I've calmed down, but I'm done I think

[achilles#]

Okay, been a fan since '79 or '80 or so, alumni, live in the Columbia area. But I've given up I think.

I have reasons, and I'll put them down as best I can. I'm not looking to convert others to my misery, but I would like to know if there is a flaw in my logic.

Okay look. I've come to believe Muschamp is a very likeable guy. His players love him. The administration everywhere he has been loved him (still do apparently).

He is as good a recruiter as we will ever have. Actually I think he is the BEST we have ever had here in that role. If he were at Georgia I think he would pull in the same kinds of classes that Smart is.

We've given him everything he has asked for. He can hire whoever he wants. We are building his football ops building (have something to say about that, but it isn't to bust Muschamp's chops, and I'll get to it later).

But in another thread I made the statement that we needed Bill Snyder, and we got Muschamp. I'm guessing most people know about Snyder and his career, and the relative position of Kansas State versus... heck even the also rans in the Big 12.

This is Muschamp's 7th year as a head coach. He has a lot of good points, but he has no ability to get his team ready for a big game. Someone called it "analysis paralysis" and overcoaching. Maybe, you'd sure think a workaholic like him would be prone to something like that. Additionally, for whatever reason I see very little indication he can pull off an upset against a team that has more talent than his. And we need that.

Last Saturday notwithstanding, his teams don't quit. And they are well coached, sorta...kinda... in a way. They know spin moves, swim moves, are well conditioned, that kind of thing. If you need someone to get players to reach inside themselves and make a play that they had no inkling they could do, well he ain't your man.

Anyway what really got me though was seeing the kind of team Georgia brought here. Unless they have their head up their butt in Athens next year, they are going to brutally dominate us worse than they did here. No home field thing, simply that one more year on a team that is actually younger than ours is >> greater than one more year on our current players. And this year's recruiting class isn't going to change that one bit, outstanding as it is for us - or most schools.

And it isn't going to change. Not as long as Smart (or a similar guy is there). They'll keep on bringing in these kinds of classes every year. BECAUSE THE PLAYERS ARE IN THEIR BACKYARD. I have a little more to say about Clemson later, but Dabo has done a great job recruiting, and he couldn't keep up with that.

Okay I mentioned Georgia. We have another traditional power, Florida with similar recruiting advantages. There is nothing we saw with Georgia that couldn't be done at Florida, just as quickly - if they have the right coach.

Now we have A&M on the schedule as our permanent opponent. Same story as Georgia and Florida - potentially. Whether Jimbo is that guy I don't know for them, but all it takes is a guy like Smart and it can happen there easily.

Then I started thinking about Tennessee. Yeah, yeah, I know. But Middle Tennessee is exploding in population. My estimation just from eyeballing the recruiting rankings is that Middle Tennessee area is about as good as the whole state of Alabama at putting out prospects now. Maybe not as many speedy db's or wr's, but they got big uglies out the wazoo. Not as good as Georgia, Florida, or Texas, but IMO comparable to Louisiana - and I'm not joking about that. Once again a right coach situation.

Now Clemson. Honestly they are the least of our problems (not counting teams like KY for now). These are their glory days. I keep mentioning the "Right Coach," but it is still applicable. Put a guy like Smart at FSU or Miami, and not only do they have a lot more trouble getting guys out of Florida, no matter what the bagman does, they also will have a lot more difficulty getting through the ACC with the kind of record that gets you in the playoff. Heck again with the right coach thing, put one at UNC and he starts to have real problems.

To me our destiny is out of our control. No matter what we do, how much money we spend, in the end what happens depends more on other schools hiring dud coaches than anything we do.

There's some kind of name for imagining or dwelling on bad situations that might never happen.

But I can see a situation where what we saw last Saturday happens four times a year, then we play Clemson.

I can't handle that. I've handled it for 38 years or so, but I can't handle it anymore.

Literally I read a projection that we would wind up in the Belk Bowl and my first thought was I hope Tanner declines that. What's the point of dragging out another lacklustre season? Just put the dog out of its misery.

 

[robertfootball]

I have to see how we look in the Clemson game. I think Georgia is much much better than Clemson but that's just based on the eye test from this weekend. If we get blown out at Clemson again then sound the alarm bells. I'll be more upset over a Clemson blowout than I will a Kentucky loss.

 

[Cockopotamus]

I have to see how we look in the Clemson game. I think Georgia is much much better than Clemson but that's just based on the eye test from this weekend. If we get blown out at Clemson again then sound the alarm bells. I'll be more upset over a Clemson blowout than I will a Kentucky loss.

It certainly looked like Clemson played a better team than UGA.

 

[NCGamcockFan2167]

Okay, been a fan since '79 or '80 or so, alumni, live in the Columbia area. But I've given up I think.

I have reasons, and I'll put them down as best I can. I'm not looking to convert others to my misery, but I would like to know if there is a flaw in my logic.

Okay look. I've come to believe Muschamp is a very likeable guy. His players love him. The administration everywhere he has been loved him (still do apparently).

He is as good a recruiter as we will ever have. Actually I think he is the BEST we have ever had here in that role. If he were at Georgia I think he would pull in the same kinds of classes that Smart is.

We've given him everything he has asked for. He can hire whoever he wants. We are building his football ops building (have something to say about that, but it isn't to bust Muschamp's chops, and I'll get to it later).

But in another thread I made the statement that we needed Bill Snyder, and we got Muschamp. I'm guessing most people know about Snyder and his career, and the relative position of Kansas State versus... heck even the also rans in the Big 12.

This is Muschamp's 7th year as a head coach. He has a lot of good points, but he has no ability to get his team ready for a big game. Someone called it "analysis paralysis" and overcoaching. Maybe, you'd sure think a workaholic like him would be prone to something like that. Additionally, for whatever reason I see very little indication he can pull off an upset against a team that has more talent than his. And we need that.

