NCAA 08 Rundown: The End.

Final thoughts on NCAA 08:

Well, since I no longer have an xbox360 (or at least not for another month), I might as well call an end to this preview, and publish my findings. But before I begin, I do also need to recommend Gamespot.com's subscription service. It's $30 a year and with full movies, patches, game guides (the one I'm using here came from the pay service) and all of it for speedy downloads. I feel it's a pretty good deal.

BEST PLAYBOOK, BALANCED OFFENSE:
I’m a homer, yes, but I’ve also played with a lot of different teams on NCAA, and I’d honestly have to say that the Gamecocks have the best balanced offensive playbook in the game. Numerous single back and shotgun sets, about four I formations of various appearances, and one split back set with 3 wideouts (that incidentally, I do not like). Also, under the Single Back, “Big” set and all the way to the right you will find the Emory and Henry plays. There are also a decent number of option plays if you want to change off of a predominantly option offense to a more passing based offense (I’m looking at you, Florida fans). But if you’re looking for the…

BEST PLAYBOOK, OPTION:

then you have to go with Florida. The “Gator” shotgun formation is amazing with Tebow. When I played as UF, I used this formation to bludgeon my opponents with straight ahead runs by QB #15. For the uninitiated, it has Tebow deep in the ‘gun and he has two running backs closer to the line of scrimmage as potential blockers or as option runners. There is one wideout split wide, and the formation has two tight ends. It looks like something the Four Horseman would run, and it’s just as effective. I’m just pissed they don’t have the all-time teams in this game anymore because I’d love to try this formation out with 1946 Army or 1995 Nebraska or something like that.

COOLEST “TRICK” FORMATION:

Definitely goes to Arkansas for the Wildcat. McFadden with a run/throw option=awesome. OH and huge tip…you have to press X on the 360 until you get the “HB QB Sub” package to run the plays correctly. Big tip from Gamespot.com.

You probably know the best team in the game. That is obviously USC…and I didn’t even play as them. It just seems unfair. But I did play as LSU and they are incredible. So much speed on defense, and a solid running attack. Don’t make mistakes in the air (and it is easy to do this year) and you’re assured of victory.

So the last category that I have is the “sandbag” category. This is the thing where you pick an unranked team and your buddy picks another unranked team. Sometimes these teams are better than some of the ranked ones, so it helps to know which ones to pick. Here are some examples.

BEST “SHITTY” TEAM TO SANDBAG YOUR FRIENDS WITH:

I know, I know…I’m a homer…but I have to go with South Carolina again on this one. The Gamecocks have a solid defense led by Jasper Brinkley (who is a monster), Blake Mitchell is an 89(!), Kenny McKinley is amazing and so are Cory Boyd (90 rtg) and Mike Davis (88 rtg). Chris Culliver (WR #80, true frosh) is also in this game and his speed rating is a 95. So put him in as your 3^rd WR. Ryan Succop is an absolute monster in the kicking game and if you’re accurate, he’ll nail anything closer than the 35 yard line.

But in a twist, I’m going to also recommend Clemson. They have two amazing backs and James Davis (94 spd, 88 break tackle, 91 truck, 94 acceleration & agility) cannot be tackled in the game…it’s seriously almost impossible. Add to this a defense averaged to 89 by Gamespot.com and they are a legit sandbag team.

If you like high powered offenses with little to no defense, then Missouri is your squad. Chase Daniels (84 spd, 89 throw power & accuracy) leads a potent offense, but you better put up points because the Mizzou defense is pretty weak—Gamespot.com gives them an average of 77 while their offense gets an average of 92.

So that’s that. Have fun with the game…and remember, the object of this game is one thing: “Shit Talking.”

The Burden of South Carolina Football History

It is not well-known, but famous Southern historian C. Vann Woodward also composed his thoughts on several football teams. In a recently discovered manuscript, his thoughts on many different teams in the South have been found. Below is one man's take on Gamecock history.

The Burden of South Carolina Football History

“South Carolina fans have had their full share of illusions, fantasies, and pretensions, and they have continued to cling to some of them with an astonishing tenacity that defies explanation. But the illusion that ‘history is something unpleasant that happens to other people’ is certainly not one of them—not in the face of accumulated evidence and memory to the contrary. It is true that there have been many Gamecock converts to the gospel of progress and success, and there was even a period following the ‘Black Magic’ of 1984 when it seemed possible that these converts might carry a reluctant fanbase with them. But the conversion was never anywhere near complete. Full participation in the legend of irresistible progress, success, and victory could, after all, only be vicarious at best. For the inescapable facts of history were that the Gamecocks had repeatedly met with frustration and failure. These fans had learned what it was to be faced with problems that refused to yield to all the ingenuity, patience, intelligence and hirings that a university could bring to bear upon them. They had learned to accommodate themselves to conditions that they swore they would never accept, and they had learned the taste left in their mouths by the swallowing of their own words…and they had learned the un-American lesson of submission. For South Carolina fans have undergone an experience that it could not share with many in the nation—the experience of defeat, mind numbing mediocrity, and constant ‘reconstruction.’”

Gamecock fever: Catch it!...just like diphtheria.

Inspired by The Burden of Southern History, pgs 167-91.

Blake's Benching

You mean this guy fucked up? Naaah.

I’m writing this after Blake Mitchell has been suspended for the first game of the 2007 season. Here is a sample of some text messages I received about this subject:

I hope Blake falls off a bridge

Fucking Mitchell, what an idiot

The Blake we’ve come to know and love

I’m glad Smelley will get experience so that when Spurrier benches Blake later Smelley can blow up

So as you can see, this not so random samplings of Gamecock fans are 100% behind our #1 QB. Personally, I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing Blake gone for good. I have been listening to podcasts made by people who have actually seen these guys play, and it seems as if Blake is by far the best quarterback, with Smelley and Beecher backing him up. So it looks now as if Smelley will get the start and Beecher will get playing time. While Blake may come back and start vs. UGA, I wouldn’t be surprised if Smelley starts the UGA game if he blows up vs. the Ragin Cajuns.

Oh and Emmanuel Cook got kicked out of school for having a gun. With him, we essentially had four safeties that could start. Now we have three. Good luck in life, dumbass.

Blake Mitchell suspended for first game

Way to be, Blake. Looks like we'll all be getting an early look at Chris Smelley.



More as it develops.

Fuck you, Microsoft.

The NCAA 08 preview is officially dead, thanks to the fucking red rings of death.

Posts on the existential reality of being a Gamecock fan as well as general SEC/Gamecock previews to come shortly. 12 days to go.

Eat shit and die, Microsoft.