Rapid Fire Picks for November 12th

Other site is still not allowing me to post, so the picks are here for the third straight week.

College Football:

Last Week: 19-9
Overall: 199-60

#1 LSU over Western Kentucky
#2 Oklahoma State over Texas Tech
#3 Alabama over Mississippi State
#4 Stanford over #7 Oregon
#5 Boise State over TCU
#8 Arkansas over Tennessee
#9 Clemson over Wake Forest
#19 Nebraska over #12 Penn State
#13 South Carolina over Florida…28-17
#14 Kansas State over Texas A&M
#15 Georgia over #20 Auburn
Missouri over #16 Texas
#17 Michigan State over Iowa
#18 Wisconsin over Minnesota
#22 Southern Miss over UCF
West Virginia over #23 Cincinnati
#24 Michigan over Illinois
#25 Baylor over Kansas
North Carolina State over Boston College
Virginia over Duke
Florida State over Miami (FL)
Notre Dame over Maryland
Vanderbilt over Kentucky
Ole Miss over Louisiana Tech
Ohio State over Purdue

NFL:

Last Week: 7-6
Overall: 84-44

Saints over Falcons
Steelers over Bengals
Browns over Rams
Cowboys over Bills
Colts over Jaguars
Chiefs over Broncos
Dolphins over Redskins
Eagles over Cardinals
Texans over Buccaneers
Panthers over Titans
Ravens over Seahawks
Bears over Lions
49ers over Giants
Patriots over Jets
Packers over Vikings

2010 South Carolina Gamecocks’ Football Predictions

With the season opening Thursday night against the Southern Miss, now is probably the right time to put down on paper my predictions for the 2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football season.

As much as diehard Gamecock fans want this season to be the year, it is just not going to happen.  A tough schedule is going to burn the Gamecocks.

Let me, however, clarify something.  This is the Gamecocks best opportunity to make some noise in the SEC East.  A somewhat down year for the division gives the Gamecocks a fighting chance.

September 2nd – vs. Southern Miss – Unlike the past 2 years, a victory is not a guarantee against the Golden Eagles.  Southern Miss brings a fast-paced, pass-happy offense that South Carolina’s Assistant Coach for Defense Ellis Johnson will have to dial in the right scheme.

This is a game that should be close through 3 quarters, but the power of the SEC will allow the Gamecocks to pull away late.  Gamecocks 24, Golden Eagles 14.

September 11th – vs. Georgia – No one expected the sloppy, high-scoring game that occurred last year between these two teams, which had the Bulldogs outlasting the Gamecocks 41-37.

Georgia will have to rely on the running game and a stout defense in order to beat the Gamecocks in the suffocating heat, which will certainly be a factor as kickoff is scheduled for noon.

The Gamecocks will have the more complete, well-balanced team, and will bring home the victory.  Gamecocks 20, Bulldogs 13.

September 18th – vs. Furman – If South Carolina Head Coach Steve Spurrier is going to be tempted to give Connor Shaw an opportunity to start, this is going to be the game.

Shaw, a true freshman, has easily out-practiced incumbent Stephen Garcia.  It’s just hard for Spurrier to start a freshman quarterback.

An otherwise uneventful game will carry a big storyline out of it, who will start the following week at Auburn.  Gamecocks 35, Paladins 10.

September 25th – at Auburn – This is the Gamecocks’ first test on the road in the 2010 season, and it could not have come at a tougher venue–Auburn, Alabama.

This is truthfully a toss up game.  Both teams have the same amount of talent, it is just going to be about which team can minimize the mistakes, and take advantage of turnovers and defensive stops.

The edge goes to Auburn, simply because this game is being played at Jordan-Hare Stadium.  Just like any stadium in the SEC, it’s a tough place to play.  Tigers 24, Gamecocks 20.

October 9th – vs. Alabama – The Gamecocks will get two weeks to prepare for the defending national champions, the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Last year, in Tuscaloosa, the Gamecocks did not get the best of Alabama.  South Carolina could not hold up Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, who might not even be the team’s best back.  The Gamecocks could have legitametly beaten Alabama, if they had just held Ingram to maybe 100 fewer rushing yards.

The Crimson Tide is an excellent pick to win both the SEC Championship and the National Championship again this season.  Alabama will once again roll over the Gamecocks, just this time, it’s in Columbia.  Crimson Tide 28, Gamecocks 10.

October 16th – at Kentucky – The Gamecocks, just having lost their last two games after winning their first three, have an excellent opportunity to get back to their winning ways.

Kentucky will come into this game still trying to figure out if they have a chance to go to a bowl game, or will this just be another long season for the Wildcats and new coach Joker Phillips.

However, the last few games between these two teams have been very close, including last year’s 28-26 win by South Carolina.  This is a game that if the Gamecocks do not watch out, Kentucky can pull the upset.

