Spurrier takes a cheap shot at Clemson (C@P).....

May 8, 2005, 12:53 AM

THIS IS SOUTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL

Despite the disappointment of 2003 and yet another losing season and crushing defeat to their rivals, the ever-optimistic Gamecocks had renewed hope for 2004. The assistant coaches who were surely responsible for the 46-point loss to Clemson were given walking papers and replaced by the greatest coaches that loyal Gamecock fans had ever seen. And, yet another highly-ranked recruiting class was waiting in the wings. Furthermore, “the legend” Lou Holtz was actively changing the culture of South Carolina Football, determined to wash away a hundred years of losing and usher in the feel-good college football story of 2004. Although things got off to a bumpy start, with many of the team’s star players physically out of shape and missing off-season workouts, this was not enough to knock South Carolina out of the self-appointed number 1 spot in the preseason national championship rankings. The Gamecock fans were their usual confident selves, and the team began the season encouragingly with promising victories over traditional powerhouses Vanderbilt, South Florida, and Troy and a win over a mighty-Alabama team captained by their 3rd-string quarterback. Even with a narrow loss to national power, Georgia, the Gamecock fans were undeterred.

Two more wins over 2004 powerhouses Arkansas and Kentucky followed, making the mighty Gamecocks bowl eligible heading into their annual match-up with archrival Clemson. Avenging the previous season’s 63-17 defeat would surely be fresh on their minds, and a victory, the Gamecock faithful proclaimed, was sure to follow. Nonetheless, South Carolina closed the 2004 season with a crushing 29-7 defeat, in a game whose score is not indicative of the degree to which they were dominated. Furthermore, even South Carolina’s virtually-assured bowl spot was forsaken, as they were also defeated in a benches clearing brawl which they started.

The ever-loyal Gamecock faithful did not despair for long, however, as a new hero was ushered into scenic Columbia on a white steed. Steve Spurrier, the new legend, was awarded the keys to the Williams Brice palace while the former legend was unceremoniously kicked to the curb. Surely this new 60-year old coach would be just the man to lead the Gamecocks to college football’s Promised Land. In Columbia, hope springs eternal and cannot be dashed by an unprecedented rash of arrests (11 and counting), academic casualties, failed drug tests, dismissals, nor a lack of quarterbacks, depth, or an offensive line. No, the words seem all-to eerily familiar – 2005 will be the year. 2005 will be Spurrier’s year. As the Gamecock fans proclaimed while solemnly exiting “that hellhole Death Valley” following the 2004 season, “Wait till next year!”

Following the 2004 season South Carolina has an all-time winning percentage under .500 (495-512-44), which ranks 88th all-time in D-1A football...only 29 programs have been worse. A few of the notable football programs who have been better than the Gamecocks include such powerhouses as: Duke, Western Michigan, Toledo, Navy, UAB, Central Florida, Ball St., North Texas, Nevada, East Carolina, Houston, Northern Illinois, Utah St., San Jose St., Vanderbilt, Akron, Baylor, UNLV, Kansas, and Rutgers just to name a few. This is Carolina Gamecock football.

In the 60 seasons Carolina has been affiliated with a conference, they have won that conference once...the ACC in 1969, with a 7-4 record. Since the Associated Press began ranking football teams in 1936, the ##### have finished in the Top 20 of the rankings only five times in the 68 years. Carolina has never finished in the Top 10 of a major recognized poll...NEVER. The first year of Gamecock football was in 1892, Carolina won its first bowl game 103 years later under BRAD SCOTT. In 110 seasons of football, Carolina has yet to participate in one of the “Big 5” Bowls (Rose, Sugar, Orange, Fiesta, Cotton). Guess what? As Carolina is set to begin its 111th season of collegiate football, they have won 10 or more games in a single season once. In 110 seasons, Carolina has won more games than it lost only 50 times. In 110 seasons, Carolina has won 6 or more games in a season 33 times, and lost 6 or more 35 times. This is Carolina Gamecock football.

