Palmetto Proving Grounds

I gotta agree on Bobby Cremins - with all my heart I believe that he would have been the best thing for us for 20 years...

That said, directly following Bill Foster, I miss the George Felton era. Other than Frank's great run of teams (especially from Harlicka-Thompson to Roche-Riker-Owens to Winters-Dunleavy-Alex English) --- my favorite run of teams has to be Felton's run. He was extremely popular on several levels...

I just loved to watch those guys play basketball: John Hudson... Terry & Perry Dozier... JoJo English... Barry Manning... Joe Rhett... and Jamie Watson there at the end. They accomplished a lot in just a 5 year run: got ranked; went to the Dance; beat UNC; put together two 19 wins seasons & a 20 wins season - and just played exciting ball. (He had a great staff too - with Tubby Smith, etc.).

I miss those days - and when MCR asks "What if?", I always roll back to those Felton years. "What if" Coach Felton had played out his personal life actions differently --- what if he had kept the ball rolling recruiting-wise, and victory-wise --- what if he had continued to build those McGuire-bonding ties that he was building ---just "What if"...

Keep in mind we had 20 years in the wilderness before the SEC - even Frank's teams slipped after we left the ACC - we lost our natural rivals - and the Metro was not the answer for us. I too believe getting rid of Felton with King Dixon as AD was a mistake. While the names mentioned could have been viable alternatives- none had a bigger name than Foster - coming off national final team at Duke - Gene Banks, Mike Gminski, Jim Spanarkel, etc.
Do you think we would could get a Duke head coach to jump to South Carolina today?

I think hiring a coach with solid recruiting ties to areas outside the southeast was a great move. Recruiting this area isn't going to get it done. Florida is a horse of a different color because of it's large population and diversity of people from across the country. Looking at the best couple of SEC, ACC, and other Top 10 schools, I can only find about 15-20 players TOTAL from the southeast, not including Florida and Kentucky. Louisville has some Kentucky kids obviously. Even Georgia, usually a hotbed of talent, is under-represented currently on top teams.

By the way, who is Brandon Bolden from Georgetown? He's listed as a 6'10'' freshman center from Sumter, SC. I've never heard of him and he has virtually no stats this season. Just curious.

Why did Felton lose his job? I have a vague recollection of some scandal or something but don't remember any details.

I coached him in middle school. I think he played at Sumter High School for a season and moved up north to go to school and play ball. The kid was 6'-6" as an 8th grader. Proud of Brandon.

Living that kind of lifestyle eventually catches up to you.

Ask Larry Eustachy, or Brad Lawing, or Terry Bowden, or even GA Mangus.

It doesn't make them bad people at all, but it isn't the type of example you hope to have for the young people in the program or especially the younger fans of those players.

Nothing wrong with having a beer, but you have to be careful. Coaches aren't just average joe, anonymous citizens.

either it catches up with you, or else you decide to grow up & move on.

you can have your examples....such as the example of fig newton hired by same goody two shoes king Dixon, he just recruited a mentally nuts kid who tried to gut his girlfriend

did that set a good example? or how about the example of us sucking like dogs sucking eggs in a egg lust mood?

if the moralists had wished they could have scolded felton & given him an ultimatum.

instead we hired that newton guy. yeah, we really set an example

Maybe there was something in my post that led you to believe I was in favor of Felton being fired. I can't imagine what it might have been. Or maybe you are just venting some long-harbored bitterness for old King Dixon. Anyway, I don't believe that Felton deserved to get the ax. It turned out to be a mistake that set us back quite a few years.

If I'm not mistaken, it was Bill Foster who recruited the Doziers.

let me make clear, its no insinuation. I think it was a foolhardy move. we had credibility in the local...Columbia...area due to cultivated relationships including the local head coaches who had familiarity with the old McGuire crowd.

if a person has a problem, how does one deal with it? dumping them? or do you offer some semblance of a chance to redeem oneself? not for murder or mayhem, but surely there can be a second chance from a dui

heck, duis are as south Carolinian as the palmetto tree the moon...heh

Nationally Foster was better known, but no one excited the fanbase as much as having Bobby Cremins leave App. St. and become our coach. I was at USC at this time and the rumor that Cremins would be hired was sweeping the campus like wildfire and to nearly universal acclaim.

Of course that hiring didn't happen, certain interests, including our Prez. Holderman at that time (a truly despicable human being), wanted nothing to connect the basektball program to McGuire in any way.