Interesting Day in Columbia, South Carolina

   

Coach Steve Spurrier explains why he is upset with writer Ron Morris.

    There’s never a dull moment when you have Steve Spurrier at the helm. What started off as an ordinary Tuesday has turned into one of the more interesting and controversial days for South Carolina football in recent history.

    The controversy began at Coach Spurrier’s weekly press conference when he refused to field questions in the same room as State reporter Ron Morris. Morris rubbed Spurrier wrong when he wrote an article last spring claiming the coach “poached” point guard Bruce Ellington from the basketball team (something Spurrier adamantly denies). With this as the foundation, and a recent article belittling last Saturday’s 54-3 claiming ‘It was just Kentucky’ fresh on his mind, Spurrier took a stand. He called out Morris (though not directly by name) and made it known that while he has no problem taking criticism, he isn’t going to let fabricated stories about himself or his team be published. He went to private rooms with TV personnel and other writers so as to exclude Morris from today’s press conference.

    But why now? What’s with the timing? Why didn’t he do this at the beginning of the season? At this point in time it was speculated by some internet voices that this was specifically timed so as to keep the pressure off of the team. If the media is all caught up in this headline all week it would give his young team a chance to focus on an important road game without the press on their backs. Clever Spurrier.

   But then comes the two o’clock hour.

   Fifth-year senior quarterback Stephen Garcia dismissed from team.

   At the time of writing this, Athletic Director Eric Hyman has yet to hold his press conference explaining the dismissal, but reports are that Garcia failed a random alcohol test administered to him last week. As part of his reinstatement on the team earlier this fall, it was understood that he would have to follow certain guidelines laid down by President Harris Pastides, AD Hyman, and coach Spurrier—some of them no doubt dealing with alcohol. I’m sure we will find out more later on the specifics of the dismissal, but one thing we do know for sure: Stephen Garcia is no longer a part of the South Carolina football team.

    At first glance it may appear that these two events are somewhat unrelated, but look a little deeper and you may find some connection. As a good friend of mine pointed out, Spurrier knew what was coming and maybe he wanted to deflect the possibility of having to field questions about Garcia. Or could it have been that he was trying to take some of the attention off of the news about to break and put it on himself? I would tend to say that this was a very calculated move on the part of the Ol’ Ball Coach. Now what exactly his motives are remains to be seen. Conspiracy theories enter here.

There is so much to dissect here, and the next few days will be full of more reports and speculation, but right now it just all feels a little strange. Something isn’t right in Columbia. What is supposed to be one of the biggest seasons in Carolina football history is experiencing a little bit of controversy. How will the team react this Saturday? Will the team be completely behind starting quarterback Connor Shaw, or is a piece of them still with locker room favorite Stephen Garcia?

    It’s hard to say at this point in time what sort of effect this Tuesday’s news will have on the field, but one thing is for sure: Saturday in Starkville just got a lot more interesting.

College Football Weekend Quick Hits

                                   

USC goes to 3-0 with a 24-21 victory over Navy. Running Back Marcus Lattimore rushed for a career high 246 yards and three touchdowns.

       This past weekend in College Football definitely did not disappoint with a wide array of things happening on and off the field. Here are a few quick stories that caught my eye.

 Calm Down Dabo Swinney

    Okay, you did what no other team could do over the past 17 games and beat the defending National Champions. Congratulations. But it’ll happen at least three more times this year. This Auburn team is nowhere near the caliber of talent they were last year, so to act like you won the BCS National Championship after you defeat the number 21 team in the country at home….it’s a little childish. I think everyone who watched Swinney’s postgame interview and antics felt a little uncomfortable. Act like you’ve been there before, act like you expect to win. For anyone who missed it, here is a portion of Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney’s postgame reaction.

The Triple Option is Scary

    As any fan of a team who has faced a triple option offense knows, it’s a chore to defend against. Originally an offense reserved for the Academies and non-BCS schools, the triple option is making its presence felt in the BCS. When Paul Johnson brought his offense with him to Georgia Tech three seasons ago, many felt it wouldn’t work. What did he do? Win an ACC championship in his second season in Atlanta. Once again he has the Yellow Jackets clicking on all cylinders.

    Through three games (against sub-par football programs I will say), Tech is averaging an NCAA leading 427 rushing yards a game, as well as an NCAA leading 59 points a game. Three straight games Tech’s first snap from scrimmage has gone for six points.  Through three games Johnson’s offense is averaging another NCAA best, 10.2 yards per play. That’s an average of a first down per play. Impressive, I don’t care who those numbers are against.

    That also brings me to South Carolina’s game against Navy this past Saturday. If that didn’t scare Gamecock fans then I don’t know what will. The option offense just chews up the clock, making every offensive possession for the opposing team a must score. South Carolina’s own lethal rushing attack was the difference in this one. The good news for Carolina fans: you won’t have to see that offense for the rest of the season. Fans should be happy with the win, no matter how ugly it might have looked.

The ACC is Making Moves

    With all this conference realignment talk it appeared that the ACC might be in jeopardy of being swept under the rug, that was until this weekend. The ACC has announced that it will add Syracuse and Pittsburgh to the conference, making the league 14 teams deep. As far as football goes, this is not a major increase in talent—but rather it is a proactive statement. This move tells the college football world that the ACC has no intentions of splitting up or becoming forgotten and irrelevant. With 14 teams, and talks of possibly going to 16, the ACC is poising itself to become one of the “Super Conferences” of the future. College Football as we know it is changing.

    The way I see it, in five years the BCS will move from eleven conferences to four “Super Conferences.”  Very shortly we will see schools hastily searching for a spot in the SEC, ACC, Pac 12, or Big 10. Everyone else will be left out to dry. Tradition in college football will be destroyed for the most part. The only possible good I see coming out of this is that it will kill the BCS. Bye bye BCS, hello playoff. The conference championship games will give the winning team a birth in a four team playoff for the National Title.

Five Things We’ve Learned About The Gamecocks

           

1) Marcus Lattimore shows no signs of a sophomore slump.

