Friday, December 30, 2005

Give it up



Give it up Mark May, you have been anti- South Carolina since you got to ESPN. Get off Lou’s back so that he can rant and rave about how good the Gamecocks are. He should know since he pretty much recruited ¾ of the team. Mark you were a good offensive lineman for the University of Pitt, and the redskins. You have never coached and shouldn’t even be on ESPN. They should reserve the broadcasters spot for some one who know something about college football. Lou has been around the league forever and knows how to tell talent, understands the college game and enjoys the college game. You seem like an angry black man. Let Lou Holtz have his time in the spot light telling the world how he enjoyed coaching at USC.

Thursday, December 29, 2005

A night to remember


On December 28, 2005 the University of South Carolina retired the jersey of BJ Mckie. As one of the best players to ever take the floor for the Gamecocks as well as in the state of South Carolina. The 6 foot 2 inch guard from Irmo, South Carolina, holds the school record for points scored, breaking Alex English record of 1972 points. BJ was also honored as a 3 time all SEC first team member.

South Carolina honored him with a framed jersey and then the City of Columbia’s mayor Bob gave the key to the city of Columbia. It was a great honor for the university, city and of course all the fans.

G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
95-96 S Carolina 31 1000 147 315 43 123 141 185 95 66 88 93 2 38 478
96-97 S Carolina 32 1021 164 355 62 154 166 219 125 74 86 73 0 41 556
97-98 S Carolina 31 1035 160 365 59 142 205 262 110 67 93 90 2 39 584
98-99 S Carolina 29 965 145 353 51 135 160 207 100 57 115 96 6 47 501

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Sad day for Donuts


Vale died Saturday in New York City of complications from diabetes, according to son-in law Rick Reil.

Vale's long-running character, "Fred the Baker," for the doughnut maker's ad campaign lasted 15 years until he retired in 1997.

Canton, Massachusetts-based Dunkin' Donuts said in a statement that that Vale's character "became a beloved American icon that permeated our culture and touched millions with his sense of humor and humble nature."

Vale was born in Brooklyn and studied acting at the Dramatic Workshop in New York City with classmates Tony Curtis, Ben Gazzara and Rod Stieger.

A veteran of the Broadway stage, film and television, Vale appeared in more than 1,300 TV commercials.

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Small town boy with some class, in a classless society

Article for a phil. newspaper.

Eagles' Sheldon Brown, wife Jenny already planning for life after footballBy DANA PENNETT O'NEILoneild@phillynews.comSHELDON BROWN stood outside the Sage Diner on a rainy morning, waiting for his agent to pull up. Just roused from bed, he wore an old black sweat shirt, the hood pulled tight to keep the rain off his head.
Inside, his wife, Jenny, held a table.
Two businessmen walked by outside, did a double take at Sheldon and then sat down inside, at a table alongside Jenny where she easily could hear their conversation.
"I think that's Sheldon Brown outside," the one businessman said.
Incredulous, the other said to his friend. "Do you really think Sheldon Brown would eat here?" he said.
"When Jenny told me that, I couldn't stop laughing," Brown said. "Where else am I going to eat?"
As the Eagles still pick up the shrapnel from the fallout with their former prima donna wide receiver who lived in his requisite $4 million mansion and strutted like the peacock you've come to expect of men who bring home paychecks the rest of us can't fathom, it's important to remember that not everyone who pulls in an NFL salary lives like the Sultan of Brunei and behaves like Paris Hilton.
Some, like Brown, are ordinary folks who just do extraordinary things on Sundays.
Make no mistake, Brown makes a very nice salary - he recently signed a 6-year extension worth a reported $24 million - but the only time you'll find him on the front lawn is when he's shooting baskets in his driveway with neighborhood kids.
He lives quietly, another guy in another house on the block.
And his new home in Marlton, N.J., purchased about a year ago, is certainly good-sized, but it is far from a gilded palace. On a recent tour, Brown had some accoutrements that not all of us can afford - an outdoor kitchen that would make Emeril salivate, a closet the size of a small bedroom - but as he made his way through the house he made it clear that this is the home of a regular guy.
"Isn't this a great vanity?" he said as he peaked around a first-floor bathroom. "We got it at Target."
Yup, Target.
Next to Bed, Bath & Beyond, it's the Browns' favorite haunt.
"My mother will look at something in our house and be like, 'Oh that is so nice. I wish I could afford something like that,' " Jenny said. "I'm like, 'Mom. We got it at Target. We brought it home in a box and Sheldon put it together.' "
The Browns aren't cheapskates. They're smart.
Wiser than his years, Brown realized as a rookie that the good life he's living now won't be around for a long time. NFL players have a shelf life shorter than a loaf of bread and Brown recognized quickly that living for today means extinguishing tomorrow.
"I'm living for my future," he said. "I know I'm unusual, but I've seen other guys struggle. They never expect the money to stop coming in, and when it does, they can't make it.
"I won't be like that."
Friends from their days at Lewisville High in South Carolina, Jenny and Sheldon Brown have been together forever - "If it wasn't her sitting here, it would be no one," Brown says of his wife.
They struggled as everyone does, eating their fair share of Ramen noodles in college and squeezing every last dollar out of what little budget they could string together.
"I'd go to McDonald's on my way to work and he'd call and say, 'You couldn't eat something at home?' " Jenny said.
Even after Brown was drafted, as a second-round pick, nothing was guaranteed. The couple lived in an apartment for 6 months until they were certain he'd make the Eagles and then spent their first 3 years fixing up an old house.
They sold that in the offseason and once the ink on the new contract dried, went shopping for something new.
When they found the home they eventually purchased - a former model home - they had to be talked up to the asking price.
"Our financial adviser said you probably need to spend a little more to get what you want," said Jenny, who is pregnant with the couple's first child, a boy due in January who will be named Sheldon Dion but will be called Dion, as his dad always wanted to be known.
"I panicked. I didn't think we could afford it."
Lest anyone get the impression that these two are living a thrifty lifestyle on a shoestring budget, there are at least a few stops on the house tour that quickly erase that myth.
For starters, every room - even the master bathroom - has a plasma television hung in a corner.
Baby Dion's room is in the process of being hand painted by local artist Donna Sinno. The room has two bold red and black stripes running around the top border of the wall, the University of South Carolina Gamecocks logo on one wall, the school's USC letters on another and a crib with custom black gingham bedding on the way.
"I always wondered how kids were just raised Carolina fans," Brown said. "Now I understand. My son has no choice."
The real giveaway that this isn't your typical Ozzie and Harriet house is downstairs.
"This is the only room that we really designed, or I designed," Brown said as he walked down the stairs to his basement lair.
It is a sports fan's fantasy. The walls are lined with framed photographs of Brown in his playing days at both South Carolina and with the Eagles.
On one wall, his entire Super Bowl uniform is framed, complete, Brown points out sheepishly, with the dry-cleaning tag on the belt that he forget to remove.
On another are framed and autographed jerseys from Brown's boys, Bobby Taylor and Troy Vincent, taken literally after the two played their final Eagles game, grass stains and all.
Tucked into a nicely set up workout room is Brown's locker from South Carolina - saved from the garbage pile when the school was remodeling and stuck in storage until just recently.
And in another space is an in-home theater, complete with 110-inch, drop-down projection screen and 11 comfy suede recliners (each with its own cupholder).
Brown is like a proud kid when he shows off the room, and he's proud of the whole house, as he should be.
This is, after all, his personal castle.
But really Brown is prouder to show what his house isn't. It is not an ode to excessive living or a status symbol to make sure everyone knows he's a Somebody Who is Very Important and Very Rich.
It is by every definition a home, not a house.
"We could have gotten a bigger house and spent all our money on that, but why?" Brown said.
"Who do we have to impress? We're happy the way we live, and we know we'll still be happy in the future."

