**USC vs. Florida GAME #1 Thread**

[Roosterboy]

Great win tonight...time to go out and win game two.

That double play had flashbacks of Omaha all over it.

[ReadR00ster]

Originally Posted by M.C.

we won the damn game geez

It's just damn game, geez. We're South Carolina. We're talking about what it takes to win a championship.

[campbellst]

The greatest thing about all of those guys is that coach believed in them before we did and made a good call. This is a team I can believe in from top to bottom, Beal coming back adds another dimension and Mincey (despite tonight) is an unexpected surprise. With that said, the reality is there is some kid that will come through that we don't expect. If you need proof, go back and watch the terrible comments people were making about that Gore substitution before the delay. I do believe he won that game for us.

[GabbieM]

Originally Posted by ReadR00ster

It's just damn game, geez. We're South Carolina. We're talking about what it takes to win a championship.

I know Readr00ster has stepped on quite a few toes.... and I DEFINITELY have here.

We just want what's best for our team guys. We have a high expectancy because we know the kids on the team are capable of it.

We aren't trying to "down" this win. We aren't trying to make everything "depressing". As a whole, we want to see more. We want to see what we are capable of. If that is a crime, I personally apologize.

What I can say (ONE MORE TIME) is that I do apologize for talking earlier like we should have put more runs up on Florida's pitcher tonight. I was misinformed... and didn't know about his stats.

Anyway, lets get onto the whole "congrats we won" talk again." thing. Maybe we need to make a "what could we improve" type of thread instead of talking about this stuff generally. :P ReadR00ster, I vote for you to start such a thread!

[M.C.]

Originally Posted by GabbieM

We just want what's best for our team guys. We have a high expectancy because we know the kids on the team are capable of it.

We are fine...no need to panic

[ReadR00ster]

Originally Posted by campbellst

The greatest thing about all of those guys is that coach believed in them before we did and made a good call. This is a team I can believe in from top to bottom, Beal coming back adds another dimension and Mincey (despite tonight) is an unexpected surprise. With that said, the reality is there is some kid that will come through that we don't expect. If you need proof, go back and watch the terrible comments people were making about that Gore substitution before the delay. I do believe he won that game for us.

I wonder if any of our pitchers could pick up a bat, like Bangs, Neff, and Roth could for us.

[ReadR00ster]

Originally Posted by GabbieM

I know Readr00ster has stepped on quite a few toes.... and I DEFINITELY have here.

We just want what's best for our team guys. We have a high expectancy because we know the kids on the team are capable of it.

We aren't trying to "down" this win. We aren't trying to make everything "depressing". As a whole, we want to see more. We want to see what we are capable of. If that is a crime, I personally apologize.

What I can say (ONE MORE TIME) is that I do apologize for talking earlier like we should have put more runs up on Florida's pitcher tonight. I was misinformed... and didn't know about his stats.

Anyway, lets get onto the whole "congrats we won" talk again." thing. Maybe we need to make a "what could we improve" type of thread instead of talking about this stuff generally. :P ReadR00ster, I vote for you to start such a thread!

No. No need for a thread. Everyone knows our really only one weakness.

[JerseyBird]

It's only indomitable if you don't dominate it

[GamecockStud]

This is insane. If you can't be happy with this win, you don't know this team. We have had comeback wins over Clemson, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Furman and App State. Of course they are capable of more. I'm sure every poster here is capable of doing more with their lives. They are playing well though, and it's incredibly absurd that we are even talking about this while we have a top 5 team with #1 rpi. This is the hardest conference in college baseball. Baseball America believes the sec could get 12 teams in the tourney. It makes me sick that some people can't enjoy a quality win over a quality Rival opponent because our fan base has become so freaking spoiled

[eaglegolf018]

Jordan Montgomery has evolved back into an ace.

[U-Dub Gamecock]

Just looked at the SEC Standings... Wow... 3 games separates first place from dead last.. Its going to be a grind

As for the team... these kids got a lot of character.. I think Holbrook said it best... "We are not going to out-talent many teams in the SEC".. Do they have enough talent to get to Omaha? Sure.. Team is somewhat similar to the 2011 squad. Great starting pitching, timely hitting, and a great closer...

Honestly, when you look around the nation this year in baseball, NO ONE has really been dominant.. FSU is overrated(my opinion), UVA is similar to us(very good pitching, suspect hitting).. I follow the west coast teams closer than most do on here(if not the most).. Oregon cant hit, Oregon State is inconsistent.. CSF looks like world beaters one weekend, then looks like ass the next... Cal-Poly might have the best squad west of the Mississippi.... hell, my Huskies are playing great right now, but Im still not sold that they are very good..

[usc1]

We just did what LSU and #1 FSU couldn't do. Beat UF. I'm thrilled with the win.

[Latti]

Originally Posted by GabbieM

Well, looking at the broader picture shows a lot of problems other than just Celek.

Shrock, hurt and all comes out and boom walkoff to win.
Greiner, boom multiple times to get us ahead/tied up/walkoff deals.
Celek, excellent base hits when it matters.
English, same thing as Celek.
HELL, even Frank Gore impressed us all at a clutch spot.

The list goes on... but it seems like some of our guys that can't always get on base at a .500 are doing a lot better when they are under extreme pressure. Remember the beginning of the season when Kmart was just crushing the ball? Well that died off. Remember when Pankake wasn't doing too well at bat? He's doing great now. Remember when Bright was getting the nickname "doubles Bright" and doing great?" well now not so much.

The funny thing is... when we follow a team as close as we do.. (using a forum to talk about the games/players so much), we are a different breed of fans in my opinion. We are going to criticize every "what if" and "wow" thing that we can. The average fans aren't even close to a level of how we try to scrutinize the game.

Yes, there are some amazing players in history that just had it 24/7 all the way through their MLB careers. Sometimes its off and on. For our college teams.. and not just baseball.. but football even... probably more... we find a way to just get things done. If someone is in a slump one second, he makes up for it with a clutch. It's almost never ending. I think we as a whole (the internet/forum/diehards) hang on every single pitch and hit like it's live or die, which it isn't a bad thing for the most part.

I highly believe in giving the "little guy" a chance. The guy who wasn't all that impressive in practice/during the Spring. The guy that actually has something to prove. You throw those guys in and they happen to make plays and you really wake your main starters up. Gore surely got a chance this year... and it worked out well... I can't stress how much competition means between teammates. Too bad gore didnt get a spot in outfield after that to make the starters work harder. :( Guess this idea of mine is why I am a "couch coach" and not getting the good money actually coaching.

I have come to the realization that you don't watch much baseball.

[Ballpoint Man]

Originally Posted by eaglegolf018

Jordan Montgomery has evolved back into an ace.

I don't think he ever stopped being one. We all just got spoiled by Michael Roth and the expectation of our ace never having a bad outing or two.

[robgusc76]

Originally Posted by Ballpoint Man

I don't think he ever stopped being one. We all just got spoiled by Michael Roth and the expectation of our ace never having a bad outing or two.

It wasnt being spoiled. In his now three years at South Carolina, he has never had a "bad stretch" like that. It wasnt just two games, it was a few "bad outings" at least by what we know of Jordan. He's had a bad outing, but he never let it carry over into a second game. He was struggling with something. Hopefully got it fixed.