So the SEC regular season ended in a wimper. And so the Gamecocks once again stumbled early in the SEC Tournament. Conference titles are a nice addition to any trophy case, but the thing about a conference title is it's not unique. Every conference crowns a champion each year. Most conferences crown two -- one for the regular season and one for the tournament. There's only one National Champion, though. It would have been nice to add a little extra hardware to the halls of Carolina Stadium. Sure. But there's just one trophy that South Carolina fans have their eyes on now. Friday marks the beginning of a new season for the Gamecocks. Scratch that. Friday marks the beginning of THE season for the Gamecocks. From here on out every loss has a direct impact on South Carolina's chances at winning a National Championship and every win gets us a measurable amount closer to our goal. We've been fortunate enough the last two years to bear witness to two historic runs by Ray Tanner's squad, and with any luck we'll see something equally magical this year.

The hurdle starts Friday at 4:00pm, when the 'Cocks will play the Manhattan Jaspers (that's Manhattan, New York, not Kansas in case you were wondering) in the friendly confines of Carolina Stadium. The Jaspers are the #4 seed in the Columbia regional and are accompanied by #3 seed Coastal Carolina and #2 seed Clemson. For their part, the Gamecocks garnered the #8 overall national seed. With that honor comes the right to host both the regionals and super regionals in Columbia. We'll take a brief look at each of the Columbia Regional's teams after the jump.

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We've seen this story before. The Gamecocks (39-15, 18-11 SEC) needed to perform in the final series of the season in order claim an SEC regular season title outright. Last year the Gamecocks needed to sweep Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The Gamecocks dropped game 1 by a score of 2-1 before taking the last two games to share the SEC title with Florida and Vanderbilt -- something of a hollow victory considering USC won both series with the Gators and Commodores earlier in the year. In 2010 the Gamecocks dropped the first two games of a crucial series with the Florida Gators to decide the regular season title, scoring only 4 runs in the process. Now this year, with another SEC championship trophy on the line, the Gamecocks faltered once again, taking only one game from the LSU Tigers (42-14, 19-11 SEC) at home.

Game one of the series was over before it ever got started -- literally. After having the last game of the UGA series and the mid-week tilt against USC Upstate canceled due to weather, Thursday's match was postponed in favor of a double header on Friday. My sources in Columbia report no rain having fallen after 7:00, so the decision to postpone may have proved to be a fatal one. The Gamecocks would go on to drop the first match of the double header by a 5-2 margin. Michael Roth allowed 3 earned runs in 8 innings of work while also taking his first loss of the season. The Tigers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back. That seemed to be the story of the weekend. In fact, USC pitchers allowed a single run in the first inning of all three games. For their part, the earliest the Gamecocks ever scored was the third inning. Carolina managed only 2 runs off 5 hits en route to the defeat.

The Gamecocks fared better in the evening match of the double header. Once again falling behind early, USC rallied to take the lead in the 6th inning with a four run outburst. They added another in the 7th to seal the victory 5-4. Tyler Webb earned the "W" by pitching 1.2 scoreless innings in relief of Forrest Koumas. Evan Beal walked the only two batters he faced in relief of Webb while Matt Price earned the save by pitching the final 3 innings. There was a little drama in the 7th inning when Adam Matthews' 2-run home run was ruled a ground rule double by the umpiring crew. The ball actually ricocheted off the concourse railing above left field -- leaving little doubt to those of us with a pair of two working eyes -- but the call was never corrected. The call was so bad that even LSU fans were making a good deal of commotion about it. Thankfully, the lost run ended up not having any bearing on the outcome of the game.

More after the jump.

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OK, so that headline might be a little embellished, but not by much. This weekend your South Carolina Gamecocks (38-13, 17-9 SEC) will host the LSU Tigers (40 -13, 17-10 SEC) in a three-game series beginning on Thursday. Either team could hoist the SEC regular season trophy after this weekend, but they'll have to best Kentucky's SEC-leading 18-9 league record to do so.

Few teams in the country are hotter than the Gamecocks right now. Led by a handful of clutch performances, a softer schedule, and a little bit of good luck to even out the bad, the Gamecocks have won 14 of their last 19 contests -- opponents stole 3 while mother nature claimed the remaining two. They continue to come up with wins in spite of not being particularly extraordinary at any one aspect of the game. The Gamecocks rank 8th in the league in batting average (.275), 6th in slugging percentage (.407), and 7th in on-base percentage (.365). Even the pitching, which has carried the 'Cocks to two straight national championships has been underwhelming. In 462 innings pitched Gamecocks hurlers have posted a combined 3.18 ERA (3rd SEC). However, the one category USC leads the league in happens to one of the most predictive -- opposing batting average at .223. Other than that, this team looks pretty marginal on paper.

In fact, the current iteration of the Garnet and Black is developing a uniquely "Gamecockian" character. While the championship teams of 2010 and 2011 had their well-documented eccentricities, they were grounded with the traditional hallmarks of a championship baseball team -- pitching, defense, and fundamentals. This year, very little of that foundation has remained while the mythos of a quirky team that refuses to lose has taken center stage. The Gamecocks may lead the league in fielding percentage (.980), but that figure doesn't include the numerous, sometimes nightly, base running errors and other mental gaffes that we've seen throughout the year. What's more, the 'Cocks are tied for 6th through 8th in the SEC in double plays fielded (41) when just last year they led the league by a wide margin.

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We've got an abbreviated edition this week, folks. The real world has not been so accommodating as of late. I've spent exactly one night in my own bed over the last four weeks, so be thankful for what you get.

1.) Kentucky Wildcats (30-3, 9-3 SEC) - Kentucky's earned it, people. You hate it, I hate it, and Lord knows Kentucky fans are still too drunk off their basketball national championship to even notice. We're four weeks into SEC play and the Wildcats have lost a grand total of three games. Unbelievable.

2.) LSU Tigers (25-7, 8-4 SEC) - After taking two of three from Florida in Gainesville, LSU has me thinking they've finally charmed that snake that bit 'em last season.

3.) Florida Gators (25-7, 7-5 SEC) - Still in the mix to be the best team in the league, but took a step back last weekend.

4.) South Carolina Gamecocks (23-9, 5-7 SEC) - The Gamecocks play gritty baseball, even against fluffy opponents. They're that much closer to sniffing .500 in conference play again, though. The 'Cocks host MSU this weekend.

5.) Arkansas Razorbacks (24-7, 7-5 SEC) - Taking two from UGA last weekend was no small feat for the Hogs. They're second in the West with a chance to make some noise against Kentucky at home this weekend.

6.) Ole Miss Rebels (21-10, 6-6 SEC) - Lost the series to 2-1 to Kentucky, but stalemated the Wildcats in the runs department by a combined score of 14-14. They're still hovering around the middle of the league, but they will be a team to watch in the post season.

7.) Mississippi State Bulldogs (20-12, 5-7 SEC) - Took two (and nearly three) from Vanderbilt last weekend. At this point, though, isn't that what you're supposed to do?