South Carolina has had 33 different head coaches in its storied tradition...only five of them stayed longer than 5 seasons, 21 of them have losing records. Add to that the winning tradition the ##### have enjoyed at home in Williams-Brice Stadium. Carolina is 19-39-1 at home in conference since joining the SEC. Lou Holtz is the devil. It’s another Carolina Touchdown!?…not quite. Of the 56 programs, which have played more than 1000 games all-time, only four have scored fewer points than South Carolina in their school’s history.

Since joining the SEC in 1992, Carolina has had a winning record in the conference twice. In the eleven seasons as a member of the SEC, Carolina boasts a conference record of 37-66-1…only two teams have been worse: Kentucky has 26 wins, Vanderbilt 11. Although Carolina has yet to finish in the top two of the Eastern division, they have finished last twice. Carolina has yet to win six conference games in a season, something only Kentucky and Vanderbilt have done in the last 11 seasons. And no one should forget the fact that Carolina went two consecutive seasons without winning one conference game, not one. Carolina had an impressive string of 21 consecutive games with a loss snapped in 2000 by beating New Mexico State (then let the rest of the country know what Carolina football was all about by tearing down the goal-posts). Since 1992, only three times has any non-probation member of the conference failed to win two or more games overall in a season…South Carolina has accomplished this feat twice, Kentucky once. Since 1992, only once has a conference member failed to win a game overall in a single season…you guessed it, South Carolina.
South Carolina’s all-time record versus other current conference members is even more impressive: 3-9 vs Alabama, 5-8 vs Arkansas, 1-4-1 vs Auburn, 3-19-3 vs Florida, 13-42-2 vs Georgia, 9-6-1 vs Kentucky, 2-14-1 vs LSU, 5-8 vs Ole Miss, 5-6 vs Mississippi St., 2-19-2 vs Tennessee, and 12-2 vs Vanderbilt. That’s correct, Carolina leads the all-time series against 2 SEC teams...Kentucky and Vanderbilt. This is Carolina Gamecock football.

But, the comparison of only 12 seasons in one conference does no justice to the tradition of South Carolina football. So lets compare the ##### record versus D-1A schools they have played 20 or more times: 36-62-4 vs Clemson, 17-24-3 vs Duke, 3-19-3 vs Florida, 13-42-2 vs Georgia, 9-12 vs Georgia Tech,11-17 vs Maryland, 16-34-4 vs North Carolina, 25-26-4 vs North Carolina State, 2-19-2 vs Tennessee, 21-12-1 vs Virginia, and 34-20-2 vs Wake Forest. William Brice is a crap hole (and its trim was recently painted PINK.) That’s correct, Carolina leads the all-time series against 2 of these 11 teams...Virginia and Wake Forest. This is Carolina Gamecock football.

Gamecock fans justify their horrible football record thru the strength of the SEC conference. But let’s look at the Gamecock’s record against the other big 4 conferences. South Carolina is 172-222-18 vs the ACC, 6-8 vs the Big 12, 22-26-5 vs the Big East, and 3-5 vs the Big Ten. This is Carolina Gamecock Football.

But all this tradition and past records are meaningless. What is more important is the recent history. Only losers live in the past. We are in the best years of Carolina Gamecock football, and the future has never been brighter...or has it? Carolina is coming off another losing season, the 9th in the last 13 seasons. Overall record since “the legend” Lou Holtz became Head Coach: 33-37 (0.471) . Since 1995: 49-64-1. Since Joining the SEC: 66-80-1. Since 1990 South Carolina is 75-91-3. Carolina has finished in the Top 15 once in the past 15 seasons, and been to three bowl games in that span. This is Carolina Gamecock football.

2003 was the season that the ##### would rebuild and compete for a SEC title with their consecutive top 10 recruiting classes. Yet, they finished the season with ANOTHER sub 500 performance. It was another season that ended with a 63-17 thumping at home from archrival Clemson. The Carolina fans are again boasting about another great recruiting class. The fire extinguishers are being charged and a new 2001 CD has arrived at William Brice. Through out the south, subtle echoes are being heard every where, “Wait till next year!”

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Spurrier takes a cheap shot at Clemson (C@P).....

I can't believe he said that.***

well he's about to get the same medical problem as lou

Re: Spurrier takes a cheap shot at Clemson (C@P).....

Yeah, but they play in the SEC --- LOL***

Can you be more specific?***

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