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Creative yankee's



While eating dinner last night I was flipping thru the channels and stop on the food network, where they had a special about a restaurant in Rochester, NY called Nick Tahou's. When I saw this monster plate of macaroni salad, hash browns, baked beans or French fries topped with Chili, and either hamburger, cheese burger, Italian sausage or hot dogs. After looking at tick’s plate from the other night on www.summerofdev.blogger.com, I was wondering how much of this garbage plate ticket could eat. I have seen him eat 9 full plates of Chinese food one time in Daytona Beach, Florida. I have seen him eat an ass load of hard boiled eggs; He also made cornbread with jalapeƱo, tuna concoction. If you can think of the most disgusting food, Tick will eat it.

Here is what the crazy yankee’s have to say about the garbage plate.
A Garbage Plate is a wonderful thing! The original Garbage Plate was created at Nick Tahou's in Rochester, NY. In the meantime, there have been many imitations with many different names, such as Sloppy Plate, Trash Plate, Dumpster Plate, etc. A typical plate (see above) comes with two items piled on a plate, such as home fries, macaroni salad, beans, or french fries. Then the meat of choice, such as cheeseburgers, hamburgers, or hot dogs, are placed on top (bread is usually served on the side). Optional onions, mustard, hot sauce (the hamburger-based kind), and occasionally relish are piled on top. At Nick's, if you order a cheeseburger plate, you'll automatically get home fries and mac salad with everything on it (the best options, IMHO). There are also many different ways to eat a plate. It can be eaten like a normal meal, but my preferred way of eating plates is to cut up the cheeseburgers, add tons of ketchup and whatever red hot sauce is available, and mix everything together so that it truly looks like a garbage plate. The bread is used to scoop up the remainder of the plate, whatever that is (chemical analysis still needs to be done on it).

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Scared for life


Scared for life

Say you are making out with your girlfriend on a Friday night after a high school football game. The front of your 1993 Honda accord is heating up, all of the sudden you girlfriend goes into shock and then dies. Well this happened last week in Canada, when a boy kissed his girlfriend after eating a peanut butter sandwich.

(Montreal, Canada-AP) Dec. 1, 2005 - An allergist in Canada says friends and relatives of a teen-aged girl should have been told about her peanut allergy.
A friend of the Canadian teenager who died because of an allergic reaction to peanuts last week says others who knew Christina Desforge didn't know about her allergy. That includes her boyfriend.
Desforges' allergy was triggered after she kissed her boyfriend, who had eaten a peanut-butter sandwich.
A Montreal allergist says the case is very rare, and says the allergy reaction varies greatly from person to person.
A memorial for Desforge was held Saturday. There's an autopsy being performed Wednesday.
About one and a-half million Americans are severely allergic to peanuts. Peanut allergies account for 50 to 100 deaths in the United States each year.

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Mr. Rice you are the man



Nov. 29, 2005

Sidney Rice has played in only 10 games in his collegiate career, and the record books are already bowing under the weight of his success.

So much for the freshman learning curve.

The redshirt freshman receiver for South Carolina hasn't just carved a niche for himself in the Gamecocks' offense - he has established himself as the go-to guy in Steve Spurrier's attack, earning the Rivals.com National Freshman of the Year award.

His victory was a narrow one over Northwestern true freshman running back Tyrell Sutton, who led all freshmen in rushing (1,390 yards) and scoring (18 touchdowns). Ultimately the decision went Rice's way because he didn't have the weapons around him that Sutton did and his impact in South Carolina's biggest victories was significant.

Rice led the Southeastern Conference in receiving yards (952) and touchdowns per game (1.2). His 12 receiving TDs set a single-season record for South Carolina. Rice established another Gamecocks record by catching touchdown passes in eight consecutive games. And if that's not enough, Rice is only two touchdowns shy of the national freshman record of 14.

But the evidence of Rice's impact goes well beyond mere stats, as South Carolina has suddenly emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the SEC East. The Gamecocks knocked off then-No. 23 Tennessee in late October for South Carolina's first ever victory at Neyland Stadium. The Gamecocks proceeded to drop then-No. 12 Florida for the first time in more than 65 years two weeks later.

Rice was instrumental in both victories. He caught eight passes for 112 yards and scored both touchdowns in the 16-15 win over the Volunteers, and racked up another 112 receiving yards in the 30-22 win against Florida.

"There were two really big highlights for me this year," Rice told Rivals.com. "The biggest ones were when we beat Florida and when we beat Tennessee. It wasn't as much about any plays that I made or anything like that. It was just the fact that we won those games."

Statistically speaking, the peak of Rice's season came against Vanderbilt. The Commodores, fueled by their own star freshman receiver, were gunning for a shot at postseason play. Vanderbilt's Earl Bennett rose to the occasion, pulling down 16 catches for 206 yards and a touchdown. Not to be outdone, Rice made the most of his eight catches by piling up 132 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner.

Not surprisingly, Rice credits much of his success to the head ball coach.

"Coach Spurrier is one of the most truthful guys I have ever been around. He tells you the truth when he thinks you are doing something wrong, and he tells you the truth when he thinks that you are doing something right," Rice told Rivals.com. "Having him around just makes you a better person and a better player."

And though his improvement throughout the season has been quite apparent, Rice isn't ready to rest on his records just yet.

"I look at this as the point that can make or break me. I can either relax and be content with what I have done or I can work even harder and strive to get better. That's what I want to do. I want to just keep getting better at every part of my game."

Small school basketball



How about the Winthrop Eagles being one of the best mid-major teams around. SI is calling the Eagles the next Gonzaga. With 5 NCAA births in the last 7 years, that puts them atop all the other schools in SC. GO Eagles

Monday, November 28, 2005

Oh they are at it again

Oh those crazy morman's are at it again, read this..........................

