The Daily Gamecock 11/24/09

dailygamecock.com TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

VOL. 103, NO. 61

Economy hits Thanksgiving celebrations

Tuesday 65°

48°

Wednesday 62°

● SINCE 1908

45°

Businesses offer holiday promotions to ease strain

Thursday 67°

40°

Jenny Bilinkas

THE DAILY GAMECOCK

BLITZ

Clemson Blitz Check out everything you need to know before the Gamecocks take on our biggest rival at home over the holiday weekend.

See page 1B

Jeremy Aaron / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

A tiger goes up in flames Monday night as hundreds of Gamecock fans prepare for the Clemson game Saturday.

Flames destroy mechanical tiger Hundreds of first-time, returning fans gather to show Carolina spirit prior to Clemson game Saturday Chelsey Seidel

THE DAILY GAMECOCK

The Mix Tape What are we obsessed with this week? Thanksgiving, obviously. From Charlie Brown to the Macy’s Day Parade, tune in to The Mix to see what holiday favorites you shouldn’t miss out on.

See page 5A

Neighborhood Watch Our favorite uniquely American holiday, Thanksgiving proves to be a special celebration. Richard

Wood

See page 4A

Mixx Mi

Fourth-year print journalism student

S

ix-year-old Zackary Gray, dressed from head to toe in a Cocky costume, came out to the Tiger Burn ready to cheer on his Gamecocks.

It was his fi rst time at the event.

“My dad made t h is cost u me for me. Me and him were Little and Big Cock y for Halloween,” Zackary, from Orangeburg, said a s he p o sed for t he c a mer a s.

He smiled widely as the emcee called him on stage to join in the countdown to burn the Clemson tiger.

The 22-foot-tall tiger, with a bright purple bowtie and moving jaw, was built by eight students f rom t he A merica n Societ y of Me c h a n ic a l E n g i ne er s u nder the direction of Professor Abdel Bayoumi.

“It was a lot of ha rd work ,” sa id Scot t Let t r ich , a fou r t hye a r me c h a n ic a l eng i neer i ng student who was in charge of the construction. “I’m glad to see so many people out here to help carry on this tradition.”

T he t r ad it ion is more t h a n 100 years old. According to USC

(803) (803 (8 03)) 77 777777-3914 777 7 3914 (803) 777-7726 (803) 777-7182 (803)) 576-6172 (8

archives, it started in 1902 when USC upset Clemson.

There were some returning fans to the Tiger Burn as well as some new ones. Chris Elliott , a fourthyear economics student, came out for his fi rst Tiger Burn.

“It look s pret t y f u n so far,” Elliott said. “I figured I might as well try it out once since it’s my last year.”

C a nd ler Pa ig e , a f i r s t-y e a r biolog y st udent , had never ex perienced a ny t h ing like t he Tiger Burn before. “ I h a d ne v e r e v e n b e e n t o a football game until I came to Carolina,” Paige said. “Carolina school spirit intimidates me.”

Others, like Mark Thomas , a second-year mathematics student, attended the Tiger Burn before but ca me back to enjoy t he tradition.

“I still think it’s a good way to get everyone pumped up for the Clemson game,” Thomas said.

Comments on this story?

E-mail sagcknew@mailbox.sc.edu

Sierra Sie erra Kelly

THE E DAILY GAM GAMECOCK ME

www.DailyGamecock.com

THANKS● 2

Joe Federl Fourtth-yye prepares for career Fourth-year by opening oppeen his own business

Online @

Jeremy Aaron/ THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Top: Zackary Gray, 6, poses with Cocky.

Bottom: The crowd anxiously awaits the tiger to go up in flames Monday night.

The economy’s continued struggle will affect millions of families across the country this Thanksgiving, taking a bite out of dinner and shopping plans.

Ally Dorsey, a second-year public relat ions major, said her family traditionally hosts Thanksgiving dinner at their home and opens it to extended family. Normally her mother takes care of all the preparation of dinner.

This year, it will be done a little differently.

“Since buying enough food for all of my family is getting extremely expensive, this year ever y family agreed to help make certain dishes to bring for dinner,” Dorsey said. “It really seems like the most reasonable thing to do.”

Nationwide, food banks are reporting more need than ever before. Some families are even thinking about doing a very untraditional Thanksgiving celebrat ion, such as simply going out to breakfast instead of having the extravagant dinner.

Some retailers have noticed the economic struggles and are trying to make the holiday more affordable.

Wal-mart is responding this year to the large percentage of families in America struggling to put a meal on the table this T ha n k sg iv i ng by c reat i ng a new plan called Operation Main Street. “ We a n t i c i p a t e s a v i n g c ustomers $20 0 m il l ion through the program, which discounts some of the most popular store items,” Wal-Mart spokeswoman Melissa O’Brien said.

The compa ny has been promoting its $35 complete Thanksgiving dinner for eight, including a turkey and all the necessary ingredients.

The day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, typically brings millions of Americans lining up early i n t he mor n i ng for discounts. If you will be st ay i ng i n C olu mbia over Thank sgiv ing break, many storeow ners in Five Points are look ing to capitalize on

Joe Jo oe Federl,, a fourth-year entrepreneurship and glo gl obal suppl plies chain operations management global supplies ha taken tta student , has his education into the real staarting g his own car detailing business. world, starting Fede derl, fro om Boston, has participated in Federl, from t he h Busi ness nes Cou ncil, Fi na nce Club a nd Entrepreneurship Entrepreneursh Club. But he’s spent a lot of time working and traveling the world.

His first business was up North, his friend Travis Killian, a third-year statistics student , said.

“He was successful with his business up north,” Killian said. “He was in that business for like a year. Since we’ve been roommates, we have been working really hard to establish in Columbia.

He’s done quite well, as he’s on the first page of Google for car detailing in Columbia, South Carolina.”

With his work, he takes care to make sure everything is right for his customers, Killian said.

“He keeps a really accurate record off all of expenses and does his own accounting work,” he said. “He’s very ethical in all of the procedures that he takes for his business. He’s learned a lot of the ins and outs of what it takes to have a successful business.”

One of Federl’s main passions is traveling abroad, he said. He hopes to use his education and experiences overseas to succeed in the global economic marketplace.

“As a kid, I’ve traveled. I’ve been to Jamaica, Costa Rica, Mexico, Spain a couple of times, France, Switzerland, Morocco, Africa,” Federl said. “There is one program, for about a month you go to Nicaragua or Ecuador and you mentor and teach a group of kids. I want to be able to help the economy. I’ve been to a lot of poor countries. I remember when I was in Morocco there were kids fighting over one piece of gum.

That is the kind of poverty they live in. I want to help them get out of that situation.”

Federl said he has been successful in his studies, as he has a 3.7 GPA. “Eventually what I want to do is become a strategic consultant and work for a consultant company. It is really important to know how to run a business and see how capitalism works,”

Photo Courtesy of Joe Federl

Joe Federl poses with a car at his detailing shop.

Federl said. “Back at home in Boston I employed five people, and it really gave me a sense of leadership. It gives you a good view at ethics. I’ve had ethical situations that I had to deal with.”

And he thinks he has the experience to do it.

“My major basically tracks progress all the way from the time (a product is) made to the time it meets the consumer,” Federl said. “What you’re doing is you’re analyzing complete flow of material, and you understand how business is run. It encompasses everything and definitely interests me because I ... believe that can be translated to any field.”

Comments on this story?

E-mail sagcknew@mailbox.sc.edu

TWO

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009

HOLIDAY EVENTS The University of South Carolina invites the public to celebrate t he holidays t h rough it s a n nu a l t ree light ing, choral concert, donation drive and holiday card exhibit.

What: Tree lighting When: Wednesday, Dec. 2, 6 p.m., Where: Horseshoe What: Concert choir When: Friday, Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 6, 6 p.m.

Where: First Presbyterian Church and Shandon United Methodist Church What: Colla Voce:

Community chamber ensemble When: Tuesday, Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m.

Where: St. Peter’s Catholic Church What: ‘Christmas on the Potomac’: Christmas Card exhibit When: Dec. 1 through Jan. 15 Where: Thomas Cooper Library Carolina Cares: Stockings available at Russell House Su ite 227 a nd shou ld be returned there, filled with age-appropriate gifts for less fortunate, by Nov. 30

SPORTS SCHEDULE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Oklahoma Thursday Virgin Islands Paradise Jam 1 p.m.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Notre Dame Friday Virgin Islands Paradise Jam 1 p.m.

BASKETBALL Jacksonville Friday Colonial Life Arena 7 p.m.

FOOTBALL Clemson Saturday Williams-Brice Stadium 12 p.m.

FOLLOW US ONLINE TWITTER NEWS: thegamecock SPORTS: TDG_Sports MIX: gamecockmix

FACEBOOK Become a fan of The Daily Gamecock

YOUTUBE Subsribe to our YouTube channel: thedailygamecock

LOCAL & WORLD NEWS LOCAL Sanford hit with 37 charges South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, whose tryst with an Argentine lover blossomed into a wide-ranging scandal, is accused of breaking ethics laws by using taxpayer money for pricey airline seats, taking state planes for personal and political trips and occasionally tapping his campaign chest to reimburse himself for travel.

The details of charges against the second-term Republican governor were released Monday. He has been under scrutiny since he vanished for five days over the summer, reappearing to tearfully admit to an extramarital affair with a woman he later called his “soul mate.”

