No reason for optimism

[1vagamecock]

Years ago I remember working at Bi-Lo in Greenville as the Gamecocks played Navy. I was a huge Gamecock fan as a 16 year old, and I was listening as we took on Navy for a chance to be ranked #1 in the country.
We all know how that turned out. Now some 44 years later ( I think) Im still a Gamecock fan. I've seen more down times than up. I've watched maybe 6 really good football teams, maybe 4 really good basketball teams and many good baseball teams over the last 44 years.
Folks this is who we are. I never thought I'd be one of those "older guys " that lost all hope in Gamecocks sports but here I am.
Our Football team our basketball team (mens) and our Baseball team are all made fun of by other schools in the SEC.
Im still a Gamecock fan for life but if the last 44 years have taught me anything it's that nothing in mens athletics is going to change........except my hope.

 

[Piscis]

That is a healthy mindset. Being a gamecock fan is a lot like being a New York Jets fan.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Years ago I remember working at Bi-Lo in Greenville as the Gamecocks played Navy. I was a huge Gamecock fan as a 16 year old, and I was listening as we took on Navy for a chance to be ranked #1 in the country.
We all know how that turned out. Now some 44 years later ( I think) Im still a Gamecock fan. I've seen more down times than up. I've watched maybe 6 really good football teams, maybe 4 really good basketball teams and many good baseball teams over the last 44 years.
Folks this is who we are. I never thought I'd be one of those "older guys " that lost all hope in Gamecocks sports but here I am.
Our Football team our basketball team (mens) and our Baseball team are all made fun of by other schools in the SEC.
Im still a Gamecock fan for life but if the last 44 years have taught me anything it's that nothing in mens athletics is going to change........except my hope.

You know, it's what bonds generations of Gamecock fans together. A son, father and grandfather have all had the exact same, identical fan experience.

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

You know, it's what bonds generations of Gamecock fans together. A son, father and grandfather have all had the exact same, identical fan experience.

Yep, it's a bonding thing for sure and it's tough to go rogue unless the kid goes off to some far away school.

 

[1vagamecock]

You know, it's what bonds generations of Gamecock fans together. A son, father and grandfather have all had the exact same, identical fan experience.

I remember years ago when going to a Gamecock football game was a social gathering and if you happened to win that was a bonus. Football games were fun but no one expected to win the big game.

 

[Swifty]

I will never give up the hope that we crest that mountain top in football and basketball like we did for a time in baseball. The only difference over the past few years is that I don't get down about it like I used to. I get frustrated during the games with the missed reads, over/underthrown balls, fumbles, dropped passes, whiffs on shoulder missile "tackles", wasted timeouts/uncalled timeouts. All that BS. But I don't throw the remote or my glasses or swear at the TV. It really is just a stupid game and, as Jerry Seinfeld once posited, we're rooting for laundry.

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

I remember years ago when going to a Gamecock football game was a social gathering and if you happened to win that was a bonus. Football games were fun but no one expected to win the big game.

So, nothing has changed.
Except TV viewership instead of live attendance.

 

[Dabo's Weenie]

Years ago I remember working at Bi-Lo in Greenville as the Gamecocks played Navy. I was a huge Gamecock fan as a 16 year old, and I was listening as we took on Navy for a chance to be ranked #1 in the country.
We all know how that turned out. Now some 44 years later ( I think) Im still a Gamecock fan. I've seen more down times than up. I've watched maybe 6 really good football teams, maybe 4 really good basketball teams and many good baseball teams over the last 44 years.
Folks this is who we are. I never thought I'd be one of those "older guys " that lost all hope in Gamecocks sports but here I am.
Our Football team our basketball team (mens) and our Baseball team are all made fun of by other schools in the SEC.
Im still a Gamecock fan for life but if the last 44 years have taught me anything it's that nothing in mens athletics is going to change........except my hope.

Here's some good news - it's only been 42 years since that game, which means you've had 2 years added to your lifespan! And you didn't even have to diet or exercise!

Of course, you could choose to view that as having an additional 2 years of Gamecock Suffering.

 

[18IsTheMan]

we're rooting for laundry.

Sadly, it didn't used to be that way for college football. For the most part, your players were your players and you followed for 3 or 4 years. Yeah, you were cheering for the team, but there was an undeniable connection to the specific players as well. You recruited them, developed them, watched them move from backup to starter.

Now with the portal, there's next to no connection.

 

[Swifty]

Sadly, it didn't used to be that way for college football. For the most part, your players were your players and you followed for 3 or 4 years. Yeah, you were cheering for the team, but there was an undeniable connection to the specific players as well. You recruited them, developed them, watched them move from backup to starter.

Now with the portal, there's next to no connection.

Yup. That started with basketball with the 'one & done" players. No more Leattner, Montross, Webber, etc for 3-4 years to love or hate.

