The Daily Gamecock 7/7/10

CHAMPIONS! SEE PAGES CWS2, CWS3 AND 7 FOR FULL COVERAGE Ted Kirk / The Associated Press

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PAGE CWS2

CHAMPIONS

WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010

Gamecocks win College World Series USC obtains first mens national championship in school history Chris Cox

THE DAILY GAMECOCK

OMAHA, Neb. — South Carolina coach Ray Tanner sat there, stunned. There wasn’t much the veteran coach could say.

“It’s not usual that I’m at a loss for words, but ... I’ve never had the opportunity to sit in this position before,” Tanner said.

Taking a moment to applaud coach John Savage, Tanner praised the UCLA team and conveyed that USC’s victory in the 11-inning battle required great effort.

“You start in February with 300 teams and you get a chance to go to postseason, and maybe to a Super Regional, and then you have things go right for you and you go to Omaha. And you get to play in the national championship series,“ Tanner said. “And you’re the last team standing.”

Whit Merrifield’s RBI single in the bottom of the 11th capped another late-inning comeback for USC and catapulted the Gamecocks to a series victory in the National Championship over UCLA, the school’s fi rst national title in a men’s sport.

“I worked the count in my favor and got a fastball,” Merrifield said. “Even though it was kind of down, I got the barrel on it, and it fi nally went the other way and shot it into the gap. And it fell for me. And it was a great feeling.”

It concluded a miraculous season for Tanner and USC (54-16), who battled from deficits through much of the year. But the team that lost four of its first 10 games and four of its last five to end the regular season and conference tournament hoisted the national championship trophy— the fi rst team to accomplish such a feat in the sport’s 118 years of competition.

“We trailed in all three regional games, we trailed in Super Regional games, we were one pitch away from not being here today. It’s just a great run,” Tanner said.

“You have to have a lot of things happen for you and you have to have the right kind of people around you.

But it’s not impossible to be sitting where we are. But the odds are against you being here.”

Trailing UCLA (51-17) by a r un in t he eight h with the tying run standing on second, UCLA first baseman Dean Espy botched a Bobby Haney ground ball, bringing around the tying run and keeping the Gamecocks alive.

That set the stage for closer Matt Price, who battled back from loading the bases to strike out leadoff hitter Niko Gallego on three pitches to end the inning.

After the teams traded scoreless frames in the 10th, nine-hole hitter Scott Wingo forced a leadoff walk to begin the bottom half of the 11th before advancing into scoring position on a wild pitch. After Evan Marzilli moved him to third, Merrifield laced the biggest hit of his career into right field, sending the USC fans in attendance into a frenzy.

“We play like this all year. And we battle,” Price said. “And we come out in big games and pitching is unbelievable.”

South Carolina trailed after the seventh inning in each round of the tournament. They trailed against Bucknell. They trailed on the road at Coastal Carolina.

They were down to their final strike of the season against Oklahoma. And they trailed to UCLA in the

Eric Francis/ The Associated Press

Third baseman Adrian Morales celebrates as Jackie Bradley Jr. scores the winning run against the Oklahoma Sooners. championship.

And yet, they got it done.

“These guys ... they have great resolve.” Tanner said.

“They have great respect for the game ... They take ownership. They care about each other. They pick each other up.”

Making the run more improbable was USC’s resolve to battle out of the loser’s bracket. After falling to Oklahoma in the opening round, Carolina became the only team in the history of the CWS to win six consecutive games on its way to the title.

“I know this: When you have anxiety and tension, you can’t perform,” Tanner said. “And I think my teams have been that way at times because of me. And I try not to be that way anymore. These guys have been great for me. And they approach the game every day the right way. We didn’t win them all, but we won a large majority of them.”

As a result, the Gamecocks not only closed out their season with a victory, but Rosenblatt Stadium with a victory. The home of the College World Series since 1950, the contest will be held in a new facility next season.

That proved special to Tanner and Merrifield, who capped Rosenblatt’s historical run in his last “at-blatt.”

“To be able to survive and win the last game is really incredible,” Tanner said. “I know the new stadium will be very special and a great facility. But this is history.

And we’ll be a part of the College World Series and

Rosenblatt for a long, long time.”

It was a stunning finish to the game, as Savage elected to pitch to Merrifield and not load the bases in order to force a double play. With Merrifield standing at the plate and only one down, the Bruins were forced to pitch to either him or CWS MVP Jackie Bradley, Jr. The matchup could have called for loading the bases, as right-handed reliever Dan Klein would have faced the right-handed hitting Christian Walker, instead of the lefty Bradley.

They elected to go with the fi rst option.

“I was a little surprised that they didn’t walk me and Jackie to load the bases and maybe force a doubleplay ball,” Merrifield said. “But, you know, when I saw the catcher squat down, I knew I had something to prove.

They wanted to get me out.”

It failed. And as a result, allowed South Carolina to leave Omaha as the No. 1 team in college baseball.

“It’s so hard to get in this position, especially with the landscape of college baseball right now,” Tanner said. “The state of South Carolina and the Southeast, [there are] so many good programs and so many athletic directors who care. It’s a sport of emphasis and it’s incredible.

“I’m ecstatic to be a part of this program and winning the national championship.”

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Nati Harnik / The Associated Press

Bayler Teal provides hope and perspective for baseball team Chris Bilko

SPORTS EDITOR

A s p or t s t e a m c a n d r aw inspiration from a many things.

It can come from a injury to a star player or the thought that no one believes in them.

For the USC baseball team, it was a 7-year-old boy.

Bayler Teal lost his battle

with cancer June 24, 2010 — the same day Carolina defeated Oklahoma, 3-2.

A lifelong Gamecock fan, Bayler was invited to throw out the first pitch at a home game at Carolina Stadium this season.

As the regular season went on, his health deteriorated. Players and coaches kept in touch with the Teal family and decided to dedicate their entire postseason to the young man.

“He really became a part of our program,” coach Ray Tanner said. “He was always in our thoughts and prayers. We

would get updates on how he was doing when we traveled.

His dad would stay in constant contact with coach Holbrook.

So he really was a part of who we are, and we thought about him so many times.”

A f ter Bayler passed away, the University and community helped out to the Teal family — donating money to fly them out to Omaha where the family cheered on Bayler’s favorite team in t he Championsh ip Series against UCLA. “Our players do a great job of reaching out to people in our

community and volunteer work and hospital visits. And Bayler; Bayler just came to us,” Tanner said.