The civil charges, which carry a maximum $74,000 in fines, stem from a three-month investigation by the State Ethics Commission and could be pivotal in a push by some lawmakers to remove him from office. The state attorney general is deciding whether the governor would face any criminal charges.

The ethics charges include 18 instances in which Sanford is accused of improperly buying first- and business-class airline tickets, violating state law requiring lowest-cost travel; nine times of improperly using state-owned aircraft for travel to political and personal events, including a stop at a discount hair salon; and 10 times he improperly reimbursed himself with campaign cash.

The travel allegations were uncovered in a series of Associated Press investigations. Some of the allegations about his use of campaign funds were revealed by The State newspaper in Columbia.

NATIONAL Catholics divided on abortion EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A bitter dispute over abortion that prompted Rhode Island’s Roman Catholic bishop to ask Rep. Patrick Kennedy not to receive Holy Communion has revealed the depth of the divide among Catholics over how politicians should reconcile their faith with their public duties.

Bishop Thomas Tobin said on Sunday that he made the request because of the Democratic lawmaker’s support for abortion rights. The news prompted debate among Catholics around the country and within Rhode Island, the nation’s most Catholic state, about whether it was right for Tobin to publicly shame Kennedy for breaking with the church on what its leaders consider a paramount moral issue.

Angel Madera, 20, a Marine visiting his home in Providence for Thanksgiving, said before attending Sunday evening Mass that Tobin was wrong to assail Kennedy’s faith.

“If they believe they’re a true Catholic, who’s to say that they’re not?” he said.

Others, like Kay Willis of Smithfield, applauded Tobin for calling Kennedy to account over the conflict between his professed faith and voting record.

“If you’re going to be a Catholic, be a Catholic,” she said.

The f ight began escalat ing short ly af ter t he death of Kennedy’s father, Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, and came to a head on the 46th anniversary of the assassination of his uncle, President John F. Kennedy.

INTERNATIONAL Iraqis fail to pass election law BAGHDAD — Iraq’s parliament failed Monday to produce an election law acceptable to minority Sunni Arabs, prompting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to say that nationwide balloting scheduled for January “might slip” to a later date.

The United States has linked the pace of its military drawdown to the elections, though the top U.S. commander in Iraq has said the schedule is on track for now. U.S. combat troops are supposed to be out of Iraq by August, and the rest of the forces is scheduled to leave by the end of 2011.

The dispute over an elections law highlights the ethnic and sectarian divisions in Iraq. While more secure than in past years of war, the country has yet to achieve the political reconciliation vital to long-term stability.

Both Sunnis and Kurds have criticized earlier versions of the legislation. The parliament amended the law Monday with a version that pleased the Kurds but failed to appease Sunnis, triggering a likely second veto by the Sunni vice president and a delay in the elections.

Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi, a Sunni, initially vetoed the law because he wanted more seats for Iraqis living abroad, most of whom are Sunnis. The minority, dominant under Saddam Hussein, has seen its privileged status evaporate since the ouster of the dictator and the election of a government led by the Shiite majority.

— The Associated Press

Your Gameday and Gamecock Headquarters Uptown!

Onsite Monogramming & Complimentary Gift Wrap Open Mon-Fri 10-5:30 Sat 10-3 1204 Main Street 803.661.7651

corner of Main & Gervais

PIC OF THE DAY

David Walters / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Ornamental paper trees with childrens’ Christmas wishes decorate an Angel Tree at the Saxe Gotha Presbyterian church.

WEIRD HEADLINES College students arrested for price is one yuan, which is equivalent to US$0.15 or £0.08. The condoms will be sold not paying tip It was a night out that college students Leslie Pope and John Wagner will long remember. Not only did they get awful service, they got handcuffed and arrested.

All over a $16.35 tip.

They were with a few friends at the Lehigh Pub in Bethlehem last month. The Pub required 18 percent tip onto the bill of about $73, according to reports.

Pope and Wagner refused to pay.

“You can’t give us terrible, terrible service and expect a tip,” said Pope, a 22-year-old Moravian College senior who’s a Pottsville native, according to the Lehigh Valley Express-Times.

Olympic condoms auctioned: “faster, higher, stronger” Spor t s memorabi l ia col lec tor Z hao Xiaokai has amassed 5,000 condoms left over from the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and is offering them for sale at auction. Each condom is stamped with the motto of the Olympics in English and in Chinese: “faster, higher, stronger”. The Beijing Olympics condoms are offered for sale as part of an auction of Olympic memorabilia. Starting

as a batch.

The 5,000 Olympic condoms are the remainder of a 100,000 production run t h at were d ist r ibuted f ree of c h a rge to athletes who competed in the games.

Olympic organizers have been providing free condoms to athletes since the Barcelona Olympics of 1992.

Town mandates 3-cat limit A Massachusetts town announced that it’s illegal to own more than three cats without a license, reports Worcester (Mass.) Telegram & Gazette .

Voters at a Dudley town meeting Tuesday night approved the addition to a town bylaw, which will impose a $100 per day fine for violations, after a local man complained that some of the 15 cats owned by Mary Ellen Richards had destroyed his lawn.

Richards said at the town meeting that she now plans to put her house up for sale and move to a “more cat-friendly community.”

TODAY IN HISTORY 1807: Mohawk Chief Thayendanegea, also known by his English name, Joseph Brant, dies at his home in Burlington, Ontario. Before dying, he reportedly says, “Have pity on the poor Indians. If you have any influence with the great, endeavour to use it for their good.”

1859: “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection,” a groundbreaking scientific work by British naturalist Charles Darwin, is published in England. Darwin’s theory argues that organisms gradually evolve through a process he calls “natural selection.”

1863: Union troops capture Lookout Mountain southwest of Chattanooga as they begin to break the Confederate siege of the city. In the “battle above the clouds,” the Yankees scale the slopes of the mountain on the periphery of the Chattanooga lines.

1932: The crime lab that is now referred to as the FBI Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory officially opens in Washington, D.C.

1960: Philadelphia Warrior Wilt Chamberlain snags 55 rebounds in a game against the Boston Celtics and sets an NBA record for the most rebounds in a single game.

1963: At 12:20 p.m., in the basement of the Dallas police station, Lee Harvey Oswald, the alleged assassin of President John F. Kennedy, is shot to death by Jack Ruby, a Dallas nightclub owner.

THANKS● Continued from 1A Black Friday business. For example, WISH, a clothing and accessory store in Five Poi nt s, w ill have a w ide range of deals not only for Black Friday but for Saturday as well.

Rebecca Rudzinsk i,

W I S H ’s m a n a g e r, s a i d it considerably helps t he economy when people shop at local stores such as WISH. “ I n t he p a s t we h a v e not iced t hat Five Point s doesn’t get hit as hard as all the major shopping centers i n Colu mbia on t he day of ‘Black Friday.’ For this

reason we wanted to extend our sales through Saturday,” she said. “It is always great when the people of Columbia can shop locally in the small businesses.”

Comments on this story?

E-m a i l s ag c k n ew@m a i l b ox. sc.edu

PAGE 4A

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009

Christmas monopolizes end of year

EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief

AMANDA DAVIS Managing Editor

CALLI BURNETT News Editor

KARA APEL The Mix Editor

KELSEY PACER Sports Editor

CHRIS COX Viewpoints Editor

COLIN JONES

MARILYNN JOYNER

Design Director

Photography Editor

MORGAN REID

Holiday should stay in December, allow for other celebrations

Copy Desk Chief

KERI GOFF

Gov.’s resignation only ethical thing for state When South Carolinians started calling for Sanford’s resignation, we agreed that his marital troubles should have no bearing on his political career — real evidence of malady in his governorship would be the only legitimate substance behind the calls.

Well, now we have more than enough against Sanford, with 37 counts of breaking state ethics laws.

Earlier in the talks of ousting the Governor, South Carolinians made it clear it would be better to wade out the rest of his little time left in office. While rumors were hot about the fake trip to the Appalachian Trail, the news was quickly beaten to the ground to the point We are allowing where nobody seemed to care anymore — something people Sanford to ride out in this state are quick to do all too often. the rest of his term Sout h Carol i na’s apat hy excuse simply doesn’t measure defending his past up against the 37 reasons why we k now S a n f ord s hou ld not still be in the governor’s behavior. office.

I n a ny ot her posit ion outside of the political sphere, no person with this many charges would keep their job just because “they will be out of there soon enough.” For a state that cared so much about risqué e-mails, we were quick to dismiss Sanford’s mistakes that actually cost his constituents.

Enough with the apathy, enough with allowing a state representative to simply lean back with his feet on his desk (or in his state-funded leisure trips) while his state scrambles without a real leader.

While we should be taking direction under a leader working to fi nd ways to benefit our state, we are allowing Sanford to ride out the rest of his term defending his past behavior in office.

And we don’t care. Sanford isn’t news anymore. The 37 charges barely showed up on most news outlets’ radars, much less the eyes and ears of South Carolinians.

If we don’t care, we can’t expect leaders to do so either.

BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE

A uniquely American holiday Football, parades, social commentary, politics, food during Thanksgiving celebrate nation’s diversity T h i s c olu m n w i l l b e a t r ibut e to Thanksgiving, a tragically underappreciated holiday. The promotion of Thanksgiving is a bit of pet cause for me; I feel it’s my patriotic duty. Thanksgiving has various iterations worldwide, but in the United States it has a character which can only be described as uniquely American. In fact, I’d say that, besides the Fourth of July, it is the most American of holidays.

