University of South Carolina Libraries
BROom • conTinuED FRom 12 But even with all that good stuff surrounding Bettis and the Steelers, what really caught my attention was when the Steelers team made their way off the plane at the airport in Detroit. More than 20 t players came down the steps donned in green jerseys with the No. 6 on them. They were throwback jerseys from Bettis’ days as a running back at Notre Dame. To say that I was stunned might be the understatement of the year. Fans had on shirts with “The Bus’, last stop — Super Bowl XL” printed on them. No. 36 Steeler jerseys filled the city streets. But it was that showing from Bettis’ teammates that really stunned me. All week, the players from Pittsburgh have talked about nothing but winning this game for their legendary running back. While other teams have focused on winning the game, the Steelers have focused on a victory for their spiritual leader. Some teams want to win for the fans, the franchise, or to cap a stunning season. Sure the Steelers want to do that, too, but they don’t say a word about it. It’s all about The Bus and that’s pretty special. Media hounded his booth at media day. Countless interviews have been done with him. And still The Bus just smiled and said that it would be nice to win one before he retires, but if it’s not meant to be then it’s not meant to be. Guys like Hines Ward and Willie Parker were all smiles as they talked about the possibility of sending Bettis out on a high note. They all want to make The Bus’ last ride one to remember. Super Bowl XL or the Jerome Bettis Show. Either way, lets hope the last ride on The Bus is one to remember. Sports •> Briefs Track and field teams put 39 on President's, | Dean's lists iThe men’s and women’s track and field squads posted high GPA’s across j the board, as the men’s team had 23 athletes and the women had 39 athletes with 3.0 GPA’s or better. IThe women’s track and field team averaged a 3.2 GPA last fall, while the {men’s team averaged a 3.15 GPA. ThrCe women, _ 1 Monica King, Laura Regenburg, and Karen Wigal, each made the I I President’s List, while five men, Alan Houck, Curt McGill, DanielMcKenzie, Jason Richardson, and EWBe»ey!Wfwia?«^«aig5988iSj8ae3w^as8^anaT!irjwrawwira?iinanc!inMMMWniiproiaiaagaMMa»g» * I Daniel Williams, made the j President’s List. Another 31 athletes ! made the Dean’s List. “We had an excellent s fall. I am so proud of them j all,” Coach Curtis Frye ; said. “That teams set the bar high academically in the fall and we expect no less of them in the spring. ” , Baseball picked to finish second in SEC East The USC baseball team has been picked to finish second in the SEC East by the SEC Preseason Coaches poll. The Gamecocks were given one first place vote and finished behind the overall SEC favorite Florida. The Gamecocks finished third in the East ^ last season behind Florida and Tennessee. Mississippi State was picked to win the SEC Western division. Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis laughs with reporters at Super Bowl Media Day in Detroit. IMOWGLL • COmtnUED fRom 12 who really know me see a different side of me, but most people just know the relaxed guy.” McDowell dreams of running a basketball-based youth camp, and would also like to do motivational speaking. “My great grandparents own a youth camp back in Indiana,” McDowell said. “It’s a Christian-based camp where they take inner-city youths out into the country. So I want to incorporate some of the same ideas, but just put basketball in there.” When asked about his personal goals for the last two years of his college career, McDowell emphasized the team aspect. “I have some individual goals, but I’d like to really just focus on the team, and really just keep that first,” McDowell said. “I have some goals of my own, but keep the team first and I’ll work on improving myself after those.” Gamecock fans will be seeing more of McDowell in the next two seasons. The sophomore guard credits his shooting and defense as the greatest attribute of his game. “My ability to knock the shot down. I think that’s gonna be something that can really help this team. That’s my biggest strength. That and my defense.” McDowell looks forward to helping the team win championships, and he values the time he has spent with USC basketball thus far. “The thing that means the most to me are the relationships I build between myself and the coaches, and myself and the teammates,” McDowell said. “That really means a lot to me.” Growing up in Indiana, McDowell idolized Michael Jordan. His father is an avid Indiana Pacers fan, so the Pacers-Bulls rivalry was an opportunity for McDowell and his father to give each other a hard time. McDowell spent his childhood in Indiana before finishing his high school career at Cedar Grove in Georgia. The day McDowell graduated ranks as one of his most memorable events. “Just to see my family come from Indiana,” McDowell said. “I had my grandparents. I had people there, family from Indiana come all the way down there just to support me. That meant a lot to me.” McDowell looks forward to reliving that experience in May 2008 when he will walk across the stage to get his diploma from USC. