Bleacher Report - Articles by James Gray

Tom Glavine: Where's The Respect?

James Gray — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:43:13 -0400

Having been born and raised a proud Atlanta Braves fan, I am absolutely embarrassed and shocked on the release of Tom Glavine. Of course he’s not the same Tom Glavine he was when he won his two Cy Young awards—but come on—back in '06 he was an All-Star selection.

The Braves sent the guy who gave his all to the city of Atlanta to the minors to recover, and when he felt he was ready to return, they cut him saying that he was destined for failure.

Now how in the world do you tell someone who is a 10-time All-Star, a World Series Champion, five-time National League leader in wins, and a two-time Cy Young winner that he can’t cut it anymore without even giving him a shot?

Worst case scenario for the Braves would have been if he worked his way back into rotation and didn’t do well, but even then, the knowledge and experience he can share with the young pitching squad is priceless. His presence in the locker room alone is inspiring to the young guys, whereas Chipper Jones now is the only one who can relate to the glory days of the 90’s for the Braves.

I doubt you can talk to any resident in Fulton County who can’t spit out names such as Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Fred McGriff, David Justice, Javier Lopez, and yes, the fan-favorite Tom Glavine. They are legends in the south and deserve the respect they have rightfully earned.

So how does the winningest active pitcher in Major League Baseball randomly find himself out of a job one day? That is a question that has been answered by lame excuses that have everyone scratching their heads, and for Braves fans, angry and disappointed.

This is the last way a future Hall of Famer should have been treated, even if he did come back and couldn’t perform up to par. It is just ridiculous that he didn’t get to throw one pitch; would it be that hard to give him a start and see where he stands in the city where he gave pride to the people and earned his stripes?

It is sad that a champion believes he can still play a big role in a team’s success, and his own “family” doesn’t, let alone gives him the slightest chance to prove himself where he is already “Proven.”

Away from all his amazing accomplishments and his outstanding statistics, Tom Glavine wasn’t a fan favorite for no reason. His appreciation for his fans is what made me devastated when I found out he was leaving to go to the Mets.

I have memories of waiting outside the Braves parking lot for autographs; Glavine always was more than happy to sign autographs. I must have at least seven autographs, along with a picture in which he picked me up and put me in his lap. I’ll never forget those memories and the kindness he showed towards the fans.

Tom Glavine: On behalf of the fans, we are forever grateful for all the hard work and dedication you gave to the Peach State. We don’t agree with how your situation was dealt with and wish you nothing but greatness for the rest of your career.

Tom Glavine will forever be an Atlanta Brave.

"Kobe Best Melo," What Game Were They Watching?

James Gray — Wed, 20 May 2009 13:29:33 -0400

At the end of Tuesday night's hard fought battle, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers walked away with one of the only things that really mattered, a win. It was a two point win in a game that was decided in the final minutes; an ESPN headline that read, "Kobe Best Melo" confused me. Those who watched the game should be confused, as well. Carmelo clearly played the star role, and the numbers to back him up.

Yes, Kobe dropped 40 points, but it was off of a not-so-stellar 13-of-28 shooting with 12 of his points coming from the free throw line. Carmelo, on the other hand, ended the game with 39 points on a superb night of shooting, dropping 14-of-20 of his shots and scoring eith points from the charity stripe. Compare Kobe's 46 percent shooting to that of Melo's 70 percent shooting while each player ended the night with six rebounds, four assist, and one block. You tell me who had a better night.

Whether it was grabbing an offensive board and putting it back up for two or draining four-of-five from three point range, No. 15 did it all and was, without question, the most versatile scorer on the floor.

Now, don't give me wrong, this is not an anti-Kobe article. Kobe is a terrific basketball player and last night will probably turn out to be his worst shooting performance of this series. I expect to see another 40 point game by Bryant and give the fans a show.

One must ask, though, is this Baltimore native's time to shine, or was it just a good game from a talented baller? Has Carmelo finally answered the call and jokes about his playoff experience? Has all the LeBron and Kobe talk awaken a sleeping giant? These are questioned that will be played out for all to see.

One thing’s for sure: that big smile from the 2003 NCAA tournament is back and, for some reason, I think we’re going to see plenty of those in the next couple of weeks.

Even though Melo and company were unable to walk away from the Staples with a win, they made a statement to the viewers and their opponents: buckle your seats, because you are going to be in for one heck of a series.

Who knows? Maybe Carmelo realizes now that he could be lifting that MVP trophy if he really wanted to.

Talented College Hoops Players Better Off Staying One More Year to Earn Stock

James Gray — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:34:26 -0400

For most college basketball players, it is a dream for them to hear their names called at Madison Square Garden during the NBA Draft so they can finally show off their skills against the greatest players in the world.

Each have their own reasons for adding their names to the draft, but here are a few great players that need another season to better their chances of earning a spot in the National Basketball Association.

DeJuan Blair PF, Sophomore, Pittsburgh

We all know what this freak can do in the paint, and many are probably wondering why he is on the list.

After averaging a double-double for the season, owning UConn’s Hasheem Thabeet during the regular season, and playing a major role in Pitt’s No. 1 ranking for much of the season, Blair has plenty on his résumé to earn him a first round pick, if not a late lottery pick.

With all that said, I think if Blair decides to stay in school, Pitt turns into a serious contender to win it all next season. Not to mention he will be able to work on his perimeter game and possibly lose a few pounds, which will almost guarantee him a lottery spot in 2010.

Nick Calathes G, Junior, Florida

After watching how much this kid developed from a freshman to a sophomore, I want to see what he will look like as a senior. After Florida's two National Titles, Calathes looked to be the key building block to getting the Gators back on the national stage.

Unfortunately, last season they were left out of the field of 65, but Calathes' numbers didn’t go unnoticed. If Calathes decides to leave for the NBA, the Gators could very well get left out again. He is vital to putting Florida back on the map and has the potential to be a future Steve Blake.

If he stays and increases his speed and proves to be the leader of his team, he can improve his stock from a second-rounder to a near lock in the first round.

Dwayne Collins PF, Junior, Miami

Collins has an NBA prototype body but will have to stay for his senior year if he doesn’t want to risk going undrafted.

The junior out of Miami averaged just over 10 points and seven rebounds per game, and with his size and presence down low, I believe he will average a double-double next season.

With star guard Jack McClinton out of the picture, Collins must step up and be a leader if the Hurricanes want to compete in the ACC next season.

Brandon Costner PF, Junior, NC State

After putting up terrific numbers his freshman season, Costner fell into the sophomore slump. You can blame some of that on the addition of J.J. Hickson, who went to the NBA following his freshman season.

Last season, Costner raised his scoring average to 13 points a game, but he still has work to do to prove himself to scouts.

There is no doubt the talent is there, as he proved two seasons ago, but he needs to get his scoring average up and show to be more of a dominating player and try to get N.C. State back into the top half of the ACC.

Bryan Davis PF, Junior, Texas A&M

Davis is a lot like Dwayne Collins; both have a good presence down low, but both need to increase their numbers and return for their senior season.

If the Texas A&M junior decides to forgo his senior season and hire an agent, he most likely will go undrafted unless he has amazing workouts and surprises the scouts.

Austin Daye F, Sophomore, Gonzaga

The sophomore out of Irving, California has first round potential and has the all-around basketball skills for his size.

The problem lies with his maturity to put up the numbers on a night-to-night basis. Throughout the season, Daye was a very streaky player who showed he needs to work on his consistency and strength.

I believe if he stays one more season with the Zags, he will be the Player of the Year in the West Coast Conference, assuming Patrick Mills stays in the draft.

With all that said, we're looking at a future lottery pick if he stays in school.

Eric Devendorf G, Junior, Syracuse

After being suspended earlier in the season, Devendorf has a target on his back. However, there is no doubting his natural skills at the guard position, averaging 16 points a game with Jonny Flynn and Paul Harris both in the same lineup.

With Flynn leaning towards staying in the draft, this gives Devendorf a perfect opportunity to shine and get plenty of exposure playing in the Big East.

As it stands now, the Bay City native looks to go late in the second round, giving him plenty of reason to erase his bad name and star for the Orange next season.

Devan Downey G, Junior, South Carolina

Personally, I have seen Downey play many times live, and he is one of the most amazing players I’ve seen not only for his size, but his heart and passion for the game.

When the 5’9" transfer from Cincinnati steps on the court, all eyes are on him. Downey is not afraid to take it to the hole against guys a foot taller than him or pop a three from the outside.

After averaging 20 points, five assists, and three steals a game, this guy almost certainly will be drafted.

But after leading his team to 21 wins last year, I would love for this guy to stay one more year and build on what Coach Horn has started and lead South Carolina to the tournament next season.

Jodie Meeks SG, Junior, Kentucky

We all remember what Meeks did against Tennessee last season, torching them for 54 points, but I believe it would be in his best interest to return for his senior season under John Calipari.

After averaging 24 points a game, we know he is a serious offensive threat, but he needs to work on getting his team more involved by building his assist numbers up.

He needs to prove that his size won’t be a factor and continue to put up big numbers like he did to earn himself a first round pick.

Daniel Hackett PG, Junior, USC

His great size and playmaking ability aren’t enough to ensure him a draft pick this year. If he impresses scouts with his workouts, he could get picked up late in the second round.

However, Hackett has three options: return for his senior season, enter the draft, or go back home and play professionally in Italy.

It all depends on what he wants to do; I don’t know why anyone would want to rush out of Southern California, but maybe he’s ready to start getting paid for his play.