Players also showed t heir support. After Michael Roth pitched his three-hitter against Clemson, he could be seen with a “BT” on his hat in honor of Bayler. T he sophomore lefty even mentioned Bayler’s story to ESPN reporter Erin A nd re w s i n t he p o s t g a me i nt er v ie w a nd w a s v i s ibl y getting choked up about the subject.

The rest is history. USC won

the National Championship and the Teal family was able to be a part of the celebration in Omaha. It goes to show that someone, no matter how sm a l l, c a n cont r ibute to a championship run.

“I gotta believe right now he’s probably smiling right now and a happy camper looking down upon us,” Tanner said.

Donations can be made to the Bayler Teal fund at www. baylersprayers.org.

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Ted Kirk/ The Associated Press

dailygamecock.com UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010

City converges on Capitol to celebrate National Champions

INSIDE

National Champions Check out Sports to revisit the highs and lows of the 2010 baseball season on the Gamecocks journey to win the National Championship

See page 7

Best Baseball Movies Films inspired by America’s favorite pastime that are sure to hit a grand slam at movie night.

See page 6

A Pinch of Winch Stage parents force children to go after failed dreams of the past, not Kristyn pursue true Winch Second-year interests. print journalism student

See page 5

Baseball parade slideshow Thousands celebrated the Gamecock’s baseball victor y at parade, July 2. Check out exlusive photos of the festivities.

Community celebrates baseball victory during homecoming events Ellen Meder

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

W hen t he USC ba seba l l team traveled to Nebraska on Ju ne 17, t hey carried hope.

W hen t he tea m ret u r ned f rom O m a ha Ju ne 30 t he y carried the NCA A National Championship trophy.

W it h l it t le not ice, t he Un iver sit y a nd t he c it y of C olu mbi a pu l le d t og e t her to show the players, coaches a nd t r a i n i ng st af f a hero’s welcome. An initial welcoming celebration was held June 30.

More than 13,000 fans crowded into the Colonial Life Arena to greet the team and view a replay of the Gamecock’s fi nal triumph over UCLA. With f lashbulbs glittering throughout the arena, not a seat in the house empt y, the crowd began chanting before t he team even entered wit h the trophy. Coach Ray Tanner and several players spoke about the team, the win and their

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crowd gathers at the Capitol Friday after the parade. The team received a key to the city of Columbia.

gratitude toward the fans.

“This really hadn’t sank in yet u nt il I walked into t his place,” said starting catcher Ky l e E n d e r s . “ I t ’s r e a l l y

amazing.”

Gov. Mark Sanford carried t he celebrator y moment u m through the week, declaring Ju ly 1 G amecock s Baseball

Nat ion a l C h a mpion s Day, wh ic h wa s com memor ated by fl ying the team’s fl ag over PARADE ● Continued on 3

Coach Ray Tanner receives state’s highest civilian honor Gamecock triumph on national stage source of pride for South Carolinians Kristyn Winch NEWS EDITOR

Sout h Carolina b a s eb a l l c o ac h R a y Ta n n e r w o n m o r e t han t he College Wo r l d S e r i e s t h i s w e e k . G o v. M a r k Sanford presented him with the Order of the Palmetto, the highest civilian honor awarded in South Carolina, on Thursday, July 1.

The Gamecock f lag soared above the Statehouse t hat day, right underneath the

United States flag and South Carolina state flag.

Sa nford bega n h is speech Thu rsday by saying that “the action speaks for itself.”

According to Sanford, the national championship is “an i nspi rat ion to ever y young person in South Carol i na, whet her they are Clemson fans or USC fans, whatever their stripe or color, a nd to t hat la rger notion of persistence a nd not g iv i ng up i n l i f e . A s muc h a s anything, that’s what t h is proclamat ion is about.”

Tanner did not brag d u r i n g T h u r s d a y ’s c e r e m o n y, b u t d i d share his pride for his

team.

“I’m ver y honored and humbled by this oppor t u n it y today,” Tanner said.

Ta n ner ment ioned i n h is speech t hat a l t h o u g h Te x a s Christian Universit y was t he early crowd f avor it e i n O m a h a , once t he tea m was eliminated, the people of O m a h a c ho s e t o support USC. “The city of Omaha embraced us. I heard so ma ny people say, ‘I love your players. I love who they are and what they represent,’” Ta n ner sa id. “I sa id t hat’s how we are in t he st ate of Sout h Carolina.”

Ta n ne r f e e l s t h at h i s t e a m ’s v i c t o r y

Mary Ann Chastainv / The Associated Press

Gov. Mark Sanford presents Coach Ray Tanner with the Order of the Palmetto at the Statehouse Thursday, July 1. may help people see the state in a different light.

“We are so proud to be representatives of this state on a national stage,” Tanner said. “I hope people across the

cou nt r y u nder st a nd t he st ate of Sout h Carolina a little better now.”

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JOBMATE LAUNCHES TEXTING SERVICE Career Center adds mobile updates to alert students about employment Brittany S. Scott

Online @

Mix

VOL. 103, NO. 141 ● SINCE 1908

THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Gamecock students and alumni now have the ability to access job availabilities and internships from their cell phones. JobMate — a popular online resource for locating jobs, internships, interviewing opportunities and career fair events — has upgraded its notifications system so students will be able to receive important notifications via text message.

Erica Lake, the assistant director for employer relations, said she believes the new text messaging system will be a success.

“Students will have their own option whether to opt in or not so it’s not forcing them to add their phone number to the systems list,” she said.

The system is designed so students who sign up for JobMate have the option to receive text message alerts to their cell phones if they so choose.

JobMate is a great resource in advancing students careers. It includes an online job bank where students have the opportunity to search for opening positions related to their majors, whether they are looking for part-time or full-time work. Internship opportunities are available as well.

“USC students are ver y fortunate because employers post opening positions on JobMate just for Carolina students and alumni,” Lake said. “It’s a

one-stop shop.”

The new text messaging system will allow recipients to receive messages in three different options: from the office, from the system and most frequently from job agents. Office notifications will alert students on RSVPs of career fairs, reminders of campus interviews and the specific things each individual requests to receive information or reminders about. System notifications are those alerts of outages and changes. Job agents will alert students if there is job availability that meets their criteria.

Lake said she believes students will find the text notifications useful and more engaging than e-mails.

