USC baseball stadium is turning into a mistake
Is USC athletics director Eric Hyman so stubborn or does he have the University locked into some legal maneuvering that he cannot admit he/they made a mistake on the baseball site? ("Site is back in a hard place", Thursday, July 19, the State)
The price of those permanent-seat license seats will need to be increased; football tickets will have to double again in the next two years and Gamecock Club dues will have to increase again in three years (as approved) and there won't be a "five year plan."
The new stadium has increased from $16 million to $28 million so where does it stop ... $50 million? $100 million? ... who cares, it is the Gamecock Nation's money?!
Hyman and coach Ray Tanner need to get back to the Sarge and enlarge it by moving some of the minor sports behind it to the granite bed, renovate it and use it to continue to win games, SEC Championships, Regional Championships and — with a manageable dollar renovation — a National Championship.
LEROY BAILEY
Columbia
USC athletics is overblown
My wife and I are Forida Gators fans who recently relocated to South Carolina and certainly enjoy it. This is a superior sports town compared to Tampa — NFL (snooze) or not. I cannot wait until the SEC starts playing football. There are so many positives with the people in the Columbia area but there is obviously one big fault: The sports culture is just plain bizarre.
Local broadcasters report stories with the same hyberbole as the weather forecasters, interrupting programming constantly on stories of light rain approaching.
There is such a desire in sports that bad things are allowed to happen.
As a Gator it is almost uncomfortable to hear about Chris Leak signing autographs even after the national championship. It does not seem to part of our culture.
Here we have Quentin Richardson making statements from his hospital bed. (Instead of silent disapproval and the notion that getting stabbed in a fight is not good.)
The Gamecock fans and media drive this. Local half-professional TV announcers gladly report on it.
I love SEC football and know most Gamecocks have no idea what they are in for. The team will assimilate Spurrier’s personality. And, being from Tampa, I guess I kind of root for Stephen Garcia.
But why is he signing autographs? Please somebody remind the world that he is unproven.
Signing autographs? I am embarrassed for the Gamecock nation.
DOUG GREENE
Columbia
Tiger losing his focus
Tiger Woods has lost some of his ability to focus and concentrate. Not that he doesn't have ample reasons; he is now a husband, father, multi-millionaire businessman, a philanthropist and, incidentally, currently the world's greatest golfer.
I base my comments on the fact that the only improvement in his game is his drive. His approach shots no longer have that radar-like accuracy, his short game no longer leaves those "gimme" putts and likely as not, he will miss putts of five feet. The reason is focus and concentration.
If Tiger doesn't learn to live his life in compartments, as most successful businessmen do, he will surely continue to make large sums of money, but he can kiss his legacy of greatness goodbye.
BILL MITCHUM
Columbia
Money gets the best seats
Now that South Carolina has a high profile coach that will eventually have the football team turn the corner, it does not surprise me that the personal seat licenses will come into effect. What it will do is squeeze out the older fans that for years supported USC football.
Money is the root of it all. My mother has had season tickets since the ’70's and suffered watching horrible teams. Now the bandwagon jumpers with more money will win out and USC will care less.
GRAHAM READY
Batesburg
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