Luke Harangody F, Junior, Notre Dame

After putting up incredible numbers in college, there’s no question that this kid can play.
Scouts have a problem with his size, which is in between typical sizes for a power forward and center, much like Tyler Hansbrough. Known for his scoring and rebounding, Harangody must improve his speed and mid-range shooting if he wants to find himself on an NBA roster in 2010.

Most likely, he will be returning for his senior season to lead the Irish against the brutal Big East.

Paul Harris G/F, Junior, Syracuse

Scouts are most impressed with Harris’ natural talent even though he didn’t have the numbers to match his full potential.

His size makes him a dangerous threat when driving to the hole, and he is also a consistent rebounder for his position. However, Harris needs another season to work on his jump shot and increase his scoring average.

Harris likely would be chosen late in the first round or early in the second round if he decides to leave early.

Shawn Taggart F, Junior, Memphis

The future for Taggart looked very promising until his numbers failed to rise like expected.

He averages 10 points and is a threat on the defensive side of the ball, not to mention his rebounding skills.

Taggart needs to return for his senior year and be the leader of the team and get all his numbers up. If he were to stay, there is a chance he could go undrafted or, at best, be a late second round pick.

Mac Koshwal C, Sophomore, DePaul

The sophomore out of Chicago was one of the bright spots for DePaul this past season.

Standing at 6'10" and averaging a double-double will make him one of the top centers returning next season if he decides to stay. Mac should return to school to work on his strength to be more of a force in the paint and gain valuable experience as a big man playing in the Big East.

He would be a late second round pick with the potential of going undrafted if he stayed in this year’s draft.

Gani Lawal F, Sophomore, Georgia Tech

Lawal has an all-around NBA game but still has to hone all his skills.

After starting strong last season, he started to fall off a little bit, almost forcing him to return next season.

He most likely would be drafted, but there is no reason not to return for his junior season and develop in the ACC to prove himself to the scouts as a first round pick.

Tasmin Mitchell F, Junior, LSU

After putting his name in the NBA talks after his freshman year, he was plagued by injuries his sophomore year.

After bouncing back this season, the smartest thing the Louisiana native could do is prove that he can improve his numbers and potentially earn a lottery pick with his size and athleticism.

Scottie Reynolds G, Junior, Villanova

We all know Reynolds now, as he has made a good name for himself at Villanova and in the Big East.

Despite his scoring and leadership skills, many teams are still skeptical if he can perform at the elite level.

Most likely, he will return for his senior season, giving himself a chance to prove to all his doubters that his game is good enough to translate to a solid NBA player.

Donald Sloan G, Junior, Texas A&M

Sloan is probably the biggest question mark of all the early entry players of this year’s draft.

While only averaging 12 points in his junior season, Sloan needs to increase all his numbers as a senior if he even wants to hear his name in the 2010 draft.

Tyler Smith G/F, Junior, Tennessee

Overall, the SEC didn’t receive a lot of attention this past season. Neither did Smith’s 21 points a game.

This swingman has been one of the most consistent on the Vols' squad, but a first round exit in the NCAA tourney hurt Smith because of the lack of recognition.

Smith should return to Tennessee and lead his squad back to the tourney with a better seed to get the attention he deserves. He can move himself from a second round pick this season to a first round in next year’s draft.

Dar Tucker G/F, Sophomore, DePaul

Like his teammate Mac, both players need another year to solidify a spot in next season’s draft.

While showing flashes of greatness in his freshman year and improving his scoring his sophomore year, he still has plenty of growing to do.

If he can find a consistent jump shot, he could be selected in the first round, and with two key players returning, maybe DePaul can get a few more wins next season in the Big East.

Nic Wise G, Junior, Arizona

Similar to Devan Downey, Wise needs to return to prove that his size should not be a question.

A pretty good shooter and quick as lightning, Wise will have to put up big numbers and let his play outshine his height.

If he were to stay in the draft, he most likely would go undrafted.

Greivis Vasquez G, Junior, Maryland

There is no question that Vasquez earned draft stock during his junior season, but there are still many questions about his maturity.

Although he puts up big numbers sometimes, the Venezuelan often does more damage to his own team than he does to his opponent. With bad shots and unnecessary turnovers, Greivis needs some more chew-outs from Gary Williams before he is ready for the NBA.

Right now he stands as a late first round pick, but likely would end up in the second round.

Each of these players should have a major impact on college basketball if they decide to return to their respective schools.

It will be interesting to see how their plans pan out and how it affects not only their teams, but potential championships as well.

Michael Phelps: Forget What You Heard This Is How It Went Down at South Carolina

James Gray — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:14:25 -0500

Regardless of popular belief, ESPN and other major news networks are not always on point, after watching days of networks getting the story wrong time and time again, I felt the need to set a few things straight and bring light on the situation from a South Carolina student's perspective.

After getting angry at myself for not knowing I was standing next to Phelps on Halloween night, I made sure I would get to see him again. I found out the next day that a special guest speaker would be talking to one of our Sports & Entertainment classes that I had already taken, and I put two and two together.

The next day I snuck into the class so I could get an official meet and greet with a man who just walked away from Beijing with a record eight gold medals. As I sat there anxiously as time passed, there was still no guest speaker.

The teacher then announced that our speaker was leaving a video game shoot in New York early on a private jet to make it in time to speak to our class. Confusion then filled the entire class as many had projected it would be Phelps coming but why in the world would he leave Columbia go back up north then come back for just a class?

Well the guy you have seen on TV all week being ridiculed for taking a minute out of his crazy life to get away from everything did just that. That's the first thing that spoke to me about his character without him saying a word.

He motivated all of us by first telling us how he got to where he is at followed by reaping the benefits which for him included SNL, the Grammies, and having friends like Ray Lewis, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James.

To have the most famous athlete of my generation be as humble as he was really caught me off guard; the answers to our questions were as down to earth as you can get, it felt like we were talking to one of our everyday peers.

I will never forget the look on his face when I came up to him after class to shake his hand; I could tell he was stunned that all I wanted to do was meet him. And that was the final straw for me to realize that yes, the greatest Olympian of all time is just like anyone of us.

My mission seemed to be complete but after recent pictures of Phelps brought horrific scrutiny to his name, I now can see how famous people do get the bad wrap by not only the media but also "haters" out there looking for financial gain.

Today I wanted to jump through the television screen as I watched Rome is Burning; one of Jim's ignorant guests debated with another guest that Phelps' situation was worse then A-Rod's because, "he should've known better."

He stated that Phelps should've known that there were going to be cameras and cellphones at a frat party. First of all it wasn't a frat party, and second there was a strict guest list in which everyone on that list were not allowed to bring cameras or take any photos of such kind with their cellphones.

Everyone invited was a close friend of the home owner in which he felt more then confident that his request and requirements would be met.

To even state that Phelps' bong hit was worse than A-Hole, I mean A-Rod, admitting to using steroids, is one of the reason's why I sit there and wonder where ESPN gets their people.

Next we get to the sell out; the kid came to class and asked the professor what he thinks he should about the picture and the professor told him, "Don't you dare even think about it."

Well we all know what he did, he sold it to a British paper and used the money as the excuse, later telling people that Phelps was a jerk to him, go figure. I'm sorry, to me money is not worth attempting to destroy someone's reputation, but I guess there's only a few "Real" people left in this world.

Not only is the University of South Carolina staff upset and disappointed with the student who sold the picture, many of the students were outraged as well. One student misrepresenting thousands isn't popular here and nobody has praised his actions or thought he was "cool" for doing so.

I can sit here all day and write about the unfairness about the situation, but everybody has their own opinion. Until you have interacted with Phelps himself, who are you to judge a 23 year old trying to live his life out of the spotlight for a second.

The fact is that he got caught smoking what seems to be an illegal substance but before you start to judge him, here are a few facts for you to swallow.

In a recent study, they have found that Marijuana is the most frequently used illegal drug in the United States. Nearly 69 million people over the age of 12 have experimented with Marijuana in America, among high school seniors 50 percent have tried the drug, and during the study 10 million had used the drug in the month before the study.

So for many of you all, look in your own mirror before you compare this incident with that of A-Rod, Tim Donaghey, Pete Rose, Marion Jones, or Kobe Bryant because that picture isn't worth trying to ruin his legacy by any means.

If you want to forget about the eight medals, the pride he brought to this country, and the millions he has donated to his charity along with many others because of one night of fun, then you go head and keep "Hatin" because you can't stop him in the water and neither can the media.

Gamecocks-Hawkeyes: Stephen Garcia's Turnovers Doom South Carolina Early

James Gray — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 07:02:12 -0500

After hearing the 2009 Outback Bowl was being played in Tampa Bay, FL, my initial thought was, "Oh no, all of Garcia's friends and family are going to be a distraction," but after seeing the game time I knew we were doomed.

After being at Carolina for for two-and-a-half years, I know how hard our football team can party. As a matter of fact, that is about the only thing they can consistently accomplish. With the addition of Garcia to the roster, it without question put South Carolina at the top of the partying game.

I can remember back when they were demolished by the Florida Gators, Garcia still had plenty of energy left as he quickly made it down town to party the night away. There is no doubt in my mind that the dual-threat quarterback had a good time the night before and by his performance it probably was too good of a time for the redshirt freshman.

I for one am sick of the effort our football team has put out on the playing field because it seems these guys care about getting messed up rather than making a play.