However, e-mail notifications will still be sent.

After learning of the text message alert system, third-year public relations student Candace Reese said she plans to sign up for a JobMate account.

“The text messaging system sounds good,” Reese said. “I think the new system will be more likely to catch students’ attention.“ Jobmate currently has 17,864 active student and alumni accounts and 5,515 current active employer accounts. As of Monday, June 7, Jobmate has had 89 students opt in to receiving text message notifications to their cell phones.

JobMate accounts are absolutely free. Students can sign up on the website at: www.sc.edu/career by clicking on the JobMate icon. A basic access account can be created, which students will only have access to job availabilities and internships, and once a student has a basic access account they can request a full access account by bringing their resume to the

career center. Full access accounts give students more features, such as on-campus recruiting opportunities, participating in on-campus interviews and resume referrals, RSVP for events, and other features.

Lake encourages all current students and alumni to sign up for Jobmate. She also strongly encourages students to add their cell phone numbers to the account to receive text message notifications to have a faster way of gaining the important information that Jobmate has to offer. Lake reminds students that the Career Center counselors are available Monday through Friday, no appointment necessary, from 1 to 4 p.m. if students need any assistance.

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The Daily Gamecock ● JULY 7, 2010

PAGE 2

Brains, brawn of USC athletes recognized nationally, regionally Spring sports top SEC Academic Honor Roll, Roth named College World Series individual highest GPA Ellen Meder

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Winning the College World Series to capture the title of 2010 NCAA Baseball Nat ional Champions is certainly earning the Gamecocks a lot of long-awaited recog n it ion across t he boa rd. Sl ight ly less recognized, t hough, was t he fac t t hat t he baseball team also earned acknowledgment as the team with the highest GPA of the eight teams t hat made a CWS appearance.

M ichael Rot h, a

second-year business student and Gamecocks f irst baseman and p i t c h e r, w a s n a m e d t he C W S i nd iv idu a l h ig he s t G PA w it h a 3.82.

At the parade held in honor of the National Champions on July 2, Columbia Mayor Steve Benja m i n made note of the baseball team’s ac h ie vement s i n t he classroom as well.

“T hese you ng men scored the highest GPA of any team,” Benjamin said. “They are a direct ref lect ion of t heir parents, the University a nd of t he cha rac ter that Ray Tanner instills i n t hem ever y si ngle day.”

USC a lso had t he most st udent-at hletes o n t he SE C 2010 Spring Academic Honor Roll with a total of 109 st udent s f rom nine Gamecock spring sports teams, including

19 b a s e b a l l p l a y e r s .

USC h a s t a l l ied t he most st udent-at hletes on four out of f ive of the last SEC Academic Honor Roll releases.

“Our baseball victory demonst rates t hat excellence has become the expectation, not just the dream, at Carolina,” s a id US C P r e s id e nt Harris Past ides in an e-mail to faculty, staff and students on July 1.

“In so many facets of st udent ach ievement, athletic performance, facult y and staf f accomplish ment s, we are being recog nized as one of t he top u n iversit ies i n t he n a t i o n . We l o o k t o sustain this momentum a n d b u i ld u p o n o u r successes to make a l l t h e Un i v e r s it y ’s constituents justifi ably proud.”

PIC OF THE WEEK

Ellen Meder / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Hot air balloons fill the sky in Blythewood, S.C., for the Fourth of July weekend. $5 hot air balloon rides were among the attractions at Balloons, Blues and Bar-B-Que

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Lottery funds help provide new technology centers USC among three S.C. universities receiving grant Kristyn Winch NEWS EDITOR

The Sout h Carol i na Centers of E conom ic Excellence Program recently voted to approve the building of three new technolog y centers at universities.

The University of South Carolina is one of three schools chosen for a new

tech nolog y center. The center — which will focus on data analysis, simulation, imaging and visualization — will be built using South Carolina Education Lottery funds.

According to the CoEE’s w e b s it e , t h e C o E E i n Data Analysis, Simulation, Imaging and Visualization w i l l desig n “i n novat ive algorithms that can improve the flow and interpretation of data collected by a variety of advanced equipment, such as electron microscopes,

“The proposed CoEE eart h remote sensing satellites, and supercomputer builds on existing strengths hydrodynamic simulations.” at USC and is relevant to a T h e t e c h n o l o g y a t wide range of scientific and t he center w i l l help to research endeavors ... It is ma ke la rge a mou nt s of projected that the proposed data understandable and CoEE will ultimately create u sable f rom equ ipment a local workforce of hundreds s u c h a s e l e c t r o n of trained professionals,” said microscopes, satellites and the on-site review panel in supercomputers. According its review of the merits of to The State, the centers this CoEE. Clemson and MUSC also “a i m to spu r st a r t up businesses.” Universities received funding. must match state money Anna Smith / THE DAILY GAMECOCK with private funds or federal Technology centers will be funded in part by the lottery.

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The Daily Gamecock ● JULY 7, 2010 PARADE ● Continued from

Bobby Sutton / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

A decorated vehicle is featured in the Gamecocks homecoming parade held July 2.

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t he St at e hou s e . T he la st tea m to h ave it s colors hoisted above the Capitol was the national title-winning Clemson football team in 1981.

The fi nal official wave of celebrat ion ca me Fr id ay, Ju ly 2 when t he Cit y of Columbia held a t icker-tape parade dow n Main St reet , c u l m i nat i ng i n a n add re s s on t he Statehouse steps. The event was put together with little over 48 hours of planning and drew an estimated 40,000 fans.

M a y o r St e v e Benjamin opened t he remark s before pr e s e nt i n g t he t e a m with the key to the city and proclaiming the day as “Coach Ray Tanner Day a nd G amecock

PAGE 3 Baseball Day.” “If there’s one virtue we can take from their accomplish ment s, it’s that of perseverance,” said Universit y board member William Hubbard as he add ressed t he crowd. “ Yo u ’ v e m a d e t h e summer of 2010 one we will never forget.”

After Athletic Director Eric Hy man read a poignant e-mail from a fan, Tanner took the podium to the glee of the audience “ You have been t he greatest,” Tanner told t he c rowd, “a nd now you get the opportunity to celebrate the number one baseball team in the United States.”

