Neo
08-28-2006, 07:43 AM
http://www.sectalk.com/boards/images/logos/Mississippi_St.gifConference may enforce ban on noise makers; USC receivers enter week banged up.
By: Joseph Person
www.thestate.com
While Mississippi State fans view their cowbells as a storied school tradition, visiting teams to Davis Wade Stadium see them as a clanging symbol of noise pollution.
As USC prepares to make its first trip to Starkville in five years, SEC officials will meet this week to discuss how to enforce its ban on artificial noisemakers. With the NCAA getting rid of its seldom-used crowd noise rule, SEC commissioner Mike Slive will determine how the conference will handle crowd control.
Slive told the Jackson Clarion Ledger in Sunday’s editions that he is “looking at what our options are, and we’ll make a decision” before Thursday’s game.
The issue dates to 1975 when the conference first banned the cowbells following a complaint by Auburn coach Shug Jordan. The rule was mostly ignored until 2002 when the SEC leaned on Mississippi State to begin enforcing it.
But with the NCAA pulling its rule, there is no threat of a 5-yard penalty or a loss of timeout.
USC coach Steve Spurrier hopes the cowbells never make it past the Wade Stadium gates.
“The SEC, I think, has mentioned that several times, that the fans that are trying to bring them in are going to have to turn them over to security people there,” Spurrier said. “So we can’t worry about the cowboys. We’re worried about Mississippi State.”
Gamecocks safety Chris Hampton, whose Memphis hometown is about three hours from Starkville, is familiar with the cowbells.
“I heard they’re not supposed to do it,” Hampton said. “But I heard it’s real loud.”
Thursday night lights. Cowbells aside, Spurrier said he likes the idea of opening the season on a Thursday. The Gamecocks beat Central Florida 24-15 last year in a nationally televised, ESPN game that was Spurrier’s USC debut.
“It was certainly worth the tradeoff to be opening college football Thursday night on national TV,” he said. “Hopefully, that has helped our recruiting a little bit.”
Spurrier said he believes ESPN has agreed to televise a USC-N.C. State Thursday night matchup to kick off the 2008 season. The two schools are expected to play a home-and-home series in ‘08 and ‘09, but the deal has not been finalized.
USC will play another Thursday night game this year when Auburn visits Williams-Brice Stadium on Sept. 28.
On the receiving end. USC’s receiving corps, thought to be one of the team’s deepest positions, came out of preseason camp a little banged up. All-SEC pick Sidney Rice is nursing a strained left shoulder that he hurt during a blocking drill two weeks ago.
Syvelle Newton admits he is a step slower since coming back from season-ending Achilles surgery. Also, backup receivers Mike West (hamstring) and Moe Brown (ankle) are less than 100 percent and questionable for Thursday’s game.
But Rice said his status is certain. Despite skipping all contact work this week, Rice said he would be ready for the Bulldogs.
“We’re not going to do too much contact drills, anyway. So I should be well rested for Thursday,” he said. “I’m not going to let it bother me.”
Among the healthy receivers, Spurrier praised the recent play of O.J. Murdock. The speedster from Tampa, Fla., was redshirted last season.
Opening acts. USC is 12-0 when opening the season on a day other than Saturday, outscoring the opposition 270-27 in those dozen games. Spurrier is 15-1 in season openers, the lone defeat coming in Columbia in 1989 when his final Duke team fell to USC 27-21.
The Gamecocks have not done so well when starting the season away from home, going just 6-18 in their previous road openers.
Reach Person at (803) 771-8496.
http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/sports/colleges/university_of_south_carolina/15378089.htm
By: Joseph Person
www.thestate.com
While Mississippi State fans view their cowbells as a storied school tradition, visiting teams to Davis Wade Stadium see them as a clanging symbol of noise pollution.
As USC prepares to make its first trip to Starkville in five years, SEC officials will meet this week to discuss how to enforce its ban on artificial noisemakers. With the NCAA getting rid of its seldom-used crowd noise rule, SEC commissioner Mike Slive will determine how the conference will handle crowd control.
Slive told the Jackson Clarion Ledger in Sunday’s editions that he is “looking at what our options are, and we’ll make a decision” before Thursday’s game.
The issue dates to 1975 when the conference first banned the cowbells following a complaint by Auburn coach Shug Jordan. The rule was mostly ignored until 2002 when the SEC leaned on Mississippi State to begin enforcing it.
But with the NCAA pulling its rule, there is no threat of a 5-yard penalty or a loss of timeout.
USC coach Steve Spurrier hopes the cowbells never make it past the Wade Stadium gates.
“The SEC, I think, has mentioned that several times, that the fans that are trying to bring them in are going to have to turn them over to security people there,” Spurrier said. “So we can’t worry about the cowboys. We’re worried about Mississippi State.”
Gamecocks safety Chris Hampton, whose Memphis hometown is about three hours from Starkville, is familiar with the cowbells.
“I heard they’re not supposed to do it,” Hampton said. “But I heard it’s real loud.”
Thursday night lights. Cowbells aside, Spurrier said he likes the idea of opening the season on a Thursday. The Gamecocks beat Central Florida 24-15 last year in a nationally televised, ESPN game that was Spurrier’s USC debut.
“It was certainly worth the tradeoff to be opening college football Thursday night on national TV,” he said. “Hopefully, that has helped our recruiting a little bit.”
Spurrier said he believes ESPN has agreed to televise a USC-N.C. State Thursday night matchup to kick off the 2008 season. The two schools are expected to play a home-and-home series in ‘08 and ‘09, but the deal has not been finalized.
USC will play another Thursday night game this year when Auburn visits Williams-Brice Stadium on Sept. 28.
On the receiving end. USC’s receiving corps, thought to be one of the team’s deepest positions, came out of preseason camp a little banged up. All-SEC pick Sidney Rice is nursing a strained left shoulder that he hurt during a blocking drill two weeks ago.
Syvelle Newton admits he is a step slower since coming back from season-ending Achilles surgery. Also, backup receivers Mike West (hamstring) and Moe Brown (ankle) are less than 100 percent and questionable for Thursday’s game.
But Rice said his status is certain. Despite skipping all contact work this week, Rice said he would be ready for the Bulldogs.
“We’re not going to do too much contact drills, anyway. So I should be well rested for Thursday,” he said. “I’m not going to let it bother me.”
Among the healthy receivers, Spurrier praised the recent play of O.J. Murdock. The speedster from Tampa, Fla., was redshirted last season.
Opening acts. USC is 12-0 when opening the season on a day other than Saturday, outscoring the opposition 270-27 in those dozen games. Spurrier is 15-1 in season openers, the lone defeat coming in Columbia in 1989 when his final Duke team fell to USC 27-21.
The Gamecocks have not done so well when starting the season away from home, going just 6-18 in their previous road openers.
Reach Person at (803) 771-8496.
http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/sports/colleges/university_of_south_carolina/15378089.htm