Early release of INSiiGHTS Magazine: 2025 Claflin Athletics PAWS UP Golf Tournament featuring athletic director Tony O’Neal and associate AD, Dionne McCullum and the PAWS UP Golf Classic and Soiree update.
Get the story straight from the athletic leadership speaking with the host, Mickey Clayton, the Coach.
gentlemen it’s time for the pause up golf class today and represent University Athletic Department Tony O’Neal and his assistant McCullum We welcome and we want you to tell everybody what you got coming up now Well it’s our fourth annual Paws Up Golf Club tournament as well as our Soray The Soray was invented as a opportunity to bring the community in and listen to the live band meet our celebrity stars mingle with the staff meet the coaching staff and any athletes that we may have in the building and uh just be welcome to Claflin University athletics So the party is the party and it is a phenomenal event And then we get into that hot sun the next day and uh drink a lot of fluid because it’s hot in South Carolina but it’s a beautiful thing So that’s our 10th and 11th weekend and we’re excited about it Well having been there before myself it’s quite an event and you talk about the Suare Celebrity event Your coaching staff is a celebrity Who y’all have coming today that y’all say are celebrities to everybody else but in Orangeburg it’s a Claflin athletic staff You know I mean you know that that is true Orangeburg has really really taken a liking to our coaching staff We do have a wonderful coaching staff and uh they get out in the community but you know we have South Carolina State graduate Detroit Lion Robert Porche South Carolina graduate and Seattle uh sup Seahawks Dwayane Harper he’s been with us Nan Ginyard with the New Orleans Saints And we have Big Ben Coats uh play with the New England Patriots Of course we have the the two who spearheaded it with Nan with Eric Williams three-time Super Bowl champ and along with Chris Kanty two-time Super Bowl champ Last night got word that Daquin Cook NBA three-point shooter champion will be joining us Mark Baker from the Ohio State teams back in the early 90s that competed against our Michigan Wolverines You know being from Detroit she can’t stand that piece But yeah so we added a few uh James B He’s still popping his head in here putting together a a he did something a little different He he wanted not just to be at the Shoreway but to put a a class together where he could talk to young young African-American students who who look to get into the Hollywood scene the acting scene So we changed it up a little bit but we’re excited you know about the group that’s coming in here And did I miss anybody miss
Norris Cole Nor one coming in this year Norris
Nor coming Yeah
All these Ohio people you know Michigan but all these this year but we bringing the Midwest down
Yeah So Norris is also NBA champion He played with um LeBron James and the Miami Heat And and I and give you a little history behind that You know Mark Peter coached the Dayton Dumbar High School and he coached Norris as well as Dave uh Cook and when they went on to the NBA careers they made sure we were a part of that as a family And uh they just kept trying to maneuver their schedule so they could be a part of this uh weekend And it all started with Mark Baker who played with my brother in high school at Dayton Dumbar when they won a state championship So like she said that Ohio connection a little bit you know bringing it down and uh but it’s I’m just happy that the guys you know paid attention to are paying attention to what we’re doing and and wanted to come out and and play golf with us
Yeah
Well Tony let’s keep this 100 Uh a lot of those are your teammates and guys that you grew up with And I just think it’s outstanding um when you have uh former athletes that are able to stay connected and do things to support each other
Yes It’s so often that that doesn’t happen But to be able to see it relive itself um through you and your relationships with a lot of these athletes and Dion reaching out to people she knows I just think that it’s uh exemplary that people get together for a common good for a common cause to help raise money for a a really good cause
Yeah And Mick I will say this too Nan I forgot Nan also played for my brother at Dayton Numbar and he played football and came down here and played for Lu Ho at South Carolina before he went on to you know and and and I think the beauty of it for me is you know like you said I remember and we laugh about this all the time when we were eating oodles and noodles you know and to where we are today and how God has blessed us to to be here and then to see the generation gaps you know like even with people don’t realize Dion is from Detroit but Dion is four generations Four you know but people don’t they Oh y’all knew each other in Detroit Dion is the same age as her sister I call her my daughter too Her my oldest daughter They what couple of months apart
Apart
you know but just the love and support you know and these guys have been doing it Oh Chris Jen I almost forgot Chris He’s with the Charlotte Hornets right now Chris is driving over and I’m still working on Mad Max and uh Mad Max has been on this podcast doing his thing So these guys you know and they don’t ask for nothing you know they come out support you know we we give them the gift baskets and and take care of the hotels and and they come out here to support and you know that and that’s just God That’s his God That was some great guys You know last year when we got Robert Porche I’m looking at him and I’m like he’s standing around a whole lot of people So I said I ain’t walking up to Robert Porche but I know how to get his attention Dion go say hi to Robert Porche and said “What up D?” And his head turned and the rest was history
