University of South Carolina Libraries
ADAM POE Junior outfielder Adam Poe stretched his hitting streak to . 19 games Friday night in USC's 3-4 win over The Citadel with an infield hit in the first inning. Page 6 t Singleton: Sports has 'bad apples' ^7] I want to take time this week to speak about a serious subject that disturbs me every time it's brought up. The world Shawn Singleton of sports is Singleton 3:16 a direct re" ? flection of the world itself. It has reflected society in a way. few things ever have. Yet as is the case with everything else in the world, sports has its bad apples. In this decade, especially, it seems to me the fastest way to change these thugs is to sign them to hugemoney contracts so that maybe they will cnange tneir ways. For some, like Randy Moss, this noble experiment has worked. With the help of teammate^like Cris Carter and Randall Cunningham, it seems like Moss has learned his lesson. Nevertheless, this column is about the other disgusting cretins out there who cloud their in-uniform play with their out-of-uniform shananigans. Let's start with the NBA, where half of the players have been profiled by John Walsh at least once. The New York Knicks said they wanted to create a "family atmosphere." That was Dave Cheketts' reasoning for not signing Dennis Rodman, yet he then went and signed Latrell Sprewell. Of course, you all know about "Crime" Sprewell's choking escapades, but what about the legal problems he encountered while at Alabama? I guess people forget about that when you become an all-star. Now we cross the border and head to the Pacific Northwest, where Anthony Peeler plays point guard. Most people forget about the charge of assault and battery with intent to kill he garnered at Missouri. Now, he's the starting point guard for the Vancouver Grizzlies.We could talk all stinking day about these jerks, but we do have other sports to cover. Next stop, the thugs of the NFL. When you think of thugs, the first NFL name that comes to mind is Lawrence Phillips. This gutless wonder beats the crap out of his girlfriend at Nebraska (not his first act of violence toward women), gets suspended, but is reinstated just in time for his team's Orange Bowl date with Florida. This might have been the only black mark on what was an excellent coaching record for a fine human being, Dr. Tom Osborne. Phillips was then drafted by the St. Louis Rams. In his stay there, he spent more time in trouble then he did on the playing field, slapping a woman in a bar along the way. After a stop in Miami, he's now in Barcelona, playing for the Dragons of NFL Europe. Even former role models have fallen to this disease. Warren Moon, who was the premier role model for every African-American kid who wanted to play quarterback, beats up his wife, with his children watching. Then again, people forget about that when you win a Pro Bowl MVP award two years later. No team, however, is loaded with thugs like the Dallas Cowboys. Leon Lett's drug problem is well-documented. Never leave Michael Irvin around cocaine, strippers or a pair of scissors. Dnrrpn Hnmhrirk has pivpn Tmv a DOS itive act to follow, and, finally, Shante Carver has gone more rounds with a bottle than Mike Tyson. Lately, it has been the saga of Cecil Collins that has disgusted me. After being convicted of one count of assault and battery and another count of criminal sexual assault while at LSU and McNeese State, he was booted out of football. However, McNeese State is letting Collins use their facility to get ready for the NFL draft. Ten teams have already come to see him work out, with more sure to follow.Even the grandest of sports hasn't) been safe from this lunacy. What is the attraction to thugs? I don't mean to sound cold on the subject, but Benjamin Franklin put it best when he said, "If you lie down with dogs, you shall wake with fleas." Tune in next week, as our anti-hero once again shows why he is "the brother you love to hate." * SPRING FOOTBALL Sophomore offensive line- i man and Charleston native ' Kevin Rivers has left the team for personal reasons, coach Lou Holtz announced Tuesday. ~ | Basebal by Michael Strickland Assistant Sports Editor ft In front of a season-high crowd m of 3,821 strong, the USC baseball / I team delivered a 5-4 win over in- J I state rival The Citadel in 10 in- X- I' f ' >? B nings at Sarge Frye Field Wednes- , I Rebounding from a 1-2 week- | end