I’m still getting used to this. I can admit the University of South Carolina is a national powerhouse in baseball. Perhaps, at the moment, the best and most stable baseball program in the country. But still, I doubt.
I doubted we could bounce back after losing two of three to Florida to close out the 2010 regular season. I KNEW we were dead meat when we went 0-2 in the SEC Tournament the following weekend. I was certain our season was over when we lost to Oklahoma in the first game of the CWS. No way we could beat Arizona State, and certainly not red-hot CTU twice. UCLA’s pitching was just too strong for us. So we won the first game, it would still be an uphill climb. Wingo on third with one out? We stranded runners on third all the time, why shouldn’t this be one of those times? Merrifield had looked terrible at the plate all game…
This year Florida was just loaded, no way we could beat them. Vandy too. Heck, we lost a series to Ole Miss. No Matthews? That hurts. No Jackie? No chance. The NCAA screwed us in our regional draw. UConn has two stud pitchers, and draft picks galore. Christian Walker hasn’t hit a home run since April…
Am I sick? Or just a Gamecock fan? What’s the opposite of rose-colored glasses? Because that’s me.
Crap, the number one national seed is in our side of draw in Omaha. (Pssst…I like our chances.)
- The dogpile: you buying or selling? I love the idea of the dogpile, but after about 30 seconds always look to see if someone is holding a body part in an uncomfortable way. The one after our second victory over UConn was about as violent as I’ve seen, and only have to think back to UCLA last year to wonder if it’s worth it.
- Speaking of the UConn center fielder, I can only think of one catch better than the one George Springer made against us Sunday. Willie Mays? Heck, no, that’s the most overrated play in the history of baseball.
Edmonds over-the-cap-bill catch. The debate about the greatest catch ever begins and ends with one guy: Jim Edmonds. (Sorry, the MLB Gestapo apparently has stripped the internet of the greatest catch ever.
- The following theoretical comes from T-bone: Hyman to Tennessee as AD, Ray Tanner promoted to USC AD, and Chad Holbrooke as new USC baseball coach. Would you take that deal? For me, 3-4 years from now, yes. Today, no.
- Obligatory pile on LeBron James bullet point – HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
The Rubber Chickens Blog 
What can I say, post says it all, so to those who doubt our dominance, I join Cocky in saying:
To those who would still argue, please allow me to retort:
I have a lot of respect for coach Tanner, but I’m sorry, I don’t want him as our next AD. I think Eric Hyman has done a fantastic job at the helm, and I’ll be sad to see him go, whenever that is. I think we have long since passed the era when aging coaches retire to the administration level. I want someone up there who knows finance, who has intimate knowledge of marketing in the digital age, who knows how to run what is essentially an $85 million corporation.
By the way, where was that picture taken?
No idea – but I need to give a H/T to gamecockcentral for the images
Vigorously selling the dogpile. I have terrors of one of our guys getting injured in them and our closer actually DID get a little tweaked in the one on Sunday. I know it’s a big deal to get to Omaha and I know this is cliche, but act like you’ve been there before, fellas. ‘Cause you have.
I’m with TFW on Tanner in the AD job. I know he wanted it when Hyman got it and he still wants it now, but I’m not sold on the man’s credentials. Considering the position of our athletic department on the precipice of some really big things, I don’t want to put anyone (Tanner or otherwise) in a “trial by fire” situation. MAYBE 3-4 years from now after all the facilities are upgraded and we’ve won a national championship in football and-
/smote by lightning