8.) Vanderbilt Commodores (13-19, 4-8 SEC) - The 'Dores are slowly climbing their way out of the cellar, but took a step back last weekend against MSU. The next two weeks get considerably easier as Auburn and Alabama roll onto the schedule.

9.) Georgia Bulldogs (19-13, 5-7 SEC) - A team that should still make both the SEC and NCAA Tournaments. They'll need to get their groove back this weekend against Ole Miss at home.

10.) Tennessee Volunteers (20-12, 6-6 SEC) - A scrappy performance against the two-time defending national champion Gamecocks earns this squad a leg up over the Yellow Hammer state.

11.) Auburn Tigers (17-14, 6-6 SEC) - For shame, Auburn. Rivalry games mean little in the way of rankings, but being swept by the Tide carries a stink that's hard to get away from this season.

12.) Alabama Crimson Tide (13-19, 4-8 SEC) - But, but bu bu bu... Yeah, I know. What do we know about rivalry games? That don't count for nuthin', that's what. You're going to have to do more than sweep your mediocre rival -at home- to dig yourself out of this hole.

1.) Florida Gators (24-4, 6-3 SEC) - The #1 Florida Gators came into last weekend riding high off a series win over the two-time defending national champion Gamecocks and a mid-week victory over rival Florida State. The fuzzy feelings didn't last for coach Kevin O'Sullivan and crew, though. The Ole Miss Rebels took the Friday game in convincing fashion, shutting out the gators for the first time all year. Florida took the Saturday game before dropping a close Sunday match. UF will look to get back on track this weekend when they host a surging LSU squad.

2.) Kentucky Wildcats (27-2, 7-2 SEC) - The Wildcats won the series against UGA 2-1 with a combined score of 27-16. Kentucky continues to swing a hot bat. Taking two from Georgia means the 'Cats have still only lost a total of two games on the season, which has made March 2012 one of the most successful athletic months in Kentucky's history. The #8 Kentucky Wildcats will play host to the Ole Miss Rebels this week.

3.) South Carolina Gamecocks (20-8, 3-6 SEC) - The #11 Gamecocks did what they needed to do against a Vanderbilt squad that has been struggling to find its feet this year. USC traded victories with Vandy on Friday and Saturday before taking the series on Sunday in a thirteen-inning affair. South Carolina coach Ray Tanner played the same starting lineup in consecutive games for the first time all season on Friday and Saturday. At this point, the starting rotation appears to be the aspect of USC's team that is most in flux. True Freshman Evan Beal got his first career start but was saddled with the loss. Perhaps the biggest disappointment was Forrest Koumas, the former Saturday starter, who faced three batters in relief of Beal and allowed hits to all three. The Gamecocks have been able to ride Michael Roth's rubber arm to two National Championships, but the kid can't pitch every day. USC will have to find some inning eaters if they want to get to the post season in one piece.

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1.) Florida Gators (22-2, 5-1 SEC) - The Gators remain atop our rankings this week after a series victory over South Carolina in Columbia. The guys over at Baseball America hold Florida in high esteem as well, keeping them at #1 for the nth consecutive week since the season's inception. And just like Inception, Florida was just screwing with our heads by dropping game one of the series on Thursday night 9-3. The loss appeared to do nothing if not piss off the Gators, who soundly beat the Gamecocks in game two 8-2 and took the series on Sunday 5-4. Senior Mike Zunino is slugging an un-Godly .802, which basically means any time he makes contact he's crushing the ball so hard that a tiny universe is being created at the inflection point. Nobody else in the SEC even comes close to that stat. Number two in SLG% is fellow Floridian Preston Tucker (.688).

2.) Kentucky Wildcats (24-1, 5-1 SEC) - The Wildcats kept on keepin' on this week with a 2-1 series win over Tennessee and a mid-week victory over Cincinnati. Even though the dream of an undefeated season is officially over, the Wildcats are still tied for first in the SEC. Baseball America rewarded the Cats with a top ten (#10) ranking, just above the two-time defending national champion Gamecocks. Kentucky has not scored more than six runs in any SEC game so far this year, but has not allowed more than four runs in any one game, either. They're walking a razor-thin line of success during this historic season for Wildcat baseball. If they continue to lead the league in batting average (.321) they should be in contention for the regular season crown.

3.) Arkansas Razorbacks (22-3, 5-1 SEC) - The #3 Razorbacks took two from Mississippi State in Starkville this weekend, giving them sole possession of first place in the SEC West. Add in a mid-week victory over Nevada to pad the ole resume and we could very well be looking at the best team in the SEC. We'll find out soon enough.

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Greetings, folks. Due to some circumstances of a vocational nature I had to forego posting a Week 4 Batting Around. Much has happened in two week's time, so I'll do my best to put the SEC in perspective -- or at the very least my perspective.

1.) Florida Gators (19-1, 3-0 SEC) - #1 ranked Florida cruised to victory over the snake-bit Vanderbilt Commodores this past weekend by a combined score of 23-5. Florida leads the SEC in slugging percentage (.521) and home runs (31). Their pitching has been solid enough -- fewest walks allowed in the SEC (32) -- but their batting average against is nothing to write home about (.241). Florida still appears to be the best of best.

2.) Kentucky Wildcats (21-0, 3-0 SEC) - However, Kentucky isn't far behind. The #16 Wildcats cracked to the Baseball America Top 25 this week for the first time this season in the wake of their sweep of the two-time defending national champion South Carolina Gamecocks (yes I will continue to say that all season because it appears I may not have the opportunity to do after this year). Kentucky is leading the SEC in nearly every offensive category except for the two taken by Florida above. The Wildcats are hitting .333, getting on base at a .433 clip, and have walked 93 times (3rd in the SEC). They're even leading the league in hit-by-pitches (43). This team may not be as good as their record when all is said and done, but right now I don't have a good reason to back up that statement. Therefore, I have begrudgingly moved the 'Cats up to #2 in our ranking.

3.) Arkansas Razorbacks (19-2, 3-0 SEC) - The #3 Razorbacks are just doin' what they do. Namely, winning. They've played a marginally tougher schedule than Kentucky to date, except that Arkansas' SEC sweep came against lowly Alabama. Had to give the edge to the Wildcats because 21-0 is pretty darn impressive when it comes down to it. The Hogs will be able to settle the debate, though, when Kentucky comes to town in the middle of April.

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Your South Carolina Gamecocks (10-1, 0-0 SEC) will host yet another team of Tigers this weekend: the Princeton Tigers (2-2, 0-0 Ivy). That's Tiger team number two of four for those of you keeping score at home.

