If C&F had an Independence Day wish, it would be that everyone would seek out someone they with whom disagree, someone at whom they would normally yell  during a debate over one of the era's great issues, and greet them with these simple words: "Happy Fourth of July." Remember that on this day -- as on every day, really -- we're all Americans. Even Clemson fans.

Blogging resumes Monday.

Have a great Fourth.

Ko finding his way back. After an injury sidelined him last year, Ko Simpson is getting back on the field for the Buffalo Bills.

All Simpson ever has asked for is a chance, but he has had to prove himself at every level.

"I wish somebody would give me an answer why," he said. "I'm not trying to be arrogant, but I know I'm good, and everywhere I go, I have to prove it." ...

Simpson finished his rookie season with 92 tackles (fifth on the team), two interceptions, five passes defended, one sack and one forced fumble. ...

This is an important season for Simpson. It's his third year and he will be re-negotiating his contract, looking for more money and job security.

There's some good stuff in the story about a pair of decisions that now look a tad unwise: the Holtz staff's decision to ask Ko to grayshirt and Simpson's decision to jump to the NFL when he did. C&F still blames this on the agents that are allowed to get to players like Ko -- whose best interests are not always the primary concern of the agents.

Ultimately, of course, the responsibility lies with the player. But it's easy to cloud the judgement of a 21-year-old when money is involved.

In any case, best of luck to Simpson.

'You have my word' The legal fight between Rich "Hatfield" Rodriguez and West "McCoy" Virginia has officially become the fun offseason diversion for 2008, with the latest batch of depositions making everyone look bad.

"He first told me, 'I don't want a $4 million buyout and you don't need it, Steve, because you have my word, I'm staying here for life.' I said, 'Well, then if I have your word and you're going to stay here then you don't need to be concerned about it."'

Rodriguez, who signed in August 2007, then resigned Dec. 15, now refuses to pay.

Life ended up being pretty short for Rodriguez, who is now apparently coaching Michigan as a zombie. Either that, or "having his word" means not a bloody lot.

I resemble that remark.

And in this ring, watch as an assistant athletics director tries to dance around the lingering sense of unease over a new (and widely doubted) head coach.

Stewart "does not have the successful track record that Coach Rodriguez had in place over the last three or four years," Parsons said, but was hired because he was "the best fit."

"So, isn't it true that your choosing of a replacement could have a significant impact on ticket sales?" attorney Marv Robon asked. "And if you picked the wrong replacement it could have an adverse impact right?"

Parsons agreed.

"Right," Robon said. "And you expect Rodriguez to pay for your mistake in choosing a coach?"

This is a maneuver referred to by lawyers as an "Ooooh! Smack!"

Obviously, C&F is not well-positioned to analyze the legal claims in this case, seeing as how he's the only non-lawyer blogger in all of SB Nation. But it would seem that Rodriguez's case -- I shouldn't have to pay the buyout because they hurt my feelings -- is pretty weak.

That won't make watching the rest of the lawsuit any less fun.

Media days. Jay at Track Em Tigers is keeping an eye on the media landscape of the SEC, including the move of several SEC programs from Sirius to XM, which will soon merge with...

...Sirius.

This is one of several reasons C&F did not major in business.

Jay also sees the possible SEC Network (the fastestest network ANYWHERE!!!!) as the death knell for the Raycom early broadcast -- sniff -- and bad for some fans.

Because much of the South remains rural, there are viewers who will lose out if the SEC creates its own network.  Many cable companies simply will not have the type of customers who will support it. As hard as it is to believe, there are still many fans that rely on over-the-air broadcasts using antennas to receive coverage - estimates range anywhere from 10 to 15 percent.

Mike Slive is really concerned about rural viewers. In fact, he'll shed a tear for them as he cashes the multibillion check the conference gets for creating the network. (This is, of course, better than Big Ten Commish Jim Delany, who stole a homeless man's hamburger on the way to cash his check.)

That's a lot of donuts. Phil Fulmer gets a new deal averaging $3 million per through 2014. Of course, since ADs hand out contract extension like candy, we'll have to wait to see how significant this actually is.