It is the only holiday which is indelibly linked to football.

Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without an NFL football game. Admittedly, sometimes the game isn’t all that exciting.

But just as you still put up your old Christmas decorations no Richard matter how worn they get, you Wood Fourth-year always want to see the Detroit history Lions play on Thanksgiving. student No matter how bad they are.

Then there’s the weirdly wonderful Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and its local equivalents. What could be more American than a parade which features inflatable cartoon character balloons, high school marching bands and performances Broadway musicals casts?

There’s also a smaller but still valuable tradition: the playing of Arlo Guthrie’s

“Alice’s Restaurant” on radio stations around the country. Guthrie is the son of legendary folk singer and “This Land is Your Land” composer Woody Guthrie. His song recounts the allegedly true story of how a criminal conviction for littering on Thanksgiving Day of 1965 resulted in the draft board declaring him unfit to serve in the military. This countercultural classic and biting piece of social protest has become an unlikely holiday tradition.

Finally, there’s the Thanksgiving feast itself. For many it is a time to reconnect with relatives and a heartfelt celebration of family itself, and a chance to eat to excess. For many families it is also a time for furious political arguments — an American tradition if there ever was one.

These various traditions paint the complete picture of an American culture that is a great patchwork. Thanksgiving is a holiday that celebrates pilgrims and hippies, football players and Broadway singers. It’s a grand mix of old and new, as much about 17th century colonists as brand new cartoon characters.

It blends the fun of popular culture with the solemnity of giving thanks for life’s blessings.

As the Christmas season continues to grow backward and engulf Thanksgiving, it’s more and more important to promote and celebrate this great holiday. It embodies what it means to be an American: the unity that comes out of great diversity. So put Christmas out of your mind until November 27 and be thankful, among other things, to be an American.

Cornucopia of thanks for all the inspiration Holiday gives reason to praise critics, politicians, university, football team for ‘good work’ Since Thanksgiving is only a few days away, I have decided to reflect on the many blessings in my life and share them with you. Most importantly, I am thankful for you, my fans. Every week I labor over ideas in hopes of choosing the perfect topic – one in which you as an undergraduate student can relate to and appreciate. At the same time, I hope to put a smile on at least a couple of your faces. Those who aren’t smiling are the ones whom I choose to discuss in my article. Don’t be so bitter that I choose you to write about; your shortcomings provide a great contribution to the world of journalism. Without you, there would not be an article published under my name each week. Therefore, I guess I am just as thankful for my enemies as I am my friends. Thank you!

I am thankful that our University has been consistent in implementing tuition hikes each and every year. Sure, I may be paying more for my education, but that only means one thing – it has

increased in value. I am confident that the increase in tuition makes my education appear to be more prestigious than it really is. Isn’t it obvious that the Board of Trustees (or whoever decides to increase our tuition) is acting out of the goodness of their hearts when requiring us to pay more money each year for the same services?

I am thankful that the great state of South Carolina has the abilit y to produce the most ignorant politicians in this nation. People like Mark Sanford and Joe Wilson have set the political bar so low in this state that my previous transgressions make me look like a choirboy in comparison.

I have no doubt that even the most incompetent members of society have a shot at an elected office in this state. South Carolina is the prime Dan Solley example of true equality.

Fourh-year I a m t h a n k f u l t o at t e nd a pre-law student university with a football team that constantly lets me down. This has taught me a great lesson in acceptance and has given me the ability to never have expectations.

Furthermore, my lovely Gamecocks have really helped me examine and appreciate the future more

About The Daily Gamecock

IT’S YOUR RIGHT The goal of The Daily Gamecock’s Viewpoints page is to stimulate discussion in the University of South Ca r o l i n a c o m m u n i t y. A ll p u b l i s h e d authors are expected to provide logical arguments to back their views.

The Daily Gamecock encourages readers to voice opinions and offers three methods of expression: letters to the editor, guest columns and feedback on dailygamecock.com.

Letters and guest columns should be submitted via e-mail to gamecockeditor@ sc.edu. Letters must be 200 to 300 words in length and include the author’s name,

year in school and area of study.

We also invite student leaders and USC faculty members to submit guest c o l u m n s . C o l u m n i s t s s h o u l d ke e p submissions to about 50 0 words in length and include the author’s name and position. Guest columns are limited to three per author per semester.

The editor reserves the right to edit and condense submissions for length and clarity, or not publish at all.

All submissions become the property of The Daily Gamecock and must conform to the legal standards of USC Student Media.

CORRECTIONS If you find an error in today’s edition of The Daily Gamecock, let us know about it. E-mail sagckvew@mailbox.sc.edu and we will print the correction in our next issue.

than the present. I am perpetually waiting “until next year.” This way, I do not have to focus on my priorities at hand; I can simply put them off. Hey, there’s always tomorrow.

There is not enough space in this newspaper for me to list everything for which I am truly grateful. I have been given great health, a beautiful and loving family and a group of friends that is second to none.

Furthermore, we as American college students are given so many opportunities that we often take for granted.

Next time you reach for your FIJI water bottle, think of the millions of people who scoop up handfuls of mud to quench their thirst daily. When you throw on that North Face pullover, think about the poor child in the Bronx freezing because his family cannot afford even a modest jacket. Next time you complain to your waiter because your steak was medium and not rare, think about those all over this world starving because they cannot find enough food. Our lives are so gracious, but we often spend too much time complaining rather than appreciating. I challenge you to look at the beauty in life, not the negativity – with time, your perspective and attitude will surely change. Happy Thanksgiving!

Christmas is my favorite holiday. I love decorating the Christmas tree, making holiday cookies and, most of a l l, goi ng Ch r ist mas shoppi ng i n December.

Sort ing t hrough t he throngs of people f ra nt ically sc u r r y i ng to buy that special present, looking at all of the mall decorations and seeing all of the children in line for Santa are all factors that make the holiday rush at malls across the country so unique.

T he on ly problem is , when I’m t r y ing to pick out my Halloween costume i n October or get some last m i nute goodies before Thanksgiving dinner, should I really be bombarded w i t h premature Chelsey Christmas Seidel decorat ions Second-year and tunes print journalism f r o m Fr o s t y student the Snowman b l a s t i n g t h r ou g h t he store’s speakers?

No doubt the Christmas season is one of the most profitable times for malls a nd d e p a r t m e nt s t o r e s across the country. But a cer t a i n u nderc u r rent of annoyance shoots through me w hen I w a l k i nt o a store in October or early November and all I see is Christmas merchandise.

As part of our consumer culture, all stores want to be the fi rst with the 12-foot tall Christmas tree, strands of garland looping from the ceiling and holiday sales that would make Martha Stewart faint. These things are fi ne when they come in a timely fashion — actually clo se to t he C h r i st m a s h o l i d a y. B u t d o i n g t he s e t h i ng s to o e a rl y, especially when it is still 75 degrees outside, ruins the Christmas spirit and creates holiday overkill.

T h i s over s t i mu l at ion of g reen a nd red causes many people’s Christmas spirits, who have already had to endure two months o f a d v e r t i s e m e nt s a n d décor, to fizzle out before Ch r ist mas it self even arrives.

S o i n s t e ad of m i x i ng Fr a n ken s t ei n c o s t u me s and Christ mas t rees, s t o r e s s h o u ld s e p a r at e t heir holidays more and understand that Christmas i s n’t u n t i l D e c e m b e r.

There is no logical reason to start celebrating before the leaves have even fallen off the trees.

CONTACT INFORMATION Editor-in-Chief AMANDA DAVIS Managing Editor CALLI BURNETT Copy Desk Chief KELSEY PACER Assistant Copy Desk Chief LINDSAY WOLFE Design Director MORGAN REID Assistant Design Director LIZZIE ERICKSON News Editor KARA APEL Assistant News Editors DARREN PRICE JOSH DAWSEY Viewpoints Editor MARILYNN JOYNER Assistant Viewpoints Editor RYAN QUINN The Mix Editor COLIN JONES

Assistant Mix Editor ELLEN MEDER Sports Editor CHRIS COX Assistant Sports Editor JAMES KRATCH Photo Editor KERI GOFF Assistant Photo Editor HANNAH CARROLL Multimedia Director JONATHAN BATTAGLIA Assistant Multimedia Director GEOFFREY MARSI Page Designers BRENNAN WARE, MEGAN HILBERT, BRIAN DRESDOW, CAMILLE HOLLEMAN Photographers DAVID WALTERS Public Relations Director JESSICA SCANLON Graduate Assistant

COURTNEY GRAHAM Student Media Director SCOTT LINDENBERG Faculty Adviser ERIK COLLINS Creative Director EDGAR SANTANA Business Manager CAROLYN GRIFFIN Advertising Manager SARAH SCARBOROUGH Classifieds Manager SHERRY F. HOLMES Production Manager C. NEIL SCOTT Creative Services KELLIE DUFF, LIZ HOWELL, KATIE MIKOS, KAILEY WARING Advertising JULIE CANTER, CARLY GALLAGHER, NATALIE HICKS, CANDACE REYNOLDS, LAUREN SPIRES, MEGHAN TANKERSLY

Offices located on the third floor of the Russell House Editor: gamecockeditor@sc.edu News: sagcknew@mailbox.sc.edu Viewpoints: sagckvew@mailbox.sc.edu The Mix: sagcketc@mailbox.sc.edu Sports: sagckspt@mailbox.sc.edu Online: www.dailygamecock.com Newsroom: 777-7726 Sports: 777-7182 Editor’s Office: 777-3914 Fax: 777-6482 The Daily Gamecock is the editorially independent student newspaper of the University of South Carolina. It is published daily 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 Daily 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 Daily Gamecock. The Department of Student Media is the newspaper’s parent organization. The Daily 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.

