The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 22, 1993, Page 3, Image 3
9
*t5aifficock
Serving USC Since 1908
J.T. Wagenheim, Editor in Chief Shayla Stutts, Viewpoints Editor
fc EDITORIAL BOARD
Jay King, Gordon Mantler, Rob Rodusky,
Lee Clontz, Carson Henderson
Decisions
Sparky Woods' reluctance to take risks
indication USC should find new coach
There comes a time in a person's life when he must make a decision
and not think about the negative consequences that may come of it.
Someone who must make such a decision in the near future is
Athletics Director Mike McGee. He should make the decision to fire
| Coach Sparky Woods.
While the 4-7 record speaks volumes as to why Woods should be dismissed,
it is not the only reason.
The play calling was downright pathetic at times. You cannot win
games without taking a few chances. How many times did we see pitch to
runningback Brandon Bennett right, pitch to Bennett left? We are not suggesting
triple reverses on every down, but those kinds of plays keep
opposing players and coaches guessing.
It does not seem like Woods has what it takes to motivate his players
to the next level In 1QQ? it seemed like the nlavers were nlavino the
final six games more for themselves and not because of Woods' coaching.
How many times are we going to hear we lost because of injuries and a
lack of maturity? It is up to the coach to get the players ready in case they
have to step in and play.
I Many people think Woods should stay because he is a nice guy who
deserves another year. If that is the case, Mike Ditka would have been
gone after his first game. Being nice does not win games.
The future of the football program depends on whether Woods stays.
How many high school recruits will come to a school that is not looking
to go anywhere but down? A new coach will bring in new blood and rejuvenate
the program. McGee did a great job bringing in super basketball
coach Eddie Fogler. Surely, he can do the same for football.
Woods is a great person, and we wish him the best in the future.
However, it is time for a changing of the guard.
The choice is yours McGee. All you have to do is go out and do it.
_ Spirit important part
of Gamecock athletics
Spirit. J ~^3Sk~. ^
At USC football games, it is iH Hp]
something that varies as much EH HJ
as the team's momentum. Spirit pHiM
reaches its peak when the fog VF a
begins to billow and the last
! I nptes qf."^001" are.played and - L #J|
the football .team bursts onto the
|:H^H^pfl|H
It reaches its low point when Hi!
the team starts to lose in the
fourth quarter and all of the fans
start to leave.
In between, the amount of good idea,
spirit comes and goes, depend- But for those people who just
ing on how good the plays are, want to get back to the car to
* if we are ahead or behind or the eat the tailgating leftovers or
emotional level of the team. who give up on the team whenIn
short, at USC, we are fair- ever it gets down by a field goal
weather fans as good as they or a touchdown, there is no
come. excuse for leavine earlv.
When the team is good, the We need team spirit. To get
fans are the best. They are that, we need to start with
decked out totally in garnet and school spirit. Loyalty is an
black, cheering at the top of important part of building that
their lungs and attentive to spirit. It has been said that true
every play. USC fans are the most loyal in
When the team is losing, the the country. We all need to
fans are the worst. Silence falls develop that type of loyalty,
across the stands, the fans With Eddie Fogler coming to
^ become still and before long take over the Gamecock basket
they start filing out of the ball team, we have the chance
stands. of becoming a competitive
When USC plays on televi- team. But the coach and the
sion, it is embarrassing to us to team can only do so much,
have the camera scan the stadi- It is up to us, both as students
um when there are seven min- and as fans, to provide some
utes left in the fourth quarter emotional support and momenand
the bleachers are half-emp- turn for the team. We need to be
ty. at the games, cheering at the top
We only had one dramatic of our lungs. We need to be
last-minute win this season; that supportive of team efforts even
was in the first game against if the team does not win every
Georgia. Because our team has game.
a tendency to lose steam in the This basketball season is the
second half is no reason to leave perfect opportunity for us to
the minute we start to lose. redeem ourselves for our fairI
understand about how heavy weather football behavior. We
tralfic can be and how crowded can start over as fans and start a
it is trying to walk out of the tradition of loyalty and support,
stadium. For those fans who
have small children or who are Wendy Hudson is a staff
elderly, leaving early may be a writer for The Gamecock.
?
The Gamecock will try to print all letters received.
Letters should be 200-250 words and must include
full name, professional title or year and major if a
student. Letters must be personally delivered by the
author to The Gamecock newsroom in Russell
House room 321.
The Gamecock reserves the right to edit all letters
for style, possible libel or space limitations. Names
* will not be withheld under any circumstances.
VlEWPCB
Do you think Spa
^ Wfb *
"He needs to be evaluated "He
on his decision making con
and on his record. When goo<
things are going well dur- coul
ing a game, he makes bad sive
decisions." we't
Aaron Dawkins
Media arts senior -
Job search brings
Frustration: How can you describe it?
What, you may ask, am I frustrated about?
My current gripe is one every college student
can identify with sometimes: unemployment.
I am not talking about a casual, part-time,
now-I-can-buy-more-beer kind of job, but a
career. You know, the "c" word.
I have spent four years and thousands of dollars
(OK, Mom and Dad spent thousands) at this
university. Who knows how many hours I have
spent studying, reading, researching and writing,
and for what? A good education, a degree in
journalism and a sense of accomplishment.
Yeah, yeah, I know all that, but ultimately,
the purpose of college is to prepare us for the
real world. If I have held up my end of the bar
gain, why don't I have a job, the happy ending
to my years of work?