Did someone say 'candy'?

Lee moves on. South Carolina loses an assistant baseball coach and its recruiting coordinator as Monte Lee gets the head gig at College of Charleston.

Sources close to the search process said Tuesday that Lee had been offered and accepted the position left vacant when former C of C coach John Pawlowski took the head coaching job at Auburn on June 20.

Provided Lee clears a routine background check, the school stands poised to officially announce his hiring on Thursday.

Some are unhappy, not so much with the choice as with the convoluted route the search took.

Making a popular guy twist in the summer breeze hasn't gone over real well with many of the former Cougars players and fans who make up much of the school's small but loyal fan base.

Sure, maybe Foxhall remained a leading candidate until he withdrew. Maybe it was his call all the way.

Maybe, too, a guy decides a job isn't worth taking without something resembling hearty commitment.

Good luck to Lee. Hopefully he's not walking into a snakepit.

Mystery and morality in the Upstate. Even if you don't account for the average IQ in that city in the Upstate, it could take awhile to untangle an odd tale of alleged criminality.

It could be more than a year before Clemson defensive back DeAndre McDaniel goes to court for his recent arrest. ...

McDaniel, a sophomore who figured to get extensive playing time this season, was arrested June 21 for assault of a high and aggravated nature after an incident with his girlfriend at his off-campus apartment.

According to a report released by the Central Police Department, the alleged victim was treated at a nearby hospital for injuries after McDaniel allegedly choked her, shoved her down a flight of stairs and punched her.

So, just a sadly typical story about domestic abuse in a state that has a problem with it. At least it's good to see that everyone is being responsi...

Through documents gathered by the Daily Journal / Daily Messenger, the woman who accused Clemson defensive back DeAndre McDaniel last week of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature has been identified as Ms. Abra Weeks.

Somehow I don't remember learning in my media ethics class that it was okay to name the alleged victim of domestic violence with an investigation still pending. Maybe I was out that that day. At least they kept the names of the witnesses refuting her story a secret -- because they might have something to wory about.

However, news broke late last week that refutes Week’s claims. Three witnesses issued statements saying they saw things differently, including one that said he saw McDaniel carrying her down the stairs. ...

"If these witnesses’ statements are true, then he is not guilty of what he is charged with," said McDaniel’s lawyer, Chris Olson of Olson, Smith Jordan and Cox, P.A. of Clemson.

Well, there we have it. Incontrovertible truth that McDaniel is innocent: His lawyer said so.

Or you could listen to, you know, the police.

The statements, however, had yet to be provided to the police department or solicitor's office as of Monday afternoon, according to Avery. The police chief said the statements, at least two of which came from friends of McDaniel, have "got to be taken with a grain of salt."

"I'd hope that most people who witnessed a crime would go to the police department to provide a statement," Avery said. "It makes me wonder who these people are. We need to see if there's any validity to them." [EMPHASIS C&F'S]

So, Baby Bowden, what's it going to be? What's the priority for your program?

Bizarre allegations in Athens as well. In fact, there's plenty strange about this case.

Trina Bailey, 22, of Bogart, gave the Altlanta Journal-Constitution permission to use her name with her account of the events. She said she and a friend were returning to the dorm about 1:30 a.m. Friday after watching a movie at another friend's house when they encountered Anderson and Sturdivant and another unidentified male in a breezeway.

"These three gentlemen came out of a door and it appeared they'd been drinking," said Bailey, who said she is not a UGA student but was visiting a friend who is. "One of them asked what my name was and I told them. He asked me if I was pregnant and asked me to turn around and I did. All three of them then came up around me and two of them started touching my stomach in a way that was very uncomfortable, a kind of sexual manner. I turned and walked away and they started following me and making sexual comments." ...

Bailey said that she identified the players when a dorm attendant showed her their pictures on Facebook.com. The incident, she said, was also captured by the dorm's cameras.

Yet another reason C&F is hesitant about getting a Facebook account, though he finds it hard to believe that a lineup based on a social networking site would be admissable in court.

