Odom

[Dr. Pepper]

Being out of the South Carolina radio and TV market, I had never really heard much from Dave Odom until the three post game interviews this week. I thought that he represented USC well, and I believe "fans" need to get off his back. The fact is, USC came up just a few shots from having a great season - they would either miss one to tie or win, or they would get beat at the buzzer from some outlandish three point shot.

We would have killed UF on Sunday if we had hit a few in the first half. The players took good shots, but the goal must been one of those goals from the SC State Fair, the ball just would not drop. You can't blame Odom for that.

As I posted elsewhere, he has two years left on his contract. I suspect he will play them out. There will be much speculation about the next USC coach next year, and our AD will have ample time to negotiate a deal with someone to make a smooth transition. When Odom retires, someone big can be waiting in the wings. If we fire him, then we have to look to see who is available. That might not be in our best interest.

[GTmorris1970]

Being out of the South Carolina radio and TV market, I had never really heard much from Dave Odom until the three post game interviews this week. I thought that he represented USC well, and I believe "fans" need to get off his back. The fact is, USC came up just a few shots from having a great season - they would either miss one to tie or win, or they would get beat at the buzzer from some outlandish three point shot.

We would have killed UF on Sunday if we had hit a few in the first half. The players took good shots, but the goal must been one of those goals from the SC State Fair, the ball just would not drop. You can't blame Odom for that.

As I posted elsewhere, he has two years left on his contract. I suspect he will play them out. There will be much speculation about the next USC coach next year, and our AD will have ample time to negotiate a deal with someone to make a smooth transition. When Odom retires, someone big can be waiting in the wings. If we fire him, then we have to look to see who is available. That might not be in our best interest.

Good post. If they would not have shot 3 pointers so long when they were not dropping we would have been fine. Great game, and Carolina never gave up. I look to see him finish his contract out as well. :happy:

[Williams-Brice]

I agree. Over the course of this weekend, I finally saw the effort I was expecting to see all season. When we wanted to win, we competed (see the LSU and @ UK games) and even won sometimes (see the Alabama game and both Florida games). However, we didn't always play like we wanted it. During the early part of the season, it was as if this team thought they were going to make the NCAA this year based on their NIT run last year. They didn't show up to play against Georgetown, Ole Miss, Georgia twice, Kentucky in Columbia, Vanderbilt in Columbia, etc.

I can handle a team playing inconsistantly because that happens. However, I can't put up with a team that shows desire one game and then no desire in the next three. Odom is a good, solid coach. He's not great. He's not Billy Donovan or Tubby Smith, but he is a good coach.

He deserves to stay at least one more year for several reasons:
1. We are South Carolina, not Kentucky. How would it look for a program with no record of consistant success since the 1970s to fire a coach who had three straight 20 win seasons, which we will accomplish should we win two games in the NIT? Not too good.
2. At this point, we will not be able to get a coach any better than Odom. He was our 6th choice five years ago. What makes us think we can get Calhoun, Tubby, or Kelvin Sampson this time? We can't.
3. Dave has a very good defensive philosophy, and with the exception of a few games this year, our team was always in a position to win the game. Those exceptions occured when our team decided not to show up. Like Doc essentially said, we were a missed free throw or two away in 3 or 4 games from a very solid season.
4. This next recruiting class is supposedly very solid. I don't know anything about it, but there are a lot of people who are high on it. Plus, the Archie kid we redshirted this year is supposed to be fairly good.

We'll just have to be patient, y'all. Odom will be back, and we just have to hope he can get the guys to play with the kind of passion Carlos Powell always played with.

[cockyhoskins]

It's a moot point guys. Odom isn't going anywhere.

[SPURED]

Very good post WB! he has been fairly consistent in the win column. us fans would like to see a little more from our BB team but like you said we are not Kentucky, Duke, NC, Kansas, or Uconn. i would love to see DO get us 2 more 20+ win seasons and NCAA tourny appearances then retire. that will give our AD 2 years to work on getting our First choice in coaches when Dave retires, instead of the 4th or 5th choice. i see Dave as our basketball version of Lou Holtz. he is slowly building a Solid foundation for our basketball program, by winning consistently getting us more and more media exposure. then maybe when his contract is up he will pass the torch on to a coach that can hopefully take our BB team to the next level.

