Oh yeah, there's a game this week ...

posted by David Cloninger, 11/06/2008 11:23:00 PM

"It's been one week."
----------- BARENAKED LADIES

Boy, these overlapping seasons really catch up to the ol' copy-churners after a while ...

Thoughts about the latest quarterback switcheroo, hoops and random other tidbits.

-- Losing to South Carolina sure is tough on a Tennessee coach, huh? I didn't know whether Gamecocks should feel proud or disgusted. It's like a UT coach can do anything and retain his job, but if he loses to USC, hit the bricks.

The business is just too tough these days. Ten-win seasons, qualifying for the league championship game, none of it's good enough. It's always, 'What have you done for me lately?'

I think the problem is fans can see their team lose 50 straight games, but once they get that one win, they get used to it right away. They don't remember the hard times because now there's been a good time.

It's even in effect by some folks in Columbia right now. I talked to a dude last week who told me an 8-4 season would be "a disappointment."

So what was 6-6?

-- A guy rolled past the Bluff Road practice fields on Thursday in a black pickup truck, windows down and blaring Ace of Base's "The Sign."

Really.

Probably on his way to the lodge to catch the latest snipe hunt coverage.

-- So Steve Spurrier says he'll let the pre-game warm-ups decide who starts at quarterback against Arkansas. I wonder if Stephen Garcia and Chris Smelley get to choose which one of them gets to throw to Kenny McKinley in the pre-game.

Don't be alarmed. I'd lay 10-to-1 that Garcia gets the start and plays the majority of the game, even if Smelley checks in. One well-trained, superior-educated journalist said a few weeks ago that even if Garcia took over the starting job, Smelley would be back in at some point, and this seems to be the week (coming in because Garcia was hurt last week doesn't count).

Even if it's just for one series, I believe Spurrier just wants to give Smelley some reps to let him know he's not forgotten. Plus, keeping Smelley always in the backup role lets Garcia know that he's still under Spurrier's thumb.

And Smelley can play. Sure, he holds onto the ball too much but he can control the game. His main problem is his chief competition seemingly can always turn busted plays into positive yards, while Smelley has never had that kind of magic in his hip pocket.

-- A question, dear brethren. All of those political bumper stickers that have been handed out over the past two years -- do the people that sport the election losers on their vehicles get any kind of discount at the dealership?

-- Darrin Horn says Mike Holmes and Sam Muldrow are suspended for Friday's exhibition game, leaving the Gamecocks with nine players. What's more, Muldrow could be out for a lot more if he doesn't get his academics in line.

The official word from Horn was that Muldrow will play once his academic struggles are resolved. There's no timetable set on that, so I'm guessing it could be next week, it could be two weeks, it could be December. We'll just have to wait and see.

Either way, that's a real thin bench for the exhibition. The four guys on it have a combined 100 career minutes.

-- Another guy rolled past the practice field and hollered, "Go Arkansas!" Obviously some ignorant savage not trained in the ways of SEC battle cries.

The educated tongue would have screeched, "Whooooooooooooo pig, sooooooooiiiieeeeeeeeeee!"

-- The greatest sports movie montage in history is the beginning of "Rocky III." Just amazing. Even if it is set to "Eye of the Tiger."

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