So much for the sophomore slump. Running Back Marcus Lattimore has proven that last year’s stellar performance was not the peak, but merely the beginning of a great college career. Offseason reports for Heisman candidate were nothing but positive. Coaches said he bulked up, gaining as much as 12 pounds of muscle, as well as improving his knowledge and understanding of the game. It shows.

Against East Carolina, Lattimore tied a career high with three rushing touchdowns, while compiling 112 yards on 23 carries. To follow that up he grinded out 176 yards at 6.5 yards per carry against UGA, including a vital go-ahead touchdown with 3:28 left in the 4^th quarter.

The most impressive thing thus far about Lattimore is his vision. Gamecock fans have grown used to his tackle-breaking abilities, but they better start getting acquainted with his vision at the line. Countless times against UGA Lattimore took what would have been a minimal gain between the tackles and bounced it outside for a 10-15 yard gain. The 79 yard go-ahead drive at the end of the game featured multiple of these runs.

If there was any doubt going into the season that Lattimore would be able to replicate his numbers from last year, doubt-be-gone. In fact, fans should start expecting him to break last season’s records if he keeps running the ball the way he his. Nothing should be out of reach for this young man, not even that piece of bronze hardware given out in December.

2) Stephen Garcia is the quarterback, period.

All offseason the conversation revolving around South Carolina Football was centered on Stephen Garcia and his place on the team. Anytime South Carolina was mentioned by national or local media it seemed Stephen Garcia’s off-field troubles overshadowed positives like Heisman Trophy candidate Marcus Lattimore, All-American wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, and star recruit Jadeveon Clowney.

The drama only intensified when 48 hours before the season kicked off head coach Steve Spurrier announced the 5^th year senior would sit the first quarter behind unproven sophomore Connor Shaw. Spurrier backed up his decision by saying Shaw performed better in practice, something everyone (even Garcia himself) agreed with. Give credit to Spurrier for being a man of his word, as he publicly stated all offseason that the quarterback position would go to the man who performed best in practice, but the decision was very questionable.

The problem is that practice and game time are two completely different things. We quickly found this out after one quarter of football in Charlotte, against a subpar defense at best. The rest could be Gamecock history. Stephen Garcia enters in the second quarter with his team trailing 17-0, puts together a fierce drive in which he both barrels over a linebacker for a first down, and takes another run 32 yards for the Gamecocks first score of the season. South Carolina wouldn’t look back on its way to a 56-37 opening victory.

The second game of the season didn’t start well either, but Garcia proved once again he can win on the road in the SEC. He may not have looked pretty doing it (not much looked pretty in this win for the Gamecocks), but the point is that he got the job done. He did what was necessary to win. South Carolina has other playmakers, they don’t need Garcia to be the savior, they need him to do what it takes to win big games—and right now number 5 is doing just that.

Through seven quarters of play Garcia is 18-40 for 252 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT. He has also rushed for 3 TD.

3) The defense has three very capable defensive ends.

The combination of Devin Taylor, Melvin Ingram, and Jadeveon Clowney is the best threesome of defensive ends in the country, bar none.

Just how deep is the DE position? Melvin Ingram didn’t even get the start versus UGA and he still finished with 2 TD’s. Clowney, a true freshman in his first SEC road game, recorded two sacks and a forced fumble. And then there’s All-SEC Devin Taylor.

These boys can play, and they have only just begun making opposing quarterbacks miserable.

4) Special teams are no longer a weakness.

It looks as if the days of South Carolina finishing at the back of the pack in the SEC for special teams may be over. The hiring of new Special Teams Coordinator John Butler is turning out to be a genius move. It also doesn’t hurt that high school standout Bruce Ellington decided to play football again.

For the first time in a while South Carolina has legitimate threats in the punt and kickoff return game. Both Ellington and sophomore Ace Sanders have shown an ability to make some good runs. Sanders took a punt return for 68 yards to pay-dirt, recording the first punt return for a touchdown for South Carolina since 2001, in the opening game against ECU. Ellington has proven to have some very shifty moves himself, almost breaking free on multiple occasions. In fact ECU began kicking the ball away from Ellington. When’s the last time an opposing team kicked away from a Gamecock return man?

It’s been a while.

It also appears that the Gamecocks have found a place kicker. In his first attempt in a Gamecock uniform, Jay Wooten nailed a 49 yard field goal against UGA. Granted it’s the only field goal of the year, but it was quite an impressive kick. Title caliber teams most always posses a lethal field goal threat, so it’ll be interesting to see how Wooten pans out over the next few weeks.

5) The zone read needs work.

Plain and simple. The zone read between Garcia and Lattimore is not working. Either the play needs a lot of work, or it needs to see a lot less time in future game plans. It seems that the zone read is called 10-15 times a game, and its results are minimal at best. The reads are horrible. Lattimore will take the ball and get smashed up the middle, or Garcia will hang on to it and meet a linebacker around the end. When a zone read works, it’s beautiful, but this one ain’t working. Scrap it. Run it 5 times a game, not 15. When you’ve got a weapon like Lattimore just let him lineup in the I-formation and pound the ball. In fact I’d like to see a lot more sweeps, they—unlike the zone read—have actually shown some positive gain.

Inevitable Conference Expansion Will Dilute Elite SEC

     Rumors over the past few days have hinted that multiple schools are looking to leave their affiliated conferences for the SEC, and I doubt there is a thing anyone can do to stop it. More schools means more cash flow—and that’s something the SEC and it’s board will have a hard time turning down, even if it means diluting the talent level of college football’s greatest conference.

    It’s not hard to see where the future of college football is going—super conferences. Both the Big Ten and new Pac 12 will don new conference alignments this fall, and that will only be the beginning. Like it or not, BSC football will come down to three, maybe four, conferences in the coming years.

    As early as this weekend we could start to see conferences such as the SEC migrate toward a 16 team alignment. Once it starts it’s going to be an avalanche effect. Last summer saw the first dominoes fall with Nebraska moving to the Big Ten, Colorado and Utah joining and forming the new Pac 12, an TCU heading to the Big East. Now that Texas has angered the rest of the remaining Big 12 schools with their new Longhorn Network which gives the school $15 million a year, schools such as Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State are aggressively looking to jump ship.

