Saturday, February 10, 2007

For those who wonder what else you can do with Vodka...

Saw this on the internet the other day, everyone knows the internet is so true. My question is how do people think of trying this or coming with the idea "hey let's try vodka on...."; reminds me of college stories (i.e. Dev)

Vodka can be used to:

1. To remove a bandage painlessly, saturate the bandage with vodka. The solvent dissolves adhesive
2. To clean the caulking around bathtubs and showers, fill atrigger-spray bottle with vodka, spray the caulking, let set five minutes and wash clean. The alcohol in the vodka kills mold and mildew
3. To clean your eyeglasses, simply wipe the lenses with a soft, cleancloth dampened with vodka. The alcohol in the vodka cleans the glass andkills germs.
4. Prolong the life of razors by filling a cup with vodka and lettingyour safety razor blade soak in the alcohol after shaving. The vodka disinfects the blade and prevents rusting.
5. Spray vodka on vomit stains, scrub with a brush, and then blot dry.
6. Using a cotton ball, apply vodka to your face as an astringent to cleanse the skin and tighten pores.
7. Add a jigger of vodka to a 12-ounce bottle of shampoo. The alcohol cleanses the scalp, removes toxins from hair, and stimulates the growth of healthy hair.
8. Fill a sixteen-ounce trigger-spray bottle and spray bees or wasps to kill them.
9. Pour one-half cup vodka and one-half cup water in a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze for a ice pack for aches, pain or black eyes.
10. Fill a clean, used mayonnaise jar with freshly packed lavenderflowers, fill the jar with vodka, seal the lid tightly and set in thesun for three days. Strain liquid through a coffee filter, then applythe tincture to aches and pains.
11. To relieve a fever, use a washcloth to rub vodka on your chest andback as a liniment.
12. To cure foot odor, wash your feet with vodka.
13 Vodka will disinfect and alleviate a jellyfish sting.
14. Pour vodka over an area affected with poison ivy to remove the urushiol oil from your skin.
15. Swish a shot of vodka over an aching tooth and Allow your gums to absorb some of the alcohol to numb the pain.

Anyone else know of uses for Vodka or has a crazy story of how they used a unlikely substance to cure something or clean with???

Friday, February 09, 2007

USC Tix Going Up???

Athletic director Eric Hyman presented today what he called "a concept" of football ticket prices for 2007 and beyond to a University of South Carolina athletic committee.

The concept would have USC highlight certain "headliner" games at Williams-Brice Stadium, such as those against Clemson University and high-profile Southeastern Conference rivals such as defending national champion Florida.

The price of tickets for those games would be higher than other games, allowing the athletic program to generate more money as it tries to reach a more level financial playing field with the top SEC schools.

Hyman said he wanted to "find out philosophically" what the Board of Trustees thought about his concept before presenting it officially in the "near future."

"If the board is receptive to it, than I'd like to do something like that," Hyman said after a meeting of the Intercollegiate Activities Committee. "But I don't want to do it until they have a chance to process it."

Under the concept, it would cost fans $60 to see USC play Clemson at Williams-Brice Stadium and $55 for the Florida game. The highest-priced ticket in 2006 was $45 รณ for games against Georgia, Auburn and Tennessee.

USC's games against Mississippi State, Kentucky and Vanderbilt in 2007 would be $45. Tickets would cost $35 for games against Louisiana-Lafayette and S.C. State under Hyman's concept.
Part of Hyman's push for higher prices for "premium" games is to help bring USC more in line with money other SEC programs generate in football. According to a survey done by USC, the school generated $311.74 per seat in football.

That was lower than all but one of the 12 league schools. Ole Miss generated $270. Georgia, by comparison, brought in $714.20 per seat, according to the survey, while Tennessee made $548.
Under Hyman's concept, USC's per-seat revenue would rise to $351.74, which would place it ahead of Ole Miss and Mississippi State, which generated $327.01 in 2006 and just behind Kentucky at $351.20. Hyman told the committee that placement is based on 2006 figures and most, if not all, SEC schools are planning to raise ticket prices in 2007.

(above was reported in the Greenville News 2.09.07)

Thoughts?? Too Much? Are you going to pay more??

