My South Carolina Offseason Rant: Getting It Off My Chest!

Coach Spurrier will make good hires, now that the Bowl is over and he has an idea of what kinds of personalities he needs on his staff.  I think the whole squad would benefit from a Sports Psychologist too...just to get their heads straight and start looking at each other as TEAMMATES.

Some team building exercises need to happen over Winter conditioning and Spring training camp. We need to see a highly motivated, truly dedicated group of guys in Garnet and Black next year.

I think Spurrier is going to put the hammer down in 2009.  I think he needs to keep the competition for ALL positions WIDE OPEN until starting day.  Don’t announce ANY starters...keep the guys guessing and working their rear ends off to get that starting nod for the opener...and go from there.

More discipline (I still think that is where Duce Staley can play a big role), more motivation, goal setting, and attitude adjustment(s) on a regular basis.  Until the guys in pads start thinking like champions, they will not play like champions.

Tone down the criticism?  I’m on the fence on that one.  I know that being critical of young players can bruise their delicate sensibilities and psyches, but this is not cupcake baking or needlepoint either.  It’s football.  A full-contact, smashmouth, all-out physical game.

The new staff needs to buy into USC and have a driving ambition to make the Gamecocks a high-caliber program.  They need to drive that same motivation into players.  Notice I didn’t say coax it, or even ease it...I said DRIVE...or even POUND works for me.  These guys have to know, YOU are the NEW face of the NEW GAMECOCKS.  There are things that have NEVER been done before here, and YOU have the chance to change that.

Have dreams of having your jersey retired and being immortalized within the halls of a Div I SEC school?  Be the first to do something special here.  It isn’t going to be easy, but you can make it fun...

If you can’t get pumped up about playing in front of 80,000 + fans who absolutely lose it and go crazy when the Cocks play well, then you can’t get pumped up at all and perhaps would be better suited for the Chess Team (not trying to slight Chess, mind you)...or some other more subdued activity. 

WE ARE...CAROLINA.  I want a group of guys that think that is more than a cool slogan on a T-shirt—“A Nation of ONE" needs to ring true to them.  I think there needs to be more emphasis on NAMING and CLAIMING our stadium. 

WB needs more identity.  Spurrier dubbed Florida's Stadium “The Swamp”...and it will forever be known as that, so we need something like that at USC—something that makes young athletes want to play “THERE".

We need something that makes young players want to have more than just three little plaques on the wall (not slighting the reasons those are on the wall either...Sterling Sharpe, George Rogers...they DESERVE to be up there for sure...and so does Kenny McKinley). But we want to start accumulating NEW signs and have a reason to build a nice trophy case.

If you call my attitude “drinking the Kool-Aid”, then so be it...I’m drinking the Spurrier- Ade for sure, because I see that he has been up against some of the slackest attitudes I’ve seen on a college team...ever. 

Coaches need to share his goal(s) and fire.  He is concentrating on calling the plays, so the other coaches need to be in the players' ears, pumping them up.

Spurrier was trying to keep the guys pumped up at the Outback Bowl, but the other coaches were just standing around with their thumbs up their rectums, and the “leaders”—or I guess I should say “Leavers”—on the team were not even trying to get the guys focused. 

Are these guys rival gang members or what?  I don’t know the explanation, but it has to be addressed. 

Team Unity is key.  The 2008 squad did not have it—at all.  The young guys coming up have to step up and say, I may not be a senior, but FOLLOW ME.  Let’s get after this thing and do it right.

There has never been an offseason that I HAVEN’T been excited about the possibilities for the next season.  It is what makes Gamecock Nation so great.  It is what makes us one of the best fanbases in the nation.  We didn’t represent too well at the Outback Bowl, I was surrounded by Iowa fans.  THAT should NEVER EVER EVER EVER HAPPEN! 

But it did.

I endured all their comments like, “why would they brag about how well they show up, and they have less than half the drive we had to get here?” and “Hmmm, even after a touchdown they don’t make much noise.”  Even when “2001” blared to lead the team out, the guys came out in a light jog almost...no fire.

THAT is the first issue that needs to be addressed.  Hold a meeting.  Tell them that they need to be either in or out.  Give them the choice right then and there.  If they are in, then show it on and off the field.  If you are out, here’s your release—best of luck to you in all future endeavors, thanks for coming, buh-bye now.

Then hold them to it!  If they practice flat, no play.  If they play flat, here’s a nice spot on the sideline for you to re-evaluate the attitude and spirit you wish to play with. 

Yes, yes...I want the "Rah-Rah-Rah Gamecocks are great" kinds of players on the field. Yes, I want someone who walks on the field like they DESERVE to be on it.  I want a new attitude from the team.  I want the fans in the stands to be the ones who WANT to be there.  I haven’t given up on them.  I can’t.

I want to be there when USC “breaks” the “chicken curse” that we have bought into for waaaaay too long.  Some tater-farming redneck bigot stabs our ground with a pitchfork? 

Really? 

That’s it? 

HOLY CRAP. 

Then go to the spot, plant a tree or something, say a prayer, and let the Gamecocks urinate on it to mark their territory—whatever it takes to get that crap out of everybody’s head.

WE ARE CAROLINA...some of us anyway.  There will be plenty who claim to be, but alas they are not.  They are nothing but flaming taters and everyone knows what a flaming tater smells like...

Plain and simple...if you're going to give up on the Gamecocks, DO IT NOW.  You’ve explained why you "feel" like it, so go ahead and do it.  We will not miss you, promise.  That goes for "fan-like" people, players (especially), and even coaches.  I’m excited about signing day, and I hope we get a new strength and conditioning coach that will help the guys develop size and speed...

Until then, I’ll read everything I can about the Gamecocks, make me a big jug of Spurrier-Ade and sip on it until the fall. 

GOOOOOOOO COCKS!!!