Video: Gamecocks Stun #1 Alabama
A quick video/picture montage I put together from the day that will live in infamy in South Carolina for many years to come.
Clemson Tigers Tackle Another Cupcake Schedule?
Perhaps a tad unfair…though they do start out with a laughable first few games and play in the perennially weak ACC…but ESPN seems to think Clemson has the most laughable schedule in college football this year. I tend not to agree, but if ESPN says something bad about Clemson, it’s likely I need to agree. Soon enough they’ll get back to blatantly pulling against the Gamecocks on our ESPN games and fainting when the Tigers brush that stupid rock.
“It would be tempting to say Wisconsin has this year’s phoniest cupcake-enhanced sked, but that distinction goes to Clemson: The Tigers open by hosting North Texas, which is on a 5-31 streak, then the next week host Division I-AA Presbyterian, which finished 0-11 in 2009, including a 34-point defeat by Elon. Here is Clemson’s schedule — that’s the real schedule, not a spoof.”
Read more at ESPN’s Tuesday Morning Quarterback Eats Some Cupcakes
Why College Football is Better than NFL
Now here’s a bitter rivalry that happens every year that no one’s ever going to win. I fall into the “College” football camp, myself, but if I were to explain why, clearly, it’s so much better than the NFL, I don’t think I could do it better than this article (the included image doesn’t have anything to do with the article, don’t worry).
Excerpt – #4 Lack of Parity
Parity sucks. Parity’s great in the sense that “every team has a chance”, but that’s where its virtues end. With parity, teams are less spectacular, teams are better matched, and consequently, the play is less exciting. Parity means that punt returns are stopped after five yards, that linebackers never block field goals, and that a running game is effectively neutralized by an opposing defense……..
………A lack of parity means there are Davids and Goliaths. But occasionally, the underdogs make a miracle happen (hello, Appalachian State!) that resonates so profoundly that it serves as a reminder of why it’s not always best when teams are evenly matched week-in and week-out.
Whining About the Papa John’s Bowl
Updated 1/3/09
Well, a poor performance in a lackluster bowl secured the Gamecocks second disappointing bowl performance in two years, with the years also being mediocre at best.
Here’s the commentary on the eye-closingly poor performance in the post season.
We might have had an excuse in last year’s Outback Bowl. For this one, there’s no explanation according to Ron Morris.
20,000 Gamecocks fans show up for the PapaJohn’s.com Bowl. Gamecocks offense doesn’t.
What more really can be said here, we didn’t even play the game. It was boring and humiliating. Again, as is customary for Gamecocks fans to say, we’ll get ‘em next year. Maybe our new Offensive line coach will help (yes, we did have an offensive line coach this year).
Well, it looks all but settled the Gamecocks will be bowlin’ at the Papa John’s Bowl in Birmingham, Alabama. Considering the mostly lackluster season we had, I should be grateful. And with the possibility of an 8-5 season rather than what could’ve been a 6-7 at worst, we should take it. See The State story here. Update: Or did things just get more interesting?
But, just like the stupid Papa John’s Pineapple pizza, I don’t have to like it.
Perhaps if I whine loud enough they’ll decide they don’t want us. Or at least I can get free pizza coupons for being an unhappy customer.
If you haven’t heard much of the Papa John’s Bowl, here’s a brief top ten overview of it…and why I don’t want it long time. This is a crappy list, I know. So is the bowl. But I’ll feel better afterwards.
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1) Last year’s game – Rutgers beat NC State.
Rutgers and NC State last year had a combined 3-11 record the first half of the season. In 2006, powerhouses South Florida and East Carolina duked it out for the golden pepperoni.
2). Technically the name is the PapaJohns.com Bowl. It isn’t even the pizza place, it’s just their website.
3) On the brightside, that empty corner might get more use if we’re playing. Oh wait, it’s in Birmingham. Yes, this is actually a photo from the official Papa Johns Bowl website. Perhaps Connecticut travels well?
4) It’s on January 2nd.
The only upside is that in previous years, it was on Dec. 22 and Dec. 29. Everyone’s still asleep on January 2nd from the New Year’s games, getting rested up for the BCS games. Mainly I’m whining because I’m going to have to take an extra day off work. (oh that’s a Saturday. Well…I drive really slow ok.)
5) USC will likely play the winner of the Connecticut-South Florida game. Assuming one of them scores by Jan. 2nd. Does the plot thicken and USC ends up playing a top 25 team??
6) Spurrier on the bowl inciting confidence - “But if it is Birmingham, that’s certainly fine with all of us.”
7) If we lose I’m going to punish myself with eating Papa John’s crust plain without any garlic butter sauce on it for a year.
8 ) It’s the lowest rated SEC Bowl tie-in. While Papa John’s may be better the next day, SEC leftovers aren’t so great.
9) Actually this is an upside, at least we’re not the cheaper half of the pizza bowl rivalry.
10) Another upside, if we end up winning, Clemson can save face and say they lost to the PapaJohns.com Bowl Champion Gamecocks.
Bonus – this also is a picture from the Papa Johns Bowl website. This bowl may be alright after all. Go Gamecocks!
