Baseball already

First Baseball poll is out


Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's NCAA Div. I Pre-Season Poll Rank School ('07 Record) Points


1. Arizona (42-17) 496
2. South Carolina (46-20) 493
3. Arizona St. (49-15) 491
4. Mississippi (40-25) 487
5. North Carolina (57-16) 486
6. Rice (56-14) 483
7. San Diego (43-18) 481
8. Texas (46-17) 478
9. Wichita St. (53-22) 476
10. Michigan (42-19) 473
11. Vanderbilt (54-13) 471
12. Florida St. (49-13) 468
13. Clemson (41-23) 466
14. Miami, Fla. (37-24) 464
15. Missouri (42-18) 461
16. Cal. St. Fullerton (38-25) 459
17. Long Beach St. (39-20) 455
18. UCLA (33-28) 452
19. Oregon St. (49-18) 451
20. Kentucky (34-19-1) 447

day 2 of operation Fire Uncle Dave

Dave think about the children, that love Gamecock Basketball, there little hearts can’t take much more of this. If we lose to College of Charleston tomorrow, be thankful that the students are not in town, or there might be some rioting going on in the Vista Granted Uncle Dave you did win Back to back NIT championships which might be one of the hardest things to do. No worries Uncle Dave, you can still come to the games, hang out in five points, and walk around talking to your giant hands. We just need to win some basketball games, preferable against some SEC teams so we have the chance to make the NCAA tournament

Fire uncle Dave

I was a Dave Odom supporter for the past 2 years saying that once he got the 2 transfers in and Holmes and Muldrow in the line up that he would be able to win some big games. Well after watching the game last night, I am pretty much done with Dave Odom. Hyman go ahead and post a want ad at http://www.columbiahelpwanted.com/ for a new basketball coach. I am sure you can get a deal if you hire a women’s basketball coach at the same time. With a 20 point lead in the first half, I was feeling pretty good about our team after the exam break. I am now thinking we could be the worst team in the SEC again this year, even with Kentucky sucking it up. Ole Billy Gillespie is already on the hot seat after the first 10 games, word on the street is, he will be gone after the season. Any team that has a big man, and large guards will beat Carolina this year. Downey, Fredrick’s and Brandis are all midgets compared to the guards in the SEC.

JR any word on a new Basketball coach? How about Tony Bennett from WSU, he could be a good fit.

VanGorder Named Defensive Coordinator

Yeap we were late to post the "breaking news" due to us here at the LOHD do have jobs, contrary to popular belief, but thanks to the commenter on this blog that forced us to post and to quit being productive employees so we can get USC news to the masses ASAP. Anyway, according to Rivals.com....the Defensive Coordinator hunt for USC is over.

Brian VanGorder has accepted the same position with South Carolina.

A press conference is scheduled for this afternoon at 4 p.m.

VanGorder, 48, was the Falcons' linebackers coach this year under Bobby Petrino, who bolted last week for Arkansas. It will be the fifth coaching stop in as many years for VanGorder. VanGorder has more than 25 years of coaching experience. During his stint in Athens, Georgia posted a 42-10 record, won one SEC championship, two SEC East Division titles, three consecutive bowl games and posted three consecutive top-10 finishes. The Bulldogs ranked among the nation's top defenses every year under VanGorder. During his final season at Georgia in 2004, VanGorder's defense finished in the top 10 in scoring defense.

This is a great move for Spurrier and USC! What do you guys think?

Oh and we were right - Fred Chatham got the "pink slip" today.

Where is Mr. Johnson today...

That is Ellis Johnson that we are talking about not Magic Johnson who has been with Hilary in Iowa doing some campaigning. The rumor is that Ellis is coming to Carolina to coach...right?.... but it now seems that he may be playing hard to get.

Today..... he is interviewing for the Defensive Coordinator job at Georgia Tech today, this according to a article in the AJC -- here.

So is he pulling a Tommy Bowden and playing teams against each other to get a good contract or is he just a 'hot commodity'?

Light it up Powell

That is what "Dunkie" the Dakota Wizards mascot on the left yells.

The mascot and the fans love them some Carlos Powell. He has been showing them why he was the 2nd overall pick in the D league draft about two months ago and he has not let the team exec's down since then....look at his stats through 9 games:

2007-08 D-League Statistics

22.4 - PPG
5.4 - RPG
4.0 - APG

Soon, I think Mr. Powell will be "called up" to the big boy league to join the likes of Balkman because the other two alum got cut.

Carolina Alums get cut...

According to the NBA Transaction wire both ex-Carolina 'ballers' Brandon Wallace and Tarence Kinsey were waived yesterday.

Guard Tarence Kinsey, a 6-6, 189-pound guard, was averaging 3.6 points and 1.1 rebounds in 8.7 minutes in 11 appearances this season. An undrafted free agent out of South Carolina, he averaged 7.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in his rookie season with the Grizzlies in 2006-07. Kinsey came on strong late in the season when he was named the NBA’s Western Conference Rookie of the Month after averaging 18.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.63 steals last April.

