Open Letter to Coach Dave Odom

Written by Moose on .

Dear Dave,

I am sorry to see that you are retiring from the game you have coached for pretty much ever. Now that the season is almost halfway done, could you at least trying to play a big line up, to see what happens. We have gone small and it worked for one game, now lets try going big. Maybe a line up that consists of Carter, Muldrow, Archie, Fredrick’s and Downey. This way Archie can play small forward, and Muldrow can play power forward, just to see how they would compete at a position they should be playing. This would also help with the dept problem, leaving D Day, BRR, and Holmes to come off the bench as well as everybody’s favorite player, the Lithuanian bomber.

Let me know what you think Uncle Dave. no comments

Odom expected to announce he'll retire at end of season

Written by Ritch on .


According to ESPN, South Carolina men's basketball coach Dave Odom is expected to announce on Friday his retirement from college basketball, multiple sources told ESPN's Andy Katz on Thursday.
But according to WIS --- "Dave Odom's not going anywhere. Internet rumors surfaced at around 7:00pm Thursday saying the University of South Carolina men's basketball coach would retire in the near future. But apparently Odom hadn't heard the rumor. WIS Sports talked to the coach, in his seventh year at USC, after his post-game show. Odom just laughed at the question, and told WIS the rumors are false."
-Charleston news article HERE about the saga.
The LOHD staff had no love for him...heck we wanted him gone after Baylor & UNC-A....just read here (also here and here and here).
Seems he will bail out at the end of the season...I mean announce that he retiring at the end of the year rather than getting the pink slip.
Rumor is Odom will meet with his staff at about 10 p.m. tonight (Thursday) at his home, where he will inform them he will announce his retirement friday at an 11 a.m. news conference. Should make for a good press conference on Friday! Seems he saw the writing on the wall from Hyman and the fans.
Crazy - The decision comes two days after the Gamecocks (9-8, 1-2 in the Southeastern Conference) surprised Arkansas 70-66 Wednesday night at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark.
Let the coaching replacement rumors start and we have already provided a list to start from - here.
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Hell has frozen over....Gamecocks win

Written by Ritch on .


Talk about a strange night as the snow comes down in the Upstate (hoping for no work on Thursday) and to accumulate to the already oddness of this January night the Gamecocks went down to Fayetteville, AR in the Bud Walton Arena and won!
I know it is hard to believe for us too and I am not talking about the snow we have but that the Gamecocks actually beat a 13-3 team...I mean 13-4 team now...haha. Because going into the game all we thought about was how Arkansas has one of the biggest and most experienced front lines in the Southeastern Conference. Take that with our weak interior offense/defense and you see why we were a little scared. Heck, their starting frontline features three seniors: 7-0, 245-pound Steven Hill, 6-8, 231-pound Charles Thomas and 6-6, 203-pound senior forward Sonny Weems. But the Gamecocks won by the score of 70 to 66 (for once we win a close game rather than choke like Jad Dean) . Our losing streak has ended but still think the coaching chair is still very hot for Odom. More HERE on the game!
For tonight though - way to go Gamecocks!
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Come on Dave you are killing me softly

Written by Ritch on .

Well, it seems Dave-y Odom has had a interesting week as it was reported by WSPA that USC lost out on a great recruit for basketball. Odom lost the recruiting battle for 6-7 Dutch Fork High forward Murphy Holloway. Holloway has committed to Ole Miss....yes you are reading it right - Ole Miss. According to the news (WSPA), he had several other offers on the table including ones from USC and Clemson. Why does this matter well he is leading the state in scoring this season with an average of 34 points per game.....Way to go Dave!

Well in other news...I find it interesting that Dave-y is going to go with a smaller line-up in the upcoming game against Ark-kansas. I think this is a good move (b/c the big boys are not producing on the offense side nor the defensive side) but it will not solve some of the larger issues that USC has and needs to correct in a hurry before the season is "a wash." Oh, those issues I speak of, well in my opinion there are: lack of a inside presence, team not responding to coach's, points/shot taking is not spread out (too much reliant on 2 people for points) and lack of confidence. I like what The State wrote today - here - about the need to go back to a "run-n-gun offense" and it stresses the need to spread the scoring load. I agree that since Baylor and especially UNC-A the Gamecocks have regressed as a team.

Side note - Interesting article for your reading pleasure today - What Could Have Been: Metro Conference no comments

LOHD List of Possible Basketball Coach's to Replace Odom

Written by Ritch on .

Here is a list of possible coach's that Eric Hyman, AD of South Carolina, could go after. LOHD is assuming a "all star" coach would not quit his day job to come to Carolina to re-build the program (like a Rick Pitno, Billy Donovan, etc nor a NBA coach would come).

So with that in mind the LOHD staff has compiled a list of possilbe targets that could take over and do a better job that Dave-y Odom.


