USC's Young gets those charges dropped

Columbia police dropped two charges Friday against University of South Carolina offensive guard Kevin Young. A municipal court judge dismissed charges of fighting and resisting arrest after police said they didn't plan to pursue the case. After being arrested March 2, Young said police used excessive force against him, an allegation that is continuing to be investigated by the State Law Enforcement Division.

Good for Young and now he can rest all spring and not worry - Young in practice broke a bone and tore his labrum, and will most likely undergo surgery for the third time in his career in the next few weeks.

Mark out Capel on the short list

Seems USC AD Eric Hyman can mark off Jeff Capel from his short list of who could be the next USC men's basketball coach. Reported by the Tulsa World paper and our friend over the Garnet and Black Attack, seems Capel has agreed to nice raise and a contract extension.

Again here is the LOHD short list for Mr. Hyman to use - here.

I know the STATE says that now that Capel is out of the picture that USC has focused on Darrin Horn...BUT....Why shouldn't Hyman inquire about this guy or this guy? Seems to fit the mold of what USC needs...a guy who can recruit, has ties to the area, automatic name ID, loads of experience, young/hungry and are a minority which seems to be what USC is after....just thrown' it out there.

SC House to take on Strippers and their Patrons

In non-gamecock related news.....A SC House subcommittee yesterday passed a bill that would mandate that exotic dancers (i.e strippers) could not come within 6 feet of customers under SC House Bill 3679 that will now go to the full SC House Judicial Committee.

Also Strip clubs and other sexually oriented businesses would not be able to operate between midnight and 6 a.m., according to this bill currently shaking its' way through the SC House.

Here are some interesting parts to this bill:

B) While on the premises of an adult business or a sexually-oriented business:
(1) an employee, while in a state of sexually explicit nudity or while semi-nude, may not knowingly do the following:
(a) appear in the view of a patron unless the employee is at least six feet from all patrons and on a stage at least two feet above the floor;
(b) touch a patron or the clothing of a patron; or
(c) while in the view of a patron, touch another person who is in a state of sexually explicit nudity or while semi-nude;
(2) no patron knowingly shall touch an employee while that employee is in a state of sexually explicit nudity or while semi-nude, or touch the clothing or costume of an employee while that employee is in a state of sexually explicit nudity or while semi-nude; and
(3) an employee of an adult business or a sexually-oriented business who regularly appears in a state of sexually explicit nudity or while semi-nude on the premises of that adult business or sexually-oriented business may not knowingly be or remain within six feet of a patron.

Rep Scott Talley, R-Spartanburg, who introduced the bill, said restricting when sexually oriented businesses can operate would cut down on early morning crime -- drugs, assaults, property crimes -- he said is common at strip clubs. And we thought he just didn't want strippers to touch people ... thoughts?

Shouldn't the SC Legislature be foucsing on bigger issues...I don't know like education and figuring out how to correct the fact released this past Wednesday from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis stating that personal income in South Carolina grew 4.2 percent last year, to just over $31,000. That figure ranks South Carolina's per capita income as the 4th-lowest in the country, followed by Arkansas, West Virginia and Mississippi.

I'm just sayn'....

Clemson can not be happy

About this....seems Clemson commit Kenneth Page is off to a good start in his career, just look at that loot. I got to give a big hat-tip to The Cool Chicken for the 'find' and this makes you wonder just how the clemson community must feel....I guess they will have to offer checks and not cash anymore to future recurits.

Oh and in case you were wondering this pic above was on his myspace page before he had to remove and something tells me it was not his decision.....hmmmm.

For more on this story go HERE, HERE and HERE.

MORON OF THE MONTH

In this clip that was posted by The State newspaper a girl gets tazered by a police officer. The State tries to make it a racial issue but this is the perfect example of why they use tazers. It is a longer clip, but well worth the watch http://videos.thestate.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=1790099 . The officer asks her over 20 times for license and registration and she refuses the whole time. Then he tells her she is under arrest tries to place her in cuffs and she resists. She got everything she deserved, but what does she start yelling lawsuit and thanks for making me rich. If this case makes it to trial and she even comes close to winning all the jurors need to be drug out in the street and shot for allowing another moron to sue over something that is their fault and got everything they deserved. JR has never been tazered because he knows better than to fight with the popo

USC suspends Garcia from football team until Aug. 15

University of South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia was suspended today from all team activities until Aug. 15 by USC Athletic Director Eric Hyman.