“Family isn’t about whose blood you have. It’s about who you care about.”

-Trey Parker and Matt Stone

PAGE 5A

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009

5 things we’re obsessing IX TAPE M about this Thanksgiving Ellen Meder

ASSISTANT MIX EDITOR

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

McCutchen House Pie Today is Pie Day! No, it’s not March 14 (3/14), but it is the day that the fine culinary connoisseurs of McCutchen House, which is completely student operated, put their Thanksgiving goodies on sale. Today from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. chocolate walnut pies are available for only $9. You can call and reserve one at 777-4450 or pick one up via drive through behind the McCutchen house or inside the restaurant located on the Horseshoe next to Harper-Elliot.

When you factor in your family’s pleasure at your delicious surprise and the ease of picking it up on your way out of town, this is so worth $9.

The 83rd installment of this annual staple that signals the start of the holiday (shopping) season is totally worth getting up to watch if only because there is something about it that makes everyone feel like a kid again.

The guest and performers are so varied from Ziggy Marley to Kermit the Frog, and from the cast of “Bye Bye Birdie” to Boys Like Girls. Only a real Scrooge won’t have their heart warmed when they see Santa Claus at the end of the parade. Starting at 9 a.m. the parade will be broadcast on NBC.

Empty Movie Theatres Since Thanksgiving is all about family, why not take advantage of the nearly empty movie theaters and convince the folks to let you and the siblings sneak out of the house for a couple of hours to catch the latest blockbuster?

Once the bird is in the oven, the kitchen is full of too many cooks and everyone is getting antsy, pile all the kids in the car and give the parentals a few moments to breathe while you mock every element of “New Moon,” much to the chagrin of all tween girl sisters and cousins.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

“The Thanksgiving Song” by Adam Sandler

Showing Thanksgiv ing Day at 8 p.m. on ABC , this is always a favorite. Maybe it’s Charlie’s round head, maybe it’s Snoopy’s antics, maybe it is the sage wisdom that Linus always comes up with, but The Mix is clearly always obsessed with every holiday special from the mind of Charles Schultz. Moral of t he stor y: whet her you’re eating toast and pretzel sticks or the traditional feast with all the trimmings, Thanksgiving is about spending time with those you love, even if they are a tad eccentric.

Typical wisdom says that songs to com memorate t he A mer ica n day of thanks lose popularity after preschool, but t hat’s where t he general public gets it wrong. Initially featured on Saturday Night Live in 1992, the song does not disappoint those who love Sandler’s distinctively timed jokes and random style. With fantastic non sequiturs like “Turkey and sweet potato pie, Sammy Davis Jr. only had one eye” and “Wrap the turkey up in aluminum foil. My brother like to masturbate with baby oil,” you just can’t help but laugh.

Su re t he on ly cont i nu it y is t he repetition of the word turkey, but the song is simply fun. Seriously, “Fifty million Elvis fans can’t be wrong.”

Comments on this story?

E-mail sagcketc@sc.edu

‘New Moon’ lacks passion Lautner steps up to important role while Stewart fails to impress Maddy Alford

THE DAILY GAMECOCK

New Moon NOW IN THEATERS ★ ★ ★ out of ✩✩✩✩✩

Director: Chris Weitz Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner Run Time: 122 minutes Rating: PG-13 Millions of “Twi-hards” packed into theaters to watch the second installment of the “Twilight” saga, “New Moon,” Nov. 20. The wildly popular “Twilight” raked in enough money to hire a new director for the series (Chris Weitz) and a much larger budget for the second movie. But fans of the Stephenie Meyer novels looking for the passion and heat that made the books popular will likely be disappointed by the slow, dreary film adaptation.

Starring Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan, Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen , and Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black , the film revolves around Bella’s intense pain after her vampire boyfriend Edward breaks up with her in an attempt to keep her safe from other bloodsuckers.

Pre-breakup, the movie does not effectively show the couple’s blissful happiness. Instead of showing Bella and Edward smiling and laughing together like soul mates, audiences are shown several brooding stares and some PG-13 kisses. The breakup is supposed to be the worst thing either has endured; yet

viewers would never know it. Neither of them sheds a tear and instead of desperately chasing after her lost love, Bella quietly repeats Edward’s name over and over while walking (not running) after him in the dark forest where he left her.

Post-breakup, Bella is left angr y and numb, but quickly finds out that hunky, newly buff Jacob is a temporary fi x for her sadness. The childhood friends soon spend every day together rebuilding motorcycles, Bella’s latest interest.

Bella discovers that dangerous thrillseeking activities cause visions of Edward to appear, where he begs her to stop putting herself in danger. (These visions are no doubt due to the director’s worry that if the sparkly vamp wasn’t in the movie much, “Team Edward” fans would revolt.)

It is apparent that Jacob develops feelings for Bella, but Stewart’s deadpan facial expressions and lack of emotion do not convince the audience that she develops an attraction to him. The two have a couple of hot and heavy near-kisses, but these scenes seem out of place since there was not much fl irting going on during the bike-building, bonding sessions from Stewart’s end.

The slow first half picks up when Jacob mysteriously disappears from Bella’s life to join a shape-shifting pack of vampire-hating werewolves. This could be confusing for viewers who have not read the series, because very little is explained. Eventually, the two make amends when she finds out Jacob’s secret, just in time for the return of Victoria, the vampire thirsty for revenge and Bella’s blood. This, in combination with Bella’s reckless cliff diving episode, offered the

MCT Campus

Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner star in “New Moon” as best friends with romantic tension. perfect opportunity for a ripped, shirtless Jacob to save the day (a moment made for squealing tween fans).

The rushed climax of the movie comes when Edward calls Bella’s house to speak with her father, but is told by Jacob that her father is arranging a funeral. Edward understands it to be Bella’s funeral, and in despair, goes to the Volturi (the vampire government) in Italy so they will kill him since he cannot imagine life without his love.

Pattinson actually does a good job of conveying his furious sadness over Bella’s supposed death. Serious emotions are what this cast does best.

Another thing “New Moon” succeeds at is subtle comic relief. Lautner plays a true-tothe-books Jacob, complete with immature 16-year-old humor and aggressive outbursts.

Crowds eat up an awkward handholding scene at the movies, but inside jokes about vampires that only book-readers understand abound. Families also chuckle at Bella’s stiff, yet loving, relationship with her father and the typical traumas of teen dating.

Bella’s performance in the climactic scene

is surprisingly convincing, while Dakota Fanning makes a very small appearance as vicious Volturi vamp Jane at the end.

The fight scenes with the Volturi, although scarcely violent, liven things up at the end of the long film. It is clear that most of the budget was spent on special effects dollars; making the wolves look realistic.

Overall, t his dark, slow mov ie lack s suff icient emotional highs and lows to sustain audience interest. The cast portrays sadness and anger well, but blanks when they have to be happy. Teen girls will rejoice over Lautner’s and Pattinson’s shirtless bodies the entire fi lm; action fans will appreciate the occasional fight scene; everyone will laugh at the unintentionally cheesy moments.

W hile not a total failure, “New Moon” leaves Twilight Saga fans hoping that the third time will be a charm when “Eclipse” comes out in summer 2010.

Comments on this story?

E-mail sagcketc@sc.edu

The Daily Gamecock ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009

PAGE 6A

NEW MOON REACTIONS

Holly Moore Second-year business student “I fell asleep in the first 15 minutes! It just wasn’t interesting, and they had bad acting. If you don’t love the books, you won’t get the movie.”

J IMMY ’ S T RAILER P ARK ‘Nine’ set to shine while ‘Clash of the Titans’ may border ridiculousness Jimmy Gilmore STAFF WRITER

Th is week i n t he t railer park , we’re continuing to look forward to the spring.

A handful of drama and action films have launched ad campaigns for early 2010 releases, but only a few look really worth the time.

The trailer of the week is the vivacious and visually dazzling second trailer for Rob Marshall’s much-hyped holiday musical, “Nine.” Adapted from a Broadway musical based on Italian director Federico Fellini’s 1963 film “8 ½,” the musical is a mental odyssey through a film director’s frustrated artistic process and how it all relates to his many relationships with women.

Daniel Day-Lewis leads a beautiful, allsinging, all-dancing cast that includes Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz and Kate Hudson.

The trailer is filled with the kind of stunning lighting and production detail that made Marshall’s 2002 musical, “Chicago,” a huge success. Slated for a Christmas release, “Nine” should make waves through awards season.

“Kick-Ass,” adapted from Mark Millar’s comic books, follows a group of high school students with no powers or abilities who decide to become superheroes. Directed by Matthew Vaughn (“Layer Cake”), the teaser trailer packs plenty of dry humor, with a cynical yet appreciative tone toward superhero lore.

With a cast including supporting turns from Christopher Mintz-Plasse (McLovin of “Superbad”) and Nicolas Cage, “Kick-Ass” could be one of the spring’s major highlights.

There’s also a remake of cheesy, cult classic

“Clash of the Titans” in the works. With an almost overwhelming amount of testosterone and CGI-enhanced action crammed into less than two minutes, this is easily the first serious contender for most ridiculous movie of 2010.