However, first the Gamecocks hosted UNC Asheville (7-7, 0-0 Big South) this past Wednesday. Ray Tanner was clearly utilizing this game to give the lesser-used portion of his staff some work. Freshman Joel Seddon (1-0, 0.00) got his first career start against the Bulldogs on Wednesday. He went 5.0 innings allowing 2 hits, 2 walks, no runs, and striking out 3. He was awarded his first career win. Junior Adam Westmoreland (0-0, 0.00) saw his first action of the year in relief of Seddon. The southpaw from Brookland-Cayce struck out 3 in two innings of work while allowing just 1 hit. After a promising freshman campaign Westmoreland sat out in 2010 due to Tommy John Surgery. He never quite made it back to form in 2011 (5.77 ERA), but it looks as though he might be putting it all together again this year. Westmoreland relinquished control to Freshman Vince Fiori (0-0, 13.5 ERA, 0.2 IP), who allowed a hit, 2 walks, and an earned run while recording one out. Junior Hunter Privette (0-0, 0.00) and senior Logun Munson (0-0, 0.00) combined to mop up the mess, with Munson getting the majority of the work. The pair were able to stop the bleeding in the eighth inning and the Gamecocks took the game by a score of 8-1. Munson is a senior who transferred to USC after spending two seasons with the UNC Tarheels. He saw limited action in 2011, but he could figure prominently into the relief role if he continues to perform strongly during mid-week games.

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1.) Florida Gators (10-1) - The #1 ranked Gators took their talents to South Beach this weekend for a series with the #15 Miami Hurricanes. Florida added to an already impressive early-season resume with a sweep of the Hurricanes by the combined score of 28-15. Coach O'Sullivan and crew can now lay claim to the most impressive series sweep in the conference. The Gators reached double digits in hits in every game and only committed two errors on the weekend. They're for real, folks.

2.) South Carolina Gamecocks (9-1) - The #3 ranked Gamecocks notched a gritty win against the Clemson Tigers on Friday at a neutral field. The bi-partisan crowd included such distinguished guests as Bill Murray, but even the star of Groundhog's Day couldn't provide enough magic for the 'Cocks to give the Tigers the same nightmare three days in a row. They seemed like they might put it in cruise control after Saturday's 9-6 victory, but errors and mental miscues continued to plague the Gamecocks on Sunday. The Gamecocks committed 8 errors over the weekend, half of which belonged to talented freshman shortstop Joey Pankake. They also are last in the SEC in hits (88), RBI (50), doubles (10), on-base percentage (.340), and walks (31). The pitching staff is carrying this team right now with the lowest batting average against in the league (.153). Something has to give for the two-time defending national champions.

3.) Arkansas Razorbacks (11-2) - The #4 ranked Razorbacks had a decent week, sweeping a two-game mid-week series with BYU and taking games from Texas Tech and Texas but falling to Houston in the Houston College Classic. Arkansas did not allow more than four runs to be scored on them at any point in the week.

Catch the rest of our ranking beyond the jump...

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It is said that revenge is a dish best served cold. It is also said that cliches are the crutch of an uninspired writer. From way up on my perch, I can't say I disagree with either sentiment.

The South Carolina Gamecocks (9-1, 0-0 SEC) took two of three this week from the Clemson Tigers (5-4, 0-0 ACC) in a touring series that saw a game a piece played in Charleston, Columbia, and Clemson. While the Gamecocks notched victories on Friday and Saturday, it was the Tigers that claimed a modicum of revenge on a cool Sunday afternoon that stood in stark contrast to the mild temperatures earlier in the week.

Game one showcased why this series has been recognized as the premiere rivalry in college baseball. Gamecocks and Tiger fans, alike, converged on The Holy City Friday night with hopes of seeing a great game. Boy, howdy, they were not to be disappointed. Fans of our America's national past time were treated to a chess match of sorts that had some calling it an instant classic. South Carolina ace, Michael Roth (1-0, 0.89 ERA) struck out 7 in 7.1 innings of work. Roth was his usual superb self and held the Tigers without a run until the seventh inning, when a lead-off walk gave Clemson enough momentum to push across the tying run. Kevin Brady (0-0, 1.12 ERA) and Matt Campbell (0-1, 3.24 ERA) were phenomenal for the Tigers. The pair combined to allow just 5 Gamecock hits scattered over nine innings. It wasn't until the eleventh frame that the Gamecocks broke the tie. Christian Walker coaxed a lead-off walk from Clemson reliever Daniel Gossett (0-1, 4.91 ERA). From there, Ray Tanner employed his trademark small ball routine. An L.B. Dantzler sacrifice bunt moved Walker to second where upon he was summarily advanced to third by a pinch-hitting Kyle Martin single. Successive singles by Sean Sullivan and Connor Bright put Carolina up by two. The Gamecocks appeared to have Gossett's number and might have done more damage in the inning if not for the sacrifice out given up to advance Walker to second. Regardless, the Gamecocks pushed across two runs before moving to the bottom half of the inning.

Things got dicey for Carolina after Forrest Koumas (1-1, 5.40 ERA) gave a lead-off double to begin the Clemson eleventh. Tanner pulled Koumas for Tyler Webb (1-0, 0.00 ERA) who retired the only batter he faced. Next in line for the Gamecocks was Ethan Carter (1-0, 0.00 ERA) who was coming off an impressive performance the previous weekend. Carter induced a ground ball to freshman short stop Joey Pankake, but the pressure must have been a little too much for the Short Stack Shortstop. Pankake booted the play which resulted in a Clemson run and the tying run on first base. Carter struck out the next batter, but could not seem to get any help from his comrades in the field. L.B. Dantzler committed a throwing error on what should have been the last out of the game. The result was the tying run advancing to third, the winning run reaching first, and the end of the night for Ethan Carter. The diminutive Nolan Belcher (1-0, 0.00) entered to record the final out. The key for the Gamecock defense was getting the ball to the outfield where our fielding talent has range and then some. Wisely, Belcher induced a fly ball to center field that required every ounce of skill from Evan Marzilli to field cleanly. By all accounts (I was unable to watch the game) Marzilli made a spectacular catch to secure the victory. This on the feels of a frozen-rope throw from center field earlier in the game that saved a run. If his batting average were a bit more robust, Marzilli would be neck and neck with Christian Walker for MVP so far this season. The Gamecocks held to for the 3-2 victory. If you're looking for a more detailed account of the game, I strongly encourage you to have a look at GABA regular Gamecock'N'Balls' first person account of the game. Thanks, 'Ballsey!

More after the jump.

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Joey Pankake can tell you about living right. The short stop from Easley, SC was drafted in the 42nd round by the Texas Rangers out of high school. He spurned the professional leagues to come to Columbia where he is starting this season for the South Carolina Gamecocks as a true freshman. Through seven games he's batting .273 and slugging .500.

On Tuesday he knocked his first round tripper out of the park at Carolina Stadium in front of a crowd of 6,521. A home run that, it should be said, was the deciding score in the win against Presbyterian. Oh, and did I mention that Tuesday was also National Pancake day?

That's right, they guy with the best baseball name this side of Houston Street already has a day dedicated to his greatness. Or at least the greatness of his namesake. (Quick aside here, folks, but Joey Pankake - as great a name as it clearly is - just begs to be made into a multitude of only-in-baseball nick names. Here are a few of my favorites I've come up with so far: Kangaroo Flapjack, 'Kake Mix, Aunt Ja-high-fly-ma, Baron Von Waffles, The McGriddles Kid.) He confirmed to more than a few giddy reporters at the post-game press conference that, "yes," he did, in fact, stop by the IHOP on Assembly for a free short stack (also a great nick name) that morning. That's what it's like being Joey Pankake on National Pancake Day. The world is your oyster. Your sticky, syrupy oyster.