The suspension stems from a third run-in with the law in 15 months for the redshirt freshman, who was one of three players charged Saturday with underage drinking by university police (not to mention a little episode of putting out a fire later that evening). It will mark the second straight year Garcia has been suspended from spring drills.

In addition, according to THE STATE , University officials have suspended Garcia from summer school and will require him to participate in an in-depth alcohol counseling program and submit to drug / alcohol tests if he wishes to return to school in mid-August, when summer school ends. So Garcia would have to be readmitted to USC. Garcia will be allowed to finish this semester at USC, but must move out of campus housing next week.

Thoughts? Do you agree with the punishment?

LOHD NCAA Tourney Challenge - Update

Two rounds down and plenty left in store...based on the 'scenario generator' on Yahoo Sports seems TMac and General Malaise have the best chances to come out on top if all the cards fall in the right way for them but there is still a lot of basketball to be played.

Nonetheless, here is the latest updated standings:

1. flounder with 47 points
2. tmacballers with 45 points
3. Man Hands with 43 pts
4. General Malaise with 42 pts
4. Dilligaf with 42 pts
6. 2manycocktails with 41 points
6. Cashmoney with 41 points
6. Old Man with 41 pts
9. JR with 40 points
9. Long and Soft with 40 points
11. Driggs Ballas with 39 points
12. Dukies33 with 37 pts
12. A-dubs with 37 pts
12. big angry with 37 pts
15. top dog with 36 pts

Thoughts on Garcia and the next step

So what do you say or what can you say? There have been seven USC players arrested or cited since Dec. 31, including five charged with alcohol- or drug-related offenses...GEEEZ!

At first, I found it ok to help find excuses for these"kids" because let's all agree that we have all made mistakes and can some how relate BUT enough is enough. After about the fourth time a USC player helped THE University of South Carolina gain some front page press in state-wide media publications...my patience and understanding when south.

As Moose asked in yesterdays' report on this incident and the Sunday Morning QB wrote about it here - What shall Spurrier do with Mr. Garcia?

This is the third time Stephen Garcia has gotten in trouble since graduating early and enrolling at USC in January 2007. He was suspended for spring practice last year following two arrests in two weeks. Garcia was arrested for drunkenness and failure to stop on police command last February in Five Points before being charged with keying a visiting professor’s car on campus two weeks later. USC coach Steve Spurrier said Garcia’s “fate is in the hands of the University of South Carolina.”

In my view, I think one of two things should happen to Mr. Garcia, he either needs to be suspended from all team activities like Corey Boyd did in 2005 and sent home OR removed from the team for good.

Not that he needs to be made an example of but this kind of disrespect needs to be dealt with harshly. Team rules need to be enforced and if broken again and again - well it is time to think a little bigger on 'what to do' with players and breaking the law. Tanner kicked a kid off the team who was one of the best players on the team/nation and was a freshman; granted he stole something but his star power was overlooked and it was dealt with harshly.

It is time for Spurrier and the University to 'nip this in the bud;' this whole issue of players getting in trouble, I am not sure if USC/Columbia PD are out to get players but it is time to stop gaining national attention for off the field mistakes. He has had his chances and needs to be treated like a adult. It may be good for him to go home to Tampa be with his child and realize that he is no longer a kid and has a wonderful opportunity to play football for Spurrier, be highly praised and get a 'free' education.

I think most fans agree that we do want to win but let's not sacrifice our dignity in the name of it. It is beyond being funny and now it is bad...bad for fans, bad for current players, bad for future players and bad for past players.

Thoughts?

Same ol' story in Clemson

Excuse me while I laugh for a minute about this; seems expectations are high again for Clemson's football team. Seems most think Clemson can win the ACC and I tend to agree about their chances in 08. BC and others are going to have down years and they have a well balanced team but I truly feel the biggest thing holding Clemson back is Bowden. That "play not to lose mentality" has hurt CU over and over and will continue until a "play to win / take some risks" creeps into the mindset of little Bowden.

Thoughts?

What the hell is wrong with you

As reported today by the state and 107.5, it looks like Garcia is in trouble again. He was arrested this time for drinking under age on campus with a back up QB and offensive lineman. What makes it worst is his older brother is the one charged with buying the beer. Damn it Garcia, keep your ass out of trouble so you can win the Gamecocks so football games. What will Spuirrer do?

so you get a 2nd chance

Yahoo has a 2nd chance bracket if anybody is interested. My first 2 rounds didn't as well as planned so I if you would like to pick the rest of the games correct, here you go.

Yahoo group ID: 3652
Password: buns2
..

Good luck to all