Here goes:

  • Brian Gregory (Dayton)
  • Bob McKillop (Davidson)
  • Dave Rose (BYU)
  • Travis Ford (UMass)
  • Scott Drew (Baylor)
  • Jim Baron (Rhode Island)
  • Randy Bennett (St. Mary's)
  • Stan Heath (USF)
  • Scott Sutton (Oral Roberts)
  • Bobby Lutz (UNC-C)
  • Darrin Horn (WKU)
  • Dave Wojcik (Tulsa)
  • Sean Miller (Xavier)
  • Alex English (Toronto Asst)
  • Anthony Grant (VCU)
  • Greg Marshall (Wichita St.)
  • Chris Lowery (Southern Illinois)
  • Donnie Jones (UF assistant)
  • Kevin Stallings (Vandy)
  • Andy Kennedy (Ole Miss)
  • Tubby Smith (Minn)
  • Jeff Capel (Okl)
  • Dave Dickerson (Tulane)
  • Frank Haith (Miami)
  • Johnny Dawkins (DUKE Asst)
  • Steve Robinson (UNC Asst)

Are we missing anyone that could be a good fit at USC?

Any of the above names you like or anyone in the above list a "no way jose" for USC?

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Dave gets a 'boo' as the Gamecocks lose

Written by Ritch on .

Seems the fans grew a little restless on Saturday night, they gave Dave-y Odom a ear full. There was a smattering of boos during pre-game introductions. As USC fell further behind one fan yelled, “Dinosaur” while another shouted, “Nice game plan, Odom.” And as the game drew to an end a brief chant of “Go, Dave, Go!” sprang up.

It was the worst loss of the year for USC, which had a season low in points as well as field goals (19) while shooting just 37.3 percent, the second lowest of the year. USC also had 17 turnovers, which led to 22 points for the Volunteers.

So much for Odom’s goal of improving USC’s record in the SEC, especially at home, as USC (8-8) started the SEC 0-2 for the third straight year. Oh...the score...well it was 80-56 and UT left the building with a easy win.

More on the game - HERE - but you are probably getting like us and looking more and more forward to the start of USC baseball. no comments

Gamecocks face the 'mighty' UT

Written by Ritch on .

No not Texas but the Univ of Tennessee. UT is currently ranked eighth with a 13-1 record and will square off in the Colonial Center on Saturday night against the mighty Gamecocks.

But get this: The Gamecocks are 5-1 at home against UT in coach Dave Odom’s six years. This, however, could be the best UT team the Gamecocks have faced under Odom. The Volunteers are coming off an 85-83 win over No. 16 Mississippi and heading into this week’s play they ranked second in the nation in steals (12.2 a game) and fourth in scoring (87.4 points).

Should be a good one and maybe the Gamecocks can avoid a quality loss and win....gosh knows the coach needs to win. no comments

Gamecocks Basketball no match tfor Vandy

Written by Ritch on .

Even though it was the Gamecocks best showing in a game as a team in a long time, the Gamecocks (8-7, 0-1) fell short but did play with great effort. Vanderbilt won by the score of 80-73, in what was the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams. I think the key for a Vandy win and the loss for the Gamecocks was at the free throw line. The Gamecocks shot just four free throws -- they made them all -- while Vanderbilt was 15 of 17, all coming in the second half.

Anywho if you care, you can read more HERE.

Oh, those pesky Clemson Tigers got a surprise loss last night by a group of 49ers --more here. no comments

Dave Odom must go

Written by Ritch on .


Wow, as I sat there in the Colonial Center on Saturday night, I was in disbelief. Between UNCA’s 7-7 center or how bad USC really is. Last year Uncle Dave said we were going to relay on the outside shot, which resulted in coming in last in the SEC in shooting percentage. This year Uncle Dave said we were going to have a press defense with a run and gun kind of offense. Well on Saturday we didn’t press, and played a half court offense that was pretty much shut down by a mid major UNCA. Granted a 7-7 center will change your offense plan, but we still should have pressed there guards on the inbounds and in the backcourt, and push the ball up the court off rebounds. George, UNCA’s center was slow and could not keep up with the Gamecock speed. Now we head to Vandy, which has big man and a team that shoots the 3 with the best of them. I would be surprised if USC won a game in the SEC, I am sure we will surprise somebody, but come on.
The best part of the game was this crazy lady in the UNCA section behind the bench kept making a sue pig sound, which got the band going. So every time she made the sound, the band would echo it back to her.
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Gamecocks lose to UNC - A

Written by Ritch on .

That is correct and no the title is not wrong. Dave-y Odom and the Boys yet again give up a late lead to lose yet another game. God help USC when the SEC portion of the schedule comes around soon and hopefully Odom is in his office today finding his resume b/c things are not so happy in columbia.

The University of South Carolina looked nothing like team ready for Southeastern Conference play after a stunning 61-58 loss to North Carolina-Asheville on Saturday night.

Not after USC led by seven with 3:57 left and failed to score again, missing five shots and committing back-to-back turnovers in the final 1:26 seconds while UNC-Asheville finished on a 10-0 run, scoring on its final five possessions. UNC-Asheville (11-3) beat USC for only the second time in nine meetings, the Gamecocks (8-6) certainly don't look ready to travel to 15th-ranked Vanderbilt (15-0) on Wednesday night to begin play in the SEC.

More on the game here.
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