More after the jump...

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1.) Florida Gators (7-1) - Florida holds steady at #1 this week after sweeping the William and Mary Tribe and taking mid-week games from Bethune-Cookman and UCF. The Gators lead the league in home runs (12) and are second in opposing batters struck out looking (26). An upcoming weekend series versus in-state rival Miami in Coral Gables will tell us if we are, in fact, dealing with a UF team that should be favored to win the SEC again.

2.) South Carolina Gamecocks (6-0) - The Gamecocks had an impressive weekend at home which featured not one, but two no-hit bids by aces Michael Roth and Matt Price. USC now leads the league in ERA (0.83) and opposing batting average (.102). The Gamecock pitching staff appears not to have skipped a beat in transition from last year, but can the 'Cocks develop a solid one-through-nine lineup at the plate again? This week South Carolina will tour its namesake state for a rival series with the Clemson Tigers. They'll play a game each in Charleston, Columbia, and Clemson. A series win could propel South Carolina to #1 in our little poll.

3.) Arkansas Razorbacks (7-1) - Taking two of three from Valparaiso at home isn't exactly impressive, but the Hogs do lead the league in on-base percentage (.443), RBIs (68), and are second in batting average (.336). This weekend the Razorbacks will up the ante schedule-wise by playing Texas Tech, Houston, and Texas in the Houston College Classic Tournament.

4.) Ole Miss Rebels (5-1) - By virtue of their splitting the season-opening series with TCU, Ole Miss has the best win of any of the middle-tier SEC teams. The Rebels' sweep of UNC Wilmington last weekend didn't tell us much, and the picture won't get any clearer this week with the likes of Memphis, Jackson State, and a series with Miami of Ohio on the horizon.

5.) Georgia Bulldogs (7-0) - At 7-0 the Bulldogs have an impressive record against competition that is less so. So far Georgia has scheduled series with the only two college baseball programs in the state of South Carolina that aren't worth a damn in Presbyterian and Winthrop. Even a win against powerhouse Georgia State isn't enough to push them above number #5. In fact, UGA places this high pretty much exclusively due to the ineptitude of other SEC brethren.

6.) Mississippi State Bulldogs (6-1) - Miss State owns wins against Washington State, Kansas, and Mississippi Valley State. There's some name recognition in there, but not a whole lot of substance. A few wins this week against Memphis, Connecticut, and Lipscomb might help their cause, but probably not by much.

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This week South Carolina pushed their record to 6-0 behind what has come to be the signature facet of Gamecock baseball - stellar pitching. The Gamecocks (6-0, 0-0 SEC) battled a tough Elon squad this weekend. The Elon Phoenix (4-3, 0-0 SoCon) are no slouches when it comes to stick ball. They were the Southern Conference regular season champions last year as well as in 2009, 2008, and 2006. Over the last 10 years the Phoenix have made it to the NCAA regionals five times. Basically, what I'm trying to tell you is that Elon ain't no Maine.

The Gamecocks began the series in traditional fashion - trotting out all-stud pitcher Michael Roth (1-0, 0.69) on Friday night. Roth did his part by keeping the Elon bats at bay. In 7 innings of work Roth did not allow a run, struck out 7, and walked 3. Nolan Belcher pitched a scoreless 8th inning in relief. Patrick Sullivan capped the evening by striking out 2 and and then giving up a home run to Garrett Koster... which ended the collective no-hit bid for the Gamecocks. Oh, did I forget to mention that? Well now you know how I felt while following the game on Twitter. I didn't know the team had a no-hitter until it was over. Stupid superstitions. Anywho, the USC batters did their part as well. Christian Walker, Grayson Greiner, and Joey Pankake tied to lead the team with two hits a piece. Walker had 5(!) RBI on the night, two of which came on a home run in 6th inning. All in all, the Gamecocks' effort delivered a 8-1 victory to begin the weekend.

Game two passed with little intrigue until the 9th inning. Matt Price (1-0, 1.80) took a no-hitter into the fifth inning. Tyler Webb (1-0. 0.00) pitched four nearly perfect innings in relief. Webb, who struck out 7, walked none, and allowed no earned runs in 3.2 innings of work, showed signs that he has put last season's foibles behind him. If Colby Holmes or any of the mid-week starters falter, I would not be surprised to see Webb as a replacement. Forrest Koumas earned the save by recording the final out after surrendering a lone hit. The Gamecock offense was less potent Saturday. Tanner English was the only Gamecock to record multiple hits on the day. Christian Walker's performance was so-so. While he did have a hit which led to an RBI, he also struck out twice. Still, it was enough for the 'Cocks to card their fifth consecutive victory.

On Sunday USC held serve with a 6-0 win over the Phoenix. Colby Holmes (2-0, 0.00) pitched 5.2 innings of 3-hit baseball. He struck out 6 and walked three in the effort. Control was a problem for master Holmes in 2011, but so far this year he has pitched this side of wild. In 10.2 innings of work Holmes has hit 2 batters. USC jumped out to an early lead with 5 runs in the first two innings. Christian Walker added a hit, which now extends his hit streak 5. LB "Tiny" Dantzler led the team with 3 RBIs, and true freshman Tanner English added a hit and 2 RBI of his own.

South Carolina extended its all-time series record against Elon to 10-3. Both #1 Florida and #2 Stanford swept their weekend opponents (William & Mary and Texas, respectively), so I don't expect the Gamecocks to move up in the national poles. However, the 'Cocks will have the chance to improve their resume this week when they play weekend series with in-state rival Clemson after taking on Presbyterian in a mid-week match up. The Blue Hose are still winless in 2012 after being swept by UGA and Mercer each of the last two weekends. Whichever Gamecock gets the start against Presbyterian shouldn't have to be all that impressive to secure the victory. South Carolina leads the all-time series with Presbyterian 42-19. We'll see you Friday Gamecock Fans.

Go 'Cocks!

1.) Florida Gators - Florida proved itself the best team in the SEC, if not the country, this weekend when it took two of three from perrenial baseball power Cal State Fullerton. The gators may have won the series, but they didn't quite look like the unstopped force that some thought they might be... at least not yet. They allowed 13 runs over the course of the three games, which is only good enough for a 4.33 ERA. The Gator offense was in full swing, though. Preston Tucker and Mike Zunio lead the team by hitting .545 and .417, respectively, en route to posting 18 runs. Tucker belted two home runs.

2.) South Carolina Gamecocks - As we've previously covered, the Gamecocks took care of business this weekend, winning three games against a scrappy VMI team. Michael Roth was his usual self, while the Gamecocks defense shored up after Friday night's game. The USC bats were mostly quiet until the second game of the Saturday double-header, but combined to still slug .485 on the weekend. Perhaps most surprising offense-wise was a little show of power out of freshman TJ Costen. Costen belted a homerun in the eighth inning of a 13-1 blowout, but it was an encouraging sign none-the-less.