Last Saturday notwithstanding, his teams don't quit. And they are well coached, sorta...kinda... in a way. They know spin moves, swim moves, are well conditioned, that kind of thing. If you need someone to get players to reach inside themselves and make a play that they had no inkling they could do, well he ain't your man.

Anyway what really got me though was seeing the kind of team Georgia brought here. Unless they have their head up their butt in Athens next year, they are going to brutally dominate us worse than they did here. No home field thing, simply that one more year on a team that is actually younger than ours is >> greater than one more year on our current players. And this year's recruiting class isn't going to change that one bit, outstanding as it is for us - or most schools.

And it isn't going to change. Not as long as Smart (or a similar guy is there). They'll keep on bringing in these kinds of classes every year. BECAUSE THE PLAYERS ARE IN THEIR BACKYARD. I have a little more to say about Clemson later, but Dabo has done a great job recruiting, and he couldn't keep up with that.

Okay I mentioned Georgia. We have another traditional power, Florida with similar recruiting advantages. There is nothing we saw with Georgia that couldn't be done at Florida, just as quickly - if they have the right coach.

Now we have A&M on the schedule as our permanent opponent. Same story as Georgia and Florida - potentially. Whether Jimbo is that guy I don't know for them, but all it takes is a guy like Smart and it can happen there easily.

Then I started thinking about Tennessee. Yeah, yeah, I know. But Middle Tennessee is exploding in population. My estimation just from eyeballing the recruiting rankings is that Middle Tennessee area is about as good as the whole state of Alabama at putting out prospects now. Maybe not as many speedy db's or wr's, but they got big uglies out the wazoo. Not as good as Georgia, Florida, or Texas, but IMO comparable to Louisiana - and I'm not joking about that. Once again a right coach situation.

Now Clemson. Honestly they are the least of our problems (not counting teams like KY for now). These are their glory days. I keep mentioning the "Right Coach," but it is still applicable. Put a guy like Smart at FSU or Miami, and not only do they have a lot more trouble getting guys out of Florida, no matter what the bagman does, they also will have a lot more difficulty getting through the ACC with the kind of record that gets you in the playoff. Heck again with the right coach thing, put one at UNC and he starts to have real problems.

To me our destiny is out of our control. No matter what we do, how much money we spend, in the end what happens depends more on other schools hiring dud coaches than anything we do.

There's some kind of name for imagining or dwelling on bad situations that might never happen.

But I can see a situation where what we saw last Saturday happens four times a year, then we play Clemson.

I can't handle that. I've handled it for 38 years or so, but I can't handle it anymore.

Literally I read a projection that we would wind up in the Belk Bowl and my first thought was I hope Tanner declines that. What's the point of dragging out another lacklustre season? Just put the dog out of its misery.

I agree with most everything you said and you are spot on. What are your options? Change to a Clemson fan? Be one of those A-Hole guys that you work with that rout for Alabama but have never been to the state much less a game?
Another option is to do what I have done over the last 10 years......realize that it is just a game played by young people and it really makes absolutely no difference in your life. Chill out and enjoy the games.........

 

[buildingsc]

Okay, been a fan since '79 or '80 or so, alumni, live in the Columbia area. But I've given up I think.

I have reasons, and I'll put them down as best I can. I'm not looking to convert others to my misery, but I would like to know if there is a flaw in my logic.

Okay look. I've come to believe Muschamp is a very likeable guy. His players love him. The administration everywhere he has been loved him (still do apparently).

He is as good a recruiter as we will ever have. Actually I think he is the BEST we have ever had here in that role. If he were at Georgia I think he would pull in the same kinds of classes that Smart is.

We've given him everything he has asked for. He can hire whoever he wants. We are building his football ops building (have something to say about that, but it isn't to bust Muschamp's chops, and I'll get to it later).

But in another thread I made the statement that we needed Bill Snyder, and we got Muschamp. I'm guessing most people know about Snyder and his career, and the relative position of Kansas State versus... heck even the also rans in the Big 12.

This is Muschamp's 7th year as a head coach. He has a lot of good points, but he has no ability to get his team ready for a big game. Someone called it "analysis paralysis" and overcoaching. Maybe, you'd sure think a workaholic like him would be prone to something like that. Additionally, for whatever reason I see very little indication he can pull off an upset against a team that has more talent than his. And we need that.

Last Saturday notwithstanding, his teams don't quit. And they are well coached, sorta...kinda... in a way. They know spin moves, swim moves, are well conditioned, that kind of thing. If you need someone to get players to reach inside themselves and make a play that they had no inkling they could do, well he ain't your man.

Anyway what really got me though was seeing the kind of team Georgia brought here. Unless they have their head up their butt in Athens next year, they are going to brutally dominate us worse than they did here. No home field thing, simply that one more year on a team that is actually younger than ours is >> greater than one more year on our current players. And this year's recruiting class isn't going to change that one bit, outstanding as it is for us - or most schools.

And it isn't going to change. Not as long as Smart (or a similar guy is there). They'll keep on bringing in these kinds of classes every year. BECAUSE THE PLAYERS ARE IN THEIR BACKYARD. I have a little more to say about Clemson later, but Dabo has done a great job recruiting, and he couldn't keep up with that.

Okay I mentioned Georgia. We have another traditional power, Florida with similar recruiting advantages. There is nothing we saw with Georgia that couldn't be done at Florida, just as quickly - if they have the right coach.

Now we have A&M on the schedule as our permanent opponent. Same story as Georgia and Florida - potentially. Whether Jimbo is that guy I don't know for them, but all it takes is a guy like Smart and it can happen there easily.

