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#61 |
4-Star
Male Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: IRMO
Posts: 414
CockyCash: 500 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() Isn't our 2015 recruiting class ranked in the top 5?
Guys, it was one bad game. Jeesh. |
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#62 | |
Game MVP
Male Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,581
CockyCash: 500 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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I agree with this. Columbia and USC (academically/aesthetically) are both getting better. I graduated 2 years ago, visited campus for the first time in almost a year for the A&M game the other day and noticed lots of much needed changes. I was impressed. Right now, USC is investing a lot of its money in non-revenue sports, getting them up to par I guess.. Once they are up to snuff then I'm hoping we turn our attention and resources to football. Our other big sports are fine (baseball/basketball), they don't need any major facility upgrades for at least another 5 to 10 years. We, the fans/donor, need to buck up and invest more into the football program. This in turn will hopefully encourage the university to consider "dream projects" for football. I'm glad We're doing the plaza after this season, but that shouldn't be the end of the improvements around WB, it should be the beginning. If I could bulldoze everything south of rosewood, except WB, I would. Just start over. Nothing takes away from WB and it's gameday atmosphere more than that industrial feel around there. Nothing is wrong with an off campus stadium but then you combine that with an industrial area and it's an eyesore. Instead of the that stupid mixed use development that Columbia is building on Bull Street they need to consider putting it and the minor league stadium down by Williams Brice just to improve that entire area. Columbia is no longer a textile/mill town. We need to let that go. As far as coaching, I love Spurrier and I think we'll be in great hands when he leaves. I think people are forgetting that Spurrier has said that when he leaves he's still going to be a part of the University. Like a previous poster has said, I'm sure he's going to assist the university in finding an appropriate coach. Personally, I would love to see us hire a young offensive minded coach. Somebody that can build an attractive offense with an identity that young players today will want to play in. Young people today are attracted to flashy offenses and we need a young coach with the brain to put his stamp on one. The HC should be a young guy that lives and breathes recruiting (A dabo), then a strong DC. Contrary to popular belief on here, I don't think Ward is going anywhere for the time being.... and I don't think he should... UNLESS this season absolutely tanks. For proof of what a young, flashy HC can do to a university... look no further than Texas Tech. Who in their right mind would want to spend four years in Lubbock.... when you have a young hotshot coach with an attractive offense then nothing is ever off the table to recruits. Imagine what a "Kingsbury-like" HC could do at South Carolina. We could become THE college football program in the Carolinas, which is a huge coup for recruiting. You can build championship teams just be locking down the elite talent in SC and NC, especially NC (Gurley?). The population in the Carolinas is expected to grow by over 3 million over the next 20 years. That's a lot of people and I'm sure plenty will be playing football. Keep your eye on Jake Spavital. The current OC at A&M. He's 29 but by the time Spurrier leaves he'll be in his mid 30's with lots of experience. I doubt we have a shot but I like Sumlin and I'm willing to take anybody that's learned under him. |
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#63 | |
Walk On
Male Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Crescent Beach
Posts: 60
CockyCash: 500 ![]() |
![]() No way Urban Liar would have won without Tebow and Harvin -- especially Tebow.
If he doesn't have 2x or 3x the talent of the other team he's just an average coach, at best; and a much less than average person. The way he lied and left Florida TWICE -- who treated him like a king -- showed what trash he really is. Then you find out about all the no-discipline and all the arrests he allowed . . . just for a few more Ws. Whoever we get after Coach Spurrier needs to have the same integrity. We need more than just any up-and-coming young coach. Quote:
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Go Gamecocks! |
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#64 | ||||
Two Deep
Male Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Charlotte
Posts: 1,051
CockyCash: 3000 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() This has been a really good thread so far. Kudos to everyone for the good discussion and insight/opinions.
My first thought is that this thread seems to show that the Old Carolina is still alive and well within Gamecock fans. One bad loss and all of a sudden the wheels are about to fall off the whole program. I think the future is very bright for Carolina football and the athletics program in general. We have a stellar recruiting class lined up for next year. We have more money flowing in than we ever have before, from the SEC, from TV, and from alumni and donors. I think it's important to recognize we have done such a great job that other schools are making improvements to keep up with us. We will eventually have to upgrade again, but the money will be available to make those improvements - a huge difference from 15 years ago. I agree that the question of who will be the next head coach is arguably THE most important decision that the Carolina AD will every make regarding football and the future success of our program. But let's not forget that Spurrier has agreed to stay on as a 'consultant' or 'adviser' or something to that effect after he retires. He will still be around to help sell our program, and I assume be a part of the hiring process for the next guy. I think someone from the SEC or ACC would be ideal because they will be more likely to have the ability to quickly establish recruiting connections. I've always been of the mindset that we should think big. I'd like to see us make a pitch to Saban. Sure he's won at LSU and Alabama and will go down as one of the greatest coaches in SEC history if he does nothing... but how many coaches have done it at three schools? He's young enough and potentially egotistical enough to be sold on it. Plus who wants to live in Tuscaloosa anyway? Quote:
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And let's be honest, Clemson barely qualifies as a town. They have TWO blocks of anything interesting and a total of like four roads - including a bypass road with some strip malls and fast food. Columbia has a cosmopolitan atmosphere, with multiple entertainment districts and is in the heart of a solid, economically prosperous, medium sized metropolitan area. Further, no everyone wants to go to college in a 'college town.' I bet many kids from small towns would love to be in a city for a change of pace. I didn't play sports, but the fact that Columbia was a much larger city than where I grew up (Spartanburg) was a major draw for me. Quote:
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EMOLLIT MORES NEC SINIT ESSE FEROS UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 |
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#65 |
Walk On
Male Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: South korea
Posts: 74
CockyCash: 500 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() An outsider's two cents.....