3.) Vanderbilt Commodores - Ouch. Vanderbilt traveled across the breadth of our great country to Palo Alto, California to take on the Stanford Cardinal in their season-opening series. The Commordores got swept - albeit by the second best team in the nation according to Baseball America. You've probably noticed that I haven't dropped them in the poll even though they were outscored by a combined 35-13 margin over the weekend. Yeesh. Frankly, I'm already rethinking my position, but it's a long season and I'm willing to give the Commodores one more week to prove they can be the team I thought they were. You're officially on notice, Vanderbilt.

4.) Arkansas Razorbacks - The Hogs did me proud by sweeping Villanova in convincing fashion. They outscored their opening weekend opponent by a combined 41-7 margin. This might just be the best team in the conference, but I'm not willing to go there until I see how they play against a ranked opponent.

5.) LSU Tigers - In a weekend that makes no sense to me, LSU took two games from Air Force and one from Alcorn State. The Tigers appear to be back to their winning ways, but like the above caveat with the Razorbacks, the strength of opponent must be taken into consideration.

6.) Georgia Bulldogs - The Bulldogs took on the mighty Presbyterian Blue Hose at home this weekend, winning each contest decisively. Their schedule is chock full of mid-major programs until the middle of March when they face UCLA at home prior to the start of SEC play. I foresee the Bulldogs winning a lot of games between now and then, but I also don't see them moving very far up the poll. Go figure.

7.) Mississippi State Bulldogs -Other than the obvious exceptions of Florida, Vanderbilt, and Ole Miss, MSU probably had the toughest opening opponent of any SEC quad. The Bulldogs took two of three from Washington State, which is a good omen for a team looking to build on a surprisingly strong 2011 campaign.

8.) Ole Miss Rebels - Splitting a series a TCU - at Fort Worth - is pretty good way to start the season. Thus, the Rebels are up to number eight in a little poll. Unfortunately, the middle game of the series was rained out, so we don't have a decisive swing game to mold our perception of this team. The Rebels are largely an unknown quantity at this point, but with so much young talent on the roster they have a big upside.

9.) Kentucky Wildcats - I'm not quite sure what possessed the Wildcats to do such a thing, but they traveled to Spartanburg, SC to begin their season last weekend. The 'Cats won a game each against Wofford, Eastern Michigan, and USC Upstate. Maybe not big names in the college baseball world, but all you can do is win the games you play. Kentucky's schedule will be plenty hard once SEC play rolls around.

10.) Tennessee Volunteers - By sweeping Northern Illinois over the weekend the Volunteers have already matched their number of three-game sweeps from a year ago. Congratulations to the Volunteers, but something tells me they still have a few seasons of climbing before they get out of the hole dug by seasons' past.

11.) Auburn Tigers - Speaking of digging holes, Auburn lost 2 of three to Missouri over the weekend. Missouri, by way of being a future SEC squad, must own a pretty decent baseball program, right? I'm not really sure about that, but what I am sure about is that the state of Alabama had a tough weekend on the diamond.

12.) Alabama Crimson Tide - Got swept by Florida Atlantic. At home. And didn't score more than four runs in any one game in the process. Perhaps Florida Atlantic is actually a much better team than, say, Northern Illinois. I'm not sure. But you don't get swept on opening weekend - at home - by an unranked team and not drop to last place in my power poll.

Ahoy, Gamecock baseball fans! With the college baseball season nigh upon us, it's past time that your friendly authors here at GABA starting cranking out baseball coverage once again. For my part, it feels like an eternity since I last waxed poetic on our nation's past time. There's just something about baseball that makes it the perfect pairing for the Spring season. It might just be the nostalgia we feel because Spring and baseball have always bloomed together. Or maybe it has something to do with the year's first batting practice never being too far behind the year's first lawn clippings. But I prefer to think it's because baseball and Spring were made for one another. Something about the lull-and-scurry motion of the game captures the season better than any other sport could.

In the coming weeks you'll no-doubt hear many more allusions made to fresh starts and baseball teams. And of course it must also be said - so I'll go ahead and get it out of the way - that everyone is undefeated right now. That won't be true, though, this time next week.

With that in mind I bring you Garnet and Black Attack's first weekly SEC baseball ranking of the 2012 season. Before we get into it after the jump, let's all just take a moment and to properly recognize what Ray Tanner and company accomplished last year. I don't need to re-hash it in this space. I'm sure you remember.

...

Once you've given that thought adequate consideration, look after the jump to see the pecking order in college baseball's toughest conference.

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Today we found out that Stephen Garcia violated the terms of his reinstatement to the Gamecocks football program. More specifically, he consumed some amount of alcohol (and possibly marajuana) which directly conflicted with the behavior he, himself, had agreed to as a precondition for his return to the team. Stephen Garcia willfully, and perhaps wantonly,  exhibited behavior for which he fully understood the consequences. He has no one to blame but himself. 

Why, then, has the Garcia saga resonated so powerfully with the college football world? It seems everyone has something to say on the subject -- especially those least familiar with its origins. Is it because in Garcia we see something of ourselves? Perhaps that's the answer for some, but I'd be lying if I didn't concede that my own psyche identifies more closely with the Tommy Beechers of this world. 

For me Garcia was captivating for the myth he became. He was quintessentially Gamecock. His boundless potential always seemed to be stalled by some imperceptible impediment. His highs were Everestian, but his lows were Marianastian. He was alternatingly bold and humbled. He was heroic, and he was tragic. 

In Garcia I saw someone who could have achieved everything that my mind's eye was convinced he would do. He should have played Perseus to my Zeus, but he fancied himself an Achilles. Ultimately, we had to let him go. 

For some people the Stephen Garcia dismissal came too late. You know the type I'm talking about. They like to say how Steve Spurrier has gone soft. How Garcia would have been gone after the first incident if South Carolina had had a competant quarterback waiting in the wings. How, if they had been Head Ball Coach, they wouldn't have put up with Garcia's mischief. To which I say, "Bull. Shit." 

The problem with Garcia has always been that he's been bad enough off the field to get in the news but not good enough on the field to get out of it. There's no reason not to take Spurrier at his word when he says that they didn't want to kick Stephen Garcia off the team for stupidity. Has Spurrier ever been anything less than forthcoming with his thoughts? The truth is the athletic department found itself halfway down a slippery slope before it even knew it was on a mountain. Garcia also benefited from the fact that his first transgression was his worst. I suspect Steve Spurrier struggled to dole out proper punishments for incidents that got sequentially less sever -- sort of like accelerating at a decreasing rate. 

Anyone who actually would have yanked Garcia's scholarship after incident number one is a callous misanthrope. More than likely they're writing checks that they know their body will never have to cash. It's easy to say you'd kick a kid out of school until you actually have to think about what that means for his future. And please, spare me the conspiracy theories about the timing of the dismissal coinciding with the rise of Connor Shaw. If anything, it's the reverse. 

Bizarrely, just as many people seem to come down on the other side of the Garcia fence. "Boys will be boys," they say. "Shouldn't a college student be able to have a beer in America?," they chide. I understand the sentiment, but I have a suspicion that they might feel differently if it were their team's championship dreams that hung by the thread of Garcia's sobriety. 