Per-Seat Revenue by Tix in 2006

Here is the per-seat revenue generated by football tickets at each of the 12 Southeastern Conference schools and Clemson University in 2006 based on a survey by USC:
School,Revenue per seat

Georgia, $714.20
Tennessee, $548.00
Auburn, $530.00
Alabama, $511.37
Florida, $433.50
LSU, $417.97
Arkansas, $386.15
Kentucky, $351.20
Miss. State, $327.01
USC, $311.74
Clemson, $299.00
Ole Miss, $270.00
Vanderbilt, NA

Thoughts? USC is always trying to keep up with the "Jones's"...

The road to Omaha begins today at 12

Carolina will play Oklahoma today in Wilmington to start the college baseball season. You can listen by clicking here.

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Clemson Recruiting Mop-up

While South Carolina was basking in the glow of it's new crop of recruits, Clemson's day was far different. Here are the events you might have missed. WR Markish Jones, a Rivals 4-star from Broome High School, signed his letter of intent to go to Clemson. Before he faxed it, he had second thoughts, signed a LOI to Florida State and faxed the second one. The Markish switch was not the only bad news for Clemson. The day before WR Dwight Jones had been told he would be denied admission and could not sign with Clemson. Similarly RB Jo Jo Cox was told that he would be denied admission, also at the last minute.

The Spin coming from Clemson began immediately. The news that Dwight Jones was being denied admission was just 'proof that Markish Jones is coming and we don't have room for Dwight Jones'. After Jo Jo Cox's denial became public, the spin changed to "Clemson has standards, integrity," and yada yada yada ad nauseum. This appears to be the party line still today.

We, as outsiders, may not ever know what is really happening in Clemson. It might be exactly as the administration says - academic standards, or it might be something slightly different.

Consider: When WR Dwight Jones came to campus the Collegiate IPTAY club sent an email out to try to get students to come cheer for him. The Collegiate IPTAY club is equivalent to the Student Gamecock Club. Both of the organizations are affiliated with or branches of booster clubs. Therefore the email from the Collegiate IPTAY club was organization by a booster club for a recruit - an NCAA violation. This is being investigated by both Clemson and the NCAA. This could be unrelated or denial of admission would keep Dwight Jones off campus and lessen the impact of any violations.

Consider: What did happen to Dwight Jones? After Clemson pulled the proverbial rug out from under his feet, where did he land? Alabama Tech? Hickville, Kansas Junior College? No, he ended up at North Carolina, and while I have no affection for North Carolina, it is apparent to any rational human being that North Carolina is a superior academic institution than Clemson.

Consider: When a player has not qualified to get into school, several things usually happen. The first thing to happen player takes the SAT or ACT again or whatever it is that he is having trouble with. If that fails, the player is usually sent to a prep school to work on his grades. We have all heard of Fork Union Military Academy, Hargrave Military Academy, Oak Hill (primarily for basketball), and Georgia Military in Gainesville. These are schools with prep programs. Every major football school that I am aware of utilizes these schools to help recruits who can't qualify. They accept their commitment and work with them to get them into college. Clemson has done this just like everyone else - anyone remember Gaines Adams?

Consider: The Eleventh Hour. That's when Dwight Jones and Jo Jo Cox were told that Clemson had denied them admission and in a break from previous years would not be working with them if they couldn't qualify to help them go to prep school. Why recruit them? Why wait until the last minute?

Consider: Academic Superiority. You are going to hear this many times for a long time. "At Clemson its harder to win because we can't take just anybody." It's true that Clemson can't take just anybody, but they can take anyone the NCAA approves, just like everyone else. Clemson's proof that they are more selective - two recruits who were denied last minute and hung out to dry. Clemson is not the first school to have to deal with recruits who don't immediately qualify. Recently South Carolina faced the same problem with basketball player Chad Gray. He was not accepted on his first go-round. So, South Carolina placed him at Midlands Technical College so that he could study there until he was accepted. That's what normal schools do; hell, that's what Clemson would do - until yesterday.

Is there anything going on at Clemson? Maybe, maybe not. I'm not an insider, but I would be willing to bet quite a bit that Clemson didn't suddenly up its academic standards for football players, and even if they did, what a classless way to let two of your recruits know.

New Under Armor Jersey for USC


This is one of three that was presented to Spurrier.

Survey says....

