Some good and bad in these preseason mags.........mostly bad. Yeah, I know.....preseason mags are never 100 percent accurate. But in general, they get it right.....mainly because it's easy to pick the superpowers to win it all every year, knowing full well the college football scene rarely changes. Still, it's tough to swallow how badly we are perceived nationally. National perception DOES affect the program, for better or worse.

These were the early REGIONAL southeast edition mags.....but they are the same prognostications that will be featured in the respective national magazines. The focus here is on the south and primarily the SEC.

The BAD:
- We are rated 64th nationally by Athlon.......and nowhere on the radar screen in Sporting News.
- Sporting News rated our offensive backfield as the worst in the SEC. The rest of the offensive units were either 10th or 11th (I think the OL might've been an exception, but it wasn't much higher truthfully).
- SN wasn't too high on our defense, either, in these ratings......I think our linebackers were highest at about 5th or 6th.
- Both mags seem to think Troy Williamson is our only legitimate big time player we have returning on offense. They say our problem is that the opponents will double team him all day, because we have no one else who's a threat. Sporting News did point to Syvelle Newton as someone with the potential to fill that role....
- Sporting News was very hard on Kenny Irons. They said Irons would never be a big-time back in the SEC.....too small. They added ALL of our backs have no quickness and are undersized. Seemed to believe that Summers would start immediately if qualified and that he could make a big difference in the offense.
- The feeling I get from both mags is that Holtz inteferes and micromanages too much.......and he should leave Skip alone, because Skip has the potential to be a great coach if, the SN said, "Lou Holtz ever recruits a big time quarterback." Ouch. Not a ringing endorsement for our recruiting, is it?
- Athlon rated Demetris Summers 100th among incoming freshman, had Noah Whiteside in the 80s, and NO ONE else in the top 100. Huh?? Generally, our recruiting class was not looked upon as highly as though it would be.......we were rated 6th in the SEC.
- SN believes we are strong at defensive end with Gause and Thompson, but said our defensive tackles were our major weakness. The key, they said, was our JC recruit Freddy St. Praux (sp?).
- Neither mag likes our special teams.
- Athlon picks only three games for us to win outright........ULL, UAB and Vandy. Tossups are Kentucky and Clemson. The rest are losses. Athlon has us FIFTH in the East......that's right.....BELOW Kentucky.
SN picks us to go 5-7, and finish in a tie for 4th in the east with Kentucky. Wow.
- Lou, generally, is being looked upon as a washed up, out of touch, has-been. Sorry, I'm just the messenger.......it was tough to read.

I could go on......but you get the point.

Now the GOOD (or what little there is of it)....
1. Skip Holtz was picked the third best Offensive coordinator in the SEC by SN. SN seems to think he's really handcuffed under Lou......and are practically screaming for Lou to let Skip handle the offense full time so we'll spread it out more and be less "boring."
2. Athlon was high on JC transfer Marcus Lawrence.
3. Next year's recruits appear loaded in the state of South Carolina. We've already landed one guy in SN's top 100 (the defensive lineman we got......I forget his name)......and one guy who's among the top 50 in the southeast (Sidney Rice, WR). SN says both lines for South Carolina will be critical.......and Columbia's Spring Vally High (where we've had no luck in the past) has two bigtime lineman, one defensive (Leon Hart) and one offensive (can't remember the name). Both are huge.
4. Summers HAS qualified, and both mags, especially SN, think he can be an immediate star.

Other notes;

- SN picks Auburn to win it all......they are number one in the nation.
- Virginia's ninth. Other ranked opponents are Georgia, LSU, Florida and Tennessee.
- As we have already agreed upon on this board and the AST board......VIRGINIA was listed as the key game of the year by SN. They said a win for the Cocks over the Cavs could propel us to bigger and better things. But we knew that already, didn't we?

Well, that's what I can remember off the top of my head. Depressed, yet?



<!--EDIT|Galactus|Jun 2 2003, 09:44 AM-->

Not to derail this fine thread, buddy

Depressed? Did you know USC is going to the Super Regional in baseball?

Gal, do you realize USC has a fine baseball program? Ray Tanner has shown over and over that...um.....oh nevermind :)

Oh, BTW - there is always to treat depression

While I'm always happy to see another USC sport do well, that can never make up for lousy football and basketball programs. What's more, very few SEC schools really give a rip about college baseball (maybe MSU and LSU are the lone exceptions)......to them, it's just icing on the cake since they're already great in everything else. (Do the Texas fans even know they won the baseball title last year?) I'll be in support of Tanner and the boys......but there's been precious little coverage of it down here in the Hilton Head area. There was a brief in this morning's paper about the win over Stetson, but that's it. Just doesn't seem to be a audience for it outside of a few loyal fans of about 10 schools or so.

But back to football.......I'm not much of a drinker, but I may have to take up from the sound of these preseason football predictions! Sheesh, it's ugly!

Thoughts on these football mags anyone? I'm certainly open to words of encouragement!



<!--EDIT|Galactus|Jun 2 2003, 11:21 AM-->

This is icing on the cake, Gal

<a href='http://greenvilleonline.com/news/sports/2003/05/31/200305317498.htm' target='_blank'>http://greenvilleonline.com/news/sports/20...00305317498.htm</a>

SportingNews was the only major pub to pick UGA to win the SEC last year so I will buy their mag this year! Seems TSN likes us which I don't mind...

I don't think AU will win the West this year but thats for another time..



<!--EDIT|SouthLink02|Jun 2 2003, 12:09 PM-->

<a href='http://greenvilleonline.com/news/sports/2003/06/02/200306027524.htm' target='_blank'>2004 Football/Virginiagame</a>
We have to earn back national respect that we lost last year. We will ba alot better than predicted this year. If a few balls bounce our way we will end up with a very good season, regardless I think we will at least be bowl eligible. Behind Kentucky, give me a break, we haven't slipped that far.