Then I started thinking about Tennessee. Yeah, yeah, I know. But Middle Tennessee is exploding in population. My estimation just from eyeballing the recruiting rankings is that Middle Tennessee area is about as good as the whole state of Alabama at putting out prospects now. Maybe not as many speedy db's or wr's, but they got big uglies out the wazoo. Not as good as Georgia, Florida, or Texas, but IMO comparable to Louisiana - and I'm not joking about that. Once again a right coach situation.

Now Clemson. Honestly they are the least of our problems (not counting teams like KY for now). These are their glory days. I keep mentioning the "Right Coach," but it is still applicable. Put a guy like Smart at FSU or Miami, and not only do they have a lot more trouble getting guys out of Florida, no matter what the bagman does, they also will have a lot more difficulty getting through the ACC with the kind of record that gets you in the playoff. Heck again with the right coach thing, put one at UNC and he starts to have real problems.

To me our destiny is out of our control. No matter what we do, how much money we spend, in the end what happens depends more on other schools hiring dud coaches than anything we do.

There's some kind of name for imagining or dwelling on bad situations that might never happen.

But I can see a situation where what we saw last Saturday happens four times a year, then we play Clemson.

I can't handle that. I've handled it for 38 years or so, but I can't handle it anymore.

Literally I read a projection that we would wind up in the Belk Bowl and my first thought was I hope Tanner declines that. What's the point of dragging out another lacklustre season? Just put the dog out of its misery.

Right there with you..when we had SS or even Holtz for that matter I always felt we had a chance to pull off a victory, with Muschamp not so much. Nice guy not a high caliber coach.

 

[ken in sacramento]

Quitting because we lost to a National Championship caliber team? You better run far because there are good teams remaining on the schedule and another NC contender at the end of the season. I'm a Gamecock. As long as our kids show up to play, I'm not going anywhere. It's fun to win football but it's greater to be a South Carolina Gamecock. If winning is the most important- jump on the Alabama bandwagon.

 

[robertfootball]

It certainly looked like Clemson played a better team than UGA.

Can't argue with that

 

[robertfootball]

Quitting because we lost to a National Championship caliber team? You better run far because there are good teams remaining on the schedule and another NC contender at the end of the season. I'm a Gamecock. As long as our kids show up to play, I'm not going anywhere. It's fun to win football but it's greater to be a South Carolina Gamecock. If winning is the most important- jump on the Alabama bandwagon.

It's not that we lost. It's how we looked while losing. In year 3. At home. With a very experienced offense, more experience than UGA's offense actually.

 

[HI Cock]

Okay, been a fan since '79 or '80 or so, alumni, live in the Columbia area. But I've given up I think.

I have reasons, and I'll put them down as best I can. I'm not looking to convert others to my misery, but I would like to know if there is a flaw in my logic.

Okay look. I've come to believe Muschamp is a very likeable guy. His players love him. The administration everywhere he has been loved him (still do apparently).

He is as good a recruiter as we will ever have. Actually I think he is the BEST we have ever had here in that role. If he were at Georgia I think he would pull in the same kinds of classes that Smart is.

We've given him everything he has asked for. He can hire whoever he wants. We are building his football ops building (have something to say about that, but it isn't to bust Muschamp's chops, and I'll get to it later).

But in another thread I made the statement that we needed Bill Snyder, and we got Muschamp. I'm guessing most people know about Snyder and his career, and the relative position of Kansas State versus... heck even the also rans in the Big 12.

This is Muschamp's 7th year as a head coach. He has a lot of good points, but he has no ability to get his team ready for a big game. Someone called it "analysis paralysis" and overcoaching. Maybe, you'd sure think a workaholic like him would be prone to something like that. Additionally, for whatever reason I see very little indication he can pull off an upset against a team that has more talent than his. And we need that.

Last Saturday notwithstanding, his teams don't quit. And they are well coached, sorta...kinda... in a way. They know spin moves, swim moves, are well conditioned, that kind of thing. If you need someone to get players to reach inside themselves and make a play that they had no inkling they could do, well he ain't your man.

Anyway what really got me though was seeing the kind of team Georgia brought here. Unless they have their head up their butt in Athens next year, they are going to brutally dominate us worse than they did here. No home field thing, simply that one more year on a team that is actually younger than ours is >> greater than one more year on our current players. And this year's recruiting class isn't going to change that one bit, outstanding as it is for us - or most schools.

And it isn't going to change. Not as long as Smart (or a similar guy is there). They'll keep on bringing in these kinds of classes every year. BECAUSE THE PLAYERS ARE IN THEIR BACKYARD. I have a little more to say about Clemson later, but Dabo has done a great job recruiting, and he couldn't keep up with that.

Okay I mentioned Georgia. We have another traditional power, Florida with similar recruiting advantages. There is nothing we saw with Georgia that couldn't be done at Florida, just as quickly - if they have the right coach.

Now we have A&M on the schedule as our permanent opponent. Same story as Georgia and Florida - potentially. Whether Jimbo is that guy I don't know for them, but all it takes is a guy like Smart and it can happen there easily.

Then I started thinking about Tennessee. Yeah, yeah, I know. But Middle Tennessee is exploding in population. My estimation just from eyeballing the recruiting rankings is that Middle Tennessee area is about as good as the whole state of Alabama at putting out prospects now. Maybe not as many speedy db's or wr's, but they got big uglies out the wazoo. Not as good as Georgia, Florida, or Texas, but IMO comparable to Louisiana - and I'm not joking about that. Once again a right coach situation.

Now Clemson. Honestly they are the least of our problems (not counting teams like KY for now). These are their glory days. I keep mentioning the "Right Coach," but it is still applicable. Put a guy like Smart at FSU or Miami, and not only do they have a lot more trouble getting guys out of Florida, no matter what the bagman does, they also will have a lot more difficulty getting through the ACC with the kind of record that gets you in the playoff. Heck again with the right coach thing, put one at UNC and he starts to have real problems.