On the road in Lexington, Kentucky have brought memorable moments in Gamecocks’ history, the hope is this year, that won’t be needed.  Gamecocks 17, Wildcats 10.

October 23rd – at Vanderbilt – For the last few years, Vanderbilt has driven the Gamecocks crazy.  South Carolina barely won last year.  The Commodores pulled the upset on a Thursday night in Nashville two years ago.  Vanderbilt also defeated the Gamecocks when they were in the top 10 in the polls in the last five years.

There is no reason why South Carolina struggles so mightily against the Commodores, but they seem to have the Gamecocks’ number.

With all that said, and despite new head coach Robbie Caldwell’s endearing personality, the Gamecocks are a more balanced team and should beat the inexperience in Nashville.  Just like any game between these two teams, it’s going to be a nail-bitter.  Gamecocks 13, Commodores 3.

October 30th – vs. Tennessee – The Gamecocks would like to punish the Volunteers, much like what happened on Halloween one year ago in Knoxville.

Tennessee, under new coach Derek Dooley, will struggle to get the six wins to become bowl eligible.  However, this team will fight hard and tough, maybe pulling an upset in one of those games.

Both teams will bring a solid defense, but South Carolina has the edge in offense.  Just like in trying to win any football game, the Gamecocks need to minimize turnovers, and take advantage of the mistakes of a young Tennessee offense.  To steal a line from Lee Corso, this one is going to be closer than the experts think.  With a win, the Gamecocks will become bowl eligible.  Gamecocks 27, Volunteers 14.

November 6th – vs. Arkansas – The Arkansas Razorbacks have one of the top three teams in the SEC.  It is truly a shame that they play in the same division as Alabama.

With quarterback Ryan Mallett returning with a passing game expert in coach Bobby Petrino, this team will battle with Alabama for the top spot in the SEC West.  The talented defensive backfield of Stephon Gilmore, Chris Culliver, and Akeem Auguste of South Carolina will struggle to contain this passing attack.

The only hope South Carolina has is that Mallett becomes too confident at times and force the ball into spaces that will create turnovers for South Carolina.  If the Gamecocks want a legitimate chance to win this game, they will have to do it on defense.  Razorbacks 35, Gamecocks 17.

November 13th – at Florida – After nearly beating Florida one year ago, the Gamecocks will try to win in Gainesville.  For some reason, the Gamecocks tend to bring their A-game when playing at Florida, even before Steve Spurrier became coach.

The Gators will not lose a whole lot with John Brantley taking over for Tim Tebow, if any.  Brantley might fit into Urban Meyer’s system better than Tebow.  Brantley is comparable to Alex Smith, who played as Meyer’s quarterback at Utah.

Regardless of who is the quarterback, Florida is still the team to beat in the SEC East, and they will show that in what will be a close game down in “the swamp.” Gators 24, Gamecocks 14.

November 20th – vs. Troy – For the first time in a couple years, the Gamecocks will not have an off-week between Florida and Clemson, part of the ‘orange-crush.’

There are benefits and risks to having a game after Florida and before Clemson.  You have the opportunity to work on plays that you might use against the Tigers.  At the same time, you risk injury to a star player right before your rivalry game.

The last time these two teams met was in 2005, when South Carolina defeated Troy 45-20.  This is a game to build up the confidence for Clemson, that you might have lost against Florida.  Gamecocks 34, Trojans 7.

November 27th – at Clemson – It is very tempting to pick Clemson in this game, after being embarassed in Columbia last year, and wanting to impress the home crowd at Death Valley.

However, the Gamecocks want to prove that they want to make this an even rivalry once again.  Clemson will be better than originally thought with Kyle Parker playing one final year as quarterback, and a triple-headed running attack.

Expect a much closer game than last year, as these two teams will be battling for playing in December or playing in January (not a BCS game).  Gamecocks 27, Tigers 21.

The Gamecocks will end the season 8-4, 4-4 in the SEC conference.  If all goes well, the Gamecocks will likely play in a New Year’s Day bowl, hopefully in the warm climate of Florida.  (Anyone that went to Birmingham knows its not warm.)

This year’s big storyline will be about the quarterbacks, as Spurrier will often find himself using both Garcia and Shaw.  That means that this team will have to rely heavily on its stout defense if it has real aspirations to go to Atlanta for either the Chick-Fil-A Bowl or the SEC Championship.

Section 26 Sports Final Mock Draft

So here it is folks.  This is the final NFL mock draft of the year.  This mock draft is full of interesting draft picks that you may not see anywhere else.

And keep in mind I don’t do trades in my mocks.  They get way too complicated and are impossible to predict.   I could easily see some teams, especially Detroit trading down, and some others, especially Oakland or Cleveland trading up at some point.

