Although sports are still stalled due to the coronavirus pandemic, things are far from quiet. Civil unrest broke out across the country – and the world – in the wake of more police brutality against blacks, this time sparked by the horrific deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
South Carolina football players are among those who have not stood still, taking the streets of Columbia with coach Will Muschamp last weekend for a peaceful march. Here is a sample of some tweets – including one by Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. – that shows the Gamecocks’ careful approach to protests.
Muschamp said the following about the team’s involvement during a media call on Monday:
“It is sad that in 2020 we are having these conversations. The two words we learn as a team are to educate and communicate. The more you know about someone, the more comfortable you are with them. The two unacceptable words at this point are silence and violence. Actions are louder than words. I can post a paragraph on social media, which does nothing compared to what we did on Friday as a football team. “
Certainly proud of how the players and coaches of this program and the university are behaving in the midst of it all.
Martin will chair the new committee
Continuing with the theme of social justice, male basketball coach Frank Martin was appointed to lead the Racial Reconciliation Committee of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, recently formed in response to the issues of the time. Certainly an honor for him and, by extension, for the program.
Staley writes emotional play
In case you missed it, women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley also added her voice to the topic, posting an exciting article in The Players’ Tribune. It is worth reading the whole piece, but here is a detail that I found particularly moving:
My parents were born and raised in South Carolina, but my mother had to leave when she was 13 because my grandmother was afraid she would be lynched.
It was about 60 years ago, on a normal day. My grandmother sent my mother to buy meat at the store. The store owner bothered my mother, trying to get her to get some old meat from the back, instead of the fresh cuts in the front refrigerator. My mother ended up telling him that she was not going to take spoiled meat home, and he took it to the store. I told her not to come back. My grandmother was so afraid of what the store owner might do after my mom told her what happened that she packed my mom’s bags and sent her to live with her family in the north.
Congratulations to Staley for continuing to be an incredible leader and for sharing such a deeply personal window on your thoughts.
South Carolina rules out CPI as sponsor after CEO comments
Over the weekend, the head of the home security company sent an e-mail with deaf and insensitive comments about the current protests, which resulted in rapid retribution once the e-mail was made public. The Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets, Charlotte Knights and NC State abandoned CPI as a sponsor, and the Gamecocks were not far behind them. Sporting director Ray Tanner said of the matter:
“Our university and our athletics department represent equality and justice for everyone. Our student-athletes, coaches and staff participated in peaceful protests and made statements in support of an end to racism and social injustice. We must all be committed to supporting these efforts. “
Again, very well by the university.
Hilinski’s Hope Foundation Announces Awareness Week Initiative
Changing direction slightly, but still in a philanthropic trend, the foundation of quarterback Ryan Hilinski’s family will use October 3 – “3DAY” – as the kick-off for College Football Mental Health Awareness Week, with the goal of increase resources for athletes struggling with mental illness in honor of Hilinski’s older brother Tyler, who committed suicide in 2018. South Carolina is one of the founders, and other SEC schools, Arkansas, Missouri, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt are also on board.
Muschamp updates injury report
Now for some real and live sports news! We received the first injury report of the summer, with Muschamp sharing with reporters that junior redshirt recipient Chad Terrell (torn ACL) and redshirt roster Louis’ second year linebacker (quadruple surgery) are out until September.
Gamecocks awaiting decisions from three potential customers this week
In more football news, some South Carolina recruits on the selection list are expected to make the call soon. Potential three-star linebacker JUCO Navonteque Strong, three-star athlete Raheim Sanders and four-star defensive side Jahvaree Ritzie are expected to announce this week. The South Carolina class is currently ranked 69th (not so cool) in the 247Sports composite ranking, although Gamecocks only have six commits at the moment.
Staley riding another successful class
Speaking of recruiting, if you missed what Dawn Staley has been doing in this off-season, you’ll be in for a happy surprise. The Gamecocks brought in a trio of five-star contenders – guard Saniya Rivers (ranked third overall nationally by ESPNw), striker Sania Feagin (No. 6), and guard Bree Hall (No. 26). South Carolina is still waiting for another appointment for its 2021 class, so Staley isn’t even finished yet.