The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, October 19, 1988, Page 8, Image 8
Pep Talk
By Kevin Adams
Gamecocks net
it9s almost time
I've got a few things on my mind,
so here's several columns rolled into
one.
First, there's Saturday's football
game in Atlanta, where the Yellow
Jackets of Georgia Tech embarrassed
USC, 34-0.
Shocked by the results?
Most people were, including
myself. I wasn't so surprised by Tech
winning, although I certainly was by
the margin of victory. But the warning
signs were there.
Since the Georgia game, a 23-10
USC victory, the Gamecocks have
not played up to par. Lackluster wins
over Appalachian State and Virginia
Tech preceded the catastrophe in
Atlanta.
The Gamecocks defeated Division
I-AA Appalachian State by a deceiving
35-9 score. The Mountaineers,
trailing only 21-9, had the ball inside
the USC 10-yard line in the second
half with a chance to close within
five, when ASU quarterback Bobby
Fuller fumbled on a fourth-and-one.
The Gamecocks recovered and went
on to score two fourth-quarter
touchdowns to pad the final margin.
Then, two Saturdays ago in
Blacksburg, Va., USC was on the
ropes to a 1-4 Virginia Tech team.
Admittedly, the team showed
remarkable poise in overcoming a
21-10 halftime deficit to rally and
defeat the Hokies, 26-24, behind the
inspired play of the Gamecock
defense.
That's where the Gamecocks
should have learned their lesson.
But they didn't.
Sure, the USC football program is
on the rise (and it still is, despite what
some may say after Saturday's loss).
Head coach Joe Morrison has slowly
but surely given USC football the national
respect that has been sought
for so long.
But the Gamecocks have not yet
reached the point where they can
simply show up and win, no matter
who they're playing. That kind of
program, as Saturday proved, is still
down the road a piece.
Simply put, USC must play in
spired tootball each time they step on
the field. They have more than
enough talent to win, but that talent
must be coupled with something called
enthusiasm, for the Gamecocks to
beat the teams they're supposed to
beat. The last three weeks, the
players haven't looked like they're
having a lot of fun on the field.
Whether that's the coaching staff's
fault or not, I don't know, but
something needs to be done.
Obviously, it's not hard for a team
to get fired up playing Georgia,
Florida State or Clemson. However,
Appalachian State, East Carolina or
Georgia Tech is another thing
entirely.
The Nebraskas, Oklahomas and
Miamis of the college football world
could all have showed up and
defeated Georgia Tech on Saturday,
whether they gave an inspired perforCotton
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id enthusiasm;
' for basketball
mance or not. USC can't do that.
Maybe someday, yes, but not now.
Saturday at Grant Field, USC was
flat, uninspired and played with virtually
no emotion. And they got embarrassed
by a team that had gone 15
games without a victory against a
Division I team.
But the season's not over. Important
games against North Carolina
State, Florida State, Navy and Clemson
remain on the schedule, and the
season can still be a big success. We'll
see what sort of team the Gamecocks
really are by the way they react to the
loss against Tech. Maybe it will take
a little pressure off, from fans and
media alike, and the team can start
having some fun playing football
again.
After all, that is the way it's supposed
to be.
The Charlotte Hornets played surprisingly
well in Sunday's National
Basketball Association exhibition
game against the New York Knicks at
the Carolina Coliseum, winning
126-113.
It was only fitting that the expansion
team's first win came in its official
debut in the Carolinas. It was
also fitting that it came in Columbia
because it's the smaller cities surrounding
Charlotte that will be a key
to the Hornets' success.
Hornets owner George Shinn
acknowledges that South Carolina
cities such as Columbia, Greenville,
Spartanburg, Rock Hill, etc. were extremely
important in the NBA awarding
a franchise to Shinn, since the
cities are all within a 100-mile radius
of Charlotte.
If Sunday is any indication of how
the Hornets will play this year, then
the team's fans are in for a treat.