Round One
1. St Louis – Sam Bradford QB Oklahoma – They obviously need a franchise QB and Bradford is tops in the draft class.
2. Detroit – Ndamukong Suh DT Nebraska – I could easily see a trade down here. Detroit has holes to fill as positions with depth in the draft (RB, OT, DT). However, because I don’t do trades, they take Suh.
3. Tampa Bay – Gerald McCoy DT Oklahoma – Defensive line help is the biggest need for Tampa and they get an elite DT.
4. Washington – Russell Okung OT Oklahoma St – Chris Samuels retired and Washington got their QB in McNabb. Step 2 is the franchise LT, Okung.
5. Kansas City – Trent Williams OT Oklahoma – Kansas City could go in quite a few directions here, but if they’re smart they’ll go with the offensive line. Branden Albert faded quickly last season and they need someone to fill in and protect Cassel.
6. Seattle – Bryan Bulaga OT Iowa – With Seattle’s two first round picks, they will try to bolster the trenches. It seems sure one of the top two DE’s should drop to them later so they take Bulaga here.
7. Cleveland – Eric Berry FS Tennessee – It is amazing Berry fell this far and Cleveland should be thrilled. They fill a need with one of the top players in the draft. Berry will also help in the return game which would assist Cribbs moving to WR permanently.
8. Oakland – Bruce Campbell OT Maryland – This is a HUGE reach. Campbell is not a top player, but he’s very athletic for a tackle and, well, this is Al Davis after all.
9. Buffalo – Anthony Davis OT Rutgers – Buffalo has one of the worst offensive lines in the league so they desperately need to address it. With a line that bad, it doesn’t matter who is at QB. Anthony Davis is a bull when run blocking and Buffalo will have to rely on their run game, as they have no pass game. This seems a natural pick.
10. Jacksonville – Derrick Morgan DE Georgia Tech – Morgan is the best pass rushing DE in the draft and he will go to the worst pass rushing team in the NFL, Jacksonville. Jacksonville did sign Aaron Kampman, but that won’t be enough. This will give youth and fire to the weak defensive line.
11. Denver (from Chicago) – Dez Bryant WR Oklahoma St – As expected, Brandon Marshall is gone. We also found out that Tony Scheffler is going to Detroit. Eddie Royal is a good WR, but not a number one option. They need an elite receiver and Bryant is the best in the class.
12. Miami – Dan Williams DT Tennessee – Miami has a few needs but nose tackle is a glaring one. However, if they do trade Ronnie Brown, CJ Spiller could jump up to this pick for Miami.
13. San Francisco – Joe Haden CB Florida – Haden does not fill their strongest needs, offensive line and quarterback, but he’s the best player available and the 49ers have two first round picks. He’s worth the pick here as a top notch player.
14. Seattle (from Denver) – Jason Pierre-Paul DE S Florida – As stated before, Seattle has to start from the inside out with the trenches. It’s time for the defensive line and Jason Pierre-Paul is the pick. He can play a 4-3 DE or a 3-4 rush LB. Here he’ll play at DE and rush the passer, which is his specialty.
15. NY Giants – Rolando McClain ILB Alabama – Antonio Pierce was a staple on the Giants defense, but his neck injuries led to his release. The Giants need to retool and the best place to start is at MLB. However, if they trade Osi Umenyiora they could draft a DE here, possible Carlos Dunlap.
16. Tennessee – Kyle Wilson CB Boise St – The could go defensive line, but I really think they need to go with a CB here. Wilson is a physical back and fits well with Tennessee’s philosophy.
17. San Francisco (from Carolina) – Jimmy Clausen QB Notre Dame – Some say Clausen would never fall this far, but I really don’t like his future. He has an attitude issue and a slow deliver at times. However, the 49ers need a QB and Clausen has potential.
18. Pittsburgh – Devin McCourty CB Rutgers – The current CB’s on the Steelers’ roster are weak and can’t get it done. McCourty is an underrated CB that will fit well with the Steelers’ defense.
19. Atlanta – Carlos Dunlap DE Florida – Jamaal Anderson is a bust, we all know that now. It’s time to get a young pass rusher to play opposite John Abraham. Dunlap is a big pass rusher with the size and speed to start immediately. He does however have motivation problems at times.
20. Houston – Earl Thomas FS Texas – Houston will need to fill a big need at both safety positions as well as replace CB Dunta Robinson. Here they will go with Thomas who will fall further than his talent level represents. The bottom line is that this is a steal for Houston.
21. Cincinnati – Taylor Mays SS USC – Simply put, Cincinnati needs safety help and they love the USC products. Mays will fit in very well.
22. New England – Sergio Kindle OLB Texas – The Patriots need to fill a pass rushing void and Kindle would work well as a top-level 3-4 pass rusher.
23. Green Bay – CJ Spiller RB Clemson – This is the surprise pick of the draft. Green Bay doesn’t have too strong of a need at RB and Spiller may not fall this far. However, I see him dropping for various reasons, including his horribly low Wonderlic score. Green Bay will fill two secondary needs, backup RB and return specialist.
24. Philadelphia – Kareem Jackson CB Alabama – With Sheldon Brown gone, the Eagles will need a CB opposite Asante Samuel. Jackson is a great talent and will fit very well with the fast, athletic ideals of the Eagles defense.
25. Baltimore – Jermaine Gresham TE Oklahoma – Todd Heap has been invisible for Baltimore lately. They need another pass catcher for Flacco. They picked up Boldin and re-signed Derrick Mason. Here they will get their much needed TE.
26. Arizona – Brandon Graham DE Michigan – Graham is an underrated pass rusher. He will be one of the better 3-4 rush LB’s in this year’s draft. Arizona needs a pass rush. The signing of Joey Porter helps, but he’s already in trouble. They need youth at the position.
27. Dallas – Mike Iupati OG Idaho – Flozell Adams is gone from the offensive line and Dallas was relatively weak at guard last season. Iupati is the next Steve Hutchinson. Dallas gets a great one here.
28. San Diego – Ryan Mathews RB Fresno St – Mathews is the most complete and NFL-ready RB in this draft. San Diego needs to replace Tomlinson and Mathews is the best guy to get it done.
29. NY Jets – Jerry Hughes OLB TCU – Pass rush is a strong need for the Jets, along with FS. Here they get another one of those top-level 3-4 OLB’s. Hughes will come in ready to get some sacks. Even if they do sign Jason Taylor, Hughes is still the pick here.
30. Minnesota – Patrick Robinson CB Florida St – Injuries at CB hurt the Vikings late last year. Here they get Robinson, a great cover CB who can come in ready to start on a powerful Vikings defense.
31. Indianapolis – Brian Price DT UCLA – The Colts need to get depth and competition on their lines and Brian Price is a good start. He’ll compete from day one.
32. New Orleans – Sean Witherspoon LB Missouri – Witherspoon would have gone sooner if the Steelers had not signed Larry Foote or the Eagles had not traded for Ernie Sims. However, here we are. The Saints get a much needed defensive play-maker with the swagger to fit right in with New Orleans.

