Respecting your opponent.

[AikenRooster]

Carolina's real problem is a lack of respect for teams that they are apparently ignorant of and/or teams that they perceive are inferior to us. We play down to the opponents that we should beat, and play up to the elite teams. THIS is unacceptable.
Mack Brown told the press, last week, that they were able to beat Nebraska because they had TREMENDOUS respect for them. I've heard Jim Tressel and Joe Paterno speak of respecting your opponent. We play down to the I-AA in-state opponents that we've scheduled lately, we didn't respect Connecticut or Iowa in the bowl games, and we've gone through the motions with Vanderbilt and Kentucky the last few years, and we've been burned several times.
The players are disrespecting the fans and the university by not giving 100% effort on every play, both mentally and physically. The coaches are doing the same by not putting the players in position to win. Then, the players have the audacity to laugh and giggle on the sideline, while the other team is gathering the momentum and mounting a comeback - it rubs me the wrong way, to be frank.. The university and the fans invest a lot of time and money into these players and we deserve better. I didn't see Alshon Jeffery or Marcus Lattimore giggling about nothing, because they are winners, and they didn't find a damn thing funny about losing to Kensucky. Like Spurrier said, "Lattimore didn't come here to go 7-6." We'll never have an easier chance to win the East and our players need to realize this and take what is rightfully theirs.

We need to come out Saturday and put Vandy in their place and then come back home and take care of business.

[bmwparts]

nicely said

[yazoo]

Carolina's real problem is a lack of respect for teams that they are apparently ignorant of and/or teams that they perceive are inferior to us. We play down to the opponents that we should beat, and play up to the elite teams. THIS is unacceptable.
Mack Brown told the press, last week, that they were able to beat Nebraska because they had TREMENDOUS respect for them. I've heard Jim Tressel and Joe Paterno speak of respecting your opponent. We play down to the I-AA in-state opponents that we've scheduled lately, we didn't respect Connecticut or Iowa in the bowl games, and we've gone through the motions with Vanderbilt and Kentucky the last few years, and we've been burned several times.
The players are disrespecting the fans and the university by not giving 100% effort on every play, both mentally and physically. The coaches are doing the same by not putting the players in position to win. Then, the players have the audacity to laugh and giggle on the sideline, while the other team is gathering the momentum and mounting a comeback - it rubs me the wrong way, to be frank.. The university and the fans invest a lot of time and money into these players and we deserve better. I didn't see Alshon Jeffery or Marcus Lattimore giggling about nothing, because they are winners, and they didn't find a damn thing funny about losing to Kensucky. Like Spurrier said, "Lattimore didn't come here to go 7-6." We'll never have an easier chance to win the East and our players need to realize this and take what is rightfully theirs.

We need to come out Saturday and put Vandy in their place and then come back home and take care of business.

You are exactly right. If you give the opponent its due, then your wins take on added luster. If you say Kentucky is terrible and Vandy is abysmal, then your victories are cheapened.

You should acknowlege the opponent.

Kentucky has a top flight QB and some great receivers in Cobb and #8.

Vandy plays very solid fundamentally, has a sound defense, and does not typically beat itself.

[TKE226]

very valid point...well said

[Renegade68]

This is what happens if a team doesn't respect their opponent..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYHJrN4GL4Q

[johnnyb]

yep, thats why i feel like we "play down" to our opponents so bad

[Cwrooster]

Carolina's real problem is a lack of respect for teams that they are apparently ignorant of and/or teams that they perceive are inferior to us. We play down to the opponents that we should beat, and play up to the elite teams. THIS is unacceptable.
Mack Brown told the press, last week, that they were able to beat Nebraska because they had TREMENDOUS respect for them. I've heard Jim Tressel and Joe Paterno speak of respecting your opponent. We play down to the I-AA in-state opponents that we've scheduled lately, we didn't respect Connecticut or Iowa in the bowl games, and we've gone through the motions with Vanderbilt and Kentucky the last few years, and we've been burned several times.
The players are disrespecting the fans and the university by not giving 100% effort on every play, both mentally and physically. The coaches are doing the same by not putting the players in position to win. Then, the players have the audacity to laugh and giggle on the sideline, while the other team is gathering the momentum and mounting a comeback - it rubs me the wrong way, to be frank.. The university and the fans invest a lot of time and money into these players and we deserve better. I didn't see Alshon Jeffery or Marcus Lattimore giggling about nothing, because they are winners, and they didn't find a damn thing funny about losing to Kensucky. Like Spurrier said, "Lattimore didn't come here to go 7-6." We'll never have an easier chance to win the East and our players need to realize this and take what is rightfully theirs.

We need to come out Saturday and put Vandy in their place and then come back home and take care of business.

Rank SC and its the kiss of death! We think if we win one game the world is going to laydown! Good post!

[cofcgamecock9]

Hate to bust the thread's bubble, but you are assuming a whole lot about last Saturday. How do you know the team took KY lightly? Just because we lost? I guess it couldn't have been the four turnovers compared to their zero turnovers. In fact, lets break down your argument to see the impact it had.

SC - turnover - Ace Sanders just before half. Big turnover because we would have scored again before half time. Are you saying that Ace fumbled because he was taking KY lightly in his preparation? I would certainly argue that point because Ace is a freshman and wants to prove himself. I think Ace fumbled because he is a freshman and got poppled pretty hard.