[azamugg]

Very good post WB! he has been fairly consistent in the win column. us fans would like to see a little more from our BB team but like you said we are not Kentucky, Duke, NC, Kansas, or Uconn. i would love to see DO get us 2 more 20+ win seasons and NCAA tourny appearances then retire. that will give our AD 2 years to work on getting our First choice in coaches when Dave retires, instead of the 4th or 5th choice. i see Dave as our basketball version of Lou Holtz. he is slowly building a Solid foundation for our basketball program, by winning consistently getting us more and more media exposure. then maybe when his contract is up he will pass the torch on to a coach that can hopefully take our BB team to the next level.


yea, Ive defending Odom from some of your fans who want to win the NC yesterday with the same logic as you and WB.............USC is probably gonna have to shit or get off the pot too meaning extend his contract or fire him because with only 2 years left now other schools recruit against you using that as a fact.

[Dr. Pepper]

yea, Ive defending Odom from some of your fans who want to win the NC yesterday with the same logic as you and WB.............USC is probably gonna have to shit or get off the pot too meaning extend his contract or fire him because with only 2 years left now other schools recruit against you using that as a fact.

I don't think so. I think keeping him helps the AD sell the Gamecocks to potential coaches. Most of the great schools have long term coaches. Our new guy is going to want to know that his president and AD are in there for the long hall. Firing him sends way too many red flags to a quality coach. Getting the right guy is more important than one year's recruiting class. Donovan proves that at UF. Wooten, Smith, Coach K all went in as young knowledgable coaches and built empires. USC needs to look very hard this year at who is the new up and coming guy who is ready to set roots.

[rabidcock]

yea, Ive defending Odom from some of your fans who want to win the NC yesterday with the same logic as you and WB.............USC is probably gonna have to shit or get off the pot too meaning extend his contract or fire him because with only 2 years left now other schools recruit against you using that as a fact.

Thank you, azamugg. It does a Cock proud to see his fellows come around to the supportive way of thinking. It's nice to finally see a thread in support of our coach, rather than the other way around.

I truly hope Odum gets the players he needs to win big, because he is a fine coach. It has been HIS inspiration that has carried our teams this far. What do you suppose he could do with some REAL talent?!

Take a look at the Wake Forest program BEFORE and AFTER Dave Odum, and you will see. His effect of his presence there is still evident!

[rabidcock]

rabidcock.....Usually I enjoy your posts. And I don't have a problem with disagreements (even regarding our coaching staff). However, I know much of what you're posting is directed at me (since I have openly admitted that I don't believe keeping Dave Odom is in the best interest of our basketball program for the long term). And I do have a problem with someone suggesting that they are ashamed of me as a Gamecock fan, just because I am not an advocate of Dave Odom. Also, if you are going to be such an advocate of Odom (to the point of almost sounding like his brother trying to look out for his job), please learn to spell his name correctly. Nothing irks me more than someone saying what you said below when you can't even spell our HC's name correctly (just because some of us don't want to see him continue to coach OUR Gamecocks)....

I don't usually correct spelling errors, but since you seem to feel like ridiculing those of us who aren't pro-Odom, I feel like you should at least know how to spell his name (something I haven't seen you spell correctly throughout your posts).

By the way, if you wonder what he could do with some "real" talent (which I believe he HAD some real talent this year, as was so adequately demonstrated in the SEC Tournament), here's a news flash for you.......It is the head coaches job to RECRUIT "real" talent, as well as to COACH the talent that he recruits throughout the entire season.

Hey dude, first of all, thanks for the pointing out the spelling oversight; it was careless of me not to have checked this. And you are right--I have been careless with that in all my posts.

Secondly, please don't be paranoid that I was isolating you from the rest of the bunch. It's just that all year, thread after thread, post after post, I've had to put up with everyone (Gamecock fans) bashing our coach--and for what? Because he has not been able to do much more (for he HAS accomplished more) than any other coach in the last 30 years?!