With the fan base such as the Gamecock nation, who is statistically the most faithful crowd for the mediocre team South Carolina has been for years. The sad thing is South Carolina could lose every game and William Brice Stadium still would be packed the following season.

With the elite recruiting classes that have been coming in for the past three seasons there is no reason why the Gamecocks shouldn't be competing for the SEC East title.

In the last game it wasn't everybody's fault for their terrible showing against Big Ten "Power house" I mean Iowa. First of all the 13th overall defense in the nation was without Second Team All-SEC safety Emanuel Cook, who apparently didn't care that he only passed to classes this past semester because he was NFL bound.

Cook was second team behind All-American Berry out of Tennessee, Cook was known for his ruthless hits with close similarities to Colts safety Bob Sanders.

Without Cook, Coach Ellis was forced to put former wide-out sophomore Dion LeCorn at the the starting position. The inexperience was exposed in the first possession as Sophomore Chris Culliver, also a converted wide out were both used and abused letting three third-and-longs go for first downs all caught by the same tight end.

With zero help from the offense in the first half the Gamecocks defence was on the field for over 11 minutes in the first quarter. The only five drives South Carolina had in the first half ended in an interception, a fumble, an interception, an interception, and a punt.

By halftime, the Gamecocks were in a 21 point hole and a fumble and a missed field goal resulted in 10 more Hawkeye points.

By then the game was over; bottom line both sides of the ball didn't play, the defence played decent but not spectacular and the offense was non existent under Garcia's direction but came to life in the second half under Chris Smelley.

Smelley replacing Garcia to start the second half ended 16-31 for 174 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. Garcia stunk Tampa Bay up in which he threw for 9-18 for 79 yards, three interceptions, and one fumble.

In the final three game, Spurrier and company were outscored 118 to 30, yeah that's how bad it has been for this offense. Sometimes you have to wonder is this team really coached by the same man who led Florida to six SEC championship games winning four of them and winning a national title in 1996.

Gamecock nation can only hope and pray once again that things will change and can build off of Norwood's return and look ahead from there. Hopefully the team will realize as a unit that school and football should be on their top priorities during their stay in Columbia.

'08-'09 NFL All-Rookie Team: The New Breed of Athletes

James Gray — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 07:43:34 -0500

Years ago it was somewhat unheard of to see rookies earn a starting position let alone steal headlines and be on the covers of established magazines. Somebody forgot to tell last year's rookie of the year Adrian Peterson that, as all of America watched the rookie shatter any rookie stereotype and was argueable the top running back of the season. Peterson set the rushing record for a single game at 296 yards and ended up in Honalulu where he was named MVP of the game. There is no question in my mind that there is a new breed of athlete in recent years, no longer will some be deemed "rookies" rather game changers and key pieces to the success of their respective teams.

Begin Slideshow

City's Boomin, But Spurrier's Losin

James Gray — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 05:22:30 -0500

On November 23, 2004, Gamecock Nation received the most exciting news Columbia had heard in years: The University of South Carolina introduced Steve Spurrier as the new head coach. One day after Lou Holtz's retirement, Spurrier signed a seven-year deal that would pay him $1.25 million a year.

Since that day, not only has the athletic department been affected, but the school and town has seen dramatic changes: tuition has gone up, required SAT and GPA scores for applying students have risen, the number of applicants has more than tripled, multiple buildings and apartment complexes have been built, and a state-of-the-art baseball stadium has arrived.

You can say the city of Columbia has grown tremendously. But has the football team grown at the same pace?

First, I am going to point out the accomplishments of Steve Spurrier since arriving in Columbia. In his first season, Ol' Ball Coach exceeded everyone's expectations by giving the school its first five-game SEC winning streak, including wins over Tennessee in Knoxville and No. 12 Florida, who South Carolina had not beaten since joining the SEC.

South Carolina finished the season with a 7-5 record, and Spurrier was named the SEC Coach of the Year.

In his second season, Spurrier was able to defeat the Clemson Tigers for the first time in five years, won his first bowl game, defeating Houston in the Liberty Bowl, and became the first coach in USC history to lead his team to a bowl game in each of his first two seasons. The Gamecocks finished that season at 8-5.

But 2007 seemed to be the season when Spurrier might lead South Carolina to its first SEC Championship game.

The Gamecocks started off the season with a upset victory at No. 11 Georgia and beating undefeated No. 8 Kentucky, which catapulted them to No. 6 in the nation. But preseason dreams soon shattered under the weight of deflating injuries to key members of the South Carolina defense.

This past season, South Carolina was able to defeat No. 24 Ole Miss on the road—the same Rebels team that handed the Florida Gators their only loss of the season and embarrassed rival Phillip Fulmer and Company, 27-6.

Following Spurrier's great start in his second season, he was unable to defeat any of the the ranked SEC powerhouses, including Georgia, Auburn, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Florida.

It definitely isn't an easy task to defeat any SEC team, but when you lose four of those five games by a combined 21 points, it's only natural to begin questioning whether Spurrier is capable of winning the close games.

Sounds strange to me too, but surely Spurrier would bounce back the next year and hopefully contend for an SEC East title.

After key wins against Georgia and Kentucky, Columbia was at an all-time high, until the town's hopes were crushed by an unforgettable and almost unforgivable collapse.

With the losses of linebacker Jasper Brinkley and defensive end Nathan Pepper, the Gamecocks could no longer stop the run and lost their final five games. Spurrier ended with his second career non-winning season and wasn't invited to a bowl game with a 6-6 record.

Coming into this season, Spurrier had two quarterbacks that he believed could get the job done, although one has proven he can't stay out of trouble off the field.

The sure choice, Tommy Beecher, turned out to be the worst choice possible. He threw four interceptions but was saved by the defense and Chris Smelley.

After watching Smelley's development a year ago, which led to a 4-2 record before he was benched, I felt comfortable with him permanently filling the void at quarterback. But I also knew he would have his ups and downs, like any other quarterback.

After some inconsistent performances, Smelley was benched once again. Enter Stephen Garcia, who began splitting time with Smelley. Nobody, including the analysts, expected to see both quarterbacks switched out as if they were a pair of running backs.

I have never played quarterback in an organized league, but I do know that most quarterbacks like and need to get into some type of rhythm. But how do you get used to SEC blitz packages and various coverages without experiencing them play after play?

Now, after week-to-week speculation as to who was going to be the starter, Smelley was announced the starter of the Clemson game. Spurrier's decision came two weeks after he suffered his greatest defeat, a 56-6 romp at Florida, in which USC was outcoached and the defense was never given a chance to keep it close.

Surely, Steve would have his team fired up and ready for their in-state rivalry game at Clemson, especially after they were given the bye week to prepare.

But, no, once again the Ol' Ball Coach failed to prepare his team, and they were put in a hole they couldn't dig themselves out of. The unprepared Gamecocks fell 31-14 as Chris Smelley threw four interceptions and fumbled once.

Throughout the game, everyone expected a quarterback change. But go figure, Spurrier, of course, chose to do the opposite of what everyone thought—and let the kid complete more passes to the other team.

In a season where the "Quarterback Genius" was missing, you can only wonder, "Does the Ol' Ball Coach still got it?" What excuses can be made now, when all of his recruits are in place and he has had four years to improve?

Well, I'm sick of all the "Spurrier is this" and "Spurrier is a god" talk. "Shut up or show up" should be the new motto in Columbia.

After back-to-back mediocre seasons, Gamecock Nation can only pray that the former national and SEC Champion has something up his ol' sleeve.

South Carolina at Clemson: The Only Game That Matters

James Gray — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 09:07:54 -0500

In a season where one team was projected to win their conference and other was expected to compete for a title shot of their own, both were denied before the season could even shape up.

Clemson who opened the season as the No. 9 ranked team in the nation fell in the opening game to the Crimson Tide and would go on a three game skid after they won three easy games. Now it is a must win against the Gamecocks to earn a bowl berth.

South Carolina on the other hand was upset in week two by Vanderbilt and was unable to pull off the Georgia upset at home falling 14-7. Both teams look to end the season on a strong boat as South Carolina has won six of their last eight while Clemson won on the road against Virginia in a must win game for the Tigers.

This season we have seen the unexpected from both schools. The untimely removal of Tommy Bowden mid way through the season shook up the Palmetto state as Spurrier has had analyst and fans talking about the constant switching of quarterbacks Stephen Garcia and Chris Smelley. Either way it is safe to say both teams have under achieved their preseason expectations but, all that can be erased or forgotten with a win tomorrow.

In the past two years neither team has been able to protect their house as the visiting team has left with a victory.The last time these two teams met Clemson kicker Mark Buchholz kicked a 35-yard field goal as time expired, lifting No. 21 Clemson to a 23-21 win at South Carolina on Nov. 24, 2007.

For the second year in a row, Clemson opened up a double-digit lead at the half, only to see Carolina rally again to take the lead. Blake Mitchell's third touchdown pass of the game gave Carolina a 21-20 lead with nine minutes remaining after USC trailed 17-7 at halftime. On paper Clemson won the statistical battle, outgaining the Gamecocks 443-364 including 214 yards on the ground, as they controlled the clock for 38:37.

Who can forget about the last time these two squared off at Death Valley? South Carolina was able to erase a 28-14 second-half deficit upsetting the 24^th ranked Tigers in front of a stunned crowd that watched Jad Dean pull a 39-yard field goal wide left. If the last two years games are any indication of how this year’s battle will go, we should be in for a good one folks.