SC - turnover - Stephon Gilmore - Very crucial turnover because it took away one of our offensive series which were very limited in the second half. It also gave KY a FG in the game which ended up being the difference. So did Stephon have a "routine" ball bounce off of his shoulder pads becuase he took KY lightly?? If that were the case, wouldn't he have had drops versus Furman, etc.? As far as I can remember that was Stephon's first drop on a punt. Therefore, I would have to chalk that one up to just bad luck that could have happened in any game. I certainly have a hard time concluding that he dropped that ball because he was taking KY lightly.

SC - turnover - Garcia's first INT - This was just a bad throw on a busted screen pass. But Garcia has had plenty of INTs and has had them in big games too. Remember Florida last year?? So it would certainly be difficult to tie this to overlooking an opponent. However, this INT was a crucial INT because it was really the first time we were stopped in the whole game. We stopped ourselves on that drive. Again, it took away points that would have put the game out of reach.

Finally, could KY not just be a pretty good team? They had just taken Auburn to overtime the week before. Could it not be the fact that they just played a solid mistake free game that helped lead to them squeaking it out in the end??

Sorry, but I just think you are criticizing the players from something you don't know unless you were at practice each day. I don't think it is right to assume something that you don't know.

Now let me be clear. I am only talking about the KY game here. I am not talking about Wofford in the past, etc. Why? Because this is a different team with different players. But as far as KY, I didn't see a team that took them lightly at all. Teams that take opponents lightly struggle EARLY in the game. They come out sluggish and then have to make adjustments to win. To me, it looked like we were definitely ready to play Saturday and then the wheels just came off in the second half because of turnovers and poor pass defense.

[uscgmck]

But does the turnover problem you mention go directly to what is being said? Respect for the other team maybe helps to keep loose thought from making some of those turnovers happen? Not a coach and don't play one on TV, respect means keeping your head in the game because anything can happen. As we witnessed last week.

I am not sure if this is coming out right. My thoughts are once you loose respect for the team you are playing ego, pride and those kind of things start to creep in and bad things happen.

[cofcgamecock9]

But does the turnover problem you mention go directly to what is being said? Respect for the other team maybe helps to keep loose thought from making some of those turnovers happen? Not a coach and don't play one on TV, respect means keeping your head in the game because anything can happen. As we witnessed last week.

I am not sure if this is coming out right. My thoughts are once you loose respect for the team you are playing ego, pride and those kind of things start to creep in and bad things happen.

I am saying that the original poster is trying to make our loss out last week to a "mental" reason and not a "physical" one. I think that is making a huge assumption. I think it is a disservice to our players who really looked completely ready to play to me in the first half. Again, teams that "overlook" opponents usually come out sluggish in the first half.

I wathched the KY game a couple of times and I saw two reasons that we lost.
1. Turnovers.
2. Pass coverage being way too soft and a QB that had a hot hand. Yep, thats right. Hartline had a lot to do with why they beat us. Just like Garcia had a lot to do with why we beat Bama. I think some of you don't recognize the fact that a QB with a really hot hand is going to find that small window and complete passes regardless of how the defense is playing. In our game against Bama, Garcia hit Gurley on a rollout pass that absolutely was threaded into Gurley. Defender was playing great defense. But Garcia was on his game. Hartline was on his game last Saturday.

I just don't buy all of this reasoning as to why we lost Saturday. We lost because we turned the ball over and KY played one hell of a game by limiting mistakes and having a QB that was on the money.

Just like I don't buy that we beat Alabama because they "obviously" weren't up for the game or because we had a bye week. We beat them because we played damn good football that day ON THE FIELD!

[CockyJim]

The only thing I don't respect is the OP. the asertions are humerous at best. The analysis is highly opinionated and without foundation. Basically, this post is a weak rant. Based on this post we can not only NOT turn things around for Vandy but more likely need to shut down the entire athletics program. Perhaps the OP will feel better after the next win (whenever it is).

For the rest of us. KEEP THE FAITH! GO GAMECOCKS!!

[GamecockInHell]

I don't know who it was, but during the fourth quarter meltdown I saw a player go over to Lattimore on the bench and though Marcus wasn't laughing the other guy was. And it seems like I saw a couple more too. When you are in the process of getting your butt handed to you its no laughing matter.

[zambam]

The only thing I don't respect is the OP. the asertions are humerous at best. The analysis is highly opinionated and without foundation. Basically, this post is a weak rant. Based on this post we can not only NOT turn things around for Vandy but more likely need to shut down the entire athletics program. Perhaps the OP will feel better after the next win (whenever it is).

For the rest of us. KEEP THE FAITH! GO GAMECOCKS!!


Yep... same posters that think we lose these games because we "underestimate" them or "don't respect" them. These losses have a lot more to do with blown assignments, turnovers, and poor execution.

How about this...It's the SEC and if you make mistakes you get beat. Whether you think the other team is great or you think they stink.

Points to you

[uscfreek88]

lets be honest, if Latti didnt go down, we wouldve blown them out

[CockyJim]

I don't know who it was, but during the fourth quarter meltdown I saw a player go over to Lattimore on the bench and though Marcus wasn't laughing the other guy was. And it seems like I saw a couple more too. When you are in the process of getting your butt handed to you its no laughing matter.

You have "NO IDEA" what was going on so your conclusion has no merit. Find out the EXACT content and context of your observation before you pass judgement. Your comment reads like you have never been on the sidelines of a game either.