series at Alabama, the Game- I cocks (23-9) used late-inning hero- I ics to pull out the one-run win. I ] With the score tied at 4-4 after MBS** t nine innings, USC relievers Scott Barber and winner Jason Pomar (1-1) combined to strike out the side in the Bulldog 10th. Tim Whittaker led off the Gamecock game-winning rally with a single up the middle.on a 1-0 Second baseman Jay Lambert sacrificed Whittaker to second, putting the rally in high-gear. |Hj|&jB^y After Brian Roberts was intentionally walked, Nate Janow- H icz chopped a routine grounder to H| However, Bulldog pitcher Jay wm*.. Morgan (1-3) was late covering the bag, allowing Janowicz to reach, fifij loading the bases, and continuWitft only one out and The ^ Citadel's defense playing in to allow for a potential play at the plate, Adajp Poe drilled a fly ball to deep left, easily scoring Whittaker for the win. Poe, a junior from Kennesaw, Ga., led the USC attack with a 2- The Caro,in for-3, three-RBI performance. USCjum As for his clutch sacrifice fly, ^ third Poe said he was calm at the Lamber pla!fT . ' . . ... r. reached on h I was just trying to hit a fly , McPhprc ill j l T i i i ldo lVlLi ilcl k ball, and when I knew it was deep enough, I was glad," Poe said. e ^ "I treated it like any other at-bat, ^ w trying to hit it hard, put it in play, Hunt. Hunt, and make something happen." lowing three Poe extended his hitting streak The USC to 19 games, just six shy of the 1-3 innings, school record. two hits. Women's Te by Charlie Wallace Sports Editor The 16th-ranked women's tennis team plays host to the No. 8 Ole Miss Rebels today. The Lady Gamecocks bring a 13-3 (4-3 in the SEC) record into the match and are riding a wave of confidence after Wednesday's 8-1 win over arch-rival Clemson. "This is a good win for us, and it's always nice to be able to beat a rival like Clemson," USC Head Coach Arlo Elkins said. "We did a good job in the singles matches, putting the match away early. I'm happy with this win, and hopefully we can continue this play this weekend." This weekend's matches will be a bit tougher as Carolina endeavors once again into conference play. Ole Miss is a traditional conference power that finished last season ranked No. 7 in the na Sophomore Chris Lockwood shakes a Wednesday's scrimmage against the Paladin: scrimmage of the spring is Saturday in the U Sport The Gamecock II x T< I lups 1 a baseball team watches the action on the field 1 iped out to an early 3-1 lead Highlighting that inning. mance was Barber, wh t, Roberts and Poe each hitless innings with sb its off Bulldog reliever Dal- After both teams sc< ion and later scored. in the seventh, USC h. idel tied the score in the Portun,ty to win m th. lUcl LicU vXX" uvUX c XXX tXXc vo runs off starter Jarred (2.for4i on would go 4 2-3 innings, al- the game) led off the in i runs on four hits. gle and then stole his1 1 bullpen went the other 5 year, allowing just one run on Poe walked with o picked off at first to kil nnis plays h( tion and third in the condy Gamecocks 8 2 in the all . -aM TKo rmlrio ploco nf ITofo. ..^1 X11V 1W1UU ViUOO UX XVUbU rina Markovski, Jennifer MARKOVSKI ' Radman, Tamara Sutton and Lynn-Yin Tan has been I called Carolina's "Fab Four." Markovski brings an 11-4 singles record and an 11-2 doubles record into today's match and is ranked 69th nationally. i The international business major from Vai- i jevo, Yugoslavia, was the 14- and 18-and-un- i der Yugoslavian National Champion. by Todd Money Sports Copy Editor Head Coach ~ H| jftgj Joyce Compton's A ^ ta^e ?n ^ennessee Six errors in the ga the Camels' cause, eith Sean Rayford Photo Editor Game 2 Saw USC g better start, scoring fi Furman defender in first, three of them une i,'Jh<;Ga COChS last Carolina got anoth SC Alumni Game. second, and that was al ^ Beers (8-1) would need SCHEDULE Baseball vs. Georgia, 7 today, at Athens, Ga. Softball vs. Tennessee < bleheader) 6 p.m. today s he Cita< Hp Wednesday against The Citadel. The Gamecock strong perfor- USC Head Coach Ray T 0 worked three breathed a sigh of relief after tl c strikeouts. "They are a good team, and tl sred single runs definitely a quality win for us,"r ad a golden op- said. e bottom of the He was also excited by the < erably larger-than-usual crowd e run scored in "It was a great atmosphere. T ning with a sin- pie were great, the weather was list base of the and it was a great night