Hopefully this meld of multiple Greek mythological figures will have enough sense to stay campy and lightweight. Even though it features a rich cast including Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson , Danny Huston and Sam Worthington, there’s very little to admire and very little out of the ordinary here.

“E x t raord i na r y Measu res,” a fa m i ly tearjerker set for release this January, is based on the true story of John Crowley (Brendan Fraser), a family man trying to help a medical researcher (Harrison Ford) find a cure for his children’s terminal illnesses.

Fraser and Ford are two actors who have been wallowing around in work that’s beneath their level for some time now. Their careers both need rejuvenation, but this drama doesn’t look to provide it. The trailer, loaded with sappy one-liners and even sappier music, makes it look like it plays painfully by the book, even if it carries an inspirational message.

Speaking of January releases, luminous Amy Adams heads into typical romantic comedy territory with “Leap Year,” about a woman planning to take advantage of Irish tradition and propose to her boyfriend on Leap Day. Naturally, Adams’s plan hits a road bump, when she gets the charming Matthew Goode to drive her across Ireland to get to her boyfriend.

The trailer hints that the writers and director borrow some classic screwball comedy elements and set-pieces, but the overall trailer is lacking.

Though Adams and Goode are both very talented, this trailer looks like they’ll have to use it all to make “Leap Year” work.

Comments on this story?

E-mail sagcketc@sc.edu

any closer & you’d be on the 50 yard line

Emily Kirby Third-year public relations student “I ended up liking ‘New Moon’ much more than ‘Twilight.’ I went into ‘New Mo on’ not expecting much, since I did not like ‘Twilight’ that much. But I love Jacob, and since the movie is mainly about him, I liked it a lot.”

Rebecca Applegate Fourth-year advertising student “To be honest, the acting was god-awful. It was pretty boring. I have read the ‘Twilight’ and ‘Harry Potter’ series, and it’s just not as good as Harry Potter.”

Which Twilight Team are you?

Team Edward

Edward fans believe in love at first sight and that a romance is less about commonalities and more about clandestine connection and spark. The idea of opposites attracting is quite fantasized on Team Edward. People who think love stories are best modeled after Romeo and Juliet and that time and distance are no match for a true, if ridiculous, love, push for an Edward-Bella reunion. In the mind of Team Edward-ers the greater to adversity for a couple, the greater the value of the romance. On a side note, members of Team Edward are quite swept away with the idea of real life imitating art and a Robert Pattinson-Kristen Steward tabloid romance.

Team Jacob

Those who prefer the more playful, more personable and relatable Jacob Black as a match for the ever-helpless Bella are more likely to subscribe to the concept that love is friendship set afire. People who found the concept of dating the undead ludicrous and found the prospects of snuggling up to flesh that actually sees sunlight and is warmed by blood more appealing than having a stone-like lover moved over to Team Jacob. Jason Mraz’s duet with Colbie Caillat, “Lucky,” with its lyrics “I’m lucky I’m in love with my best friend,” might be the theme song at a Team Jacob convention. A slow simmering passion, full of unrequited love that also drives Jane Austin fans crazy, is exactly what holds appeal in a Bella-Jacob plot.

Team Sanity

An even better question than “What Twilight Team are you?” is actually “Who gives a flying #$@%?!” The real problem with this love triangle is that silly little Bella Swan doesn’t know how to stand on her own two feet and instead defines herself by the men in her life. The best love adage for those in this school of thought is that “you can’t love someone else unless you first love yourself.” The more important point for this group, the majority of people who are not 13-year-old girls or like-minded individuals, is wondering why people are so invested in these ridiculous two-dimensional characters.

COMPILED BY ELLEN MEDER

e!

he dat

Save t

private living 1 block from the stadium | resort-style amenities

one month free rent

when you sign a lease for spring 2010 to august 2010

uoaks.com 803.252.2634 | TEXT OAKS TO 47464 21 NATIONAL GUARD RD

STANDARD TEXT RATES APPLY | SEE OFFICE FOR DETAILS | LIMITED TIME ONLY

{

Friday Nov. 27th buy 2, get 1 free gift certificates (either in store or via email)

Go Gamecocks!

Come indulge in a stress-reduction massage or facial.

The Daily Gamecock ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009

PAGE 7A

Inside the Box ● By Marlowe Leverette / The Daily Gamecock

The Scene USC

Whiteboard ● By Bobby Sutton / The Daily Gamecock CONCRETE JUMPSUIT 9 p.m., $2 The Elbow Room, 2020 Devine St.

TODAY

Spurned ● By Jarad Greene / The Daily Gamecock

TOMORROW

NEW MUSIC NIGHT 6 p.m., $8 under 21/$5 over New Brookland Tavern, 122 State St.

COLD SOULS 3, 6 & 8 p.m., $7.50 Nickelodeon Theatre, 937 Main St.

SLEIGH BELL TROT 5 p.m. check-in/7 p.m. race , $30 race/$5 walk Saluda Shoals Park, 5605 Bush River Rd.

WICKED TIM, SEIN ZUM TODE, CASSANGLES, ROOMDANCE, BOY MEETS HERMAPHRODITE 7:30 p.m., $7 under 21/$5 over New Brookland Tavern, 122 State St.

IT MIGHT GET LOUD 8 p.m., $7.50 Nickelodeon Theatre, 937 Main St.

KENLEY YOUNG 9 p.m., free Delaney’s, 741 Saluda Ave.

HOROSCOPES

11/24/09

1234567890-= A R I E S A n older person offers you a chance to fol low you r he a r t ’s desire, so take advantage of the opportunity to take good advice. Give your imagination free rein.

TAURUS Today you get to present practical ideas in imaginative ways.

An older person influences you to adjust your focus.

GEMINI Take care of business today. Check items off your to-do list.

You’l l be glad you d id before the holiday weekend takes off.

CANCER Take time today to accomplish your top-priorit y item. Make a list for tomorrow, when you’ll have more energy.

L EO Ta ke c a re of errands close to home.

Line up ever ything you need for the next several days. Bake dessert today.

VIRGO Take care of priorities and start early.

Emotions enter the scene around midday and fog up the environment.

LIBRA If you can get past the obstacles within your own mind, you can g a i n c l a r it y w it h c o workers. Persuade, don’t push.

SAGIT TARIUS This is a good day to work on your own assigned tasks and let everyone else stick to theirs. Plenty of time to assess results tonight.

C A PR ICOR N Make a list and check it twice. You have a lot to get done in the next two days.

Delegate to an older male.

AQUA RIUS

S C O R P I O

Tension grabs you. Take t h i s m o m e nt t o r e l a x t he muscles in you r forehead. You’ll feel better immediately.

Contact a school or other institution to share a good idea. Instant feedback is not part of today’s plan.

Await a response.

PIS C ES A n older person provides you with a chance to shine. Glow like you never did before! You deserve it.

11/24/09

Solution from 11/19/09

ACROSS 1 Like litigants 6 Campaign unpleasantry 11 Onetime lottery org.

14 Block house 15 Jack of “The Great Dictator” 16 Make a scene?

17 Medieval commuter between Dover and Calais?

19 Revolutionary leader 20 1994 co-Nobelist with Rabin and Arafat 21 Honeybunch 22 Medieval castle owner’s view?

27 Hogwash 28 Geezer 29 Hope contributed to it for 50 yrs.

30 Settled, as plans 34 Manages medieval real estate holdings?

39 1950s Edward R. Murrow news show 40 “Thugz Mansion” rapper 41 Mover or shaker 42 Threaten to attack 46 Medieval lord’s efforts?

50 Easter bloom 51 Barbershop device 52 007, for one: Abbr.

53 Weapons for medieval warriors?

59 Flop preceder 60 Heart line 61 Country known for its distance runners 62 Big period 63 Bikini blast 64 Exorbitant DOWN 1 [error left as is] 2 You might close your eyes when

you say it 3 Dockworkers’ org.

4 Amateur 5 Been happening 6 One way to be responsible 7 Tuscan marble city 8 Barely manage, with “out” 9 Inflation cause?

10 Whistle blower 11 Island group near Fiji 12 Sell at an inflated price 13 It’s a wrap 18 Seaside flier 21 747 competitor 22 Count in jazz 23 Single-handedly 24 CBS military drama 25 Campus quarters 26 “Brave New World” drug 27 Saddens, with “out” 30 “A __ Good Men” 31 Coffee mate?

32 Continentdividing range

Solution for 11/18/09

33 Hissed “Over here!”

35 Bad Boy Records founder, as he’s now known 36 Greek portico 37 First-year law student 38 Author Ephron 42 Besides 43 Rockefeller Center muralist 44 Preschoolers’ protection 45 Task-oriented

program 46 Cereal bit 47 Peak near the Jungfrau 48 Prefix with conservative 49 Some USAF NCOs 53 The Sunflower St. 54 “As if!”

55 Pique condition?

56 Nice one?

57 “Later!”

58 Gullible one

PAGE 8A

The Daily Gamecock ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009

PAGE 1B

COVER ● 6B

{

HEAD-2-HEAD

The biggest matchups and how they’ll pan out for Saturday’s game PAGE 2B

{{

TALKIN’ TRASH The sports editors of The Daily Gamecock and The Tiger exchange words PAGE 3B

{{

KEYS TO THE GAME The six things Carolina has to do to knock off the Clemson Tigers.