(From ESPN.com) When the dust settled on national signing day, USC had secured letters of intent from each of the top three prospects in the ESPN 150. Landing No. 1 overall prospect Joe McKnight to go along with No. 2 overall Chris Galippo and No. 3 Marc Tyler was enough to push the Trojans' recruiting class of 2007 past Florida and into the top spot on our class rankings. Here's how the classes stack up:

1. USC--Quality, not quantity. This is not going to be a big class, but it's certainly impressive. The Trojans really cemented their class by adding the No. 1 player in the country, RB Joe McKnight (Riveridge, La./John Curtis Christian), giving them the top three players in the country. The Trojans signed eight other players who rank in the top five of their respective positions, including ILB Chris Galippo (Anaheim, Calif./Servite), RB Marc Tyler (Westlake Village, Calif./Oaks Christian) and DE Everson Griffen (Avondale, Ariz./Agua Fria Union). If Griffen gets his motor going fulltime, he could be a great one. QB Aaron Corp (Orange, Calif./Lutheran) has huge upside.

2. Florida--What area of their roster have the Gators not solidified? Today, they added the last piece of the puzzle in WR Deonte Thompson (Belle Glades, Fla./Glades Central). What's most impressive about this class isn't just the top end, but the middle and tail end, too, with guys like S Joe Haden (Fort Washington, MD/Friendly) and RB Bo Williams (Oakland Park, Fla./Northeast). Cornerback and offensive front are really the only areas Florida did not address. The Gators slid from No. 1 to No. 2 in the rankings not because of what they didn't do, but because of what USC did.

3. Texas--Texas reloads once again, particularly in the offensive front with mammoth OT Tray Allen (Grand Prairie, Texas/South Grand Prairie). CBs Ben Wells (Beaumont, Texas/Ozen) and Curtis Brown (Gilmer, Texas) are lockdown guys on the perimeter. The Longhorns replaced QB John Brantley, who switched his commitment to Florida, by luring QB G.J. Kinne (Canron, Texas/Gilmer) away from Baylor. Watch out for unheralded RB Cody Johnson (Waller, Texas) and DE Sam Acho (Dallas/St. Marks).

4. South Carolina--Steve Spurrier proved he doesn't need to be at Florida to land top talent, bringing one of the nation's top classes to Columbia. Spurrier may have landed his quarterback of the future in the long-haired gunslinger Stephen Garcia (Tampa, Fla./Jefferson). The offense also received a boost at the other skill positions with one of the nation's best big running backs in Brian Maddox (Anderson, S.C./T.L. Hanna) and two solid receivers in hometown Mark Barnes (Columbia, S.C./Richland Northeast) and the athletic Joe Hills (Palmetto, Fla.). Offense may be Spurrier's forte, but the defense also has benefited from this class, adding two ESPN 150 defensive ends in Cliff Matthews (Cheraw, S.C.) and Travian Robertson ( Laurinburg, N.C./Scotland).

5. Tennessee--The Volunteers are the comeback team of this recruiting season. After a disappointing 2006 class in which the Vols landed only one ESPN 150 prospect, they have stormed back and amassed a fine class that has seven such prospects. The cornerback position has really benefited, signing the nation's No. 1 prospect at that spot in Eric Berry (Fairburn, Ga./Creekside) and the No. 9 corner in Gerald Jones (Oklahoma City, Okla./Millwood). The front seven also received some fine additions sa Tennessee beat out Notre Dame for hard-hitting, in-state linebacker Chris Donald (Huntington, Tenn.). The Vols also lured away Ohio native DE Ben Martin (Cincinnati, Ohio / La Salle) and bolstered their wide receiver corps late by adding Ahmad Paige (West Monroe, La./Sterlington).

6. LSU--Coach Les Miles might be winning with players recruited by former coach Nick Saban and his staff, but this will be the second consecutive excellent class for the Tigers under Miles and his troops. CB Phelon Jones (Mobile, Ala./McGill-Toolen) was a big steal away from Miami, and OC T-Bob Hebert (Alpharetta, Geo./Greater Atlanta Christian) is the best lineman we saw at getting to the second level and adjusting to moving targets. The late addition of Chad Jones (Baton Rouge, La. Southern Lab) adds to an already impressive class.

