Weekend Off
Since The Open Mike was off Thursday and Friday due to Hartsville football, I took the opportunity to take time for some R and R. During this time, I've made some observations regarding the football season, and the sports world at this point.
Over the past three of seasons we've been spoiled as football fans in this state. Both South Carolina and Clemson have been in the hunt for division titles, or at least have been relevant on the national scene. This season....not so much. Clemson is relevant because its head coaching vacancy is perceived to be the best available job in college football. South Carolina's claim to fame is being in the top ten most-watched Youtube clips (at least one state team belongs in the top ten of something). Without a signiture win for either team, this season has been vanilla or chocolate ice cream. It's great that it's ice cream, but where's the good stuff? Luckily we'll have the game at the end of the season where one team is going to steal the other team's ice cream. One might walk out with swirl and the other nothing in their bowl.
The other observation was how close South Carolina really is. Take a look at the games they've played. Vanderbilt can be put in the same classification as Wofford, a team playing way over their heads, managing to play everyone close from Georgia to Duke. Is it embarrassing? Yes, but Georgia lost to them two years ago, and have escaped with a win the last two seasons. There's the difference though, Georgia escapes with win, South Carolina does not. On the surface, it looks like the same old USC, always close, but never over the top. However, fourteen points separate them from where they are now, and first place in the SEC East. USC isn't losing the games where they pulled a rabbit out of their hat only to fall short, they are losing games wherelook like they belong.
Programming Note: Tonights show should be fun, Bud Selig stepped in front of a microphone.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Positives and Negatives
Yabba Dabo Debut
Life in Clemson was very similar to the theme around the new tv series "Life on Mars". It was like waking up in a different time and culture. Was it just me or did it not seem odd that Clemson fans were all of a sudden okay with a loss due to the boost in morale it gave the players? For future reference, those are called moral victories. Clemson fans should know, they've been giving South Carolina fans plenty of grief over the years for seasons full of them. Funny how outlooks change when the shoe is on the other foot.
Dabo did okay, but a season that started with promise is looking like it'll end with a different promise (to be home for Christmas). I doubt highly they can win four of the next five. However, given the circumstances, it'd be nice to see Clemson win three of the next four and have the South Carolina game mean something other than bragging rights for the second year in a row.
So Close
South Carolina has been to the edge of the next step for the past three years. At some point, Spurrier has to figure out how to get over that hump (side note: has any other sports cliche' been used more in one state over the past decade?). The SEC is no longer on the table for the Gamecocks, however with a win over Tennessee and Arkansas, they can finish the season at .500 in the SEC, and a shot at a better bowl destination than in years past. South Carolina also has a shot at only their second 9 or 10 win season ever. The last 10 win season was un Morrison is 1984 and the last 9 win season was under Holtz in 2001.
All of the above mentioned goals are acceptable to South Carolina fans, however, in both scenarios when the team hit the 9 and 10 win marks, the following 2 seasons were losing ones. Spurrier must find an offensive line and a running game to avoid repeating history in Columbia. Excuse me for stating the obvious, but those two defficiencies are the difference between close wins and close losses, and Outback Bowl and a Sugar Bowl.
Everything aside, this was a season that did hold much hope for the Gamecocks. Maybe be they end, they'll begin to see the top of that hump.
Life in Clemson was very similar to the theme around the new tv series "Life on Mars". It was like waking up in a different time and culture. Was it just me or did it not seem odd that Clemson fans were all of a sudden okay with a loss due to the boost in morale it gave the players? For future reference, those are called moral victories. Clemson fans should know, they've been giving South Carolina fans plenty of grief over the years for seasons full of them. Funny how outlooks change when the shoe is on the other foot.
Dabo did okay, but a season that started with promise is looking like it'll end with a different promise (to be home for Christmas). I doubt highly they can win four of the next five. However, given the circumstances, it'd be nice to see Clemson win three of the next four and have the South Carolina game mean something other than bragging rights for the second year in a row.
So Close
South Carolina has been to the edge of the next step for the past three years. At some point, Spurrier has to figure out how to get over that hump (side note: has any other sports cliche' been used more in one state over the past decade?). The SEC is no longer on the table for the Gamecocks, however with a win over Tennessee and Arkansas, they can finish the season at .500 in the SEC, and a shot at a better bowl destination than in years past. South Carolina also has a shot at only their second 9 or 10 win season ever. The last 10 win season was un Morrison is 1984 and the last 9 win season was under Holtz in 2001.
All of the above mentioned goals are acceptable to South Carolina fans, however, in both scenarios when the team hit the 9 and 10 win marks, the following 2 seasons were losing ones. Spurrier must find an offensive line and a running game to avoid repeating history in Columbia. Excuse me for stating the obvious, but those two defficiencies are the difference between close wins and close losses, and Outback Bowl and a Sugar Bowl.