<!--EDIT|TheFuture|Jun 2 2003, 05:46 PM-->

TheFuture Wrote:<a href='http://greenvilleonline.com/news/sports/2003/06/02/200306027524.htm' target='_blank'>Click here</a>
We have to earn back national respect that we lost last year. We will ba alot better than predicted this year. If a few balls bounce our way we will end up with a very good season, regardless I think we will at least be bowl eligible. Behind Kentucky, give me a break, we haven't slipped that far.

I have said it before. UK is gross over-rated this year

Auburn will NOT win it all this year. 9-3 or 10-2 tops.

GDawgs88 Wrote:Auburn will NOT win it all this year. 9-3 or 10-2 tops.

I agree.

The Sporting News is very high on Auburn, though. According to them, they are loaded at every position. When you consider how close they came to beating you guys and Southern Cal last season, you do wonder.

This year's Auburn-Southern Cal rematch will be very interesting. SN listed that as Auburn's key game of the season......and it's their opening game on August 30.

(9-3 or 10-2??? We at South Carolina will take that......right now!! Imagine having to "settle" for 9-3. Sigghhh......must be nice.....)



<!--EDIT|Galactus|Jun 2 2003, 05:40 PM-->

Gal, are you a glutton for punishment? I'll tell you the same thing I told you after your last gusher from reading a preseason mag.

Don't read them! You'll walk around in a state of depression all summer.

None of them will have a good outlook for the 2003 season, & they shouldn't. They'll all probably say the same thing too, so save your money. If you see one just walk away. You'll be a much happier person.

My outlooks not all that great either, but I know anything's possible. The 2000 team showed me that.

Drakeman Wrote:Gal, are you a glutton for punishment? I'll tell you the same thing I told you after your last gusher from reading a preseason mag.

Don't read them! You'll walk around in a state of depression all summer.

None of them will have a good outlook for the 2003 season, & they shouldn't. They'll all probably say the same thing too, so save your money. If you see one just walk away. You'll be a much happier person.

My outlooks not all that great either, but I know anything's possible. The 2000 team showed me that.

I agree with drakeman..don't read them. I do the same damn thing every year just hoping that there will be some good words but rarely happens. Hell they year we won the SEC West and went to the SECCG, we were predicted dead last in the West, so the hell with those rags.

Galactus Wrote:The Sporting News is very high on Auburn, though. According to them, they are loaded at every position. When you consider how close they came to beating you guys and Southern Cal last season, you do wonder.

I really don't think twice about the Auburn game. All games are close. We won though. Auburn was 2-3 players from being 10-2. And also 2-3 plays from being 6-7 wins last year. It goes both ways. Their QB position isn't stacked and I disagree with this assesment that their WR's will just suddenly get better because of 1 year of experience. They still lose 2 of their 3 top tacklers and have a coach who can't win the big game when favored.



<!--EDIT|SouthLink02|Jun 2 2003, 11:08 PM-->

SouthLink02 Wrote:I really don't think twice about the Auburn game. All games are close. We won though. Auburn was 2-3 players from being 10-2. And also 2-3 plays from being 6-7 wins last year. It goes both ways.

You certainly are very confident. I seem to recall UGA winning their share of close games that might have gone the other way last year.

You may not be as fortunate this year. As you say, it goes both ways.

Drakeman Wrote:

SouthLink02 Wrote:I really don't think twice about the Auburn game. All games are close. We won though. Auburn was 2-3 players from being 10-2. And also 2-3 plays from being 6-7 wins last year. It goes both ways.

You certainly are very confident. I seem to recall UGA winning their share of close games that might have gone the other way last year.

You may not be as fortunate this year. As you say, it goes both ways.

I am VERY confident in Georgia as you are in South Carolina. Pointing UGA for breaks is a joke. Every team that wins has its break as evident by the last 10 years of National Title winners.
And after 20 years of misfortune, we should be still getting our "other way" of luck as your saying goes..



<!--EDIT|SouthLink02|Jun 2 2003, 11:42 PM-->

Gal...

Forget those rags. They said we would only win 3-4 games in '00 and '01 and 10 games in '02.

Drakeman Wrote:Gal, are you a glutton for punishment?

Apparently. I am a Gamecock fan, after all!

Seriously....Drake, 1st and Goal, msudawgs......thanks for the words of encouragement.

I've always said my love for college football is really a love/hate kinda thing. I love it enough to read these pre-season mags.......but I often hate the results of the season. Fans of Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, LSU, Auburn, etc. wouldn't understand........but for us Gamecocks, the Fall season can be tough......some years the season is over before you've even had time to settle into your seat at the season opener.

Really, I like reading about the rosters of different teams......and I enjoy perusing the schedules teams are playing around the nation. But inevitably, I'm going to read the South Carolina articles at some point. Typically, I buy three pre-season mags a year........Athwrong.......er, Athlon....Sporting News and Street & Smith.



<!--EDIT|Galactus|Jun 3 2003, 09:47 AM-->

Galactus Wrote:The Sporting News is very high on Auburn, though. According to them, they are loaded at every position. When you consider how close they came to beating you guys and Southern Cal last season, you do wonder.

This year's Auburn-Southern Cal rematch will be very interesting. SN listed that as Auburn's key game of the season......and it's their opening game on August 30.

(9-3 or 10-2??? We at South Carolina will take that......right now!! Imagine having to "settle" for 9-3. Sigghhh......must be nice.....)

But Auburn has one big strike against them: Tommy Tuberville.