As for the shame I alluded to in another post, it was regarding several who suggested they hope we do poorly in the tournament so Odom (thanks!) would be fired. And I am sure this particular poster (the first to suggest such) really did not even mean it, because he is the author of many fine posts and an intelligent fellow to boot. No program is served by flip-flopping and changing coaches every half-dozen years. In my opinion, George Felton was given the boot too soon; in five years, playing around 30 games per season, he had two 19-win seasons and one 20-win season (his last, ironically, NCAA tournament, and all), all this with not a single losing season. But that is for another thread.

Just what miracles do we expect mere mortals to perform at a school with such a resounding basketball tradition as OURS?! I simply feel it serves no purpose, at this point, not to let him ride out his contract and perhaps attain something meaningful. Is it any wonder we have trouble recruiting? I don't care how silver the tongue of the recruiter, the carrot must be substantial to lure top recruits to a program. Not that it can't be done, but we've only had one great class in the last quarter century; unfortunately, no momentum was gained from it.

As for the "real talent" remark, no team is going anywhere substantial in the NCAA Tourney without a solid interior game, and that was what I was suggesting by that remark. And we are completely devoid of any such luxury--to wit: a dominating big man. (I'll put that on our wish list! :whistle: )

I could elaborate, but no further point would be served. After all, it's just an opinion (mine), but I am not without fault and my opinions aren't the gospel.

To reiterate, I was NOT picking on you. I have nothing but respect for all the good you do here and most all of your well-thought-out posts. If I have a problem with any of them, I'll let you know directly.

[GAMECOCK_FAN]

Hey dude, first of all, thanks for the pointing out the spelling oversight; it was careless of me not to have checked this. And you are right--I have been careless with that in all my posts.

Secondly, please don't be paranoid that I was isolating you from the rest of the bunch. It's just that all year, thread after thread, post after post, I've had to put up with everyone (Gamecock fans) bashing our coach--and for what? Because he has not been able to do much more (for he HAS accomplished more) than any other coach in the last 30 years?!

As for the shame I alluded to in another post, it was regarding several who suggested they hope we do poorly in the tournament so Odom (thanks!) would be fired. And I am sure this particular poster (the first to suggest such) really did not even mean it, because he is the author of many fine posts and an intelligent fellow to boot. No program is served by flip-flopping and changing coaches every half-dozen years. In my opinion, George Felton was given the boot too soon; in five years, playing around 30 games per season, he had two 19-win seasons and one 20-win season (his last, ironically, NCAA tournament, and all), all this with not a single losing season. But that is for another thread.

Just what miracles do we expect mere mortals to perform at a school with such a resounding basketball tradition as OURS?! I simply feel it serves no purpose, at this point, not to let him ride out his contract and perhaps attain something meaningful. Is it any wonder we have trouble recruiting? I don't care how silver the tongue of the recruiter, the carrot must be substantial to lure top recruits to a program. Not that it can't be done, but we've only had one great class in the last quarter century; unfortunately, no momentum was gained from it.

As for the "real talent" remark, no team is going anywhere substantial in the NCAA Tourney without a solid interior game, and that was what I was suggesting by that remark. And we are completely devoid of any such luxury--to wit: a dominating big man. (I'll put that on our wish list! :whistle: )

I could elaborate, but no further point would be served. After all, it's just an opinion (mine), but I am not without fault and my opinions aren't the gospel.

To reiterate, I was NOT picking on you. I have nothing but respect for all the good you do here and most all of your well-thought-out posts. If I have a problem with any of them, I'll let you know directly.

Yesterday was a booger of a day, and after I got home last night, I took it upon myself to vent some frustration. Unfortunately, the Odom post was what I read and that is where I centered my frustration. After a sleepless night, I decided it would be best if I deleted the post since I felt like my response was uncalled for (and the spelling of Odom's name was extremely petty of me to raise). Obviously, I deleted it just prior to your reply. I assumed you had not read it, or I would have posted an apology immediately with an explanation on why I deleted it.

I think I've always agreed with you on almost every major topic discussed on this site. This is the first occasion I can remember where we haven't seen eye-to-eye (and that's OK IMO).

I think too highly of you and your reputation on this board to post remarks that are inconsiderate, and the one I posted last night was just that. Please accept my apologies.