Until 1963, interracial marriages were illegal in Utah. Residents who suffered chronic epileptic seizures and were not sterilized also were barred from marrying in the state.
And, until 1993, anyone who had syphilis, gonorrhea or HIV could not make that walk down the aisle.
Now, in 2005, three Utahns who want to unite as husband, wife and wife say their preferred form of marriage also should be allowed.
They are asking the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse a federal judge's rejection of their challenge to state prohibitions against bigamy and polygamy.
"The fact [that] much of American legal culture is based on monogamy does not justify a ban on polygamy," their attorney, Brian Barnard, of Salt Lake City, wrote in a brief filed this month with the Denver-based appeals court.
Barnard argued that a 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down a Texas law that prohibited sexual conduct between same-sex couples "provides individuals with protection from state intrusion as to intimate relationships."
On Dec. 22, 2003, G. Lee Cook tried to obtain a marriage license from the Salt Lake County Clerk's Office to wed a woman, identified in court papers as J. Bronson. Cook's legal wife was identified as D. Cook. G. Lee Cook wrote on the application that he already was married and told clerks that he wanted to legally marry a second wife. The clerks refused to issue a marriage license and refunded a $50 fee.
The three - who are all more than 45 years old and say polygamous marriage is a requirement for their exaltation and eternal salvation - filed suit in federal court against the clerks. The legal action seeks to overturn an 1879 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, Reynolds v. United States, that upheld Utah's ban on polygamy.
In February, U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart rejected the argument that the prohibition on polygamy is an unconstitutional violation of religious and privacy rights and ruled that the state has an interest in protecting monogamous marriage.
Stewart also ruled that even the 2003 opinion in Lawrence v. Texas over the sodomy law did not grant a right to plural marriage, noting that the laws against bigamy and polygamy do not preclude private sexual conduct.
Under Utah law, Barnard says, married people living in a sexual relationship with someone who is not their spouse is guilty of bigamy, and deceit or a second marriage ceremony are not required elements of the crime. But although that provision makes it illegal for a married man to live with a girlfriend before his divorce is final, the law has been used to target polygamists, he contends.
There is no compelling governmental interest that makes the prohibition against religious polygamy constitutional, he argues in the brief.
Utah also officially abandoned plural marriage, in part, lawyers for the state say, because of social problems associated with polygamy; the exploitation of women and girls; and the encouragement of responsible procreation.
Barnard counters that the state does not regulate exploitative relationships between other couples, and if there were a compelling reason to promote responsible procreation, Utah would step into all family situations. Yet, there are no sanctions against an unwed mother who rears children alone, and there is no statute barring parents from divorcing and raising their children in separate households.
"The state does not restrict nor ban 'serial polygamists,' individuals who repeatedly marry, conceive children and divorce a series of spouses

come again

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- "Y'all" isn't welcome in Erica Tobolski's class in voice and diction at the University of South Carolina. And forget about "fixin'," as in getting ready to do something, or "pin" when talking about the writing instrument.

Tobolski's class is all about getting rid of accents, mostly Southern ones in the heart of the former Confederacy, and replacing them with Standard American Dialect, the uninflected tone of TV news anchors that oozes authority and refinement.

"We sort of avoid talking about class in this country, but clearly class is indicated by how we speak," she said.

"Many come to see me because they want to sound less country," she said. "They say, 'I don't want to lose my accent completely, but I want to be able to minimize it or modify it.'"
That was the case for sophomore Ali Huffstetler, who said she "luuuvs" the slow-paced softness of her upstate South Carolina magnolia mouth but wants to be able to turn it on and off depending on her audience.

"I went to New Hampshire to visit one of my best friends and all they kept saying was, 'Will you please talk, can you just talk for me?'" Huffstetler said. "I felt like a little puppet show."

Across the fast-growing South, accents are under assault, and not just from the modern-day Henry Higginses of academia. There's the flood of transplants from other regions, notions of Southern upward mobility that require dropping the drawl, and stereotypes that "y'alls" and "suhs" signal low status or lack of intelligence.

But is the Southern accent really disappearing?









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INTERACTIVES
Southern Accents




That depends what accent you mean. The South, because of its rural, isolated past, boasts a diversity of dialects, from Appalachian twangs in several states to Elizabethan lilts in Virginia to Cajun accents in Louisiana to African-influenced Gullah accents on the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina.

One accent that has been all but wiped out is the slow juleps-in-the-moonlight drawl favored by Hollywood portrayals of the South. To find that so-called plantation accent in most parts of the region nowadays requires a trip to the video store.

"The Rhett-and-Scarlett accent, that is disappearing, no doubt about it," said Bill Kretzschmar, a linguist at the University of Georgia and editor of the American Linguistic Atlas, which tracks speech patterns.

"Blame it on the boll weevil," he said, referring to the cotton pest. "That accent from plantation areas, which was never the whole South, has been in decline for a long time. The economic basis of that culture started going away at the turn of the last century," when the bugs nearly wiped out the South's cotton economy.

Even as the stereotypical Southern accent gets rarer, other speech patterns take its place, and they're not any less Southern. The Upland South accent, a faster-paced dialect native to the Appalachian mountains, is said to be spreading just as fast as the plantation drawl disappears.

"The one constant about language is, it's always changing," Kretzschmar said. "The Southern accent is not going anywhere. But you have all kinds of mixtures and changes."

For a long-term study on whether the Southern accent is disappearing, University of Georgia linguists went to Roswell, Ga., an Atlanta suburb that is just the kind of transient place that leads to the death of indigenous dialects. It's packed with strip malls and subdivisions with no cotton patches or peach trees in sight.

"I don't hear it," 21-year-old Roswell native Amanda Locher said of the accent. She's never lived outside the South, but even Northern newcomers question her Southernness. "People tell me I sound like I'm from up North. To hear a true Southern accent, you'd have to go deeper south than here."

Adam Mach, a 25-year-old tire shop worker who moved to the Atlanta suburbs from Lafayette, La., has got a noticeable Louisiana lilt. But he said his accent seldom makes conversation because the area is such a melting pot of newcomers.

"Everybody I meet's not from here," he shrugged.

North Carolina State University linguist Walt Wolfram said it's a misconception among Southerners that Yankee newcomers are stamping out traditional speech. More likely, he said, is that newcomers pick up local speech patterns.

"When people move here and don't think they've changed at all, they go home and people say, 'Wow. You've turned Southern.' They pick up enough to be identified as Southern. So it's still there, still strongly identified with the South," Wolfram said.

But that doesn't mean that population change in the South isn't chipping away at old-timey dialects, especially in cities. Wolfram said the "dearest feature" of the Southern accent - the vowel shift where one-syllable words like "air" come out in two syllables, "ay-ah" - is certainly vanishing. Other aspects - such as double-modal constructions like "might could" - are still pervasive.

Kretzschmar, who has recorded Roswell speakers for three years, said his suburban Atlanta studies have backed up his suspicion that the Southern accent is morphing along with the urbanizing South.

"It's not really disappearing, but the circumstances of living make it different," he said. "People don't have connections with their neighbors to maintain their way of speech.

"The circumstances of how people get together and talk in the cities have changed; they're not constantly talking to people who talk just like them. But in the South outside the cities, you have a lot of similarities."

Georgia-bred humorist Roy Blount Jr. understands that people with strong Southern accents are often perceived as "slow and dimwitted." But he thinks it's "sort of a shame" that people should feel the need to soften or even lose their accents.

"My father, who was a surely intelligent man, would say `cain't'. He wouldn't say `can't.' And, `There ain't no way, just there ain't no way.' You don't want to say, `There isn't any way.' That just spoils the whole thing," Blount said.

"I just think that there's a certain eloquence in Southern vernacular that I wouldn't want to lose touch with ... you ought to sound like where you come from."

But never fear. There are still plenty of professions that thrive on a good Southern twang - from preachers to football coaches to a certain breed of courtroom litigators.

And South Carolina's Tobolski, an Indiana native who came south eight years ago, can help there, too. As a private coach she has even taught a politician she wouldn't name how to ratchet up his Southern accent to make him appear more folksy before certain crowds - a technique she calls "code switching."

"He didn't want to lose his dialect entirely. He just wanted to be able to adapt."

"I don't think that any regional accent is going to be eliminated," she said. "There's still people who want to hang on to how they sound. That's who they are. That's their identity. And that goes from New Jersey to Minnesota to Wyoming to Georgia."

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Don't drink and Die

OSLO, Norway (AP) -- A 32-year-old Norwegian bartender was sentenced to six months in prison Wednesday for serving a customer so much tequila that he fell into a coma and died.