7. Auburn--The hiring of Nick Saban has focused a lot of media attention on Alabama, but very quietly the Tigers are putting together an excellent class. Down the stretch the defense added the nation's No. 1 safety Michael McNeil (Mobile, Ala./Davidson), a reckless and physical player. The offensive line also got a jolt late with the addition of top-five OT Lee Ziemba (Rogers, Ark.). Ziemba joins center Ryan Pugh (Birmingham, Ala./Hoover) and Chaz Ramsey (Madison, Miss./Central), who could play a number of spots, to give Auburn three ESPN 150 offensive linemen The defense went into Florida State's back yard and landed a short but quick and productive ESPN 150 defensive tackle in Tim Lamb (Tallahassee, Fla. / Lincoln).

8. Notre Dame--Needs met across the board with upper-echelon offensive players such as QB Jimmy Clausen (Westlake Village, Calif./Oaks Christian), WR Golden Tate (Nashville, Tenn./Pope John Paul II) and WR Duval Kamara (Hoboken, N.J.). Unheralded DE Kerry Neal (Bunn, N.C.) can run like a deer. Our real concern is the lack of interior front-four depth at defensive tackle, with Ian Williams (Longwood, Fla./Lyman) being the only member of the class at that position, but every other area has been addressed. The Irish offensive class is elite, despite WR Greg Little (Durham, N.C./Hillside) switching to North Carolina. The defense landed good players, but the question is, is it enough? The two signing-day defections hurt.

9. Miami--The Hurricanes got off to a good start with their 2007 class, landing players like the nation's No. 2-rated guard, Harland Gunn (Omaha, Neb./Central). Things came to a screeching halt, however, as head coach Larry Coker battled through bad press and eventually was fired. Miami lost some prospects, but since the hiring of Randy Shannon has been making up for lost time. The Canes lured QB Robert Marve (Tampa Bay, Fla./Plant), who was named Mr. Football in the state of Florida, away from Alabama. Shannon really showed an ability to close, landing one of the premier defensive prospects in Allen Bailey (Darien, Ga./ McIntosh Academy). When Shannon was hired, he quickly worked to re-establish roots in South Florida by landing versatile and athletic defender Adewale Ojomo (Hialeah, Fla.). Miami has had several big and quick defensive tackles over the years and secured another one recently. One-time Miami commit Chris Perry (Keller, Texas/Fossil Ridge) de-committed and switched to Nebraska, only to recently decide to re-commit to the Hurricanes. On signing day, Shannon was able to land RB Lee Chambers (Coffeeville, Miss./Coffeeville) to increase the speed in Miami's backfield.

10. Michigan--Fans didn't care much for the Wolverines' 2006 class, but the 2007 class should please the masses. WR Junior Hemingway (Conway, S.C.) does not get enough credit for his abilities -- watch out or him. QB Ryan Mallett (Texarkana, Texas/Texas) might have the most upside of any quarterback Michigan has had during Lloyd Carr's days in Ann Arbor, including his days as an assistant. Where are the cornerbacks, though?

11. North Carolina--Within a week of Butch Davis' hiring as coach, the Tar Heels lured S Quantavius Sturdivant (Oakboro, N.C./West Stanley) away from Florida and were able to keep DT Tydreke Powell (Ahoskie, N.C./Hertford County) at home, as well. QB Mike Paulus (Syracuse, N.Y./CBA) might be counted on to compete right away. Davis really proved his worth by making the biggest splash on signing day. He was able to keep WR Dwight Jones (Burlington, N.C.) on board, giving the Tar Heels a massive target. In addition, he was able to lure in-state receiver Greg Little (Durham, N.C./Hillside) away from Notre Dame. Jones and Little quickly upgraded the receiver corps. The big story was landing the two biggest uncommitted prospects on signing day, starting with DT Marvin Austin (Washington, D.C./Ballou). Austin and Powell quickly improved UNC's defensive line. The icing on the cake was offensive lineman Kevin Bryant.