postives: Steve has made you relevant. You're doing a much better job of getting the elite talent in state to stay home. You've improved facilities. You're not lightyears behind like you used to be. There is enough talent in the Carolinas, that if you beat out others for what is left over in Georgia and Florida you can build a fine team. negatives: Clemson: It's ashamed you have another team that is a recruiting magnet in state. Thankfully UGA does not have that problem. WB stadium: Your fans and atmosphere are great, but that stadium is not one of the best in the conference as far as beauty goes. I'm sure most of you won't like that I say this, but I'm being objective. I hate UF and UTK with passion but I can't deny they have good stadiums. SEC: It's a recruiting draw, but it's much easier for Clemson to stay in the top ten than you guys. There can only be two to three dominant teams in the East year to year. UTK looks like they are on the right track, UF and UGA will always be able to sign elite classes because of instate talent. It's really a dog eat dog world in the SEC and very hard to stay on top for a long time. As a whole though, right now I think you guys are in the best shape you've ever been for long term success. Your next HCing hire will be huge. |
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#66 | |
1st Team All-SEC
Male Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Florence, SC
Posts: 4,741
CockyCash: 500 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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If Butch Jones gets taken by Michigan, that wouldn't hurt either. But with the funds we have coming in our facilities will catch up and we can see some sustained success.
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#67 | |
4-Star
Male Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Columbia, SC
Posts: 437
CockyCash: 2500 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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#68 |
Game MVP
Male Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,581
CockyCash: 500 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() Exactly... I grew up in a small town and there was no way in hell i was going to spend four years of college in ANOTHER small town. With a little more cooperation between USC and the City of Columbia more could be done... but Columbia is really not a bad place to go to college. Its not too small or too big. Lots of nightlife, houses to rent for students, cheap and good food, close to the beaches/mountains/larger cities (Charlotte and Atlanta).. Columbia is set up perfectlyl for a major university actually.
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#69 | |
1st Team All-SEC
Male Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 4,961
CockyCash: 500 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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IF you look at the facts TN is actually in a much better position in state recruiting than SC currently is. The past 3 years the state of TN has had more 4 and 5 star recruits than SC each year. Nashville is booming with football talent. In the class of 2013, there was one Middle Tennessee prospect in the Rivals100. In the class of 2014, there were three --- and EIGHT 4-star prospects. In 2015, there are NINE 4-star prospects and already there are FIVE in the class of 2016. This is just in Nashville. Also Tennessee has no major in state recruiting competition like SC has with Clemson. We have a better donor pool, bigger fanbase, better tradition and our facilities are better. It will be very hard for South Carolina to stay consistently ahead of Tennessee where they currently reside. I have been telling you all this for 5 years now as we made every wrong decision as a program for about 4 yaers from 07-2011 to dig ourselves a big hole. South Carolina in my opinion needs to somehow connect their football stadium with their campus and city life better to improve the Gameday atmosphere. You all also need to start investing more time and money into recruiting Florida like your evil twin to the North has been doing, not Texas. Spurrier is a once in a generation coach and is not dead yet, I would focus on the top 5 recruiting class he is pulling in and hope you can somehow grab an SEC Title before he hangs it up. JMO. Last edited by Ericvol2096; 09-04-2014 at 12:18 PM.. |
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#70 | ||||
4-Star
Male Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Chattanooga
Posts: 286
CockyCash: 400 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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It's tough for people in Tennessee to swallow, but UTK is an unattractive campus, period. Perhaps the same can be said about the city of Columbia to residents of SC, but the USC campus is objectively attractive. Quote:
East Tennessee is all Vol all the time, but there's very little talent in this part of the state. The high school talent in Chattanooga, for example, is laughably bad. Quote:
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What I think USC really needs to do, honestly, is harp their flagship academic programs more. Pastides needs to be beating the drum about our business school, journalism program, honors college, and the history department a helluva lot more than he currently does. USC is essentially a liberal arts school that is somewhat limited in its degree offerings just based on how the school is chartered, but there's no reason to be shy about the accomplishments of those programs specifically. Moreso than recruiting Florida hard, I think USC needs to, ironically, pull a page out of the UTK playbook in the 90s: Lock-down the Carolinas, and reiterate that USC is the only SEC program in this region. Infill areas of weakness by hitting metro Atlanta hard. This is why it is so important to keep playing the ECUs, UNCs, and NC States. USC has to keep their presence in NC and keep beating those programs to show strength. I'm not foolish enough to think that the worm has turned completely. But USC is absolutely primed for long-term success, and it's not just because of Spurrier the coach. The AD has undergone staggering changes, and the infrastructure is being laid so that USC can continue to compete into the future. No, we'll never be Alabama or anything to the casual sidewalk contingent, but I firmly believe the days of going 4-8 and getting excited about bowl eligibility are over. Speaking of bowl eligibility, good luck to your Vols. |