Bad lineup? They're on the case.

Macon Dawg lays out the applicable law, and the upshot for most of us is this: No touchy! At least not if you live in Georgia. And while the law might seem a little hyperactive -- not necessarily in this case, but generally -- he also has a good point.

I do know that when you are 6'5, 320 pounds and approaching people you don't know in darkened breezeways, you really shouldn't touch them.

Fortunately, C&F is only 6'4, 290 pounds. Or possibly less.

Beating up people is, less controversially, also apparently a bad idea, according to Macon Dawg.

Here's an experiment for you. Go to Google and do a search for "spurrier jr play calling." See how many articles you can pull up on the subject.

In the annual ritual that has become the preseason Steve Spurrier story, the purported relinquishing of the play-calling duties to Steve Spurrier Jr. has been the favored meme. Even C&F has written about it.

Some saw it as a sign of the times.

Other coaches have given up play-calling in recent years and have had success. Even Charlie Weis has decided to give it up at Notre Dame.

In that sense, Spurrier is like everyone else. Just another ball coach.

EDSBS went as far as to say it made Spurrier, essentially, Bobby Bowden. With less senility.

But now, in 2008, Steve Spurrier is giving his son a plum play-calling gig a la Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden. We’d critique this as further evidence of the scourge of nepotism rearing its head again in coaching…and we do. There’s no avoiding it, even if the words SYSTEM FAIL pop up in our head when we try to critique the beloved OB.

Hold on just a minute.

Yes, Spurrier is giving up some of the play-calling to Spurrier Jr. But anyone who thinks that HBC is just going to throw his son the keys to the car and ride along either doesn't know Spurrier very well or hasn't been paying attention.

Reports that South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier has handed play-calling over to his son, Steve Jr., are greatly exaggerated.

"I haven't given them up completely," said Spurrier, who loves calling his "ballplays" more than most coaches in college football history. "I'm going to try to create more time to help the entire team, but that's not to say I'm not going to have a strong influence in the play-calling."

In fact, Spurrier isn't even giving up the title.

"I'm still going to be the offensive coordinator and I'm still going to have my input into the play calling," said Spurrier, 63, adding that his son, receivers coach Steve Jr., will take over that role. "I haven't given it up completely, let's put it that way."

And HBC is as involved as ever in practices. 

Right in the middle of it all was the Gamecocks head football coach, Steve Spurrier. While most head coaches make quick cameos before and/or after the mini-camps, especially the big name coaches, the Head Ball Coach had been there every minute of each camp.

What’s more, he isn’t up in some tower, overlooking the entire process. SOS was right there in the mix of the drills, showing by example and teaching the young prospects exactly how they should do it.

So what's going on?

Two things. First, it's undeniable that Spurrier wants to look at the Gamecocks' offense through a wider lens. This might stem in part from a frustration at the general lack of offensive punch since Spurrier came to the Gamecocks; he might just be trying to figure out what's gone wrong.

Instead of working mostly with the quarterbacks and writing out their wristbands for each game -- yes, he did that -- Spurrier is going to work with the whole offense and try to fix things.

Gotta coach 'em up. All of 'em.

Secondly, though, is a more subtle factor that does have a whiff of nepotism.

If he was ever being considered for it, Spurrier Jr. was quickly out of the running last year when Duke went looking for a head coach. There were even rumors that Spurrier Sr. went to Duke to lobby to have Jr. named offensive coordinator. If he did, it was (obviously) unsuccessful.

If true, that must have been a blow to Spurrier's pride. He was one of the most successful Duke coaches since decades before he took over the Blue Devils, and no one has come close to HBC's level of success since.

But it's hard for a WR coach to make a credible head coaching candidate. And his bona fides could be questionable even for an offensive coordinator post when his father won't even trust him to take the reins. So it's time for a change.

Both Spurriers realize, too, that it's good experience if Spurrier Jr. is to one day be a head coach. He said again Friday that he wants to in the future.