Right Right Oh man I I know And I I’ve seen it I’ve seen the camaraderie uh the suare I kind of was like eh let’s see how that goes but man that for those of you who don’t know that’s a mustattend event that’s that’s something you need to go to and see and experience that Friday I mean it’s the golf tournament is nice but the suare and the everybody talking mingling um in a family it’s almost like a family cookout you know it’s just really kind of a laidback relaxed atmosphere No bougess everybody just talking It just really kind of special
Yeah man It’s beautiful It’s beautiful And and I always tell the story I I was just looking for you know the pairing party This was their idea They said “No this is an event We’re going to turn this into an Orange Classic event.” And you know again but it goes back to something You know I’ve been doing this a long time you know been in the business But I I always tell people what I believe the secret of my success is being able to adapt and get out the way and let and listen not just hear people but listen to what they’re saying and then put it in action And then you know in most cases I get out the way you know and and let them put that little magical spin on it And it’s it works It works for us Our coaches are you know buy in Yesterday you know I will officially tell the world I have officially moved to Orangeburg South Carolina And it was 110 degrees out there and I needed some help on that last leg I called up here and and my coaching staff was right there Right there The the fellas just came over and uh helped us out But it’s just it’s just beautiful what we have here at Clapford you know press came running through the came over there You know he had to see the house and but what we have here is special and uh and what we’re doing for these kids are is special as well
Yes And that’s what people need to understand about the event is always about the kids and uh the Claflin crew is a special crew And one of the things I have to say you know that uh Promise that that Promised Land Band
Yes sir man they they a little special and and they uh they do a good job And every time that that we do something with clapping you know we got the the background music that we’re playing in it we put on there is from the Promised Land Band Now I see Moses Smith name is up front on it
Oh yeah Oh yeah
Like Beverly and the Blue Moes I mean
right right right Frankie Beverly and Maze you know Yeah it Uh Moses does a great job for us at his band and
when he brings that violinist they already know I’mma lose it And uh
you know they hit a few songs that they know that we just love and and me and my wife get up and we danced and um we were we were together last week at our border trustees retreat and they came in and performed for us again But they do a great job for us and uh they really support what we’re doing Uh Dion I see you there I know a lot of this falls on you to put together you know to to Tony kind of coordinates it and then he does what he does because he has a staff that can effectively handle it and see his vision
Walk us through uh Friday at the Suare uh up until uh golf tournament because I I got a question to ask Tony about the golf tournament Absolutely So yes Mr O’Neal is the face And I can honestly say myself and Miss Lee and our coaches and Mr Perry are really boots on the ground You know South Carolina you got to say boots on the ground when you’re in South Carolina U we are officially you know making it work behind the scenes And not being from South Carolina I’m blessed to have the staff and Miss Lee to kind of come in and point me in all the right directions and help out to help get this done because we wouldn’t get it done without everybody and their connections and how our family works So we start on Thursday So Thursday we come in and it’s the suaree and it’s finger foods It’s not a meal We’re not asking you to come in Sunday’s best or get all dressed or you going to a banquet but it’s a fun relaxed event You can put some clothes on look nice and get out and have a great time Um we’ll have drinks there but finger food So again eat a little meal before you come and we’ll put something on your stomach but it’s not to fill you up but it’s a good time because we’re dancing We’re moving We’re not sitting down talking You know it’s a it’s an event to keep on moving and keep talking and networking and learning our community and who’s going to feed back into our student athletes And that goes we we say 9:30 sometimes you know we get JB on the mic and it may turn a different direction but it’s always a good time and we’re going to hang out and have fun Even though that next Friday morning is very early we get there at 7:00 a.m to welcome and set up for our golfers to come in between 8 and 8:30 and it’s a 9:00 shotgun start and we’re going to get them out there in that heat We’ll have our student athletes that are here for the summer where we have our rest of our staff riding around on golf carts with water to make sure nobody passes out on us and just stays hydrated And then when they come off that that course it is a meal by the Burgess family and Burgess brothers that we all know we come for this meal and they’ll be there ready to serve us and take off and you know it’s going to be a beautiful beautiful two days Wow And and one of the things that I have just mistakenly assumed was Friday Saturday but it’s Thursday Friday It’s Thursday Friday
right
yeah How do we end up going a little bit earlier in the week
well we’ve always been Thursday Friday
Yes It just works Saturday people getting out of here going home you know enjoying the rest of the weekend Or some say I mean people have been staying the whole weekend So but yeah So it’s always been Thursday Friday mate
Yeah And uh see now now you got a a party at the O’Neal residence right the afterparty Don’t tell Bonnie I said
“Don’t tell.” See I already know Mal was gonna be like “Who told him to come to the house?”
