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Playoffs make me want to vomit ■ Random thoughts on Peyton, the Patriots and pretending to show skin Although I know far more about football than any normal human being ever should, 1 learn things every season. This season was no different, and because three or four people (which represent about half the people that actually read my column) have asked me about the NFL playoffs, I guess I’ll say a few things. First of all, let’s just go ahead and get this out of the way: The next person that tries to talk trash about the Patriots beating the Colts is going to get punched in the face. No hesitation, no warning, just a nice solid punch to the face. It’s just that simple. Male or female, black or white, young or old. I do not discriminate. With that said, I hate the Patriots. If their team bus took a wrong turn and drove into the Atlantic Ocean, I would have no problem with it. And before you ask, the answer is yes. Yes, I do still think Peyton Manning is far better than Tom Brady. And before you ask, yes, I know Tom Brady was the Super Bowl MVP twice. I don’t care. The only reason Tom Brady was the Super Bowl MVP was because Adam Vinatieri is a kicker, and if they gave the MVP trophy to a kicker Mike Ditka would puke on national television. If anything, they should have made 11 MVP trophies and given one to everybody on the Pan-infs’ defense. Tom Brady was just the right person in the right place at the right time. I’m sick of hearing people say Super Bowls are the only way to measure the quality of a quarterback. To those people I have only this to say: Dan Marino never won a Super Bowl, but a guy named Trent Dilfer did. Trent freakin’ Dilfer. I rest my case. Tom Brady isn’t the only thing about the Patriots that I cannot stand — Let’s not leave Corey Dillon out of this. The guy played in Cincinnati for seven years, didn’t like it, so he whined JAKE BROOM SECOND-YEAR POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDENT until he got traded to a team that was already a contender for the Super Bowl. Real men (read: Peyton Manning) stick with the team that wanted them and turn that team into a winner. With all this talk lately about players being role models, what kind of example does that set? Hey, kids, can’t get it done? Just whine until you get traded to a team that can! Randy Moss scores a touchdown running half speed on a badly sprained ankle, giving his team his all (rare, I know), and the only thing anybody wants to talk about is his end-zone celebration. Some people need to get their priorities right. Speaking of the Randy Moss situation, everybody is losing their mind because he pretended to moon the crowd at Green Bay. Let me just say that again, and this time I’ll emphasize a certain word. Try to pick it up. Everybody is losing their mind because he PRETENDED to moon the crowd at Green Bay. Did you catch it that time? The guy got fined $10,000 for that. Where is the outrage over Todd Pinkston pretending to be an NFL wide receiver? Where is the outrage over Shannon Sharpe pretending to know what he is talking about? If WINSLOW TOWNSEND/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS New England Patriots inside linebacker Teddy Bruschi sacks Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning on Sunday night. anything, fine them. They are the ones being offensive to viewers. In a perfect world, I would be able to fine whomever I saw fit. For instance, every time I heard Michael Irvin try to argue that Terrell Owens should have been the league MVP, it’s an automatic $20,000 fine. Every time I see Donovan McNabb’s mom on those stupid Campbell’s Soup commercials — $20,000 fine. Any time I hear some idiot from Small Town, S.C., that has hopped on the Patriots’ bandwagon saying things like, “This could be a dynasty,” while wearing his newly purchased Boston Red Sox hat (speaking of bandwagons ...) — $20,000. And a punch to the face. Baseball team producing future pros ■ Second in a three-part series By BRIAN SAAL THE GAMECOCK Bryan Triplett was the last of the 2004 class to turn pro. “Trip” was drafted in the 12th round by the Houston Astros. He hit .279 with the Greenville Astros, champions of the Appalachian League. As long as the 2004 draft class continues its success, these former Gamecocks can still call themselves professional baseball players. Steve Pearce and Brendan Winn turned down minor-league contracts last season to return for their final season at Carolina. Pearce declined a lOth-round offer by the World Series champion Boston Red Sox and then went 21-for-30 in the College World Series. Look for him to defend his triple crown for leading the team in batting average, home runs and runs batted in. Pearce leads the club with a .340 average, belting 20 home runs and RBI. After catching scouts’ eyes in Omaha, Pearce could be a top-round draft pick next year. Winn refused a 31st round offer by the same Boston Red Sox. Winn’s numbers were not far behind Pearce’s. Winn hit .310 with 19 homers and 69 RBI. Winn could have been a higher draft pick, but needs to work with Ray Tanner in cutting down his strikeouts. Winn did have a .409 OBP but leads the club with 83 strikeouts after drawing only 33 walks. Should Winn learn patience at the plate he could be a top-five round pick. 2003 was another stellar year for the Gamecocks. After finishing 19-11 the Gamecocks made yet another visit to Omaha finishing in the top eight. On June 3, 2003, seven Carolina players were drafted by major league teams. The first Gamecock picked that season was Brian Buscher, partly because of his .393 batting average his last year in Columbia. The San Francisco Giants drafted the third basemen in the third round. Last year Buscher started for the San Jose Giants in the California League. The 23-year-old hit .292 with four homers and 56 RBI which culminated with making the playoffs. Buscher, however, struck out nearly twice as much as