Expect Clemson to feature their power and speed running backs Davis and Spiller while the Gamecocks will try to get the ball to wide receiver Kenny McKinley and Tight end Jared Cook. Offensively the Gamecocks have struggled all year whether it’s inconsistent quarterback play or the offensive line not being able to hold the defense, so expect Clemson to blitz both quarterbacks forcing them to make quick decisions.

South Carolina, which has been held together all season by their stout defense will be facing arguable the best duo of running backs they have faced all season and will have to contain both of them if they don’t want to have a long day.

Clemson holds the overall record at 64-37 over the Gamecocks dating all the way back to 1896. This will be 106th meeting between the two Palmetto State rivals and have played every year since 1909.

Tommy Bowden: Nine Years, 72 Wins, and Zero ACC Titles

James Gray — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 07:02:21 -0400

Monday morning brought a bittersweet end for Clemson as head coach Tommy Bowden was fired after a 3-3 start to the Tigers' much-anticipated season. Before the season even began, there were talks that this was the team that would bring the ACC crown to Clemson and possibly run the table and go undefeated.

Take the words of ESPN analyst Mark Schlabach: “On paper, at least, the Tigers look like an overwhelming choice to win their first ACC championship since 1991.”

Unfortunately for Clemson, just the opposite happened, as they were embarrassed by an underrated Alabama team 34-10 in the opening game at the Georgia Dome.

After being eliminated from the BCS title game, many expected the Tigers to bounce back and use the loss as motivation to run through the ACC—but after running through a few unranked teams, they would once again fall to the Terps.

Eventually the last straw was pulled when Clemson dropped to 1-2 in the ACC after Thursday’s loss to Wake Forest.

Tommy Bowden has always had a handful of supporters, but talks of his removal have been going on for the past couple years as Clemson has been so close to Bowden’s first ACC championship but couldn't get past the Hokies and Eagles.

Even after last season's disappointing loss to Kentucky in the bowl game, Clemson still showed their support for Bowden, giving him a contract extension. 2008 was a make or break season, and for Tommy the ice was broken, and the water was too cold and too deep to get out of.

Bowden’s tenure at Clemson ends at 72-45. Assistant head coach/wide receivers coach Dabo Swinney will take over as the interim coach for the remainder of the season.

Message to NFL Officials: Stop Blowing the Game

James Gray — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:06:57 -0400

After watching the San Diego Chargers get cheated out of a win they earned and deserved a few weeks ago, it just disgust me to watch other calls that can completely change the game. Officials owe their duty to the players, the coaches, the fans, the organizations, and they should be the standard for elite officiating.

Right now, I am watching the Eagles and Redskins game and just witnessed another game-changing call by the officials. With 8:04 left in the first quarter, rookie DeSean Jackson apparently ran back a Redskins punt to make the score 14-0; but during the return, the announcers both said this one looks like it is coming back.

After replays showed Eagles Tank Daniels commit a block in the back against Redskins Khary Campbell, every viewer watching expected the penalty to demote the return and bring the Eagles back some yards but, no just the opposite happened. The referee called a penalty on Khary Campbell and said the touchdown was good.

The announcers showed a replay and said the referee must have been confused because the players have the same numbers; the replay clearly showed Daniels pushing Campbell in the back as he is running towards Jackson.

It is mistakes like these that cheat the players out of a fair game and should by no means be considered "a part of the game." They are unacceptable and bring shame to the NFL's respectable reputation.

In a day in age where everything can be seen better through camera, there needs to be higher officials that can correct ridiculous mistakes like we witnessed today. Apologies from the NFL aren't acceptable anymore—take action and improve the officiating system.

One call can affect a game and possibly a season; so let's get it right.

South Carolina-Clemson: Let the Comparisons Begin

James Gray — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:50:34 -0400

Both teams entered the 2008 season with high hopes of being undefeated up to this point, but both are left with two L’s on the right side of their records.

Many had high hopes for the Tigers pulling off a BCS title run based on talent and an easy ACC schedule that didn’t include Virginia Tech. Little did everybody know they would run into a brick wall in the Georgia Dome against Saban’s highly underrated Tide team.

Clemson would fall 34-10 in front of a shocked wave of orange that looked like they all had witnessed a freak accident.

The Gamecocks, on the other hand, started off the season sending NC State running back to the ACC looking for refuge after suffering a 34-0 onslaught.

However, the Gamecocks would get upset the next week for the second straight year by the Vanderbilt Commodores, who are surprisingly 4-0.

South Carolina would again fall the next week to Georgia 14-7; in a game that the Gamecocks kept both Moreno and Stafford in check for most of the day, but couldn't capitalize in the red zone.

This past weekend, the Tigers were stunned once again as the Terps came into Death Valley and erased a 17-6 halftime deficit to defeat the highly favored Clemson squad.

With losses suffered by both Georgia and Florida, the door still isn’t fully closed on the Gamecocks' chances at an SEC East title, nor are hopes lost for Clemson in the ACC.

The Tigers have visits to Wake Forest, Florida State, and Boston College, while Carolina hosts LSU and Tennessee and makes trips to Ole Miss and the Swamp.

It is pretty safe to say that both teams have been underachievers thus far but one of the only things that matters to both teams is who comes out on top on Nov. 29. Here are a few comparisons that can be made:

Week 1: No. 9 Clemson loses to No. 24 Alabama, 34-10

Week 2: No. 24 South Carolina loses to unranked Vanderbilt, 24-17

Week 3: Unranked South Carolina loses to No. 2 Georgia, 14-7

Week 4: No. 20 Clemson loses to unranked Maryland, 20-17

Positional Advantages

Quarterback: This year, Cullen Harper hasn’t looked as consistent through the air, as he has already thrown five interceptions and only three touchdowns.

Last season, Harper only threw 6 interceptions and passed for 27 touchdowns. His shaky play has made some Clemson fans curious to see what Willy Korn is all about.

South Carolina has had plenty of quarterback issues, as they have gone through three quarterbacks after Tommy Beecher had an awful first start and Chris Smelley failed to keep the job after inconsistent performances.

Stephen Garcia received his first start and impressed many with his strong arm and running abilities, but he still has a lot to learn. Based on experience Clemson, has the advantage with the starting quarterback for South Carolina still a question mark.

Advantage: Clemson

Running Backs: Clemson features one of the most feared running back duos in college football with James Davis and CJ Spiller. The pair has combined for an impressive 10 touchdowns and 678 rushing yards, in only five games.

Carolina has started three different running backs and are deep at that position with Mike Davis, Brian Maddox, Eric Baker, Bobby Wallace, and Taylor Rank all receiving touches this season. Even with depth at the running back position; the pure athleticism and talent of Davis and Spiller is undeniable, as they are the focus of every opponent’s defense.

Advantage: Clemson

Wide Receiver/Tight ends: South Carolina’s star wideout Kenny McKinley has been out the last three weeks with a hamstring injury suffered against Vanderbilt.

Clemson’s senior star, Aaron Kelly, leads the Tigers in receptions but has yet to find the end zone. With McKinley being out, Moe Brown has stepped up and led the Gamecocks with tight end Jared Cook closely behind him.

With McKinley back in the lineup, the Gamecocks have two targets that can draw double teams, and Cook’s size creates difficult matchups for the defense.

Advantage: South Carolina

Offensive Line: Both teams have struggled with pass protection this season; Clemson starts two freshmen, while the Gamecocks have a mix of sophomores, juniors, and a senior.

The Clemson running game has been one of the most effective in college football, but when you have Spiller and Davis splitting carries, yards and touchdowns won’t be hard to come by.

Clemson’s offensive line is slightly better, but both have been shaky at times.

Advantage: Clemson

Linebackers: South Carolina senior Jasper Brinkley and junior Eric Norwood are two of the top linebackers not only in the SEC, but also in the nation.

Clemson offers a promising freshman in Brandon Maye, and junior Kavelle Connor adds experience, but the Gamecocks pair is more athletic and talented.

Advantage: South Carolina

Defensive Line: Clemson junior Ricky Sapp is one of the top defensive playmakers in the ACC. South Carolina offers plenty of youth with sophomores Ajiboye and Mathews

fitting in well next to Pepper and Lindsey.

Clemson freshman Da’Quan Bowers looks to be a future leader of the defense, as he has already earned a starting position at defensive end. Both sides offer youth and excitement, and both have room for improvement, mainly focusing on stopping the run game.

Advantage: Clemson

Secondary: The secondary has been a strong point for the Gamecocks for years; this season juniors Emanuel Cook and Captain Munnerlyn lead the highly ranked pass defense.

Clemson has a couple studs of their own in their secondary with junior cornerbacks Chris Chancellor and Crezdon Butler. With Carolina’s pass defense being one of the best in the nation, the Gamecocks have the advantage in the secondary.

Advantage: South Carolina

Special Teams: Whenever C.J. Spiller touches the ball anything, can happen; and that’s exactly why they want the ball in his hands whenever possible.

Ryan Succop is clearly the better kicker, as he was named a Draddy award semifinalist two days ago. Clemson offers a better return team, while South Carolina has the better kicking team.

Advantage: Push

Jim Zorn and the Washington Redskins: One Call Says It All

James Gray — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:26:23 -0400

Two Thursday’s ago, I watch the television with disgust as I watched not only my Gamecocks fall to Vanderbilt, but I watched the Redskins embarrass themselves in the NFL season opener.

At times I had to turn away as I watched Jason Campbell look more confused than I do in accounting class. It was tough, as our offense accounted for 125 passing yards and Portis earned 84 rushing yards the hard way, many times having to avoid two or three defenders just to get back to the line of scrimmage.