Round Two
1. St Louis – Everson Griffen DE USC – The Rams need more pass rush help and if they don’t trade for Osi Umenyiora, Griffen is a great pick here.
2. Detroit – Jahvid Best RB California – If the Lions trade for a RB, expect Penn St LB Novorro Bowman to be the pick here. However, they need more stability at RB and Best is a big play threat and elite return man.
3. Tampa Bay – Arrelious Benn WR Illinois – With Antonio Bryant in Cincinnati, Josh Freeman needs something resembling an offensive weapon. Benn is a good start.
4. Kansas City – Terrence Cody DT Alabama – Scott Pioli wants his “Vince Wilfork” and that’s what Cody is. He eats space at NT which is what the Chiefs need.
5. Philadelphia (From Washington) – Maurkice Poucey OL Florida – Interior offensive line is a need for Philadelphia. Pouncey falls a little far and the Eagles get a steal here.
6. Cleveland – Colt McCoy QB Texas – This is a little bit of a reach, but McCoy will fit with Cleveland well and could adapt into a very efficient QB.
7. Oakland – Linval Joseph DT E Carolina – This is another reach, but Joseph has the measurables to be an elite NT in the NFL in time. Joseph is 6’4″ 328 pounds, had 39 reps on the bench press and ran his 40-yard dash in less than 5.00.
8. San Diego – Cam Thomas DT N Carolina – Another NT off the board. Jamal Williams is in Denver so the Chargers need to replace him very quickly.
9. Buffalo – Ricky Sapp OLB Clemson – Buffalo still needs a lot and a pass rushing OLB in their new 3-4 defense is much needed.
10. Tampa Bay (From Chicago) – Donovan Warren CB Michigan – Aside from Aqib Talib, there is no Buccaneer CB with a future.
11. Denver (from Miami) – Jared Odrick DT Penn St – Odrick will be a great 3-4 DE and will fit in nicely next to newly acquired NT Jamal Williams.
12. New England (From Jacksonville) – Lamar Houston DT Texas – The same assessment from Odrick goes for Houston. The Patriots need to get younger up front and Houston will fit in nicely.
13. Denver – Vladmir Ducasse OG UMass – Denver is filling many needs in this draft and interior offensive line is just another one. Ducasse is underrated because he comes form UMass.
14. NY Giants – Geno Atkins DT Georgia – With Fred Robbins gone to the Rams, the Giants need a new DT quickly. Atkins will come in ready to make an impact. However, he is one of those players that could also easily slip to the third round. Luckily for him, DT is a league-wide need this year.
15. Carolina – Mardy Gilyard WR Cincinnati – Steve Smith wanted more speed at WR. Gilyard provides that, as well as return skills.
16. New England (From Tennessee) – Jonathan Dwyer RB Georgia Tech – It is time for Moroney to go away and Dwyer would be ready to play right away for the Patriots.
17. San Francisco – Charles Brown OT USC – The 49ers got their QB and an elite CB prospect. Here they get a big, smart tackle with great footwork.
18. Houston – Ben Tate RB Auburn – Houston needs RB depth and Tate is very underrated. He has a fair blend of speed and power. He will fit nicely with the Texans.
19. Kansas City (From Atlanta) – Kao Misi OLB Utah – Kansas City has their linemen and now need a good pass rusher. Misi is an underrated prospect that will fit in as a 3-4 OLB.
20. Pittsburgh – Demaryius Thomas WR Georgia Tech – Thomas doesn’t run the best routes, but he’s got the physical tools most WR’s dream about. With Holmes traded to the Jets and Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El aging, the Steelers need a young possession receiver.
21. New England – Damien Williams WR USC – The WR corps in New England is aging. Luckily the Patriots have four picks in the first two rounds and can afford to use one on a WR. Williams has soft hands and runs smooth routes, exactly what you need in the Patriots’ offense.
22. Cincinnati – Aaron Hernandez TE Florida – The Bengals have gotten their WR’s and now need a pass-catching TE. Hernandez isn’t much for blocking but he’s an elite receiving threat at TE.
23. Philadelphia – Nate Allen FS S Florida – The Eagles need to upgrade at the safety position, Allen is a great talent.
24. Green Bay – Chris Cook DB Virginia – Cook can play both CB and FS, both of which are aging positions for the Packers.
25. Baltimore – Golden Tate WR Notre Dame – Baltimore is making an offensive overhaul early in the draft. Tate will be an amazing slot receiver inside of Boldin and Mason and his speed will match perfectly with Flacco’s strong arm.
26. Arizona – Kyle Galloway OT Iowa – Arizona needs depth and competition at LT and Galloway could come in ready to compete.
27. Dallas – Jordan Shipley WR Texas – This isn’t an obvious need for Dallas, but Shipley is a Texas man and a great return man. Patrick Crayton needs to stop returning punts. Shipley will be the new and improved Patrick Crayton.
28. Seattle – Dexter McCluster RB Mississippi – While not a typical NFL RB, McCluster does provide a firm change of pace for Seattle’s offense as well as versatility to play in the slot, in the Wildcat and in the return game.
29. NY Jets – Morgan Burnett FS Georgia Tech – Burnett simply fills the void left by Rhodes who left for Arizona. Keep in mind, Burnett is a high-risk/high-reward type player. Potentially a bust.
30. Minnesota – Chad Jones FS LSU – Chad Jones is a smart athlete, and solidifies the defensive secondary for Minnesota along with first round pick Patrick Robinson.
31. Indianapolis – Rodger Staffold OT Indiana – Staffold is a highly underrated OT in the draft. He’s not quite first round talent, but very close on some people’s boards. The Colts continue to help their lines.
32. New Orleans – Alex Carrington DE Arkansas St – The Saints partially addressed DE in the offseason, but Carrington will provide depth for a team that needs defensive line help.