I’m say Mickey did it baby Even though I’m Mickey baby Now tell me you at the what the WBO The WBO golf course
Yeah Uh so we we had to go to Woo this year because
they there’s a couple of historical things happening
Okay
So the weekend that we normally host a golf tournament is next week but this young lady next to me is graduating from one of the elite NCAA leadership institutes And so it was no way we couldn’t be there to support her when she walks across that stage and received this phenomenal honor So
yeah so Dion is re you know graduating from the leadership institute and uh and and the beauty of it is I was a member of the second class I walked into the reception this year and I I I kid you not Mickey I had to walk out And I tell you why I’m sitting there talking with Dion and and the girl young and the young people and and one of them said “Oh I was born the year you graduated Mr O’Neal.” And I said “You know what it’s one thing to support but when you born the year I graduated
I gotta go.” So I looked at Deion said “Y’all have fun.” So with beyond graduating and and then also you know the weekend after their air rating the the the place so we had to move to Waboo who open arms you know they welcomed us and uh Congressman Clyburn when he holds his big tournament they they utilized the facility you know as well so we knew it’s a good track and and the hospitality was great and you know so we’re looking forward But we will be back at Santi next year and we will move the date back to the you know the middle the third week in in the month So but and you know and then we had to gauge it based on the 4th of July give people time and it’s tricky for us because we’re right after the 4th of July and before Congressman Clyburn’s big tournament and they’re coming for Cong I mean he gets four golf courses for his tournament
Time out Time out He gets how many
four
Wow
Yeah It’s huge And then he and the beauty of it and he’s at ours Well you got a chance I remember that first you was like “Wait a minute Can I you mind?” And he was like “Come on take the picture Say hello.” Yeah So you know Oh my mother’s waiting to meet him
She was so hurt He wasn’t there last year She’s like “That’s the person I want to see.” Wow Well congratulations Dion And and I I love the the family staying together and support
and to be there Um Tony just shows uh some longevity in your part that you can be around and see the next four generations come by
Four generations right hey he was say he crawl so I could walk Isn’t that how it works
that’s exactly how it works You know that’s that’s what we do We try to make it easier for those coming behind us and
and go through things that we can take time to share with You know when you see that fork in the road coming somebody will tell you you know that one’s four lanes but that might not be the lane you want to go in right now You might want to absolutely another lane You know what would uh D I know it’s hard to follow Tony so I’mma ask you to go first I’mma What would you want to say to people about the event and about the weekend’s activities uh to encourage them to come and support i would say the whole part of our pres of our goal here at class and athletics to impact our student athletes as a whole And this event is not only for our community get to gauge us as a department get to know who we are and really truly understand why we do what we do for our student athletes as well as raise money for our student athletes So we want you all to come out get to know us authentically and then become a part of our family longevity long while I see you at every single golf outing see you at games during the season no matter what sport So that’s the goal for us from my viewpoint Okay Tio who’s nodding his head in in recognition and approval That’s that she works with you now So I don’t want her to have to follow you Tony What would you say
no Very well said It it’s it’s it’s about telling our story you know You know it’s Claflin is very special We’ve moved to the CIAA from the athletic standpoint to tell you know to from to promote college athletics but Claflin has been longstanding in this community and has done some phenomenal things But we we are just one to make sure that people know us throughout the country not just in the state of South Carolina You know we’re ranked in the country you know academically So we’re just trying to tell our story more and more you know our new brand We we just did a branding campaign and you know but we just want to put it out there Claflin University in Orangeburg South Carolina the city of Orangeburg is growing tremendously you know we have support from from the school district to the city you know again all the way up to Congress you know the governor you know but Orangeberg is special and Claflin is special and you know this is just a part of us telling our overall story you know and we’re using this front porch Athletics is the front porch of the university because you know good bad or