    Texas A&M is apparently the most progressive school at the moment, and rumors have it that a vote by the SEC could happen as early as this afternoon as to whether the Aggies will join. If A&M joins then it’s guaranteed that at least one other school will, in order to even out the divisions.  Oklahoma or Clemson would make the most sense. Oklahoma because they are a historical powerhouse and purely for image sake would need out after being abandoned by the Aggies. Clemson would make sense because of geography.

    If it doesn’t happen within the coming weeks, conference realignment will inevitably happen in the coming years, which begs the question: Is the dominance of the SEC coming to a close?

    Adding more schools for the sake of money is a fine line to walk with longtime SEC fans. Tradition will be jeopardized, as well as quality. Oklahoma is one thing—they recruit at a high level and will only increase their talent level with a jump to the SEC—and Texas A&M could be competitive at times. But rumored schools such as Clemson, Oklahoma State, and Missouri I fear would not be as competitive in their moves.

    Clemson in particular has only proven to be semi-competitive in the mediocre ACC over the past 20 years. Their last conference title came in 1991—in a league that has only had two national championships since then (both courtesy of Florida State). In that time the SEC has had 9 national championships from 5 different teams. Over the past 10 years Clemson has average 5 losses a season. Bear in mind that is the comparatively weak ACC. A conservative assumption would have to project an average of at least 6 losses a year with a jump to the SEC, and realistically more like a 7 or 8 loss average.

    Oklahoma State is another school that has an average of 5 losses over the past decade, including two 7 loss seasons. That is in a conference that has seen zero National Championships over that time period.

    I understand why both the schools and the SEC would make the move—it makes financial sense. But to the fan, to the tradition of the game, these moves are not welcomed. Schedules will be altered, traditional rivalries will be done away with, talent levels will be diluted, conferences will become top heavy, bottom dwelling schools will find it nearly impossibly to climb the ranks, the college football landscape will begin to seem claustrophobic.

    Schools like Clemson, Oklahoma State, and Missouri will drown in the ultra-competitive SEC. School presidents know this, yet they will let it happen, because when it comes down to it (even though they won’t tell you this) it’s all about money. Nothing is about the love of the game anymore. College Football is a business, and any financial advisor would tell you a jump to the SEC is profit gained.

Lattimore for Heisman Campaign Begins

    If yesterday’s preseason Coaches Poll rankings are any indication of the talent and potential of the #12 South Carolina Gamecocks, then plenty of awards will be heading Columbia, South Carolina’s way. Among them could be the biggest of them all: the Heisman Trophy.

    RB Marcus Lattimore is on everyone’s shortlist for preseason Heisman candidates, and after a sensational freshman season like he had last year, quite frankly he should be.

Marcus Lattimore, RB, #21, Freshman Statistics

Rushing                                        Receiving

249 Attempts                                29 Receptions

1197 Yards                                   412 Yards

17 Touchdowns                             2 Touchdowns

    The following is an unofficial video for the 2011 Marcus Lattimore Heisman Campaign. The University of South Carolina has yet to unveil an official campaign, and there are no mentions of one being marketed this season.

Braves Trade for Bourn: Smartest Move in East

   

    It's been a rather busy few days in Major League Baseball with the trade deadline coming and going at noon today. Teams selling, teams buying, veterans, all stars, prospects jumping clubs. The National League East has been particularly noisy over the past five days with the Mets, Phillies, and Braves all making significant moves. The Mets trading away a big time talent, with the latter two teams bolstering their lineup with proven commodities in the outfield.

    I blogged earlier last week about the importance of Beltran, and how he could end up deciding the NL East race between Atlanta and Philadelphia—but a couple days later the Giants were the team that acquired the veteran right fielder from the Mets. So while Beltran will no longer be the deciding factor in the East (he could very well end up being an integral part to a Giants run at a second straight World Series title though), there is a chance that one of two former Houston Astros—Hunter Pence or Michael Bourn—could be the bat to lift either the Phillies or Braves.

    Let’s take a look at the trade details:

Philadelphia and Houston

Philadelphia receives: RF Hunter Pence and Cash

Houston receives: 1B Jonathan Singleton, RHP Jarred Cosart, RHP Josh Zeid, and a player to be named.

Atlanta and Houston

Atlanta receives: CF Michael Bourn

Houston receives: CF Jordan Schafer, RHP Juan Abreu, RHP Paul Clemens, and LHP Brett Oberholtzer

    Both Pence and Bourn make much more since for these two clubs than does Beltran. Beltran is solely a rental player – and many of his detractors say that, save one October, he is nothing more than an above average player. Pence and Bourn are locked down for more than just a season, meaning these trades are not just three month gambles.

   The Phillies may have gotten a gotten a better player than the Braves, key word ‘may’, but they did it at a very big cost. Phillies fans will tell you it was worth giving up two of the franchises top prospects (and by top I mean very top prospects), but I suppose time will tell. It seems a little expensive to me, but I’m not the General Manager of the Phillies. Pence is definitely an elite player though. I would love to see him roaming centerfield at Turner Field, but I also would not have agreed to parting with two of our top prospects.

    Bourn makes absolutely perfect sense for the Braves. In my own opinion, there could not have been a more perfect trade for Atlanta. If rumors are an tell of reality, the Braves looked into making a move for no less than six different outfielders, among them Beltran, Pence, BJ Upton, and obviously Bourn. Take a quick look at these four and Bourn is the best fit for Atlanta. Beltran, as mentioned before, is a rental, Pence would have cost big time prospects GM Frank Wren was not willing to part with, and Upton does not have the type of on-base-percentage the Atlanta leadoff spot needs.

    If you could list the attributes of the type of player the Braves need they would be as follows: true leadoff hitter, high OBP, base stealer, center fielder. Bourn has each and every one of these qualities. In addition he is under contract through 2013, meaning the Braves now have a center fielder for the next couple years, as all signs point to Nate McClouth being on his way out.