To me our destiny is out of our control. No matter what we do, how much money we spend, in the end what happens depends more on other schools hiring dud coaches than anything we do.

There's some kind of name for imagining or dwelling on bad situations that might never happen.

But I can see a situation where what we saw last Saturday happens four times a year, then we play Clemson.

I can't handle that. I've handled it for 38 years or so, but I can't handle it anymore.

Literally I read a projection that we would wind up in the Belk Bowl and my first thought was I hope Tanner declines that. What's the point of dragging out another lacklustre season? Just put the dog out of its misery.

So does all of that mean you can't still be a fan? We've had these disadvantages for over 100 years. And you're right, none of that will change... unless we break major rules (like we did under Jo Mo). Accept if for what it is - not everyone gets to be a millionaire. Be grateful for every victory and hope like heck that one year we overcome these odds. There's far worse than being 8-5 every year... which should be the worst we ever are with Muschamp. That's an improvement from everyone except Spurrier.

 

[Heyward1]

Wow. Not sure what to say after reading that op. You have many good points. Much of this is a sad reality we all know in the back of our minds. We go in every year KNOWING we will not even sniff a conference championship. That is difficult to deal with, but we just keep trying. This state has unfortunately taken a backseat to many problems in this country. Poverty, education, health and many other factors have us at the bottom rung but people in this state have a fighting spirit and never quit. I suppose that spirit keeps us all here filled with hope, with an understanding of the past.

I would say stay in the game and do not give up, but history would tell me to spend time elsewhere.

 

[Cock-a-Doo]

Some people act like if you lose more than 2 games in a season then your football program should be dismantled and/or no investments should be made into the future of the program.
You know what other schools are also in the same boat as us? Tennessee, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Miss St, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Miami, Nebraska, Virginia Tech, Southern Cal, Oklahoma St., UCLA, Oregon State, Stanford, Michigan, and yes....Bill Snyder's Kansas St. - you can spend hours debating it, but none of these schools is stacked like Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, and maybe Ohio State...none of them.

Even your example of Texas AM - a school that historically has pumped money into their football program - has nothing really to show for it to date...they have a hard-earned loss to Clemson, so good for them. Their neighbors down the road at Texas have been struggling for years now as well and they might have more resources than any school mentioned above. What does Michigan have lately? What does Notre Dame have lately?

Kansas St. is actually a GREAT example of what I'm talking about - a school you would expect to generally underachieve yet has built a solid program and at times over their history they have risen up and had some really solid seasons, even runs of solid seasons - but how many rings has Bill Snyder brought them? Zero. Should they pack up and call it a day?

I strongly feel this "winning is the only thing that matters and I want to win NOW!" attitude is actually a guise for what truly lies underneath - which is a loser mentality. Maybe not in all cases - but I feel like in many cases this is true.

We've run into a perfect storm of our 2 biggest rivals having "made it" to the top...and yes, they have made it to the top. It's a shi**y reality we all share in regardless of how we cope with it. But I recall coming off our 5th win over Clemson thinking "man, these guys may never beat us again!" - but I was wrong...things were shifting...even though Clemson had been losing in some key games they were building a system there and it worked for them. Dont be fooled though - they will come back down at some point, most every school does at some point - even mighty Alabama.

I think many people need a perspective shift...try to see the positive things about our program....the better facilities, the improved stadium and grounds appearance, the more talented roster, the coaching staff that embraces the modern reruiting techniques....try to see those things and know that we have a big hil to climb and are one of probably 50 other schools making that same climb with that same thought of "if we do this right maybe we can also get into that top group" - so be realistic about the odds and keep on supporting a program that is doing things with integrity and getting better even if it feels like we're falling behind the ones closest to us. Maybe we are, but what the hell is a "whoa is me I'm a poor Gamecock fan" attitude going to do about that?

EDIT: I re-read this and while I still feel this way I also understand there are some in Gamecock nation that truly LOVE the school and also the state and it hurts to keep getting kicked in the gut....so to those in that boat, I feel ya....but like many others have stated, you have to keep up the fight and I think in doing so, and also finding a proper perspective, you'll be fine

 

[TheReelEss]

Well, my daughter had a volleyball tournament Saturday and they did quite well. So, as ugly a performance as that was by USC, I still had a smile on my face all weekend. I'll say this. HBC didn't start out beating UGA and Bama or even clemson. It took several seasons to reach that level of talent.

To those that say stars don't matter... well you saw stars Saturday. The difference between an average below 4*s and an average higher than 4*s was quite evident.

 

[cockofdawn]

I have to see how we look in the Clemson game. I think Georgia is much much better than Clemson but that's just based on the eye test from this weekend. If we get blown out at Clemson again then sound the alarm bells. I'll be more upset over a Clemson blowout than I will a Kentucky loss.

Problem is, Geaorgia is gonna get beat up and not able to play as many subs As the taters will.. Georgia has At LSU, Fla, at UK, Auburn a row... then ends in Rival Ga tech
The tateers have No teams on their schedule that are currently top 25... SO Ga is better than Climpsun right now, but maybe not by year end..

 

[Art__Vandelay]

I can't say I haven't had similar thoughts the past few years. I have a theory on why all of a sudden, after years of being worse than we are now, so many of us feel this way-

We saw how many things came together perfectly for us during the Spurrier years (a down SEC East, a crazy string of legitimate future pro bowlers in our own backyard that wanted to stay home, a coach that could win the big games, etc.) and we didn't get anything out of it. It just seems like we need an absolutely perfect storm to compete, and we may never get one as good as we got from 2010-2013.

