Fall grades, bowl tickets and Christmas movies
South Carolina is going to have a nice crowd in Birmingham – a full complement of players and upwards of 13,000 fans.
USC coach Steve Spurrier said Tuesday everyone on the roster – except for a “walk-on you never heard of” – passed the requisite credit hours during the fall to be eligible for the Papajohns.com Bowl.
Spurrier was pleased with the academic performance, which he believes is his team’s highest in his five years at USC. He said more walk-ons finished with GPAs lower than 2.0 than scholarship players, a first that Spurrier said was good for the guys on scholly, not so much for the walk-ons.
As for the tickets, USC has sold out its allotment of 10,000 tickets for the Jan. 2 game, plus another 250 the school needed to fulfill orders. Media relations director Steve Fink said all of the tickets had been mailed by Tuesday afternoon, and fans should receive them before the holidays.
Anyone interested in buying tickets in the next week and a half should go through the bowl, Fink said. A Papajohns.com official said last week USC fans already had purchased between 2,000 and 3,000 tickets through the bowl.
That’s a good showing for Gamecock fans and demonstrates again the impact of the Clemson game.
Last I checked, there are no beaches anywhere in the Birmingham vicinity. And the Papajohns.com game is played in crumbling Legion Field, a stark contrast to Raymond James Stadium, site of the Outback Bowl.
Yet, USC moved all of its tickets – something it was unable to do last year when the school failed to sell its allotment of 11,000 for the game in sunny Tampa on New Year’s Day.
It would be nice if the weather cooperated on Jan. 2. The Papajohns.com game has not had rain any of its first three years.
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After getting torched by a few colleagues for my indifferent response to “The Hangover” – and at the risk of dating myself – I’ll mention my three favorite Christmas movies:
It’s a Wonderful Life – If you make it through the last scene without tearing up, you’re a manlier man than I am.
The Bishop’s Wife – The 1947 classic with Cary Grant and David Niven doesn’t get the attention that “Wonderful Life” does, but it’s a terrific flick. Niven’s Christmas Eve sermon nails the reason for the season.
A Christmas Story – Funny stuff. You’ll laugh every time you pass a Chinese restaurant around the holidays.
Hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday.
15 Comments to “Fall grades, bowl tickets and Christmas movies”
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USC football beat writer Joe Person has covered the Gamecocks since the start of the 2002 season. He's been on the college football beat since 1993. 
Fa-ra-ra-ra-ra…..
You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!
What about Christmas Vacation! Halleloyouh! Holy Sh*t! where’s the Tylonol! See in Birmingham Joe!
It’s smiling!
FRA-JEE-LAY!
My goodness, people, Person did a story on this earlier in the year. All the smart walk ons were given leftover scholarships, because the walk on’s GPAs don’t count in the NCAA academic program, whatever it’s called. all that were left were the dumb as a rock walk ons. Anyway, maybe USC can set some bowl records, since they are in that prestigious 3 yr old bowl,
Has anybody heard a new number of tickets sold to USC fans directly through the bowl? The 2,000 to 3,000 figure was from a while back last week.
joe, my 13 year old niece is more manly than you. you write trash, and comment on crap that nobody cares about. get a life!
34-17
BlahBlah = Ebeneezer Scrooge
Lighten up, blahblah. Some people, including you apparently, do care about what he writes.
Try to find a way to have a merry Christmas and don’t spoil anyone else’s.
Let it rain, snow, Hail. I don’t care, there are still fans that will follow this team through hell and back. We have done it before and would do it again. I don’t feel the Clemson Game had anything to do with it. We all realize that they are not that good. WE ARE USC!
“Humbug, Person! Blogs, GPAs, walk-ons and bowl game ticket allotments seem poor reasons to pick a man’s pocket every holiday season. I seem to be the only man who realizes that.”
Forecast is GREAT! South Carolina is 12th on Forbe’s “College Football’s 20 Most Valuable Teams”
Link..
http://www.forbes.com/2009/12/22/most-vaulable-college-football-teams-business-sports-college-football_slide_13.html
Joe:
Once again a great job this year covering the Gamecocks.
I have not seen the Bishop’s Wife. I’ll have to take a look.
Happy New Year.
Kevin
Baltimore
I have tickets greta seats if anyone interested e-mail me