12. Illinois--Ron Zook proved once again why he has been called an excellent recruiter. Despite a 2-10 record in 2006, Zook landed four ESPN 150 prospects, including Martez Wilson (Chicago/Simeon), the nation's No. 1 defensive end. Wilson, an Illinois native, is a high-motor and physical defender but also is a productive wide receiver. Zook and his staff also were able to keep another fine defensive line prospect close to home with DT Josh Brent (Bloomington, Ill./Central Catholic). Illinois landed one of the class' most versatile big men in D'Angelo McCray (Jacksonville, Fla./Jackson), who could play tight end but most likely will play along the defensive line. To help a struggling pass offense, the Illini scored a big recruit in Arrelious Benn (Washington, D.C./Dunbar), the nation's No. 3 wide receiver.

13. Georgia--To say the least, Georgia met needs on the offensive line, signing seven prospects, including OT Trinton Sturdivant (Wadesboro, N.C./Anson). The Bulldogs lost Antwane Greenlee (Columbus, Ga./Hardaway) but replaced him with Chris Little (Jeffersonville, Ga. Twiggs County). While they may have lost out on in-state CB Eric Berry, WR Israel Troupe (Tifton, Ga./Tift County) is outstanding, although he might choose baseball. QB Logan Gray (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) does not shy away from competition.

14. Georgia Tech--Balancing stringent academic standards and on-field success is extremely difficult, and Chan Gailey has done a masterful job. This is by far his best class top to bottom, with RB Jonathan Dwyer (Marietta, Ga./Kell) and speedy edge rusher Derrick Morgan (Coatesville, Pa.) headlining the group. QB Josh Nesbitt (Greensboro, Ga./Greene County) could be a surprise under center, and guess what? He's taller than 5-foot-9!

15. Virginia Tech--There will be comparisons to Michael Vick, but QB Tyrod Taylor (Hampton, Va.) is out to prove he is as good a passer as he is an athlete. To help protect Taylor, the Hokies landed a wonderful offensive tackle prospect in Blake DeChristopher (Midlothian, Va./Clover Hill). The emphasis for this class is offense, but the nation's No. 1 defense last season is getting some fine additions, too, like linebacker Barquell Rivers (Wadesboro. N.C./Anson).

16. Texas A&M--While Texas makes the headlines, the Aggies quietly have been putting together an impressive class, featuring two unrelated Stephens on both sides of the ball -- OLB Derrick Stephens (Houston/Cypress Falls) and RB Bradley Stephens (McAllen, Texas/Memorial). QB/ATH Billy Chavis (Beaumont, Texas/West Brook) could be a huge surprise regardless of what position. Defense and quarterback needs have been addressed.

17. Alabama--Nick Saban's hiring created a buzz around Alabama's recruiting. While his late arrival wasn't enough to sway some big prospects his way, he has upgraded the class nonetheless. He bolstered the defensive line by landing in-state DT Kerry Murphy (Birmingham, Ala./Hoover) and luring the versatile Luther Davis (West Monroe, La.) away from LSU. Talented quarterback Robert Marve (Tampa Bay, Fla./Plant) eventually switched to Miami, but Saban was able to land former Miami commit QB Nick Fanuzzi (San Antonio, Texas/Churchill). On signing day, Saban was able to lure two good receivers into the program in Brandon Gibson (Mobile, Ala./UMS Wright Prep) and Marquis Maze (Tarrant, Ala./Tarrant). Both guys can add speed and explosiveness to the offense. OG William Vlachos (Birmingham, Ala./Mountain Brook), a one-time grayshirt candidate, also signed on to the 2007 class.

18. Clemson--QB Willy Korn (Duncan, S.C./Byrnes) has been committed to the Tigers since before his junior season, and the ESPN 150 quarterback is already on campus. The Tigers stayed in state to get talented OLB Scotty Cooper (Lake City, S.C.) but went up into North Carolina to land athletic and physical corner Marcus Gilchrist (High Point, N.C./T.W. Andrews), who also can be a weapon in the return game.

19. Pittsburgh--While everyone fell in love with coach Dave Wannstedt's class in 2006, this class is every bit as good -- if not better -- but hasn't received the same attention. The Panthers addressed just about every position, and QB Pat Bostick (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) and OG Chris Jacobson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) are excellent additions. S Maurice Williams (Erie, Pa./Strong Vincent) is the surprise athlete of the group.