Player Jay Brow n complimented t he G amecock s’ st adiu m, coaching staff, team and

fans before the crowd beg a n cha nt i ng t he name of Jackie Bradley Jr. , w h o w a s n a m e d t he C WS M V P. T he c h a nt i n g d id n’t s t op there though. As Whit Mer r i f ield , w ho i s a ninth round MLB draft pick of the Kansas City Royals, took the stage the crowd pleaded “One more year,” again and again.

The event wrapped up after Scott Wingo led the crowds in a barking cha nt. T hough t he parade crowd dispersed rapidly, pride over the baseba l l tea m is st i l l glowing in businesses around Columiba a nd on t he l ips of Gamecocks around the state.

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010

PAGE 4

Top-ranked Apple sours to new lows

EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief

ELLEN MEDER Viewpoints Editor

Copy Desk Chief

RYAN QUINN

SAMANTHA EDWARDS

News Editor

Sports Editor

KRISTYN WINCH

CHRIS BILKO

Design Director

Photography Editor

BOBBY SUTTON

KERI GOFF

Company appearing more like Microsoft

94.3 should buckle up with common sense Though it is not necessary for every media outlet to print or broadcast public service announcements, it seems that it is their responsibility to at the very least refrain from encouraging reckless behavior — public disservice announcements.

Over the weekend a promotional clip was aired on local classic rock radio station WWNQ — Flashback 94.3 FM. The clip said what amounted to “Listen to Flashback without your seat belt on. Columbia has some of the best hospitals in the state.” This irresponsible message was perhaps intended to get listeners to harken back to the times when they first listened to the Rolling Urging the public to Stones, but encouraged t hem to dispense w it h ignore serious laws safety. Flashback 94.3 would that are in the interest have been just as ridiculous had they told listeners to hop in the car and wash of public safety is dow n t heir Beat les set unacceptable. with a few Budweisers.

Compounding the station’s indiscretion is the fact that the announcement aired over a holiday weekend, during which traffic accidents and incidences of drunk driving peak. The station does not even stream their broadcast on the Internet, increasing the likeliness that listeners were in a vehicle when they heard the message.

Put simply, urging the public to ignore serious laws that are in the interest of public safety is completely unacceptable. If radio stations are so out of touch with their listeners that they are willing to put them in serious danger, it is no surprise that radio, as a medium, is falling out of favor.

A PINCH OF WINCH

‘Stage parents’ limit kids’ freedom Children forced to follow dreams parents wish they had achieved After watching the Miss Teen South Carolina and Miss South Carolina pageants that took place over the holiday weekend, I have been thinking about what motivates young women to participate i n b e aut y p age a nt s , a nd , ultimately, try to make it in show business. One possible source of motivation: stage parents. Stage parents are those moms and dads who feel the need to push their children Kristyn t o pu r s ue c a re er s i n t he Winch entertainment industry. Often Second-year print journalism times, these parents actions student seem to be driven by their own hidden desires for celebrity and failed attempts at stardom.

As an active participant in the community theatre circuit since fourth grade, I have met dozens of stage parents. Since my very first audition, I’ve been in competition for parts with kids who really didn’t care about getting cast, but their parents dragged them there because of their own selfish motives.

I’ve seen children cry, scream and hit their parents because they really didn’t want to get in front of a director and read from a script.

It’s sad to me. My parents never pushed me to try out for plays or musicals. I had the drive and desire to be a star since I

watched my first Shirley Temple movie at my grandma’s house. Too bad I had to put up with all the snotty-nosed brats who were forced to take dance and voice lessons since age two to please their parents.

I ran into a young girl today who took lessons from the same voice teacher as I did in high school. The girl, 16, told me she is trying out for “American Idol” in two weeks.

I know her mom, who is the ultimate stage mom, has something to do with that. She enrolled her daughter in acting classes, dance classes and voice lessons when she was five years old. She keeps a blog to document every local and national audition and competition the girl enters and sends mass e-mails encouraging family and friends to vote for her kid online. She drives her daughter to every audition and pleads to stay, even when directors put signs on the door that say “no parents allowed.” This girl doesn’t act like she hates the pressure her mother puts on her, but she’s been auditioning like a pro for so many years she probably doesn’t realize her mom is manipulating her.

I feel parents should let their children find out their interests for themselves rather than force their unfulfilled dreams upon them. One of my favorite actresses, Kristin Chenoweth, recently said, “If you can’t see yourself doing anything else at all, definitely do acting.” If kids can see themselves having careers in other fields besides show business, their parents should let them pursue those areas instead.

Conservative, liberal ideologies both need ‘green’ Republicans’ defense of community links their cause to environmentalists’ For many, environmentalism is a classic example of liberal hippie ideology. Relegated to tree huggers and naïve anti-industrialists, the “green” movement tends to be perceived as lacking the legitimacy, which it arguably deserves, amongst conservative Republicans.

Meanwhile, Democrats laud environmental regulation as the solution to all of America’s problems. For most, these two ideologies seem diametrically opposed, but they have a great deal more in common than many would admit.

The most obvious common factor is a heavy emphasis on local economies. The community is strengthened by fostering the development of local economies as embodied by small business and local agriculture. It is no longer subject to the whim of national corporations and is less drastically affected by the actions of the federal or even state governments.

L oc a l power, i n ter m s of t he st ate or community level, has often been associated with Republicans and conservative ideology, but for the traditional Republican conservative, this actually may be more difficult to practice

than to preach. Republican support of business has reversed the party’s role from the protector of local institutions to the protector of national interests. The support of lesser and lesser taxes and continued deregulation has undermined t he st rengt h of local inst it ut ions against national corporations.

Gas stations perhaps symbolize t his t he best. Though an over whelming majorit y of gas stations are locally owned and operated, they are all tied into franchise-st yle contracts t hat lin k t heir local business to a national (often multinational) Frank corporation. The local station Avery ow ner e s s e nt i a l l y ow n s a nd Fourth-year operates the convenience store political while he purchases oil from a science large distributor — such as BP, student Shell or Ex xon-Mobil — t hat controls all aspects of how the fuel is marketed.

Initially this may seem advantageous for the station owner. The owner gains customers based on brand loyalty or the reputation of a major chain. It draws in customers who purchase convenience store goods and the owner takes his share of the gasoline sales.

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But the problem is that the negative often outweighs the positive. When a major vendor fails to maintain its positive reputation, such as BP during its dealings in the Gulf of Mexico, the local operator is hung out to dry. Through no fault of his own, he will lose customers.

