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Pep Talk By Brant Long Sparky Woods as coach of th Hmmm, my first pep talk of the year. What's a good topic? Everybody's talking about Sparky; maybe I should think of something else. Soccer. The mighty Gamecock soccer team is ranked third in the nation in a preseason poll. Nah, everybody will be talking about them soon. How about my favorite football broadcasters? ... Oops, I did that last year. Sorry folks , I have no choice. I know you hear about it everyday, and will probably hear it until December, but it is my only choice. Well, to begin with, I want to say Sparky is the man. The guy is amazing. When I found out I had an interview with him, I was a little shaky. Most football coaches are ? what is the word ? harsh. Not mean or anything, just real serious. Maybe too serious. Sparky, after I interviewed him, not only knew football, and how to coach it, but he was as laid back as anyone. He didn't seem to be affected at all by any of the media and fan pressure that he has received since his arrival here last spring. Yet, he admits he pressures himself a good deal to win. "Nobody in South Carolina wants to win more than Sparky," he said. That was my favorite quote. I guess the stern, sterotypical football coach look will come when the season starts, but I hope i not. I like the idea of a coach who is very serious about the game, but doesn't show it once the fat lady sings ? if you catch my drift Speaking of the first game, please do not underestimate Duke. With the emergence of quarterback Billy Ray and the talent of AilAmerican receiver Clarkston Hines, the Gamecocks could "have some trouble. Add to that the fact that USC's secondary is inexperienced, and you might end up with an 0-1 record. But I have faith in Sparky and the defense . . . and of course the offense. Ellis, Green and my fellow Greenwood sensation Robert Brooks anchor a talented offensive unit Plus, we also have Carl Piatt at another receiver slot. Add Ike Harris and Calvin Stephens on the line to block, and golly-gee, Beaver, we have a well-oiled of' 610 Harden! r Men's and Ladie STORE HOURS: Moi 252 CHARLESTON ? 66 State St. ? (over runs and ship? Air two- through k fl-fc /^ir\ f i iiti/\n utai uui luvu luumii plus $100 per acadenr Find out if you qualif CAPT Jl FLINN HAL1 777.MRM Leadership Exe W H" > * ! I *rC> begins reign e Gamecocks fensive machine ... well, close anyway. Let s move on into tne season, shall we? West Virginia ? last year's runner-up to Notre Dame for the national championship. This year the team has been lowered a bit. With the loss of the entire offensive line, a fullback and a couple of receivers, the Mountaineers have some rebuilding to do. But Major Harris is dangerous any way you slice it. The man can run, pass and magically disappear from the line of scrimmage only to finally be found in the end zone. If he is held in check, we have a good chance. One of my favorite little gettogethers this year will be against our old buddies, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. I had the pleasure of being at that game last year to watch my undefeated Gamecocks demolish those little guys from the big city. I smelled the coffee some time the next morning. I want every single Gamecock in the world to remember 34-0. 34-0. 34-0. Got it? Because this year we need to, ex cuse me, we wiu oeai me siop out of them. What makes the game even more sweet is that my parents will be here. No little 17-0 victory this year. Uncle Sparky, how about 98-0? Will that be all right? If not, the students and I will accept 84-0. I have one more thing to mention. 59-0. This year, we play in Tallahassee. Wait... what's that smell? Could it be . . . an . . . UPSET! It won't be easy to beat FSU there, but it is not impossible. Then again, I might just be smelling that old coffee again on Sunday morning, Nov. 5th. "So, Brant," you ask, "what is your point?" Heck, I don't know. I guess what I've been bumbling about for the last seven or eight paragraphs is that Sparky Woods is a great guy and a fine coach. I think his goal of building a program here at USC will come true very soon. But he won't get any help from this year's schedule. I'm not saying we're not going to win, I know we'll win. The guys will just have to give it all they've got to get a "W." And being a loyal Gamecock fan of 19 years, I have faith. Somewhere up there, Coach Joe is cracking a smile. THE 0 , oora : Company St./5 Points s' Shorts $8.50 9 >day-Saturday 10 to 6 8734 I SPARTANBURG 900 E. Main St. irregulars) W CHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE )king for a scholar Force ROTC has xir-year scholarships i and other expenses, tic month, tax free y M FULD RM-202A 4135 Uence Starts Here Woods sei By CHRIS SILVESTRI Sports Editor USC head football coach < Sparky Woods was cautiously op- < timistic about Saturday's game < against Duke at his first weekly press conference Monday, noting < the Gamecocks' lack of depth. 