Talking USC while watching Clemson
posted by David Cloninger, 10/09/2008 11:01:00 PM
Anyway … a few thoughts and musings before I depart for Lexington, Ky., tomorrow, written while viewing the Clemson-Wake Forest game.
This has to be one of the worst football games ever played. Clemson has no idea of its skill players on offense – mostly because it’s hard to get the ball to them when Cullen Harper is flat on his back two seconds after the snap – and Wake Forest won’t go for the jugular. Two possessions inside the 5 and three combined points?
Man, was it refreshing at practice tonight. No holding the cell phone, ready to call somebody at a computer the minute I hear who the starting quarterback is. No breathless anticipation or tired frustration at Steve Spurrier holding the announcement until Thursday, milking the drama for all it’s worth.
Spurrier never even mentioned Chris Smelley’s name, that’s how concrete the choice was. He made that decision as soon as last week’s win was over.
Just saw a Clemson commercial – “The Paw Says It All.” Not tonight, it don’t. And where the hell is Erin Andrews?
Of course last week was a big win, but I want to see if it truly turned the season around. We won’t know that until the year’s over, but it definitely stopped the bleeding.
The Gamecocks desperately needed the Ole Miss win but they have to really take advantage of it on Saturday and in the future. Any aspirations of SEC titles are probably on the back-back-back burner, but USC still has plenty to play for – by my eye, the schedule sets up very well for seven wins, maybe eight wins.
Why does Rob Spence still have a job? The guy deliberately tries to do stuff that’s unexpected, despite having one of the best tailback tandems in the country, a terrific wide receiver and a solid quarterback. Just use what works; there’s a novel concept. Tommy Bowden’s even got the precedent now after Auburn axed Tony Franklin yesterday.
“The Mad Scientist” – to quote a great former sports editor, “Yeah, the genius it must have taken to come up with a 3-yard bubble screen.”
I want to see how well USC can work the big-game hangover on Saturday. They’ve played such close games in Lexington but they’ve still got an eight-game winning streak against the Wildcats. Anyone else remember the Mike Rathe game four years ago? You talk about ugly football – that one makes this Clemson-Wake debacle look like the Super Bowl.
Riley Skinner just, ahem, “threw” a pass that hit the fifth ring of Saturn on its way down. You do realize this is college football, right (even if it is the ACC)?
They just showed the state fair across the street from Wake’s stadium. Looks about the same as the one across from Williams-Brice Stadium, although probably with less Republicans.
The Deacs just went for it on fourth-and-4, didn’t make it, and Clemson immediately hits a 30-yard pass. I can’t really blame Jim Grobe because his kicker tonight makes Courtney Leavitt look like Adam Vinatieri, but GEEZ.
Great to see Kenny McKinley back full-speed on the practice fields. Although his absence helped give USC’s other receivers a boost and some of them took advantage of it, having McKinley back will help improve Smelley’s confidence even more.
Jesse Palmer must buy his ties at a beer-and-bait store. Those are atrocious.
C.J. Spiller is Puff Daddy. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. He looks exactly like him.
One of the refs, a rather pudgy individual, just got his ankle knocked out from under him on a sideline play. The only way that would have been funnier was if it was Brad Scott.
Terrence Campbell gets a fourth straight start at right guard. Great kid. Sure hope he holds onto the position, although the Mohawked Heath Batchelor may push him a bit.
Cripes. Wake intercepts inside the 30 and still can’t score a TD. Way to overthrow two wide-open receivers, Skinner; at this rate, he’ll be calling Sage Rosenfels for advice on how to handle being the world’s biggest goat.
Facing third-and-24, Wake picks up 27 yards. Makes me nostalgic for the days of Charlie “Third and Long” Strong.
That took some cojones. Clemson went for it on fourth-and-17 and got it. Nothing like having your neck on the chopping block to help out that decision, eh?
Oh boy, this does not look good. There are going to be some ballistic people up past Greenville in the morning. Bowden has got to be the greatest politician in the world, working that $4 million buyout. Methinks the collection plate has already been passed.
I truly expect to get to Lexington tomorrow and find out Clemson message boards are responsible for melting every Internet connection in a 400-mile radius.
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It was somewhere during those perfect G chords in The Smithereens’ “Blood and Roses” that I had the striking thought – is the electric hammer really such a nutty idea?