The nat ional bra nd’s fa ilu res w ill end a single station, or hundreds of stations, due to boycotts and general outrage at the national corporation. Suddenly, the disadvantage is losing your business — something nearly impossible to recover.

And so it seems two opposed ideologies are necessary to reconcile these kinds of issues to prevent these tragedies. The conservative needs to accept that regulation is good. It protects small business from the hazards of big business. It protects the local communities, such as Detroit and its suburbs or the Gulf Coast, from being destroyed by a confluence of disastrous corporate downfalls. But at the same time, the liberal must accept that sweeping national regulation is not the only solution.

Often it can permeate too deeply into the local level and disrupt the flexibility and adaptability that makes the community so powerful. To fi nd a strong balance between these two would be truly “green.”

In May 2010, Apple Inc. usurped Microsoft’s throne as the world’s largest technology company. The total value scorecard read Apple: $221 bi l l ion ; M ic ro sof t : $219 billion. Somewhere men are laugh ing a nd somewhere children shout, but there is no joy in Redmond — mighty Microsoft has struck out.

But being number one has its drawback s.

We learned from “ Spider m a n” that with great power comes great Ryan responsibilit y.

Quinn Third-year A nd for t hose print journalism “ S t a r Wa r s ” student nerds out there who know their Expanded Un iverse, even Lu ke Sk y walker became a Sith .

Apple, the company ranked by Fortune as the most admired company in the world for the past three years, is also turning to the dark side. The iPhone 4 even has a way of holding it dubbed the “death grip.”

In Nicholas Kristof’s June 26 column in The New York Times, “Death by Gadget in Congo,” he reveals that Apple is one of several electronics ma nufact u rers buy ing coveted “conflict minerals,” such as tantalum, tungsten, tin and gold, from Congolese warlords who use the money you spent on the new iPhone to finance murder and rape.

Kristof has seen some barbaric things, yet here he says “I’ve never reported on a war more barbaric than Congo’s, and it haunts me.”

The recent su icides of mistreated Chinese workers at Foxconn, a manufacturer of the iPhone and other Apple products, have also blemished Apple’s shiny exterior. Just read this May 26 headline from The Sydney Morning Herald: “I promise not to kill myself: Apple factory workers ‘asked to sign pledge.’”

But is this criticism really fair? “Conf lict minerals” are also used by ot her compa n ies such as I ntel.

Fo x c o n n a l s o p r o d u c e s products for Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. Why should Apple be held to a different standard?

It ’s bec au se A pple ha s always branded itself as the outsider - the place where you can wear Hawaiian shirts to work every day. Steve Jobs was even k now n to wal k around the office barefoot.

But it seems more and more that his billion dollar toes are trampling on the little guy.

Does that make Apple any different from Microsoft? No, it just makes it more similar.

Regrettably more similar.

Welcome to the top Apple, I just hope you remember the morals that got you here.

Editor-in-Chief ELLEN MEDER Copy Desk Chief SAMANTHA EDWARDS Design Director BOBBY SUTTON Assistant Design Director A.J. BIKOWSKI News Editor KRISTYN WINCH Viewpoints Editor RYAN QUINN The Mix Editor ELLEN MEDER Sports Editor CHRIS BILKO Photo Editor KERI GOFF Copy Editors AUGUST GLAZIER, VANESSA LINDOWER, ASHLEY MCGARRY 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 DEMETRIOUS COOPER, KELLIE DUFF, LIZ HOWELL, MADDIE MCDOWELL, KAILEY WARING Advertising JULIE CANTER, HANNAH COOK, CARLY GALLAGHER, NATALIE HICKS, PHILIP KISELICK, QUINCY ROBINSON, LAUREN SPIRES, MEGHAN TANKERSLEY JUSTIN WILT

CONTACT INFORMATION 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

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“Baseball is 90 percent mental.

The other half is physical.”

— Yogi Berra WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010

PAGE 5

Take me out to the ballgame These baseball films are sure to knock your movie night out of the park Ellen Meder

Second Base:

EDITOR IN CHIEF

By the end of “The Pride of the Yankees” you might be reminding yourself of the rule you learned in the bullpen as you reach for a tissue. Deeply sentimental, the plot follows the life and career of Lou Gehrig from his childhood through his moving “Luckiest Man” speech in Yankee Stadium on Independence Day 1939. The film stars Gary Cooper but also has appearances from real life Yankees Babe Ruth and Bill Dickey.

First Base:

Third Base:

Though you probably haven’t watched “The Sandlot” in “forrr-evvv-errr,” now is the perfect time to revisit this childhood favorite. Watch Smalls, the new kid in town, and a rag-tag group of neighborhood boys spend all summer between the community swimming pool and playing ball in a small dirt lot, living for the game. When they launch a prized baseball over the sandlot’s fence and within reach of “The Beast,” the boys must work together to retrieve it. It’s only then that they really learn what it means to be a team. Full of references to baseball lore this is a feel-good film.

“Field of Dreams” is the start of Kevin Costner’s baseball movie double play. This adaptation of “Shoeless Joe” by W.P. Kinsella follows an Iowa corn farmer who builds a baseball field which summons the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson and seven other players from the Chicago W hite Sox players who threw the 1919 World Series. Throw in a dash of father-son bonding and an overall theme of the allure of baseball as a game and this is a must-see.

Bullpen: S u r e , “A L e a g u e o f T h e i r Own” focuses more on a group of trailblazing women getting the right to play on the field during the WWII era rather than simply the game, but this one is a classic. Starring Tom Hanks and Geena Davis this really is an ensemble fi lm full of character and spirit. Plus, there’s always the infamous line by Hanks’ character Jimmy Dugan: “There’s no crying in baseball!”

Since becoming national champions, a baseball frenzy has taken hold of Gamecocks near and far.

With the college season wrapped up, many of us are still itching for some of America’s pastime. While the following film suggestions may not measure up to the thrill of watching our 2010 baseball team, they’re sure to knock it out of the park.

Extra Innings:

Home Plate: Considered by many to be an authentic portrayal of baseball, “Bull Durham” gives audiences the inside scoop on the minor leagues on and off the field. A love triangle develops between catcher Crash Davis (Costner), wild rookie pitcher “Nuke” LaLoosh (Tim Robbins) and a team groupie (Susan Sarandon).

