Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Vol. 93, No. 23 October 1, 1999_“___ ng the Carolina Community since 1 QOS ^ WWW.GAMECOCK.SC.EDU UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA COLUMBIA. S.C. Chicken Curse Cure? Alumnus nronoses mascot chanae by John Bailey Staii Writer An advertisement placed in The Gum cock by a USC graduate is calling for a chanj in the university mascot. Alumnus Ken Scarlett, from the class 1976 and now the company president of Sea lelt and Associates, has placed an ad in Ti Gamecock advocating the change of the ur versity mascot from the gamecock to a jagu. “As we enter the new millennium, a r turn to the original mascot may provide a mo positive image for the university,” Scarlett sai Scarlett said a mascot is a very imporla piece of a school’s identity. According to Scarlett, the jiguar is a prou dignified animal. The jaguar, which is tl strongest and most powerful member of (I American cal family, was USC’s mascot fro 1892to 1902. According to Scarlett, jaguars frequented the Congaree swamp just before the 1900s, which is why the school adopted them ;is the :e mascot. Because gamecocks are bred primarily to light in giimbling events, Sciirlett questioned r' the integrity of the mascot, comparing old ,e fashioned cockfights to the modern-day de *' bale of video poker. T- Scarlett s:tid a mascot is crucial because it’s something people strongly identify with 'e and cling to during “a moment of truth.” d- Scarlett placed the ad hoping to create in it terest among students. He wants students to become actjve in the d, effort and petition the university to return to ie its original mascot. le He said a change like this would have to ii come from the student level. I Along with improving USC’simage, Scar lett believes llte change would break the dread ed “chicken curse,” which he says plagues uni versity athletics. Some Gamecock Ians believe USC ath letics suffer Iron) a curse that keeps the Game cock teams front being successful. According to university folklore, the curse began when former S.C. Gov. Ben Tillman was rejected for a position at USC. Tillman, who eventually became the pres ident of Clemson University, allegedly cursed USC to an existence of athletic mediocrity. “The chicken curse, whether real or imag ined, seems apparent. A lot of people are su perstitious about it. Changing llie mascot seems the best way to get rid of it,” Scarlett said. Assistant Athletics Director Kerry Tharp wasn't aware of any effort to replace the game cock as the school mascot. Tharp didn’t greet the idea with enthusiasm. “The gamecock has been our mascot J'or nearly 100 years, and it is what we will con tinue to be known as for long to come,” Tluirp said. According to Tharp, the gamecock hits a proud heriuige in South Carolina, stemming back to the Revolution-try War. USC is unique because it’s the only Di vision I-A school with the gamecock as its mas cot. “The gamecock is known for its spirit, courage and ability to light to the end,” Tharp said. Business management junior Greg Evans said that he liked the gamecock as USC’s mas cot and that it seemed to fit the school. “I couldn’t see us as being anything else,” Evans said. Brad Walters Graphics Editor Female student robbed at gunpoint by Clayton Kale Associate News Editor A USC student was held up at gun point Wednesday night on the 700 block of Bull Street. The suspect is still at huge. Tlie victim, whose name is being with held because police haven't made an ar rest, told police a 300-pound dark-skinned black male about 5-feel-9 inches tall with little or no hair pointed a black semi au tomatic handgun at her and dem;inded her purse, according to USC spokesman Ja son Snyder. The victim wasn't injured, but her purse was taken. The USC police incident report says the estimated value of the stolen purse is $120. “As of 5 p.m.[Thursday], there are no suspects,’’ Director of Law Enforcement and Safety Ernie Ellis said. “USC police are tracing leads,” Sny der said. Wednesday's incident is the second robbery in the same area in recent months, although Snyder said it’s unlikely that the two events are related. The first robbery occurred in the Bull Street garage. No weapon was used in the attack. The robbery was classified as a "strong-arm robbery,” Ellis stud. The Division of Law Enforcement and Safely has made a llier with solely lips for students. “The most important protection you can have against violent crime is know ing how to avoid it and how to maximize your personal safety in the event of a crime,” the llier reads. The llier lists several points of sole ly advice for students: • Never approach a vehicle to answer questions • If followed, change directions or cross the street. • Familiarize yourself with call box locations. • Walk quickly with confidence and purpose. • Walk in groups • Use the Alpha Phi Omega Escort Service. APO's number is 777-DUCK (3825). • Gel a USC police ollicer to escort you. USC police escorts can be reached at 777-4215. Crime