Welcome to Gamecock Nation...for Better or Worse

Dear Marcus Lattimore,

I just wanted to take a second and welcome you into the South Carolina Gamecock family. I hope you'll like it here. I really hope that you are able to aid us in taking our football program to a level the likes of which we've never seen. Chances are, sadly enough, that you won't. It may or may not even have anything to do with you and all your wonderful abilities on the field. It may just come down to the same old things that have always kept the Carolina program from elevating itself to elite status.

Our talent level, the highest we've had at Carolina since 1987, is still is not on par with the Floridas, Alabamas, and LSU's of world. All of whom we have to compete with directly just to get out of Southeastern Conference play. A case can even be made that Clemson remains more talented than us inside our own state, making the task of reaching that elusive "next level" even more daunting. You're heading up another great recruiting class in 2010, Mr. Lattimore, but Florida, Bama, Auburn, Georgia, and Tennessee still all outdid us.

And the coaching. Well, the coaching is as good as it has ever been at South Carolina. But this version of "The Ol' Ball Coach" still isn't what he used to be and certainly isn't the SEC's best. Once again, the best reside in Alabama and Florida. And there are absolutely no cupcakes in this conference. The new guys in Tennessee and Kentucky will be tested early, but have been well groomed and should be ready and up to the challenge. Coach Spurrier keeps us in the national spotlight, but who knows if he still has one more run at greatness left in him?

The overall situation looks as promising as ever in 2010. The entire SEC East faces more uncertainty than we do, with the exception of our pathetic excuse for an offensive line. Adding your versatility to the specialty positions on offense should make for the best group we've ever had in the Spurrier Era. The defense returns exceptional talent in the secondary and a solid front seven, despite the losses of LB Eric Norwood and DE Clifton Geathers. And the special teams should be improved over last year's fairly solid unit. The pieces are there, but can we put them all in place?

For every Gamecock fan's mutual benefit, I hope we can find out the answers to all the questions surrounding the program and give you the most positive experience you could possibly ask for over the next three years. Nothing on Earth would please me more. But I am a Gamecock fan and hence cannot avoid being skeptical. Even the best of times as with Carolina are merely average to below average times for the SEC big boys.

So welcome, once more, Marcus. May you truly be a difference maker and be a big part of getting the University of South Carolina football team over the proverbial hump. I wish you, your teammates, and your coaches all the best.

Forever a Gamecock,
Buddha