indifferent people are drawn to sports They’re drawn to sports And when you’re putting a product out here as you can see I purposely put the CIAA championship trophies behind me and they’re there when we are presenting to SP potential sponsors and recruits that come in I will give you a disclaimer Mickey All second place and third place trophies you know the coaches are they can keep those in their office and to make their office look good I told them I’m a little selfish You know I got a couple of more that’s sitting in the coach’s office and we’re waiting on the new stands to come you know cases to come in so I can get get those trophies in here But but yeah it’s uh It it it’s about you know telling our story telling Claflin’s story and selling the city of Orangeberg and you know and I’ll say this the movie theater that’s in the city of Orangeburg is on our campus We built it when we built our new student center you know bringing in you know groups from all over the country and and it’s just it’s it’s coming It’s coming back We were in Greenville and we were looking and like Orangeburg is not far behind with what we’re bringing to this area to promote this beautiful country this beautiful side of South Carolina Well we appreciate the kindness of those words that you said and and the things that Claflin has achieved and continues to achieve The only part about it is I think that you understand is that a lot of times you you have to you have to toot your own horn louder for people to know what you do It’s like it’s like being a straight A student and nobody knows you a straight A student
Right Right Right Right Right
So they don’t recruit you to come to the school because then nobody let them know that that Dion was a straight A student and taking college uh prep courses and da da da da da you know and them start well if you if you do well people will recognize it No we want to make it easier where they don’t have to look that hard for us We want them to
what we’ve done and be able to let people see it and hear it and as we work uh with insights with Claflin has always been amazing and we try to
yes
always try to promote different things outside of athletics that Claflin has going on that people were amazed to hear you know So the things that are going on at Clafin are noteworthy and people need to be aware of it and this is just a small part of it you know
Yes
You know that athletic piece is just it’s just like you say it’s the front door we sitting on the front porch but come on in because it’s a whole academic
backbone behind us that’s highly successful and we want y’all to see that
Yeah And Mick in closing I would like to congratulate you know the department again the student athletes and the coaches and the staff for that hard work We have again over 3.3 GPA as a department Not not 3
3.4 3.4 I’m sorry she just went over it again but we have a 3.4 overall GPA for our department I opened up some boxes mailed this morning to see our CIAA academic awards in there So I’ll be putting a case in here to put those all over as well So but yeah I’m proud of what we’re doing and and competing at the highest level I don’t I don’t say the term win championships anymore because you know it takes a lot to win a championship But if you’re competing at the highest level you give yourself a chance and that’s all you ask for You got to get a lot of things to fall in your place But you got to be in the hunt to have that chance and and as long as we’re in the hunt you know we’re going to catch us a few you know and uh our our goal is to you know with without having football and without having all of the sports our goal is still win the allconerence tournament you know championship for we still want it You know we’re missing shoot I mean we got to win everything And I mean like you say sometimes you got to horn That’s our goal We’re trying to get it all
We’re trying to get it all I had a student come in here the other day well one of our assistant coaches and she did a presentation academic presentation for me and she must have said it at least four or five times Mr Tio we heard you loud and clear We want to be successful at everything we do And it made me feel good you know because again this this is a former student athlete now a part of the coaching staff and trying to give back and and take to the message that has been delivered We want it all Well I was I was just gonna say Tony you’ve gotten a little uh one a little bit more humble and now he’s like well I just want to be in the hunt Uh and then he came around and said “Yeah I want to win champions I want to win everything.” I said “Oh
