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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Gamecocks Win the National Championship!!!

Omaha, Nebraska- Thanks to a dedicated group of players and an awesome coaching staff, the Gamecocks are national champs again!!!

Over 25,000 fans watched the Gamecocks become the new park's first champions.

SS Peter Mooney hit a double in the bottom of the third. A sacrifice bunt put him on third base. After a walk of outfielder Evan Marzilli, the Gators were in trouble as USC legend Scott Wingo hit a sacrifice fly.

Jackie Bradley was then walked and Marzilli later scored on a misplayed chopper from the bat of Christian Walker. DH Brady Thomas blasted a single to score the unlikely CWS player Jacckie Bradley, who suffered a wrist injury at the midway point in the season.

The Gators scored on a homer and a single.

The Gamecocks won their 16th consecutive NCAA Tournament game aat TD Ameritrade Stadium on the banks of the Missouri River. They are the sixth straight team to win consecutive national championships.

South Carolina has "a good group of core players," according to Ray Tanner's postgame press conference. USC's players were joyous after the game. The Gamecocks won 5-2.

The defense was awesome, getting out of jams and "pickels" according to Coach Ray Tanner. USC was phenomenal in games versus Virginia and Florida, which went into extra innings.

Pitchers Michael Roth and Matt Price are around the best pitchers in America.

The team has multiple personalities and loves the company of Charlie Peters, a kid the team visited in 2003 at the Children's Hospital. He came back to support the Gamecocks in 2010 and 2011, both national championship seasons.

Go Gamecocks! Back to Back National Champs!
PS Gators suck
PS Championship trophy celebration tonight at 5:30 At Colonial Life Arena

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Gamecocks to Play Texas A&M in College World Series

Omaha, Nebraska: After sweeping the Columbia Regional and Super Regional, the USC Gamecocks are playing the Texas A&M Aggies in TD Ameritrade Park at 7 PM. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2.

Robert Beary was named the Columbia Regional MVP partly thanks to his grand slam versus the Stetson Hatters. The Gamecocks beat the Hatters twice to win the regional.

In the first Super Regional Game against UCONN, the game was highlighted by defense. The Gamecocks won 5 to 1.

Christian Walker's late home run sparked a Gamecock rally that led to an 8-2 victory. It's USC's 10th trip to Omaha.

Starting pitchers Michael Roth, Colby Holmes, and Forrest Koumas typically pitch 4 to 6 innings for the Gamecocks. John Taylor and Co. pitch middle innings and All-American closer Matt Price typically finishes things off.

"It's a great feeling to go back to Omaha in the new park," says Matt Price.

Can the Gamecocks' pitching and clutch hitting lead Ray Tanner to win another CWS title?

Florida Gators Preview Introduction: Full article on Bleacher Report

A Florida alligator watches the action  from the ninth fairway   during  third-round play  at the PGA Tour's Players Championship March 27, 2004. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/WireImage) *** Local Caption *** Will Munschamp and the Gators want revenge on the Gamecocks in the SEC East
A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images
The Florida Gators kick off Lee W's SEC East Football preview. Lee will be making his five predictions for Will Munschamp's Gators in his first season as Florida Head coach.
Gainsville, Florida: Urban Meyer knew it was his last game as the University of Florida Head Football Coach. He did not disapoint the Gator Nation, as the team jogged off of the field with a 37-24 victory in hand and an Outback Bowl boomerang to add to the trophy case. The fans clapped as Meyer shook hands with Penn State coach Joe Paterno at midfield at 75,000 seat Raymond James Stadium in sunny Tampa, Florida.
It was a happy ending for the coach called it quits on December 10th, who wanted to spend more time with his family.
However, Florida fans knew it was a disgraceful year to be a Gator, knowing that two national championships had been won twice in the same five year time period.
The Gators had lost too not only mediocre Mississippi State, but they were also demolished by the South Carolina Gamecocks in a game that decided the winner of the SEC Eastern Divison. The coach was not anybody but Steve Spurrier, who was destroying the program he had built into a powerhouse. The final score? 36-14.
Florida AD Jeremy Foley did not hesitate, hiring former Texas Defensive Coordinator Will Munschamp on December 12th.
Foley waited only 2 1/2 days to make the hire.
"This is a dream come true," Munschamp said in a statement.
I grew up watching the Gators and whatever other SEC team was on television," Muschamp said. "I have great memories watching SEC football with my father on Saturdays and playing football in the backyard with my two brothers right here in Gainseville."
 Munschamp perhaps made the splashiest assistant hire of the offseason. Enter Charlie Weis, and the new pro style attack; and John Brantley should be ready to thrive.
Not so fast.
Brantley only completed 4 of 14 passes for 45 yards in the UF Spring Game. The Gators wideouts and linemen also have plenty to prove.
On the other side of the football, the defense is young; only returning two starters.
Nevertheless, Florida is hoping for improvment up front with the additons of Sophmores Sharrif Floyd and Dominique Easley to the starting lineup.
6'4 Sophomore Ronald Powell, (who was the nation's overall #1 recruit in 2010) will play the "Buck" position in new coordinator Dan Quinn's defense. The position is a hybrid between the outside linebacker and defensive end.
The secondary could be a concern due to the dismissal of senior CB Janoris Jenkins. he was kicked off the team in April after a marijuana arrest.

