 "Photo: Photo Courtesy of Mike Safran")
"I get to sit in the best venues and watch my Gamecocks play the best game in the best seat in the house," said Todd Ellis, in his 13th year as a commentator for USC football.
Joining Ellis on the Gamecock network is Tommy Suggs, color analyst of 32 years, and sideline reporter Rob DeBoer.
Every game, the trio makes the action come to life for listeners at home or at the fairgrounds tailgating. While this job sounds easy and glamorous, it goes beyond four hours of talking on a Saturday afternoon.
"I start Monday night," Ellis said. "I start to gather information for charts that contain key match-ups and key stats for every player. That usually takes two days, working a couple hours a day."
Along with statistics, Suggs also tries to find every story line that is prevalent for the upcoming game.
"I spend three to five hours reading through stories and memorizing as much information that I can," Suggs said.
Suggs said he wants an "information overload" so that he can bring up a story at any point throughout a game.
DeBoer's preparation is a little different than that of the broadcaster in the press box. There aren't too many stories that he prepares before a game. He said his preparation comes from knowing what to look for.
"I keep my eyes and ears open to pick up inside information," DeBoer said. "I evaluate crowd noise and look at the players' emotions to find things to report to the guys up in the booth."
All three attend coach Steve Spurrier's weekly news conferences and watch practice to see what the team will be trying to do in their upcoming games. Their preparation continues until Saturday, when they have to report to the stadium hours before the game even starts.
They aren't the only ones getting ready for a Saturday broadcast.
"Most people think we just pull up a microphone and start talking, but it takes a lot of people in the background," Ellis said.
The guys in the booth use a spotter who helps name players involved in substitutions, tackles, catches and anything else that Ellis and Suggs might miss. A statistician updates drive stats as well as key information and trends that come up throughout the game. The rest of the crew is made up of producers and engineers who put together what the audience hears every weekend.
The voices of Gamecock football said they believe they hold an advantage because they are all former players themselves.
Ellis is the school's all-time leading passer with 9,953 yards and holds 20 school passing records. He was the three-time team MVP while leading USC to the 1987 Gator Bowl and the 1988 Liberty Bowl.
Suggs, also a former quarterback, led the Gamecocks to the ACC championship and Peach Bowl in 1969, and he was the 1970 team MVP. He won the Outstanding Player Award in 1970's Blue-Gray all-star game.
DeBoer, a Gamecock running back from 1990-1993, was a football and baseball star.
"It's kind of fun because we're all former athletes, and we know what it's like to be out on that field," DeBoer said.
The crew believes that its on-field experience gives it the edge as the game progresses and different plays start to develop.
"I feel like I have the advantage over people that didn't play the game," Ellis said. "Being a former quarterback helps me anticipate plays based on formations and reads."
With all of these factors going for them, the thing that helps the group the most is that they all have a passion for Gamecock football and sharing their views about the team year after year.
"I wouldn't do it if I didn't love every minute of it," Ellis said.
Being able to maintain a connection with the team they once played for is very important to them.
"You're close enough, but you're not too close," Suggs said. "You've suffered and worked hard during the week, and it feels like a great victory when you can bring good news to somebody back home."
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