The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, June 15, 2005, Page 10, Image 10
KATIE KIRKLAND/THE GAMECOCK
USC shortstop Steven Tolleson was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the fifth round of the Major
League Baseball Draft. Tolleson, a junior, is expected to return to USC for his senior season.
■ PRAFT
Continued from page 9
Campbell was expect to be taken
in the top 200 players but failed
to have his name called.
Campbell’s outfield teammate
Brendan Winn was also left out
of the draft. Winn, who had his
named called in 2000, 2002 and
2004, failed to be drafted after
his senior season. Winn battled
back problems all season but still
managed double-digit home
runs.
The two Gamecock recruits
drafted were Stratford High
School first baseman Justin
Smoak and pitcher Kenny
«
Maiques from Rio Hondo
Community College. Smoak,
expected to be a starter at first
base next season, went in the 16th
round to the Oakland As.
Maiques was a 37th round pick
for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecocksports@gwm.sc. edu
Sign up Online for a chance to
win a fr^e $1,0Q0 scholarship
www.scstudentloan.o' SIMAIIOW. ..
800-347-2752 _ Sbbbbs
■ TANNER
Continued from page 9
$500,000 and use of a vehicle.
Tanners nine-year stint in
Columbia has been one of
unprecedented success. USC has
been to seven regional
appearances under Tanners
leadership, six of which were
consecutive. The Gamecocks
have also advanced to five Super
Regionals and to the College
World Series three of.the past
four seasons. Along with success
in the NCAA field, USC has
captured two SEC titles (2000,
2002), four SEC East titles
(1999, 2000, 2002, 2003) and
an SEC Tournament title (2004)
under Tanners guidance.
Tanner withdrew his name
Monday from consideration for
the job at Texas A&M but was
allowed to speak with Oklahoma
on their coaching vacancy.
“It is a tremendous
compliment to our program
that another school would be
interested,” Tanner said. “I am
excited about our incoming
recruiting class, the new
baseball stadium on the horizon
and the future of Carolina
baseball.”
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecocksports@gwm.sc.edu
Random thoughts
from an uber-fan
As the sports
season draws to
a close, it
dawned on me
1 said to myself,
“What the heck
are you gonna
write about for ALEX R,LEY
the next two First.yearprint
months?” Then journalism
it occurred to studmt
me: You have
nothing to write about.
Rather than go deep and try to
find something of substance, I
decided to just write about what’s
on my mind.
Well, here goes nothing.
Literally.
♦ Ray Tanner is my hero. The
man gets one big ol’ pay-raise
after another, and he actually
deserves it.
♦ All this hype around Steve
Spurrier is a joke. Lou Holtz was
the supposed “messiah” of
Gamecock football and look how
well he did. And if Spurrier can’t
do it, someone else will. Trust me.
♦ Davy Gregg is an idiot.
With his skin-and-bones frame
he stands about as big a chance of
making it in the major leagues as
Britney Spears does of winning
an Oscar. One career homer?
Gimme a break, scrawny boy.
♦ Ko Simpson is the man.
♦ So is Carlos Powell.
♦ Aaron Rawl is a warrior. It’s
a joke he didn’t go higher in the
draft. Aaron, the Phillies may
have just made the smartest draft
pick in franchise history.
♦ Its official. I still hate
Clemson. And Florida. And
Tennessee. And Georgia.
♦ The brawl at Clemson was
awesome. I have no shame in
saying that. Just remember, when
the Tiger fans say they won the
game, tell 'em we won the war.
♦ Stealing “linens” has to rank
up there with having a ferret for a
pet as an all-time bad idea. Way
to go, Moe!
♦ Yes, I ran on the court at
Kentucky. Yes, I was on press row
for that game. Yes, I think the
little yellow rope is a bad idea.
♦ I also ran onto the field for
the New Mexico State, Georgia
and Alabama football games.
Those are just some of the
numerous random thoughts on
USC athletics running through
my otherwise spacious skull.
Just think, it could have been
worse — I could have had
something to talk about.
Comments on this story ? E-mail
gamecocksports@gwm.sc. edu