In the end it’s the combination of actor chemistry, realistic baseball shots and noticeable lack of sports fi lm clichés that make Bull Durham the champion of baseball movies. No wonder it’s so accurate: writer and director Ron Shelton is a former minor leaguer himself.

CRUISE PLAYS CRUISE IN ACTION Knight and Day

LISTEN TO

THIS

NOW IN THEATERS ★ ★ ★ out of ✩✩✩✩✩

Director: James Mangold Starring: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz Run Time: 109 minutes Rating: PG-13, for sequences of action violence and brief strong language

Summertime songs that are running through headphones at The Daily Gamecock this week “Lend Me Your Face”

by Fight Like Apes

Jimmy Gilmore

THE DAILY GAMECOCK

“K n ight a nd Day ” is a play f u l ly of f-k ilter action caper whose sole purpose often seems to catapult Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz back into the certifiable A-list of celebrity. The movie is overstuffed with witty banter, breakneck action set pieces and a glossy chemistry between the two stars, yet it all too fleetingly delves into the kind of unhinged insanity its leading man seems to be reaching for.

I n a su m mer awash w it h d isappoi nt i ng or mediocre fi lms — Pixar’s “Toy Story 3” aside — “Knight and Day” comes as a surprise: a movie as goofy and senseless as its titular pun.

Cruise gets this, but he almost gets it too well.

Cruise’s wacky supporting turn as movie producer Les Grossman in 2008’s “Tropic Thunder” won him praise lef t and right for sublimat ing his movie star glamour for a sickening, foul-mouthed caricature.

If Grossman was everything Tom Cruise isn’t, his lead turn here as Roy Miller is ever ything Tom Cruise “is” — every smile, every lock of hair, every body motion, every line of dialogue seems to channel “Tom Cruise: Movie Star.” In the movie’s manic opening act, this works wonders and helps give the fi lm its buoyancy, but as it draws farther into the action, Cruise becomes less the film’s center and more just an element of its production.

What keeps “Knight and Day” from being as frenetically enjoyable as it strives to be is that it’s trying to make a major Hollywood blockbuster feel like an improvisation. It wants us to feel continually caught off guard by the eccentricities of the action and the rapidity of the banter, but it can’t help feeling overly familiar.

That’s not to say that the movie isn’t tremendous fun at times. It knowingly plays up its MacGuffin

So, it’s not a movie, but catching a Columbia Blowfish game is much more exciting than renting DVDs. As part of the Coastal Plain League the Blowfish will be playing at the Capital City Stadium off of Assembly Street through the end of July. Not only do you get to see college players from all over the Southeast, but the stadium also has great specials on ballpark food favorites including Two For Tuesdays and Thirsty Thursdays. Visit blowfishbaseball.com for details.

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Actors Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise co-star in the action-packed film “Knight and Day.” — a central plot element that is both everything the story is about and of absolutely no importance — and sensibly plays the dynamic between Diaz and Cruise’s, which is at times magnetic.

But it’s still two movies at once — a super-serious action spectacle, and a no-holds-barred spy film parody. Take an action sequence set on a freeway late into the film’s first act, in which Diaz’s character drives an SUV down the wrong side of the road as Cruise shoots baddies from the hood of the car.

On one hand, it’s a joy to watch Cruise play straight face (or relaxed and goofy face) to Diaz’s freak-out. On the other, the stunts and chaos are well-staged action, but rarely do these elements seem perfectly conjoined.

Director James Mangold, whose last film was “3:10 to Yuma,” reaches high and manages to control all the elements of the production while still giving his stars space to roam within the frame.

Of course, that also ends up being the central contradiction the fi lm poses: Can something this expensive put every cent on the screen in tightly controlled spectacle and still find room for the megastars to comfortably play off each other?

While it may not be a consistent fi lm, it’s still entertaining, and it’s great fun just to watch Tom Cruise play himself with such uncontained glee.

The whole thing may feel concocted to its last smirk, but at least it’s a knowing smirk.

Comments on this story?

E-mail sagcketc@mailbox.sc.edu

“California Love” by 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre “Monster”

by Lady Gaga “Laredo”

by Band of Horses “Summer Breeze”

by Seals and Crofts “No Love”

by Eminem featuring Lil Wayne “Tricky, Tricky”

by Lou Bega “Gay Bar”

by Electric Six “Summer Wind”

by Frank Sinatra “Money”

by Easy Star All-Stars “In the Summertime”

by Mungo Jerry

WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010

PAGE 6

The Scene @ USC

Whiteboard

By Bobby Sutton / The Daily Gamecock

Wednesday, July 7 “HAIR” 7:30 p.m., $25 Trustus Theatre, 520 Lady St.

Thursday, July 8 “TYPEFACE” 6 p.m., $7 Nickelodeon Theatre, 937 Main St. Friday, July 9 ROALD DAHL’S “WILLY WONKA” 8 p.m., $22/$16 students Workshop Theatre, 1136 Bull St. Saturday, July 10 CONCERTS IN FINLAY PARK: MYSTIK VIBRATIONS 8 p.m., free Finlay Park, 930 Laurel St.

Sunday, July 11 ARIES SPEARS 8 p.m., $18 The Comedy House, 2768 Decker Blvd.

Monday, July 12 COLUMBIA BLOWFISH VS. WILMINGTON 7:05 p.m., $6 Capital City Stadium, 301 S. Assembly St. Tuesday, July 13 HEALTHY CAROLINA FARMERS MARKET 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., free Davis Field, 1400 Greene St.

HOROSCOPES

07/07/10

1234567890-=

ARIES You get the chance to talk about your pet ideas today. What seems natural to you may not gel for others. Try different words.

TAU R U S Ta k e e v e r y oppor t u n it y to chat w it h loved ones. Share i nsight s a nd ex pla i n unusual concepts.

GEMINI Ti me spent at home reaps huge benefits.

You don’t have to invest a lot of cash to satisfy secret desires and build optimism.

C AN CER Yo u’r e d e e p i nto c reat ive t hought .

It may be personal, but doesn’t need to be secret.

Yo u ’ r e f o r t u n a t e t o talk to your girlfriends.

L E O To d a y y o u ’ r e comfortable in a

publ ic sit u at ion. You r homework got done, a nd you’re completely prepared for your role.

VIRGO You find yourself at the center of productive activit y. You have more creat ive ideas t han you can use at the moment.

F i l e s o m e f o r l a t e r.

