 championship ‪@Oklahoma, which is only 1 I think they lose. ‪#No7Baylor

No. 8 Ohio State

• Buckeyes return one of the top 2 or 3 best DL's in the country with Bosa, Spence, Bennett, and Washington. 
• Only 1 returning starter on OL, & who knows how good the new QB Barrett will be. I think he's actually a better passer than Braxton Miller. 
• Need a RB & WR to step up, I like the Fr Samuel. Had them ranked much higher before Miller's injury, but still think they're a good team. 
• Schedule isn't terrible. Get tested week 2 vs. VT, but nothing else until @MSU in Nov. Think Buckeye's lose 1 game this year. #No8OhioState

No. 9 Michigan St

• Spartans are always tough on defense. Led this year by DE Shilique Calhoun. Replace 6 starters, but still should be good.
• Spartan's offense finally has a QB w/ some skills in Cook, 22 TDS/6 Ints last season. Langford is one of most underrated RBs in the country.
• We’ll see what Sparty's made of early @Oregon. I think they lose, but still like their chances for the playoff if play well. #No9MichiganSt 

No. 10 Stanford

• The Cardinals defense is stacked, especially the secondary led by Richards & Carter. Anderson is an anchor on D-Line.
• Replacing 4 O-linemen, but always have good guys up front. QB Hogan has some real playmakers at WR in Montgomery & Cajuste.
• Need Barry Sanders to step up at RB, he's the X-Factor. Kid has moves like dad. Special teams unit will be one of the best in the country.
• Schedule is TOUGH. ‪@Wash, ‪@ND, ‪@ASU, ‪@Ore, ‪@Cal, & ‪@UCLA. Only tough game ‪@home is USC. I think Shaw & Co. lose 2 or 3. ‪#No10Stanford

A few teams that just missed the cut: Georgia, LSU, Clemson, South Carolina, USC, Wisconsin.

A sleeper team that I really like: Washington with new head coach Chris Petersen.

Follow me on twitter @K_Mart10

Pick Your Squad: $15 For Your NBA All-Time Starting Lineup

                

         
I'm sure you all have seen the picture I posted above from BallisLife.com with the challenge of making an NBA All-Time starting lineup. In case you haven't here is how it works, you have a total of $15 to spend over all five positions, and players are worth different amounts of money at each position. What you are supposed to do is spend the money as wisely as you can to make the best starting five possible. You are only able to take one player per position, so no moving MJ to small forward or Tim Duncan to center etc. I know this came out about two months ago, but I am just getting around to blogging about it.

After much debate (seriously, I worked on this for hours), I think I've got the best starting group possible. Here we go:

Point Guard
$1 Walt Frazier
"Clyde" had the swag and was named to several All-NBA First Teams and several All-Defefensive First Teams. 

Shooting Guard
$5 Michael Jordan
Can't go wrong with Michael. Arguably the greatest player of all time. His offensive repertoire was unmatched, and he would lock you down on defense. Plus, if the game was on the line, he was clutch.

Small Forward
$4 Larry Bird
One of the best shooters of all-time. He had an arrogance and cockiness about him that I really liked, and the guy just knew how to win.

Power Forward
$3 Tim Duncan
"The Big Fundamental" is still getting it done today. He will jump hook you to death and get all the rebounds that we need.

Center
$2 Shaquille O'Neal
One of the most dominant players the game has ever seen. Young Shaq was a force to be reckoned with. He may be the best deal of the whole draft.

Alright, there's my five. That team is tough to beat. The thing about this is that their really isn't any wrong answer. I had several other lineups I thought about going with. One had Isaiah Thomas at point guard, but we know that him and Michael Jordan did not get along so who knows how that would have worked. Another had LeBron on the team, which would have given me three of the most dominant players of all-time in him, MJ, and Shaq. But anyway, this is the group I decided on. Who do you guys have in your starting five? Let me know and let's get the conversation going.

Follow me on twitter @K_Mart10

As Spring Practice Ends, Questions Loom

As the Clemson Tigers finished up spring practice with the annual Orange and White Spring Game, several questions remained unanswered regarding the upcoming season. Now let's get this straight, I'm not claiming to have the answers to these questions, but I can give my opinions on them for sure. Here's a few in particular that I am wondering about:

Stoudt practices as Watson looks on

1. What is the QB situation?
This was somewhat cleared up recently when Cole Stoudt was named the starter after the departure of Chad "Swag" Kelly. However, questions still remain, such as are we looking at a 2-QB system this season, with heralded freshman Deshaun Watson getting some snaps? Personally, I think both Stoudt & Watson will play against Georgia, & there will be packages for Watson when he comes in. Watson is too talented to keep off of the field, and if you're not going to redshirt him you have to play him some.

2. How hurt is Watson?
We know that Deshaun had to miss the last week of practice and the Spring Game due to a cracked collarbone. What everyone wants to know is how long he will be out. There hasn't been a consensus timeline yet, but I believe he will be back for summer workouts. 