Everything aside, this was a season that did hold much hope for the Gamecocks. Maybe be they end, they'll begin to see the top of that hump.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Bowden
When the word came down that Tommy Bowden was stepping down, I believe the timing was the most shocking, not the firing itself. Surprisingly, there have been some fans upset with not only the move, but also the timing. The most telling statistic however was 73 wins vs. 72 wins. The former is the amount of wins compiled by the Hatfield/West era while the latter was the total wins by Bowden. Fewer wins, no 10 win seasons, and zero ACC titles, and one exit.
Some might feel that I am a "Bowden Guy" on the air. Quite the contrary, I believe I am realistic. There are some fans who follow the program that will never be happy unless they are a national title contender every year. That is not realistic, and the fact that Bowden was able to build the foundation that now lays beneath the Clemson football program despite this group's negativity is a testiment to the man's ability.
In the end, however sound the foundation might be, Tommy Bowden couldn't get the program to the top floor of the ACC. That wasn't an unrealistic expectation. There were some unlucky breaks (google: Aaron Kelly, Boston College), along with close loses (see: 2005). Erase those and the discussion is much different. However the story was always the same, close but no cigar. First time is unlucky, fourth time is a trend.
Now Clemson's football season has a rekindled excitement to it. Nobody knows what is in store with Dabo Swinney and a staff that has nothing to lose. It'll be fun to sit down next week and write about what I see in Clemson this week. The foundation is there, the expectations are gone, and while Bowden was shown the exit, Swinney has doors wide open.
Some might feel that I am a "Bowden Guy" on the air. Quite the contrary, I believe I am realistic. There are some fans who follow the program that will never be happy unless they are a national title contender every year. That is not realistic, and the fact that Bowden was able to build the foundation that now lays beneath the Clemson football program despite this group's negativity is a testiment to the man's ability.
In the end, however sound the foundation might be, Tommy Bowden couldn't get the program to the top floor of the ACC. That wasn't an unrealistic expectation. There were some unlucky breaks (google: Aaron Kelly, Boston College), along with close loses (see: 2005). Erase those and the discussion is much different. However the story was always the same, close but no cigar. First time is unlucky, fourth time is a trend.
Now Clemson's football season has a rekindled excitement to it. Nobody knows what is in store with Dabo Swinney and a staff that has nothing to lose. It'll be fun to sit down next week and write about what I see in Clemson this week. The foundation is there, the expectations are gone, and while Bowden was shown the exit, Swinney has doors wide open.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Surprises
USC vs. Ole Miss
Chris Smelley was one surprise, Stephen Garcia was the other. Smelley going out and "ending tryouts" as Coach Spurrier put it later was a good sign for the Gamecocks. This does not put an end to Garcia's playing time, but at least for the time being it gives some continuity to the quarterback situation. USC fans finally got a quarterback to start, play well consistently throughout the game, and finish with a win on the road in the SEC.
Funny how everything is still in front of South Carolina right now. Vanderbilt still has the bulk of their schedule ahead of them, not to mention Georgia and Florida already have a loss before the "Cocktail Party". There is still a lot to play for.
Clemson/Maryland/Virginia
I was quite surprised to hear how mad some Clemson fans were over Maryland's loss to Virginia. One would think fans take the standings into consideration before they pass judgment on the outcome of a game that their team isn't playing in. Not in this case.
Many Clemson fans felt like it made Clemson look worse because of how bad Virginia is. Not particularly. Each game is mutually exclusive. Is Duke going to win the ACC now because they beat Virginia, who beat Maryland, who beat ACC favorite Clemson? Of course not, for the same reason that Oregon State would not beat Ohio State just because they beat Southern Cal.
Virginia gave Clemson a new beginning last Saturday, but like all opportunities, Clemson has to learn to take advantage of them.
Chris Smelley was one surprise, Stephen Garcia was the other. Smelley going out and "ending tryouts" as Coach Spurrier put it later was a good sign for the Gamecocks. This does not put an end to Garcia's playing time, but at least for the time being it gives some continuity to the quarterback situation. USC fans finally got a quarterback to start, play well consistently throughout the game, and finish with a win on the road in the SEC.
Funny how everything is still in front of South Carolina right now. Vanderbilt still has the bulk of their schedule ahead of them, not to mention Georgia and Florida already have a loss before the "Cocktail Party". There is still a lot to play for.
Clemson/Maryland/Virginia
I was quite surprised to hear how mad some Clemson fans were over Maryland's loss to Virginia. One would think fans take the standings into consideration before they pass judgment on the outcome of a game that their team isn't playing in. Not in this case.
Many Clemson fans felt like it made Clemson look worse because of how bad Virginia is. Not particularly. Each game is mutually exclusive. Is Duke going to win the ACC now because they beat Virginia, who beat Maryland, who beat ACC favorite Clemson? Of course not, for the same reason that Oregon State would not beat Ohio State just because they beat Southern Cal.
Virginia gave Clemson a new beginning last Saturday, but like all opportunities, Clemson has to learn to take advantage of them.
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