LIBRA Your imagination’s bursting to figure out the practical side of a major transformation. A partner has solutions that you love.

SCORPIO W hat seemed like a small task expands to fill the available space a nd t i me. By foc u si ng on details you bring it b a c k d ow n t o s i z e .

S A G I T TA R I U S Yo u need to manage today’s

tasks one at a time. Later opportunities come up in just the order you need them. Don’t get arrogant.

CAPRICORN Pl ac e relaxation and recreation high on the agenda today.

Even though work takes second place, clear your desk of urgent issues first.

AQUARIUS Pay at t e nt io n t o y ou r c o workers. They have lots of ideas that fill in g a p s y o u d i d n’t e v e n k now ex isted. Pick and c ho o s e f r o m o p t io n s .

PI S C E S Wo r k o n a project w it h a tea m member early in the day.

You smooth out wrinkles before presenting to the larger group. They love it.

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07/07/10

Todays solution

Across 1 Very attentive 5 Kibbutz dance 9 Throat ailment 14 Blond race in “The Time Machine” 15 Hatchets 16 Under-the-bridge folklore villain 17 Cold sufferer’s decongestant 19 Reach a cost of 20 Prevail over, at an auction 21 Paddock pop 23 Internet address punctuation 24 Gobi Desert locale 26 Four __: luxury hotel 28 18-Down washing places 32 Breakfast area 33 Canonized woman of Fr. 34 Early anesthetic 38 FGs often end them 39 Stiffly formal 42 __ League 43 Dressing table vessel, perhaps 45 It’s “the word” 46 Ballet bend 47 Honeymoon mecca 51 Nightclub enforcer 54 Be in on 55 Superlative ending 56 Fast food tycoon Ray 58 Gemini rockets 62 “You can’t get __ from here” 64 Creamy bowlfuls for chips 66 Barbershop quartet voice 67 New York canal 68 Words after shake or break 69 Bosox rivals 70 Society newcomers 71 Cell phone message Down 1 Vegas alternative 2 1966 N.L. batting champ Matty 3 Newsgroup message 4 Curtain restraint 5 Most robust 6 Losing tic-tac-toe row 7 Weight room count 8 St. Francis of __ 9 Barely ran?

10 Show about Capote Todays solution: 11 Sonata finale, often 12 Pop singer John 13 Garden layouts 18 Spoon companion of rhyme 22 Cartoon Chihuahua 25 Against 27 Old boom-creating speedster, briefly 28 Gearshift topper 29 Greek “i” 30 Mix, as a salad 31 1965 Freedom March city 35 Country singer Faith 36 Pernicious 37 Whiskey choices 39 Candy bar that 60 Nadir’s opposite makes you chuckle?

61 High-ranking NCO 40 Ankara native 63 Seoul soldier 41 Issues (from) 65 Poke fun at 44 Country stopover 46 Examined, cat-style 48 __ Lingus 49 Felt one’s way 50 Stodgy old-timer 51 Wilma’s pal on “The Flintstones” 52 Milo of “The Verdict” 53 Knoxville sch.

57 Part of TLC 59 Christie’s “Death on the __”

PAGE 7

USC Baseball Season Timeline Relive the Gamecock’s highs and lows on the road to becoming the 2010 NCAA National Champions Chris Bilko

SPORTS EDITOR

2/19/10- Season opens with a 10-3 victory against Duquesne.

3/6/10- Team holds a 6-4 record after losing series to the East Carolina Pirates and archrival Clemson Tigers.

3/21/10- Gamecocks sweep first SEC series at home against the Tennessee Volunteers.

4/11/10- Carolina caps off two series wins on the road against Auburn and Vanderbilt.

Kara Roache / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Ray Tanner and Jack Leggett at the Clemson series.

4/16/10- Blake Cooper out-duels much heralded prospect, Drew Pomeranz, to lead USC to 5-0 victory over Ole Miss.

4/30/10- Brady Thomas hits a walk-off home run in the 11th inning to defeat Alabama 9-7.

5/9/10- Team loses first SEC series against the Kentucky Wildcats.

5/16/10- USC sweeps the Arkansas Razorbacks, a regional host, in Fayetteville.

Chris Keohane / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Blake Cooper throws from the mound in his win against the Ole Miss Rebels.

5/22/10- Gamecocks fall short of SEC East title in defeat by Florida in two out of three at home.

5/27/10- USC knocked out of SEC tournament after scoring only one run in two games.

6/6/10- Team wins all three games of the Columbia regional after trailing in each contest.

6/13/10- Christian Walker and Matt Price emerge as stars as USC defeats Coastal Carolina in the Super Regional.

6/20/10- Gamecocks lose first game of CWS to Oklahoma 4-3 after massive rain delays.

Sam Bennett / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Whit Merrifield hustles down the first base line against Mississippi State.

6/22/10- Sam Dyson leads Carolina to 11-4 victory over No.1 Arizona State.

6/24/10- Carolina knocks out Oklahoma on a 11th inning walk-off single by Brady Thomas.

6/26/10- In a repeat of the 2002 CWS, USC eliminates Clemson in two games after a pitching gem by reliever Michael Roth.

6/29/10- USC lifts the National Championship trophy after sweeping heavily favored UCLA in two games.

Ted Kirk / The Associated Press

The Gamecocks celebrate their victory over Clemson in the CWS.

The Daily Gamecock â—? WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010

PAGE 8

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NATIONAL

CHAMPIONS

PAGE CWS3

USC baseball disproves ‘Chicken Curse’ with National Championship title Gamecock sports teams should take note of what can be accomplished I was pulled over in Missouri on my way home from Omaha. As the officer approached my car, he noticed the University of South Carolina sticker on my window and the South Carolina license plate.

“You guys headed back from the World Series?” he asked.

After sheepishly nodding and passing along my driver’s license, the officer returned to his car where he went through my information.

After returning a few minutes later, he passed back my license and had some surprising words.

“Yeah, I thought you boys were going to win it in the ninth with the two, three and four hitters up,” he laughed.

“But you guys got it done. Congrats on the National Championship. Now slow it down.”

I had never been happier to get a $100 speeding ticket.

That’s because South Carolina, after over a century of athletic futility, finally reached the pinnacle of collegiate athletics with their College World Series title — the first

in the program’s history.

As a native son of the Palmetto State, I’ve seen my fair share of pain, heartache and one-too-many close calls that went the other way. But surprisingly enough, that never seemed to happen as USC tore through the bracket on its way to the Chris Cox championship.