According to a district court in the southwestern city of Hokksund the bartender, whose name was withheld, pleaded guilty to serving 34-year-old Leif Henning Nilsen 19 shots of the strong Mexican liquor in 90 minutes at the Spiseriet restaurant in May 2004.

Nilsen lost consciousness and died three days later.

The court said it could not hold the bartender accountable for the death itself, but sentenced him to prison for illegally serving alcohol to a clearly intoxicated person.

The ruling said the bartender intentionally contributed to the excess by drinking shots of water, tricking the victim into what he thought was a drinking contest.

"In the court's opinion, it is hard to imagine a more serious case of excessive alcohol serving," said the ruling, which also revoked the bartender's right to have any job that involves serving alcohol for five years.

The restaurant was in Vikersund, about 35 kilometers (20 miles) west of the capital, Oslo.

Time to turn to B-Ball season

Nov. 22, 2005

South Carolina, one of the original 13 colonies, will travel to the 49th state, Alaska, for the first time in 15 years to play in the 28th annual Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout. South Carolina's travels to Anchorage will take them almost 4,500 miles from coast to coast and then over parts of Canada.

The Gamecocks will begin play in the Shootout with a 10 pm (EST) game on Thanksgiving Day against host Alaska Anchorage. UAA is 4-1 on the young season. Because UAA is Division II, the game will not count towards USC's RPI, but it will count towards USC's overall record.

The USC-UAA game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 Eric Collins and Jimmy Dyke making the call. It is the second of at least 19 games USC will play on television during the regular season this year (see note on page six) and the first of five at least on national television.

The game will also be a carried on the Gamecock Radio Network with Mike Morgan (play-by-play) and Casey Manning (color analyst) making the call. About the Northerners

Alaska Anchorage is 4-1 on the young season with wins over Northland Baptist (twice), Bridgeport and No. 13 Nebraska-Omaha. Its only blemish was to Columbus State. The later three games were played at the Disney Division II Tip-Off Classic in Orlando, Fla., Nov. 11-13 where the Seawolves captured third place. It was the first win over a ranked opponent for UAA since it defeated No. 17 Montana State-Billings 93-91 on Fb. 6, 1997.

UAA is headed up by Rusty Osborne, who is in his second season at UAA. Prior to working the sidelines as a head coach at UAA, he was an assistant coach with the Seawolves for 13 years (11 years as chief assistant). With Osborne on the UAA staff, the Seawolves have claimed three conference titles and made five trips to the NCAA Division II Tournament.

What's next?

If South Carolina defeats UAA, the Gamecocks will play the winner of the Monmouth/Southern Illinois game at Midnight (12 am, EST) on Friday, Nov. 25 on ESPN2 nationally. If USC falls to UAA, USC will play the loser of the Monmouth/Southern Illinois game at 4 pm (EST) on Friday. USC is 2-0 against SIU and would be facing Monmouth for the first time.





If USC wins its first two games, the Gamecocks would play for the Great Alaska Shootout Championship at 10:30 pm (EST) on ESPN2 on Saturday, Nov. 26.

Our last time?

This is Carolina's first appearance in the Great Alaska Shootout since 1990 (its only other appearance). USC went 2-1 that year. After defeating Nevada Reno 63-61 on Nov. 23, 1990, USC dropped a 65-59 game to eventual champion Virginia on Nov. 24. USC defeated host Alaska Anchorage 72-59 on Nov. 25 to capture the third place title.

His last time?

Dave Odom will never forget his first and only trip to the Great Alaska Shootout in 1993. Paired up with Alaska Anchorage to tip-off the Shootout, Odom's Wake Forest crew, which included future two-time NBA MVP Tim Duncan in his very first collegiate game, dropped a 70-68 game to the Seawolves. Down three starters that day, including two other future NBA players, Duncan was held scoreless with three rebounds and two blocks.

Wake recovered the next two days to defeat Hawaii 78-49 and Wisconsin-Green Bay 61-58 in overtime.

A few days ago ...

USC defeated MAC Western Division favorite Toledo 85-72 in its home opener on Sunday, Nov. 20. Behind a career-best 24 points for Tarence Kinsey, two other Gamecocks put up double-figures as well (Tre' Kelley, 15 and Renaldo Balkman, 11). Each has scored in double figures the first two games this season. Balkman led all with eight rebounds and Kelly led USC with five assists. After turning the ball over just eight times against Western Carolina, USC turned the ball over 19 times to UT's 15.

USC shot 65.4% and scored 50 points to UT's 29 in the first half with USC ahead by as many as 26 points. It looked like it might be a romp, but the Rockets had quite a bit to say about that thought in the second half when they pulled within four on a 21-6 run at the 4:22 mark (65-61 USC). USC went without a field goal from 15:40 to 6:42 to aid the Rockets cause.

Up 69-64, USC went on a 10-2 rally of its own, headed up by Antoine Tisby to put the game away. USC shot over 50% in its second straight game at 52.8%

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

good one

More awards for Carolina


With their 30-22 win over Florida, the South Carolina Gamecocks are the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week, as selected by the pollsters of the FWAA's Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll for games of the weekend of Nov. 12. South Carolina, also the national team of the week just two weeks ago, is the first team to win the award twice in one season since Miami in 2002.

Mike Davis and Daccus Turman each ran for a pair of touchdowns as the Gamecocks (7-3) ended a 14-game losing streak to Florida that dated back to 1939. The win was also South Carolina's fifth straight in SEC play, a school record.

"I love the Gators, I always will," said coach Steve Spurrier after the game. "But I am with South Carolina now."

"I'm just proud of the guys, proud of the way they played," he added.

The other Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Bowl National Team of the Week nominee for the weekend of Nov. 12:

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

the Ole ball coach vs. the old team

Florida (7-2) at South Carolina (6-3) 12:30 pm

Why to watch: If only there was some sort of storyline to go with this one. There's pressure, and then there's what Florida head coach Urban Meyer has to face dealing with Florida's favorite son, Steve Spurrier, looking to do the near-impossible and take South Carolina to the number two spot in the SEC East. While Gators fans certainly want to see their team win, the love for the Ball Coach is still so blinding that there'll be a whole bunch of mixed feelings this Saturday. While the Gamecocks can finish behind Georgia in the SEC East standings with a win (tied with Florida, but winning the tie-breaker), the Gators can represent the East in the SEC Championship game with a win and an Auburn victory over Georgia. LSU-Alabama might be the most intense game of the weekend, but this might be more fun to watch.

Why Florida might win: For all the wins and all the recent success, South Carolina's offense hasn't done a whole bunch. It's only generating 310 yards per game and outside of big numbers put on the board against Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Troy, it isn't scoring a lot. Florida's defense has had its occasional problems, especially last week against Jay Cutler and Vanderbilt, it's unbelievable at forcing turnovers taking away 26 so far. The offense has only given it away nine times. In other words, South Carolina will have to create and make its own breaks with its middling offense. While the stats might not look that good on paper ...

Why South Carolina might win: ... the offense is finding a way to get the job done when it has to. The Gamecock pass defense has been fantastic all season long keeping most efficient passers from getting into any sort of a rhythm. Auburn's Brandon Cox threw well against the Gamecocks, and Cutler threw for 339, but they each hit a few rough patches. The real focus will be on offense, where USC has to take advantage of every opportunity and every long drive. Alabama's offense is having major problems, but it scored 31 on the Gators. Vandy put 42 on the board last week. If the Commodores were able to come up with 419 yards of total offense, South Carolina should be able to move the ball a little bit, especially since ...

