News of the strange --- Cat survives 80-foot fall from tree...

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. - 'Piper' the cat may have used up a life or two but was unharmed after falling nearly 80 feet from a tree. She had been in the tree for eight days when a rescuer started up to save her Monday. But a scared Piper crept away until the limb underneath her snapped (bad kitty).

She fell 80 feet, twisting and turning in the air before slamming onto the ground. It looked like a catastrophe, but Piper wasn't even dazed, scampering off before her owner Rodney Colvin could catch her.

Piper was found a few minutes later under a vehicle. Her owner said she had no broken bones and was only a little dehydrated.

I wonder if the cat landed on its' feet (you know the old saying)??? Something tells me the dog had something to do with this....

Be careful in Texas....

To put more 'thought provoking' news out their to our readership and doing some research I ran across an news story about a Bar Sweep in Texas.

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission sent a message to bar patrons last week. TABC agents and Irving police swept through 36 Irving bars and arrested about 30 people on charges of public intoxication. Agency representatives say the move came as a proactive measure to curtail drunken driving. North Texans interviewed by NBC 5, however, worried that the sweep went too far. At one location, for example, agents and police arrested patrons of a hotel bar. Some of the suspects said they were registered at the hotel and had no intention of driving. Arresting authorities said the patrons were a danger to themselves and others.

"Going to a bar is not an opportunity to go get drunk," TABC Capt. David Alexander said. "It's to have a good time but not to get drunk." Dallas comedian Steve Harvey agreed with the Texas residents who said the arrests infringed on individual rights. "If a guy's got a designated driver, go ahead and let him get toasted," Harvey told NBC 5.

Texas law states that inebriated individuals could be subjected to arrest anywhere for public intoxication. Harvey and other North Texans called the measure extreme. "That seems to be an extreme case," one man said. "You are self-contained, in the hotel, you're not going in the streets, it seems a little ridiculous." TABC officials said the sweep concerned saving lives, not individual rights. Harvey and others interviewed by NBC 5 said they believe drunken driving to be unacceptable, although Harvey wanted to confirm that the United States remains a free country.

"Freedom of drinking should always be allowed, and it is only American to let a guy get drunk where he wants to get drunk," Harvey said.

To me this seems a little extreme....I know drunk driving is bad and against the law but drinking and having a good time should not be. Some of these people were in a hotel bar and many were guests of the hotel. I guess next time you are on a business trip in the Texas area be careful at the hotel bar or out entertaining clients...you could be subject to arrest. This also could be a case of entrapment along some lines but bottom line this is bad public policy.

Next up on the chopping block for USC is the 'Noles...

What time is it?? That is right it is game time....and the USC Gamecocks will be on ESPN tonight (Tuesday, March 21) at 7 p.m.

USC, 19-15 and 6-10 SEC, continues its quest to defend its 2005 NIT title when it travels to former Metro Conference rival Florida State University, 20-9 and 9-7 ACC (fifth place), on Tues., March 21 at 7 pm. Both won first round games: USC hosting Western Kentucky on March 15 (74-55) and Florida State hosting Butler on March 17 (67-63). USC is traveling to FSU because FSU is the higher seed (No. 2 to USC's No. 3).

USC hasn't played Florida State since it joined the SEC 15 years ago. But, the two met up at least twice a year when there were members of the now extinct Metro Conference (1983-91). During that span USC posted an 8-12 record vs. the Seminoles, including a 4-4 record in Tallahassee. The Series: FSU leads 16-13.

The Gamecocks are 17-8 overall in the NIT and are 10-1 under head coach Dave Odom. USC has made it to Madison Square Garden in New York four times: 1969, 1975, 2002 and 2005. Carolina played in the championship in 2002 and in 2005. USC took home the championship in 2005 while finishing as the runner-up in 2002 to Memphis.

Maybe this Tisby thing will not hurt us and our team will step up tonight...we shall see. Go Cocks!

Change the gamecock name??

I ran across this article in The State paper the other day as I was going through recent headlines in the political world. I know politicians mean well, at least they try, but this is terrible idea. It is one of those ideas that when the idea is "thrown out" there for discussion the friend beside the person with the 'great idea' should have lend over and smacked him in the back of the head and so "no dumby."

The idea 'thrown out' there for discussion goes like this....."A Richland County senator says the University of South Carolina needs to rethink its' 'Fighting Gamecock' mascot if the Legislature passes tougher penalties on cockfighting.
If the bill passes, "how can we as lawmakers and other leaders of this state justify a major institution in our state running ads and logos on billboards with a fighting gamecock with spurs on the feet?" asked Sen. Darrell Jackson. Jackson's question came as Attorney General Henry McMaster testified before a Senate subcommittee asking lawmakers to pass a bill raising the penalties for cockfighting, which currently is a $100 fine. The comment came after McMaster said some bill opponents say cockfighting is a part of South Carolina's culture."

The point of the matter according to Sen. Jackson is the issue of the 'spurs' and removing them from the mascot. This is like telling the Florida Gators to remove the teeth from the Gator.....just a dumb idea.

First PETA and now this....when will they learn that USC will not change its' mascot??

Tisby out....

University of South Carolina senior center Antoine Tisby, coming off his best game of the season and one of the best of his career, has been suspended and his college career is "likely" over, coach Dave Odom said Monday.

The 6-foot-8, 237-pound Tisby won't play Tuesday night when USC (19-15) travels to Tallahassee, Fla., to face Florida State (20-9) in the second round of the NIT or probably again if the Gamecocks advance in the tournament, Odom said. "I would not think that he would be back with us," Odom said. "It's not likely that he would be back."USC's official news release said Tisby was suspended for a violation of team policy, but asked if he faced legal issues, Odom said, "No, no. I think it said academic, didn't it? It's a university deal."

