i just "duplicated" the showmoderators template and added _staff on the end. Then pointed one of the php files to the _staff template. the clan.php file is pointing to the default showmoderators template. in that default showmoderators template I took out all the html for displaying the admins and mods and used the table I built for displaying the clan. I think i used the $clanbits variable in that template. Kier walked me through how to add the functionality into the php file, then it's all about the templates.
i'm confusing myself now.