Thinkin' (and Wishin') Out Loud
posted by David Cloninger, 4/05/2009 09:50:00 PM
-------- JAY AND THE AMERICANS
I hate catching myself playing the "What if?" game. It's a waste of valuable time and brain cells thinking about something that's never going to happen when I could be wasting them by instead perusing the bar menus in such exotic places as Landrum, S.C., after covering high school softball.
I did it again on Sunday, after walking to my car from Carolina Stadium -- good workout, pacing half a mile while humping a 50-pound bag, but that's beside the point.
If there was somehow a way to fuse the enthusiasm and the grittiness of this year's South Carolina baseball team with the talent of last year's ...
That little pause made a few of you do the same as I did. I whistled and my eyebrows started waggling, making it look as if two caterpillars are doing the Macarena on my forehead.
This year's team is full of a bunch of great kids. They get after it, they hustle, they love the game.
They don't have a lot of talent. That's no crime; that's the truth.
Last year's team was dripping talent. There was no way that team wasn't going to Omaha, yet it didn't.
Reason? Not much personality. That team knew it was good and knew it would win a lot of games with or without the rah-rah in the clubhouse. Then when it really needed that hootin' and hollerin', it couldn't get it.
The 2008 team, with the 2009 spark, would have been in the College World Series. There's not a doubt in my mind.
Likewise, if the 2009 team had just a piece of the 2008's team talent, be it pitching or hitting, no doubt the Gamecocks would be a lot better than 5-7 in the SEC.
As said before, that's all what-if territory. Last year is last year and it's never coming back.
But this year can still be saved. If the limited talent this year can play above its collective heads for just a few games, the Gamecocks could turn the year around.
I wrote a couple of weeks ago that it was too early to stamp the 2009 season. The Gamecocks had lost two of three to LSU, ranked sixth at the time, and that wasn’t as big of a deal as some made it out to be.
It’s two weeks later. While there are still six SEC series to go, the 2009 season is beginning to be defined.
USC doesn’t have a lot of talent – at least, not what’s expected at USC. Compared to some of the teams I’ve covered (like a few of the stalwarts in the Big South Conference), the Gamecocks look like the ’95 Braves (there’s too many Yankees comparisons).
But it’s got enough to at least give teams a tough out. That, combined with the previously mentioned fieriness, can offer a few surprises.
The goal has to be for USC to avoid falling into the trap of suffering through this year to get to next year, when everybody will have another full season of experience. That shouldn’t be a problem – through 30 games, I’ve yet to hear Ray Tanner offer any excuse for the losing.
If the Gamecocks get back to their plan – win on Friday behind Sam Dyson, steal a couple here and there, that should be good enough to get them to at least .500 in the SEC. That should turn into a trip to the SEC tournament, which, by history’s account, would be good enough to get to the NCAA Regionals.
It’s not over yet. This team won’t magically receive another Kip Bouknight and Steve Pearce overnight, but it’s got a lot of Nate Janowiczes and Brett Jodies that could maybe equal what one superstar would bring.
“We needed a series win; that didn’t happen,” closer Alex Farotto said, following the final Arkansas game. “Have to forget about it, come out and play hard against Clemson.”
They’ve got the flushing-the-last-loss part down already.
If they can get the gap between those parts a little wider, maybe those what-ifs will become reality.
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"Come a little bit closer."
-------- JAY AND THE AMERICANS
I hate catching myself playing the "What if?" game. It's a waste of valuable time and brain cells thinking about something that's never going to happen when I could be wasting them by instead perusing the bar menus in such exotic places as Landrum, S.C., after covering high school softball.
I did it again on Sunday, after walking to my car from Carolina Stadium -- good workout, pacing half a mile while humping a 50-pound bag, but that's beside the point.
If there was somehow a way to fuse the enthusiasm and the grittiness of this year's South Carolina baseball team with the talent of last year's ...
That little pause made a few of you do the same as I did. I whistled and my eyebrows started waggling, making it look as if two caterpillars are doing the Macarena on my forehead.
This year's team is full of a bunch of great kids. They get after it, they hustle, they love the game.
They don't have a lot of talent. That's no crime; that's the truth.
Last year's team was dripping talent. There was no way that team wasn't going to Omaha, yet it didn't.
Reason? Not much personality. That team knew it was good and knew it would win a lot of games with or without the rah-rah in the clubhouse. Then when it really needed that hootin' and hollerin', it couldn't get it.
The 2008 team, with the 2009 spark, would have been in the College World Series. There's not a doubt in my mind.
Likewise, if the 2009 team had just a piece of the 2008's team talent, be it pitching or hitting, no doubt the Gamecocks would be a lot better than 5-7 in the SEC.
As said before, that's all what-if territory. Last year is last year and it's never coming back.
But this year can still be saved. If the limited talent this year can play above its collective heads for just a few games, the Gamecocks could turn the year around.
I wrote a couple of weeks ago that it was too early to stamp the 2009 season. The Gamecocks had lost two of three to LSU, ranked sixth at the time, and that wasn’t as big of a deal as some made it out to be.
It’s two weeks later. While there are still six SEC series to go, the 2009 season is beginning to be defined.
USC doesn’t have a lot of talent – at least, not what’s expected at USC. Compared to some of the teams I’ve covered (like a few of the stalwarts in the Big South Conference), the Gamecocks look like the ’95 Braves (there’s too many Yankees comparisons).
But it’s got enough to at least give teams a tough out. That, combined with the previously mentioned fieriness, can offer a few surprises.
The goal has to be for USC to avoid falling into the trap of suffering through this year to get to next year, when everybody will have another full season of experience. That shouldn’t be a problem – through 30 games, I’ve yet to hear Ray Tanner offer any excuse for the losing.
If the Gamecocks get back to their plan – win on Friday behind Sam Dyson, steal a couple here and there, that should be good enough to get them to at least .500 in the SEC. That should turn into a trip to the SEC tournament, which, by history’s account, would be good enough to get to the NCAA Regionals.
It’s not over yet. This team won’t magically receive another Kip Bouknight and Steve Pearce overnight, but it’s got a lot of Nate Janowiczes and Brett Jodies that could maybe equal what one superstar would bring.
“We needed a series win; that didn’t happen,” closer Alex Farotto said, following the final Arkansas game. “Have to forget about it, come out and play hard against Clemson.”
They’ve got the flushing-the-last-loss part down already.
If they can get the gap between those parts a little wider, maybe those what-ifs will become reality.
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
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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 @.