1 "I'm disappointed in the num- ] bers that are there," Woods said. "I 1 can see where, if we got hurt on the line of scrimmage, we could 1 have some serious problems tow- 1 ard the end of the season." ( Woods praised the Duke foot- . ball program Head Coach Steve . Spurrier has built, and he dis- | cussed the Blue Devil offense, j which boasts the likes of quarterback Billv Rav. wide receiver Clarkston Hines and running back ( Roger Boone. "They're a fine football team that has great firepower in their offense," he said. "It's a real chal- 1 lenge for our defense, a real chal- i lenge for our young secondary." i Woods also commented on how he felt the Blue Devil defense ] would look. s "They're big, and they run well," Woods said. "They do a s good job of blitzing. They give I you lots of looks up front which { concerns me a great deal." One question still facing the c Gamecocks is when all the starting i positions will be filled. Woods still y has yet to clarify who will be the opening game starter for a number ] of positions. i "It hurts us in the fact that you s Morrison m By The Associated Press Former USC football coach Joe ] was "never a target" of a grand jury p steroid use in the school's athletic de] Assistant U.S. Attorney John Barton sa During an hour-long interview with sociated Press, Barton discussed what come known as the "steroid scandal," \ to the conviction of three ex-Gamecod who worked under Morrison. Althnncrh the case, ended earlier th questions remain, many about Morris died Feb. 5. How much did he know? > have been indicted had he lived? "I'll say two things about Joe M Barton said. "We interviewed Joe Mon was cooperative. He was never a targ investigation. I guess that was three thii Barton declined to say if the investig covered anything concerning Morris died of a heart attack after playing ra with friends. However, Barton said the indictme not "an indication of how the progn ated" under Morrison. "There was not a program of coa tively providing players with steroids. ^ saw a pattern and practice of that," Bai "What you saw prosecuted ... was t of the total involvement of coaches, pU steroids. "That's not to say other players were ing steroids, but to the extent of institu sponsibility, that was it." The Gamecock Advertising 777-4249 Southern Women Serving The Are< Abortion Services & Counseling Problem Pregnancy Counseling Pregnancy Testing "Personal Contact With Som 24-Hr. Answering Service 254-4368 or Toll free 1-800-9 1614 Two Notch Rd. Columb ? j peuvce pen & A Comer of Cottage and Main Street 2S2-8060 THURSDAY: 3 Lon< FRIDAY: 9:30 P.M. F Local C 0 SATURDAY: Pn SUPER SP #*while they last ALL ABC REGULATI t to coach just don't have the continuity, the working together and getting the cohesiveness that you need, especially along the line of scrimmage an offense," he said. The Blue Devil spring game was cancelled this year, leaving USC with no idea what to expect from Duke. But, according to Woods, that will not be a factor. "We would like to focus on getting our team better," he said. 'Getting our team where., we can execute the things we want to do and then try to make the necessary adjustments. Our focus really has , been more on South Carolina than j it has been on Duke." The change in the style of secondary defense from a man-to-man to a zone has not caused too many . problems for .comerback Stephane Williams. "Zone is never hard to learn," Williams said. "It was an adjustment, but it wasn't a big concept ? grab a hold onto." Playing man-to-man helped Williams with the zone defense, he said. "It helped me out a lot because, >ometimes during the year, we will oe running the man-to-man," he >aid. On the offensive side, Game:ock quarterback Todd Ellis was lot sure how the Duke defense vas going to approach the game. "They blitzed a great deal last ^ear," Ellis said. "But we're not eally sure what we can expect to ... M ;ee. ?ver targetei Morrison "I'll say tW( Srtmln? 