Questions #1) How many players for one team are on the court at one time during a basketball game? Answer 5

Questions #2) How many players did the coaches in the SEC vote first team All SEC? Answer 8.  Did I miss a rule change where the SEC will now allow 8 players on the court for one team at one time, I must have been busy reading Cosmo or something.

I am not sure why the SEC can’t be like every other conference and just vote 5 players first team, 5 players 2^nd team and finally 5 players third team All SEC.

Have we backtracked so far from common sense that we have to make sure that every player in the SEC is on some kind of "All Award Team."  Of the 60 regular starters in the SEC, 16 were named to the 1^st and 2^nd All SEC teams.  In the ACC, only 15 players were named to the first 3 All ACC teams.

Patrick Patterson, you played on a really good team, but do you really deserve to be first team All SEC? The way I see it you played in the shadows of your teammate Cousins all season.

He is my first team All SEC Team

G Devon Downey- USC

G John Wall- UK

C- Wayne Chism- Tennessee

F- Jarvis Varnado- MSU

F- DeMarcus Cousins-UK

The rest of the players on the first team, you just got demoted to 2^nd team.

My 2^nd problem with the SEC awards is naming Kevin Stallings "SEC Coach of the Year."  Granted he is a good coach, but he did not win his conference and could not beat Kentucky this year. If you are going to give the award to the most deserving coach, you would have to give it to Bruce Pearl for the way he had his team perform after losing a couple key players to off the court problems. Or the SEC could have given it to John Calipari for taking a NIT team last year, to maybe the number 1overall seed in the NCAA tournament this year.

My 3^rd problem with the SEC awards. Naming John Wall "SEC Player of the Year," but naming DeMarcus Cousins SEC "Freshman of the year."  If John Wall is the best player in the conference and a freshman, why is he not both POY and FOY?

Awards will always be subject to scrutiny as each voter looks at each situation a little bit differently, but I concerned the SEC coaches have taken the voting to a new level. All I am asking for is a little consistency and some common sense.

Today the Southeastern Conference announced their end of the season awards and they selected the University of South Carolina senior guard to the First Team All-SEC yet gave the SEC “Player of the Year” Award to John Wall.

Devan Downey finished his senior season in great standing.  He averaged 22.6 points per game and 26.2 in SEC conference games.  He shot 40% from the field and 34% from three ball land.  Devan scored 20 or more points 18 times this season in games he played.  He played for roughly 34 mins per game so his motor was always high.  He is third in the nation is steals and leads the SEC in scoring.  He broke the school record for steals to become the all time leader (275) and finished 3^rd in SEC history in that category.

I feel that All-SEC is well-deserved honor for Devan and congrats to him as he has played above the rim this year.  He averages a little north of 35% of the teams’ overall offense.  So yes he is that good and is a no-brainer for being on the first team.

Devan should have gotten SEC POY in our book.  He is the best player in the SEC in 2009-2010.  He may not play on the best team but he is the best player.  I guess others felt different.  IS it too late for a recount or to check for hanging "chads?"

Downey also was named to the “All SEC Defensive Team” today as he has been known to pick a pocket or two this season.  Yahoo! recently recognized him as a All SEC performer as well, as a Honorable Mention All American.  He also got a nod for the U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s All-District awards.  Devan Downey made the 10-member All-District III team, which includes North and South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland.  And he was named to the Sporting News 4th Team All American List.

I hope Devan takes this snub and channels the energy to put on a clinic in the SEC Tourney.

The recently crowned Super Bowl Champions made some roster moves that left a former gamecocks football player without a job.  The New Orleans Saints recently released guard Jamar Nesbit, a Summerville, SC native, to make room on the roster.  The former gamecocks football player was to earn $1.33 million in 2010 from the Saints now the future is not so clear.

Nesbit, who spent six years in New Orleans, started every game from 2006-2007 and actually had a streak going of 35 straight starts until 2008. 

Nesbit lost his starting job under unfortunate circumstances in 2008, when he served a four-game suspension for testing positive for a banned diuretic in the infamous "StarCaps" saga.  Nesbit chose not to fight his suspension and decided to get it out of the way early in the beginning of the '08 season.  During that time rookie Carl Nicks filled in for him and never surrendered the job.

Jamar had to watch from the sidelines, after being declared inactive in the playoffs, the Super Bowl win and now will have to determine his next steps in his pro career.  But he has a ring so don't forget that.  Not many former gamecock football players can say that.

The Atlanta Falcons have secured the services of a former Gamecocks cornerback, as they have signed Dunta Robinson to a six-year, $57 million contract, with $22.5 million of it being guaranteed.

Last year, Robinson made $9.957 million as the Houston Texans’ put the "franchise player" tag on him, but he was unhappy with the lack of a long-term deal.  Remember last September he wore shoes that read “Pay Me, Rick” during the Texans' loss to the New York Jets.  A shot at GM Rick Smith that resulted in a $25,000 fine.  But what is $25k when you made $9 mil right?

In 84 career games (79 starts), the former Gamecock has totaled 382 tackles (310 solo), 13 interceptions, 63 passes defensed, four sacks, six forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.  The Texans made Robinson, a native of Athens, Ga., the 10th overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft after a nice career for the University of South Carolina.