There are some interesting picks, I know. I’m sure it won’t turn out just like this, but these would be interesting picks. I could see all of these happening, even though they may not.

And some other prospects that could fit into the second round in some way:
Corey Wooton DE Northwestern – He has the talent to go in the first round, but the lack of 4-3 DE needs drops his chances.
Brandon Spikes LB Florida – Spikes was originally seen as first round talent but ended up slow and out of shape.  He should fall to the late third round.
Brandon LaFell WR LSU – Depending on the type of WR a team is looking for, LaFell could go in the middle of the second round.
Navorro Bowman LB Penn St – I originally had Bowman to the Saints in the first round, but with Witherspoon falling to them, and the lack of a desire for 4-3 OLB’s dropped Bowman very far.
Daryl Washington LB TCU – Washington can play any LB position in a 4-3 or an inside LB in the 3-4 defense.  He’s very versatile on defense, but barely misses the cut.
Eric Norwood LB South Carolina – Norwood is no longer looked at strictly as a 3-4 OLB.  He has dropped weight and added mobility to increase his ability to play OLB in a 4-3.
Mike Johnson OG Alabama – Very few guards get taken in the first two rounds it seems and Johnson drops some because of that.

My Top 5 Games from 2009

With the end of the year upon us, it is always a good time to look back on the year that was 2009.

Over the final weeks of the year, I will be trying to post a couple top five lists, starting with the top five games I saw from 2009.

Now there are a few criteria I have. First, I had to have seen the event in its entirety. It doesn’t count if I saw the highlights the next day or heard about it later on.

Second, when I refer to ‘games,’ I mean any sporting event that took place, which also involves races, Olympics, and much much more.