Everyone says the economy is rotten, all the
good jobs are filled by materialistic, cutthroat
Sports fans join Rid'"8 th<
r J new. There i
team bandwagons distinction 1
To the editor others with
One definition of bandwagon is w omever 1S
to shift one'# support to the winning
side. I am not sure if this phenomenon
can be aptly displayed in
any area more than sports. U.S. ACS
Whichever team seems to be on p
top, there is always a surge of sup- racial} c
port behind it. To the edi
So-called fans of winning teams As the c
come out of the woodworks to Amnestv It
-J -show
their undying support and USC, I am c
loyalty. I am sure these winning conceptions
teams really appreciate the support recent Car*
but would have appreciated it more group is not
when they were losing. ty in the Uni
We have all witnessed the recent Of the 22:
resuscitation of the Atlanta Braves, to death by
I have noticed a growing amount of since 1976,
supporters. Where have all these dant was jut
diehard fans been all these years? I black man. I
commend the true Braves fans, cent of the
faithful through thick and thin. row in this c
The bandwagon rolls through the We think
football season as much as it does penalty is rai
in baseball. I have my favorite other reason;
teams for each sport. I have been is wrong. It
an avid supporter of each of my imprisonmer
teams, win or lose. Apparently, per executioi
many are not as loyal as I am. keep an inn
JTS
rky Woods should ren
should finish out his "At the first sign
tract. He's done a ble, the fans sere
1 job recruiting. If we coach replacer
d get rid of the offen- would be premt
line instead of him, the university to
1 be doing all right." this just because
say so."
Jennifer Webb
Sociology senior Charles
Govern:
internationi
frustration, disap
yuppies and the people of our generation a
shafted.
Wonderful! Thanks for the good news. Giv
me encouragement and something to hope for.
Perhaps the problem is my chosen field. Tt
arena of journalism is over-crowded and unde
paid, subject to changing attitudes and dem<
graphics of our society. Forgive me for choosir
something I liked, something that I could t
happy doing.
Maybe I will never make a million dollars,
am not saying I want to. People tell me you cai
not expect to graduate and step into a lofty pos
! bandwagon is nothing years. And remembe
is always going to be a five to the death pens
between true fans and case is life impris'
fickle connections to means no parole. Th
winning. native, and it is cheaj
Eric Holcombe The United Stati
Journalism junior Western democracy
?u~ n.. L
uic ucaui penally ot
iL citizens and on minoi
itn penalty We do not oniy ac
vnpncivP offenders lives. W
XpeilM for the victims, but
tor: citizens by governme
o-coordinator of the dQn despicable. 1
iternational group at venting violent crim
oncerned with the mis- munities is very impc
displayed in the most s0 what have yoi
Dlina Spectator. Our vent vi0|ent crime
racist; the death penal- penalty does nothing
ted States is. Please join us ir
) American citizens put abolish the death p
their own government wbere.
only one white defended
guilty of killing a . Sociolc
Hacks make up 40 perVK
people on death ^ ^
this says that the death 0\clusiVC 2
:ist, but there are many
> that the death penalty To the editor:
costs more than life I have a question i
it. That is, $3.2 million SGA senate's debate
n, or enough money to ing bill for Greek or
late in prison for 240 is written on the
bvV VEAW-fo&Ot*
EAA/S. THERE'LL
J AVAlUSiE PAi
NEARTH?IWIVERS
HAPPi Tuttneft f?
?
(lain football coach?
i of trou- "He should be allowed to
am for a' finish his contract, but if
nent. It he's not doing better after
mire for that, then he should be
dive into fired."
the fans ^
Teesna Venning
Accounting freshman
Renton
ment and
al studies
graduate
A A _ 1 _
poinimeni 10 graas
tion.
All I am looking for is a way to support
myself with enough money for more than
Oodles of Noodles and a cockroach infested rattrap
to live in.
What will I do after my graduation in
December? Move home with Mom and Dad,
re most likely. Do not get me wrong, I love them,
But I do not relish the idea of living off of them
e any longer than I have to.
I will keep looking for a job, writing to every
ie newspaper, magazine and publishing company
r* in North America. I will get their standard reply:
> "Thanks for your interest in our publication,
ig Sorry, kid, we aren't hiring now. It's the econo>e
my."
There is always grad school.
I .
l- Tara Potzler is production
i- assistant for The Gatnecock.
LKJHHHIHn
:r, the alterna- Student Treasurers Manual that
ilty in a capital "Each student organization that has
onment. That been registered for 12 full months
ere is an alter- may apply for funds unless the
)er- organization is a social fraternity or
es is the last sorority, a political organization, a
that still uses reiigious group or a residence hall
ith on its own government."
Ivocate for the 1 guess any olher group lhat
. . excludes members based on race,
6 care deeply
the killing of reliSion' wealth or creed may aPP*y
nK for rptHhn for Public funds 35 wel1- Maybe we
(Ve think pre- ??S?i to give the College
e in our com- Republicans money to have a pub>rtant,
also. bc function that will get support for.
j done to pre- lbe nexl presidential election. Or*
? The death we could give money to the Baptist
to deter it. Student Union the next time it:
i the fight to sponsors a soup kitchen at a home-.
tenalty every- less shelter. Or maybe next
Halloween,, we could give Preston;
Paul Cantrell money to help promote its haunted*
>gy sophomore house.
Oops! I forgot. All those organizations
do not promote activities
open to the student body. Maybe 1
;roups certain codes were meant to be broken
for certain organizations, while
concerning the other organizations are denied anyupon
a fund- thing from the SGA.
ganizations. It Jennifer Dougherty
hf?f?W in ihp Pnlilicul CAninr
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