It's just after 3 p.m. on Tuesday, and since crisis brings out the best in me, I'm just now getting around to writing my column. I've been struggling to come up with a topic as a result of the situation in which I find myself, which can be directly attributed to the situation the Gamecocks face in the College World Series.
You see, The Gamecock comes out on Wednesdays during the summer, which means we have to submit most stories by 5 p.m. The USC baseball team takes on the Miami Hurricanes at 7 p.m. tonight. See how that presents a problem for someone wanting to write a column about USC baseball in the CWS?
Fortunately, I have a solution. I could just write two columns, one for a USC victory and one for a defeat. However, since I'm already pressed for time, and I am extremely lazy, this is all you're going to get.
The part that's lucky for me is this: I am absolutely, 100 percent, supremely confident that USC will beat Miami tonight and earn the chance to do the unthinkable by beating Cal St. Fullerton two days in a row and making it to the national championship.
How can I be so sure? For one, history is on my side. USC beat Miami in 2002 in the Super Regional to eliminate them from the postseason. The Gamecocks have also already accomplished the impossible. That same season, USC came out of the losers' bracket, beating Clemson twice in a row to face Texas for the national championship.
Second, USC has the most pitching depth of any team in the CWS. The Gamecocks face Miami with confidence, knowing they can bring in second-round draft pick Billy Buckner, hard-throwing lefty Arik Hempy or the stalwart Zac McCamie, whereas Miami's cupboard is bare after already using up their top two starters. Although Buckner has appeared to take a while to recover his strength after a bout with mono, he should be well rested, as he hasn't pitched since the Regional over two weeks ago.
Third, the Gamecocks are due. Head coach Ray Tanner has worked long and hard to build the Gamecocks into a national powerhouse. When was the last time that could be said of the USC basketball team, or the football team? Year in and year out, Tanner brings in some of the finest student-athletes in the country to play baseball right here in Columbia.
Finally, what's the reason I have so much confidence in USC? Call it a hunch. I've just had a feeling about this team all year. It could be the law of averages finally tipping in our favor, it could be something I ate or it could just be the blind faith exhibited by all Carolina fans clouding my judgment once again.
For whatever reason, I think after all the pies in the face over the years, USC fans will finally come out of this one with a national title to celebrate. If I'm wrong, what's the worst that could happen? Just another year standing hip-deep in pie.
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