Here is my Top 5 Games from 2009:

#5 – Clemson vs. South Carolina, Baseball, Carolina Stadium, April 7th, 2009

The Gamecocks were trailing hated rival Clemson by a run entering the bottom of the 9th after leading 4-2 at the end of the 1st. An Adam Matthews lead-off single, a Casey Rihn walk, a sacrifice bunt by Jackie Bradley Jr. and a intentional walk to Whit Merrifield set it all up for DeAngelo Mack. Mack pulls a single to right field, under the glove of Clemson Right Fielder Kyle Parker (name sounds familiar, doesn’t it?) to win the game 7-6. Definitely one of the most memorable games in the young history of the new Carolina Stadium.

#4 – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway; April 26, 2009

Everybody loves the restrictor-plate racing which brings clusters of cars together and drivers bumping each other to advance their position. Drafting is the name of the game, but when racecars are allowed to touch each other, it could mean disaster. The idea was that you wanted to great timing and the right drafting partner on the last lap to win the race. Coming to the checkered flag, it was down to four cars, #09-Brad Keselowski, #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #39-Ryan Newman, and #99-Carl Edwards. However, unlike most race tracks, the start-finish line is located heading down a short straightaway into turn 1, not in the middle of the tri-oval. It was down to two cars after the final corner, when Edwards pulled down over Keselowski, who was holding his position at the bottom of the race track. Edwards was spun around, flew up into the air, landing on top of Newman’s car before flying into the catch fence. Keselowski won his first career Sprint Cup Race, and the actions of this race would change how the fall race at the track would be run. (Eight people were injured, the worst being a broken jaw.)

#3 – Super Bowl XLIII; Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals; Raymond James Stadium; February 1, 2009

Keeping with the past NFL championship deciding games, it was a matchup of David versus Goliath in Tampa, Florida. After Steelers LB James Harrison’s long return at the end of the first half, the Cardinals hopes were all but dashed, as the Steelers led 17-7. The Steelers extended their lead to 20-7 with a Jeff Reed field goal in the third quarter. Going into the 4th quarter, the Cardinals shifted to a no-huddle offense led by veteran QB Kurt Warner. Warner led the team on two scoring drives, and with a defensive safety, the Cardinals led 23-20 with only 2:37 to go. However, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger led a scoring drive ending with a spectacular catch in the end zone by WR Santonio Holmes. It was the first time that back-to-back Super Bowls had game winning touchdowns in the final 1:30. The Steelers would hold onto win 27-23 for the team’s 6th Super Bowl victory.

#2 – 2009 Men’s Final at Wimbledon; Roger Federer vs. Andy Roddick; July 5, 2009

For me, tennis is a sport I only watch during the majors, of which most are overseas, meaning they air early on a Sunday morning. Defending champion Rafael Nadal withdrew from the tournament with knee problems, opening the door for Roger Federer to become the record holder in the number of major titles won in tennis. However, it would first mean he would have to get by a tough foe in American Andy Roddick. What happened was a back and forth affair last for over four hours. In the fifth set, Roddick and Federer were tied, sending the match into a tiebreaker situation. With the final set being 16-14, it cemented Federer place in history of the best men’s singles tennis player in history, surpassing Pete Sampras’ record with 15 grand slam titles.

#1 – #24 Florida vs. South Carolina; Men’s Basketball; Colonial Life Arena; January 21, 2009

The night started off with the unveiling of The Garnet Army, the newly formed student section for basketball. (Click Here for an earlier story on the creation of The Garnet Army.) First-year coach Darrin Horn had just lead the Gamecocks through the non-conference schedule and just getting into the heart of SEC play. On this night, the mighty Gators were supposed to show the Gamecocks where they really belong in the SEC race, but it was not meant to be. Trailing 67-60 with less than three minutes to go, it looked like the Gamecocks would be denied on their special night. With 4.7 seconds, Zam Frederick missed a game tying free throw. Florida’s Chandler Parsons quickly got the rebound and was fouled quickly and with 3.3 seconds, two free throws would certainly seal the deal. Parsons missed the first half of the one-and-one, with the shot rebounded by the Gamecocks’ Mike Holmes. Holmes threw a pass the length of the court to Zam Frederick whose lay-up won the game as time expired. It was pandemonium in the Colonial Life Arena. On a personal note, I was standing in the second row as a member of the Garnet Army as this unfolded, and the sights and sounds that occurred at the shot and afterward is something I will never forget.

Well there you have it, my top 5 games from 2009. Instead of choosing the ones that have sentimental value (South Carolina’s win over Clemson in football), I chose the ones that I saw and legitimately remember what happened in the moments leading up to the ending.

I’m sure some of you will disagree and wonder why I didn’t choose the 6 overtime game during the Big East Championship. The reason is I did not watch it all the way through and can not make that type of judgment.

Gamecocks Overcome Late-Season Slide, Beat Clemson

The South Carolina Gamecocks are known for having their late-season collapses and falling short in their rivalry with the Clemson Tigers.  This weekend’s win changed that as South Carolina defeated Clemson in Columbia for the first since 2001, with a final score of 34-17.