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#71 | ||
high midi-chlorian count
Male Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: The Dagobah System
Posts: 10,531
CockyCash: 100549 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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My Carolina Alumni @MyCarolina 2h #UofSC is one of the 15 most efficient universities in America. - @HarrisPastides #uofscsotu |
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#72 | |
Household Name
Male Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 6,754
CockyCash: 10590 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Granted, the players don't have to sit there and they can appreciate the atmosphere with all those people. As a fan of college football, I hated the inside of the stadium for the seating. Nothing against the stadium location or Knoxville though (aside from being too much orange - I hate orange). |
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#73 | ||||||
1st Team All-SEC
Male Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 4,961
CockyCash: 500 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Back to the cities themselves your second comment is exactly correct. Any unbiased fan of either team will not have nice things to say about the cities of Columbia or Knoxville. They both are very close to some beautiful places but are both not amazing in their own right. Quote:
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http://www.secrant.com/rant/p/519489...SC-and-GA.aspx Quote:
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#74 |
Two Deep
Male Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Charlotte
Posts: 1,051
CockyCash: 3000 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() I'm interested to know how people would propose to "connect" the campus to the stadium. It's literally a mile away.
Columbia and SCDOT are looking at grade separating the tracks on Assembly St. I'm not sure if that's a bridge over the tracks or raising the tracks over the road. If that happens then there is an opportunity to improve the area for pedestrians. But other than adding sidewalks and trees along all of Assembly Street, what could be done? That area is not attractive, but it's zoned industrial. Other than buying out all of the businesses, there's not a lot that can be done from an aesthetic standpoint unless businesses volunteer to make upgrades.
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EMOLLIT MORES NEC SINIT ESSE FEROS UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 |
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#75 | |
1st Team All-SEC
Male Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 4,961
CockyCash: 500 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Just something where people have somewhere to go before and after the game than just a big parking lot or sitting in hours of traffic. |
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#76 | |||
high midi-chlorian count
Male Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: The Dagobah System
Posts: 10,531
CockyCash: 100549 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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http://www.thestate.com/2014/08/23/3...t-are-new.html Quote:
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#77 |
Blue Chip
Male Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: SC
Posts: 958
CockyCash: 200 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() Pruitt...
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#78 | |
Game MVP
Male Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,581
CockyCash: 500 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Just as USC is stretching west to the Congaree, it'll eventually stretch south to WBS, but like I said.. it takes time. Its already laid out in the master plan here http://www.cpc.sc.edu/downloads/master-plan.pdf and here http://www.sasaki.com/project/35/uni...a-master-plan/ In the meantime, my only advice to visiting opposing fans is to stop whining. Pack lots of beer in your cooler and hang out at your tailgate until after traffic dies down. OR you can just take a Gameday (they have an express route in and out) shuttle to campus and walk from campus to The Vista or 5 points, they're both close to campus. And contrary to popular belief, there are bars around WBS, you just have to know where to look and a few breweries just opened as well. That's all I have for you, because honestly, Gamecock fans are tired of hearing how opposing fans (especially UGA and UTK fans) whine about our stadium being off campus. Every city can't be Athens and neither is Knoxville. |
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#79 |
Banned
Male Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Maryland
Posts: 528
CockyCash: 500 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() If I had to pick from the current crop, I'd give a hard look to Philip Montgomery, OC at Baylor. He has an excellent track record of developing offensive talent at both Houston and Baylor. He's young. As a coach at 3 TX high schools, Houston and now Baylor he would obviously have strong recruiting ties in the state...an absolutely invaluable asset.
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#80 | ||
Two Deep
Male Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Charlotte
Posts: 1,051
CockyCash: 3000 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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__________________
EMOLLIT MORES NEC SINIT ESSE FEROS UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 |
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