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Letters to i Stu Dear Mr. Stepp:, A few days ago a letter I wrote appeared in The Gamecock. The letter was written for two reasons I was very disappointed with the teams performance thus far this year; and I was disgusted with some of the comments that can be heard about the team around campus. The letter that I wrote was strong, deliberately stronger than it should have been, but it was indicative of what a lot of the students are saying and how they are acting. I personally feel that the team we have this year has the potential to be good. While I believe that they haven't played that well, I don't really think that they are a bunch of clowns getting a free ride through school; and even though I don't agree with some of Coach Dietzel's methods, I do feel that he is a fine person. Think about statements that you have heard around campus con cerning the team. How many times have you heard, or yourself referred to them as clowns or cheerleaders or heard statements which were much more personal? While many people disagree with Coach Dietzel's methods, many comments which I have heard sounded more like they were directed at him more as a person than as a football coach. Obviously, many of the students feel as I do, that something is not right with the football team, but personal cuts or statements such as "What can you expect from a Editorial Chance "Would you like to swing Well, maybe it's still relevar in the world who would like who aren't laded and cynici are wrapped up in our fra studies. There are still people whc life because they haven't education revealed to ther Are these people hard to have to do is walk over to W seeing a new world--crei culturally-deprived enviror students are giving gramr express it in painting and Your Student Governmer your University are coopers frustration. Maybe they w< Rembrandts, but they mig burned down. Maybe if it were applied crosses from being burned. who could look the race siti move toward solving it. TP interested in solving it. .Meet Me At KING OF THE KAPOK , Perfect comf Designed by contoured ex rests. A perft or TV viewini cotton cordur red or browr Downtown. Fifth Flor rhe editor .dents Carolina team?" "For a Carolina team, we played well" or "You know that we can't get top quality football players to come to USC," just don't sound right. How do you think it looks when there are 2'000 student tickets left over for the ballgames played here or when people leave a game that we are winning with 5 or 10 minutes left because of a party or because they don't want to have to get tied up in traffic, as happened a at the North Carolina game. At the next home game just notice how many people don't cheer or stand up when the fight song is played. How many times have you heard it said that the reason that the fans don't have much spirit is because they aren't' allowed to drink. Does a student' have to be drunk to cheer at a game? South Carolina has a team with a lot of potential this year and when they do start using it they will be damn good. However, even though they haven't really used it yet. I don't think that they have to conceded anything to another team simply because they play ball for Carolina. Michael Guy Gumula Finest coaches Dear Mr. Stepp: In response to the letter in Wednesday's Gamecock by Mr. Gumula, we would like to issue the following statement. We believe that we at Carolina to create on a star?" Old song, huh? t. Maybe there are still people to do a little swinging--people il like us college students who iternities, drugs and dubious are looking for something in had the ultimate truth of find? No, not really. All you heeler Hill. Children there are itivity. That's something a iment doesn't provide. USC nar school kids a chance to >ther creative pursuits. it, Bates House students and iting to provide this outlet for >n't produce any Picassos or ht prevent your city's being aniversally it might keep your Maybe we could produce men Jation in the eye and make a at is, of course, if anyone is CAMPUS W'ILLED Corduw ort and support for those long hc Crawford to give you maxim tra wide with sweeping sides to ~ct cushion for year 'round use, a ;, at college for study. Covered ii oy in colors of gold, sage, orang t. Zippered for asy care. defen have the finest coaching staff in the NCAA and, as for the so-called "bunch of clowns" we sincerely believe that the Fighting Gamecocks are among the finest group of athletes in the country. As for Coach Dietzel's coaching ability, he has proved at previous positions that he is extremely capable of molding a cham pionship team and is in the process of doing so at Carolina. We believe the students, alumni and fans of Carolina, with the apparent exception of one, are very pleased with the 1969 edition of the Gamecocks. This is evident in the sell-out crowds present at Carolina's first three games. Also, we believe that the loss of any member of the coaching staff would be a great loss to the Gamecocks and the Universtiy. John Cox Robert French Eddie Hill Roy Stillwell Ted Williams Sense of hope Dear Mr. Stepp: In reference to the letter written to The Gamecock from Mr. Gumula about our football team, we four Carolina students would like to give our support to our fine football team. One of us is a Canadian fresh man, who knows very little about past Carolina football and the other three are South Carolinians who have seen the Gamecocks play in the past many times. We must realize that they Gamecocks are no. 1 in the A.C.C., a con ference not