Admittedly, all-star Patrick Ewing
did not suit up for the Knicks because
of a sore knee, but the Hornets still
played some good, enthusiastic ,
basketball.
Don't expect any more than 15-20
wins from the Charlotte team in its
first couple of years. In fact, it will
probably take at least four or five
years for the Hornets to become
legitimate playoff contenders. But
with exciting young players like
Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues and firstround
draft pick Rex Chapman and
proven veterans such as Kelly
Tripucka, Kurt Rambis and Robert
Reid, the Hornets will be a pleasure
to watch and will offer area fans a
rhanre tn see some eood NBA
basketball.
College basketball is almost here,
too. USC, beginning its third season
under head coach George Felton,
began practice Saturday, and the
season opener is little more than a
month away.
On Monday, Felton held a press
conference to preview the upcoming
See PEP TALK page 9
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Young Hornets
Charlotte guards Tyrone Bogues, left, and Rex Cha|
Carolina Coliseum in a preseason match. Bogues
126-113 win.
Hornets beat
By CHRIS SILVESTRI
Assistant Sports Editor
A scrappy defense, the "flashy play of <
5-foot-3-inch guard Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues
and the outside shooting of rookie Rex Chapman
led the Charlotte Hornets to their first National '
Basketball Association victory.
The Hornets defeated the New York Knicks,
126-113, in the Carolina Coliseum Sunday in an
exhibition match. With the win, Charlotte raised
their preseason mark to 1-1. The Hornets were
defeated by the New Jersey Nets in Madison
Square Garden, 118-97, in their first exhibition
game Friday night.
The expansion team made an impressive debut
in the Carolinas, as they used the passing talents
of Bogues and the sharp shooting of Chapman to
capture their first win.
I ne Hornets lootcea nice anytning out a newiyformed
expansion squad, as they passed the ball
skillfully, especially on the fast break.
"I think the transition game helped us tremenI
ins
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TEDDY LEPP/The Gamecock
. . twlfil .1
pman helped lead the Hornets to their first NBA vie
led Charlotte with eight assists and five steals, and
Knicks for pi
Honclv 9c xvpll ac our " Roffiips ?niH
"Give credit to the teafn; we really hung together
out there."
Charlotte opened up a close game with :58 remaining
in the third quarter when Chapman picked
up a loose ball and proceeded to sink a short
jumper while getting fouled. After converting the
three-point play, the Hornets had a comfortable
90-79 lead.
But Knicks' forward Gerald Wilkins, who
finished with a game-high 26 points, brought New
York back at the 9:30 mark of the fourth quarter,
and the Hornet lead was cut to four, 96-92.
The comeback was short-lived, however, as
Bogues struck again. With 4:35 left in the contest,
Bogues stripped the ball from New York guard
Mark Jackson and made an easy layup to give
Charlotte a 112-101 lead. Bogues finished with 15
points, eight assists and five steals.
"We created a lot of things off our defense,"
Bogues said. "I think if we play together like we
did tonight, we can be a pretty good team.
?
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t
:tory over the New York Knicks Sunday at the
Chapman picked up 13 points in the Hornets'
reseason win
Some interesting factors have to be considered
about the first Hornet win, however. Knicks'
center Patrick Ewing, veteran Hornet forward
Kurt Rambis and Hornet guard Dell Curry were
all sidelined with injuries. Also, cnapman, the
eighth pick overall in the NBA draft, had just
signed his contract earlier last week and had just
begun practicing with the team.
For the short amount of time that Chapman
played, he looked sharp, picking up 13 points.
"I felt good," said Chapman, a former star at
the University of Kentucky. "I felt real comfortable
with the offense, and any time you pass
well, it makes you feel good, and the team gets into
it."
Bogues said he was not surprised by Chapman's
performance in his NBA debut.
"I wasn't impressed because I know he's a
good player," Bogues said. "He can run, shoot,
jump. He is a fine athlete."
The Hornets' next exhibition game will be Oct.
22 against the Chicago Bulls in Chapel Hill.
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