"I'll take as much responsibility as I can get," Spurrier Jr. said.

Sure, there will still be those who think Spurrier Jr. is just an apprentice play-caller, and they might be right. But even if he's just getting a little bit more leeway, being allowed to call a few downs here and there, he's getting more extensive training from one of the best in the business. And some experience at calling meaningful plays is better than none at all. That has to be a boost for his prospects.

Maybe, after being an apprentice to one of the most accomplished offensive coordinators in college football history, Spurrier Jr. can become a full-time play-caller.

All on his own.

Must move quickly today. Hopefully, C&F will have a preview piece up later this evening, but no promises.

South Carolina Olympics update. Former Gamecocks hurdler Tiffany Ross-Williams: In.

Running with power, poise and determination, the 5-foot, 2-inch Ross-Williams won the 400 hurdles final.

The 25-year-old Miami native, who had the fastest time entering the final, won in a time of 54.03. Queen Harrison (54.6) and Sheena Tosta (54.62) finished second and third to earn the remaining berths.

Others, not so much.

Former USC hurdler and four-time NCAA champion Lashinda Demus was fourth in a time of 54.76. Demus, who missed last year because of her pregnancy, did not qualify. ...

In the men’s 400 hurdles final, USC student Johnny Dutch finished fifth in a personal-best time of 48.52, a tenth of a second behind third-place qualifier Angelo Taylor (48.42)

Congratulations to Ross-Williams, and regards to the other current and former South Carolina runners for representing the university well.

As a tribute, C&F will try to understand your sport in the Olympics. Or at least the results. He thinks those standing on the podium are the ones that win.

South Carolina No. 4. In basketball. In the SEC East. Among Emerson's predictions.

WVU President: Rodriguez cries like a girl. Or something like that, as the lawsuit between the new head coach of Michigan and the alma mater he'll love-y forever reveals bitterness.

West Virginia University President Mike Garrison said in a deposition that former football coach Rich Rodriguez was "very distraught" in a private meeting the night before he resigned and accepted the top job at Michigan, complaining about harsh public reaction to a lost shot at a national championship. ...

"I don't know if I yelled or not, but there was, there was one point in the conversation where I did become aggravated, and it was the point in the conversation when I expressed my strong feelings -- which I maintain today -- that there is great value in coaching at your alma mater, at your home university and in your home state."

Rodriguez "didn't think the place was necessarily any more special than anyplace else," Garrison testified, "and I was angry about that."

Rodriguez complained about criticism that followed the Mountaineers' Dec. 1 loss to Pittsburgh, which kept West Virginia out of the national championship game.

First: That people get angry at a meeting like this -- shocking! C&F has always thought they kissed each other on the cheek and shared bon-bons.

Second: Um, if you're on the cusp of the NC game, and you lose to a Pittsburgh team that is redefining futile while playing in the Big East, any criticism is deserved.

Hugh Hewitt: Clinging to his college football out of bitterness. This is sheer idiocy.

They know that they're gonna slaughter the Trojans, and therefore they do not want me there at the bloodbath, since it's probably the last football game we'll ever get to see before the United States gets blown up by the Islamists under Obama. I -- I would like to see Ohio State slaughter USC. This is what I'm living for right now. I'm keeping -- all the bad news, I just focus on the Ohio State upcoming slaughter of USC. (HT: EDSBS)

Huh? First of all, Hugh, you're timing is all off. Obama will not take office until Jan. 20, when even the bowl games are done, so none of the coming college football season will be affected by his Manchurian secret Muslim plot to not wear a flag pin become the president and subvert our democratic ideals did I mention he's black.

Beyond that, even if you were to somehow believe that the United States is going to be blown up by Islamists, which would be quite a feat with freedom on the march, you're most pressing concern is that you'll be deprived of college football?

Finally, you're the one who's talking about slaughter here, while I don't believe the word appears in Obama's platform. (Yes it is it's right behind jihad and making all women wear veils.)

Among all the legitimate criticisms of both candidates, this one is beyond the pale.