I had hoped that Stephen Garcia would return to the team for a final season and then ride off into the sunset a champion. I was wrong, though. You can't hope away the trajectory of a tragedy any more than you can change the physics of a car accident.

After five years of talking about Stephen Garcia there's really only one thing left to say: the Garcia era is over. Love him or hate him, I think we're all ready to move on. 

Go 'Cocks!

By now you no doubt have seen T Kyle King's overture to SEC fans everywhere that the Clemson Tigers belong in the SEC. I realize I am a biased partisan, which has everything to do with being raised in the Gamecock tradition, but for the life of me I cannot understand King's infatuation with the Tigers. Sometimes I wonder if the man synonymous with hating orange doesn't have a secret penchant for wearing tiger paw jammies to bed. He leans hard on the cultural and geographical arguments for Clemson's inclusion but brushes aside the entire impetus for conference expansion -- the financial considerations. I don't know about you, dear reader, but I get the distinct feeling that Dawg Sports would trade us straight up for the Clemson Tigers in a heart beat. 

How did it come to this? The 'Cocks and 'Dawgs share a football history stretching back just as far as the 'Dawgs and Tigers. UGA first squared off with South Carolina in 1894. It wasn't until three years later that the 'Dawgs faced Clemson for the first time. King even freely admits in his piece that the addition of the Gamecocks to the SEC allowed for the resumption of a longstanding yearly rivalry between the neighboring institutions. Over the past decade the series has become known for closely contested matches and nail-biting finishes. It has become one of the premiere early season match ups in the nation. We've seen our share of highlight reel plays and have heard our share of memorable play-by-play calls. What, then, lends the UGA series with Clemson so much more weight than the one with USC in the minds of 'Dawg fans?

In the past King has hinted that the tilts between Clemson and UGA in the 80s were very much a part of his formative years as I fan. I respect the traditionalist in T Kyle King. I feel comfortable in saying that I think we share similar views on conference expansion and a college football playoff. And I can certainly respect the concept of yearning to return to a time when one's alma mater was nationally prominent on the gridiron. I can even understand the inclination to ascribe unrelated peripherals, like the fact that Clemson was also nationally prominent and happened to be on UGA's schedule more often than not, to UGA's success in the 80s. I, myself, have been known to be something of a superstitious pigeon from time to time. But what I can't understand is this notion that admitting Clemson into the SEC is good for the SEC.

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FOOTBALL

Steve Spurrier's Weekly Press Conference Quotes & Videos | Gamecocks Online
Coach Spurrier and Marcus Lattimore are worth a listen this week.

Spurrier on playing Vanderbilt: A big ball game this week with Vanderbilt. Vandy comes in probably as upbeat and ready to play as they've ever been since I've been here. They're 3-0 just like us. Statistically, defensively they're one of the best in the conference in nearly every category. I think they lead the nation in interceptions.

Gulp.

3-0 Vanderbilt garnering votes in Top 25 polls | InsideVandy
Apparently Vandy just receiving votes in the Top 25 is considered news. I honestly do think they're a pretty good team, but Lord help me if we lose to them this week...

Gamecock Football Record Book - Updated Sept 18 | Leftover Hot Dog
We're going to see some records set this year, folks. 

Listen Up! TRC Unleashed – Episode 6 is Here | The Rubber Chickens

Due to a previous obligation, this episode is "Buckless" (insert whip crack sound effect) and features Tbone and Gman recapping the predictably nail-biting win over Navy and all the trappings that went along with it. Enjoy.

South Carolina Football: So Much for Having the "Best Fans in the World" | Bleacher Report
Alex. Buddy. A little advice: stay far away from the comments sections of GoGamecocks.com. I know how you feel. I like to read comments, too, just to see what other people are thinking. It's a bad idea, and it will ruin more than one morning for you. Put down the keyboard and back away from the internet for awhile. 

Lattimore runs away with weekly honors | Rivals.com
I should say so.

Lattimore was at his best late in the game. South Carolina beat Navy at its own game of grinding down the opponent with the running game. Lattimore rushed for 57 yards on 14 carries in the fourth quarter, including the 7-yard game-winning touchdown. "We condition better than any team," Lattimore said. "When it comes to the fourth quarter, as I get more carries, I get stronger." (H/T: @Lifeofagamecock)

2011 Heisman Watch - Heisman Trophy Candidates | ESPN

Follow all the top Heisman Trophy candidates on ESPN.com. Includes our weekly experts poll and past Heisman winners. (H/T: @sportstalksc)

Fla. DB pegs South Carolina for one of his visits | The Post and Courier
And on the recruiting front...

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This week's cover girl tweet comes from Brittany Lane of Spurs Up Blog. She makes a point that hadn't occurred to me, either, even though my birthday came well after the '84 Navy game too. Actually, "well after" isn't exactly true. The timing of my birthday is conspicuous given that it comes approximately nine months after the aforementioned "Navy game." Don't ask me how I figured that out. But I digress. Anyway, I've heard about the Navy game enough that it feels like I was not only alive when it happened, but that I was there. This is a must-win game for the Gamecocks this year if, for no other reason, than we can finally move past it as a fan base. 

This team, being so far removed from 1984, has an advantage over the 1988 squad that avenged our defeat. The loss is not visceral for them. Indeed, I get the feeling that this team is running against a whole host of demons that we as Carolina fans have held onto for a long time. It is important to remember that these kids are not fans yet. They're still players -- young players. Everyone has their own personal litmus test of something that makes them feel old. For me, it's whether or not you were old enough to see the Lion King in theaters. That's a line of demarcation for my generation. If you saw Simba become a man on the silver screen, you and I share a cultural bond. If not, well, get the heck off my lawn you whippersnapper!

More tweets after the jump. 

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FOOTBALL

South Carolina Gamecocks Football Field Report: Pirate Edition | Leftover Hot Dog
LOHD does a good job of breaking down the ECU game for you, but I'm not sure I can stomach re-living the first half of that game.

Steve Spurrier's Weekly Press Conference Quotes | Gamecocks online
Spurrier had this to say about Connor Shaw:

He's fine. He saw what happened. We watched the tape. He could've done this and that. Obviously the two long balls were close (to Jason Barnes and Alshon Jeffery) ... some other plays he could've done better. He understands Stephen (Garcia) played a lot better than he did. That's the way it was. Connor played better than Stephen in the preseason. We opened it up and it worked its way out. We didn't say Connor would be the starter for the year. We said each would play a quarter and we'll go from there.

South Carolina Vs. ECU Score: SakerLOLina | SBNation.com
JournaLOLism!

Watkins Named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week | Gamecocks Online

University of South Carolina senior offensive right tackle Rokevious Watkins has been selected as the Southeastern Conference's Offensive Lineman of the Week, it was announced by the league office [Monday].

Helmet-Stickers - 09.03.11 | SEC Blog - ESPN
Antonio Allen gets a helmet sticker but no SEC player of the week honors.