This victory is not only a big one for the Gamecock seniors, but a much needed confidence booster for one of the youngest teams in the FBS.  In addition to the intangible positives, this win also guarantees a bowl game for the Gamecocks, who finish the regular season with a 7-5 record.

As if the win over the rival Clemson Tigers was not enough, there is also the impressive defensive performance that can potentially end the Heisman campaign of Clemson running back CJ Spiller; he ended with 141 total yards – 18 rushing, 19 receiving and 104 on kick and punt returns.

The game did not start in the Gamecocks’ favor however.  The second opening kickoff, after an offside penalty on the Gamecocks, was returned 88 yards for a touchdown by CJ Spiller.

South Carolina’s first drive came with two scares and ended in disappointment.  Quarterback Stephen Garcia attempted a pass to wide receiver Moe Brown that was dropped by Clemson defensive back Chris Chancellor, which was followed by a fumble that South Carolina was fortunate to retain.  The drive ended with an interception by Clemson safety Rashard Hall.

The Gamecocks responded to their hard times later in the first quarter with a surprising drive which consisted mostly of the “Wild Cock” formation run by freshman cornerback Stephon Gilmore.  Stephen Garcia capped off the drive pitching the ball to running back Brian Maddox on an option for a one-yard touchdown run.

South Carolina scored one last time in the first half when Garcia threw a touchdown pass to tight end Weslye Saunders giving them a quick 17-7 lead over the fifteenth-ranked Clemson Tigers.

The scoring continued into the second half with a 14-yard strike from Garcia to wide receiver Tori Gurley to give the Gamecocks a 24-7 lead.  Clemson would, however add a field goal by kicker Richard Jackson as well as a touchdown pass from quarterback Kyle Parker to tight end Michael Palmer.

In the spirit of the heated rivalry, South Carolina Head Coach Steve Spurrier attempted a fourth down conversion at Clemson’s one-yard line and scored a touchdown on a pass from Garcia to Weslye Saunders, their second scoring connection of the day.  This score became a possibility after a great return by wide receiver Alshon Jeffery on a failed onside kick attempt by Clemson.

That final touchdown gave South Carolina their 34-17 lead over Clemson, which ultimately would hold until the end.  In one early afternoon in Williams-Brice Stadium, the South Carolina Gamecocks got two monkeys off their backs by winning a late season game and getting a much needed victory over their in-state rivals.

Stephen Garcia finished the game completing ten of twenty-one passes for 126 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Clemson will travel to Tampa, Florida to play Georgia Tech for the ACC Championship and an automatic berth to the Orange Bowl.

South Carolina will have time before they hit the field.  At 7-5 they have earned a bid to a bowl game and are awaiting offers and a decision on which.  We will keep you posted on this development.

The Garnet Army Returns in Full Force

The start of college basketball season signals the return of the Garnet Army to the Colonial Life Arena. The “Army” was developed around the start of the Southeastern Conference schedule of games last season, to unify the student section for primarily men’s basketball games. Its objective: to create a bigger home-court advantage for the Gamecocks. Since that time, the men’s basketball program lost only one game at home, and attendance swelled. As the Garnet Army moves into its second season and first full season, organizers hope to continue to grow the tradition.

When Darrin Horn was named head coach of the men’s basketball team at the University of South Carolina a little over a year ago, he was adamant about selling out and making the Colonial Life Arena shake on a nightly basis. At his introductory news conference on April 1st, 2008, he put the emphasis on the students’ importance of being the basis of a passionate fan base, saying “Our students are going to be our most important fans. To me and to those guys sitting right there [the players], our students will be our most important fan base. We need our students to drive the energy and to have the Colonial Center rocking every single night.” Coach Horn’s desires became reality with the debut of the Garnet Army on January 21st, 2009 in a game against Florida.

The concept of a unified student section started in a November 2008 meeting which had Jeremy Long, Student Government Secretary of Athletics, Eric Nichols, the Director of Marketing, and Horn among those present. The first decision to be made was to locate what part of the Colonial Life Arena would be designated as the student section. The next step was to determine its name. After throwing around some ideas, the decision was made to let the students submit ideas as to what this new student section should be called. After reviewing the many ideas that were submitted, the name ‘Garnet Army’ was chosen.

Long, whose job duties include boosting student attendance at sporting events, said there were two main purposes for the new name. Long said, “The name had to be marketable and represent the university well, which is what [Student Government and the Athletics Department] wanted to show.” The next step was developing a t-shirt. After debating over several designs, Long, along with others, settled on the garnet, black, and white camouflage design, to which Nichols says “the shirt is so ugly, it’s cool.” Long also said that Coach Horn was very supportive of fully integrating the students as a part of the basketball program, describing the student body as Horn’s “second team.”