0Ut J?e M?ri partment, . . , . id. interviewed J The As- son. He was < 1 ,ha5. ^ He was never vmcn leu . ,. ,. : coaches the investigate Assistant U.S. A is month>on, who ,Vould he Barton would not sa> were being used or wheth orrison," know should have, rison. He "I don't know what et in the known. If they did, mayl ngs." wrong, but there was no ation un- in an interview Aug. 15.' on, who a kid was on steroids and cquetball But that's not a criminal should have been fired, bu nts were The steroid saga began im oper- cle co-written by ex-Gam Chaikin appeared in Spor ches ac- alleged he and other pla> iVe never half the 1986 team used rton said. drug. he extent "He was right on a 1< lyers and said. "I think a lot of thin proportion. There was a 1 ? not tak- Carolina, but I don't thin tional re- claimed." The State Law Enforce UnibedVlfeu of the Midlands OamiiS AAA IM A ib oerviueb mu a Since 1973 Family Planning & Birth Control Services Trained Counselors Gyn Exams eone Who Cares" 22-9750 ' :DNESDAY, AUG. 30 25$ Draft & Free Wings* x and ^ l n i_? a i v_nris eraasnaw v gnecks $2.50 tock-n-Roll with :olor 0 e-Game Party # ECIALS ONS ENFORCED first gam m*. B 0^ W || BlUHBSu USC head coach Sparky Woods < cocks opening day game at his first Although some starters have not been selected on the offensive line, Ellis has confidence in their abilities. "I definitely think that they can get the job done," he said. "At times, we've shown that we can pick up anything they throw at us." Ellis indicated that he isn't concerned with the way USC finished the season in 1988. 1 by grand j ? gated the an ) things ab- W reviews rison We 75 w "* . and investig* loe Morri- the indictme :ooperative. Tom Gadd, a target in Jim Washbul ? Kephart ar to reduced r attorney John steroids, whi Barton buting the dr ? A jury foi r who knew steroids weeks later er coaches who didn't tenced to h months, brin people should have nationwide ai be there was a moral The four < legal wrong," he said cuted. Sever 'Maybe a coach knew before the g I did nothing about it munity. Attoi act. Maybe the coach decision, sa> it that's not my call." blame as the Oct. 24 when an arti- court along v lecock player Tommy Barton del ts Illustrated. Chaikin saying the c< rers used steroids and tion which th I the muscle-huildinp "Vrvu'v#? n in a position Dt of things," Barton play college gs were blown out of ing you can lot of steroid abuse at they're vulne k it was as bad as he "I'm satis! should have ment Division investi- should have.' Need a Custom <5 WE MAKE IT THE Wi "Shirts b All types of sewn-on and pres CAROLINA GREEI I 1109 Assembly St. BAXTER, HYLAND WELCOMES B; fiAMFC vif ? ? mam College is exper Lab Fees, Ente All Adc LET HYLAND PLAS] By donating ) you can earn WHILE YOl GIVE LIFE ? G "Recieve $20 f?r ?- ^ this sem< \vUVVU 1620 Gervi (Behind the Mi e at USC '''' TEDDY LEPP/The Gamecock discusses his views on the Gameweekly press conference. 'There's too much adrenaline in the first game and too many other things to worry about," Ellis said. "You just go out there and react." One thing about this year's Gamecocks: Sparky Woods said he's ready for his first game at use. "I think we'll have our guns loaded and ready to go," he said. iiry probe tide's allegations. Then the grand i the case. Barton estimated about ere questioned by the grand jury itors before the probe ended with nts of former Gamecock coaches Keith Kephart, Tom Kurucz and n. id Washburn pleaded guilty June 1 nisdemeanor charges of importing le Kurucz pleaded guilty to distriug to athletes. ind Gadd innocent June 22. Three the three other coaches were senalfway houses for three to six ging an end to the saga that drew ttention. :oaches were the only ones proseal players testified or were called rand jury, but all were given immeys for the coaches criticized that 'ing the players were as much to coaches and should have been in vith their clients. fended the government's decision, caches were in a responsible posiey "abused". ;ot 18-, 19-, 20-year-olds who are to really do just about anything to sports," Barton said. "I'm not say't find fault with the players, but rable. fied we immunized the people we : and prosecuted the people we 9 >hirt or Jacket? rAY YOU WANT IT! J y Fred*9 sed on letters, numbers, eta : j: < SPORTSWEAR I 254-6891 | PLASMA CENTER \CK ALL YOU OCKS tsive ? Books, rtainment; It is Up. MA CENTER HELP rour plasma up to $20.00 J STUDY!!! ;IVE PLASMA TTTTT7' ELNT I.D. sy irst donation ais Street jsic Building)