This isn't the first time Tisby has been suspended. Odom suspended him this season against Wofford after Tisby overslept and missed practice. Last year, Tisby didn't play in USC's exhibition game or its opener because of what Odom called "time management" problems. Later, Tisby was suspended for three games for undisclosed reasons. Tisby's absence leaves USC with eight scholarship players and without a true post player. Ousmane Konate (ankle) and Keving Palacios (broken foot) are out with injuries.

Talk about bad timing.....I can only hope that some "black magic" will help us get past a good FSU team.....

Bracket busting....

None of last year's Final Four teams will be around for this year's regional semifinals and George Mason sent half of them home early.
The 11th-seeded Patriots, one of the more controversial at-large selections in the field of 65, beat Michigan State in the first round and eliminated defending national champion North Carolina 65-60 on Sunday. Illinois, the 2005 runner-up was beaten 67-64 by Washington in the second round Saturday. Louisville, the fourth member of last year's Final Four, didn't make the tournament this season.
The last time none of the previous year's Final Four teams were around for the second weekend was 1988. Indiana, the defending champion, was eliminated in the first round, while runner-up Syracuse and UNLV were ousted in the second round. Providence, like Louisville last year, was coached by Rick Pitino and didn't make the field.

Seriously, who picked George Mason and Bradley to make it this far??? I am now a fan of the 'shockers'......

Well now that March is here and the brackets are in, who are the favorites, who are the upset teams and who is going to be the biggest fluke. I am guessing the overall favorites this year would have to be Duke and U-conn respectively. Some upsets that could happen today, Winthrop over #2 seed Tennessee, or how about UW Milwaukee over Oklahoma. UW Milwaukee made a nice run later in the tournament making it all the way to the sweet 16. How about the biggest flops, could it be Gonazaga at the #3 spot in the Oakland bracket or how about Memphis as the #1 seed coming out of the very week Conference USA. There are a lot of things going on this weekend with St. Patty’s celebrations and basketball, I am sure there will be some upsets as well as green beer this weekend. Columbia has a great party going on and there will be a lot of old faces enjoying the festivity.

Insiders: My finail four
Oakland- UCLA
Washington DC- U-Conn
Minneapolis- Ohio State
Atlanta- Duke

Overall champs- U-Conn

I guess we will have to wait and see

Spring is in the air.....

The azaleas are blooming, the temperatures are rising, and USC's men's basketball team is preparing for the NIT (again). And the USC Football team has started practice!!!

10 Things to take notice over these next 15 days of Spring Practice....

1. Blake Mitchell, finally gaining weight and is at 203 on that 6 foot 3 inch frame, has a year under his belt but is it enough to hold off Cade and Company??? Will he lose the job???
2. Where will Cory Boyd fit into all of this and can he 'step up'? He is a great player but what will his role be?? The WR ranks and RB ranks are filled up with talent...
3. Can the O-line learn the offense quickly and produce results?? Big shoes to fill up front on both sides of the ball.....
4. Syvelle Newton....will he be ready for the 2006 season??? What will his role be now that Boyd is back, we got some great WRs and RBs ready to play....
5. Cade Thompson,QB -The Maryville, Tenn., native was redshirted as a freshman , but was on the travel squad for every road game and had a chance to absorb the offense. The 6-foot-2, 181-pounder will get to show what he learned as he tries to push starter Blake Mitchell for playing time.
6. O.J. Murdock, WR -While Sidney Rice broke out as the SEC's top receiver and freshman Kenny McKinley locked down a starting spot, Murdock was redshirted in 2005. But there is always room for another receiver in Steve Spurrier's offense, particularly one with the breakaway speed that Murdock has to unload.
7. Jared Cook,TE -Among USC's younger players, the 6-foot-5 freshman from Georgia was the star of several intrasquad scrimmages. Cook moves from a crowded receiving corps to tight end, where he gives the Gamecocks a big target in the passing game.
8. Carlos Thomas, CB-Thomas played mostly receiver as a freshman while dabbling on defense as a man-coverage specialist. Now a full-time cornerback, Thomas could emerge as a playmaker in a secondary that lost three starters, including two potential NFL first-rounders.
9. Jasper Brinkley,LB -USC fans will be forgiven for confusing linebackers Jasper and Casper Brinkley, twin brothers who signed with the Gamecocks out of Georgia Military College. But until Casper arrives this summer, the 6-2, 250-pound Jasper will have the spotlight and first crack at the starting middle linebacker spot - to himself.
10. Can the USC coaching staff begin to start putting on the together? A running game with a air attack?? Defense that plays to win not plays to hold a lead and which of the recruits will step up for 2006?

Not enough at the end....

It was a great run and would have made for a great story line but it was not the ending of USC’s improbable run that grabbed coach Dave Odom’s attention. It was that the Gamecocks, who were one loss from finishing in last place in the SEC East, made it all the way to the SEC Championship Game. “They did an extraordinary thing. They answered the bell every day,” he said. “They fell 2 points short of the championship, but they measured up in every other way.” USC, however, also fell slightly short of an NCAA Tournament appearance. The Gamecocks, whose only chance to make the field of 65 was to earn the league’s automatic bid, will return to the NIT for the second consecutive year. They will play Western Kentucky at home in the first round on Wednesday, and let's all hope that they can make a nice run to the NIT Finals like last year.