tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49960503097715975882010-03-10T01:56:03.482-05:00Brian Shoemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659519822441072428noreply@blogger.comBlogger195125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-88367082251230456382010-03-10T01:54:00.001-05:002010-03-10T01:56:03.489-05:00

“God, give me one shot and I'll break right through,I am starting to be brand new.”------------------------------- O.A.R.NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Great movie, “Tin Cup.” I’ve long said that Kevin Costner’s only good roles are when he plays washed-up sports bums (with a notable exception coming in Clint Eastwood’s “A Perfect World”).There’s that scene where Roy McAvoy (Costner) is talking with Romeo (

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-20487366746504819992010-03-10T01:54:00.000-05:002010-03-10T01:55:26.383-05:00

“God, give me one shot and I'll break right through,I am starting to be brand new.”------------------------------- O.A.R.NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Great movie, “Tin Cup.” I’ve long said that Kevin Costner’s only good roles are when he plays washed-up sports bums (with a notable exception coming in Clint Eastwood’s “A Perfect World”).There’s that scene where Roy McAvoy (Costner) is talking with Romeo (

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-21691579149988057562010-03-03T10:21:00.000-05:002010-03-03T10:22:31.538-05:00

“Never can say goodbye.”------------ THE JACKSON 5All of you need to stop what you’re doing, right now, and make plans to watch South Carolina and Alabama play tonight. Even if you have to stop reading this column, which would punish my ego more than my last stood-up date, you need to do it.Because you won’t get this chance again. Ever.Tonight is Senior Night for five South Carolina Gamecocks,

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-61781125045995426022010-02-19T10:56:00.000-05:002010-02-19T10:57:07.123-05:00

“This is just a tribute.”-------------- TENACIOUS DMe and Ray Tanner go back a ways. His first year at South Carolina was my first year covering the team.As his 14th season dawns, he looks about the same while I’ve got a lot of gray hair, including some greatly disturbing ones in my beard. His team, naturally, looks completely different than the first one I saw back in 1997.Although I doubt this

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-35358232814219541762010-02-02T22:13:00.001-05:002010-02-02T22:13:40.721-05:00

“Cha-cha now, y’all.”------------------- MR. CWe now return you to your regularly scheduled lives … Marcus Lattimore smirked at the question and threw out a one-liner that would be etched on a plaque somewhere, if he was a quarterback from Jacksonville. Somebody asked how South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier closed the deal with his prized recruit, after a period where Lattimore was deeply

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-68765788643273468342010-01-19T23:47:00.000-05:002010-01-19T23:48:06.875-05:00

“I think it’s time we stop, children, What’s that sound,Everybody look what’s going down.”---------------- THE BUFFALO SPRINGFIELDThe country is locked into the worst financial depression since the one that popularized the term. The death toll in Haiti is at 70,000 and rising after a massive earthquake.Global warming is soon going to make us all have to walk around wearing 1,000-block suntan

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-51559291706440945782010-01-13T13:38:00.001-05:002010-01-13T13:39:35.954-05:00

“You talk too much,You never shut up.”----------- RUN DMCSo The Lane Kiffin Era ends after 14 months, 13 games, seven wins and at least six NCAA recruiting violations. I have to say I’m a little disappointed, because as much of a cannonball as that guy was, he was great for copy, even when the writer is on the beat of another school.I have no idea why Tennessee students acted the way they did

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-50955770757289235612010-01-08T00:31:00.001-05:002010-01-08T00:31:22.328-05:00

“When life is hard, you have to change.”------------------------------- BLIND MELONAs longtime followers of this space know, I have never coached a down of football, which is why I’m usually very careful about criticizing play-calling. I’m not even that good in PlayStation football – I win because I play with the 1989 49ers, who only lost games when they chose to (but I am one of the greatest

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-79620228989825219532010-01-03T16:24:00.001-05:002010-01-03T16:24:45.912-05:00