PAGE 8B

{

PAGE 2B

The Daily Gamecock ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009

Chris Chri Ch riss Co Coxx

SPORTS SPO ORTS S ED EDIT EDITOR ITOR

The freshman has thrown touchdowns comparable to Garcia, but about 1,000 fewer passing yards. It would be interesting to see how Parker would be if not for having two of the fastest players in the country in CJ Spiller, a Heisman candidate, and Jacoby Ford.

Garcia is the main reason USC has as many wins as it does. The sophomore quarterback has thrown for more than 2,600 yards and 14 touchdowns in his first full year starting. The offense has revolved around Carolina’s emerging quarterback, who finds himself second in the SEC in almost every passing category.

QUARTERBACK

It’s no contest that Spiller has the edge in this depar tment. The senior is third in the NCA A in total yards per game and leads the Tigers in total touchdowns on the season. Spiller can burn you in the running and passing games while killing you with his special team’s play.

The junior tailback had not seen much action over the last several weeks until Carolina’s 24-14 loss to Florida.

Maddox is tied for the team lead in touchdowns with six — four of which have come on the ground and two through the air. In his last game, he would have likely hit the century mark had USC not been forced to pass late in the contest.

RUNNINGBACK

Ford is one of the fastest players in America and his stats prove it. The senior has more than 10 receiving plays this year of more than 20 yards with a long of 77 yard. He’s been far from consistent though, and as Clemson’s go-to receiver since the beginning of the year Jeffery has two more touchdowns and almost 200 more yards receiving.

USC’s freshman wide receiver has been Garcia’s go-to guy this season — leading Carolina with 670 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Add in the fact that the youngster barely played during the first half of the season and his statistics look all the more amazing.

WIDE RECEIVER

McDaniel has the edge in this category based on his big playmaking abilities. The junior is second in the country in interceptions this season. Also adding a key touchdown in an overtime win at Miami, McDaniel has done it all for the Clemson defense this season.

In just his first season at South Carolina, Gilmore has performed admirably for the Gamecocks. The freshman has kept opposing receivers fairly quiet while also handing punt returns for coach Shane Beamer. He may only have one interception this year, but that’s partly a product of offenses not throwing his way.

SECONDARY

The linebacker is third on the team in tackles and leads all linebackers. Only McDaniel and safety Marcus Gilchrist have more. Add in a smattering of tackles for loss and two sacks and it’s obvious Maye is one of the bright spots on Clemson’s defense.

The senior is not only one of the best players at Carolina, but in the country. Norwood has been quiet over the last several weeks, but still is considered USC’s biggest defensive playmaker. With three career touchdowns and a scattering of blocked punts, Norwood will certainly be a catalyst for Carolina on Saturday.

LINEBACKER

It’s been a struggle for Jackson this season, as the freshman has missed eight field goals this season.

As of late, the South Carolina native has struggled on point after attempts, missing two against Florida State before being benched against N.C. State.

A finalist for the Lou Groza award, Lanning has been one of the best surprises on USC’s football team. After missing his first field goal of the season, Lanning has connected on 15 of his last 16 field goals — with the only miss coming from more than 50 yards out.

KICKER

The Daily Gamecock ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009

PAGE 3B

Tigers just a flat-out lovable bunch of losers

Clemson’s dominance over Carolina nothing new

It’s become a tradition for the sports editors of The Daily Gamecock and The Tiger to exchange columns during the week of the South Carolina-Clemson football game.

Unfortunately, it’s also become tradition to r u n t he same old com ment s year after year. The insults toward Clemson cheerleaders and farmers have become old, stale and stagnant.

As a South Carolina student, I can accept the fact that the Tigers generally get the best of USC in the annual Battle of the Palmetto State.

So no, I won’t be ripping the Tigers’ “prowess” on the football field. Actually, it’ll be quite the contrary.

I’m going to tell you why I love Clemson University.

Without further ado, let the lovefest begin.

I love Clemson because they rush the field after beating a 4-4 Florida State team.

I love Clemson because of Yabo-DaboDoo. His secret love affair with the rock is exciting, to say the least.

I love A aron Kelly for d r o p p i n g t he g o - a he ad touchdown in t he fourt h quar ter t hat wou ld have clinched an ACC title berth.

I lo v e t he T i g e r s f or beat i ng M ia m i i n t he Orange Bowl then losing at Chris Duke the next week. Lest Cox Sports Editor we forget that it wasn’t the The Daily average Blue Devils of today, Gamecock but r at her t he 2- 8 Blue Devils who won their first conference game since God knows when.

I love Clemson’s all-purple uniforms.

I love Clemson for being slapped with probation right after winning the national championship in 1981. Let’s hope IPTAY’s involvement was worth it. Knowing those guys, I’m sure they’re happy with the outcome.

I love it when Clemson plays in the Humiliation, I mean Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho. I forget what it’s called now, but let’s face it, is it really relevant anyway?

I love the orange overalls fans wear on gameday. How can you not?

I love Clemson for losing to a vastly inferior Maryland team three out of the last four years.

I love Clemson for always seeming to lose to Georgia Tech. Three straight wins now over the Tigers. Good luck in that ACC Championship Game. Wonder if it’ll be like 2004 when the Tigers lost by four after giving up 10 points in the last two minutes.

Even better is the Clemson fan on YouTube after the Georgia Tech loss. The commentators ragging him for a solid four minutes is pretty comical, too.

I loved Clemson when for mer cornerback Duane Coleman was pulled over and asked if he was in possession of any drugs or weapons. His response? “We done smoked it.”

I love Clemson for losing to Kentucky in the Music City Bowl – a team Carolina hasn’t lost to this decade.

I love Clemson football for holding a fantasy camp. Old guys jumping around in tight jerseys are hilarious. I especially love the fake press conferences after the fake game. Talk about living in the past.

But it isn’t just Clemson football that has my heart. I have a growing affection for other Tiger sports as well.

I love the blank stare on the face of Oliver Purnell after his team loses in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Again.

I love Terrence Ogelsby just in general.

His dunk, or lack thereof, against Duke was one for the ages. Where’s he playing now? 4-H club?

I love Clemson baseball coach Jack (nine out of 12 losses to USC) Leggett.

I suppose that what I’m trying to say is don’t hate on Clemson. Carolina fans, just remember: they may beat you the majority of the time. They may be in an easier conference. They may have a national championship.

But the manner in which they go about doing these things is so gosh darned funny that you just can’t help but love ‘em. Let’s face facts, Gamecock fans. The Tigers have our number, no doubt about it. But humility has had the Tigers’ number for years. How can you have a team that goes through more gut-wrenching choke jobs and embarassments? You gotta love ‘em!

But if that doesn’t do it for you, then their women are ugly and they copulate with cows. There, I said it.

Here we go again, for the 107th time. It’s that time of the year, when the desire for yearly bragging rights seems to outweigh virtually any other aspect of how the season has gone so far. Obviously, we both love to hate each other. Growing up as a Clemson fan in Columbia, I can attest to how important it is to win every single time these two teams get together.

Now I completely understand that it’s highly unlikely for any team involved in any rivalry across the nation to win every single time. But we come pretty damn close. I’ll be that Clemson fan and go ahead and reiterate the fact that Clemson owns a 65-37-4 all-time record over the Gamecocks. To prove to you that we farmers can do the math, that’s a 61 percent winning percentage over the course of our rivalry.

But it’s not just within our rivalry that we claim to be the better program. How sad would it be if our only claim to fame was that we beat a .500 team on a regular basis? Yes, of course you play in the all-powerful SEC, and that has absolutely contributed to the fact that your program has become complacent with mediocrity. But when are you going to stop using that as your crutch? If you want to win more games, join Conference USA. I would say to go ahead and try your luck in the ACC, but you’ve already tried that.

Brandon But w it h t he talent Boatwright that perennially comes to Sports Editor Columbia, how does t his The Tiger happen? It certainly can’t be because of the coaching. I mean, legends come there to retire. When Lou Holtz came to town, he was heralded for snapping the Gamecock’s 21-game losing streak by shutting out a powerhouse in New Mexico State. But when Holtz became even more senile than he already was (I think he found out he wasn’t actually in South Bend), South Carolina brought in yet another has-been in the Old Ball Coach.

But Steve Spurrier’s “Why not us?” and “Cock’n’Fire” campaigns have done wonders for the program at large. After all, in five years under Spurrier, the Gamecocks are 34-27. He’s the first South Carolina coach with a winning record since Joe Morrison in the 1980s.

This season has been remarkably familiar for Gamecock fans as well. After starting 5-1 and beating fourth-ranked Ole Miss in a dramatic 16-10 affair, the Cocks have fallen off lately having lost four of their last five.

Gosh, this seems awfully familiar. In 2007, South Carolina cruised to a 6-1 start but faltered in week seven against a menacing Vanderbilt team. They didn’t win again that season and finished 6-6. After we “waited ‘til next year,” Carolina once again started out strong going 5-2. But once again the Gamecocks couldn’t finish, losing four of their next six to finish 7-6.

And what about the Clemson Tigers?

Well, currently we’re sitting pretty atop the Atlantic Division and buying tickets to a conference championship game in Tampa Bay. We have a legitimate Heisman candidate in C.J. Spiller. Now, of course you can point to the fact that we lost to a vastly inferior Maryland team earlier this season. But, I mean, you guys know how that feels right?

Regardless, Clemson will look to win their first ACC title since 1991 when they take on Georgia Tech in a rematch from earlier this season.

If you’re a Carolina fan and you’re reading this, I could rattle off any Clemson statistic this year and you would probably roll your eyes and spit on my name at the top of this column. So just to make sure I cover all my bases, I’ll give you your due. Ready?