    Bourn leads all of Major League Baseball with 39 stolen bases, while hitting at a .303 clip with a .363 OBP. He has 16 more hits than any other Brave and also boasts two Gold Gloves in center field. The kid is one of the best center fielders in the game. He gives the Braves a true leadoff hitter, something Atlanta hasn’t had since Rafael Furcal or Kenny Lofton. He gets on base consistently. Consistently. Imagine what that will do for the middle of the lineup. All of the sudden a healthy Atlanta lineup is starting to look dangerous. Bourn, Prado, Chipper, McCann, Uggla, Freeman, Heyward, Gonzales. Bourn is a pitchers worst nightmare. He gets on base and that’s only half the trouble. His base stealing threat messes with a pitcher. He can’t concentrate on the hitter and he’s forced to throw more fastballs.

    There is no doubt that this Atlanta lineup has talent, we’ve seen glimpses of it this year. But it’s possible that it needs just one more spark to ignite it. I believe Bourn is that spark and more.

    All in all, Wren made a very shrewd move. He took a page out of the John Schuerholz philosophy book: being patient and not giving away top farm talent. Wren has said since the trade for Bourn that he could have acquired Beltran or Pence if he had truly wanted to. Instead he realized that teams trading big time players before the deadline often make fools of their buyers. Many teams get so anxious and feel as if they need a player so bad that they’ll sell the farm just to get him. Wren played his cards perfectly. He shopped around, got the prices, and then waited. He waited until 3 hours before the deadline, and instead of having his back against the wall, he found the Astros with their backs to the wall. Wren showed Houston that if he didn’t get the deal he preferred he was perfectly willing to stay put. Houston was not willing to stay put.

    The Braves got what they needed. As far as this season goes, I’m going to be honest, I’d rather be in the Phillies shoes. If we look solely at the players these two teams received, Pence is the better player, plain and simple. But the Braves were not willing to overpay. They also were not just looking for the best player available, they were searching for the best fit.

     I think they’ve found it.

Gamecocks Pick up Four-Star LB from Garden State

 

    On Friday the South Carolina Gamecocks picked up their 18th verbal commitment for the class of 2012 in four-star linebacker Kaiwan Lewis. The New Jersey native chose the Gamecocks over 18 other offers including Auburn, Florida, Florida State, and Tennessee.

    Rivals lists Lewis at 6’2, 227lbs. He is ranked the number 8 player in the state of New Jersey, and the 28th best overall linebacker in the country. Lewis is the seventh four-star commit for the Gamecock’s class of 2012, but the first four-star on the defensive side of the ball.

Four-Star Lineman from GA Chooses Gamecocks

   

    The South Carolina Gamecocks have landed their 17th commitment for the class of 2012, and it’s a good one. Four-Star, offensive lineman Joe Harris from Lithonia, Georgia gave the Gamecocks his verbal on Wednesday night at the Dekalb County Media day.

    Harris chose the Gamecocks over many offers, including Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, and NC State. He’s ranked as the 32nd best lineman in the country for the class of 2012, as well as the 16th best overall recruit in the state of Georgia. Harris marks the 17th commit for the Gamecocks, and the 7th from the state of Georgia.

    Shortly after the 6-foot-4, 300 pound Harris announced his intentions of signing with South Carolina, he told Gamecockcentral.com, “It was between South Carolina and Alabama […] It was a real hard choice.” Harris mentioned that being able to play with talented players already on the roster such as RB Marcus Lattimore and incoming freshman DE Jadeveon Clowney had an impact on his decision.

    Harris is the fifth offensive line commitment for South Carolina’s class of 2012.

Braves and Falcons Prepare for Crazy Week

             

     Get ready for one crazy week in sports. With the NFL back in operation and the MLB trade deadline closing in, the love of every sports fan, rumors, will be swirling so loud you won’t be able to hear yourself think.

   The trade talks in Atlanta have already been circulating for the better part of 10 days with fans, talk show hosts, and so called “experts” speculating that the Braves General Manager, Frank Wren, is looking to add a big bat to the lineup. Reports are that the biggest target is Met’s OF Carlos Beltran, a proven clutch hitter in the playoffs, while Tampa Bay OF B.J. Upton is also being intently pursued.

     The trade deadline is less than a week away, and that means trade rumors will only continue to build from here. Word has it that Beltran, who has the ability in his contact to veto any trade, is only willing to go to another National League team. Reports have also come out that talks between the Mets and Braves have slowed down in the past 24 hours, citing that the Braves aren’t willing to give up the prospects the Mets want. If that is the case, one would have to think that B.J. Upton would be the logical second choice for Wren. Two bonuses to Upton: he has one more year on his contract (which means the Braves would have a center fielder for next year), and he is a true center fielder. Beltran, while he has dabbled in center field, doesn’t truly feel home at the position. He is more of a corner out field type of guy.

    While MLB trade talks are running rampant, NFL free agency is almost open. With training camps only days away, you have to believe players and franchises will be looking to reach deals very soon. On the Atlanta home front, the Falcons most important goal right now has to be to keep the powerful right tackle Tyson Clabo from signing with another team. With so much of this teams success dependent on the run game, and the likelihood that the Falcons could lose two other offensive linemen, it is vital to keep a proven commodity like Clabo in the Georgia Dome.

    It’s going to be a crazy week all over the sports landscape of America, and in Atlanta it will be no different.

    Stay tuned for all the mayhem.

    Here’s to Frank Wren working some magic.

    Here’s to Arthur Blank throwing a lot of money at Tyson Clabo.

Uggla’s PH Home Run Gives Braves Victory

 

   When Dan Uggla came in to pinch hit with two outs in the top of the 9th inning, it looked as if his 12 game hit streak would be hard to keep rolling. Instead Uggla sent a 3-2 pitch to deep right center to give the Braves a 6-4 lead. Uggla’s homer was the fourth on the night for the suddenly powerful Braves lineup. Jason Heyward and Brian McCann went back to back in the top of the fourth, and Martin Prado tied the game at 4 runs a piece in the top of the seventh.