Fourth-year Perhaps USC’s good fortune is due to a print journalism cultural change or is the result of getting student hot at the right time. Either way, Carolina fans aren’t complaining.

There were so many different spots where USC could have utterly collapsed. Despite a seven-run lead in game one of the championship series, the Bruins loaded the bases in the ninth without recording an out, forcing USC to go to its bullpen. In years past, the outcome may have been different than a measly run scoring double play.

In game two, the Bruins loaded the bases in the ninth in a tie game before Matt Price struck out leadoff hitter Niko Gallego to end the inning. In years past, that may not have happened.

A lot has been made over the supposed end to the “Chicken Curse” placed on the University by Ben Tillman,

who helped establish Clemson University. Whether that was or wasn’t the reason for USC’s lack of athletic prowess up until this point, it can’t be used as a crutch anymore.

Now that the Gamecocks have reached the top of baseball, fans can’t point to a curse for upcoming failure.

It’s also a wakeup call to other coaches on campus.

Baseball coach Ray Tanner just proved that the University can accomplish even the most improbable of feats. He’s paved the way for other coaches and student athletes to believe in that as well.

The National Championship in baseball may have done wonders for the fans, but it should do even more to the other sports at USC. They’ve proven it can be done despite even the toughest of odds.

Now we’ll see how those other sports use this to springboard themselves to success in their own sports.

It’ll be interesting, that’s for sure. And if it doesn’t happen, it won’t be because of a curse. The title should instill a sense of belief in all sports at USC, and as a result may guide them to success in their own sports and own national title appearances.

And maybe, just maybe, when I make that similar trip to go watch that sport’s title game appearance, I’ll remember to slow it down.

2010: President: Barack Obama

1892: President: Benjamin Harrison

THEN & NOW

First basketball game is played at a YMCA in Massachusetts.

Lebron James chooses between Cavs, Nets, Knicks and Heat.

Google launches its Nexus One smartphone.

Thomas Edison receives two-way telegraph patent.

South Carolina started playing baseball in 1892.

But it took until 2010 to win the school’s first College World Series title. A lot has changed in the time that it took to win the school’s first championship since its inaugural year.

Pledge of Allegiance is first recited in unison at public schools.

Stanley Cup is first donated by Frederick Stanley.

Poets Walt Whitman and Alfred Lord Tennyson die.

U.S. Court of Appeals for Ninth Circuit upholds words “under God.” Chicago Blackhawks win first title since 1961.

Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok” spends nine weeks at the No. 1 spot on music charts.

— Compiled by Chris Cox

USC wins first National Championship.

USC begins playing baseball.

Fans receive payoff after years of loyalty Poetry pays homage to triumphs of underdogs James Kratch

THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Two hours after W hit Merrifield erased a centuryplus of men’s athletic futility at the University of South Carolina with one line drive base hit to right field I lay down in my bed knowing two things: I was going to write something for this, the National Championship ed it ion of T he Da i ly G amecock , and I had absolutely no idea what I was going to say.

I bega n look i ng for inspiration. I found it on my bedroom wall: a poster of the 1955 Dodgers team photo alongside Marianne Moore’s famous poem about the team, “A Hometown

Piece for Messrs. Alston and Reese,” Though Walter O’Malley p a c k e d u p B r o o k l y n’s beloved hometown Dodgers a nd move d t hem 2,785 miles west to Los Angeles in 1958, the fans remained some of the most passionate, supportive and loyal fans ever. To say they endured a lot of heartbreak would be an understatement.

“Dem Bu ms” lost t he World Series five times from 1941 to 1954 — each time to the hated New York Yankees — and suffered possibly the most famous defeat in baseball history: losing the National League pennant

to the archrival New York Giants on Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ‘Round The World.”

The fans never lost faith, though. They never dwelled on the negatives. They wiped away the tears, bit their lower lips, kept their heads up and said in unison, “Wait ‘til next year.”

In 1955, “next year” finally came. The Dodgers beat the Yankees in a seven-game Fall Classic. Finally, Brooklyn had the right to call itself a champion.

Thinking about that team as I fell asleep last Tuesday night, it hit me. I never saw those Dodgers play. I never

Bury the curse and its wretched past For Carolina is champion at last Crowned when Whit lined it to right Bringing Scotty Wingo home into the light Dogpiles and hugs ensued It was Ray that Erin and the cameras pursued The first game USC suffered defeat Before Sam Dyson took down the Sun Devils in the heat From there, there was no magic lacking Starting when Brady Thomas sent the Sooners packing Win it for Bayler, they all said A 2002 sequel in the making and hated Clemson lying ahead In Game One, Michael Roth, taking an order rather tall Baffled Leggett’s boys, more than answering the call But, one more win remained before the grandest stage No fear though; Morales’ single in the eighth helped turn the page Then Matt Price put the Tigers down With Walker’s diving snag giving the Upstate one last frown Two wins away now and on to UCLA No worries in the opener; Bulldog Blake had himself a day A mere 27 outs until hardball Nirvana It looked dicey, but Haney’s chopper was a miracle worthy of the Madonna Then the grandeur of the bottom of the eleventh inning When in Rosenblatt’s final hour, all the pain subsided for time everlasting Hold your heads high now and forever Because garnet and black are now hues of winning endeavors Omaha glory and lifelong dreams of Carolinians rendered Names that will never be forgotten; Marzilli, Brown, Beary and Kyle Enders Ebert, Taylor, Jones, Bangs and Jose Mata, among others And with Jackie Bradley, Webb and more returning for another A repeat is not any more impossible Than how many thought this one improbable Take off the goat-horns, you band of Gamecocks Because no more can you be the target of mocks No, only cheers and ovations for you historic men now So go ahead; and eternally take your bow

saw those Dodger fans — blood r u nning blue and white — live and die with their team and, after years of pain, receive a payoff that went beyond even their dream of dreams.

But I had.

I saw the Gamecocks play.

I saw the Gamecock fans — blood running garnet and black — live and die with their team and, after years of pain, receive a payoff that went beyond even their wildest dreams.

This poem, inspired by Moore’s classic piece and last Tuesday’s performance, goes out to all of those Gamecock fans finally seeing the payoff.

Eric Francis, Ted Kirk, Nati Harnik / The Associated Press

Xxxxx si bla