 

[Cock-a-Doo]

I can't say I haven't had similar thoughts the past few years. I have a theory on why all of a sudden, after years of being worse than we are now, so many of us feel this way-

We saw how many things came together perfectly for us during the Spurrier years (a down SEC East, a crazy string of legitimate future pro bowlers in our own backyard that wanted to stay home, a coach that could win the big games, etc.) and we didn't get anything out of it. It just seems like we need an absolutely perfect storm to compete, and we may never get one as good as we got from 2010-2013.

I can relate to that feeling....and the truth is you are probably right...we do need a bit of a "perfect storm" to help us...I always feel renewed the next time we kick off again - what am I going to do, not get pumped up and cheer on the Gamecocks?!?! Like, is that REALLY an option?!?!

 

[Art__Vandelay]

I can relate to that feeling....and the truth is you are probably right...we do need a bit of a "perfect storm" to help us...I always feel renewed the next time we kick off again - what am I going to do, not get pumped up and cheer on the Gamecocks?!?! Like, is that REALLY an option?!?!

Nope. We are in for life.. I say it after every performance like the one we got Saturday. I've said it after the past two Clemson games. "Why the hell do I spend so much time and emotional capital on these bastards??" But I'm back every time and will be again after this.

I bet the OP will find it's tougher to leave than he thinks...

 

[SCexpat38]

I agree with most everything you said and you are spot on. What are your options? Change to a Clemson fan? Be one of those A-Hole guys that you work with that rout for Alabama but have never been to the state much less a game?
Another option is to do what I have done over the last 10 years......realize that it is just a game played by young people and it really makes absolutely no difference in your life. Chill out and enjoy the games.........

That's the secret, right there.

Besides, living vicariously through the exploits of 18-22 year olds is already weird, no reason to make it even weirder by turning into a Clemson fan.

 

[Sir_Spur]

Quitting because we lost to a National Championship caliber team? You better run far because there are good teams remaining on the schedule and another NC contender at the end of the season. I'm a Gamecock. As long as our kids show up to play, I'm not going anywhere. It's fun to win football but it's greater to be a South Carolina Gamecock. If winning is the most important- jump on the Alabama bandwagon.

It's not just winning, it's South Carolina winning and I'm right there with the OP. You have good advice but I'm just not built that way to a fault.

 

[achilles#]

Besides, living vicariously through the exploits of 18-22 year olds is already weird, no reason to make it even weirder by turning into a Clemson fan.

Clemson fan? I thought I spelled out in my post that I think their current position is pretty easy to upset.

Most of the schools I mentioned don't need to depend on out of state recruiting. Clemson does. And when you do that, you are at the mercy of of schools in your recruiting areas hiring coaches that really can lock down their states.

Things have changed. The five stars are the only ones that matter now it seems. All these teams have "analysts" out the wazoo watching film. The days of a John Abraham or even Ko Simpson flying under the radar are long gone it seems.

Because Saban (or one of the many that clone his system) have a 35 man unit exclusively devoted to tracking 9th graders who they might potentially recruit one day, and breaking down film.

And someone mentioned perfect storm. Yeah, but those could be negative too. I mentioned the possiblility of coaches that recruit like Smart at four schools we play every year, let alone Clemson.

I've seen enough of Dabo to have an idea of what he can do. And my take is a guy like Smart at FSU, Miami, or even UNC will upset his applecart in a hurry.

I think what hurts more than anything is I'm not even sure Smart is a great coach. He is a great recruiter like Saban. But what I saw Saturday was more "five star wr who is three inches taller and faster than the cornerback runs by him."

Or "offensive linemen who outweighs defensive lineman by 40 pounds and is just as quick and a couple inches taller manhandles defensive linemen."

I guess Smart didn't need anything else. But until he plays a team that actually has comparable talent it's hard to say how good a coach he is exactly.

 

[Carolina4]

Don’t give up. Maybe make less of a priority in your life. I think that’s the key. If these games ruin more than your Saturday when we lose it’s probably too important. You can’t control what happens on the field. It’s supposed to be fun and entertaining. No doubt there will always be frustration.

 

[Sir_Spur]

Don’t give up. Maybe make less of a priority in your life. I think that’s the key. If these games ruin more than your Saturday when we lose it’s probably too important. You can’t control what happens on the field. It’s supposed to be fun and entertaining. No doubt there will always be frustration.

Trust me....that happened about 4 or 5 years ago.

 

[viennacocks]

Okay, been a fan since '79 or '80 or so, alumni, live in the Columbia area. But I've given up I think.

I have reasons, and I'll put them down as best I can. I'm not looking to convert others to my misery, but I would like to know if there is a flaw in my logic.

Okay look. I've come to believe Muschamp is a very likeable guy. His players love him. The administration everywhere he has been loved him (still do apparently).

He is as good a recruiter as we will ever have. Actually I think he is the BEST we have ever had here in that role. If he were at Georgia I think he would pull in the same kinds of classes that Smart is.

We've given him everything he has asked for. He can hire whoever he wants. We are building his football ops building (have something to say about that, but it isn't to bust Muschamp's chops, and I'll get to it later).

But in another thread I made the statement that we needed Bill Snyder, and we got Muschamp. I'm guessing most people know about Snyder and his career, and the relative position of Kansas State versus... heck even the also rans in the Big 12.

This is Muschamp's 7th year as a head coach. He has a lot of good points, but he has no ability to get his team ready for a big game. Someone called it "analysis paralysis" and overcoaching. Maybe, you'd sure think a workaholic like him would be prone to something like that. Additionally, for whatever reason I see very little indication he can pull off an upset against a team that has more talent than his. And we need that.

Last Saturday notwithstanding, his teams don't quit. And they are well coached, sorta...kinda... in a way. They know spin moves, swim moves, are well conditioned, that kind of thing. If you need someone to get players to reach inside themselves and make a play that they had no inkling they could do, well he ain't your man.