3. How good is Mackenzie Alexander?
This guy was supposed to be the Tigers' savior in the secondary last year, but instead, injuries forced the trash-talking, lockdown, defensive back to redshirt. Mack seems to be back at full-strength & has been getting rave reviews from the coaches. I believe the new #2 will be a starter and a big-time corner this fall. 

4. Starting safety?
Last season saw Jayron Kearse come on strong thorough out the season and people had him penciled in to start. However, Jadar Johnson was slated as first team in a recent depth chart. Basically, these two are the opposite of one another: Kearse is the big-hitter and better against the run, while Johnson is better in coverage and against the pass. I see Kearse eventually taking over the position, as he has too much talent to not be on the field.

5. What's going to happen at RB?

Brooks hauls in a touchdown against Georgia

Well, who knows. D.J. Howard and Zac Brooks are the veterans, Tyshon Dye is possibly the most talented but can't stay healthy, C.J. Davidson is a former track guy and walk-on, Wayne Gallman is possibly the best combo of runner, blocker, and pass-cather, and who knows what you'll get from the freshmen Adam Choice, Jaelon Oglesby, and C.J. Fuller who are yet to get on campus. I think Howard is garbage, but Dabo will probably play him because he's a veteran and from Alabama. I like Brooks and am a big fan of his pass catching ability, but he can't stay healthy. I don't think Dye will be a huge factor coming off of the achilles injury. I really hope that we can give a bulk of the carries to Gallman and Brooks, with some Davidson mixed in as well. That way we can redshirt all of the freshmen and they can bulk up for next season.

6. Who's the #1 WR?
With the departure of Sammy Watkins and Martavis Bryant to the NFL, a lot of people think Mike Williams or Adam Humpries may step into that role. However, they're forgetting about Charone Peake coming back from injury. Peake was poised for a big season last year before tearing his ACL in practice. For people who don't remember, Peake was rated higher than BOTH Bryant and
Watkins coming out of high school, and both of those guys are about to get paid. I think Peake will have a big season at wideout for the Tigers. Another guy I like is the freshman Artavis Scott. He's explosive and quick and I think he'll be a major factor this fall.

Steward forces a fumble on a sack

7. Is Tony Steward ready?
You guys remember Tony, the former 5 star prospect who has torn both of his ACLs over the last 3 years. He'll be stepping into a starting this role this season, and Clemson will need some big plays from him, similar to the one that he made against Boston College this past year where he sacked the QB and forced a fumble that led to a Vic Beasley scoop and score. I think Tony is finally ready to breakout, and he'll have an outstanding season. I think he'll be a guy who will be getting drafted in 2015 for sure.


8. With Cat-Man gone, who's next?
For the past 4 seasons, Clemson's field goal kicking has been extremely solid (a big change from previous seasons), and that was due to Chandler Catanzaro. He made several big kicks and game-winners over his career (LSU, Wake Forest) and will be sorely missed. So who's going to take his spot: the easy money is on Ammon Lakip, who's a veteran guy. The other option will be freshman Alex Spence. I think Lakip will have the job coming out of fall camp, but I don't expect him to be the next Cat-man by any means.

That's just a few of the questions that I currently have, but there are many more and I'm sure you guys have some of your own. If there's a question you have, feel free to post it in the comment section.

Follow me on twitter @K_Mart10

Top 10: Keys To Conquering Downtown

I actually wrote this article last year for a college newspaper that I was working for, but I had to revise it and make it shorter to get it published. Because of that, I decided to share the full version here with you guys. I think it has some good tips to surviving DT trips and it's a little funny as well.

1. Full-Phone Battery: You don’t want to be downtown and have your phone die on you. I mean, first off, you’re just going to feel lost without it. If you’ve got no battery, how are you gonna meet up with your friends? Send drunk texts and tweets? Get a ride home afterwards? Make sure that baby has plenty of juice before you head out.

2. People: Make sure you know people who are going downtown. Do not go by yourself unless absolutely necessary. I repeat, DO NOT GO BY YOURSELF. I’ve learned from personal experience, you always say you’re going to know someone there or assume that you’ll run into people you’ll know, but every once in a while there will be no one you know (or at least not anyone you want to talk to), and when that’s the case, you’ll end up hanging out in a corner with maybe one person you’ve met randomly down there before who you don’t even really like that much. Trust me, you do not want to be that guy, it’s no good for anyone. So make sure you have a crew to go with when you decide to get adventurous.