Here it is. Congratulations on not having a single player arrested this year. That is a true testament to your season.

As far as the actual game is concerned on Saturday, I do think it will be very close.

I honestly applaud the dedication that Gamecock fans show. You’re loud, you’re proud and you’ve got a great game day atmosphere. Eric Norwood is a fantastic player and should win the coveted Butkus award for the best linebacker in the nation.

I think he’ll be one of the biggest threats against Spiller and the Clemson offense. But I don’t doubt that Swinney will be prepared and I don’t doubt that the Tigers will come away with a third consecutive win over the Gamecocks.

If, by some chance you do win, I’ll certainly eat some crow. But I’ll take comfort in the idea that I probably won’t be alive to ever see the series between us even up.

I would like to wish you the best of luck in any Bowl game that you go to. I hear Shreveport is beautiful this time of year.

The Daily Gamecock ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009

PAGE 5B

THE The Tiger sports editor answers Carolina’s burning questions on Saturday’s Battle of the Palmetto State between South Carolina and Clemson that anyone could bring the triple option to a major BCS conference and have the success that he has had. Clemson’s had a few hiccups along the way this season with three early losses — two of which came against ACC opponents in Maryland and Georgia Tech. The best teams win when they should win. Georgia Tech has done that this year, but the Tigers are certainly not far behind.

Yes and no. C.J. may not be the best player at his position, but he certainly makes a compelling case for being an upper echelon player and a worthy Heisman candidate. Spiller cracks the top 50 in rushing yards at No. 46 nationally with 894 yards. That number is a far cry from Mark Ingram’s 1,297 and Toby Gerhart’s 1,395.

As such, Spiller most likely isn’t the best pure running back in the nation. Running north and south between the tackles isn’t his style.

To be effective, he has to get into the open field Brandon Boatwright to showcase his speed and elusiveness. This season he’s certainly done that. Spiller now The Tiger has over 2,000 all-purpose yards this season and has 15 touchdowns to his credit. While he may not be the best running back in the nation, he certainly is the most explosive player in the nation.

In the ACC it’s always hard to tell who’s going to be the best all year long.

Teams really beat on each other and it’s likely to have a conference champion with at least two or three losses ever y year. That said, the best team in the conference this year only has one loss to an ACC team — Georgia Tech.

W hat Paul Johnson has done w it h t he Yel low Ja c k e t s i s a m a z i n g. I would have never thought

Maybe it’s Pitchfork Ben Til l ma n, or t he “Chicken Curse” or some other intangible aspect of our rivalr y that has enabled Clemson to have such an advantage over the Gamecocks. I tend to think that the Tigers have historically just been a better program. The Tigers have an overall .590 winning percentage while the Gamecocks are hovering around .500.

The matchup over the past several years has featured ver y talented programs on either side, but Clemson has won 10 of the last 12 games.

During that span, the Tigers won 86 games while the Gamecocks won just 67.

No. Dabo’s win over USC last season was no fluke. If anything, Clemson fans got a glimpse of the future as the win against the Gamecocks most likely clinched the head coaching job for Swinney. When Tommy Bowden “resigned” last year, Dabo unified a team that was reeling from the loss of their head coach. After such high hopes for the 2008 campaign, and most likely the most talent on a Clemson team in a decade, the Tigers did not want to lose

to their archrival after disappointing for the first half of the year. Dabo didn’t do a lot more than motivate a team that was experiencing a roller coaster of a season.

N o w a y. T h e r e may have been a time when a Clemson team would look past one game on for ward to a not her. But t hose days are long gone with Dabo Swinney at the helm. Swinney preaches focus to his team, somet h i ng a Bowden-era Clemson tea m wou ld lack .

Before t he sea son even started, Dabo set clear goals for his team. He wanted his team to win the opener, win the next game, then the next and so on. Ultimately he wanted to be in the position to win the ACC championship and the rivalry game. But Dabo doesn’t have to do much motivating for the team to understand the gravity of this rivalry. Most of the players on Clemson’s roster are South Carolina natives. They understand the contest and its importance. A conference championship is great, but it hardly means anything if the Tigers don’t beat the Gamecocks.

Comments on this story? E-mail sagckspt@mailbox.sc.edu

The Daily Gamecock ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009

PAGE 6B

CHALKING UP HISTORY History, facts of rivalry game thrown out the window as Carolina prepares to knock off in-state rival Clemson Chris Cox

SPORTS EDITOR

COVER ● Continued from 1B Seventeen. That’s the number of players left on USC’s squad that were members of the Garnet and Black the last time Carolina beat Clemson.

Six. That’s the number of players from that 17 that actually played in that game against Clemson.

Suf f ice it to say, beat i ng t he r iva l Clemson Tigers is a relatively unknown thing to many of those on South Carolina’s football team. A fter all, it’s been 1,132 days since the Gamecocks last topped Clemson in November of 2006.

W hen Carolina looks to the numbers to determine whether they have a chance on Saturday, the results aren’t very promising.

The Tigers hold a 65 -37- 4 a d v a nt a g e i n t he ser ie s, good f o r a 61 p e r c e n t winning percentage.

Under Spurrier, the Gamecocks are just 1-3 against their instate rival, and Clemson has lost just once in Williams-Brice Stadium since 1987.

But none of those records matter now.

In a rivalry game, the statistics are thrown out, and all that matters are the sweat and blood that pour from each teams’ respective players.

“The guys were saying in the locker room that we have to get ready for the second season, which is Clemson,” quarterback Stephen Garcia said. “It’s a season all its own.”

According to Garcia, the Battle of the

Palmetto State is a must-win this year for his Gamecocks, as Carolina has dropped three consecutive contests after a 6-2 start to the season.

“To be 7-5 as opposed to 6-6 will be huge for us,” Garcia said. “It should have been a little bit better record, but it didn’t work out that way. This is a huge game for us. In my opinion and just about everybody else on the team, it’s a must-win for us.”

The team enters Saturday’s contest in a far different position t han it did a season ago. W hile the Gamecocks headed to Death Valley with a better record (7-4), the team seemed to lack the chemistry needed to win a crucial rivalry game, as several players had their eyes on the NFL Draft.

“If t here was a problem, there ain’t a problem this year, I can guarantee you t h at ,” s e n io r w id e receiver Moe Brown said. “We know we’ve got to beat these guys and it’s just a big game. You can make a very average season a good season by beating them.”

Making an average season a special one with a win is an understatement. The Tigers enter Saturday’s contest with the ACC Atlantic Division crown in hand and head to Tampa, Fla., a week from Saturday to compete for their first ACC Championship since 1991.

“We’ve been stressing it, saying it. Let’s go have fun, take a swing at these guys,” Brown said. “Finish this season the right way.”

“We’ve been stressing it, saying it. Let’s go have fun, take a swing at these guys. Finish the season the right way.” -Moe Brown

The rivalry means something extra to Brown. A native of Anderson, S.C., Brown has deep ties with the Clemson Tigers.

Several members of his family root for CU, and Brown was recruited heavily by the school from the upstate.

“We’ve got a few Clemson fans. Both of my uncles actually are Clemson fans. I actually grew up a Clemson fan,” Brown said. “But when it comes to me they’re Carolina fans.”

The same ca n be said of A ssociate Head Coach for Defense Ellis Johnson. A Winnsboro, S.C,, native, Johnson has been involved with the rivalry annually since his younger days.

I n f a c t , Jo h n s o n ser ved a Clemson’s defensive coordinator in 1995-1996. “ I u n d e r s t a n d it b e c au s e I g r e w up with it,” Johnson said.

“A lt hough I wa sn’t good enough, I was re c r u it e d b y b ot h .

I f ol low e d b o t h . I watched it as a young kid and then a young adu lt . I was a h igh school coach in this state. Obviously, I have a different perspective.

I have a lot of pride in the football in the state of South Carolina.”

The game means a little somet hing extra to Johnson than it might to other Gamecock coaches, as USC’s defensive coordinator carries a deep passion for t he rivalr y, now going into its 107t h consecutive year.

“It means a lot to me. It’s part of my life,” Johnson said. “So, I have a different feeling about this game. It’s extremely special to me. I’ve been on both sides of it. I know what it means to the people of this state. It’s a unique thing.”

It doesn’t mean a lot to just Brown and

Johnson, but to most of the team as a whole.

Freshman cornerback Stephon Gilmore spurned the Tigers after he decommitted from CU only to sign with the Gamecocks.

“This is a big game that we’ll be playing in,” cornerback Stephon Gilmore said.

“Out of all the games we’ve played in, this is the game I really want to win.”

When the team bursts onto the field to the tune of ‘2001’ for the final time this season, the Gamecocks will carry an extra sense of motivation and urgency with them, as the team seems determined to end their traditional struggles against the Tigers.

“Ever ybody is going to get ready to play very hard against C l e m s o n ,” G a r c i a sa id. “It ’s goi ng to be t he sa me as a ny other game, except it’s Clemson. Ever yone w i l l b e a lot more juiced up, I believe.”

S o i n t he end, it doesn’t mat ter t hat C lem son f a n s h ave spray-painted orange on t he f ield and on t he workout room windows over the last two years.

It doe sn’t m at ter t hat Clemson has a trophy and enters the game nationally-ranked.

It doesn’t matter that Clemson has owned the series.

All that matters is beating Clemson, and finishing a once-promising season the right way.