20. Ohio State--Is the Buckeyes' class poor? Absolutely not. It just isn't what many expected, given their on-field success in 2006. OLB Jermale Hines (Cleveland/Glenville) and CB James Scott (Daytona Beach, Fla./Seabreeze) are both excellent, and the Buckeyes need cornerbacks. S Eugene Clifford (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain) is fast and rangy. Versatile athlete Devon Torrence (Canton, Ohio/Canton South) can play just about anywhere.

21. Penn State--The Nittany Lions' 2007 class lacks the name recognition of last year's class, but it still is a good effort. The offensive line added a versatile and talented center prospect in Stefen Wisniewski (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) and a hard-nosed guard in Josh Marks (Catawissa, Pa./Southern Columbia), both Pennsylvania products. Coach Joe Paterno didn't have to go far to land the athletic Nathan Stupar, as the projected linebacker hails from State College. Big, strong and fast receiver Nick Sukay (Greensburg, Pa./Central Catholic) is a nice addition to Penn State's wide receiver group.

22. Nebraska--Coach Bill Callahan lost a key recruiter but could be putting together his best class since his initial effort. The Cornhuskers used a backfield by committee in 2006 and are recruiting to maintain that philosophy with two talented backs in this class. Marcus Mendoza (Houston, Texas/Spring Woods) is an undersized but explosive athlete, and Prince Amukamara (Glendale, Ariz./Apollo) is a home run threat. The secondary addressed some needs, adding three good corners, including David Ross (Compton, Calif./Dominquez), who has good size and skills.

23. Oregon--The 2006 season ended on a disappointing note for Oregon, but the Ducks are back at the drawing board trying to put together a team to topple Pac-10 leader USC. The defense added a talented pass rusher in Kenny Rowe (Long Beach, Calif./Poly) and kept DT Myles Wade (Portland, Ore./Benson Polytech) in-state. Few teams protected the quarterback better then Oregon in 2006, and the Ducks have added another promising offensive lineman in Darrion Weems (Woodland Hills, Calif./Taft Union). The receiving corps got a big deep threat in Drew Davis (Denver, Colo./Montbello).

24. Iowa--While last year's class was considered disappointing, Iowa's 2007 group could be a pleasant surprise to Hawkeyes fans. While they lost out on ILB Brian Smith to Notre Dame late, no one player makes a class. ATH Jordan Bernstine (DeMoines, Iowa/Lincoln) is versatile and a playmaker. DE Broderick Binns (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Durham) is underrated and can run. OLB Tyler Nielsen (Humboldt, Iowa) won't disappoint and is a Kirk Ferentz kind of guy, defensively.

25. Florida State--Bobby Bowden is known as a closer, and while he did not close as well as in past years, it was enough to push a very average class into the top 25. Bowden was able to land hometown athlete Brandon Paul (Tallahasee, Fla./Lincoln) and lure WR Marcus Jones (Spartanburg, S.C./Broom) and one-time Georgia commit Antawane Greenlee (Columbus, Ga./Hardaway) to Florida State.

**Rankings compiled by Scouts Inc. recruiting analysts Tom Luginbill and Craig Haubert.

5 players in Top 100...

The Gamecocks landed five players ranked among Rivals' 100 national prospects: five-star receiver Chris Culliver (No. 19) of Garner, N.C.; Cheraw defensive end Cliff Matthews (32); Tampa, Fla., quarterback Stephen Garcia (90); defensive lineman Travian Robertson (96) of Laurinburg, N.C.; and Spring Valley offensive lineman Quintin Richardson (99).

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

A Good Read on SC Recruiting...

Article on ESPN.com....click here. Gives a good insight on the state of SC football and the signing of a Top 10 class.

Quote from above article..."I think when the Alabama and Miami jobs opened up, and my name was rumored with them, it sent a wonderful message that I love it here. Right after that happened, I got a one-year extension and raise at South Carolina. I think this is as good of a place as anywhere in the country to be a college football coach and I'm going to be here."
-- Steve Spurrier

More on USC Recruiting...

Unranked throughout the season, South Carolina looks like it will be a top-10 team in February.

Loading up on defensive linemen, defensive backs and wide receivers, the Gamecocks expect to tie a bow on a 31-player class recruiting experts are calling one of the best in school history. (Ryan Broadhead has been classified as a member of last year's signing class).

