There are five months and four days until South Carolina visits Georgia in the SEC opener for both. Whether the Gamecocks enter Athens as the East Division favorite looks like it will now depend on one thing: The status of quarterback Stephen Garcia.
Garcia was suspended - yet again - by South Carolina on Wednesday. The length was "indefinite" according to athletics director Eric Hyman, who released a rather harsh statement:
“Being a student-athlete at the University of South Carolina is a privilege, not a right. We have expectations for our student-athletes and we make them aware that there are consequences for their actions. Stephen has exhibited behavior that is unacceptable for one of our student-athletes. Therefore, he has forfeited the privilege to participate in any football related activity until further notice.”
There was no official word yet on what Garcia did this time. (He told the AP it didn't involve an arrest or anything alcohol-related, but The State is reporting that Garcia showed up at a campus event smelling of alcohol.)
The question now is whether this is the last straw, or Garcia eventually gets back in the good graces of the school and is reinstated. The rest of the division, and the league, will be watching.
Garcia is not the main reason the Gamecocks were likely to be division favorites. Running back Marcus Lattimore, receiver Alshon Jeffery, cornerback Stephon Gilmore, and stud recruit Jadeveon Clowney (a defensive end) are more highly-regarded.
But quarterback is quarterback, and Garcia is a fifth-year senior. His backup, Connor Shaw, is a sophomore who got some playing time last year, but it's safe to assume the Gamecocks would be better off with Garcia under center.
Stay tuned on this one.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
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25 comments:
It sounds like this young man has some sort of chemical dependency issues. If this is true, the University might be wise to insist that he gets the kind of help that might save his life. Forget football.
At SCU Indefinite Suspension = Until Coach needs me. There is money to be made that SG will be the starting QB when fall comes. The AD can rant all he wants if SOS wants him back he will be back.
Steve Spurrier ain't kicking Garcia off his team for alcohol smells.
Spurrier's all talk.
Just Spurrier's attempt to get to Garcia. Obviously, it ain't working.
Columbia's The State newspaper reports Garcia smelled of alcohol Tuesday night when Garcia attended an SEC-mandated Mentors in Violence Prevention program with other USCe football players.
The session, the third part of a three-year program, was to have focused on leadership and the power of language.
“Leadership is what we try to preach all the time with our student-athletes,” USCe director of academics and life skills Raymond Harrison said.
“In order for us to do well, we have to have leadership across the board. It’s unfortunate that one of the student-athletes who is in the position of leadership has chosen not to make the right decision.”
Reading a South Cackalacky site earlier, I found some expressing the desire to get rid of Garcia once and for all, but others citing the "everybody does it in the SEC" defense so popular of late with Auburn fans.
Georgia fans should remind their poultry brethren that the symbol of our intolerance for asshat behavior in the QB position will probably be starting this fall at LSU. SEC programs are not, in fact, all the same. And I'm fine with that.
The AJC has this Garcia mea culpa from last week, prior to Wednesday's suspension:
"Every single thing I've done has been my fault."
Wont matter if Garcia is reinstated or not.... Chicken fans are alread crowing that it will be a back to back on UGA and a trifecta on Clem and Son. Mark it down! Spurrier has UGA's # too.
Anon 9:59 do you have any idea what Spurrier's record is against UGA since he arrived in SC?
Spurrier loses either way:
a) if he lets Garcia stay on the team, he's playing favorties and will divide the team
b) if he kicks him off, he could lose the team the way Richt did after kicking Mettenberger off last season
From SC's point of view: On the surface this looks bad for their SEC Championship hopes. However, it allows the old ball coach to get his boy, Connor Shaw, on the field as the #1 QB with the #1 offense.
So, the way I see it this is not good for the DAWGS or any other team in the SEC East. SC may repeat the 2010 season and land in the ATL in December.
@Anon 10:43--Did I read this correctly? You think kicking Mett off the team caused Richt to "lose the team?" Really? There hasn't been strong leadership on the team in years and Mettenberger was not the answer.
"Anonymous Anonymous said...
...
b) if he kicks him off, he could lose the team the way Richt did after kicking Mettenberger off last season
April 6, 2011 10:43 PM"
LOL.
Dude, don't drink the bong water and post. It makes you look stupid.
Last G-Day, Mettenberger's teaammates made plays all over the field for him. They didn't make plays for Murray. Yes, I agree, Richt lost control of the team when he entitled Murray the starter over Mettenberger. Spurrier has to be careful of doing the same thing. Players make plays for leaders.
Anonymous said...
It sounds like this young man has some sort of chemical dependency issues. ....April 6, 2011 7:25 PM
AGREE! This was spoken like a reasonable, compassionate person. How refreshing!
Anyone who thinks that they know the quarterbacks better than Richt, just based on the G-Day game from last spring, needs to get their head checked. Absolute rubbish.
Seth, as someone who covered Spurrier at SC, you should know better than anyone else that this is just the latest example of Spurrier's laughable discipline. Barring injury, incarceration, or other circumstance beyond Spurrier's control, Garcia will take every meaningful SEC snap this year.
IT means nothing for UGA.
How many games has this kid been forced to miss during his career over there? He's been suspended 4 other times but I'd be willing to bet the number of games he's missed is AT MOST 1 or 2. Pathetic.
Spurrier is just as bad as Fulmer. Just win baby!
Anon@ 10:43:
A)Hmm. Good point.
B) BWAHAHAHAHAHA!
I'm of the opinion that he's played his last football at USC.
I know it's the SEC but I just can't see how the AD and Spurrier can look a camera in the eye and defend and forgive his behavior.
Like the AD said, "playing football for USC is a privelage, not a right". This guy had every opportunity in the world and simply blew them all.
I would be surprised if Garcia misses more than the rest of spring practice. Then Shaw will be named the starting qb. If Shaw handles the first game and looks great Spurrier will keep him as the starter. If he doesn't he will be benched to get Garcia ready for the UGA game. If Spurrier believed Shaw was ready to be the starter Garcia would not have played their bowl game after getting in trouble the week of the game.
Garcia must have the record for number of suspensions in a college career. I agree that Garcia will start against the Dawgs as long as Spurrier thinks he is their best option at QB. Won't matter though. Dawgs still win.
I think Garcia just doesn't really give a f**k anymore...
I mean, he's taken Spuurier's s**t for so long now, I think he's just like: "what-the-f**k-ever, STEVE!... you don't want me to play, f**k it, and f**k you!... you're a dick... Coach!"
And Spurrier hates that...
But Spurrier has finally got the legitimacy at SC that he's been looking for (it took less time for him to win with Duke than it has with SC) and he's not gonna fork that over to prove a point to his team when everyone knows he'll bench their sorry ass on a whim if he doesn't like the way they worked their fork in the mess hall.
Garcia will be back in the fall. Mark it down.
Re Dawgfan 17...you hit the nail on the head!! Set this aside and we'll see the truth of it in September. Spurrier won't set aside the last element in his forula of how to win the SEC!
Tech Troll is obsessed with Mett. It's sad.
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