NOTE: Yes, C&F realizes this is hyperbole. But it's inane hyperbole, so it deserves being called out.

Blog milestones. The Mayor and Macon Dawg reach the 1,000,000 mark, though they won't admit that Uga VI's death and the subsequent mourning had anything to do with it. That would be tasteless.

And the new, improved mgoblog is up.

'To coach South Carolina to an SEC championship' Sure, sure, it could just be coachspeak. But it appears that Steve Spurrier doesn't intend to make Pat Forde's prediction true. Forde said recently:

Problem is, not all the big winners can win big. And when this season is over, the guess here is that someone will decide (or be convinced) that it's time to get out of the [SEC] sausage factory. Leading candidates: Fulmer and Spurrier.

It wouldn't be a complete shock for Head Ball Coach, who's used to winning more than he has at South Carolina, to get out if this season goes poorly. But that's not what Spurrier told a crowd in his hometown of Johnson City.

He likes what he sees from new defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson, said his fourth South Carolina team will feature his deepest roster and expects middle linebacke Jasper Brinkley to be completely recovered from a season-ending knee injury.

"I hope to coach four or five more years," Spurrier said, "and I hope to coach South Carolina to an SEC championship."

Watch yourself, Forde.

That's about all the article has about South Carolina -- it is, after all, Vol Country.

But the answer to those who would say it's coachspeak: Unless Spurrier is more concerned with what Forde says than anyone really should be, there was no reason for him to say this. If he were trying to quiet the concerns of recruits or fans, he would have picked a different and higher profile venue to do it.

This season doesn't look likely to be the one where Spurrier calls it quits. The only question that remains is how welcome that news will be among fans at the end of the year.

Football + Porn = Bad idea? So thinks Ron Morris, and C&F thinks he might have a point.

The fact that the team has little or no relevance only adds to my thinking that schools such as USC and Clemson should not allow their players to participate. Playboy’s preseason teams are not alone in their irrelevancy. All such teams are based on projections, not on performance. They mean nothing.

Compound that line of thinking with a publication that peddles pornography, and it seems an easy decision for schools to step up and do the right thing.

Put another way: Why would a university want its players to appear in Playboy? Sure, the players probably think it's a great idea -- they are, after all 18- to 22-year-old men -- but anyone who believes that the appearance of the players and the perception of the university can be separated is being a touch naive.

Gunning for the gold medal. And a Wheaties commercial. Good luck to Jason Richardson, who's in the running, if you'll pardon the pun, for the U.S. Olympic team. He's not the only South Carolina hurdler trying to make the squad, either. Terrence Trammell is also trying out.

Again, C&F understand very little about track. But he believes that the objective of the hurdles is to have the quickest time.

Richardson isn't the only SEC type looking to make the team. (HT: ATVS)

And he's not the only South Carolina athlete trying for the Olympics.

This week, it's Darrin Horn. The Go Gamecocks interview is the new head basketball coach, talking recruiting, defense and Downey.

Rumors. Circulating: Some high-caliber South Carolina defensive recruits will not qualify this year. C&F will not name names until he sees credible reporting. Just to let you know it's out there.

There is absolutely nothing I can say without getting in trouble. Just know that Uga VI "is proud to have served the greatest university in the world. He wants Georgia Nation to know that he's in a better place and the steaks up here are heavenly."

So there you go. (HT: GSB)

C&F agrees with ATVS on this one. Somebody make this happen. And if you need a logical reason for it, this is the kind of obvious declaration that should prove the SEC-Big Ten challenge should happen:

And if you wonder, like Delany, whether anyone would really be interested in, say, a Northwestern-Vanderbilt game . . . wouldn't a game counting as a point in the Challenge create a lot more interest than a typical Northwestern-Duke nonconference game?

That, and Jim Delany is opposed. So it has to be a good idea.

But, really, South Carolina vs. Minnesota? So, South Carolina's 698 yards passing would be offset by Minnesota's 721 yards rushing?