Full article on Bleacher Report
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/581068-can-will-munschamp-and-the-gators-chomp-throught-these-five-predictions#/articles/581068-can-will-munschamp-and-the-gators-chomp-throught-these-five-predictions

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Week 1: East Carolina

The South Carolina Gamecocks closed the season with a 9-5 record last season, and came home with an SEC Eastern division title and a No. 22 ranking.
The Gamecocks will open the 2011 regular season on September 3rd with a game against the East Carolina Pirates in Charlotte, NC at Bank of America Stadium (home of the Carolina Panthers)
The Pirates are competitors in Conference USA, winning the conference championship in 2008 and 2009. Also, the last time they played at the Panthers' stadium, they beat Virgina Tech 27-22.
The Carolina defense will have their hands full with Ruffin McNeil's explosive offense, which averaged 36.7 points per game, lead by Quarterback Dominique Davis, who threw for 3,967 yards and 37 Touchdowns in 2010.
This may be a problem for the Gamecocks, who finished in the bottom 100's in the nation in passing yards allowed. The secondary can be easily blamed for the two losses to Auburn, in which the defense allowed 91 points.
Ellis Johnson was also left with his head scratching after Ryan Mallet ripped USC for 303 yards, along with a 70 percent accuracy rate. Arkansas beat South Carolina 41-20 in the game.
The Gamecocks will also remember Florida State Quarterback E.J Manuel from the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. The secondary was at fault in all five losses.
90970733_crop_340x234 Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
 
The secondary has room for improvement in 2011. On a positive note, the defensive line was solid in 2010. The line should be improved with the addition of Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
On the other hand, East Carolina's defense has nowhere to go but up, as they finished dead last in the nation, giving up 44.0 points per game to non-BCS competition, including a 76-35 loss to Navy.
Fans in Columbia should salivate, because the Gamecocks offense may have the best one-two punch in America. Meet Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery. USC averaged 31.9 points per game in 2010.
The two should be accompanied by troubled yet talented Quarterback Stephen Garcia, who has went through five suspensions due to poor decision making in the offseason with alcohol.
Fans considered his status up in the air, but my doubts disappeared when Garcia's name appeared on the post spring depth chart.
Besides, Garcia is the school's third place quarterback in all time passing yards with over 6,000.
If Garcia struggles, Spurrier won't be afraid to pull the plug.
Why?
Dylan Thompson and Connor Shaw turned in impressive spring games.
106812363_crop_340x234 Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
 
The Pirates will be switching to a 3-4 defense, under Defensive Coordinator Brian Mitchell.
This is the first game of a five game series between the Gamecocks and the Pirates. The Pirates are technically titled the home team, but the Gamecocks will receive 40,000 tickets, while East Carolina will get 30,000.
The Gamecocks Nation will turn the Queen City to a sea of garnet and black on September 3rd. The game will be a unique college football experience for fans across the Carolinas.
The Pirates also have loyal fans.
And the Gamecocks should light up the scoreboard...
I can't wait until September Third.

This article is also on Bleacher Report.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Gamecock Fans, Jump on The Chicken Train and Check out This Blog

Hello, Gamecock Fans:
I am Lee W, and have been writing on Bleacher Report and have received over 50,000 reads over the past few years for my writings. I have got 15 medals from Bleacher Report from my writings and I have decided to start a blog.

I am writing a blog because I think sports writing is fun and enjoyable. I am also looking to expand my reader base. I appreciate the challenge of writing a good blog that is popular with readers.
I will be blogging about South Carolina Gamecocks sports, mainly including football, basketball, and baseball.

There should be plenty to write about.

 Heck, just last year USC won the SEC East in Football, and even a rare national championship in baseball. National sports fans are familiar with the likes of Steve Spurrier and Ray Tanner, along with Alshon Jeffery, Marcus Lattimore, Whit Merrifield, and Jackie Bradley.

I will also update on other major sports events. There are plenty of local major league teams and colleges near the University of South Carolina. Atlanta and Charlotte are only a few hours away from Columbia.
I will share as much news and predictions as possible.

The blog will be named The Chicken Train: A USC Gamecock Blog.
You will be available to leave comments and questions on my blog. I appreciate and encourage feedback.
Other USC blogs are also available on the web. Leftover Hot Dog is a blog and writer for Bleacher Report.  Garnet & Black Attack is another good website. I also encourage you to read The Rubber Chickens Blog.

The Life of a Gamecock Fan is expanding and has moved to a new webpage.
I encourage you jump on the Chicken Train this summer, Gamecock fans. I hope you enjoy the blog.