East Carolina Report Card | The Post and Courier
Can't say I agree with any of these grades except for the overall "C+." He gives the offense a "C" citing the fact that defense and special teams each scored 7 of the 56 points and the fact that they often had the short field. Then he turns around and gives the defense a "C" even though they, too, often had the short field. He gives special teams an "A" despite the punting situation and the muffed catches. The coaching might have been suspect, but it certainly didn't deserve an "F". I mean, we did win 56-37 for goodness' sake. More of the same from Andrew Miller if you ask me. Oh well.

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With the 2011 college football season having begun on Thursday, I have once again decided to record my predictions for the benefit of posterity. Long-time followers of this blog will remember that my predictions are a finely tuned amalgamation of intuition and ignorance. The latter usually takes precedence, unfortunately. For your perusal, my predictions for the season after the jump (tapering in length, which is my style, as we go). 

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FOOTBALL

Steve Spurrier's Weekly Press Conference Quotes & Video | Gamecocks Online
Coach Spurrier talks about Saturday's game.

We'll need to cover. The ball's going to get out. It will be a test for our pass defense, not only our third-down defense but also our fourth-down defense. These guys attempted 28 (fourth downs) last year and hit 21 out of 28. They believe in their offense.

Notes from Monday's Practice | Spur of the Moment

"D.J. Swearinger will start at kickoff return. Gilmore will be the first man up to return punts, but Butler added Ace Sanders will also see time on punt return."

The college football Top 25: There's an SEC team on top, duh | Mark Bradley
Mark Bradley ranks the Gamecocks 12th... right below UGA at 11. That may go against most predictions for the season, but I'm guessing Bradley is assuming UGA will beat the Gamecocks (He does work for the AJC, after all).

Daily 5: Biggest areas of concern | The Big Spur
Big Spur takes a look at some of the concerns heading into the ECU game. Spoiler alert: ECU can throw the ball. We don't defend the pass well. Should be interesting.

SEC Football 2011: South Carolina Upset Alert; Why ECU May Shock Gamecocks | Bleacher Report
Why East Carolina might become the sexy pick for a major upset this Saturday.

To Life, Love, and Loot: An ECU Primer - The Rubber Chickens
TRC helps get you ready for Saturday. Learn you some ECU "history."

SEC Football by the Numbers: Preseason -- Eastern Division | al.com
Some great stats here for people who love numbers.

814 Receiving yards needed by South Carolina WR Alshon Jeffery to break the SEC career record. Jeffery is chasing Georgia's Terrence Edwards, who gained 3,093 yards on 204 catches for Georgia from 1999 through 2002.

South Carolina has its reasons (how about a million of them) | MercedSun-Star.com
We've all wondered at some point why South Carolina would agree to play East Carolina at a neutral site. Take a quick moment out of your schedule to read this enlightening piece.

So, South Carolina and East Carolina agreed on May 31, 2007 to play six games - three in Columbia (2008, 2012 and 2016), two in Charlotte (2011 and 2014) and one in Greenville, N.C. (2015).

Even given the economy, I'm pretty surprised that this game wasn't sold out. I'm looking forward to a time when we can start selling out games regularly again.

Spurrier has South Carolina in position to take title | NYPOST.com
Not that the New York Post is known for its, um, reliability.

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Yesterday I unfollowed Travis Haney, formerly of the Charleston Post & Currier. I put it off as long as possible, but let us not kid ourselves. There was no avoiding it. His constant twitterial updates about the University of Oklahoma football team were picking at a wound opened by his absence. If we are not to begrudge his moving on from Columbia, surely he will not begrudge our moving on from him, right? Before we do, though, I'd like to examine what it was that we admired so much in Haney's writing.

I had been following Travis Haney's work for about a year -- ever since GoGamecocks.com decided to charge for the privilege of reading their coverage. At first I was mostly immune to the charms of his pen. Composing the Daily Feed dictates that I sift through a mountain of Gamecock-related stories every week, and on some level they all feel the same. As the weeks passed, though, I found myself checking with Haney and the P&C first and going to other sources later. 

I imagine that this was the general sentiment for many of you out there. Travis Haney felt like a breath of fresh air after so many beat writers who seemed to regard the Gamecocks program with little more than a wry smile and an eye on their paycheck. It's hard to explain, but Haney somehow made us feel like he was one of us. He wasn't one of us, though -- as he would no doubt tell you.

Clemson supporters sometimes liked to assert that Travis Haney was, in fact, a Gamecock fan. Such an assertion implies a careless reading of his work and a misunderstanding of the duties of sports journalism. That Haney's pieces felt positive is a reflection of his writing style, not his affinity for Gamecocks. Sports journalism, apart from other types of journalism, functions dually to inform the reader and play on the reader's passion. The idea that a Joe Friday "just the facts, ma'am" type character could make it in sports journalism is absurd. Sports journalsim feeds on passion, and Travis Haney could identify, research, and communicate passionate stories better than anyone in the Columbia market. He was savvy enough to understand that Gamecocks fans didn't just want to hear about suspensions and injuries. He was savvy enough to understand that Gamecocks fans wanted to be understood.

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FOOTBALL

Gamecocks Scrimmage Wednesday Afternoon | Gamecocks Online
Steven Garcia: 9-of-13 for 136 yards. Connor Shaw: 8-of-9 for 100 yards. That is all.

TRC Unleashed, Episode 2 – That’s a Wrap | The Rubber Chickens

Topics covered include:

• Does Miami deserve the death penalty? Would you party with Nevin Shapiro?
• Scrimmage report from the Gman, who says calm down, the offense will be just fine.
• Gman and Tbone tell everyone to chill on the Clowney expectations, while Buck refuses to chill.
• The legacy of Steve Spurrier heading into year seven.

Spurrier ready to use speedy trio of slot receivers | Anderson Independent Mail
Wide receiver is literally the only position I have no worries about.

Marty Markett put on scholarship | The Daily Gamecock
Funny how just a few months ago people were decrying South Carolina for over-signing. Now, low and behold, we've got an extra scholarship to give a walk-on. Funny how that works.

Changing of the guard at USC | Life of a Gamecock
Adam makes the cogent point that South Carolina is finally becoming more than just the current location of coaching great Steve Spurrier.

Spurrier's great Garcia gamble | Fox Sports South
A gamble? Really? Some people just don't know what they're talking about. The Garcia situation cannot be boiled down to a mere "gamble." And "yes," he did compare Spurrier's handling of Stephen Garcia to Jim Tressel and Terrelle Pryor.

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FOOTBALL

The Gman Report | The Rubber Chickens
Love this. Since most of us don't make it to any scrimmages, I like that Gman takes the time to actually describe what he is seeing. He doesn't regurgitate the story lines that are repeated ad naseum by the rest of the media types.

SEC Forecast: Alabama leaves them all shooting blanks | Dr. Saturday
Matt Hinton's prediction for South Carolina sounds like it could have come from 2010 or even 2009. Not particularly imaginative, and for that reason, I don't think very likely. If there's one thing I know about USC football, it's to expect the unexpected.