    Despite giving up 4 earned runs, starter Jair Jurrjen’s pitched very well. He only gave up 4 hits in 6 innings, while striking out 9. The problem was that three of the four hits he allowed were longballs. Jurrjens’ came out after the 6th inning in which he gave up back to back home runs. Jonny Venters was credited with his fifth win of the season after pitching a scoreless 8th inning. Craig Kimbrel came on in the top of the ninth to record the new franchise rookie record for saves in a season with his 31st save.

Braves-Phillies Race Could Come Down to Beltran

   

    The National League Pennant could ride on the bat of Carlos Beltran. As the July 31 trade deadline approaches, rumors all across the internet are that the Met’s right fielder is being shopped around – and heavily in Philadelphia and Atlanta.

     Both the Phillies and the Braves are in need of a big bat to bolster their struggling lineups, and Beltran would fit the bill in both cases. In 93 games so far this season, Beltran has hit a respectable .290 (.387 OBP) with 15 home runs and 61 RBI’s. He’s no longer the stolen base threat he once was, but the pop he brings to a lineup is enough to propel a team down the stretch run. And that’s why the NL might be riding on the switch hitting slugger.

    Atlanta and Philadelphia are remarkably similar in makeup. Both teams are in the bottom third of baseball in team batting average. The Phillies have scored 415 runs while the Braves have scored 399. The Braves own a .387 slugging percentage, the Phils .381. Both teams are top 5 in baseball in team ERA (Phillies- 3.12/Braves – 3.25), and both hold opposing lineups to sub .250 batting averages. The Braves ace, Jair Jurrjen’s, leads the league in wins with 12. The Phillies’ ace, Roy Halladay, is second in the league with 11 wins. As far as the standings go, Atlanta and Philadelphia are the top two teams in the league—the Phils 4 games in front of the second place Braves.

    The point is that the Braves and Phillies are the top two teams in the National League. Honestly, it would be surprising if the two teams do not square off in the NLCS. But if there is something, or someone, that can separate these two teams (even if it is only slightly), that’s a big bat in the middle of the lineup.

    The Braves have been atrocious versus left handed pitching this season and a right handed bat that can hit for power and average would add a much needed dynamic to their struggling lineup. The Phillies don’t have much sympathy for their division rivals as they themselves only have two hitters above the .275 mark.

    With both teams struggling so mightily in offensive production, one player has the ability to make an immediate and lasting difference. Pitching can only take teams so far, at some point runs must be put on the board, and these two squads have seen a few games get away because of lack of run production. It’s a strong possibility that Beltran could stay put, or be traded outside of the division, but if he’s swapped within the NL East, the team on the other end has gained a serious leg up. My bet: he’s not going to the Red Sox, or Giants, or Tigers (like some speculate); he’s packing his bags for Philadelphia or Atlanta. You have to like Atlanta’s chances of landing the All-Star—with such a deep farm system. ESPN reporter Adam Rubin suggests in his article on ESPN.com that the Phillies could be interested in highly touted prospects Randall Delgado or Arody’s Vizcaino. The Mets are going to be searching for good prospects in return, and Atlanta’s farm system is stock piled with talent, more so than any of the above mentioned teams.

    If it’s an Eastern Division team Beltran is dealt to, a Division Title is likely to follow. And probably a National League Pennant. And who knows…maybe a World Series Title. I’m not saying Beltran is a savior, or even that he’s one of the top players in the league; I’m saying that these teams are both one piece away from being great. Beltran just happens to be that piece. It’s a wait and see game.

Spurrier Usual Witty Self at SEC Media Day

   

    The SEC Media Day’s began in Birmingham, Alabama today and, as usual, Coach Steve Spurrier had plenty to say in his Q&A session with the media. Never one to hold back his opinions, Spurrier delivered some clever quips discussing summer workouts, recruiting, position battles, and optimism for the upcoming season.

    As has been the case ever since he first stepped foot on campus, quarterback Stephen Garcia was a hot topic. Spurrier told reporters that “[Garcia’s] done everything we’ve asked…He’s certainly behaved very well [since coming back from suspension].” He then reiterated, as the Ol’ Ball Coach does every year, that the starting quarterback position will be earned by the most worthy candidate.

   Spurrier brought up 5-Star recruit Jadeveon Clowney multiple times, as well as the team’s goal of going back to Atlanta this year. He also verbally disagreed with some of Commissioner Slive’s proposed changes.

    Click Here for the Entire Transcript of Spurrier's Q&A with the Media

Gamecock Recruit Highlight Reels

   SEC Media Days kicked off today, meaning the season isn’t too far around the corner. Check out the following videos of four of South Carolina’s biggest recruits from the classes of 2011 and 2012 in order to get your Gamecock fix for the day. Be sure you watch the first play on Jadaveon Clowney’s reel…one of the most athletic plays you’ll ever see. In order they are: 5-Star DE Jadeveon Clowney (‘11), 4-Star WR Dameire Byrd (‘11), 4-Star WR Shaq Roland (‘12), and 4-Star TE Kelvin Rainey (‘12).

 

 

 

 

South Carolina QB's Present and Future Have Targets, And That's a Nice Insurance Policy

  

    If you believe in the importance of star rankings when looking at college football recruits, then there is no doubt as to what the strength of South Carolina's  2012 recruiting class is. Catching the football.

    Four-star WR Shaq Roland. Four-star WR Jody Fuller. Four-star TE Kelvin Rainey. All have already given verbal commitments to Carolina. Four-star, ESPNU150 WR Malcom Lewis is still considering, as are four-star ATH Jordan Armstrong and four-star TE Kenderius Whitehead. Already in the fold? All-American Alshon Jeffery, speedy Ace Sanders, big target D.L. Moore, and company. The present and the future is looking good on the edges for the Gamecocks.