As I sat there and wondered if this is the prestigious "West Coast offense” that has been hyped all offseason. Is this what I couldn’t wait to see since we hired Zorn? Well, I hoped it wasn’t, and Sunday’s win over the Saints took a little bit of anxiety away.

As 'Skins fan’s already know, to get a victory these days it wouldn’t be a true win if they didn’t almost cause every fan to have a heart attack before the final ticks. And yes, for me, the game is never over till I see 0:00 left on the clock.

I have seen us lose to the Giants on the one-yard line, I’ve seen us intercept the ball and give it back to them, only to watch L.T. take matters into his own hands, and I’ve seen way to many conservative fourth-quarter calls that only lead to disappointment.

Sunday, against the Saints, I had the same feeling in my stomach, as I was thinking, “Oh great, we got the interception.” Then I heard a fellow Redskin say, “Can you say game over?”

I quickly corrected the fan and said there is still 2:59 left in the game, because I have seen the 'Skins blow it way too many times. So, as expected, I watched three-straight rushes once again, failing to get the first down to end the game like we all have seen too often.

This time was different however. Instead of punting the ball and watching the other team drive for the game-winning touchdown, I watched the gutsiest call by a Redskin coach since I’ve been old enough to watch them: We went for the first down to end the game!!

Anxiousness, nervousness, and excitement filled my body,, as I watched the snap and saw Santana Moss catch an inside slant pass from Jason Campbell to convert on fourth down and eventually end the game.

It was almost surreal, as we were able to eliminate a nine-point, fourth-quarter deficit, and there was no doubt in my mind that Drew Brees would’ve had the FedEx crowd in a nail-biting frenzy; as we all know Brees’ fourth-quarter comeback track record.

After receiving much criticism throughout the game, Campbell finally listened to me and was able to complete his last eight passes of the game and ended with 321 passing yards and one touchdown.

Coach Zorn’s call was way more than just a first down and win; it was a message to D.C. that things are going to be different around here. Risks are going to be taken, and we are going to be living more on the edge.

Things may never be picture perfect in Washington, but at least were making steps to get back to the level of greatness that brought us THREE Super Bowl rings.

Two Weeks Gone, Two Top 10 Teams Out; Whose Next?

James Gray — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 04:21:04 -0400

With two weeks already gone in the college football season, two top 10 teams have fallen victims to early on upsets. In week one we saw the ACC’s top team, No. 9 Clemson, fall to No. 23 Alabama in a 34-10 onslaught of the tigers in the Georgia Dome.

Week two featured No. 8 Pat White and West Virginia falling victim to Skip Holtz and East Carolina’s rise to a legitimate No. 13 ranking after back to back upsets.

With a loss to each team, only by a miracle will either team see the National Title Game. With week three on the way we can only wonder who could possible fall and work there way out of the top 10?

Here is a list of the top contenders who hold their respective rankings but could possible stumble this week.

No. 2 Georgia at South Carolina 9/13/08 3:30 PM ET

Last season, the Gamecocks went into Athens unranked and left knocking off the Bulldogs in their SEC opener. This season the Bulldogs are improved and anything less than a shot at the BCS title game would be a disappointment.

The Gamecocks should have their hands full as All-SEC wide receiver Kenny McKinley is doubtful due to a hamstring injury sustained in the loss to Vanderbilt.

If South Carolina were to pull off the upset they will have to contain Knowshon Moreno and load eight men in the box.

Spurrier said Smelley, Beecher, and Garcia are all taking snaps, but he won’t announce his starting QB until he has to.

Despite injuries and suspensions to Georgia they haven’t shown any signs of taking steps backwards and after the 56-17 beating they put to Central Michigan many question why they were removed from their number one spot.

No. 5 Ohio State at No. 1 Southern Cal 9/13/08 8:00 PM ET

This is definitely a game not to miss; it’s the first top ten showdown this season which features two teams with high hopes to be in the final game in Miami.

With word that “Beanie” Wells being doubtful many think that it is a for sure win for the Trojans, but that isn’t the case.

Ohio State will most likely work in freshman phenomenon Terrell Pryor to bring in more athleticism and to keep the Trojan defense guessing. This will be only the second game for the Trojan since their 52-7 win over Virginia on August 30th.

Since both teams are pretty secure top five teams the only way one would slip out of the top ten is if there is a lopsided victory. The fact still remains Ohio State hasn’t defeated Southern Cal since the 1974 Rose Bowl.

No. 9 Auburn at Mississippi State 9/13/08 7:00 PM ET

After bouncing back from an embarrassing loss at Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State looks to spoil things for Auburn as they host them on Saturday. It will be both team’s SEC opener and the first road game of the season for Auburn.

Auburn goes into the game with a clear starter in Chris Todd; a junior college transfer who will face the loudest crowd of his career so far.

State, who is led by junior tailback Anthony Dixon, will have to dig out yards against an Auburn defense who only allowed 37 rushing yards.

If State wants to stay in the game they must apply pressure to Todd by sending various blitz packages to confuse the new starter. They can’t let Todd get comfortable in the pocket and must force him to make quick decisions.

No. 10 Wisconsin at No. 23 Fresno State 9/13/08 7:30 PM ET

Wisconsin was fortunate enough to crack the top 10 by winning two easy games and Clemson and West Virginia losses in the first two weeks.

Now they head to Fresno for their first test of the season and a BCS elimination game for both teams. Wisconsin can’t afford a slow start like they had against Marshall in which they were down 14-0 before getting their offense going.

This game is their toughest road game of the season as they get Ohio State, Penn State, and Illinois at home.

For Fresno, they have to go undefeated if they want their shot at a BCS game and Wisconsin is the only ranked team they have in their path for the time being.

Both teams have thus far used their running game featuring P.J. Hill and Ryan Mathews; Hill has four touchdowns in two games for the Badgers while Mathews has three in one game.

The winner of the game will be the team that forces more crucial stops on defense.

South Carolina-NC State: Defense, "Backup" QB Make Things Right in Columbia

James Gray — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:39:27 -0400

Thursday night marked the much-anticipated college football kickoff involving the South Carolina Gamecocks and the NC State Wolfpack. Anxiousness filled the stadium as many of the students entered the stadium 45 minutes to an hour early to pick their seats and watch pregame warmups.

Coming into the game, we knew what our defense was capable of: We have one of the more underrated defenses and will be the most improved D in the SEC. However, we weren’t sure how redshirt junior quarterback Tommy Beecher would handle his first collegiate career start.

Well, it didn’t take long for the student section to start griping—three minutes into the game, Beecher threw his first interception. For the most part fans gave him the benefit of the doubt, using the excuse of nerves as a reason to believe that he would get better as the game went on.

As we all know, things didn't get better for the North Carolina native—Beecher was intercepted two more times before the half ended. By the time the third interception occurred, fans had almost completely lost patience with Beecher, as chants of “Smelley” started in the student section and eventually made their way around Williams-Brice.

The Gamecocks went into halftime up 3-0 in front of a stunned and frustrated crowd, who were wondering when the offense would stop relying on our stellar defense. The fans didn’t get their wish until the end of the third quarter, when Beecher was pulled due to a "head injury," but the damage had already been done as he had thrown his fourth interception.

The Gamecocks finally got their first touchdown from Mike Davis, which came after a Carlos Thomas interception at the NC State nine-yard line. Ryan Succop also connected with a 46-yard field goal to make the score 13-0 with 1:15 left in the third quarter.

The fourth quarter brought much applause as No. 7 entered the game and received a standing ovation from the Gamecock faithful. And yes, there was much cheering to do, as Chris Smelley led the offense on its first legitimate scoring drive, capped off by a 20-yard pass to sophomore wide out Dion LeCorn.

The Gamecocks' next touchdown drive was finished off by senior tailback Taylor Rank, who ran in for a three-yard touchdown.

To add the icing to the cake, Smelley ended his night with a 13-yard TD strike to junior tight end Jared Cook with 3:32 left in the game. Smelley ended the day an outstanding five-of-five for 92 yards and two touchdowns.

To me the quarterback is issue is clear, as Beecher was 12-of-22 for 106 yards, four interceptions, and no touchdowns. Beecher’s performance was a surprise to all Gamecock fans, as all offseason we were told left and right how smart the guy is and how confident Steve Spurrier is about Tommy this season.

My opinion, however, has been different all along, as I have previously stated in other articles. I had Smelley ranked No. 7 in my preseason SEC quarterback rankings article despite the depth chart.

With all the talk about the quarterback issues, we can't forget to credit the defense with its first season-opening shutout since the 2000 season. The Carolina D held the Wolfpack to only 138 total yards and forced four turnovers, and for the first time since 1956, the Wolfpack were shut out in consecutive games.

Junior safety Emanuel Cook led the Cocks with nine solo tackles as Carlos Thomas and Stoney Woodson each brought in an interception.

On a more serious note, redshirt freshman quarterback Russell Wilson was knocked out during the second quarter on an apparent knee to head injury and carried off the field strapped to a stretcher. As he entered the tunnel, I was relieved to see a thumbs-up from Wilson. Our prayers are with him and his family as we hope he can return to the playing field soon.

As senior writer Ben Weixlmann stated, there was much more to the game then a 34-point win. It was rough at times, especially during the first half. Things weren’t as easy as the score or ESPN made it look to be. Nevertheless, the important thing was that we started slow, made adjustments, and finished strong.