Steve Spurrier will shuffle South Carolina quarterbacks Stephen Garcia and Connor Shaw at random throughout the first half of the season, until Garcia slams the door shut on the starting job by leading a game-winning drive on the heels of a costly turnover by Shaw. "Yeah, Stephen was just a little bit better tonight," Spurrier will say after the game. "He's our guy from out and hopefully he'll play better than he has." (H/T: Team Speed Kills)

Aldrick Fordham makes most of his size | The Post and Courier
Andrew Miller takes a stab at filling the Haney void with this piece about the junior defensive tackle (still listed at defensive end on the depth chart) from Jamestown, SC.

"Aldrick understands the game very well and he's really intelligent," Lawing said. "He understands leverage. He understands technique and how to use it against the guy he's lined up across from. He's very sound fundamentally, but he's got to be with his size."

And his size is something of a problem.

"Most of the offensive guards and centers in the SEC are over 300 pounds, so they've got a big size advantage on me," Fordham said. "When you're going up against a guy 40 pounds heavier, your technique better be perfect."

"Yes," that screaming sound you hear is silver82blade.

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FOOTBALL

USC loses freshman safety for season | Sport Talk Radio Network
Ouch. Must have been pretty serious for him to have injured his arm and already had a plate put in all in one morning.

The last rodeo: Stephen Garcia looks to lead USC to unprecedented heights in final season | The Daily Gamecock
Kratch on Garcia.

Gamecocks Scrimmage, Here is the Skinny | Leftover Hot Dog
Flounder breaks down the scrimmage results in detail for you.

South Carolina Gamecocks: 7 Observations from Saturday's Scrimmage | Bleacher Report
This is quite a bit of extrapolation from just one scrimmage. It may be something to watch, though.

My guess? Carson has taken over the No. 3 spot, Miles would not be three, Brandon Wilds may have avoided a redshirt, and Eric Baker may not have a roster spot.

Gamecocks Hold First Scrimmage Saturday | Gamecocks Online
When prompted Spurrier says that Kenny Miles will still be the #2 guy at running back. He also calls Shon Carson "Shawn Greene." Yeah, coach. Don't we wish.

TRC Unleashed – Episode 1 - The Rubber Chickens
G-man speaks! After not having penned a single post, T-bone and Buck cajole THE G-MAN into participating in a 30 minute phone call. The guys talk Texas A&M and SEC Expansion, and, uh, like Gamecocks football. Duh. Definitely check it out if you have some free time.

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FOOTBALL

South Carolina fall football practice continues Thursday | TheTandD.com
Not much news coming out of practice today.

"Just a decent little inside-the-25/overtime scrimmage we had today," said head coach Steve Spurrier following the practice session. "The first defense did pretty well. The first offense wasn't too good. The second offense scored most of the time it seemed like. We had some good plays here and there. Damiere Byrd seems to make a play or two all the time. Other than that, just very average. Nobody got hurt today, so it was a decent practice."

Noise violation forces Clowney to miss practice | WIS News 10
BREAKING: Young people today like to listen to their music too loud!!!

Carolina Convo | ESPN
Some good stuff here from the World Wide Leader. See, folks? You don't need to upgrade to the sports package. It's all on the web. All hail the internet!

Did Steve Spurrier Curse On ESPN? | SportsGrid
In the same vein, this is by far the stupidest thing I have ever seen masquerading as "sports coverage." And I've seen my own work.

Free agent receiver grabs attention at Packers camp | JSOnline
Whoa, whoa. Is this true?

"Gurley is far from a finished product - he knows that. But he also never dropped a pass in college."

This is a great article and well worth your time. It underscores why I was mad that Tori Gurley left after only two years -- purely selfish reasons, mind you -- he was great for our team. Best of luck to him. I think we all knew that he would be OK, even if we wasn't drafted.

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FOOTBALL

Gamecocks Work Out Wednesday Morning | Gamecocks Online
Mental note: Shon Carson does not make for an interesting interview. "Yes, sir. No, sir. Whatever you say, sir. May I go now, sir?" Steve Spurrier, Jr.'s interview is worth a listen, though.

Spurrier says he expects QB Garcia to be more focused | The Dan Patrick Show | Official Home
In case you missed Steve Spurrier on the Dan Patrick Show yesterday, I've tracked down the interview for you.

South Carolina Gets the Role as Favorites -- For Now // SEC 2011 | Team Speed Kills
Cocknfire has narrowed down the SEC East to a two horse race between the Gamecocks and Bulldogs. He gives the 'Cocks the edge in the end, but not before noting UGA's more favorable schedule.

Gamecocks Video: Marcus Lattimore for Heisman | Leftover Hot Dog
Find yourself yearning for Marcus Lattimore in your life? Have no fear, we have two(!) videos to hold you over until September 3. Did I mention that Lattimore is a Heisman candidate this year?

The Deciders: Alshon Jeffery Pumps Up the Gamecocks' Chances // SEC 2011 | Team Speed Kills
No doubt, Alshon Jeffery will be a big part of any success had for the Gamecocks in 2011. He is also a dark horse Heisman candidate.

Gamecocks Football: Five Games That Matter in 2011 | Leftover Hot Dog
Flounder gives us the five games that matter most on South Carolina's schedule this year. What, no Citadel?

COMING VERY SOON – The TRC Podcast | The Rubber Chickens
Seems anyone can get a podcast these days. Better watch out before iTunes starts to look like the internet. But seriously, I'm looking forward to hearing these guys talk about the Gamecocks. I'm also looking forward to prank calling them.

South Carolina Football 2011: Analyzing the Gamecocks Linebackers | Bleacher Report
Seems some enterprising chap by the name of Alex Roberts took the time to outline South Carolina's linebacker situation. Worth your time if, like me, you don't really know what our depth chart looks like behind Shaq Wilson.

Can the Gamecocks Manage a 10-Win Season? | Free Times
The question on everyone's mind. At least on mine.

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In year's past, SEC Media Days has been known for the absurd. Take 2008, for instance, the year Phillip Fulmer was served a subpoena to testify in a liable suits against the NCAA.  Or last year when Vanderbilt's Robbie Caldwell charmed the room by explaining the finer points of turkey insemination. This year, however, coaches and media personnel, alike, stuck to their scripts more often than not.

Not that there weren't story lines to be had, mind you. Mike Slive's proposal to bring collegiate athletics out of the dark ages seemed promising enough. The problem was that the story fizzled when each coach basically said some version of "We'll play by whatever the rules are," or "I haven't had a chance to read over the proposal, so I can't comment." This is the type of story-killing sensibility that media members have nightmares about.

As a group, media members didn't have much luck when it came to questions about over-signing, either. Will Muschamp's response, "We don't over-sign," was barely distinguishable from Steve Spurrier's "We didn't over-sign." Houston Nutt offered a little commentary on the matter by admitting that he is "kind of connected to that," but reiterated the week's motto of pledging to follow whatever rules are placed in front of him.

Even Auburn's Gene Chizik got off easy by staying on message. When asked about the "bag man" story that broke just prior to Media Days, Chizik repeatedly stated that he had no concerns when his head hit the pillow at night. That's great and all, but I'm not going to believe that someone who allegedly paid a player $180,000 to get him on campus will suddenly find religion after winning a National Championship and thumbing his nose at the enforcement agencies for a year. Chizik probably does sleep like a baby at night, and that's exactly what worries me.

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