“Think.”------- ARETHA FRANKLINI get it.You’re angy and looking to vent, and you have a right to. South Carolina was terrible, awful, pathetically bad at the Papajohns.com Bowl and you as a fan should be justifiably steamed that such a fine last month put up snake-eyes on its first roll at the table.But calm down. Ignore the little chicken on your shoulder, the one in place of your conscience,

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-22393843857529853742009-12-22T12:09:00.000-05:002009-12-22T12:10:30.866-05:00

“Let me be your leader,Let me have control,The way I see it,It’s got to be right for you.I could be your pilot,Through the stormy seas,The way you see it,It’s just a case of trust in me.I could be your hero,I’ll be your piece of mind,The way that I see it,It’s got to be good for you.”----------------------------- NAZARETHDevan Downey, it is time.Time for you to take control over your team, and

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-85006200941512728462009-11-28T20:03:00.001-05:002009-11-28T20:07:06.856-05:00

“If feeling this good is a sin,Let's do it all over again.”---------------------- STROKE 9Look around the locker room, South Carolina, and start remembering.Remember how good a win over Clemson feels. Remember what the mental preparation over the last two weeks was like. Remember how nice it is to walk out of Williams-Brice Stadium after a dominant victory. For the rising seniors especially,

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-5935914196358188382009-11-26T20:21:00.000-05:002009-11-26T20:22:23.607-05:00

“Say what you must, do all you can,Break all the ------- rules andGo to hell with Superman.”----------- BAD RELIGIONOne time I saw a bunch of American college kids barely old enough to wipe the stubble off their chins beat an unbeatable team in the Olympics. Another time I viewed a group of never-woulds from Raleigh win a national championship. Still another time I watched a pack of players who

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-82004395892835476522009-11-25T01:53:00.001-05:002009-11-25T01:53:53.852-05:00

I feel compelled.To all Clemson supporters:This:is NOT A DAMN "O."I realize it looks cute and is very marketable, replacing the "o" in "Clemson" with it. But it is not, and never will be, a letter of the alphabet.I know how you will rebut -- "But Dave, USC uses a Gamecock to start 'Carolina.'" No, it doesn't. It uses a block "C" with the bird in it, which still has the letter present.It offends

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-60993002692411374822009-11-15T11:13:00.001-05:002009-11-15T11:13:47.802-05:00

“As long as it matters.”----------- GIN BLOSSOMSThis is the way it should be.South Carolina may not have to beat Clemson to claim a bowl berth, but a win makes it definite. It will also give the Gamecocks a great feeling going into the bowl, instead of the disappointment of the past two years.If they win.“Everybody’s going to get ready to play really well against Clemson,” quarterback Stephen

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-32281002104426200642009-11-07T22:33:00.000-05:002009-11-07T22:34:11.001-05:00

“There’s no other way that this can go,Shouldn’t you know that much by now?”---------------------------------- KENLEY YOUNGSteve Spurrier didn’t need the media to make him feel bad this time.His team did it for him.South Carolina’s third annual end-of-season swoon kept rolling on Saturday as the Gamecocks bumbled away another chance to inject some good feelings back into the program. Missed

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-10632677319925845512009-11-01T18:50:00.001-05:002009-11-01T18:51:32.222-05:00

“Go and save yourself.”--------- AUDIOSLAVEAs morose expressions dotted the landscape after Saturday’s 31-13 upset and upsetting loss at Tennessee, two of South Carolina’s players got to the postgame and spoke of optimism.Quietly and deliberately, Stephen Garcia and Moe Brown said they would not let the end of 2009 end like 2007 and 2008. They each said they were taking it upon themselves,

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-90463820510637402052009-10-26T16:59:00.000-04:002009-10-26T17:00:00.545-04:00

“Promises you made,Never become fact.”---------- BLACK FLAGWho would have thought that of all the teams who Lane Kiffin rankled during his first offseason at Tennessee, it would fall to South Carolina to be the teacher?Ol’ Kiffikins took great pride in blasting Florida, Alabama and USC when he was first hired, although he said it was all about promoting the name of the program. As the season