I appreciate your response, and you were quite considerate with your response to me (much more considerate than I probably would have been if I were the recipient of the post), and you make some very good points. Again, my apologies.......

[azamugg]

Hey dude, first of all, thanks for the pointing out the spelling oversight; it was careless of me not to have checked this. And you are right--I have been careless with that in all my posts.

Secondly, please don't be paranoid that I was isolating you from the rest of the bunch. It's just that all year, thread after thread, post after post, I've had to put up with everyone (Gamecock fans) bashing our coach--and for what? Because he has not been able to do much more (for he HAS accomplished more) than any other coach in the last 30 years?!

As for the shame I alluded to in another post, it was regarding several who suggested they hope we do poorly in the tournament so Odom (thanks!) would be fired. And I am sure this particular poster (the first to suggest such) really did not even mean it, because he is the author of many fine posts and an intelligent fellow to boot. No program is served by flip-flopping and changing coaches every half-dozen years. In my opinion, George Felton was given the boot too soon; in five years, playing around 30 games per season, he had two 19-win seasons and one 20-win season (his last, ironically, NCAA tournament, and all), all this with not a single losing season. But that is for another thread.

Just what miracles do we expect mere mortals to perform at a school with such a resounding basketball tradition as OURS?! I simply feel it serves no purpose, at this point, not to let him ride out his contract and perhaps attain something meaningful. Is it any wonder we have trouble recruiting? I don't care how silver the tongue of the recruiter, the carrot must be substantial to lure top recruits to a program. Not that it can't be done, but we've only had one great class in the last quarter century; unfortunately, no momentum was gained from it.

As for the "real talent" remark, no team is going anywhere substantial in the NCAA Tourney without a solid interior game, and that was what I was suggesting by that remark. And we are completely devoid of any such luxury--to wit: a dominating big man. (I'll put that on our wish list! :whistle: )

I could elaborate, but no further point would be served. After all, it's just an opinion (mine), but I am not without fault and my opinions aren't the gospel.

To reiterate, I was NOT picking on you. I have nothing but respect for all the good you do here and most all of your well-thought-out posts. If I have a problem with any of them, I'll let you know directly.

now that is a fantastic post from a FAN who wants to win more but lives in reality and ENJOYS his team and doesnt live vicariously through his team hoping that if his team wins championships that will make up for him being a loser (an analogy rabid, not you).......can't rep you because I have a terrible pop up blocker that won't let the rep screen come up!!!!

[rabidcock]

GAMECOCK FAN is one cool dude, in my books (and everyone else's here, I am certain)!

......can't rep you because I have a terrible pop up blocker that won't let the rep screen come up!!!!

We're going to have to FIX that! :ohmy:

[scfan5338]

You know a lot of you are saying that we might not be able to find a coach better than Coach Odom, you are correct. You we need to re-start this program and the best way to do it is to bring in a young coach, who can recruit his own players and install his system. His name has been mentioned a lot, so I dont think this coach is going to be on the market for very long. His name is, Greg Marshall, the coach at Winthrop. He is a good young coach, who has proved to be a winner. He has brought winthrop 2 straight Big South Conference and Tourney Titles. I really hope we either get him this year or the next.

[rabidcock]

You know a lot of you are saying that we might not be able to find a coach better than Coach Odom, you are correct. You we need to re-start this program and the best way to do it is to bring in a young coach, who can recruit his own players and install his system. His name has been mentioned a lot, so I dont think this coach is going to be on the market for very long. His name is, Greg Marshall, the coach at Winthrop. He is a good young coach, who has proved to be a winner. He has brought winthrop 2 straight Big South Conference and Tourney Titles. I really hope we either get him this year or the next.

Now that's what I like: A man with a solution!

If Dave can't prove to be a "finisher" in the remaining two years of his contract, then maybe this guy will still be around. :unsure:

[GAMECOCK_FAN]

Now that's what I like: A man with a solution!

If Dave can't prove to be a "finisher" in the remaining two years of his contract, then maybe this guy will still be around. :unsure:
I believe Gregg Marshall would be great for our program as well. He has done well with Winthrop (and Winthrop has shown they can compete with the big boys - Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament is a prime example), and I believe he could make the transition to a major conference like the SEC. However, only time will tell..........