    Good quarterbacks are hard to find (and if you ask me, yes Stephen Garcia is a good quarterback--I'll debate you any day), so it's always nice to know that you have reliable hands to throw to. I used to be a Georgia Tech football season ticket holder. I was present for all three seasons that Calvin Johnson played at the Flats, and for the most part he single handedly ran the pass game. He had one of the statistically-worst four year starting quarterbacks in the history of major college football programs throwing to him, in Reggie Ball, yet still made a run at a Heisman as well as being a two time First Team All-American. Ball threw at a 48.5% clip with 55 interceptions in his career, yet Johnson created a reason to fear the passing game. My point? Reliable hands are insurance. The future at quarterback is unsure for South Carolina. Sure, everyone raves about Conner Shaw, but nobody can really tell what type of passer he'll be until the starting job is his. Having a solid core of wide-outs does wonders for the passing game. It makes a secondary keep a close watch on the passing game, no matter the reputation of the QB. It also opens up the run game even more, something the Gamecocks would have no problem with.

    I'm not speaking down on our future at quarterback either. I honestly believe Garcia is one of the top three quarterbacks in the SEC, and the depth chart has some talent as well. As mentioned before, Shaw is the clear cut backup and saw some opportunities to play last year (including a 4th quarter appearance on the road against the National Champion Auburn Tigers.). Also banging it out for a position on the depth chart are the talented RS FR Dylan Thompson and RS SO Andrew Clifford. FR Tanner McEvoy and someone I am very high on, commit Brendan Nosovitich, are also options for the future.  

     Obviously a combination of excellent hands and a talented quarterback is the best option, but in a league where it's hard to be a great quarterback it's always nice to know you have multiple guys who can catch difficult balls and make a defense respect the passing game. The roster is already loaded, and the class of 2012 will add some names to that talented core next year. The present is bright. The future is bright. It's a good time to be a Gamecock.

Two Gamecocks Named to Walter Camp Award List

    The award watch lists keep rolling out in the college football world, and yet again South Carolina graces the roll—this time with two Gamecocks.

• Alshon Jeffery, Junior, WR
• Marcus Lattimore, Sophomore, RB

    The Walter Camp Award is given annually to the nation’s “top player.” Recent SEC winners include Auburn’s Cam Newton (2010) and Arkansas’ Darren McFadden (2007). Both Jeffery and Lattimore were 2010 Walter Camp Second Team All-American selections last season.

    Earlier this month both Jeffery and Lattimore were named to the Maxwell Award List, as well as Jeffery’s presence on the Biletnikoff Award List and Lattimore’s presence on the Doak Walker Award List.

    Other SEC players on the Walter Camp Award List:

• Knile Davis, Junior, RB, Arkansas
• Robert Lester, Junior, DB, Alabama
• Aaron Murray, Sophomore, QB, Georgia
• Trent Richardson, Junior, RB, Alabama

Bats Stay Hot as Braves Win in Colorado

Media Finally Giving Carolina Reason to be Cocky

    The feeling around Columbia, South Carolina, and really the feeling of all Gamecock fans, is that the media is out to get USC. While it's true that the media has tended to overlook the Gamecocks in the past, or downplay the somewhat spotty success of Coach Steve Spurrier's football team, this summer has been a different story. Riding high off of the school's first ever appearance in the SEC Championship Game last season and an excellent recruiting year, grabbing the nations number one high school athlete, the national and state media has taken notice. Finally, some Gamecock fans would say.

    The LA Times website (of all sources) posted an article titled Get Cocky on Thursday (after originally being written by the Philadelphia media) that basically suggests South Carolina has the ingredients of a National Champion. The article doesn't claim or predict that the Gamecocks will be National Champions, but it does put forth a pretty good argument as to why they should be considered a decent threat to chase the crystal football come January. The article raves about the offensive powers that are RB Marcus Lattimore and WR Alshon Jeffery, while calling 5-star DE recruit Jadeveon Clowney a "6-6 cyborg whose high school highlight reel is so spectacular that it must have been altered by the special effects team from Transformers."

    As far as Preseason Award Watch Lists go, Carolina isn't doing to shabby there either. 

Offense

  QB Stephen Garcia, Jeffery, and Lattimore are all three on the watch list for the Maxwell Award which goes to the nation's most outstanding college football player each season. Lattimore is also on the watch list for the Doak Walker Award which is given to the nation's top running back each season. Additionally, Lattimore was recently selected by the fans on an ESPN.com poll as the SEC running back of choice in a last second goal line stand. He finished just ahead of Alabama's Trent Richardson and Arkansas Knile Davis (two backs also on the Doak Walker Award watch list).  In addition to the Maxwell Award, Jeffery has been named to the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award which goes to the nation's top receiver each season. OL T.J. Johnson and Rokevious Watkins are on the Outland Trophy list which is awarded  to the nation's top interior lineman.

Defense

DE Devin Taylor has been named to the watch list for the Lombardi Award, given to the nation's top lineman of the year. Taylor also has his name on the Bednarik Award and Bronco Nagurski Award lists, given to the nation's top defenders each season. CB Stephon Gilmore is also on the Bednarik Award and Bronco Nagurski Award lists.

    Even the video game world seems to like Carolina's chances. College Football blogger for cbssports.com, Tom Fornelli, simulated an entire college football season on NCAA '12 and the game seemed to like the Gamecocks. USC went 11-1 (7-1) and won the National Title over Boise State 24-22. Garcia won MVP. Now how would that be for a storybook ending to Garcia's five years at South Carolina?

    It's all hype, and it's only the media, but when was the last time the University of South Carolina's football team got this much love from the media? Answer: never. You don't get hype unless you have talent and a shot at success. So maybe, just maybe, they realize what Columbia, South Carolina realizes: we have a damn good football team.

It's Great To Be A Gamecock Videos

Cure your college football appetite momentarily by watching this awesome short-video series from the South Carolina Athletics Department. Spotlighted are Marcus Lattimore, Alshon Jeffery, Stephon Gilmore, Travian Robertson, and Devin Taylor.

 

 

 

 

Disappointing End to Dramatic World Cup Run

  

  It seemed like the perfect script. We were going to end with a bang. Despite Japan tying the game at 2-2 with three minutes remaining in overtime, it still felt like an American victory was imminent. Truth be told, it felt right that Japan scored to send the game to Penalty Kicks. An average goal with 16 minutes to play in overtime was not going to suffice for an appropriate ending. This team, which has had such a flare for the dramatic, needed a to go out with a score.

