South Carolina's expectations may prove to be dangerous

[WayzUp]

The dood had a good write-up with legit questions right up until he compared us this pre-season to Clemson's pre-season last year. (See italicized paragraph.) I highly doubt Spurrier & Co. will allow a near-mutiny to occur in the locker room that has players needing to be restrained from attacking coaches and vice-versa. Not to mention the total collapse on the football field where it looked like the inmates were running they asylum.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By Brad Senkiw (Contact)
Monday, July 23, 2007

At 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Head Ball Coach will take the stand. He’ll be grilled with questions and suggestions from the sports aficionados on his 2007 football team. He might even take a shot or two at Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer.

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier and two players — Cory Boyd and Jasper Brinkley — are the school’s representatives at the official SEC Media Day in Birmingham, Ala. And I’m sure they’ll all be asked about the team’s expectations.

In an era when the Internet gives fans more access than ever, it seems to bring on greater expectations. I can remember the pre-message board days when fans didn’t have a clue how good their team would be until, well, the first game of the season.

And this year, hopes couldn’t be higher in Columbia and throughout the state. Spurrier without a doubt has his best team since taking over USC at the end of the 2004 season.

Fifth-year quarterback Blake Mitchell returns, and there are several young and talented options behind him if he falters. The running game behind Boyd and Mike Davis might be the best skilled position, but the offensive line is once again a question mark.

The wide receivers don’t have much field time but are very talented.

And of course, the defense looks very stout on paper behind preseason All-SEC linebacker Brinkley.

So it’s pretty much a guarantee that Spurrier or his players will be asked about how many games they can win or what bowl game they expect to be in. And while Spurrier may not be ready to qualify his team with the Floridas, LSUs and Georgias in the SEC, the fans sure are.

Message boards and preseason magazines are full of folks who think the Gamecocks can win eight, nine, maybe even 10 games in 2007. USC followers are sure they are at the same level as the big boys and finally ready to win an SEC title.

That’s great and all, but expectations can be a dangerous element. Ask Clemson fans about last year. The Tigers’ BCS summer had them primed for greatness after a 7-1 start, but the descent at the end of the year left the Tiger fans feeling bitter.

For USC, there are just so many questions.

What if the Gamecocks don’t beat UGA early in the season? And how would the team react if LSU blows them out by 30 points? Can South Carolina avoid being an upset victim at home against underrated teams like Vanderbilt and Kentucky?

And I hate to remind the Gamecock faithful they’ve never won an SEC title.

So, having one of the most difficult schedules in the country could put the Gamecocks back in Memphis or even Shreveport, La. I know it’s not what Spurrier fans want to hear, but SEC titles aren’t won on paper.

In fact, I’m guessing last October, Clemson fans weren’t thinking they’d pull out winter clothes for a December trip to the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn.

LINKAGE (http://www.independentmail.com/news/2007/jul/23/south-carolinas-expectations-may-prove-be-dangerou/)

[TrueGCFan]

He makes good points. Even the part about looking at Clemson makes sense. Because if you look at our schedule I fully expect us to be 6-2 at worst during the 1st eight games. Then after that I will be happy if we split the next 4 games against TN, Arky, Fl, and Clemson. We can't get too big heading half way through the season with that kind of tail end.

[LedCock]

It happened to us in 1984. In our "Black Magic" year. We go 9-0; then lose to lowly Navy; then barely beat a lowly Flemson; then get our butts handed to us in the Gator Bowl because we felt like we should have been playing in the Orange Bowl instead.
Hopefully with Spurrier at the helm this won't happen. And I really don't feel like it could because he seems to have good control over how our players react on the field.

[Cockfan720]

While the article makes some good points, it kind of goes against what Spurrier has been preaching around here since he got here in 2004.

Spurrier has been trying to raise the expectations of the football program and of the fans (he told the fans not to applaud after losing by a TD to #2 Auburn). So according to this article we should just set our goals at '6-8 win seasons' because if we raise our goals to winning an SEC title, we might not do it and we would get a bitter taste in our mouths...

I'd rather shoot for the SEC...sure it'll be hard, but if do win the SEC...that hard schedule will make it all the sweeter!

[TKE223]

I remember that we were 7-2 in 2001 and GameDay was in Columbia for Florida. That game was sooo hyped. Hell I even had my brother, sister and brother-in-law down. And while we kept it close for 1, maybe 2 quarters, we got blown out in the end. Sexy Rexy destroyed us. One thing that the write points out is that expections among fans is high. Well, that is how it is every year! Fans get excited, thats what they do. And they post messages saying how great everything is. I mean look it, everyone on here wants their team to be 8-4 by years end, but it cant happen because we all play each other. So I dont know where I was going with that, but this article could be written about any team in America...besides Duke, Temple, the F_Us and Baylor.

[larryt4111]

We will all know how we stand after the GA game. That game will say a lot about this years team !

[Lawdog]

I can't really argue much with what the author says. It's all legitimate and factual.

We've got to prove that we can do it. Do I think we can? Yes. Do I think it will be easy in any way? Heck no, of course not.

Having confidence in your teammates is good. Thinking you are going to cakewalk to a BCS bowl is not good. I don't think the players are thinking anything about cakewalking anywhere.

Spurrier will have their state of mind the way it needs to be. No worries, and looking forward to the season.

We will all know how we stand after the GA game. That game will say a lot about this years team !

As it does every year.

[GTmorris1970]

The only thing I can say about this is what many other writers and coaches have said. Spurrier is as good as anyone in the business at reading a football team, their talents and abilities. If he is the one who says we can do it, I don't doubt him at all. Now it's simply a matter of doing it. SOS has not changed his opinion one bit after the first two practices, either. Freshmen WR's and all.

[sheluvsbama]

S.S. is a great coach. You are in good hands!