“If we’re fortunate to win the last one we’ll have a very good year,” Coach Steve Spurrier said. “If we don’t we’ll have a very average year. Simple as that.”

“If we’re fortunate to win the last won we’ll have a very good year. If we don’t we’ll have a very average year. Simple as that.”

-Coach Steve Spurrier

Comments on this story?

E-mail sagckspt@mailbox.sc.edu

WHAT: USC VS. CLEMSON WHEN: SATURDAY, 12 P.M. WHERE: WILLIAMS-BRICE STADIUM LINE: USC +3

The Daily Gamecock ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009

G AMECOCK E G N E L L CHA

PAGE 7B

THE

Chris Cox

James Kratch

Sam Davis

Megan Hilbert

Brandis Raley-Ross

Sports Editor

Assistant Sports Editor

Staff Writer

Staffer of the Week

Reader of the Week

Texas @ Texas A&M Alabama @ Auburn Pittsburgh @ West Virginia Oklahoma State @ Oklahoma Utah @ BYU Arkansas @ LSU Georgia @ Georgia Tech Notre Dame @ Stanford Florida State @ Florida Clemson @ USC

Texas Alabama Pittsburgh Oklahoma BYU LSU Georgia Tech Stanford Florida USC

Texas Alabama Pittsburgh Oklahoma State Utah Arkansas Georgia Notre Dame Florida USC

Last Week’s Standings: Overall:

7-3 (75-35)

6-4 (72-38)

Texas Auburn West Virginia Oklahoma State Utah Arkansas Georgia Notre Dame Florida USC 4-6 (67-43)

Texas Auburn Pittsburgh Oklahoma Utah LSU Georgia Notre Dame Florida USC

Texas Alabama West Virginia Oklahoma State BYU LSU Georgia Notre Dame Florida USC

6-4 (70-40)

6-4 (70-40)

James Kratch

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

1. Florida

5. Arkansas

9. Georgia

(No Change) The Gators (11-0, 8-0) had a scrimmage vs. FIU last Saturday, and another one this Saturday against Florida State.

(No Change)

(Down 2)

The Razorbacks (7-4, 3-4) have a tall task ahead of them as they go to Baton Rouge at night for the Golden Boot game, but Ryan Mallett may have the arm and the guts to get a win.

Quite the bad weekend for the Bulldogs (6-5, 4-4) who lost both Uga VII and a home game to Kentucky in a matter of hours.

2. Alabama

6. Kentucky

10. South Carolina

(No Change) The Crimson Tide (11-0, 7-0) can’t sleep on their rivalry game with Auburn, but they should sleep easy at night; the Iron Bowl almost never has upsets.

(Up 4) With its comeback win in Athens, the Wildcats (7-4, 4-3) will host Tennessee in the biggest game ever played in Lexington with a shot to finish second in the East. Who had that back in August?

(Down 1) There was too much moving and shaking for the idle Gamecocks (6-5, 3-5) to stay put at No. 9.

3. Ole Miss (Up 1) Thanks to Les Miles’ stupidity, and some solid play, Houston Nutt and the Rebels (8-3, 4-3) have done what many thought impossible, and salvaged their season.

4. LSU (Down 1) In the long run, the botched last second play may work out for the Tigers (8-3, 4-3) who would probably rather play in the Cotton Bowl than the Capital One Bowl.

7. Tennessee (Down 1) The Vols (6-5, 3-4) haven’t lost to Kentucky in 25 years.

Lane Kiffin likely doesn’t want to be the guy who sees that streak end.

8. Auburn (No Change) The struggling Tigers (7-4, 3-4) are headed to a bowl, and that’s a lot more than many thought they’d get this season.

11. Mississippi State (No Change) Dan Mullen’s Bulldogs (4-7, 2-5) have one more shot to come through with a signature win against Ole Miss.

12. Vanderbilt (No Change) The season has mercifully come to an end for the lowly Commodores (2-10, 0-8).

Comments on this story?

E-mail sagckspt@mailbox.sc.edu

The Daily Gamecock ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009

PAGE 8B

2

1

4

3

5 6

KEYS TO THE GAME Six things Carolina needs to do to beat ACC Atlantic Division Clemson Tigers James Kratch

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

1

Defensive Line Play

It’s pretty simple – the USC defensive line needs to have its best performance of the year Saturday. USC is in a tough position on defense because Clemson has such a dynamic player in C.J. Spiller running the ball, and an extremely competent passing game led by Kyle Parker behind him.

The Gamecocks can’t load eight or nine men in the box to try and control Spiller, because Parker will beat them in the air. They can’t constantly go to nickel or dime packages on passing downs either, because Spiller will gash them up the middle or around the corners with draws and sweeps. This won’t be a game where Ellis Johnson can dial up overload blitzes on every down. The line is going to have to hold its own and both contain Spiller and pressure Parker, and they may have to do with four or five-man rushes for the most part.

2

Turnovers

The Clemson secondary week after week has found a way to get the football, snagging 20 interceptions, the fourth most in the nation. Stephen Garcia has been worlds better in making smart throws (only eight interceptions this year), but he is going to be tested against a slew of talented ballhawks Saturday. Under no circumstances can he try to force a throw, because it likely will be going the other way. On the other side, USC hasn’t had a takeaway since the Alabama game. That streak has to end, fast. Against a high-scoring Clemson offense, USC needs as many possessions and scoring opportunities as possible. Stealing one with a pick or a fumble recovery would be crucial.

3

Two big questions are lingering about Saturday – what will the distribution of Clemson fans to Carolina fans be and what effect, if any, will the Miley Cyrus-prompted noon kickoff have on the crowd. First, the latter. As Kentucky coach Rich Brooks once said so eloquently, it’s hard for fans to get “well-oiled” for early kickoffs. However, both teams have played at noon this year and both fan bases have dealt with noon starts. In the end, having to start early for America’s Teen Princess will mean nothing. However, the garnet/orange division could have a big deal. Many think that Clemson fans will be aplenty Saturday, and that doesn’t benefit USC at all. If the Gamecocks get up early, CU will have a good amount of support as they try to mount a comeback. If Clemson takes an early advantage, Williams-Brice could become brutal for Carolina. The logical prediction seems to be 60-40 Carolina to Clemson, but with those two-game ticket packages that were for sale all season long, who knows.

4

5

The Gameday Atmosphere

Preventing the Home Run

The Tigers are No. 2 in the ACC in points scored a game (33.1) and next to last in time of possession (28:57). That means that they score a lot of points on big plays. USC has to prevent those big plays. Carolina can likely survive one big play, but if CU gets two or three it’s going to be curtains for the Gamecocks. Spiller is the type of player who is going to break a big run at some point, and he likely will. USC just has to make sure that’s the only one he gets.

Special Teams

The impact of special teams on Saturday’s game goes beyond the “Kicking it to Spiller” conundrum. Yes, it will be rather intriguing (and crucial) to see how the beleaguered USC coverage teams go about punts and kickoffs to the dynamic return man. However, the real story may be the kickers. Spencer Lanning has been brilliant for USC since the first week of the season, while Richard Jackson has been shaky, albeit putting in a solid performance this past weekend against Virginia. In a game that has a history of coming down to a field goal, those two may be the difference between winning and losing.

6

Controlling Emotions

USC has made it very clear that this isn’t just “another game” to them – it’s something much more. And it should be.

This is the hated archrival from the upstate. This is a chance to salvage the season. This is a chance for revenge. This is a chance to send the seniors out winners in their last home game.

However, Carolina can’t let emotions take over the game. As much as USC fans may hate to acknowledge it, this Tiger team is a championship-caliber team; they know how to get the job done and they won’t be rattled at all. The Gamecocks are a very young team that likely already is having trouble sleeping because so much adrenaline is flowing through its veins. Remember, only 11 current USC players have beaten the Tigers. This team will be anxious to make its mark and get their win. But if USC comes out too amped up and too anxious, sloppy play and bad execution may come out as well.

Comments on this story? E-mail sagckspt@mailbox.sc.edu

THE GAMECOCK SPORTS STAFF SAYS ...

Clemson is a good football team, make no bones about it. And the Gamecocks haven’t exactly had heaps of success against them, either. To put it bluntly, South Carolina has beaten Clemson at home just one time since 1987. That doesn’t bode well for USC coach Steve Spurrier and Co. With Clemson riding high with its first-ever ACC Atlantic Division Championship, the Tigers will provide a stiff challenge for Carolina.

But the Gamecocks have a chance.

When Spurrier roamed the sidelines at the University of Florida, his Gators would usually find themselves in a struggle with the in-state rival Florida State Seminoles. Being the last game of the regular season and a couple of losses notched on their schedule, the Gators didn’t necessarily have as much to play for with the SEC Championship Game being the very next week.

With Clemson, it’s a similar story. The Tigers will head to Tampa, Fla., a week from Saturday for a right to go to the Orange Bowl. A South Carolina victory won’t do much for Clemson besides give them an added win and another victory in the series’ long history.

For Carolina, it’s a different story. The Gamecocks’ backs are against the wall, and need a seventh victory to improve their position in a potential bowl berth. The Gamecocks have everything to play for in this game, and it’ll show.

Clemson’s Heisman hopeful in running back C.J. Spiller will be difficult for USC to handle. Make no mistakes, he’ll definitely get his yards on Saturday afternoon. But it won’t be enough, and the Gamecocks will pull the upset.

Nov. 23rd – Nov. 29th

all in-stock merchandise 1215 Wayne St. • In the Vista • (803) 799-7571