You'll pay. To see games that suck. Matt Hayes worries that the success of the Big Ten Network will mean we'll have to pony up to see football. (RSS HT: ASOB)

Just like someone has to pay for Big Ten football games when Comcast magically moves the network to its digital package next spring.

That someone is you.

Well, yes. Junkies like C&F might end up paying to see some of the offerings of the conference networks. But the casual fan will only pay for the service if they like games that suck.

Some of the choice offerings from the Big Ten network from 2007: Youngstown State at Ohio State, Florida International at Penn State, Northeastern at Northwestern, Akron at Ohio State, Syracuse at Iowa, The Citadel at Wisconsin, Buffalo at Penn State.

There was at least one noteworthy game on BTN: Appalachian State at Michigan.

But there's also a reason the NFL is looking for a way out of its own network problems: Deprive fans of a football game they think should be theirs for free, and you end up with a lot of pissed off fans. Nobody really cares when its Northwestern vs. Duke -- well, aside from Northwestern fans and seven Duke fans -- but move up the scale, and you end up with a backlash that isn't worth the possibility of a little extra money.

The Weekend Thread debuts. Stories C&F thinks are true -- or should be true -- but can't find links to.

No talking. John McCain attacked a pledge by Barack Obama to negotiate with Notre Dame should he be elected president.

"It's dangerous to talk to those who clearly mean to do our troops harm," McCain said. "Even if they do prove incapable of doing it.

"Especially now, when Notre Dame's ratings are down and its win total has plummeted, such a pledge could be seen as a sign of weakness. Freedom is on the march."

Obama had promised to meet with Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis "as long as he promises not to eat me."

Another ring. Alabama claimed a 13th national title today, resting its assertion on the new rankings of the 1942 season from Hiras T. Higgenbotton, an arborist from Cleveland.

"That was a good team," Higgenbotton said. "I just think they deserved to be ranked No. 1."

When asked, Higgenbotton could not cite any actual statistics from 1942.

"I think Boise State was pretty good that year."

Trying something new? Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster announced that the Golden Gophers will play without a secondary in 2008.

Fans are not expected to notice the change.

Good recruiting begets good recruiting. Or something like that. In any case, the best person to talk up a program is someone who's committed but still in high school. Meet Chris Payne.

Since becoming South Carolina’s first commitment for the Class of 2009 in March, Payne has been preaching the Gamecocks football gospel to whichever top players he can get in touch with.

"I’ve met a bunch of people from all over," Payne said. "I try to talk to someone every other week. I try to get in touch (via phone, e-mail or text) with at least two every week."

Good luck, Chris. Success now could lead to success when you get to Columbia.

C&F's fixation with Dawn Staley continues. But, once again, with a legitimate news peg -- sort of -- in the form of a cushy AP profile of the new South Carolina women's basketball staff.

Not obsessed with you, Dawn. I promise.

There's not much new in the piece, though it rounds out Staley's time with the Olympics team and points out how important the teams she played on were to the sport's prestige.

The U.S. women were the world's best in the 1980s, winning Olympic gold in 1984 and 1988. That began to crumble in the early 1990s, however.

In 1992 at the Barcelona Games, the American women were blotted out by their male counterparts, the NBA stars who made up the "Dream Team." The results were disappointing as well, the two-time defending gold medalists settling for bronze.

When the United States women followed with another third-place at the 1994 world championships, women's basketball's leaders thought it was time for a "Dream Team" of their own. ...

That they did (in 1996), sweeping to a perfect 8-0 mark as they averaged more than 102 points a game. Their 111 points scored in the final game with Brazil were the most ever in a women's gold-medal game.

102 ppg in 2008-09 would be nice, Dawn. But no pressure or anything.

Signed, sealed, delivered. Demetris Summers will make the roster of the Calgary Stampeders, Person reports. And he's already making a good impression. Sure, it's Canadian football. But it's better than nothing. And it could lead to the NFL.

This is just...ugh. As EDSBS points out in its post on this topic, sometimes there just are no words.

University of Cincinnati head coach Brian Kelly is waiting for clearance from school president Nancy Zimpher that would allow former Minnesota player Alex Daniels to become a member of the Bearcats' football team. ...