[rabidcock]

Wouldn't it be GREAT if we could return to the glory days of the F. McGuire era?!

GF, are you old enough to remember the euphoria of the time? I went to school from 1970-1974, which just happens to coincide with the greatest half-dozen or so years of GC basketball lore.

Dave Odom OR some hot new coach.....it doesn't matter which (maybe both :laugh: ).........

[GAMECOCK_FAN]

Wouldn't it be GREAT if we could return to the glory days of the F. McGuire era?!

GF, are you old enough to remember the euphoria of the time? I went to school from 1970-1974, which just happens to coincide with the greatest half-dozen or so years of GC basketball lore.

Dave Odom OR some hot new coach.....it doesn't matter which (maybe both :laugh: ).........
Yes, I remember Frank McGuire and some of his teams well. I graduated from SC in 1983. Also, I was born and raised in Columbia (in the St. Andrews area), so I was a big Gamecock fan well before my college days. I guess I really started following SC basketball closely when I was around 10-years-old (which was around 1970). I well remember the likes of John Roche, Kevin Joyce, Tom Riker, Alex English, Tom Owens, and Mike Dunleavy (just to name a few that I'm sure you remember as well). I actually got to meet John Roche once when he did an exhibition and talk at my elementary school (my dad was the principal).

I'm looking forward to the day when we can put a team on the court similar to some of those teams that McGuire coached. Hopefully, that will occur again sometime during my lifetime.

[uscrules]

I don't why everybody assumes Greg Marshall will come running to us given the opportunity. He has been offered by other big school jobs and turned them down. He just signed a 10 year contract, according to what was said on CBS during their game.

[SPURED]

I don't why everybody assumes Greg Marshall will come running to us given the opportunity. He has been offered by other big school jobs and turned them down. He just signed a 10 year contract, according to what was said on CBS during their game.
Because if anyone can Lure him away from Winthrop it is us. however we would have to pay him ALOT of money to get him away from Rock Hill. he loves it up there. he loves being able to walk to work, sitting at a local bar and have a drink with fans without being hounded. not to mention his family loves Rock Hill and the support they get from the community now.

[scfan5338]

I don't why everybody assumes Greg Marshall will come running to us given the opportunity. He has been offered by other big school jobs and turned them down. He just signed a 10 year contract, according to what was said on CBS during their game.

What "big-name program" are you referring to? I dont know anu major conference Division I-A school that has offered him.

[Carolina Cowboy]

Lets face it ODOM has to go. Next, year you guys will be posting how bad of a coach he is just like a month ago. It does not look good for next year. We had to go to wisconsin to find a player that would come to USC. Sorry I can't be a team player on this one.

[thebreadman]

I personally feel Odom is a great coach but may not have the kind of assistant coaches he needs. That doesn't mean they arn't good indivudual coaches but just may not be what this program needs.
In speaking to former usc player Terry Dozier he brought up the subject of getting former players on the bench. Immediately I began to think of North Carolina, Kentucky, etc and sure enough I can picture former players serving as assistants after their playing days.
Dozier may be correct. Think of all the former gamecocks that are coaching high school squads right here in the midlands. Zam Fredrick down in calhoun county, Mark Griener in blythwood, JoJo English coaching Lower Richland, Cary Rich at c.a.johnson and the list goes on. One would wonder if maybe one of these former players wouldn't be just what the doctor ordered in recruiting some of the sc talent that keeps getting out of state.

[rabidcock]

I personally feel Odom is a great coach but may not have the kind of assistant coaches he needs. That doesn't mean they arn't good indivudual coaches but just may not be what this program needs.
In speaking to former usc player Terry Dozier he brought up the subject of getting former players on the bench. Immediately I began to think of North Carolina, Kentucky, etc and sure enough I can picture former players serving as assistants after their playing days.
Dozier may be correct. Think of all the former gamecocks that are coaching high school squads right here in the midlands. Zam Fredrick down in calhoun county, Mark Griener in blythwood, JoJo English coaching Lower Richland, Cary Rich at c.a.johnson and the list goes on. One would wonder if maybe one of these former players wouldn't be just what the doctor ordered in recruiting some of the sc talent that keeps getting out of state.