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-50533638278172420662009-10-21T18:21:00.000-04:002009-10-21T18:22:10.549-04:00

“All I'm askin',Is for a little respect.”------------ ARETHA FRANKLINBIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The media’s choice for SEC basketball was released last week. Twenty-five wizened scribes sat down and made their picks for who’s going to win the league title, the player of the year and which 10 players will make the All-SEC teams.It is important to note here that preseason honors are worth about as much as

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-82974596186635950942009-10-11T14:06:00.000-04:002009-10-11T14:07:31.467-04:00

“Lucky to have been where I have been.”-------------------------------------- JASON MRAZLefty Gomez once said, “I’d rather be lucky than good.”When it comes to South Carolina and Kentucky playing football, the Gamecocks ought to post it on the stadium walls and the Wildcats ought to have it tattooed on their behinds. It’s simply uncanny how much rolls USC’s way when the two get together.“We had

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-91354867488221068092009-10-04T01:48:00.004-04:002009-10-04T01:52:14.474-04:00

"Wanna take a look,Take a look."--------- LIZ PHAIRAt the risk of unleashing the DC Jinx … Eric Norwood needs to be in the discussion for the Heisman Trophy. I know it’s been mentioned on some polls and what-have-you, but if there is an official list after five games, Norwood needs to be on it.And rather high up.The guy just keeps making plays. Even in a game where his statistics aren’t that

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-38383382679460907912009-10-02T13:09:00.002-04:002009-10-02T13:24:05.767-04:00

“We'll draw a blueprint.”-------------- FUGAZIBoy, wouldn’t it be nice if just for once, South Carolina’s game went exactly according to plan?With S.C. State coming to Columbia on Saturday, the Gamecocks want a game where they’ll win, first and foremost. After that comes the descending order of items on the wish list – win comfortably, spare the quarterback, get the backups a lot of work, have

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-16679320554787532772009-09-25T12:36:00.001-04:002009-09-25T12:38:28.534-04:00

“Perception over reality,And what we see is not always what we see.”----------------------------- THE BUTTERFLY EFFECTWas that the No. 4 team in the country that South Carolina beat on Thursday?Yes.Was that the fourth-best team in the country?Oh no.But the rest of the country might think it was, and that’s all that matters.“Ole Miss is a good team, but it’s early in the year,” coach Steve

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-11572727071107776382009-09-20T03:34:00.001-04:002009-09-20T03:34:58.850-04:00

“Hold it now, hold it now, hold it now.”-------------------------- BEASTIE BOYSSay what you want about South Carolina’s offense in the 2009 season’s first three games. It’s been good in spots and bad in spots.But it has held onto the football.At this point last year, the Gamecocks had nine turnovers. Once a team throws four picks in the first game, it begins to become routine.Now, they have three

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-58121417832172657242009-09-16T23:40:00.001-04:002009-09-16T23:40:24.790-04:00

“You gonna get yours!”------------ PUBLIC ENEMYNow is the time for all good Gator-haters to come to the aid of our country …Not really. Whether you love or despise Florida’s football team, it’s going to massacre Tennessee on Saturday.I said it as soon as Lane Kiffin was hired. He let loose that tidbit of how forward he was looking to singing “Rocky Top” all night when they beat Florida in 2009; I

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996050309771597588.post-59923448338765078122009-09-15T17:27:00.001-04:002009-09-15T17:27:23.706-04:00

“Gonna dress you up.”------------------ MADONNAEnterprising journalist that I am (read: snoop), I ducked into one of the Williams-Brice Stadium portals on Tuesday to get a first-hand look at how the stadium’s being presented for its first home game on Saturday.I am impressed.Fans will get a treat when they come to Saturday’s game hosting Florida Atlantic. The stadium, long a barren fortress where

David Cloningerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08159340535871050595noreply@blogger.com