    The script was supposed to be written in such a way that goalkeeper Hope Solo would make a miraculous save to clinch the game. Or maybe Abby Wambach was to strike the fifth PK into the back of the net to seal the deal. A defining television moment, like Mia Hamm's 1999 celebration, would occur. Confetti would fall while Solo, Cheney, Rampone, Wambach, Morgan, O'Rielly, and company hoisted the gold hardware.

    Instead it was the Japanese with smiles on their faces, lifting the trophy while yellow confetti fell about them.

    This team had destiny written all over it. I'm still trying to believe that the game is over. When I saw Japan's clinching PK hit the back of the net I felt like there should be a rewind button. That wasn't the way it was supposed to end. That couldn't be it. But it was.

    It was a great run, one that had so many priceless moments. It made soccer relevant in the United States for a few weeks. It gave a country that has so many sports rivalries within itself a chance to unite.

   Second place isn't too shabby either, especially if you remember that our team was less than a minute away from being eliminated in the quarter-finals.

    But in the words of Ricky Bobby, "If you ain't first, you're last."

2011 Gamecocks to Don New Uniforms

 

  

The University of South Carolina and Under Armour have developed a new series of uniforms that the 2011 football team will initiate this fall.

    According to the official Gamecock blog Spurs Up "The stripes have moved from the side of the shoulder to the front and the font on the front of the jerseys has changed."

    Not only do the new uniforms looks slick and stylish but, "The jerseys are a tighter fit and stretchier material with added ventilation areas to provide increased movement and to make it more difficult for opposing teams to grip," according to Spurs Up.   

    A complete slideshow of the all the combinations can be found by clicking on the link below. The video at the bottom is from the unveiling of the new uniforms at Williams Brice Stadium this week.

http://www.flickr.com//photos/scgamecocks/sets/72157627194085642/show/

 

Braves Fall 5-2 on Lannan's Strong Performance

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Despite USA Women's Success, Sport Lacks Popularity In US

    When the United States women's team takes the field tomorrow afternoon in Germany they'll have a pretty big support group watching from back home. Over the past week soccer has surfaced to the top of the news in the US, thanks in large part to a dramatic last minute goal by Abby Wambach. But before that goal, how many in the States actually followed soccer like they do other major sports? This isn't a knock on people for suddenly jumping on the bandwagon, after all it is our country's team and we all have a right to pull for them, but I'm posing a question: Why is it that soccer is such a popular sport in the rest of the world, and in America it cannot seem to gain the same fan base?

    In its simplest form, I believe the answer lies in the speed and play of the game. Soccer requires patience to follow. It's a low scoring, defensive game that requires plays to develop over longer periods of time. Goals are low percentage, fields are large, and there isn't always a clear defined winner.

    American's love sports that score. It's the norm in the NBA for scores to be in the 90 to 100 range. Football regularly sees scores hover in the 17 to 35 point area, and even baseball usually sees teams score 3 to 5 runs. Hockey, which isn't as popular nationally as the other three major sports, also lacks the same scoring power as football, basketball, and baseball. We love scoring, and a sport that routinely puts up 1-0, 1-1, and 2-1 scores requires a high patience that many fans do not have.

    We've been trained that offense comes first and defense is secondary. Teams that score a bunch get the highlight reels and fame, while squads that defend are less likely to get that recognition.

    Maybe it is something that goes deeper than the game. It's not unreasonable to say that the sports we watch reflect the societies we live in. American life is a fast-paced, more-is-better mindset, while the majority of the world tends to be much slower-paced and far more relaxed. Our sports define us. We like to score.

    We also like to win. Soccer matches routinely result in ties or draws. As mentioned before, we don't have the patience for ties. If we are going to spend a couple hours watching a sporting event we want a clear cut winner.

    As far as style of play goes, American's are used to contact in sports. Contact is good. Contact shows intent to put points on the scoreboard. Contact is a sign of toughness, of strength. Soccer frowns on contact. The slightest contact deemed not necessary can result in an ejection.

    Because of rules that deny contact in soccer, players tend to flop, flail, and cowardly fall to the ground on the slightest touch from another player in order to draw penalties. It's gone so far that players will dive to the ground and fake injuries without being touched in an attempt to get a free kick. It's unattractive, pitiful, and weak. It's become such a part of the game though that it's now irreversible. I've slowly come to love the sport of soccer, but the only turnoff to me is the theatrical play of the players when they come in contact with a defender.

    There could be other reasons for soccer's lack of popularity in the United States, but I believe these issues are the crux of the matter. It's not fast enough for our always-moving attitude. There isn't enough scoring. Should soccer change it's game? I think not. Maybe American's should look at the way we live. Maybe we are the ones that need to make some changes. Maybe a World Cup title would do this country some good. Just a thought. Go USA!

Franchise Earns 10,000th Win in Rout of Nationals

 

 

USC vs. ECU Season Kickoff Set for 7pm ET.

  

South Carolina's non-conference season opener against East Carolina will kickoff at 7pm eastern time on September 3. The neutral site game will be played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.  Purchase Tickets Here

Five Keys to the Braves Winning the East

 

               

    The Atlanta Braves will take the field tonight 3 1/2 games behind the first place Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East, and if they can stay the course and make a few adjustments there is no reason they can't be sitting on top of the division come October. The reality is that the Braves are good enough to hold a multiple game lead in four of the six Major League divisions this year. Their good play has blessed them with a five game lead in the Wild Card race. But ask anyone around the Braves organization and it's clear what the goal is: overtake the Phillies. They are certainly good enough to do it. Head to head Atlanta and Philadelphia have split the 12 games they have played this season at six wins apiece.

    So what exactly do the Braves have to do to win their first division title since 2005? They must hold steady and make a few adjustments. I believe that if the Braves can accomplish the following five things, while playing like they did in the first half of the season, they will find themselves with a division title at the end of the season.

