Al Adams

The reason legendary Clemson sports information director Tim Bourret ended up at Clemson in the first place was because Al Adams got a wild idea to start a Clemson-themed newsletter.

Adams, a Clemson grad, was working for Bob Bradley in the sports-information office when he stumbled on an idea. Why not capitalize on the growing fervor for Clemson football in the late 1970s by producing a weekly newspaper? Thus the Orange and White was born, and thus Bradley brought in a young Bourret from Notre Dame to replace Adams.

Adams, who for years has been a fixture as the press-box PA announcer at Memorial Stadium, tells some great stories about the old days -- including when Danny Ford flipped out on him for reporting something he didn't want out during the 1980 season.

Adams' sidekick at the Orange and White, Steve Ellis, went on to cover most of Bobby Bowden's tenure at Florida State for The Tallahassee Democrat newspaper.