Opening weekend is finally here.
Considering all that USC’s baseball team has achieved these past two years, the next few days should mark one of the proudest times to be a Gamecock. The words “three-peat” are a short yet powerful expression of the enthusiasm and encouragement the team’s back-to-back championship wins have given our community. But the trophies aren’t everything. When USC needed help lobbying South Carolina for more public funds, it brought the baseball team to the Statehouse steps; when USC President Harris Pastides wanted a special adviser for community outreach, he turned to coach Ray Tanner. The team’s success is becoming about so much more than its wins on the diamond. The real importance rests in the pride that it continues to inspire in fans — both in games and out.
The context for this opening weekend could not be more perfect. Today USC Athletics will face its final hearing concerning the NCAA violations brought against the school — mostly involving football players. Of course, being a part of the SEC makes USC football country, and the impact of football on both Columbia and the state — namely, through the immense revenue it generates — is an undeniably strong asset. However, this weekend should serve as a strong reminder of all that USC baseball has accomplished, despite not quite living up to the circus that is Gamecock football. It is for this success, clear and shining in front of the mishaps, mistakes and deals that often accompany football, that USC baseball deserves our continued support.
Baseball is finally back at Carolina, and after the struggles of football and basketball, Gamecocks should breath a sigh of relief and welcome their champions back with open arms and full stadiums.