known for football powers, but Coach Dietzel has brought to a true Gamecock supporter a sense of hope that the Gamecocks will be a top team in the near future. Gamecocks will be a top team in the near future. No one man can bring national power in three years to a school that has never been known as a great football team, but in the first two games this year we have come from behind to defeat A.C.C. teams, characteristic of a good football team. Mr. Gumula must realize that the Gamecocks play one of the toughest schedules in the country. This bunch-of damn clowns as Mr. Gumula- calls them has pl--.A good football against the tough opposition they have played and they will continue to play good football. The Gamecock fans do have something to support: they have a great school to be proud of, and a great football team that represents this great school. A true Gamecock fan does not put down his team. He supports them through the good times as well as the rough times. No one expects the Gamecocks to play perfect football. Every team makes mistakes but these Gamecocks! Go! roy Bedrest urs of study! urn comfort, serve as arm I home in bed i 100 per cent ,blue, olive, 10.99 d coa Dietzel ...'fine fellow' mistakes do not necessarily classify them as clowns. We are proud of our Gamecocks and we will always be proud of them. Thank goodness for the many true Gamecock fans, who support them now and look for ward to the near day when they are one of the top teams in the nation. Ralph Shealy Doug Liddle Mickey Gresham Max Herring Exciting football Dear Mr. Stepp: In answer to Mr. Gumula's letter concerning the incompetence of the Carolina football team. I must disagree with some of his reasoning. First of all. I tend to believe that his dissatisfaction with the fighting OxT ItI YOIIffOP PO YOU HAVEN' FRI. 4 SAT 84 8-Tl S "WE RUN CLEAN SI HERE AND fo Gamecock team is not representatve of the feelings of the entire'student body. Most Carolina students are appreciative of the efforts of the football squad, and have shown their pleasure by the enthusiasm displayed at the first two home games. Secondly, Mr. Gumula stated in his argument that the team had in the past fumbled around and looked like a bunch of cheerleaders. On the contrary, the Gamecocks have played some very exciting football. I think he ought to be reminded that in 1966 the team had a 1-9 record. I attended the Homecoming game that year, and attendance was so poor that I practically had my choice of seats in the stadium. The N.C. j?ite game is a sellout, as were the tirst two games of this season, and the demand of tickets by the public has necessitated the expanding of stadium facilities. In conclusion I agree that Warren Muir is an outstanding football player. However, the progress made by the Carolina football team is a combined effort of many fine athletes who con dition themselves and practice throughout the year. I congratulate Coach Dietzel and his team on their accomplishments thus far and hope that they will eniov success in the future. Bill Smith Not even Bear... Dear Mr. Stepp: We also think it is time that someone stood up and said what is in the minds of most Carolina Supporters. After only three seasons as Coree HOUse 173 Z MA ST. 'lOu ouGHT TO )O-W 1P.100 0 1 FROM OUR RAC M AK ES T HE MO! WITHIla RAC KS-CAS~ All OUNDS A '0P rHERE" HARD Sc EASY LIS SOUNDS ' otball athletic director and head football coach, Paul Dietzel has built a struggling team into "a bunch of damn clowns" who are very likely to beat the hell of every other ACC opponent this year. We dare say, Mr. Gumula, that even Bear Bryant could not live up to your expectations. If you don't think that Dick Harris, Bo Davies, Billy Ray Rice F''ounded .Jan 30. 19(1R with tobert Elilii G%\Ff K*4'K is published hy and for the slu triweekly uduring 1he college year except durin TIe opinions expressed herein do not no mnist rat ion. the faculty or the student body as Wfices of Tit GAMIMKk are in RIoom 3in canpus. Phones are 777-4249 (Editor-in-Chief 1. 777-8178 1 Nwsroom , TIE (ANIVF*'K is represented nationall Service. Inc The publication is a member of Collegiate Press Association Subscription rate EDITOR-IN. Carl Ste ASSOCIATE EDITOR Mike Krochmainy MANAGING EDITOR.............. ASST. MANAGING EDITORS.. NEWS EDITOR....................... SPORTS EDITORS.................. ASST. NEWS EDITOR............. FACULTY EDITOR................. CHIEF OF REPORTERS ......... CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER ....... ADVERTISING MANAGER..... ASST. ADVERTISING MANAG CIRCULATION MANAGER....., Aa4 and) 2024 DEVINE STRI TELEPHONE j COLUMBIA, S KS - MUSIC THA1 JT UNREACHABLE I YOUR GRASP SETTES-REC( L AT OF ... I ACRI THE I 911 S ROCK (MOST IUL TENING team and every other Gamecock is earning his scholarship, then we suggest that you go through a week of practice and then butt heads for an hour on Saturday nights. Mr. Dietzel, we feel that you have given the fans something to support and we will support you. Fred Walters Charlie Kay Jimmy Rose John Creamer It Gonzales as 1he firsi elitor. TI1 enis of the Universiiy of South Carolina g holidays and exaninal ions ressaorily reflect the views of the ad a whole. R of the Itussell flouse on the Universitv 7T-4220 d(Husiness and Adverlising i and v hy NAtional Educational Advertising ssowialed Collegiate Press and the S C are $8 per year CHIEF pp BUSINESS MANAGER Jack Padgett ............... Jim Wannamaker ............ Ed Chen, Fred Monk ........................ 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