1. Dan Uggla Must Produce at the Plate

When GM Frank Wren signed Dan Uggla this offseason for 5 years at $62 million, he was expected to be the pop in the middle of Atlanta's lineup. Instead he has become the weakest link. His home run total has been on par (15), but his RBI numbers (34) and .185 average have both been major disappointments. If Uggla can find his groove again it could really spark the entire lineup. Uggla has been striking out at an atrocious rate and in the process has killed quite a few potential scoring opportunities. His power has been fine, but he needs to work his counts a little more and relearn how to get on base consistently. Things are looking up though. Over the past month he has raised his batting average from .170 to .185 while hammering out 8 home runs and 15 rbi's. Continued progress from Uggla could signal a more powerful offense. An offense with Uggla clicking, combined with the pitching Atlanta has been putting on the mound, could be a potent combination.

2. Chipper Needs to Stay Healthy for the Stretch Run

Chipper Jones is the only player left on the team from the 1995 World Series Championship, and he is the heart and soul of the team. This young team needs a veteran and leader like Chipper on the field in order to pursue a title. When the season is on the line you want Chipper at the plate, if you are an Atlanta fan. Without Chipper playing last postseason, the Braves struggled mightily. A postseason team with Chipper is more likely to succeed. He underwent microscopic knee surgery last week, and hopes to be back by July 25.

3. The Braves Need a Threat on the Base Paths

The one category the Braves are seriously lacking in is speed. For the majority of the season Atlanta has done without a threat on the base paths, and at times it has hurt them. Outfielder Jordan Schafer has emerged as a pretty decent baserunner, and if he can continue to reach base the Braves should be fine. But Schafer's ability to get on base is sometimes a question mark. So whether Wren decides to keep with Schafer, or (as some rumors have suggested) make a trade for a guy like Houston's Michael Bourn, the Braves must find/keep a base-stealer.

4. McCann Must Stay Healthy

Enough said. His career has been, for the most part, injury free. But if there is one player the Braves cannot afford to lose for an extended period of time, it is Brian McCann. His importance is three fold. One, he is the best hitter in the lineup. Two, he is the signal caller behind the plate. A portion of the Braves success on the mound must be credited to the intelligent games McCann calls. Third, he is a leader in the clubhouse and someone younger players rely on.

5. The Braves Must Beat the Phillies Head to Head (and the Nationals for that matter)

As mentioned before, the Braves and Phillies split the first four series between them at 6 games apiece. There are still 9 games remaining between the top two teams in the East, and there is no better way for the Braves to pick up games than to beat them head to head. As a side note, it would be a big help if the Braves could discover what the rest of Major League Baseball has and beat the Washington Nationals. For some reason Atlanta has always struggled with defeating the perennial bottom dwellers and at some point it's going to come back to bite them. The Braves have 12 games remaining against Washington (including a series starting tonight in Atlanta), and anything less than 8-4 should be considered sub-par.

Lineman Waldrop Gives Carolina Verbal

    

    The South Carolina Gamecock recruiting train keeps on moving, and it's picking up some elite athletes along the way. The newest recruit to give South Carolina his verbal is 4-Star offensive lineman Cody Waldrop. This 6'4, 315lb offensive lineman from Seffner, Florida is ranked by Rivals as the tenth best guard in the class of 2012. Waldrop received north of 20 offers, but narrowed his search down to Georgia and South Carolina over the past few weeks. Among his other offers were Florida State, LSU, Missouri, UNC, NC State, and Tennessee.

   Waldrop is just another piece to what looks to be the offensive line of the future for Carolina, and a good one at that. Highly touted OL recruits Kaleb Broome and Brandon Shell signed with USC this past recruiting year, and Waldrop adds his verbal to fellow 4-star offensive tackle Brock Stadnik's for the class of 2012. The offensive line, which has been a question mark in the recent past for USC, looks as if it could be strengthening over the next few years.

    Waldrop's highlight tapes make him look like a man among boys. Despite having such a huge frame, he seems to move very agilely. He shows quick lateral movement on pulls but looks even stronger in one-on-one pass protection. He looks like a perfect fit to a Spurrier offense.

Check out his highlight tape below (and remember, he still has his senior season yet to play).

South Carolina Football 2011

If you haven’t seen Justin King’s South Carolina football videos, you need to take a look. This is his newest video, released a couple of weeks ago. Check out King’s full collection here.

Braves Combine to Help National League Win ASG

Box Score                         Highlights                           Braves Quotes

    It’s not 13 in a row, but the National League has finally put together a little streak of it’s own: two straight All Star Game victories. A game that the American League once dominated for nearly a decade and a half may see some changing tides, and some of that is thanks to a few Atlanta hurlers.

    Though Braves ace Jair Jurrjens did not get the start, he did come in and get five outs while giving up one hit and striking out one. Craig Kimbrel and Jonny Venters followed, pitching a combined hitless one inning with a strike out and a walk. Kimbrel was credited with the Hold.

    Brian McCann got the starting nod at catcher, and despite catching four innings he was replaced just before the string of Atlanta pitchers entered the game. McCann seemed to be quite content with his role though, “No disappointment at all. I got to catch Clff Lee and Roy Halladay […] It was almost better to be in the dugout, because I never get that perspective, listening to what guys are saying about them. I’m proud that everyone came in and put up zeroes.” McCann was not able to get on base in his two at-bats.

Braves In Phoenix

 

  

Photo Courtesy of espn.com

    Keep an eye out for Braves Brian McCann, Jair Jurrjens, Johnny Venters, and Craig Kimbrel in tonight’s All Star Game matchup in Phoenix, AZ. Chipper Jones also made the roster as a reserve, but will not play due to a recent microscopic surgery on his knee.

    While Jurrjens has statistically had the best season of any starting pitcher in the National League, Philadelphia ace and Cy Young Award Winner, Roy Halladay, will get the start. Look for Jurrjens though to possibly pitch the third or fourth innings. McCann gets the starting nod at catcher, while Venters and late addition Kimbrel could be used in the later innings.

    With the Braves in the midst of a  playoff push, tonight’s game could be rendered useful should the Atlanta find itself in the World Series come  October. Tonight’s game decides home field advantage for the 2011 World Series.