Next week the Gamecocks head to Vanderbilt looking to avenge last season’s loss to the Commodores at home. Mark my words: If No. 7 isn’t under center at the start of the game, you might hear the boos all the way from Columbia.

South Carolina-NC State: Both Teams Looking for Good Start After Subpar 2007

James Gray — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:59:01 -0400

Today the South Carolina Gamecocks will host the North Carolina State Wolfpack for their college football season opener in Columbia. They will play in front of a sold-out crowd of 80,250 and will also be featured on ESPN at 8:00 pm ET.

The Wolfpack hold a very slim lead in the two teams’ all-time series at 26-25-4. The last time these teams met up was back in 1999, and Thursday’s game will be only the third meeting since 1991.

The Carolina Gamecocks look to get the bad taste of a five-game losing streak out of their mouths, while the Pack enters season two of Tom O’Brien looking to improve on their 5-7 record from last season.

The Gamecocks return 16 starters—six on offense and 10 on defense, not including Jasper Brinkley and Nathan Pepper, who were starters before season-ending injuries. The Wolfpack return 12 starters, seven on offense and five on defense, but will be without junior tailback Jamelle Eugene due to an ankle injury.

Carolina had some running back news of its own: Senior Taylor Rank was named the opening day starter over expected starter Mike Davis. Rank only had one previous start during his four-year stint at USC, which he took advantage of, compiling 101 yards on 15 carries against Florida Atlantic back in 2006.

The surprising decision probably stemmed from Mike Davis missing the final two weeks of preseason camp due to a shoulder injury and a stomach virus.

When asked about the situation, Steve Spurrier responded, “Taylor has had a little bit better preseason practice. He had a good summer going to workouts—and Mike did too. Mike will be in early though. He’s ready to play.”

Both teams are anxious to see how their inexperienced quarterbacks will perform. Redshirt freshman Russell Wilson and redshirt junior Tommy Beecher will battle it out during the first collegiate starts of their careers.

Beecher knows that if he doesn’t get things going early this season, we shouldn’t be surprised to see him replaced by Chris Smelley or Stephen Garcia. Last season we saw Chris Smelley get benched after holding a 4-2 record as the starter.

Based on last season's performances on the Wolfpack side, watch out for junior defensive end Willie Young, who recorded 16 tackles for losses, and cornerback DeAndre Morgan, who is key to State’s pass-efficiency defense.

The Gamecocks feature All-SEC receiver Kenny McKinley, who led the SEC with 77 catches last season, and junior safety Emanuel Cook, who recorded three interceptions last season and forced two fumbles—one fumble coming against current Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden.

With a redshirt freshman starting and the loss of starting tailback Jamelle Eugene, the Wolfpack could have their hands full going up against one of the most improved and underrated defenses in college football.

However, it will be interesting to see if Beecher can carry his spring performances onto the "actual" playing field and run the offense to Spurrier’s approval.

Prediction: 27-14, South Carolina over NC State

College Football Upsets You Might See This Season

James Gray — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:15:42 -0400

Every college football season there are a handful of upsets that can be detrimental to ranked teams' chances of making it to a BCS bowl game. A true upset requires distance in ranking and causing a serious blow to the opponent's ranking. I am not stating an upset will occur, but don't be surprised if you see one happen here and there.

With that in mind, here is a list of potential upset games to watch out for this season; there is one game chosen for each week...

Aug. 30—Tennessee at UCLA

Once again, Tennessee heads out to the Bear state for its season opener, this time against a different opponent. The Vols look to leave the West with a win while UCLA looks to start the season with an upset. With Rick Neuheisel as its new coach, it wouldn't surprise me if UCLA upsets a couple teams this season. Don't get me wrong, though, last year's SEC East champion has a very solid squad with a handful of upperclassman who vow not to take any steps backward.

Sept. 6—Wisconsin at Fresno State

For a team looking to get past the Outback Bowl and enter the BCS bowl series, things aren't off to a good start. Running back Lance Smith has been dismissed from the team for off-the-field issues. Fresno, which looks to be this year's Hawaii, has similar hopes, and will battle it out in Week Two in a BCS elimination game. Defeating a team that returns nine on offense and seven on defense on the road will truly be a hard test.

Sept. 13—Georgia at South Carolina

Last season, the Gamecocks came into Athens and spoiled things early for the Dawgs; this season they head to Columbia for their SEC season opener. Georgia can’t afford any slip ups this season or its quest for the national title game will be erased early once again. Knowshon Moreno and Matthew Stafford will try to avenge last season’s upset while Jasper Brinkley and company look to prove everybody wrong.

Sept. 18—West Virginia at Colorado

We all remember when Oklahoma came to Boulder as the No. 4 team in America and left with a big "L" on its record last season. Colorado will be improved this season, and, with the return of center Daniel Sanders, the line will be one the best in the country. With the Mountaineers coming into unfamiliar territory, this has all the ingredients for a possible upset. Keep an eye on West Virginia running back Noel Devine, though; with his speed, he will make a name for himself this season.

Sept. 27—Virginia Tech at Nebraska

In 2008, Nebraska looks to get back on track and reassert itself in the Big 12, while the Hokies are once again ranked because of their defense. It will take more than a year for Nebraska to join Texas and Oklahoma’s elite status, but the Huskers will not be the same bad team as last year. Senior running back Marlon Lucky will try to expose the Hokies' weakness on defense, which lies at the linebacker position with the losses of Xavier Adibe and Vince Hall. With the ACC being weak right now, you can consider this game one of their toughest this season.

Oct. 4—Arizona State at California

With one of the nation’s top offensive lines, Cal looks to shake up the Pac-10 and make things rougher for Arizona State. ASU must remain focused and can’t overlook Cal in anxiousness for its road game at USC. With senior quarterback Rudy Carpenter leading the offense, taking down the No. 15 team won’t be an easy task, but is definitely within reason.

Oct. 18—Texas Tech at Texas A&M

Texas Tech has emerged as one of the nation’s top offenses in the country, led by senior quarterback Graham Harrell and the nations’ top wideout, Michael Crabtree. Many also believe that is the season Tech breaks through to the BCS and removes its name from the “other” teams in Texas. Mike Sherman will try to put A&M back where it's used to and will attempt to improve the decent passing game. This game is more about an in-state rivalry and will go to the team that wants it more.

Oct. 25—South Florida at Louisville

Matt Grothe proved last season his size was not going to hold him back as he led South Florida to one of its best seasons in school history. Coach Steve Kragthorpe and Louisville look to improve on their disappointing 6-6 record last season and to get back on track this year. Look for plenty of points to be scored as two experienced quarterbacks aim to lead their team to victory.

Nov. 1—Pittsburgh at Notre Dame

Both these teams could be two of the biggest surprises in the 2008 season. I’ll be shocked if Notre Dame loses more than seven games compared to nine last year. Pitt should contend for the Big East title this season, which is a huge improvement from last year's 5-7 record. Look out for Pitt running back LeSean McCoy, who should prove to be one of the nation’s top backs, while Charlie Weis and the Irish hope for Jimmy Clausen and Robert Hughes to get their offense into gear.

Nov. 8—Penn State at Iowa

Penn State is a team full of question marks resulting from off-the-field issues. Coach Joe Paterno’s kids seem to be uncontrollable, which is a shame, because they are a talented group of guys. The Nittany Lions have plenty of experience on both sides of the ball; the defense will miss linebacker Dan Connor and cornerback Justin King’s experience and leadership, though. Iowa has also faced some off-the-field issues, and probably won’t make a whole of noise in the Big 10, but should get an upset in at home. Penn State will have to prove it isn't as vulnerable as everyone thinks it is.

Nov. 15—Ohio State at Illinois

Illinois is the last roadblock the Buckeyes face, which, if they make it through Southern Cal, could be their key to the BCS title game. Illinois was considered the breakthrough team last season and even looks to be better despite losing NFL running back Rashard Mendenhall. Juice Williams will look to spoil Chris Wells and Todd Boeckman's title run and make their own plans for the BCS. It won’t be a simple task by any means; Ohio State returns nine starters on each side of the ball.

Nov. 22—BYU at Utah

Not many people have heard of this rivalry, but it does exist and is one of the more underrated ones in college football. Each school will battle it out for a season of perfection to make a BCS bowl game. One problem: Only one team can go undefeated. The last time this happened was in 2004 by Utah. Each has the schedule to make the goal possible, but one will get their hopes and dreams crushed at the end of the season. BYU should be favored, but, with the teams so similar, all bets should be off, especially with playing at Utah.

Nov. 29—Florida at Florida State

Without question, Urban Meyer’s boys are bigger, faster, stronger, and more talented than Bobby Bowden’s group this year, but there is nothing better than an in-state rivalry game, especially when these two meet. Florida looks to be the team to beat other then Georgia in the SEC this season, and will not only have to beat non-conference opponent Miami, but also head to Tallahassee for the season finale.

South Carolina Quarterbacks Improved After Awful Spring Performances

James Gray — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:14:32 -0400

Back in April, Gamecock fans witnessed the most pathetic passing performances in a spring game ever. Quarterbacks Tommy Beecher and Chris Smelley combined for eight interceptions: Beecher was responsible for three, while Smelley recorded the other five.

From then on, analysts questioned the Gamecocks' upcoming season due to their QBs' less than stellar performances.

Beecher has since moved into the No. 1 spot on the depth chart, and Steve Spurrier seems confident with his decision. He told reporters on Friday, "Tommy Beecher is still our quarterback. He does a lot of good things but can get better though. He's getting a lot of practice and that's what we need. We need a lot of snaps before the real games with a lot of our players."