Who to watch: ... the Gator secondary is going through a few changes after the loss of CB Vernell Brown to a broken leg. Reggie Lewis stepped in and came up with the game-sealing interception in overtime against Vanderbilt, but he struggled all game long under the pressure on the outside. His problems are forcing the coaching staff to move top safety Reggie Nelson from free to a nickel back giving him even more range, while Kyle Jackson will take back his spot at free safety held earlier this year. With the safeties sure to spend more time helping out the corners than worrying about the run, can Mike Davis and the USC running game be effective? He ran for 61 yards against Tennessee and 89 against Arkansas. He doesn't have to go for 100, but a solid 75 yards would help.

What will happen: Florida's defense will rise up and take control of the game early, but the offense won't come through. Meyer might want this one even more than Spurrier, but he won't get it as Josh Brown will hit four field goals including one in the final minute for the win.

CFN Prediction: South Carolina 19 ... Florida 17

Monday, November 07, 2005

good times in Tampa for the panthers



Not only did the Panthers beat the Bucs in Tampa, there cheerleaders got drunk and had sex with each other at a bar. Good times. Check this out!

The Charlotte Observer initially reported that a police report indicated Kristen Owen, 22 and Angela Keathley, 26, were arrested after an incident at Banana Joe's in the city's Channelside district. One cheerleader was charged with battery, the other with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

According to the Observer, the police report claims the two cheerleaders were having sex with each other in a stall at the bar when other patrons got angry they were taking so long in the bathroom. Then one of the cheerleaders and another person started arguing and the cheerleader hit that person in the face, according to the report.

However, according to a report by Charlotte's WCNC-TV, police have since questioned the identity of one of the cheerleaders, saying another woman may have tried to dupe them by using Owen's drivers license. Police said they have opened an investigation into the identity issue, and a Tampa TV report indicated that police now think that the woman who identified herself as Owen is in fact another Panthers cheerleader, Renee Thomas.

WCNC-TV reported that Owen's mother claimed Owen was at a wedding South Carolina at the time of the arrest.

Keathley, whose identity has not been disputed, was escorted out of the bar, and the police report said she was so drunk she could barely stand. Police also described her as rude and belligerent toward them.

The Observer also reported that other Panthers cheerleaders bailed the two out of the Orient Road Jail late Sunday morning.

According to the Observer report, Keathley and the other cheerleader made the trip to Tampa on their own as they are only on the sidelines for home games.

Team officials at Sunday afternoon's game said they were aware of the report, but declined further comment.

Thursday, November 03, 2005

Gamecocks go for a bowl game


After one of the greatest victories in South Carolina’s history, the team will travel to the far corner of the southeast; some might not even consider it the southeast. USC will play Arkansas, the home of Bill Clinton, Wal-Mart and Billy-Bob Thornton, on Saturday at 12:30 est. Arkansas will start a freshman QB Casey Dick who has not started a game yet in the fierce SEC. Arkansas has not won a game in the SEC this year and is looking to start a freshman against a defense that is slowly becoming a decent defense. I don’t really agree with Houston Nutt’s decision to take the red-shirt off his prized freshman this late in the season.

Here is the prediction for this weekend from CFN.

Why to watch: When Steve Spurrier took over South Carolina, he tempered talk of winning the SEC title by saying he just wanted to get to a bowl game. After a program-changing win over Tennessee last week, the Gamecocks can become bowl eligible with a win at Arkansas and can be in a position to finish second in the East if they can beat Florida next week. But first off, they have to deal with a desperate Arkansas team on a two game losing streak and is still searching for its first SEC win. Despite all of the problems, a win here might mean the Hogs have a shot at a wining season with winnable games against Ole Miss and Mississippi State ahead before the season finale against LSU.
Why South Carolina might win: After winning in Tennessee, playing at Arkansas won't be that intimidating. The Gamecock offense has exploded on bad SEC teams scoring 44 on Kentucky and 34 against Vanderbilt. The Hog defense gives up a ton of yards with a pass defense that struggles with its consistency. USC's passing game might not be unstoppable, but it's good enough give the Hogs a nasty time.
Why Arkansas might win: South Carolina isn't all that great against the run. The Gamecock run defense got bowled over by Alabama and pounded on by Tennessee, and its in for a long game against the SEC's number one rushing attack that averages 257 yards per game. The Hogs had better run effectively because ...
Who to watch: ... it's starting a freshman quarterback. Casey Dick will lose his redshirt status and try to breathe some life into a dead passing attack. He's a good-sized passer with a nice arm, and he can also run a little bit. South Carolina freshman WR Sidney Rice has turned into one of the league's top receivers catching a touchdown pass in a school-record seven straight games. He has been on fire over the last three games catching 24 passes (8 in each game) for 369 yards and seven touchdowns.
What will happen: Arkansas won't be able to get the job done with a freshman quarterback. The Hog defense will keep it from being ugly, but the Gamecocks aren't going to blow its big chance to become bowl eligible.
CFN Prediction: South Carolina 24 ... Arkansas 20

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Oh the SEC is getting crazy

Georgia, Florida and South Carolina are the only teams remaining that are mathematically live for the Eastern Division title.

Georgia must finish one game ahead of Florida to represent the Eastern Division. The Bulldogs can win its remaining games (Auburn, Kentucky) or win one game and have Florida lose one of its remaining games (Vanderbilt, South Carolina).

Florida can represent the Eastern Division finishing in a tie with Georgia or one game ahead of Georgia. Florida can win its remaining games and have Georgia lose one or both of its remaining games.

South Carolina can finish in a tie for the Eastern Division along with Georgia at 5-3 and both Georgia and Florida at 5-3. In these scenarios, Georgia must lose its remaining games, South Carolina must win its remaining games (Arkansas, Florida) and Florida can defeat Vanderbilt for a three-way tie or lose to Vanderbilt to create a two-way tie between Georgia and South Carolina.

If there is a three-way tie at 5-3, the last tie-breaker in the three-way model would be used, which is, "The tied team with the highest ranking in the BCS standings following the last weekend or egular-season games shall be the divisional representative in the SEC Championship Game, unless the second of the tied teams is ranked within five-or-fewer places of the highest ranked tied team. In this case, the head-to-head results of the top two tied teams shall determine the representative in the SEC Championship Game."

If there is a two-way tie at 5-3 between Georgia and South Carolina, Georgia advances to the SEC Championship Game due to its 17-15 win over South Carolina earlier this year.

Monday, October 31, 2005

this is what I am talking about



Our great nations gives a little respect to our Gamecock club.

South Carolina is Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week



DALLAS (FWAA) -- With their 16-15 win at Tennessee, the South Carolina Gamecocks are the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week, as selected by the pollsters of the FWAA's Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll for games of the weekend of Oct. 29.

Josh Brown hit a 49-yard field goal with 2:45 to end South Carolina's 12-game losing streak vs. the Vols. Quarterback Blake Mitchell was 22-for-36 for 242 yards and Sidney Rice had eight receptions for 112 yards for South Carolina.

"We thought we had a chance to make history if the ball bounced our way, and it did," head coach Steve Spurrier said after the game.