All is not well in the Georgia ‘Dawg house.  Can not blame this one on the defense will maybe but not intially.

Zach Mettenberger, a redshirt freshman, was arrested over the weekend on 5 misdemeanor charges which included underage drinking, disorderly conduct, and possession of a fake ID. These are all misdemeanor charges and I am sure some PTI will be in store but this can not sit well with Coach Mark Richt going into Spring Practice.

Mettenberger, a redshirt freshman from Oconee County, is one of three candidates for Georgia’s starting quarterback job.

Here is some of the details from the AJC:

University of Georgia quarterback Zach Mettenberger was arrested in Remerton, Ga., over the weekend on five misdemeanor charges, the Remerton police chief told the AJC today.

Mettenberger was charged with underage consumption/possession of alcohol, disorderly conduct, obstruction and two counts of having a fake identification, Remerton Police Chief Mike Terrell said.

The arrest occurred at 1:39 a.m. Sundy at Flip Flops bar in Remerton. Mettenberger was transported to the Lowndes County Jail. He posted bond and was released.

Related Coverage-

UGA QB Mettenberger arrested

Georgia's Mettenberger arrested

The Clemson Tigers baseball team (9-1) brought the wood to the woodshed today and blisted the backside of the South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team (6-4) by the score of 19-6.  The Tigers victory gave them the "rubber game" of the three-game baseball series.

Clemson came to play, as the Tigers got 5 home runs on the afternoon including a grand slam by Chris Epps in the second and another grand slam by Phil Pohl in the 9th.  In between, the Tigers got a three run homer by Richie Shaffer and solo shots by Mike Freeman and Addison Johnson.  A 6 run second inning by CU began to romp that didn't stop.  The Tigers lead kept building despite the 'Cocks getting 6 of their own.

Gamecocks pitching was horrible (and that is putting it nice) as 8 USC pitchers tried to stop the Clemson beat down.  None could contain the Tigers as they gave up 5 HRs and 11 walks.  The 19 runs are the most the Tigers have scored against the Gamecocks since 1962.

Only thing good at Carolina Stadium was the weather.  Oh, and Whit Merrifield did extend his hitting streak.

Epps received the Bob Bradley award as Clemson’s MVP in the series.  He was 7-14 with two home runs, 6 RBIs and 6 runs scored.  Jackie Bradley Jr. rerceived the Tom Price Award as USC’s MVP.  He was 6-12 for the series with a home run and 4 RBIS. 

The Gamecocks return to action at home Tuesday night against Valparaiso.

The University of South Carolina and the University of Southern California have been battling off the field lately in a dispute over an “interlocking SC” logo used by South Carolina’s baseball team. 

S. Carolina has spent more than $376,000 over a seven-year period fighting this losing battle and additional costs could be incurred if South Carolina decides to appeal and take this battle to the U.S. Supreme Court. 

The case involves two main issues: Carolina’s attempt to register the SC baseball logo for use on clothing merchandise and its subsequent effort to cancel Southern Cal’s registration of a similar mark.

You may recall, that both attempts were initially denied by the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal board in their ruling last year in favor of Southern California in the eight-year dispute – a decision which was upheld in January 2010 by the U.S. Court of Appeals.  Following the court ruling, Carolina has 90 days to make the decision to appeal and fight on.

So is spending $376,000+ worth it?  And who can not tell the difference in the two logos?

The South Carolina Gamecocks (15-15, 6-10) snapped a six-game skid with a 77-73 victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores that pushed the Gamecocks up to the East's fifth seed in the upcoming Southeastern Conference tournament.

The win is just the Gamecocks' second in their last nine meetings with Vanderbilt.  The ‘Dores (23-7, 12-4) already had the No. 2 seed in the East locked up before blowing a 10-point lead by going cold from the floor for 9:20. The Commodores rallied and tied it for the ninth time at 69 on J. Beal’s 3-pointer.  But soon after, USC guard Devan Downey came off a ball screen and hit a 3-pointer with 1:48 left to break the tie and set the wheels in motion for the ‘Cocks win.

Great win for S. Carolina as they finish the season at .500 and have some needed confidence heading into post-season play.

Keys to the win:

• South Carolina wound up outshooting Vanderbilt 49.1 percent to 42.9 percent, while out-rebounding the Commodores 33-28.
• Devan Downey scored 26 points as the Gamecocks snapped a six-game losing streak overall. He has scored in double figures in 29 of 30 games this season.
• USC got to the line this game, making 16-23 FTs
• The stellar play of Sam Muldrow - 20 Pts, 9 Reb, 1 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk

This win reminds me of how the gamecocks football team ended the season with a win.  After losing some games, get a win to close the season and all is forgotten in gamecock nation.  USC was 10-6 last seaon and this season 6-10 in SEC play.  But we know the challenges this team had and to get the win today is a testament to the heart of this team.  Great way to finish and for Coach Horn to build from....Go Cocks!

Next Game: The Gamecocks will play Alabama at 1 p.m. ET/noon CT on Thursday in the SEC first round.