In Saturday's scrimmage, things went a whole lot better for Beecher and Smelley. Neither quarterback threw an interception, and five touchdowns and one field goal were put up by the offense in the first full scrimmage of the fall camp.

The Ol' Ball Coach was pleased by the progress but not fully satisfied, saying, "We had one of our typical scrimmages, except we had a few touchdowns, which was different. The defense had a lot of good plays here and there but they have got to get better, our offense has to get better, our special teams have to get better. We all have to get better."

Spurrier is showing a different approach: He gave much more praise last spring, but after last season's collapse, don't expect much until it is proven in a real game.

Beecher finished the day completing nine of his 13 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Beecher's first score came on a 16-yard pass to sophomore tight end Wesley Saunders on his first drive of the scrimmage, where he was 3-of-4 for 46 yards. His second score was also to Wesley Saunders on a 12-yard pass.

Smelley ended the day completing nine of 18 passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns. Smelley's first touchdown was a 10-yard pass to redshirt freshman Jason Barnes, and his second score was to sophomore Joe Hills for a 13-yard touchdown.

Even Stephen Garcia got into the action, throwing a 25-yard touchdown pass to senior Bobby Wallace. He was the only quarterback to throw a pick, made by preseason All-American Captain Munnerlyn. Garcia ended the day completing six of eight passes for 67 yards and rushed for 21 yards on three runs.

Overall, this time around the quarterbacks looked much improved. But when the season hits, don't be surprised if you see both Beecher and Smelley—and yes, Garcia too—get some playing time this year.

Mr. Brennan Was the Only "Colt" on Top

James Gray — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:43:33 -0400

Yes, it was only a preseason game, but when the clock ticked zero, Brennan was the only victorious Colt on the field that day.

A win like this for veterans is short lived, but for a rookie, it’s a game that will never be forgotten.

Yesterday was the first step Brennan made to silence his critics.

Many had said that he was too small, while others said it was June Jones' offense that allowed Brennan to thrive.

With a player that averaged 379.89 yards per game in total offense, there has to be something more than just "fitting" into an offense.

We all remember the damage he did in college by setting 31 NCAA records in just 38 games at Hawaii.

This efficient quarterback had a completion rate of .712, which is just another one of his highly-respectable records.

The guy put up numbers that players only dream about and led Hawaii to their first ever BCS bowl game, which did wonders for the program, in terms of exposure.

It hasn't been an easy road to the NFL for Colt, whether it was getting kicked off Colorado's team as a walk-on or keeping his head up after his draft stock dropped because of end-of-the-season surgery.

Through everything, the Irving, CA native has been through, he remained positive and confident, and insisted he would not be a wasted pick. He believes that he brings a lot to the table.

Well, on Apr. 27, the Washington Redskins made his dreams of playing in the NFL reality with the 186th overall pick in the sixth round.

So far, the Redskins are pretty satisfied with their choice, as Brennan has excelled faster than expected at camp and with his performance in last night’s victory in the Hall of Fame Game against the Colts.

Brennan saw his first NFL action in the second half. His first flash came out on a 3rd-and-7, where he threw a 34-yard pass to Billy McMullen for the first down.

He later finished off the drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Maurice Mann in the corner of the end zone.

With the first touchdown out of the way, Brennan wasn't finished yet.

In the fourth quarter, on a 3rd-and-4 on the Colts' five-yard line, Brennan was under heat with all of his receivers covered. He scrambled to the right and side-armed a pass on the run for a touchdown to Mason.

The drive was an impressive 88 yards in 15 plays, which arguable was the drive of the game, eating up over seven minutes of playing time.

Brennan ended the game 9-of-10 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

Not bad for his first appearance in the new environment.

It will be interesting to see if he can continue to progress and one day earn a starting job.

One thing is for sure though: Don't expect this kid to quit. He's got the heart of a warrior.

Stephen Garcia Reinstated; South Carolina QB Competition Will Heat Up

James Gray — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 10:44:26 -0400

Stephen Garcia, the highly recruited dual-threat quarterback out of Florida, was approved for early reinstatement and participated in the first preseason practice Friday in Columbia, S.C.

The redshirt freshman has had three run-ins with the law since stepping foot on campus back in January 2007.

His previous suspension was initially to last until Aug. 15, which stemmed from an underage drinking ticket. Garcia thanked school officials for allowing him to rejoin his team and said he would stay out of the media till he actually plays in a game.

Even before Garcia arrived on campus there were talks the long haired kid nicknamed, "Achilles", was the missing piece to bring Spurrier and South Carolina into SEC title contention.

The hype and anticipation was quickly chilled and sent to the back burner; many wondered if Garcia would ever see the playing field, let alone be allowed back in school.

Now with two extra weeks to compete for playing time, Garcia is excited to get out on the practice field and try to put the past behind him. The former No. 4 quarterback out of the 2007 recruiting class will have less than a month to work into Spurriers' offense and try to steal some time from Beecher and Smelley.

Right now Beecher is slightly ahead of Smelley on the depth chart, but neither has impressed the Ole Ball Coach, combining for eight interceptions in the Spring game. We all know Spurrier isn't afraid to pull quarterbacks, last season we saw Smelley benched in favor of Blake Mitchell while putting up good numbers.

With a close battle still brewing, it wouldn't surprise me if Garcia added his name to the picture and possibly stole the starting job mid way through the season if Beecher or Smelley struggle.

Either way, with Garcia finally putting the pads on, Beecher and Smelley have to elevate their game, because the former Tampa quarterback is eager for his college football debut.

Clemson: The Easiest Path to the BCS Title Game

James Gray — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 06:55:26 -0400

For the past couple years Clemson has been projected to contend for the ACC crown but they have yet to see one since 1991. When last years’ title hopes were erased by Virginia Tech at the end of the season, many Clemson fans wondered when Tommy Bowden will win one for them.

This upcoming season is a little different though. Not only is Clemson projected and picked to win the ACC, there are talks that Clemson could run the table and end up in the BCS national title game.

My first initial reaction was no way, and then when I checked their schedule, I quickly changed my mind.

The Tigers open up against Alabama in the Georgia Dome, which should prove to be a viable test but should be overcame. Next they face division I-AA team Citadel, which should be at least a 50-point win margin.

Their first ACC game is against NC State at home, who should be much improved but no test for the Tigers. The fourth game is against another division I-AA team SC State, which will be another lopsided victory.

In Week 5 Clemson hosts Friedgen’s Terps at home, which is a decent game but Clemson will be highly favored. The first road ACC game is against Wake Forest, which is the only preseason ranked team Clemson faces this season. This could be their toughest game of the season; I see Wake giving them a run for their money but the Tigers will prevail.

In Week 7 they are back at home to face a depleted Georgia Tech team, and this will result in Yellow Jacket beat down. Their road to perfection continues at Boston College, minus a Matt Ryan equals another Clemson win.

The Bowden bowl takes us into Week 8 and anything can happen. Clemson without question has the more talented team, but playing at FSU is never an easy task and playing against your dad is even harder.

Week 9 brings another uneven match up versus Duke. Warning: this game will get ugly and career numbers will be put up.

The last road game is against Virginia; the Cavs have a solid team and won’t be an easy target for the Tigers to conquer.

The final game of the season is against their in-state rival and foe, the South Carolina Gamecocks. Last season the Tigers’ took the bragging rights, but two seasons ago they were unable to defeat the underdog Gamecocks at home.

The Clemson Tigers bring a lot to the table whether it is their dynamic duo at the running back position, consistent quarterback, a senior star receiver, a speedy secondary, or a scary pass rush tandem.

Clemson, which returns seven starters on defense and offense, has what is takes to beat its opponents on both sides of the ball.

Look for Davis or Spiller to add their name to Heisman talks, as both have the ability to put up huge numbers.

On the defensive side, Hamlin, Chancellor, and Sapp look to show everyone their just as good if not better than the offense.

Everything on paper looks good for Clemson to win the ACC and make a run to their first national title game since 1981. Out of all the preseason top-20 teams, Clemson has the easiest schedule other than BYU, whose shots of making a BCS title game are slim to none.

Clemson also needs to take advantage of not having to play Virginia Tech, which has beaten them the last five tries.

With a newly signed contract all eyes will be on Tommy Bowden to lead this experienced team past an ACC title and into the coveted BCS. With respect to the ACC, the conference is weaker than it has been in years, and not capitalizing on the fortunate situation will have Clemson fans wondering, "What happened?" once again.

Reggie Bush: The Most Overrated Player?

James Gray — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 07:43:05 -0400

When most people hear the name Reggie Bush they think of greatness. And, from the common person that might seem as a fair assessment—the publicity would've confused me too if I wasn't an avid follower of the NFL.

I mean the guy is on everything: commercials, TV shows, magazines, and the list goes on and on. As soon as Reggie stepped foot in the NFL, people were sure he would be the next greatest running back and almost a sure lock for rookie of the year.

People thought the Texans were the dumbest team in the NFL for passing on Bush and drafting Mario Williams, but after Williams posted 14 sacks last season people quickly shut their mouths.

The former USC heisman who made players look foolish on the field in college is struggling to fit in and put up impressive numbers. In his rookie season he rushed for a mediocre 565 yards, averaging 3.6 yards per rush, and ranked No. 42 among running backs.

