Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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^^a—aacaaflaM—sia—aM—aBHMBWBMfr ONLINE POLL THE GAMECOCK • Wednesday, June 1,2005 ^ Should USC increase football ticket T T^l “C “jT TIV THTl prices to pay for a new baseball I LJ V/V/ I_Ju I I \ I stadium? Let us know at | | J V V -L \ / \ j \ | www.dailygamecock.com. THlIfeAMECOCK CONTACT INFORMATION Offices on third floor of the Russell House. 1 Editor: gamecockeditor@gwm.sc.edu News: gamecocknews@gwm.sc.edu Viewpoints: gamecockopinions@gwm.sc.edu The Mix: gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu Sports: gamecocksports@gwm.sc.edu Public Affairs: gamecockPR@yahoo.com Online: www.dailygamecock.com Newsroom: 777-7726 Editor’s Office: 777-3914 STAFF EDITOR Steven Van Haren NEWS EDITOR Jon Turner VIEWPOINTS EDITOR Patrick Augustine THE MIX EDITOR Shana Till SPORTS EDITOR Alex Riley COPY EDITORS Laura-Joyce Gough Brindy McNair PAGE DESIGNERS Jessica Ann Nielsen Megan Sinclair Mary Pinckney Waters ONLINE EDITOR Ryan Simmons STUDENT MEDIA DIRECTOR Scott Lindenberg FACULTY ADVISER Erik Collins CREATIVE DIRECTOR Susan King BUSINESS MANAGER Carolyn Griffin ADVERTISING MANAGER Sarah Scarborough CLASSIFIED MANAGER Sherry F. Holmes PRODUCTION MANAGER Garen Cansler The Gamecock is the editorially independent student newspaper of the University of South Carolina. It is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the fall and spring semesters and nine times during the summer, with the exception of university holidays and exam periods. Opinions expressed in The Gamecock are those of the editors or author and not those of the University of South Carolina. The Board of Student Publications and Communications is the publisher of The Gamecock. The Department of Student Media is the newspaper's parent organization. The Gamecock is supported in part by student-activity fees. One free copy per reader. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 each from the Department of Student Media. GAMECOCK CORRECTIONS If you see an error in todays paper, we want to know. E-mail us at gamecockopinions@gwm.sc.edu. TO PLACE AN AD The Gamecock Advertising: 777-3888 1400 Greene St. Classified: 777-1184 Columbia. S.C. 29208 Fax: 777-6482 EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR Steven Van Haren Alex Riley NEWS EDITOR THE MIX EDITOR *Jon Turner Shana Till VIEWPOINTS EDITOR Patrick Augustine IN OUR OPINION Baseball could benefit from football proceeds Following the approval of a $14 million bond by the USC Board of Trustees a few weeks ago, the Athletics Department is poised to build a new baseball stadium, barring one problem. With a new facility estimated to cost $17.5 million, a source for the remaining $3.5 million earmarked for infrastructure improvements has yet to be found. Instead of badgering the City of Columbia for the remaining money — which would likely be raised through higher hospitality taxes — the university should get the money from inter nal sources, such as increased football ticket prices. Because an increase in ticket prices would not arrect students, there is little reason not to raise home ticket prices by about $5 as The State columnist Ron Morris has suggested. Football tick ets always sell out, and Gamecock fans will not object to paying more to see new coach Steve Spurrier. Another idea USC should consider now that McGee is gone is revisiting the proposal tp sell beer at USC football games, as is done at basketball games in the Carolina Center. Either way, a new baseball stadium is meaningless without student participation by way of attendance to support our Gamecocks at home games. Cwttf frail wtk fteRfcCE.aretfai? L.1I2 Uads to HfiH. TOteafe to SUFFERING... i tv_ . , SUFFER no wore, and J//C -sas^/, Take YODAUS" for ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION, r^i —. CARTOON COURTESY OF KRT CAMPUS Departing speaker deserves our thanks No one was surprised that South Carolina Speaker of the House David Wilkins was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be President Bushs new ambassador to Canada. After all, Wilkins had been instrumental in Bush’s 2000 primary victory against fellow Republican John PATRICK McCain that AUGUSTINE swung the Fourth-year momentum to a political science . r. student then-rlagging campaign in a contentious nomination race. Wilkins served as statewide chairman of Bushs electoral efforts in 2000 and 2004, and the close ties between South Carolina and the Bush presidency through USC graduate and White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card meant Wilkins was due his political reward. Until recently, the Speaker, of the House was the most powerful man in South Carolina politics, because of the way that our constitution reserved few powers for the governor. The university’s old athletic center is named after 1970s speaker Solomon Blatt, an indication of his lasting influence. South Carolina was fortunate that he made the decision not to step down after Bush’s first victory in 2000, as Wilkins was able to oversee the transition between Democratic governor Jim “Powerball” Hodges and Republican Mark “Slash-and burn” Sanford. During the former’s tenure in the State House, Wilkins was able to guide potentially explosive and contentious issues like the removal of the Confederate flag from the State House dome and the implementation of a statewide lottery through a House chamber that finds it hard to agree on anything. After the change of administrations and the shift back iu rvc^uuncdii uuuiiiidiicc in Columbia, Wilkins managed to rein in maverick Sanford and his well-intentioned but misguided efforts to reintroduce the fiscal discipline lost in previous years. Take for example the efforts of the House to override vetoes that Sanford had made of essential public services solely because they weren’t in line with his spending philosophy. Following the news last Thursday that he had been confirmed, Bush advisor Karl Rove called into Wilkins’ weekly radio show to congratulate him on the new post. Rove, and indeed the whole West Wng, has reason to celebrate their new loyal hire who will move to Canada following the end of South Carolina’s legislative year in a few days. South Carolina, though, should lower its flags in mourning for the loss of an eminent political talent who will surely be missed next year.