According to a July 18, 2007, Associated Press story, Dominic Jones, a junior and one of the best defensive players on the Minnesota team, was accused of having sex with an 18-year-old woman who was "physically helpless" after a night of binge drinking at a campus apartment in early April of that year.

Investigators said Daniels used his cell phone to film Jones having sex with the woman. Hennepin County (Minn.) attorney Mike Freeman said Daniels and Minnesota players E.J. Jones and Keith Massey also had sex with the woman earlier that night. ...

When asked if he were concerned about public relations fallout if Daniels joins the UC team, Kelly said: "If he was charged with a crime, I would be concerned, but he was never charged with a crime. What we're dealing with here is bad judgment."

No language is designed to describe how sad this is.

The last post started out in the direction of an expectations post, but changed for a few reasons.

One was that C&F hasn't finished all his preview work yet, and it seems a bit unfair to set expectations before he knows more.

Second, and perhaps more important: What expectations do you mean?

Going into the fourth year of the Spurrier era, the questions have already begun to crop up: Is he still the coach that had so much success at Florida? Can he still win the SEC? Was it ever reasonable to expect him to do it at South Carolina?

Has the game passed him by?

To those fans who would accuse C&F of being unfairly negative, these are not unreasonable questions. Steve Spurrier is 21-16 at South Carolina in three seasons; is that really what you expected?

Yes, the mark is the best for the first three years as Gamecocks head coach since Joe Morrison went 20-14 from 1983-85. (And more consisent; the Man in Black was 5-6, 10-2 and 5-6.) And it marks the first time South Carolina has had three straight winning seasons since a four-year strech from 1987-90 (8-4, 8-4, 6-4-1, 6-5). And Spurrier is so far the first Gamecocks coach with more than one year of service to not have a losing season since Billy Laval (1928-1934) -- who actually had a 5-4-2 mark in 1932.

But is that something to be proud of? Are we willing to cheer because Spurrier has made South Carolina less mediocre?

That's not what we expected. And that's not what Spurrier came here to do.

Undoubtedly, this is an important season for the Gamecocks. If the team can put together an 8-4 or 9-3 regular season -- which looks generous, at this point -- it will restore the positive momentum from the end of 2006. But if the team goes 6-6 or an unimpressive 7-5 (losses to the Big Three, LSU and Clemson; wins against the remaining weak teams), a sense of stagnation could begin to set in.

We won't even talk about the possibility of a losing season.

In college football, momentum is important. Unlike pro sports, where the team chooses the talent, in college talent gets to choose the team. There comes a point, one that might have already arrived, where the players choosing their college destination won't even remember Spurrier's glory days. Students coming out of high school now were in middle school when HBC left Florida.

If Spurrier's records are 7-5, 8-5, 6-6 and 7-5, where is the sense of progress? What, exactly, prompts a blue chip recruit to say, "South Carolina is where I want to play my college ball"?

A couple of hearty folks have already chosen "10-12" in the poll asking how many games South Carolina will win in 2008. C&F wishes he shared their optimism. To do that, the Gamecocks must win all the games in which they'll be favored and lose to two or fewer of the following teams: Georgia, Florida, Tennesee, LSU and Clemson. Possible? Of course. Likely? No.

So what do we expect? Should we expect 8 or 9 wins in 2008, because that's what will mark progress? Or should we expect 6 or 7 wins, because that's what an objective observer might call reasonable based on the depth chart and schedule?

C&F hasn't given up on Spurrier yet. But the dreams of the Gamecocks heading to Atlanta for anything more than the Peach Bowl could begin to fade without a surprising performance this year.

A brief romp through the 2008 schedule for the Gamecocks, with more complete previews, of course, coming as the season gets closer.