I want it all I want it all We just long the hunt we got a chance to get it all baby.” Now that I’ve said that I Let me rephrase I want to win everything I want I and that’s and that’s what you have to do And you your attitude about it just does not pertain just to athletics It’s academically I want you to I want you to be an honoral student I want you to have straight A Once you have excellent grades we want to win and compete on all levels And congratulations to the Claflin and the continued success And um congratulations to uh Dion the Diva and being able to add that to your resume and what you’ve learned and in preparation And I I’m g to myself I was told I said it too much when we first started this Yeah you better be quiet They they continue to do well Matise and Dion continue to do well And um as an athletic director that’s the best compliment you can have is to see them continue to grow and bloom and hope that in some small way that you had some something to do with it So they better congratulations to y’all and we look forward to the tournament and the success of the tournament again It um it’s a special thing and we we’ve been talking about it and wanted to have an opportunity to to let people know that it was coming quickly and that they still had time to to get involved What do they need to do to be a part register and who where they need to contact who they need what website they need to go to Let’s get all information out there Dion So people won’t say so there is a link you can go on our website to register for the tournament You can also email myself My email is dmcc luccaflin.edu You can email me directly My office number is 803535-5365 Contact me I’ll get you everything you need and have you registered today
Okay and for for all us old people who mind doesn’t move as quick as five or six generations ahead of her say that phone number again please That the phone number is 8035 Mickey Dion
8035 5365 as well as my email is Dion McCullum DMC lumaflin.edu edu Can I speak now
yes
Now now this young lady who got on before we got on uh Mickey I only have 24 minutes and 36 seconds so we got to wrap this quick now Okay Uh okay I got you Let let me let me move the camera view a little bit to the right But no I was gonna get her So we want y’all to know that we always enjoy having them especially when you can get them both together Oh that’s gonna be entertaining right there Now if you had all three we was in trouble
Oh yeah You see I only asked for one I ain’t I was trying to get the queen on I like No no no Ladies and gentlemen we appreciate having these two with us here today
to bring you up to date with what’s going on in Claflin and this very very prestigious event It almost got away from us It started being I said “Whoa the tournament’s coming up right around the corner We need to let people know you know how much we support Claford and how much you need to support Clin Thank y’all for being with us
Anthony you want to say either one of you in closing
no thank you M I’ll let Dion close but I want to thank you again for your support you know you’ve been we’ve been friends for a long time and uh we we we we’ve seen a lot together and uh what you’re doing with your show has been very helpful to collap athletics for just to the just to Tallahassee just to the world you know and being the deal that you made you know being all over the world you know your show is seen all over the world but I want to thank you again for you know being a part of what we do and uh tell you I love you man
Me too man Family is family I mean
you know you go through stuff and you just be there for each other and try to help and and say “Hey ain’t no judgment We just all together We gonna stand united in the battle That’s what we gonna do.” There you go Mick
You know so close it out Dion Let Dion close it I got to talk about family real quick cuz I will say since coming to Claflin and meeting Mickey through you all me and Mickey found out one of my former athletes played for his daughter in Florida
Wow And he played for me in Detroit So I said “God work mysterious ways and we’re all here for a reason.” But
this year 2025 Nissan of Orangeberg Paws Up Golf Classic you do not want to miss these event You sign up for the golf outing You need to be at the suare It is a must be at must attend Put that outfit on and come out and have a blast with us over these two days You don’t get two days with many tournaments We are unique and we are special and we would love to have you here with us Oh now that’s the way to close it That’s that’s how you close baby Right there
That’s how you close
That’s how you close Wow Hey that’s a mic drop that that that’s a mic drop I I I appreciate you as as always um
and all the things from there And I will say this that gift bag I I’ve been a former coach athletic director all and above but that last year’s gift bag
man that might have been the best gift bag ever It’s not There’s probably four items in there that I use on a daily basis
Wow that’s awesome You know I was like “Oh my lord look at these.” Right size too Oh this might And I have been and I’ been over there in the student union buying some paraphernalia This stuff came in a gift bag Man I could take this back man I appreciate y’all here
All right Thanks man Thank you Mickey See you in two weeks bro
Man I appreciate you
All right God bless
