Suspended quarterback will be under center against East Carolina
Me? When I think of the Copa, I think of not only an infamous night in New York Yankee history but a tale that fits perfectly with where I believe the latest chapter of the Stephen Garcia era at South Carolina is headed.
The story: On May 16, 1957, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Hank Bauer, Whitey Ford and Johnny Kucks took Yankee teammate Billy Martin to the Copa to celebrate Martin's 29th birthday. While there, two bowling teams showed up to celebrate a victorious night at the lanes (it was 1957, remember).
The headlining act that night was Sammy Davis Jr. During his set, the bowlers shouted racial epithets at Davis, who was black. Bauer and Mantle told them to stop. They didn't. One thing led to another and a brawl broke out.
Although Berra legendarily claimed "nobody did nothin' to nobody," Yankees manager Casey Stengel fined Ford, Bauer, Berra, Mantle and Martin each $1,000 for their involvement. Stengel also dropped Bauer, a first baseman, to eighth in the order. However, Stengel did not move Mantle, his best player, from his usual spot in the three-hole. When asked why, Stengel was frank.
"I'm mad at him, too, for being out late," said Stengel of Mantle. "But I'm not mad enough to take a chance on losing a ball game and possibly the pennant."
Fifty-four years later, Stengel's sentiment will ring true in regards to Garcia's latest transgression (which, coincidentally, is also somewhat related to a teammate's birthday party).
Garcia is USC's best option at quarterback as it aims to repeat as Eastern Division champions and win the Southeastern Conference championship it has chased for close to two decades. That is why he will be the starting quarterback on Sept. 3 when the Gamecocks open the 2011 season against East Carolina at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
I am not advocating for Garcia to be reinstated to, or dismissed from, the team. Nor am I passing any judgment on what Garcia has done, past and present, and what should be done about him beyond stating the obvious, which is he has made poor choices.
What I am saying is, in my opinion, when a decision is reached on Garcia's status by Steve Spurrier, Eric Hyman, President Harris Pastides and whomever else forms the brain trust making the call, it will be to reinstate Garcia in time for the start of summer practice and put him on track to play, and start, in the fall.
By all estimations, the vast majority of Gamecock fans do not want Garcia back. They say they've had enough of Garcia, in their eyes, exhibiting no respect for his school or team. However, there is a small but vocal minority that believes this is some vast conspiracy perpetrated by the media and/or USC administrators that started with Garcia being kept off the team's vaunted annual schedule poster.
That is not the case. There is no conspiracy. Garcia's actions have brought this. As he said two weeks ago when he promised he wouldn't run afoul of the rules again, he has no one but himself to blame, again.
However, there is truth on that poster. As I wrote back in January, look at the schedule. Look at who is returning. Look at who is coming in. Look at the rest of the SEC. This very well could be the year Gamecock fans have dreamed of for generations.
You don't mess with a season like this coming one could be. That's why barring another indiscretion — because if something happens again, it will be the end — Garcia will be back and starting. He's the best quarterback USC has. And that isn't a knock on Connor Shaw. Shaw has a bright and brilliant future. He is South Carolina's quarterback of the future, and he probably could be USC's quarterback of the present if absolutely necessary.
He won't be, though. If Garcia was going to be dismissed, Hyman, Spurrier and Pastides would've already done it. The fact that an indefinite suspension, and not an expulsion, came from the athletics director's desk proves that. Spurrier declining to take much of a stance proves that. The tremendous support Garcia has received from his teammates, both in their comments to the media and dispatches on their various personal Twitter accounts, proves that.
Garcia's latest mistake obviously made Spurrier, Hyman, Pastides and most USC supporters mad.
But mad enough to risk a chance at winning the SEC?