Anyway … a few thoughts and musings before I depart for Lexington, Ky., tomorrow, written while viewing the Clemson-Wake Forest game.
This has to be one of the worst football games ever played. Clemson has no idea of its skill players on offense – mostly because it’s hard to get the ball to them when Cullen Harper is flat on his back two seconds after the snap – and Wake Forest won’t go for the jugular. Two possessions inside the 5 and three combined points?
Man, was it refreshing at practice tonight. No holding the cell phone, ready to call somebody at a computer the minute I hear who the starting quarterback is. No breathless anticipation or tired frustration at Steve Spurrier holding the announcement until Thursday, milking the drama for all it’s worth.
Spurrier never even mentioned Chris Smelley’s name, that’s how concrete the choice was. He made that decision as soon as last week’s win was over.
Just saw a Clemson commercial – “The Paw Says It All.” Not tonight, it don’t. And where the hell is Erin Andrews?
Of course last week was a big win, but I want to see if it truly turned the season around. We won’t know that until the year’s over, but it definitely stopped the bleeding.
The Gamecocks desperately needed the Ole Miss win but they have to really take advantage of it on Saturday and in the future. Any aspirations of SEC titles are probably on the back-back-back burner, but USC still has plenty to play for – by my eye, the schedule sets up very well for seven wins, maybe eight wins.
Why does Rob Spence still have a job? The guy deliberately tries to do stuff that’s unexpected, despite having one of the best tailback tandems in the country, a terrific wide receiver and a solid quarterback. Just use what works; there’s a novel concept. Tommy Bowden’s even got the precedent now after Auburn axed Tony Franklin yesterday.
“The Mad Scientist” – to quote a great former sports editor, “Yeah, the genius it must have taken to come up with a 3-yard bubble screen.”
I want to see how well USC can work the big-game hangover on Saturday. They’ve played such close games in Lexington but they’ve still got an eight-game winning streak against the Wildcats. Anyone else remember the Mike Rathe game four years ago? You talk about ugly football – that one makes this Clemson-Wake debacle look like the Super Bowl.
Riley Skinner just, ahem, “threw” a pass that hit the fifth ring of Saturn on its way down. You do realize this is college football, right (even if it is the ACC)?
They just showed the state fair across the street from Wake’s stadium. Looks about the same as the one across from Williams-Brice Stadium, although probably with less Republicans.
The Deacs just went for it on fourth-and-4, didn’t make it, and Clemson immediately hits a 30-yard pass. I can’t really blame Jim Grobe because his kicker tonight makes Courtney Leavitt look like Adam Vinatieri, but GEEZ.
Great to see Kenny McKinley back full-speed on the practice fields. Although his absence helped give USC’s other receivers a boost and some of them took advantage of it, having McKinley back will help improve Smelley’s confidence even more.
Jesse Palmer must buy his ties at a beer-and-bait store. Those are atrocious.
C.J. Spiller is Puff Daddy. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. He looks exactly like him.
One of the refs, a rather pudgy individual, just got his ankle knocked out from under him on a sideline play. The only way that would have been funnier was if it was Brad Scott.
Terrence Campbell gets a fourth straight start at right guard. Great kid. Sure hope he holds onto the position, although the Mohawked Heath Batchelor may push him a bit.
Cripes. Wake intercepts inside the 30 and still can’t score a TD. Way to overthrow two wide-open receivers, Skinner; at this rate, he’ll be calling Sage Rosenfels for advice on how to handle being the world’s biggest goat.
Facing third-and-24, Wake picks up 27 yards. Makes me nostalgic for the days of Charlie “Third and Long” Strong.
That took some cojones. Clemson went for it on fourth-and-17 and got it. Nothing like having your neck on the chopping block to help out that decision, eh?
Oh boy, this does not look good. There are going to be some ballistic people up past Greenville in the morning. Bowden has got to be the greatest politician in the world, working that $4 million buyout. Methinks the collection plate has already been passed.
I truly expect to get to Lexington tomorrow and find out Clemson message boards are responsible for melting every Internet connection in a 400-mile radius.
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David Cloninger. David is a full-time staff writer for GamecockCentral, and covers Gamecock football, men's basketball, baseball and recruiting. He may be reached by email at david(at)gamecockcentral.com. Replace (at) with @.