The Gamecocks' 2003 class, which was highlighted by Demetris Summers, was ranked No. 8 by Rivals.com USC's previous best recruiting rating. With the Gamecocks expecting no signing day surprises, Rivals.com Southeast recruiting analyst J.C. Shurburtt predicted USC would finish no worse than No. 9.

Regardless of the final ranking, Shurburtt said this year's class is in a different league than the top-20 classes signed by Lou Holtz's staff in 2002 and '03. While those Holtz classes had the sizzle of five-star recruits (Summers in 2003; Ricardo Hurley and junior college transfers Randy Jackson and Darel Slay the year before), Shurburtt said they lacked the overall substance of this year's group.

Welcome to the team...

Wes Saunders, a 6-foot-6, 275-pound tight end from Durham, N.C. committed to South Carolina Monday night and is expected to sign today. As a senior, Saunders caught 58 passes for 718 yards and seven touchdowns. As a defensive end he produced 86 tackles, including eight sacks.Saunders, who picked the Gamecocks over North Carolina, is the 32nd member of USC's recruiting class.

Clemson gets a "no thanks...."

Broome receiver Markish Jones pulled an about-face Wednesday morning, signing with Florida State after announcing his intention of going to Clemson.

Jones, who committed to Clemson in October, had repeatedly reaffirmed his pledge to the Tigers' coaching staff in recent weeks despite his flirtations with FSU.

Today is the Day...

it is signing day kids. LOHD will bring you guys some writings on the classes and signees today and throughout the week.

Currently, Rivals has USC at the 7 spot and Clemson at the 17 spot. Scout.com has USC at the 6 spot and Clemson at 23rd. Both of these are out of 25 of course.

Look for more to follow.....

I hope Reaves stays for a long time...

With South Carolina set to sign the highest rated recruiting class in school history, Gamecocks recruiting coordinator David Reaves plans to be around to admire his handiwork.

Reaves said Tuesday night he has not been offered the Oakland Raiders' quarterbacks coach job after interviewing for the position late last week with his brother-in-law, new Raiders coach Lane Kiffin. Reaves would not comment when asked whether he expected to receive an offer, other than to say he planned to be at USC next season.

Reaves is the second assistant coach in the state to meet with Oakland about its quarterbacks position. Clemson offensive coordinator Rob Spence talked to the Raiders last week before withdrawing from consideration.

In his first season as Spurrier's recruiting coordinator, Reaves has helped USC assemble a class ranked in the top 10 nationally by Rivals.com and Scout.com. The Gamecocks expect to receive binding, letters of intent today from 31 players, including 15 rated as four-star prospects or higher by Rivals.com.

Reaves, who assists Spurrier with USC's quarterbacks, joined the Gamecocks in 2002 as a graduate assistant under Lou Holtz. (from the www.thestate.com)

Thoughts?

Pre-Signing Day Top Classes

Pre-signing day Top 25 (according to ESPN)

1. Florida
2. USC
3. Texas
4. South Carolina
5. Notre Dame
6. Tennessee
7. LSU
8. Auburn
9. Georgia
10. Illinois
11. Georgia Tech
12. Michigan
13. Virginia Tech
14. Texas A&M
15. Clemson
16. Miami (Fla.)
17. Pittsburgh
18. Alabama
19. Ohio State
20. Penn State
21. North Carolina
22. Nebraska
23. Iowa
24. Oregon
25. Mississippi

Did you see who was at Number 4???

Monday, February 05, 2007

Purple Rain

I know it was south beach and all but did Aunt Jemima really deserve to play at halftime. I person can't stand Prince, but I did find it funny when he was playing behind the giant sheet, that transformed him into either the devil or a well endowed porn star.

I thought the commercials where decent this year, bud light and Career builder did a great job, while Chevy did a shitty job. My favorite commercials were the "rocks, Paper, scissors" snickers, "Man Kiss" and Career builders "Lord of the Files". Another good commercial was Beard-Over by Sierra Mist; it has taken some flack for making fun of bald people. Where has the world gone, you can’t make fun of K-Fed, as nationwide took some heat as well from people that work at fast food restaurants. I almost forgot about the Bud Light commercial with my favorite Mexican, Mancia, teach English as a 2nd language class.

So what was your favorite commercial?


http://www.zagstudios.com/superbowl_xli_tv_commercials.html

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Who will win?

Colts or Bears?

So guys, who ya pick'n to win tonight?