I am mad!

[Dr. Pepper]

I was in Athens last night with 92,000 other people who watched a great football game. Not that it was well played, because both teams made mistakes, but two teams went toe to toe and played their hearts out for 60 minutes.

But, you can't make a silk purse out of a pigs ear. We lost in Athens and I am mad. I hate losing to UGA more than anything, largely because I live in Georgia, but this is a game we should have won. Everyone has been posting about how proud they are of the Gamecocks, and for now, I am not. I am sick and tired of moral victories. Our mistakes cost us a game that should have been 21-14 USC. We still have Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Florida, and Clemson. Moral victories will not cut it. We have got to learn how to win. We cannot accept losing.

I have said all along that the Georgia game would be our defining moment. If we could beat them, then we could beat anyone. But, we did not beat them. We scared them, but we did not beat them. However, I did see a team that can play with anyone of any given Saturday. The question is, will we begin to hate losing so much that we will accept nothing less than a win? If Spurrier can get our men to answer that question correctly, then everybody better watch out. We will find out next Saturday at 3:30.

[JerryBeeds]

If moral victories counted, we'd be in the BCS every year... :( :eek: :D

[Spurrierismyhomeboy]

Hey Pepper were did u sit? I was there.

[GamecockDieHard]

Pepper is right on target. Until we start making the interception instead dropping it, or counting the TD instead of having it called back on a stupid mistake, or start hitting the crucial PAT, or ..... or.... or.... It just never ends. I see these poor old 70 year olds sitting up next to me at W-B and I wonder if I'm going to be like them, watching us never get to the level we belong. There I'll sit with the younguns next to me hoping that they aren't my age before it happens. Something inside me keeps saying that even if we had made those points, Georgia would've still won. Third and freakin' 22, what the freakin' hell. I'm with you Pepper. DAAAAMMMMN!!!!!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

[uscrules]

I can not believe we lost. I didn't sleep last night and I did not play, I did not coach. I just grieved. A ball hit Brandon Isac in the chest, how did he miss it? Then 3rd down and 21. What kind of prevent defense were we in? The only thing a prevent defense does is prevent you from winning. Maybe we are cursed. I have watched so many games like this. We just don't expect to win. When you get the mentallity, I expect to win, then you probably will. You can't just say it, You have to know it with no doubts. Good teams think this way. They make the plays that seperate them as champions.

[GTmorris1970]

This team played with heart, and showed a lot. They are better than people think they are. Mistakes? Yes. However, they played their hearts out for 60 minutes. Spurrier is not mad at all. He is disappointed, just like the rest of us. If we do the right thing, take something from this loss, and learn to finish the job, look out!! I am disappointed, but I am also very proud of our team. We were supposed to get stomped. We would not allow that to happen. My hat is off to our team.

[Greer Gamecock]

I can not believe we lost. I didn't sleep last night and I did not play, I did not coach. I just grieved. A ball hit Brandon Isac in the chest, how did he miss it? Then 3rd down and 21. What kind of prevent defense were we in? The only thing a prevent defense does is prevent you from winning. Maybe we are cursed. I have watched so many games like this. We just don't expect to win. When you get the mentallity, I expect to win, then you probably will. You can't just say it, You have to know it with no doubts. Good teams think this way. They make the plays that seperate them as champions.

AMEN!!!!! This guy is right on. Expect to win. Expect as fans that our team will win. Expect Excellence. Expect to get the best recruits available. We got the best coach available! What more do y'all need for you to believe??? Lou Holtz talked about a "culture change" before his final hurrah. THIS is what he was talking about, and it's time we all started to "FAKE IT" like we're the best until we "MAKE IT" to being the best!

[Dr. Pepper]

I stood down in front of the USC band on the second row. Horrible seats when the action was on the other end, but enjoyed watching one great interception to end the first half.

Look, I am not down on the Gamecocks, but I believe that Spurrier is more than "disappointed." He said that we leave Athens as losers. Losers! If we take any satisfaction in coming away from a game with less points than the other team, we will always be mediocre at best. We cannot go to work on Monday morning and talk smack to anyone.

But, Ladies and Gentlemen, we have Spurrier, and we have guys who can play football. I have said all along that we will be better at the end of the season than at the beginning.

But, my blood is boiling now. I don't want to wait until next year. We have the right ingredients, but it is not going to come to us, we have to go and get it.