Wallace signed as an undrafted free agent on July 10, 2007. The 6'9" forward out of the University of South Carolina did not appear in any regular season games for the Celtics. He averaged 1.2 points in 4.7 minutes per game during the preseason and was assigned to the Utah Flash of the NBA Development League on November 13, 2007. He averaged 12.5 points and 9.2 rebounds in six games for the Flash.

We here at LOHD hope Kinsey and Wallace get picked up real soon by somebody other than a european league!

FSU is going down the drain

With news of this ESPN Report yesterday and this on Rivals...maybe FSU fans should re-think their love for Bobby because he is losing control of the program.

It is being reported that "as many as 20 Florida State football players will be suspended from playing against Kentucky in the Dec. 31 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, as well as the first three games of the 2008 season, for their roles in an alleged cheating scandal involving an Internet-based course." Somebody gots some explaining to do....Jumbo may get his chance sooner than he thought b/c enough is enough with the CEO...I mean Head Coach Bowden.

Peach Bowl Game Plan getting fuzzy for CU

Upstate news outlets are finally getting around to reporting that things are not all "peachy" for Clemson as they prepare to take on Auburn in the "Tiger Bowl"...I mean the Peach Bowl. The State newspaper covered this earlier today - here - but it always takes the Greenville News a little later to catch a news story especially if it is bad news about Clemson.

Seems some of their players forgot why they are at Klempson or at least forget to do the second reason as the first is to play football, right? Chris Capote (OT), Nick Watkins (MLB), and Tramaine Billie (LB) are all three out due to being ruled academically ineligible to play. All three are fifth year seniors. All three are definitely out. Also, linebacker Courtney Vincent was pulled over for a DUI charge but is still practicing with the team and is still expected to play (Bowden has balls for that...maybe he knows something we don't?).

Oh and check out Mr. Billie's website - here.

Cheers to Corey Boyd

Throw your hands up......We here at LOHD salute you Mr. Corey Boyd. As he received a diploma during commencement exercises for December graduates at the Colonial Center. His degree is in hospitality management.

Thank your for your leadership and hardwork on the field and you will be missed!

Best of luck in the future and your next beer is on us or at least Moose.

Rumor has it

Nick Saban not happy with Alabama Cheat now, win now life style, might be taking his camp to WVU. Rumors have hit the internet war boards like a California wild fire. Granted most have been sister loving West Virginia fans hoping to make a big name coaching hire since there one and only RR left for big blue. Saban has been out of the news for a while, now that Bobby P is the most hated SEC coach. He could make a new name for himself if he jumped from one crazy fan base to another. Any thoughts on this situation brewing in the mountains.

New Coach at USC

not the one we are all waiting to hear about - the next defensive coordinator - but a new 'Special teams coordinator' for the USC football program. Sounds interesting doesn't?

Today, it was announced that the University of South Carolina football program added Ray Rychleski to the coaching staff. Seems we stole him away from the University of Maryland and is a good hire.....Read more about it HERE.

So what will happen to Shane Beamer and Fred Chatham? They both shared the title of Co-Special Teams Coordinator....is someone else about to get a "pink slip" or re-assigned?

Was the two block punts against Clemson the end of Beamer Ball at USC? There was a rumor out on the "Gamecockcentral" message board after Nix left that Fred Chatham was going to be next to leave.....does this mean that there is some truth in those message boards? Chatham may leave but I think Shane Beamer will stay but get a new set of tasks.....anyone got thoughts?

Disturbing at best

UConn-97 SoCar 39

Anybody want to talk women's basketball

Rumor: Johnson offered DC job at USC

South Carolina may have its next defensive coordinator.....Sources close to the Mississippi State program have told Gamecock Central that Bulldogs' defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson has been offered the job and that he will likely accept.

GamecockCentral is reporting that Johnson, a former head coach at The Citadel, was offered the job Sunday night in a phone call by Gamecock head coach Steve Spurrier. Conversations between the parties took place "throughout the weekend," the sources said. Mississippi State officials expect Johnson to accept the job, the sources said.Mississippi State made an effort Monday to retain Johnson, offering him a two-year contract. However, the financial terms will not approach what USC is willing to pay Johnson, sources said.

As the world turns on the next DC for USC...

Defensive Coordinator that is...for USC? I encourage you to visit The Garnet and Black Attack - HERE because he breaks down the contenders for the Def. Coordinator job, as Borat would say, "very nice."

However, it seems the Bud Foster (VT Def Coor) rumor had some truth to it because The State is reporting that "Foster told reporters in Virginia on Saturday that he turned down an offer to serve as Spurrier’s defensive coordinator — the second time in nine years he has done so."

Below is a recap of what the 'rumor mill' is producing as far as candidates for the USC Defensive Coordinator job:

• Jon Hoke (Texans)
• Charlie Strong (Florida)
• Ed Oregron (unemployed)
• Jon Tenuta (Georgia Tech)
• Brian Van Gorder (Falcons)
• Kevin Steele (Alabama)
• John Chavis (Tennessee)
• Reggie Herring (Ark)
• Ellis Johnson (MSU def. coor)