After the Garnet Army caught on, it became an excellent marketing tool, according to Nichols. Darrin Horn organized a ‘Garnet Army Boot Camp,’ in February 2009, designed to encourage the students to continue to be a part of the atmosphere needed to compete in the Southeastern Conference. In fact, five students took part in a 5-on-5 drill with members of the Gamecocks’ Basketball team.

More recently, the Garnet Army Season Ticket Tour began to make a push for fans to buy season tickets for the 2009-10 basketball season. The tour goes around Columbia in a Garnet Army Hummer and stops at different locations to sell tickets as well as featuring the University’s mascot, Cocky, the cheerleaders, and different games to win prizes. Nichols believes that the creation of the Garnet Army has made basketball relevant again. He said, “It gives basketball an identity to help break through the football shadow. Football is so huge around here, and [The Garnet Army] is something different and it’s something that sets [basketball] apart.” Nichols said that he hopes that the early success that the Garnet Army has garnered will continue to grow as the basketball program does.

Much like what Duke has created with the ‘Cameron Crazies’ and Pittsburgh has with their student cheering section, ‘Oakland,’ the Garnet Army has unified the fans and provided a greater home-court advantage at the Colonial Life Arena according to James, a host for WUSC’s sports show “Section 26.” “The Garnet Army has mostly brought a sense of unity amongst the fans,” said James. “Anything like that can give a home-court advantage to anybody; I think the players really pick up on that and feed off that sort of energy.”

The type of play that came from the Gamecocks following the creation of the Garnet Army certainly shows the improvement. The end-of-season statistics for the men’s basketball team shows they had only one loss against Tennessee, in the eight home games with the Garnet Army present (This does not count the postseason tournament game against Davidson. Even though it was considered a home game for South Carolina, students had to pay for tickets and the design is to keep the game as neutral as possible).

Long believes that it would have taken much longer for the idea of the Garnet Army to catch on if it was not for the January 21st game against Florida in which the initiative debuted. “Honestly, we were very lucky we brought it out with the Florida game,” said Long. “I believe if we brought it out at any other game it would have caught on, but there would not have been the excitement.”

As both Long and Nichols say, the nationally-recognized student section for the South Carolina basketball programs will continue to aid in the growth of the student support, the basketball programs themselves, and the ability to bring more fans in to show that the University of South Carolina is on the rise.

SEC Powerhouses Clash in the Bayou

There is a mythos about traveling to Baton Rouge, Louisiana at night for a football game.  Visiting teams rarely escape “Death Valley” unscathed.  October 10^th gives the college football community a battle of epic proportions in Baton Rouge when the nation’s top team, the Florida Gators visits the fourth-ranked LSU Tigers.  This could very well be a preview of the SEC Championship Game this December in Atlanta, Georgia.

Much of this game has been shadowed by the injury of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow.  Tebow suffered a concussion in the game against Kentucky two Saturdays ago from which he is yet to recover from.  If Tebow cannot play against LSU, the Tigers will have an opportunity to take down the defending national champions.

Over the recent years of success, LSU has been built on their defense and run game.  This year however, the defense for the Tigers has not been at the level their fans are used to.  LSU’s defense is ranked seventh in the SEC in total defense this season allowing an average of 321.6 yards per game.  On the plus side, their defense only allows 14.8 points per game, low enough to be ranked fourth in the SEC.

The downside to LSU’s game is the decline in their offensive success.  They are dead last in the SEC in total offense gaining only 321.6 yards per game, due mostly in part to their aerial attack only gaining 186.2 yards per game.

What makes matters even worse for LSU is the fact that Florida fields the league’s top offense and defense.  On average, Florida will post up 526.2 yards of offense, lead by the rushing attack of quarterback Tim Tebow and running back Jeff Demps.  Florida’s offense rushes for an average of 307.5 yards per game.

Florida is used to putting up points at will, averaging 45.5 points per game so far this season.  Unfortunately for the Gators, LSU knows how to keep teams out of the end zone.  LSU’s problem will be their diminishing offense scoring on Florida’s speedy, top-ranked defense.  While LSU scores only 27 points per game, Florida is only allowing 7.2 points per game.  If LSU can change Florida’s defensive fortune, they may stand a chance.

Of course, the ability of Tim Tebow to play in this game is the wildcard.  If Tebow is not cleared to play, sophomore quarterback John Brantley will get his first career start for Florida.  Florida will still field an elite team, but they will not have their leader out there with them, and that could change things for the Gators.  If Tebow is able to go for the Gators, it increases their shot of continuing their winning streak.  But if he is medically unable to play, this will be break LSU needs to remain undefeated and vault their way to a 6-0 record before their bye week.

No matter how this game ends, fans could get to see a rematch in December in the SEC Championship game.  Both Florida and LSU have the talent and coaching staffs to make it to Atlanta and potentially into the BCS National Championship Game.

This match-up is October 10^th at 8:00 PM on CBS.