he walked. Buscher could make the Norwich AA team if he continues to improve. The Florida Marlins took ace lefty David Marchbanks in the seventh round. The southpaw reported to two A-level ball clubs where he tossed a 2.12 and 1.23 ERA at his respective stops. He even got called up to the AA Carolina Mudcats after losing another lefty, Dontrelle Willis. Marchbanks tossed a complete game, giving up three runs. Unfortunately, Marchbanks experienced control problems, which resulted in dropping him to rookie league ball. The Mauldin native went home to find his lost talent. Marchbanks did impress his peers by having six scoreless appearances and throwing back in the 90s. Next went another lefty, Steven Bondurant in the 15th round by Oakland. He had a breakout season for the Kane County Cougars of the Midwest league. Bondurant went 14-5 with a 2.08 ERA carrying his team to the finals. The southpaw now has his eyes set on striking out AA talent for the Midland Rockhounds. Justin Harris was taken in the 16th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He split time at Williamsport and Hickory but had to settle for mediocrity. The former .355 hitter in college saw his numbers drop to the .250 range. No Carolina player in the draft suffered as large a turnaround as that of 19th-round pick Jon Coutlangus. Coutlangus hit .301 in 2003 with Salem-Kaizer of the Northwest league. He then struggled his next season and is making the transformation into pitching at rookie level in Arizona. Justin Harris did have a familiar face around him throughout the season in RHP Chris Hernandez. In 43 games, Hernandez obtained a 1.97 ERA going 1-2 with 24 saves as the closer for the South Atlantic league champions. Don’t miss part three of this series in Friday’s issue of The Gamecock. Comments on this story ? E-mail gamecocksports@gwm.sc. edu ■ LEINART Continued from page 11 why the entire sporting world was waiting in and watching the video feed from a packed room in Los Angeles. The star, the leader, the quarterback would make a decision that seemed everyone had invested in. It was Matt Leinart making the move, but the joy or pain or bewilderment would come from outside. “The most important thing I learned about this week is to do what’s best for myself and my family,” Leinart said. “To gather information, but to ultimate do what’s going to make me happy.” No one yet knew what he meant. The next 11 words would end the Freudian analysis and prove his true intentions. “I have announced that I will be coming back next year.” The room then erupted into a mixture of vibrant cheers and applause. An elated Pete Carroll then put his arm around his starting quarterback for 2005. It was an almost surreal realization, like, “He can’t really be passing up all that money. Can he?” Here was the single best recruiting pitch ever assembled for Trojan football, a young man passing up millions to play with his friends for the love of the game. A young man passing up the next level to compete if only for history’s sake. Too often in sports, the daily chatter is one of disgust and selfishness. Of Randy Moss and his mooning. Of Kobe Bryant and his exiling of the championship Lakers pieces. Of criminal transgressions and unparalleled greed. Lofa Tatupu reminded us that there is a glory in seeking a dream and a challenge, and in the process assisting his family financially. Tom Malone reminded us that there are bonds of friendship that supercedes so much of the nonsense that exists beyond those walls. Matt Leinart reminded us that the game can be played for the sake of just because. That, and a stipend check in the mail. “Come on, $950 a month,” Leinart beamed. “We’ve got a training table, we’ve got food.” And that’s enough for now. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocksports@gwm.sc. edu fliTOnco imirtu AND FIRST YEAR SOPHOMORES If you earned a 3.5 GPA last semester, you are eligible for membership in Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society. If you meet the reqired GPA, but haven't received an invitation to join, bring $30 cash or check (which will grant lifetime membership) to our office in 345 Russell House (Office of Orientation & Testing) before: February 4, 2005 The USC Chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta consistently wins top honors, including most outstanding chapter, and our most active members earn graduate and undergraduate scholarships. Alpha Lambda Delta inducts between 400 and 600 new „ freshmen each year representing USC's largest honorary. CASH FOR YOUR NOTES - Visit LeConte 117 for more info. or call 777-6142 Office of Student Disability Services - n univprxifv snnnsnrpd sprvirp - Interested in taking The Gamecock Challenge? If you can beat the editors, you’ll win a free Gamecock T-shirt. Send your picks to gamecocksports@gwm.sc.edu by 2 p.m. Thursday. We’ll select ONE person’s picks, at random, to be our Reader of the Week. This week’s games: Tennessee at 14 Louisville 3 Wake Forest at 20 Cincinnati Clemson at Virginia Davidson at Furman UNC Greensboro at Citadel USC at 17 Mississippi State LSU at 8 Kentucky Auburn at Arkansas 22 Alabama at Ole Miss Vanderbilt at Georgia ♦ FOR TIE-BREAKING PURPOSES, PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR SCORE FOR THE USC MISSISSIPPI STATE GAME. AND DON’T FORGET YOUR NAME! LEARN ONE OF 21 LANGUAGES ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ As a Soldier at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, you’ll learn one of 21 languages. And you don’t need to speak a foreign language to qualify. . » Call Sgt. 1st Class Kelly Greene at 777-4812 about college loan repayment and more Army benefits. And see how you can become AN ARMY OF ONE. > > Or talk to a Recruiter at the Lagare College, 902 Sumter Street in Columbia. Monday through Saturday 8:00 a.m. through 7=00 p.m. , or call toll free 877-264-3876 goa/my.cotn 02001. Paid for by the U S. Army Ail rights reserved. AN ARMY OF ONE