for colleg ball," he said, ne out but was Football coach Lou Holtz, m 1 the rally. partly responsible for the crowd fc DSt to No. 8 BMarkovski is playing as likely do battle with the among the top five all spring. olj. ni n ll rAN she needs seven wins to become the all-time career singles leader at Ole Miss. Another freshman, Canadian Radman, holds the No. 3 spot on the team. The native of Stoney Creek, Ontario, has been ranked as high as 69th in the ITA singles rankings and has a record of 9-4 in singles and 8-2 doubles. ill takes on Beers threw four innings, gi\ just four hits. It got no better for the Camel 1 Sam Russian came in for relief, left-handed freshman struck oui $ i batters while allowing two hits Tonnpsspp 191-1 fi 4-fil wnn t four against Florida over the end and was scheduled to pla> game against Chattanooga on W day night. As both days of the series v, / I ture doubleheaders between t ERS teams, starting pitching is sure ~ ~ a vital role. ) of Campbell For South Carolina' wh<>se s have mostly dominated their sit 31 of that dou- year' freshman 'ace.' Megan Mai ags, with sopho- enters the series tied for fourth itching five in- nation in with 19rab her seventh sP?rted a 1.41 ERA c into the Campbell series. *c< nomo She also leads the team in a V.O UllCIlOt V/CU1XV/ omplement the &nces, with 34, has 15 complete >C scoring three ^ 18 starts) to her credit and le; ig. nation in saves, with seven, me didn't help USC's staff has more weapor er. one, though. ;t off to an even McMillin (7-1,1.30 ERA) ha ve runs in the on strong of late and was allowi arned. ly a. 152 batting average to opp er score in the going into Wednesday. 11 starter Nikki And Beers (8-1,2.13 ERA) anc man Russian (1.03 ERA, 22 stri I FROM THE SIDELINES p.m. "Maybe lightning will strike on Friday and I'll ,, make the cut." (dou-Arnold Palmer, on his chances in the Masters Friday, April 9, 1999 iel, 5-4 \ |??| 5-, j^^ p4 P . m : ^ : %!>. ? r h JHH B^i k_ Sean Rayford Photo Editor (S beat the Bulldogs, 5-4. anner At his "Lou on the'Shoe" speech, Holtz tie win. pleaded for the students to go to the his was game. ranner Roberts leads the nation in stolen bases and is well on pace to shatter the consid- mark of 63 thefts he recorded a season ago at North Carolina, he peo- USC takes on Georgia in Athens, ! great, Ga., tonight to start a three-game se;e base- ries. Game time is 7 today. The Gamecocks return home ight be Wednesday for a matchup with Clemurnout. son. Mississippi The lanky Radman has been said to have the best serve on the team and uses her height to her advantage. Fresman Sutton has held down the No. 5 spot most of the year. The Miami, Fla., native is known as one of the hardest players on the team. The final of the four freshmen is also the shortest. At 5 feet 1 inch, Tan has played like a giant on the court so far in her first year. She has ' been a constant at the No. 6 singles position for USC this year. She has started every match this spring and has fluctuated between the No. 2 and 3 spots in doubles. The Malaysian native has an 11-1 record in singles and a 9-1 record in doubles. The match is set for 2 p.m. at Maxcy Gregg Tennis Stadium. Tennessee 01 inmnrro^ om mnm 4-V?on LLlg up 111 ArfJ- xxxxxxxxgo/ cue iiiui e uxxcxix tapauic of holding a team down, swhen Tennessee's Lady Vols counter with as the right-hander Sarah Ayres, who leads t seven the staff in nearly every pitching category. hree of rj^e senior has a 10-6 record with a W8late ' 1-82 ERA and three shutouts this year. rednes ^uni01" Jackie Beavers is no walk-over, either, with an 8-6 mark and a 2.06 dllfea- . he two Looking down Carolina s lineup, to play outfielder Kim Pietro continues to dominate the statistics sheets, tarters The senior leads the team in hitting ite this (.433), RBIs (32), slugging percentage tthews, (.675) and stolen bases (11). t in the For Tennessee, senior right fielder Lisa Warren was recently named SEC oming Player of the Week after going 11-for18 (.688) in the Florida series with 5 ippear- j^gjs 2 home runs. games Amanda Venable has been the a s ^ 0 biggest cog in the UT offense, with a is than 426 average and five home runs. Friday's doubleheader will begin at s come 6 P m-'wit^ Saturday's first pitch at 1 ing on- Pmonents A special ceremony will be held between Friday's games, as USC's 1 fresh- Beckham Field will be dedicated, to l<eouts David and Mitzi Beckham.