It still seemed like analysts were blind to these facts, as I never heard these numbers called out, only praises and applauds, which confused me. All I heard was, “What an amazing play by Reggie Bush.” Yet the very next play he would dance around for a loss and still announcers wouldn’t blame Bush.

How do you jump on a players' bandwagon who is not even close to the top?

Last season the hype was there again—people couldn't wait to see an improved more experienced Reggie Bush.

With more endorsements then ever, we watched Reggie rush for 581 yards and break the rankings to end up at No. 36. He did miss the last four games of the season, but with Deuce out he had two more rushing attempts than the previous season.

To add to his mediocrity in the NFL, his longest run in two seasons is 22 yards, and last season he had seven fumbles with only four touchdowns. Bush needs to step up and show that he isn’t just a college great, especially if the Saints want to be where they were at two seasons ago.

It is clear that so far Reggie Bush has been incredibly over-hyped and overrated. I am not a Reggie hater, just stating facts and numbers. I am not in any way saying that he can't still become one of the NFL's elite backs—I'm saying that the publicity is there without the performance and numbers backing it up.

However, I would like to commend Reggie for what he has done for the city of New Orleans off the field. He has been involved in a number of charities and has been a great influence for the younger generations.

I wish Reggie and the Saints good luck in next season—I also wish Reggie’s on-field performance will be up to par with his performances off the field.

USA Soccer: It's More Than Just a Game

James Gray — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 09:29:26 -0400

Last night I was fortunate enough to catch a re-run of the United States versus Argentina in the last warm-up for World Cup qualifying. For those who don't know the Argentineans are ranked number one in the world compared to the United States who is ranked nineteenth.

I am going to be the first to admit I am a fan of soccer but not an avid follower, except for the World Cup. For all of you who stepped outside the box in 2006 and watched the World Cup surely felt let down by the United States highly anticipated performance.

Everyone expected an improved team that would hopefully surpass their 2002 performance which was ended by a controversial no call against Germany in the round of eight. The dull performance left people running back to the usual popular sports here in the States; basketball, baseball and football.

How can you blame them? You can't, in 06 it felt like the sport of soccer finally had earned a birth in the only country that doesn't watch it. The commercials were great, for once we could all cheer for the same team and get along, a sense of unity was definitely in the air.

With the spotlight on, our team failed and so did the idea of watching soccer again for most people.

However, last night I put my grudge aside and watched my country battle it out against the world's best team. To my surprise they actually tied Argentina in front of a crowd of 78,682 at Giants Stadium.

For a sport that I thought people weren't interested in, I was proved wrong. Those 78,682 people were a part of a record crowd to watch a soccer game at the Meadowlands.

Watching the game was a bad way to put it, if I didn't know this was an international friendly game I would've thought it was the 2010 World Cup Finals.

Not one fan was sitting, unlike Giants and Jets' games I have attended. The last Jets game I went to I was yelled at for standing by a season ticket holder, then again no offense it is the Jets.

Not only did every fan stay through the pouring rain many were shirtless covering themselves with American flags. You could see the passion in the eyes of the players and fans, this was more than just an exhibition, it was an attempt to save the sport that they love and care about so much.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't moved by the chants screaming "USA," while Americans' proudly showed off their American flags and colors. This type of feeling is what sports should be about; passionate fans, unselfish players, sportsmanship, and most important a unity among Americans.

This time the players' did their job and without question the fans did theirs. So if you’re tired of scandals, steroids, and selfish overpaid players, check out U.S. soccer I think you will be surprised.

Florida Gators: Why Their BCS Title Hopes Might Be Shattered

James Gray — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:08:49 -0400

If two weeks ago you asked me if Florida had a decent shot at the national championship, I would've said, "Of course, why not?" We all know they are returning the only sophomore Heisman winner ever, and an ALL-SEC linebacker in Brandon Spikes.

Florida surely looked to be one of the toughest teams to beat this upcoming season, but their biggest question mark coming into this year lies in the secondary.

After the transfer of Jerimy Finch (the top-rated safety in the '07 class), the dismissal of Jamar Hornsby (who was kicked off the team for using the credit card of a deceased Florida student), and a four-star safety recruit who is likely to attend a prep school in New York due to academics, the Gators are left with holes to fill.

To add to the question marks the Gators were hit by a brick wall last Saturday when they lost their starting junior safety Dorian Munroe and back up senior safety John Curtis. Munroe suffered an ACL tear in his right knee and Curtis suffered an ACL tear in his left knee.

Both will miss the entire 2008 season.

These two shots in my opinion just knocked Florida out of a championship run. Even without all the injuries and dismissals the Gators' road to a title was far from a cake walk.

Before you make the national title game you have to get through a brutal SEC schedule that features games against Tennessee, LSU, Georgia, and South Carolina, and ACC games against Miami and the season finale at archrival Florida State.

So the task of running the table there looks almost impossible on paper, and now is an even a harder task with new blows to the defense.

Sorry to say Gator fans, I see possibly the same result as last season minus the upset loss in the bowl game.

Florida is still going to be one of the elite teams this year and are projected to be at the top of the SEC along with Georgia. With a weak secondary though, you can only go so far with "Superman" at quarterback and a strong D-line. Without safeties how are you going to stop the pass and the deadly deep ball?

Keep an eye on the Jacksonville showdown against Georgia though; the winner of this game should end up in Atlanta and maybe in the title game.

5 Reasons Why The Redskins Will Compete For 1st In The NFC East

James Gray — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:54:55 -0400

Once again the Redskins are picked to finish last in the NFC East and I'm not surprised. Despite last seasons' appearance to the the playoffs, analysts still believe Washington is the weakest team in the division. Here is a breakdown of five reasons why the Redskins will be a better team and not end up in last place.

1. Coach Jim Zorn and the west coast offense he brings to D.C. is number one. The past few seasons the Redskins offense has been decent, but that is about it. Redskin fans know what I am talking about--remember the first time they played the Giants and lost the game on a 4th and goal? Times like that make Skins' fans sit back and wonder whether it is the play calling, the offensive line, or is the other team's defense really just that good?

Offensive consistency is what nation's capital has been yearning for. A young QB who seems to have all the tools to be more than a solid QB in the league seems not to be blossoming quickly under the current offense.

The reason why I have the west coast offense as number one is because this is the offense that Jason Campbell ran so effectively at Auburn. Can you say bringing back comfort to the QB who led his team to 13-0 in the SEC?

He already has made huge strides in preseason workouts with the new offense and should have it down by the end of training camp. With a fresh start from a new coach who made Matt Hasselbeck who he is today, this offense could thrive to be something serious to reckon with.

2. It is Clinton Portis' time to shine. There is no doubting his overall skills and body strength has made Portis one of the premier backs in the NFL, but his lack of focus might have been preventing him from being a top 3 back.

This offseason was different for Portis though. Instead of partying the summer away in Miami he spent his off season in D.C., where the Redskins met with Portis and asked him to be the face and leader of the Redskins franchise-- which carries far more responsibilities off and on the field.

He was in attendance for all the mini camps, voluntary workouts, and is a mentor to the rookies. I'm sure he can still kick it with the best in South Beach, but now he has his head right and has his eye on the prize. The west coast offense also allows Portis to get into the open field and make defenders miss, which is his greatest attribute. So watch for this Miami boy to put up career numbers and open the passing game for Campbell.

3. A solid defense is what kept this team together despite the inconsistencies on offense. After losing Sean Taylor, Carlos Rogers and Rocky McIntosh, many predicted a huge collapse. But that didn't happen because rookies Landry, Doughty, and Heyer proved they belonged in the NFL and held together to win the last four games of the season.

With a perfect mixture of veterans and rookies, this could be one of the better Redskin defenses in the last decade--deep is the best way to describe the squad. One other note, many overlook the newly signed defensive end Erasmus James, who had his best season his rookie year then was plagued by injuries. With a fresh start and being reunited with his college defensive coach this former first round pick in the '05 draft hopefully will find his swag again.

4. I don't think the Redskins could have had a better first two draft picks. If you are like me and wonder how a wide open Santana Moss or Randel El gets the ball thrown 5 feet over them on a 3rd down, you are just excited as me about Kelly and Thomas.

Not only did they get the best WR in the second round they were able to get the second best WR in the draft. With a 6'3 and a 6'2 receiver the Redskins now have a well balanced attack that could be scary. With Randle El in the slot, who knows what can happen? Look at Wes Welker.

These draft picks have the potential to change the outlook of the whole offense and can be the X factors in getting Santana open, not to mention their size being a threat in the end zone.

5. The last reason doesn't have to do with a new coach, a new offense, a star player, or some key draft picks—it has to do with being a tight unit. The death of Sean Taylor brought great sorrow to the organization but it also brought unity among players, fans, and a city. If you would have told me that they would win the last four games with a backup QB to limp into the playoffs I probably would've said, "Told you so," but it was highly unlikely.

Look at the opponents: the Bears, at Giants, at Vikings, then the Cowboys. It was an amazing run that not only had to do with their heart, determination and skill but something from above. From the day Sean passed was the same day that "I” passed too, as a family they moved on, knowing Sean is there with them in spirit.

There are too many coincidences that came up involving his number. In the must-win game against Dallas the Redskins won by 21, in their next game a playoff loss to the Seahawks the Redskins lost by 21, following that the Redskins 1st round draft pick was non other then 21.

At first it seemed “fitting,” but now there are too many 21's to ignore. This is a team that is a family and with leaders like Moss and Portis who know now that life isn't granted they are focused and ready to battle anyone who gets in their way.

This season, don't underestimate the word TEAM.