Blake Mitchell completed 22 passes against Georgia's D. I think (I have only seen 1 replay) that the first interception happened because he threw it to a spot and our receiver got tied up in traffic. The second one was a catchable ball. Not a perfect throw, but catchable. We have to catch them. Mitchell is playing like a winner. He had almost 90,000 people yelling at him and he did not flinch. But, playing like a winner and being a winner are two different things. To win in the SEC, you have to play for 60 minutes. 50 minutes will not do it.

I am high on our defense. They held Georgia to 14 points. The offense gave them the other 3. Special Teams has got to step up to another level, but compared to recent years, they are already 10 levels higher than in the past. Kickoffs are sailing through the end-zone, punts are being fielded rather than bouncing on the 35 and rolling to the 2, and we are trying 46 yard field goals.

Our running game stinks. While we all know that we need a running game, with Mitchell completing 25 to 30 passes a game, we might can let the backs slide a little.

Our season will not hang on coaching, on x' and o's, or on talent and ability. We have all those ingredients. Our season will hang on intestinal fortitude. We will not win a single big game without it. We must walk on and off the field as winners.

Georgia helped prove to us and to the nation that we can play football with the best of them. For that, I believe that I will be eternally grateful. Alabama will let us know if we can win. I say we do, and we win big.

And we don't look back.

[Where's_Demetris?]

intestinal fortitude. .
Nice. Excellent wording. :D

[Dr. Pepper]

Nice. Excellent wording. :D

Wow, you read my ranting all the way to the end!

Your new avatar is going to disappoint a lot of people who like wiggly and jiggly things. However, I for one laugh every time I see a spoof of Mr. Carey. Thanks. :D

[GeauxTo]

Wow, you read my ranting all the way to the end!

Your new avatar is going to disappoint a lot of people who like wiggly and jiggly things. However, I for one laugh every time I see a spoof of Mr. Carey. Thanks. :D
Well, from an outsider's point of view, it showed that you definitely now have the best coach in the SEC. He is developing another outstanding QB; he has found and trained good receivers; he is developing a running game; he has the O line holding a pocket; and he has maintained the excellence on defense. UGA was very lucky to win; others won't be that lucky. From my vantage point, it was a case of an outstanding coach with less talent getting barely beat by a lesser coach with more talent. South Carolina is definitely on the upswing.

[GTmorris1970]

Well, from an outsider's point of view, it showed that you definitely now have the best coach in the SEC. He is developing another outstanding QB; he has found and trained good receivers; he is developing a running game; he has the O line holding a pocket; and he has maintained the excellence on defense. UGA was very lucky to win; others won't be that lucky. From my vantage point, it was a case of an outstanding coach with less talent getting barely beat by a lesser coach with more talent. South Carolina is definitely on the upswing.

Thanks for the confidence dude, and I feel the same way. Even though losing that way was tough to swallow, I can still smile thinking of the future. :)

[Dr. Pepper]

Well, from an outsider's point of view, it showed that you definitely now have the best coach in the SEC. He is developing another outstanding QB; he has found and trained good receivers; he is developing a running game; he has the O line holding a pocket; and he has maintained the excellence on defense. UGA was very lucky to win; others won't be that lucky. From my vantage point, it was a case of an outstanding coach with less talent getting barely beat by a lesser coach with more talent. South Carolina is definitely on the upswing.

Thanks for your comments. It is nice to see that "outsiders" are impressed. I think we are on the upswing to. I just don't want us to be satisfied with Saturday night's outcome.

[USAFGAMECOCK]

Thanks for your comments. It is nice to see that "outsiders" are impressed. I think we are on the upswing to. I just don't want us to be satisfied with Saturday night's outcome.


I'm sure as hell not satisfied! I'm tired of these close games with UGA. We had every chance to win that game. I think we'll know we're a good team when we capitalize on those opportunities. If we want to be a powerhouse in the SEC one day, we have to. UGA, UT, UF, LSU, AU, etc....don't miss extra point attempts typically. And they usually hit their fair share of FG's, that is when they seldomly have to settle for that. And when they don't have to settle for the FG and score a TD, it's usually not called back b/c of some bonehead penalty! :mad: But on a lighter note, I do agree that we're improving, just have to put all the pieces together.