Anyway what really got me though was seeing the kind of team Georgia brought here. Unless they have their head up their butt in Athens next year, they are going to brutally dominate us worse than they did here. No home field thing, simply that one more year on a team that is actually younger than ours is >> greater than one more year on our current players. And this year's recruiting class isn't going to change that one bit, outstanding as it is for us - or most schools.

And it isn't going to change. Not as long as Smart (or a similar guy is there). They'll keep on bringing in these kinds of classes every year. BECAUSE THE PLAYERS ARE IN THEIR BACKYARD. I have a little more to say about Clemson later, but Dabo has done a great job recruiting, and he couldn't keep up with that.

Okay I mentioned Georgia. We have another traditional power, Florida with similar recruiting advantages. There is nothing we saw with Georgia that couldn't be done at Florida, just as quickly - if they have the right coach.

Now we have A&M on the schedule as our permanent opponent. Same story as Georgia and Florida - potentially. Whether Jimbo is that guy I don't know for them, but all it takes is a guy like Smart and it can happen there easily.

Then I started thinking about Tennessee. Yeah, yeah, I know. But Middle Tennessee is exploding in population. My estimation just from eyeballing the recruiting rankings is that Middle Tennessee area is about as good as the whole state of Alabama at putting out prospects now. Maybe not as many speedy db's or wr's, but they got big uglies out the wazoo. Not as good as Georgia, Florida, or Texas, but IMO comparable to Louisiana - and I'm not joking about that. Once again a right coach situation.

Now Clemson. Honestly they are the least of our problems (not counting teams like KY for now). These are their glory days. I keep mentioning the "Right Coach," but it is still applicable. Put a guy like Smart at FSU or Miami, and not only do they have a lot more trouble getting guys out of Florida, no matter what the bagman does, they also will have a lot more difficulty getting through the ACC with the kind of record that gets you in the playoff. Heck again with the right coach thing, put one at UNC and he starts to have real problems.

To me our destiny is out of our control. No matter what we do, how much money we spend, in the end what happens depends more on other schools hiring dud coaches than anything we do.

There's some kind of name for imagining or dwelling on bad situations that might never happen.

But I can see a situation where what we saw last Saturday happens four times a year, then we play Clemson.

I can't handle that. I've handled it for 38 years or so, but I can't handle it anymore.

Literally I read a projection that we would wind up in the Belk Bowl and my first thought was I hope Tanner declines that. What's the point of dragging out another lacklustre season? Just put the dog out of its misery.

I have been a Cleveland Brown's fan since I was 5 years old. As much as I make fun of myself for being a Brown's fan, it's in my blood. I will never stop pulling for my Brown's and Gamecock's regardless of how bad it gets (can't get any worse for my Brown's). I bleed garnet in black on one side and brown and orange on the other.

 

[Art__Vandelay]

And someone mentioned perfect storm. Yeah, but those could be negative too. I mentioned the possiblility of coaches that recruit like Smart at four schools we play every year, let alone Clemson.

I mentioned that it would take a 'perfect storm' for us to win big. That storm would have to include said schools being down, or at least not at the levels at which they are currently.

But in addition to that, it would likely take another huge crop of in state talent rolling through, which I honestly just do not see.

My point was that 2010-2013 was our window and I think we have missed it. We literally may never have a better opportunity to win the SEC than we had in those years.

 

[SCexpat38]

Clemson fan? I thought I spelled out in my post that I think their current position is pretty easy to upset.

Most of the schools I mentioned don't need to depend on out of state recruiting. Clemson does. And when you do that, you are at the mercy of of schools in your recruiting areas hiring coaches that really can lock down their states.

Things have changed. The five stars are the only ones that matter now it seems. All these teams have "analysts" out the wazoo watching film. The days of a John Abraham or even Ko Simpson flying under the radar are long gone it seems.

Because Saban (or one of the many that clone his system) have a 35 man unit exclusively devoted to tracking 9th graders who they might potentially recruit one day, and breaking down film.

And someone mentioned perfect storm. Yeah, but those could be negative too. I mentioned the possiblility of coaches that recruit like Smart at four schools we play every year, let alone Clemson.

I've seen enough of Dabo to have an idea of what he can do. And my take is a guy like Smart at FSU, Miami, or even UNC will upset his applecart in a hurry.

I think what hurts more than anything is I'm not even sure Smart is a great coach. He is a great recruiter like Saban. But what I saw Saturday was more "five star wr who is three inches taller and faster than the cornerback runs by him."

Or "offensive linemen who outweighs defensive lineman by 40 pounds and is just as quick and a couple inches taller manhandles defensive linemen."

I guess Smart didn't need anything else. But until he plays a team that actually has comparable talent it's hard to say how good a coach he is exactly.

You spelled out a lot. I thought I was responding to the poster who asked what your options were since you're posting how you're done with Carolina.

To paraphrase: Him, what are your options Clemson or Alabama. Just chill.
Me: Yep. Life's weird enough already without being a Clemson fan.

Admission: I tend not to read posts over four paragraphs long. It makes my bunions hurt. I probably should stay out of threads that start with long posts, too.

Fourth paragraph: I never understood people who'd go bass fishing for a living. Why turn something that's supposed to be recreation (except for the fish) into a competition? Same thing with being a football fan. It's supposed to be recreation.

 

[PokerCock]

This might sound crazy, but if you go back and watch the first half of the Georgia game, it's not like we didn't belong on the field with them. They had numerous plays go their way early, and we were still right there in the game until the shanked punt, which is an anomaly for Charlton, before the half. The second half, Georgia pulled away because they have more depth than us.

I do agree that Muschamp might put too much emphasis on these big games and it has our guys playing with their buttholes tight. What can we do to stop that? Your guess is as good as mine. I do know that he is working his ass off to get us 45-50 high caliber guys that can provide us good depth. I firmly believe that this team has a very good starting 22 and the season is not lost.