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocksports@gwm. sc. edu RECRUIT • COITTinUED FROIT112 “I’m going to bring them ’ something they haven’t seen before at defensive tackle,” he said. “They’re going to have a predator on the defensive line now.” USC has six four-star commitments according to rivals.com, including Ellis; offensive lineman Garrett Anderson from Irmo; quarterback Chris Smelley from Tuscaloosa, Ala.; offensive lineman Kevin Young from Clearwater, Fla.; offensive lineman Hutch Eckerson from Lumberton, N.C.; and offensive lineman Clarence Bailey from Trenton, N.J. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocksports@gurm.sc. edu If you can beat the editors, you'll win a free The 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. For tie-breaking purposes, please include your score for the Arkansas game. And don’t forget yoi" name! ■ ■■■■■■■.. For the first time in our 94 year history, Lourie’s is putting EVERYTHING on sale! Don’t miss this once-in-a-century opportunity. From underwear to outerwear to everything in between, Lourie’s has marked down every great item and every famous brand. FREE VALET PARKING WEDTHU-FRI Just pull up to Lourie’s side entrance on Taylor Street. Our professional valet attendents will park and return your car at no charge! Suits as low as $179" Sportcoats as low as $149" Dress slacks as low as $59" Dress shirts as low as $29" Ties as low as $9" PLUS SPORTSWEAR, CASUALWEAR, UNDERWEAR, OUTERWEAR AND ACCESSORIES, ALL UP TO 70% OFF! Special Hours: WED-THU-FRI, 9-7, SAT 9 - 6 • All Sales Final • No Refunds Small Charge for Alterations • Some Shoes Excluded « L~ ;—.* 1 *•.•. _ It is hardly a surprise to anyone closely related to the state of South Carolina that our public educational institutions are in the lower quartile of our nation. As a member of a transient family, I have had the opportunity to experience the school systems in various states such as; Virginia, North Carolina,California, and also including South Carolina. I moved to Greenville, South Carolina during the summer before my freshmen year of high-school and enrolled in one of the most academically prestigious high-schools in the state, Riverside High-School. I feel, as many South Carolina residents do, that I was not disadvantaged by the public school system of our state. Unfortunately, this is not the case for everyone. A well publicized documentary entitled, "The Corridor of Shame," highlighted a certain area of South Carolina that most directly feels the impacts of inadequate funding that result in a lack of educational resources. The city of Dillon resides inside of that corridor. In response to the public embarrassment that our state suffered with this nationally publi cized documentary, the University of South Carolina has set up a community outreach program that will attempt to alleviate some of the problems that this city's students face on a daily basis. On February 11 a group of fifty USC students will travel to Dillon to enhance the public facilities of their public school students. As a fraternal group, fraternity council is proud to be sending a good number of Greek-Men to help with this project. Participation including fifteen Alpha Tau Omega's and three Sigma Alpha Epsilon's, along with other repre sentatives from the Greek Community, make up a representative number of fraternity men that are concerned and willing to help with this project. While this particular outreach project is full, the continued concerns for issues such as these are in the forefront of the Greek Community's thought process. Anyone who has new ideas on expanding the participation of USC students in activities such as these is more than welcome to send me an e-mail, and I promise that the Greek's at Carolina will pursue, with your aid, any endeavor that you wish to take on. James T. Laura Jr. wmsmam