Palmetto Proving Grounds

Picking Georgia or Florida is predictable, but to suggest that The Fighting Derrick Dooley's will surpass us is just plain stupid.

Let me also add that I don't think Will Muschamp can coach his way out of a wet paper bag. Ron Zook 2.0, perhaps worse.

GD has always been a sucker for a good QB

Will respond this way, I respect all of the broadcasters/commentators - especially those who played major college/NFL football, for the most part, they get it right. That said, before the Orange Bowl last year, Herbstreit predicted the folks from the upstate would win big over WVU. I gave up on believing movie critics 35+ years ago when one noted Animal House would be a flop, have taken the same approach w/ commentators since last year's Orange Bowl and all of the predictions about FSU early in the season. I guess he made the statement after Crowell was dismissed, to the other post, he really does swoon over QB's/

GD and all of the talking heads, are just tv filler. I could careless what him or anyone else says. It's why we play the games. I like flying under the radar. Let them talk up the other teams. Every year they jump on the same bandwagons and then look to jump off when the wheels fall off. They pick a darling (tcu,boise, vandy) while we go about our business.

I would like to at least equal last year's regular season record of 10-2, but I realize that it may not happen. I feel really good about the QB position, and I'm not worried about Lattimore. But Alshon Jefferey and Stephon Gilmore were two huge playmakers. I'm just crossing my fingers that we don't see too big a dropoff at their positions.

The last 2 seasons have been dream seasons for us, and I hope we can continue that. Hopefully we catch the breaks again this season. Cant wait to see what happens.

They're just opinions, guys, from people paid and qualified to give them. While I'm surprised by his prediction, Gary Danielson is very good at what he does. That said, his take on things will likely be a minority opinion.

Danielson has been wrong about us before. The week of the Georgia game last year, he said that Carolina didn't have the mental toughness to win that game.

I am in that camp.

I do respect Gary and his general knowledge for the game, etc but feel (like all commentators), they yack a lot AND they get it wrong in large ways more often than not.

OU will beat WV by at least four touchdowns.
Clemmy will beat up WV in Orange.
Ala will have no problem with Utah.
EJ Manual is the Heisman fave!
VT can't lose at home against Clemmy, says Gameday guys and The Sandman, who entered and then left early.

Blah blah blah.

I am not a fan of folks who make large, broad predictions and, in many cases, overpredict.

In fact, "Prediction Addiction" infuriates me across many levels, sports, economy and markets, etc. Perhaps they simply like to be heard, not taking seriously what they are truly saying.

Who's going to win the East?
Where will the Dow and Russell 2000 finish this month?
Will oil prices go up or down? What about gold?
Will Nkemdiche commit to the orange team?
Who will win the British Open?
Will Bismark be replaced by Fargo as the state capital in North Dakota?

My answer: Beats the s**t out of me.

What would I like? Carolina wins the East, the Dow and Russy moderately higher, oil levels out and gold's hat begins to be handed out. I really do not care where this flake Nkemdiche ends up. I will root for Graeme, Luis and Retief. Fargo vs. Bismark? Don't care. (It probably snowed there last night--and I made that one up anyway.)

There. I wouldn't take too much stock in what folks say. It's only entertainment to me.

If I took all of what the experts said word for word as absolute gospel, I'd be sitting on the roof of my house shooting crows with a bazooka and tossing grenades at squirrels.

The variables change so much by the minute. There.

Keep talking, Gary. I'll either laugh out loud or give you an ocassional thumbs up.

Go Gamecocks!

I do not know if Florida and Tennessee have passed us, but I have no problem with anyone saying that they will be improved and a threat to beat us this year.

I think Tennessee has the biggest opportunity for improvement in the country this year. A supposed first round QB, two All SEC type WRs, a veteran and talented OL. They should be able to score points.

Defensively, they may not be the bees knees, but they have talent.

Florida may well have an elite defense. Their offense has nowhere to go but up. Their QB play cannot really get worse and they will have some every down running backs to play a conservative style to help their defense.

Winning both of those games will require a good effort from us as it did last year when the two teams were going through one of their worst seasons ever.

Our schedule to me is drastically more difficult this year than last. Our offense is going to have to make strides if we hope to have the same kind of year.