Still, it's going to be another 3-5 years before we take that next step. Will we give him that long? I say yes, but it does not help Muschamp's cause that Clemson and Georgia are having immense success right now...

 

[viennacocks]

This might sound crazy, but if you go back and watch the first half of the Georgia game, it's not like we didn't belong on the field with them. They had numerous plays go their way early, and we were still right there in the game until the shanked punt, which is an anomaly for Charlton, before the half. The second half, Georgia pulled away because they have more depth than us.

I do agree that Muschamp might put too much emphasis on these big games and it has our guys playing with their buttholes tight. What can we do to stop that? Your guess is as good as mine. I do know that he is working his ass off to get us 45-50 high caliber guys that can provide us good depth. I firmly believe that this team has a very good starting 22 and the season is not lost.

Still, it's going to be another 3-5 years before we take that next step. Will we give him that long? I say yes, but it does not help Muschamp's cause that Clemson and Georgia are having immense success right now...

We outplayed them in the first half. Defense and missed opportunities were a killer in the 2nd half.

 

[myrtlecock]

Post like this don't surprise me in today's inpatient instant gratification world. I often say On Any Given Saturday fully 50% of the teams that play a game lose. That is an inescapable reality.

The University of South Carolina Gamecocks are the team that I root for and it does not matter whether we win or lose. My love for my state and my school is not contingent on whether we are victorious in a silly game. Do I enjoy it more when we win? Of course I do. I sat through a bunch of those games when we were 0-21 and I always wore garnet.

 

[Cock-a-Doo]

I think it maybe does help that those schools are having success...it helps we we <gulp> embrace it in a way to sell our program as a place to play against the best...
Maybe Im grasping at straws but I think we can use thier success as a means to build ourselves up deeper and deeper

 

[ken in sacramento]

If you think being a Clemson fan or a Bama fan is not without heartache- think again. They have and will disappoint their fans. Just like every other team. The happiness, or disappointment, you feel watching this stuff is more a reflection on you- and probably won't change if you switch allegiances. Although if you do switch allegiances and you are then disappointed, I have no sympathy for you.

It's Carolina Forever- not just when we win.

 

[HI Cock]

I can relate to that feeling....and the truth is you are probably right...we do need a bit of a "perfect storm" to help us...I always feel renewed the next time we kick off again - what am I going to do, not get pumped up and cheer on the Gamecocks?!?! Like, is that REALLY an option?!?!

No.

And as a Gamecock fan, I know that I just have to be thankful for what successes we've had (and something equally frustrating - like golf - to take my mind off of disappointing Saturdays).

 

[Horseshoe 04]

Was it over when the germans bombed pearl harbor ?

It's not over until we say it is.

Give up ? Effn Never ! NEVER

 

[mUSCle Gamecock]

I agree with most everything you said and you are spot on. What are your options? Change to a Clemson fan? Be one of those A-Hole guys that you work with that rout for Alabama but have never been to the state much less a game?
Another option is to do what I have done over the last 10 years......realize that it is just a game played by young people and it really makes absolutely no difference in your life. Chill out and enjoy the games.........

Ditto. Also when you make football your life and identity (like so many clem fans), you are banking on your joy being determined by a game. In my experience college football means so much more to the average clem fan than it does to the average USC fan. I remember when we had our 5 game streak against Clem there was a guy that said all he cared about was clemson football and his daughter. (To be fair, because I believe human nature is human nature, I am sure the average USC fan would put much more of their identity in football if we had Alabama like success.) I enjoy being a Gamecock fan, but I don't invest so much of my life in something in which I have ZERO control.

 

[SumterGamecockGuy]

Well, I’ve had thoughts like this before. And I’ve tried walking away before. But you know, I couldn’t stay gone for too long. I just got sucked back into it. lol
Look, maybe take a short term break from it, if that’ll help you.
And when you come back, keep it light and casual. Keep it in perspective. It’s a ball game. Entertainment. Not “the end all” of human existence.
I’m not judging you or criticicizing you!! I totally get your point. Just take a break, keep it in perspective when you come back, and you’ll be fine.
Go Cocks!

 

[Wiles2]

If we get blown out by Clemson this year, he should be on a short leash b/c the situation will start mirroring his UF days....As has been stating many times, some people just aren't cut out to be a head coach. Psychology is an underrated component of the game and ours in big games under Muschamp has been pretty lousy so far - and horrible on Saturday. If Michigan hadn't fumbled away the bowl game last year, we'd still be looking for the first good win under this coaching staff.

 

[mUSCle Gamecock]

Well, I’ve had thoughts like this before. And I’ve tried walking away before. But you know, I couldn’t stay gone for too long. I just got sucked back into it. lol
Look, maybe take a short term break from it, if that’ll help you.
And when you come back, keep it light and casual. Keep it in perspective. It’s a ball game. Entertainment. Not “the end all” of human existence.
I’m not judging you or criticicizing you!! I totally get your point. Just take a break, keep it in perspective when you come back, and you’ll be fine.
Go Cocks!

 

[gr8spur]

Was it over when the germans bombed pearl harbor ?

It's not over until we say it is.

Give up ? Effn Never ! NEVER

Horseshoe...was that you sleeping in the third row, near the door, in my 1887 U.S. History class? The Germans surrounded the Alamo. It was the Chinese who bombed Pearl Harbor. Get your history facts right, man.