The other Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Bowl National Team of the Week nominee for the weekend of Oct. 29:

Rutgers (6-2): The Scarlet Knights clinched their first winning season since 1992 with a 31-21 win over Navy. Their 6-2 start equals the school's best since 1979.
Texas (8-0): Quarterback Vince Young rushed for a career-high 267 yards and two scores and threw two touchdown passes as the Longhorns rallied from a 28-9 deficit to beat Oklahoma State, 47-28.
UCLA (8-0): The Bruins scored 21 points in the final 7:04 and Drew Olson connected with Brandon Breazell on a 23-yard touchdown pass in overtime as the Bruins avoided Stanford's upset bid, 30-27.


Also Sidney Rice, was named SEC freshman of the week for the 2nd time in 3 weeks. As well Josh Brown was named SEC special teams player of the week.

go cocks

This is what I am talking about.

South Carolina is Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week


Pictured: South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier (AP Photo)
10/31/2005
DALLAS (FWAA) -- With their 16-15 win at Tennessee, the South Carolina Gamecocks are the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week, as selected by the pollsters of the FWAA's Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll for games of the weekend of Oct. 29.

Josh Brown hit a 49-yard field goal with 2:45 to end South Carolina's 12-game losing streak vs. the Vols. Quarterback Blake Mitchell was 22-for-36 for 242 yards and Sidney Rice had eight receptions for 112 yards for South Carolina.

"We thought we had a chance to make history if the ball bounced our way, and it did," head coach Steve Spurrier said after the game.

The other Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Bowl National Team of the Week nominee for the weekend of Oct. 29:

Rutgers (6-2): The Scarlet Knights clinched their first winning season since 1992 with a 31-21 win over Navy. Their 6-2 start equals the school's best since 1979.
Texas (8-0): Quarterback Vince Young rushed for a career-high 267 yards and two scores and threw two touchdown passes as the Longhorns rallied from a 28-9 deficit to beat Oklahoma State, 47-28.
UCLA (8-0): The Bruins scored 21 points in the final 7:04 and Drew Olson connected with Brandon Breazell on a 23-yard touchdown pass in overtime as the Bruins avoided Stanford's upset bid, 30-27.

Friday, October 28, 2005

Back to his old tricks, on the eve of Halloween in UT

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Leave it to Steve Spurrier to point out South Carolina has won more games this season than Phillip Fulmer's Tennessee Volunteers.

The former Florida coach, who beat Tennessee five straight years and made fun of the Vols' frequent trips to the Citrus Bowl, returns to Rocky Top on Saturday for the first time since 2000.
But now Spurrier is wearing garnet and black - and yes, still a visor - and will be trying to lead the Gamecocks (4-3, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) to their first win over No. 23 Tennessee since 1992.

Unlike during Spurrier's years with Florida, there is no SEC East title on the line, although Tennessee (3-3, 2-3) was considered the preseason favorite to win the league.

"What is stranger I guess is that before the season began I think they were picked pretty much by most people to win the Eastern division and maybe win the SEC. Here we are going into our eighth game and they're going into their seventh, and we actually have little bit of a better record than they do. Who would have thunk that?" Spurrier said this week.

This is a more subtle jab from a man who once said, "You can't spell Citrus without UT" when Tennessee was relegated to the Orlando bowl after coming in second to Florida in the SEC.

The more reserved Fulmer didn't sling one-liners back and over the years got more accustomed to Spurrier's lip.

"I didn't appreciate it then," Fulmer said. "He has a different way sometimes when he gets a microphone in front of him. That's just him."

Spurrier said maybe his jokes were taken the wrong way, explaining how he and Florida State coach Bobby Bowden poked fun at other's team during the summer.

"He'd tell his little corny jokes, we'd tell ours. Fans laugh, no big deal. But you tell one about Tennessee they think it's insulting or something," Spurrier said. "You'll never hear me complain about somebody telling a little corny joke about our team."

As hard as it may be for fans to imagine, Fulmer and Spurrier are cordial.

"We actually get along I think very well," Spurrier said. "I talk with Phil every time I see him."

There were some sparks between the coaches this summer when both programs were dealing with several player arrests.

After criminal charges were dropped against a player accused of hitting someone, Spurrier said: "If you want to read about some full-blown fights, read about the Tennessee players, not our guys."

Fulmer shot back: "He needs to take care of his own house and leave mine alone." And a few minutes later added that Spurrier's comments didn't bother him.

"Maybe it rained that day and he didn't get to play golf," Fulmer said.

Spurrier is 9-5 all-time against Tennessee with eight of those wins coming as Florida's coach.

But the first win he had over the Vols was as Duke's coach when the Blue Devils pulled off a 31-26 upset in 1988, a fact that should make Gamecocks fans hopeful they can break Fulmer's 12-0 record over South Carolina.

"Steve is a heck of a football coach. What he accomplished at Florida was unbelievable but ... winning the ACC at Duke, that's an unbelievable achievement," Fulmer said.

Spurrier also pointed out he was an assistant at Duke for another win in Knoxville in 1982.

"I was head coach in '88. That was a fun one, too. But we'd already beaten them once there, so we figured we had a chance again," he said.

Florida won in Spurrier's last visit to Neyland Stadium in 2000 on Jabar Gaffney's controversial touchdown reception at the end of the game.

Fulmer led Tennessee to a victory in 2001, Spurrier's final game at The Swamp. The win propelled the Vols to the SEC championship, which they lost and then ended up - where else? - in the Citrus Bowl.

After two woeful seasons with the Washington Redskins, Spurrier left. He was hired as successor to Lou Holtz last November.

And just like that South Carolina vs. Tennessee became intriguing.

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Gamecock quote of the week

It wouldn't be fair to call South Carolina's football season thus far a disappointment, but it also wouldn't be right to label it a success.
An accurate way to describe it is like eating at a buffet. Sure, it's satisfying and fills you up for a while, but a few hours later, you're feeling kind of empty and not that thrilled about eating there again.

-David Cloninger

Friday, October 14, 2005

Best time of the Year





Today is the start of my second favorite college sport, College basketball, at midnight major basketball programs will have there annual Midnight Madness celebration practice. So the Kentucky, Kansas, Syracuse, North Carolina, and Duke fans can forget for a few hours about football season here in October. Giving these dominate basketball schools hope for the spring, when all this practice in October will pay off. So while you are either watching in a packed gym or over a webcast, or on ESPN U. Here is to the college programs have a reason to practice at midnight.

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Texas football at its best


Baylor on the road in the Big 12
Baylor won its first Big 12 road game ... ever. The 23-13 win over Iowa State makes the Bears 1-37 on the road since the league began ten years ago, and makes them 4-1 so far this year with only an overtime loss to Texas A&M.
And people in South Carolina complain about bad football, this is ridicules. It took 10 years for the Bears to pull off a road victory. Granted the Gamecocks can’t beat the good teams in the SEC, but at least we beat the crappy one on a regular basis.

Oh this truly is Texas football at its best

Monday, October 10, 2005

SEC Defensive and Freshman of the week honors






Some might say that the win over Uk was not all that great, but when you have been playing as poor as Carolina this season, a spark might end up turning the season around. Today the SEC honored two of Carolina's impact players for there performances against the Wildcats.

Simpson, a 6-1, 201-pound sophomore safety, was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week. The Rock Hill, S.C. product tallied a season-best 13 tackles, including nine solo stops with a fumble recovery and an interception in the 44-16 win over the Wildcats. He returned a fumble 19 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter and his pass interception led to another USC TD. With USC head 17-16 in the third quarter, the Carolina defense, led by Simpson, held Kentucky to 82 yards over its final seven drives.