see page 2 Some assembly required to bring the fair together. -'• ••• -- - . ■ ■■ .i-aBi . , v-V ..A, • .. --TIT I' i Sean Rayford photo editor Jim Shown works to errect the Mega Loop ride at the South Carolina State Fair Grounds. Shown said he Is part of the “Mega Loop crew,” the team that errects the ride at every stop the fair makes. Shades of Grey help flood victims by Charles Prashaw Stati Writir Alpha Chi Omega, the hand Shades of Grey and Sharky’s of Five Points came together Wednesday night to help the vic tims of Hurricane Floyd. Shades of Grey, whose live members are USC gr.iduates, played a two-hour ben efit concert at Sharky’s. The cover chaige to the show was a donation of either two cans of food or $2, all of which were to help the Harvest Hope Food Bank in Columbia deal with the ex tra demand placed on it by Hurricane Floyd over the past two weeks. The band's manager, V.J. Coslanzo, said the band was really good friends with Sliarky s manager Eric Peake and with the sorority Alpha Chi Omega, which helped with organization and publicity of the con cert. ‘ Most big bands don t want to play for free, and most Five Points places don’t do a lot to help out,” Peake said. “We need to do more to help those who are hurting worse than us. I know there are a lot of college kids that don’t have houses back home.” Alpha Chi Omega sisters showed up in huge numbers at the show. "They thought about doing a charity event about the hurricane, and the band gave us a perfect opportunity to do that,” Alpha Chi Omega senior Ali Livingston said. The concert helped raise $678 and 417 pounds of food, according to Dawn While, die director of markeung and pub lic relations for Harvest Hope. "Sharky’s and the band aren't gelling any of the money from the concert, which is a pretty rare thing, to have them so will ing to help lor Iree, White said. The band had positive feelings about helping Harvest Hope with the concert. Bassist Lew Boyce said he felt particu larly motivated alter watching the hurri cane news coverage. “After seeing the effects of the hur ricane and flooding, we just had to help,” Boyce said. Harvest Hope lias supplied a large por tion of the Federal Emergency Manage ment Agency relief for hurricane victims in South Carolina. The Columbia branch has shipped food to Red Cross shel ters in Brunswick (N.C.), Charleston, Georgetown, Horry and counties before and after Hurricane Floyd. More than 1,700 homes have been evacuated over the past week as residents along Horry County's Waccamaw River Benefit see page 3 USC hosts poker forum by Patrick RaYhbun SllNIOK WRITER Representatives from each side of die video poker issue debated in an open forum Thursday night in the Golden Spur in the Rusell House. The debate was sponsored by the Carolina Chaplains Association ;uid in cluded debaters from llie Vote Yes Com mittee, lire S.C. Chrisliiur Action Coun cil and the South Carolina Center for Gambling Studies. The Vole Yes Committee is an or ganization with individuals from the video poker industry dedicated to get ting an allirmaiive vote for video pok er in the Nov. 2 referendum. The S.C. Christian Action Council is a stale-wide religious organization made up of 16 Christian denominations, and cam paigning for a no vole on the referen dum. The S.C. Center for Gambling Studies is a small Columbia organiza tion that researches and surveys video poker lounges in the stale. Michael Gunn spoke for the Vole Yes Committee. The Rev. Wayne Bryan represented die Christian Action Coun cil. Dr. Frank Quinn, an addiction psy chologist, was the representative from and di rector of tire S.C. Center for Gam bling Studies. Quinn presented various statistics Sean Rayeord Photo Editor An anti-video poker billboard on Rosewood Drive Illustrates the height of debate this topic has reached In South Carolina. during his lime al the podium. Present ly, 35,000 lo 36,000 video poker ma chines are licensed in South Carolina, according to him. “Tliere is one [video poker] machine for every square mile,” he said. “Or one for every 100 people.” Quinn said there are “more gam bling opportunities” here in South Gir olina than in the stale of Nevada. South Carolina has 7,600 licensed gambling locations, or three limes that of Neva da, he said. In his research, Quinn conducted interviews in all 46 slate counties with 600 video poker players. In his findings. Video Poker seepages Sean Raytoro photo editor Nell Tankersly, of Shades of Grey, sings backup at Shark/s. The band held a benefit show Wednesday for Floyd flood victims. Weather Today 75 44 Saturday 78 45 Inside Preview of Gamecocks vs. Rebels. Page 10 Datebook Saturday • F(X)iboll vs. Miss., 7 p.m., Williums-Brice Stadium • Round Table Gaming Society, 12 to 11:45 p.m., RH Sunday • Gamecock news meet ing, 4 p.m., RH 333 • Gamecock photo meet ing, 5 p.m.. RH 333 • Volleyball intramuruls begin Online Poll Are you going to vote on the upcoming video pok v er referendum? Go lo www.gamccock.sc.edu to vole in this week's poll.