3. Cash: Hard to make it rain with plastic. That’s why when going dt you want to have cash to pay for your drinks with. It’s such a hassle paying with a card every time. If you start a tab, you have to hope that no one decided to go and use your name to get a drink on your card, and you have to remember to go and close it out at the end of the night and not forget your card, which is something that PLENTY of people do. No one wants to have to ride back to TTT’s on Saturday morning to ask them if they have your debit card. Your other option if you don’t start a tab is to pay for each drink separately on your card, that’s still a hassle because you have to wait for them to swipe it and then you’ve got to put you John Hancock on a piece of paper who knows how many times a night.  Another downside of cards, some bars have a minimum amount you must spend before they will let you use your card, and you do not want to have to buy your buddy a drink that you know you will not get repaid for just so that you can use your card. People also have a tendency to spend more when they’re paying with a card, and if you’re lucky enough to be using one of your parents’ cards you don’t want to wake the next morning to only find out you rang up a $690 bar tab the night before (trust me, happened to my roommate). It’s all about the Benjamins: cash is the way to go when going downtown.

4. Quarters: This one is a personal favorite of mine. Usually everything downtown cost how ever many dollars and some change, hardly ever is it a whole dollar. Take you four or five quarter when you head out, and along with your cash you can pay for your first few drinks with the exact amount before you start tipping. The reason most bars have their prices like they do is so that people will give them dollars to pay for their drinks and not worry about getting the change back. Well, we see you, Bars, and we’re on to your games.

5. Know the Scene You Want: This key is very important one, as it pretty much helps determine where you should spend your time dt. You’ve got to know what type of setting you’re looking for, and you’ve got to know which bar to go to for that atmosphere. If you’re looking for a place to kind of start off the night and get one drink and to be able to actually talk to your friends, I’d recommend TTT’s. It’s laidback, quieter, and the beer prices aren’t bad. If you’re more of a fraternity/sorority person, 356 and Loose Change are the move. You want to dance? Well, hit up Wingin’ It or 356 for the best options there. If you want a combination of hanging out and dancing, TD’s is the place to be. Knowing what type of atmosphere you want and knowing which bar to head to is a big key to having a good time dt. You don’t want to be trying to have a conversation with your friends in Wingin’ It and “Back Dat Ass Up” come on and some random girl/guy try to come and combine your two bodies in to one, you really don’t.

6. Bouncers: Meet some bouncers. Even though it may not seem like much, it’s a lot better when you don’t have to take your ID out and you can just give them a simple handshake and walk in instead. Plus, it makes you look like a bad ass. It’s good to know people.

7. Prices/Specials: As broke college kids, we don’t have money to just be throwing around, so you need to know if there’s any specials on certain nights at the bars, and also what their prices are on regular nights as well. No need to be spending extra money on a fancy beer when it’s $1 Busch Lights. No need to be buying nice beers when it’s the same price or cheaper to get house liquor. Gotta save that money when you can, and as long as it gets you drunk, who cares what it was?

8. Layout: Know where to go to get your drinks inside the bar. Figure out where that one spot is that you can get drinks faster than other people. Know that when 356 has a cash bar, it’s on the left side so you don’t have to wait so long at the main bar. Know that when the cash bar in Wingin’ It is set up, it’s in the front right corner right when you come in. My personal favorite however, is the back bar at TD’s. Not many people use it. They can make just about every drink that they can make in the front, and you can get it in half the time. Oh yeah, and they’ve got dollar shots. I’ve said this to my friends several times, “the back bar in TD’s is the key to success,” and it really is. Know where to go to save time and have less hassle downtown; it really makes it more enjoyable.

9. Half Shots: Everyone wants to look like a baller, but not everyone has baller money. You think you’re going to be a hot-shot and buy shots for you and your seven friends; then you get your bill: $42. All of a sudden you don’t feel so good anymore. The cure for this is to buy half shots. Instead of buying eight Soco Kamikazes, buy four split eight ways. Your friends will never know, you’ll save a ton of money, and you’ll still look like a baller bringing back eight shots and passing them out to everyone. Stay Scheming, shawty.

10. Ride Home: When the nights over, you really need to have a plan for getting wherever you’re going, whether that be your apartment or a lucky someone’s that you may or may not have met that night. First off, never drink and drive or ride with a person that has been drinking. If you go with a group of people, make sure y’all decide before the night starts who is driving home, because if you don’t, everyone will wind up chocolate wasted. If you’re planning to call someone to come pick you up, let them know ahead of time so that when you call at 2:15am they will actually be expecting it and answer. A taxi is also a viable option, it’s really not that expensive, just make sure you have cash. As a last resort to get a ride, choose the CatBus. It’s not a bad call during the spring and summer, but right now in the winter months, it is absolutely freezing waiting on that thing late at night. But hey, it’s still better than getting left dt and passing out on a Todaro’s bench and getting arrested.

Obviously, these tips are geared toward Downtown Clemson, but a lot of them can be applied elsewhere as well. We all know the options are limited in Clemson, but when the apartment and fraternity parties get played out, downtown can become your best friend. So if you guys pay attention to these things, I think your next dt trip will be very successful, and you will indeed conquer downtown.

Follow me on twitter @K_Mart10