 

[Johnnysurf]

Years ago I remember working at Bi-Lo in Greenville as the Gamecocks played Navy. I was a huge Gamecock fan as a 16 year old, and I was listening as we took on Navy for a chance to be ranked #1 in the country.
We all know how that turned out. Now some 44 years later ( I think) Im still a Gamecock fan. I've seen more down times than up. I've watched maybe 6 really good football teams, maybe 4 really good basketball teams and many good baseball teams over the last 44 years.
Folks this is who we are. I never thought I'd be one of those "older guys " that lost all hope in Gamecocks sports but here I am.
Our Football team our basketball team (mens) and our Baseball team are all made fun of by other schools in the SEC.
Im still a Gamecock fan for life but if the last 44 years have taught me anything it's that nothing in mens athletics is going to change........except my hope.

same except I was working at the piggly wiggly

 

[Dabo's Weenie]

same except I was working at the piggly wiggly

And both have suffered similar fates.

Y'all should be ashamed of what you did to these once thriving companies.

 

[1vagamecock]

And both have suffered similar fates.

Y'all should be ashamed of what you did to these once thriving companies.

Isn't Pigly wiggly still around?

 

[kidrobinski]

So, nothing has changed.

False. To the nth.

Everybody in the country expects to win now or they want someone’s head. If ‘they’ did it why can’t we, etc.

Someone posted above that the rest of the conference makes fun of us; is that not what we do too (‘it’s JUST Miss st, Kentucky, Vanderbilt’)?

I (1)never disrespect an opponent and (2)don’t give a rats arse what other schools or fans chortle about.

 

[Dabo's Weenie]

Isn't Pigly wiggly still around?

Yes, but seems to be on the same path as Bi-Lo. Every time one opens in our vicinity, it's not long before it closes its doors. There are about 1/3 the number of stores in SC as there were 20 years ago.

 

[bayrooster]

Yes, but seems to be on the same path as Bi-Lo. Every time one opens in our vicinity, it's not long before it closes its doors. There are about 1/3 the number of stores in SC as there were 20 years ago.

They only succeed in areas where there's little to no competition.

 

[Dabo's Weenie]

They only succeed in areas where there's little to no competition.

Seems like a winning strategy if you can find the markets.

 

[JohnnySolo]

I think Bi-Lo owns the Pig. BiLo left lexington in the middle of a deal I was trying to do for land. I worked at BiLo when I was a kid. first job i ever had.

 

[KingWard]

Years ago I remember working at Bi-Lo in Greenville as the Gamecocks played Navy. I was a huge Gamecock fan as a 16 year old, and I was listening as we took on Navy for a chance to be ranked #1 in the country.
We all know how that turned out. Now some 44 years later ( I think) Im still a Gamecock fan. I've seen more down times than up. I've watched maybe 6 really good football teams, maybe 4 really good basketball teams and many good baseball teams over the last 44 years.
Folks this is who we are. I never thought I'd be one of those "older guys " that lost all hope in Gamecocks sports but here I am.
Our Football team our basketball team (mens) and our Baseball team are all made fun of by other schools in the SEC.
Im still a Gamecock fan for life but if the last 44 years have taught me anything it's that nothing in mens athletics is going to change........except my hope.

42 years this year. Happened in 1984.

 

[Uscg1984]

This thread (most threads, lately) remind me of the old Hee Haw skit.

 

[Lurker123]

This thread (most threads, lately) remind me of the old Hee Haw skit.
View attachment 1474753

True. But have you seen how the season is going?

 

[bayrooster]

This thread (most threads, lately) remind me of the old Hee Haw skit.
View attachment 1474753

Yeah, they'd stop to describe all the dumb decisions made in our last loss, then go back to singing.

 

[1vagamecock]

True. But have you seen how the season is going?

42 years from now (if this country is around) they will be saying the same thing.

 

[Traildust57]

If one hangs one's hat on the successes or failures of 20 year old dumb and full of ____ dudes, then the problem is indeed a problem.

 

[1vagamecock]

42 years this year. Happened in 1984.

Due to my senescence and maybe my recent fight with a semi, I cant always remember the dates that far back.

 

[rockingamecock]

Only one time have we finished in the top 10. If you take out Spurrier's time here we've basically done nothing . . . even Lou Holtz had a losing record at Carolina. It will never change.

 

[PD-Cock]

same except I was working at the piggly wiggly

And both have suffered similar fates.

Y'all should be ashamed of what you did to these once thriving companies.

I must've destroyed A & P working as a bag boy! Shoulda stayed w/ paper bags. Knew the moment our Mgr introduced us to "latest & greatest" modernized addition to the world of bagging groceries, "The "T" SHIRT" plastic bag!
We all hooted, scoffed & hissed @ the sight! Gonna save the trees, they told us. Shoulda unionized right on the spot.
Think of all the gallons of milk, Clorox, glass jars of pickles, relish & other pantry items left to curdle & smell on the asphalt parking lots of these once proud bastions that became neighborhood gathering places.
For us kids, demise of the ole paper ice cream bag changed the dynamics of taking lunch to school forever.
You youngsters could never appreciate how great you had it w/ metal lunch boxes.
Taking bagged homemade lunch to school was the precursor of fast food, drive thrus, take outs, meals on wheels, now, Door-Dash!
Multimillion dollar fast food industry sprang up, all because we kids hated .25c school lunch & warm milk.
OK, Last part quite the stretch.

 

[KingWard]

Due to my senescence and maybe my recent fight with a semi, I cant always remember the dates that far back.

I'm somewhat familiar with the first factor you mentioned, and very much hoping not to attain familiarity with the second.