Rice, a redshirt freshman from Gaffney, S.C., was honored as the SEC Freshman of the Week. The 6-4, 192-pounder posted career-highs with eight receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns in the victory. He has caught a touchdown pass in each of his first five collegiate games, tying the school record set by Jermale Kelly in 1997.

oh the Utah state fair is going to be fun


http://jakehilton.com/2005/09/02/napoleon-dynamite-videos/

Friday, October 07, 2005

Uk vs. SC Saturday at 1


Our Prediction this week as South Carolina returns home from a blow out lose to Auburn last saturday on national TV.

Why to watch: While Vanderbilt is sure to throw its hat back in the ring, this might be a battle to see who finishes last in the SEC East. South Carolina has seen its SEC season go from bad to worse with an 0-3 start punctuated by what Steve Spurrier described as one of the worst losses of his career in last week's 48-7 drubbing by Auburn. With Vanderbilt coming up next week, the Gamecocks have a great chance to turn the ship around before facing Tennessee. Kentucky is still looking for its first win this season over a D-I team, and with Ole Miss and Mississippi State ahead, it has the potential to go on a great run with an upset win in Columbia.
Why Kentucky mmight win: The return game. Don't knock it; when teams are struggling to generate consistent offense, a few big returns can change the game around. The Wildcats have been excellent in the return game averaging 34 yards per kickoff return and 20.7 yards on punt returns. By comparison, the Gamecocks are averaging 20.74 yards on kickoff returns and 3.82 yards on punt returns. USC's running game has yet to show up this season, so if Kentucky can tighten up at all against the pass, it has a shot at the win.
Why South Carolina mmight win: Outside of a flourish in garbage time against Florida, the Kentucky offense hasn't done much against D-I teams this year, and failed miserable on the road in its one chance losing to Indiana 38-14. South Carolina might have quarterback issues at the moment after the injury to Blake Mitchell, but it should still be able to Cock 'n' Fire on a secondary that ranks 106th in the nation in pass efficiency defense. South Carolina has the nation's 19th most efficient passing attack.
Who to watch: There's still a question about Blake Mitchell and if he'll be able to go or not with a high ankle sprain, but there's still hope that he'll be able to go after he practiced earlier in the week. If not, it'll be back to Antonio Heffner for another week. The sophomore saw a little bit of time in each of the first four games, and then he went 15 of 23 for 133 yards and a touchdown against Auburn. That might not look too bad on paper, but he held on to the ball too long and couldn't get the offense moving. Desperate for some sort of a running game, the Gamecocks need Mike Davis to come through. He ran well against Troy, but didn't get much work against Auburn. Against a run defense that allows 214.5 yards per game, this is the game he needs to break out.
What will happen: South Carolina might not be smooth, but it'll be good enough on both sides of the ball to keep UK from having its break out game. The Gamecock defense will come up with one of its better performances before letting up late.
Line: South Carolina -13
Must See Rating: (5 lock yourself in a room to watch — 1 The Adam Corolla Project) ... 2.5
Fearless Prediction: South Carolina 31 ...Kentucky 20

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

Pro's vs. college






My argument isn’t weather NCAA football is better then the NFL but rather are college cheerleaders hot then Pro Cheerleaders. After listening to Colin Cowherd on ESPN radio one day go on and on about how NFL cheerleaders are one dance move away from a striper pole. Looking back I remember always hearing about the Dallas cowgirls and the Miami dolphin cheerleaders on TV, but as I got older and started to take a closer look, these women aren’t as attractive as I had once thought. Watching the Alabama/Florida game last weekend got me thinking. Who wouldn’t want to see 18-21 year old girls being thrown in the air with short skirts on compared to 30 year old make-up covered women dancing like sluts on a NFL field? Let me know your feed back on the comparison of who has the hotter cheerleaders.

Friday, September 30, 2005

Ray does it again




The University of South Carolina has been ranked #1 by collegiate Baseball newspaper’s 23rd annual rundown of NCAA division 1 baseball recruiting classes.

This marks the 2nd time in the last three years that the gamecocks have brought in the nation’s top recruiting class orchestrated by Jim Toman.

The class includes 23 athletes which breaks down to 13 high school players and 10 junior college athletes.

The two players that will play a major role in this years season will be two SC studs Reese Havens from Biship England H.S and Justin Smoak, from Stratford H.S. Both were all-America last year in high school. A few notable players that will shine in a gamecock uniform, Will Atwood, SC AAA player of the Year, and Mike Cisco from Wando H.S.

Poor Clemson, I guess 24 is good too, see you in the spring.

Thursday, September 29, 2005

2nd award of the season



Best offensive line in college football

For the 2nd college football award of the season we will go with “the best offensive line” 1st let me rule out South Carolina, my school of choice might have the worst offensive line in the NCAA. The best offensive line goes to Minnesota Golden Gophers; they might as well have the best running back in the nation as well. In 4 games Laurence Maroney has rushed for 698 yards, and the offensive line has been doing it’s part to open up the holes for this talented runner. In 2nd place University of Southern Cal, who give Matt enough time to throw a 100 bound medicine ball to a handicapped player.

For more awards this season stay turned

SEC CHAMPIONSHIP (ALABAMA VS. FLORIDA)


In week 5 of the football season we find 4-0 florida vs. 4-0 Alabama.

Dev thinks that Florida is going to pull this one out but I have a feeling that Alabama's defense is going to give Chris Leak a day to remember.

Foxsports outlook on the game

Keys to the Big Games — Florida at Alabama:

Ryans' Hope — The University of Alabama has been blessed with some of the best linebacker talent college football has ever seen. No matter how far back you go in the history of Alabama football, it's a pretty safe bet that you'll find a linebacker worthy of making plays on par with anyone, anywhere. Bama LB DeMeco Ryans is this year's star linebacker and he'll play a significant role on Saturday. Florida struggled picking up the different blitz packages that Tennessee threw at them in the first half of that game, and there's no question that Tide DC Joe Kines will fashion some of his game plan around using Ryans in the same capacity. Ryans was flat out phenomenal against Arkansas, piling up 15 tackles, two for a loss and a sack, and he should have the chance to add to those stats this weekend. In sure passing situations, the key for Florida is how they protect QB Chris Leak, and keep Ryans out of the backfield. If Florida OC Dan Mullen and Urban Meyer wish to use one of their running backs to man up on Ryans, Leak might be on his backside a few too many times. The Tide LB may only blitz if the Florida offensive line slows down DE Wallace Gilberry and the four man rush, which isn't a 100% guarantee, as it is. But, the speed that Ryans shows off the edge, in combination with Gilberry and company, should create problems for the Florida offense.
TNT — Florida may have the flashier of the two offenses, but the most explosive player on the field will be wearing crimson - #4 Tyrone Prothro. The mighty mite is the one player that Florida may not have an answer for this Saturday. He doesn't get a ton of publicity, but the teams that have tried to corral Prothro have run into issues. Whether it's in the passing game, the kicking game or taking shotgun snaps from center, Prothro will make a play that could turn the tide of the game, no pun intended. And, when he makes a play, he can give the entire offense a boost. In the Southern Miss game, down by 11, he made the catch of the millennium, snagging a throw from Brodie Croyle on the back of a Southern Miss DB. After that catch, the Tide offense caught fire, and put up 20 straight points on the board. He puts a charge into the offense every time that he touches the ball, and Florida hasn't seen a guy this year who can ‘open it up' in as many different ways as Prothro can. Keep an eye on where Prothro lines up throughout the game, and how many ‘various' ways Mike Shula can find to get him the ball. He's a keg of dynamite, waiting to explode, and Saturday will be his show.