 

[LazyIslander]

Here's the problem with your post achilles...
While I can't argue against points. They are all either simply true or at least perceived truths. I can't help but notice that using those "truths" as justification for no longer being a fan (or just being "done") presupposes that the reason you were a fan in the first place had to do with expectations of some future result. But that is flawed logic. That's not why you were a fan in the first place... or at least it shouldn't be.
You're an alum. Be a fan simply because of that.
Are you a resident of the state? Be a fan simply because of that.
You've been a fan most of your life. Be a fan simply because of that.
The obvious hurdles that a SC team will face in its quest for a championship only makes the victories sweeter. But understanding those obstacles should also make the defeats easier to handle.
Be a fan. Hope for the best. Celebrate these young men's successes and lament their losses. But don't let either change who you are. And you're a fan.

 

[Art__Vandelay]

Post like this don't surprise me in today's inpatient instant gratification world. I often say On Any Given Saturday fully 50% of the teams that play a game lose. That is an inescapable reality.

The University of South Carolina Gamecocks are the team that I root for and it does not matter whether we win or lose. My love for my state and my school is not contingent on whether we are victorious in a silly game. Do I enjoy it more when we win? Of course I do. I sat through a bunch of those games when we were 0-21 and I always wore garnet.

Instant gratification?? We've been bad for over 100 years! When's it going to happen?

 

[USCBIRDS]

So does all of that mean you can't still be a fan? We've had these disadvantages for over 100 years. And you're right, none of that will change... unless we break major rules (like we did under Jo Mo). Accept if for what it is - not everyone gets to be a millionaire. Be grateful for every victory and hope like heck that one year we overcome these odds. There's far worse than being 8-5 every year... which should be the worst we ever are with Muschamp. That's an improvement from everyone except Spurrier.

We didn’t break any major rules! If you are referring to steroids, the whole country was doing them (including 60% of HS players). We just had a player admit to it at the time.

 

[tidalcock]

Okay, been a fan since '79 or '80 or so, alumni, live in the Columbia area. But I've given up I think.

I have reasons, and I'll put them down as best I can. I'm not looking to convert others to my misery, but I would like to know if there is a flaw in my logic.

Okay look. I've come to believe Muschamp is a very likeable guy. His players love him. The administration everywhere he has been loved him (still do apparently).

He is as good a recruiter as we will ever have. Actually I think he is the BEST we have ever had here in that role. If he were at Georgia I think he would pull in the same kinds of classes that Smart is.

We've given him everything he has asked for. He can hire whoever he wants. We are building his football ops building (have something to say about that, but it isn't to bust Muschamp's chops, and I'll get to it later).

But in another thread I made the statement that we needed Bill Snyder, and we got Muschamp. I'm guessing most people know about Snyder and his career, and the relative position of Kansas State versus... heck even the also rans in the Big 12.

This is Muschamp's 7th year as a head coach. He has a lot of good points, but he has no ability to get his team ready for a big game. Someone called it "analysis paralysis" and overcoaching. Maybe, you'd sure think a workaholic like him would be prone to something like that. Additionally, for whatever reason I see very little indication he can pull off an upset against a team that has more talent than his. And we need that.

Last Saturday notwithstanding, his teams don't quit. And they are well coached, sorta...kinda... in a way. They know spin moves, swim moves, are well conditioned, that kind of thing. If you need someone to get players to reach inside themselves and make a play that they had no inkling they could do, well he ain't your man.

Anyway what really got me though was seeing the kind of team Georgia brought here. Unless they have their head up their butt in Athens next year, they are going to brutally dominate us worse than they did here. No home field thing, simply that one more year on a team that is actually younger than ours is >> greater than one more year on our current players. And this year's recruiting class isn't going to change that one bit, outstanding as it is for us - or most schools.

And it isn't going to change. Not as long as Smart (or a similar guy is there). They'll keep on bringing in these kinds of classes every year. BECAUSE THE PLAYERS ARE IN THEIR BACKYARD. I have a little more to say about Clemson later, but Dabo has done a great job recruiting, and he couldn't keep up with that.

Okay I mentioned Georgia. We have another traditional power, Florida with similar recruiting advantages. There is nothing we saw with Georgia that couldn't be done at Florida, just as quickly - if they have the right coach.

Now we have A&M on the schedule as our permanent opponent. Same story as Georgia and Florida - potentially. Whether Jimbo is that guy I don't know for them, but all it takes is a guy like Smart and it can happen there easily.

Then I started thinking about Tennessee. Yeah, yeah, I know. But Middle Tennessee is exploding in population. My estimation just from eyeballing the recruiting rankings is that Middle Tennessee area is about as good as the whole state of Alabama at putting out prospects now. Maybe not as many speedy db's or wr's, but they got big uglies out the wazoo. Not as good as Georgia, Florida, or Texas, but IMO comparable to Louisiana - and I'm not joking about that. Once again a right coach situation.

Now Clemson. Honestly they are the least of our problems (not counting teams like KY for now). These are their glory days. I keep mentioning the "Right Coach," but it is still applicable. Put a guy like Smart at FSU or Miami, and not only do they have a lot more trouble getting guys out of Florida, no matter what the bagman does, they also will have a lot more difficulty getting through the ACC with the kind of record that gets you in the playoff. Heck again with the right coach thing, put one at UNC and he starts to have real problems.

To me our destiny is out of our control. No matter what we do, how much money we spend, in the end what happens depends more on other schools hiring dud coaches than anything we do.

There's some kind of name for imagining or dwelling on bad situations that might never happen.

But I can see a situation where what we saw last Saturday happens four times a year, then we play Clemson.

I can't handle that. I've handled it for 38 years or so, but I can't handle it anymore.

Literally I read a projection that we would wind up in the Belk Bowl and my first thought was I hope Tanner declines that. What's the point of dragging out another lacklustre season? Just put the dog out of its misery.

I am an alumnus and have been a fan since childhood. Won’t say that I have given up, but with age I have gained a different perspective and am just not as emotionally invested as in past years. I sincerely hope that our mens football program can eventually compete at an elite level, but I realize that this is a big mountain to climb for any coach.