Game 1: vs. N.C. State (Thursday)
C&F is beginning to doubt more and more his wisdom in thinking that the Wolfpack might be a surprise team. N.C. State returns 10 starters to a team that finished 5-7 in 2007. They keep most of their running attack and quarterback, but lose a good chunk of the WR corps. The defense was hit hard by the end of last season; only four starters return. ADVANTAGE: GAMECOCKS

Game 2: at Vanderbilt (Thursday)
This could be a long year for Bobby Johnson. Again. QBs Mackenzi Adams and Chris Nickson returns, but RB Cassen Jackson-Garrison and WR Earl Bennett are gone. The Dores needed the upset in Columbia to fall one game short of a bowl (again) in 2007. South Carolina will be looking for revenge, though this is easily a trap game. ADVANTAGE: GAMECOCKS

Game 3: vs. Georgia
A team that went 11-2 last year returns 17 starters, among them a talented QB (Matthew Stafford), a Heisman-hyped RB (Knowshon Moreno) and the makings of a tough defense. The spelling-challenged Dawgs are legitimate national title contenders. ADVANTAGE: SPELLING-CHALLENGED DAWGS

Game 4: vs. Wofford
The Terriers scared the Gamecocks in 2006, and South Carolina has a habit of performing in underwhelming fashion against DIAAFCSETC teams. The hope, of course, is that Ellis Johnson can put a stop to that (or at least the defensive side). A scary game. ADVANTAGE: GAMECOCKS

Game 5: vs. UAB
Returning 16 starters is usually a good thing. But that can be an open quesiton when those starters were partially responsible for a 2-10 debacle. According to Phil Steele, the Blazers are 8-38 against BCS squads and are on a seven-game losing streak. ADVANTAGE: GAMECOCKS

Game 6: at Mississippi
Houston Nutt and Ole Miss have both been problems for South Carolina, even when they shouldn't be -- and they shouldn't be. But Ole Miss is struggling to overcome an abysmal period under the Orgeron. Nutt will start to turn the team around by the end of 2008, but largely with moral victories. ADVANTAGE: GAMECOCKS

Game 7: at Kentucky
The Wildcats lose QB Andre Woodson, RB Rafael Little, WR Steve Johnson and WR Keenan Burton. The bottom will probably not fall out this year, and a bowl game isn't out of the question by any means. But South Carolina has an eight-game winning streak against Kentucky, and there's little reason to think that the Cats depleted offense can snap the streak this year. ADVANTAGE: SOUTH CAROLINA

Game 8: vs. LSU
The season begins to turn. The Bayou Bengals do lose QB Matt Flynn -- and, it turns out, QB Ryan Perrilloux -- RB Jacob Hester and WR Early Doucet. But this is LSU. Losing more than four games would be stunning, and it's incredibly unlikely that one of those defeats will come in Columbia. ADVANTAGE: TIGERS

Game 9: vs. Tennessee
The near-consensus for placing the Vols among the top 3 in the SEC East confuses C&F. This team showed weaknesses last year and stumbled to a division championship that should also be credited to timely losses by Georgia and Florida. With the loss of QB Erik Ainge and OC David Cutcliffe, it could be tough for Tennessee to stave off South Carolina again, especially with the game in Columbia. ADVANTAGE: PUSH

Game 10: vs. Arkansas
The Gypsy Coach of the South brings his team to the WB -- assuming, of course, that he's still with the Hogs this laste in the season. GCOTS will likely have trouble successfully installing his offense with Houston Nutt's recruits, and a bowl game would be an incredibly good job for this team. Oh, yeah, and they lost some players named McFadden and Jones. ADVANTAGE: GAMECOCKS

Game 11: at Florida
Steve Spurrier returns once again to the Swamp were he juuuuuuuust barley missed beating the Gators the last time. The Gators are stacked, though; QB Tim Tebow and utility player Percy Harvin are among 16 returning starters and the defense should improve with age. This could be Urban Meyer's best team so far. Only a loss to the spelling-challenged Dawgs will keep them out of Atlanta and Miami after the regular season. ADVANTAGE: GATORS

Game 12: at the Team from the Upstate
Yeah, the Tiggers should be good this year. Good offense, quality defense, etc. Yeah, you know how C&F is going to lean on this one. ADVANTAGE: GAMECOCKS.