Webb of Deceit — With having to live in the shadow of the offense, you'll have to excuse the Florida defense if they have a life size chip on their shoulder. But, this might be the most talented defense that Florida has had in some time, and they may not have ever had a play making corner like Dee Webb. The former Ed White star will be on the spot much of the day, as he'll be matched up with Prothro and DJ Hall, a lesser known, but equally talented receiving threat. Webb's ‘length' is tough for opposing receivers and also for quarterbacks attempting to throw to his side. Not only does Webb cover like a blanket, he's got solid ball skills and breaks on the ball as well as anyone in the SEC. Hall and Prothro are completely different receivers, and Webb's approach to covering them will be a major factor to whether Florida shuts down the Alabama passing game. Webb and Vernell Brown have been strong this year, but this pair of receivers is just as good as what they saw against Tennessee. If Webb is aggressive in coverage early, knocking a ball down or intercepting a pass, Croyle may want to go away from him, limiting his looks to one side of the field. That's a huge advantage for the Gators to say the least.

Conclusion — The Rivalry is back. Back in the early to mid 1990s when the Gators and the Tide battled every year for the SEC championship, now that was fun. And, it's back. Undefeated Gators. Undefeated Tide. This ought to be to be fun. For all that Alabama has going for it, the success of this game, and this season, rests on the capable shoulders of QB Brodie Croyle. With the loss of Ray McDonald at DE, the Gator pass rush isn't as dominant as it could be. If the Tide OL can give Croyle the time, he has the receivers that will get open and make plays. At home, the Tide makes the Bear proud.

Alabama 17 ... Florida 14

Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Best name in college football

Ok so I will be giving awards out this year on my blog for different things during the season, and this week I will be giving out the "best name in college football."

And the winner is Jim Bob Cooter of the Tennessee Vol's. As a 4th string QB, who will probably never see the field, he has to have something going for him, and it is his name. How could you forget a name like that? If you don't believe me, here is his profile from the UT website.




http://utsports.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/cooter_jimbob00.html

Congrat's Mr. Cooter

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Troy comes to town






As we prepare for the 2nd of three games with schools from Alabama, our 2nd cake team comes to town. The University of Troy, aka Troy State, from Troy, Alabama. Hopefully the stadium will stay full till the end this week but if not I hope tailgating is a blast like last week. If you haven't seen the pictures go to http://community.webshots.com/album/454774341aJmqga and check out the tailgating party. My prediction for the Troy game is 34- 10 Carolina. Spurrier is playing some freshman this week on Defense to try and spark some heart. I have a feeling this is the game that is going to turn around the Carolina season. See you on Saturday.

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Alabama will need a great catch like last week to defeat the Cocks


Crimson Tide fans have an opportunity to make their voices heard as junior wide receiver Tyrone Prothro’s acrobatic catch against Southern Miss is listed as one of four Pontiac Game Changing Performances from this weekend

Fans can go to www.espn.com and type in the word ‘Pontiac’.

Vote for the best play of the week to help determine which NCAA football school wins Pontiac’s weekly $5,000 general scholarship contribution. Voting begins every Sunday, 10:00 AM EST and ends Wednesday, at 11:59 PM EST.

Fans can then watch ESPN’s half-time show on Thursday to catch the weekly winner. Vote again every week leading up to the $100,000 "performance of the Year" scholarship.


This week Alabama will be in Columbia to take on the 1-1 Gamecocks, coming off a tuff lose to the overrated Georgia Bulldogs. Spurrier has the Cocks going in the right direction; the offense seems to be coming around. 2 decent performances by Sophomore QB Blake Mitchell has the offense confidence growing weekly. The new addition to the secondary last week was a shock to most but with the talent on this team I hope to see more players filling new rolls. My prediction for this SEC match-up is, Carolina 24- 17 over Bama . Ko Simpson finally gets his first INT, and Jonathan Joseph records two INT this week.

Thursday, September 01, 2005

Poor guy didn't have a chance


This is the last time I let Katharine take bailey for a drive. Poor guy didn't have a chance.

Friday, August 26, 2005

Big Thursday





On Thursday September 1st, as the crowds gather to celebrate a new season of gamecock football and to welcome our new coach Steve Spurrier. The smell of Bourbon and Hamburgers will feel the streets of Columbia as 88,000 fans pour into the claws of William Brice Stadium. Just thinking about it gives me goose bumps. I can't wait. I will update after Thursday Night. Hopefully I make it into work on Friday.

Friday, August 19, 2005

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

The Beagle from Hell

Bailey is a year old and weights right around 28 pounds. I bought Bailey the day before Easter last year off the Indian reservation. The old Indian has been drinking I thought that I was his boss man when I pulled up to the trailer. Then old man was very nice and was really excited that I was there to buy one of his puppies. Each time I picked up a beagle (mixed with a basset hound) he would tell me some crazy deal about if you buy one dog, you get a chicken for free, or a go-cart for 50 dollars. After about an hour of the Indians yard sale tactics I finally found the dog I was looking for, the runt of the litter. I paid the man 25 dollars and put Bailey in a box in the front seat of my truck. Upon arriving back home from the reservation, my sister Kate pick up bailey to be surprised with a stream of dog pee. That is when I knew that Bailey was going to be a great dog. Now that Bailey is grown up and lives in my garage (because he can get out of any fence, tie up, cage or other type of containment unit for dogs) he has a pretty simple life of barking and starching. He now has a girlfriend that he sees on a regular basis, her name is Carman and she is a Min- Pin. They chase each other around the house and yard for hours before passing out on the couches in the living room. Over all Bailey has been a pretty good dog, but he can still raise a little hell with that howl and his constant attempts to escape the fence.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

netflix of the week June 28

I watched Coach Carter last night, staring Samuel L. Jackson and was amazed by the message this move presented. It had an accurate account of what is wrong with professional athletes in this day in age. The story is based out of Richmond, California where a high school basketball team that has an attitude problem. Coach Carter takes the job as head coach and tries to teach these thugs how to be basketball players by showing respect towards themselves and the rest of the world. I highly recommend this movie to all parents that are having trouble showing there high school aged kids the importances of respect as well as the importances of an education.

Thursday, June 23, 2005

a sad day

Thursday June 23rd, 2005 one of the greatest Mormon centers of all time decided to call it quits on a great NBA career. That is right I am talking about 7 foot, 6 inches, the Massive Mormon Shawn Bradley. Drafted 2nd overall by the 76ers in 1993, the greatest shoot blocker of all time played 16 years for three different teams. Spent most of his career with the Dallas Mavericks as a back up center, averaging 8.1 points and 2.8 blocks per game.

Now what will Shawn Bradley do next, will he follow the footsteps of the last great big man Manute Bol . Maybe a Celebrity death match between the two great centers. May Shawn will do great things after his NBA career like sell Volkswagen bugs in Dallas or maybe start a chain of Shawn Bradley big and tall store for men.

Remember as we watch the college world series and the NBA finals this Thursday that one of the great big men in NBA history is calling it quits. He is truly a great American Mormon hero to all of us.