Hmmm....you may be on to something there, breadman.

[Though, a majority of our greatest players were from New York. :laugh: ]

[SPURED]

Hmmm....you may be on to something there, breadman.

[Though, a majority of our greatest players were from New York. :laugh: ]
New Yorks not a bad place to find basketball talent.

[uscrules]

I don't know what big schools have offered him, all I know is what was said on CBS when they played Tennessee. I can't confirm that any have, but I can tell you he loves where he is coaching and he has signed a new contract.

[Dr. Pepper]

I personally feel Odom is a great coach but may not have the kind of assistant coaches he needs. That doesn't mean they arn't good indivudual coaches but just may not be what this program needs.
In speaking to former usc player Terry Dozier he brought up the subject of getting former players on the bench. Immediately I began to think of North Carolina, Kentucky, etc and sure enough I can picture former players serving as assistants after their playing days.
Dozier may be correct. Think of all the former gamecocks that are coaching high school squads right here in the midlands. Zam Fredrick down in calhoun county, Mark Griener in blythwood, JoJo English coaching Lower Richland, Cary Rich at c.a.johnson and the list goes on. One would wonder if maybe one of these former players wouldn't be just what the doctor ordered in recruiting some of the sc talent that keeps getting out of state.

I like the way you talk, breadman.

[Williams-Brice]

Lets face it ODOM has to go. Next, year you guys will be posting how bad of a coach he is just like a month ago. It does not look good for next year. We had to go to wisconsin to find a player that would come to USC. Sorry I can't be a team player on this one.

As frustrated as I am with the basketball situation, I can tell you that this is not the time to let Odom go. If we win against FSU, then we will have had 3 straight 20 win seasons, and 4 in 5 years. How will it look when a non-basketball school fires a guy with that kind of success? Other than Big Frank and Eddie Fogler (we should have never let either of those guys go in the first place), no one has had as much success at South Carolina than Dave Odom. How do you think we will be able to lure a guy here if he knows he'll be fired if all he does is win 20 games in 4 of his first 5 years?

Let's don't get too worked up about Odom having to go to Wisconsin to get a player. When Fogler was here, all people did was complain that he never left the state to recruit. Everyone said he was too lazy to recruit. Well, Odom is not a great recruiter (we all know that), but now that he leaves the state often, everyone wants to critisize him for not staying in the state. It doesn't makes sense. When things aren't going the way you want them to, it's easy to find little things to blame on the coach.

Man, I'm as frustrated as anyone else, but I can assure you that this is not the time to go firing people. It would kill our image.

[Dr. Pepper]

I like the way you talk, WB.

[rabidcock]

I like the way you talk, WB.

Me too! :happy:

We are simply not in a position to be firing a fairly successful coach. After all, fair success can lead to failure, or it can lead to GREATER SUCCESS. He's earned the right to, at least, finish out his contract. Let's hang on for the ride and see where he takes us.

[Dr. Pepper]

I like the way you talk, rabid.

[rabidcock]

It's official: four 20-win seasons in five years. Total 20-win seasons in the last quarter century (the previous 25 years before Odom): four.

I think we may have a WINNER!

I know, I know....we all want to reach the NCAA's.....well.....maybe in the next two years, huh?!

At least the last five years have been a heck of a lot better than most of the previous 25.

[SPURED]

the way it is looking we will have to play Cincy. if we beat them and possibly win the NIT, can you imagine the recruiting leverage we will have next year. we beat alot of the Top teams this past year. UF twice, UT, FSU, Kentucky, and possibly Cincy! if Odom cant recruit better this upcoming year then im convinced he just flat out CANT recruit.

[rabidcock]

the way it is looking we will have to play Cincy. if we beat them and possibly win the NIT, can you imagine the recruiting leverage we will have next year.

Then let's hope we do just that! At least we are making it to the quarterfinals again this season. The team is playing well, and with a little luck, could perform a hat trick.

[SPURED]

Then let's hope we do just that! At least we are making it to the quarterfinals again this season. The team is playing well, and with a little luck, could perform a hat trick.
Hopefully!!! Cincy looked pretty darn good tonight though its going to be tough. but go cocks!!!!!!