Who’s the most popular Gamecock of all time? You tell us
Who is your favorite Gamecock ... ever?
The answers to that question are the basis for Gamecock Madness, our bracket-style, just-for-fun competition to crown the most popular of all time to wear the garnet and black.
Voting begins now, and we’ll crown the most beloved Gamecock at the end of the month. The bracket, voting details and links to vote are below. Want to get right to the voting? Here are the links to do that.
VOTE NOW: Tanner Region | Staley Region | Spurrier Region | Frank Region
Picking the 64 who made the tournament was made easier by more than 700 responses from you via our social media channels. We also did research, tapped into our own historical knowledge and reached out to sportswriters who have covered South Carolina athletics through the years to make sure we had the right Gamecocks on the list.
Yes, there are great players who didn’t make it. That’s going to happen when fans have such strong feelings about their Gamecocks.
Among our favorite responses from fans on social media:
▪ Football: “My all time favorite player was Ryan Brewer. No Gamecock played harder, gave more, and had greater toughness and heart than Ryan Brewer.”
▪ Basketball: “Everybody on this list is riding on the shoulders of John Roche. But Devan Downey, BJ McKie, Jimmy Foster, Alex English and Brian Winters stand tall.”
▪ Baseball: “Don’t know that anyone will ever be more loved/popular than Michael Roth.”
Some fans suggested we include all the players from the 2010 and 2011 national championship baseball teams. Not a bad idea at all.
For now, we’ll go with 64 Gamecock greats from all sports. Let’s get started.
The Tanner Region
▪ 1-George Rogers (FB) vs. 16-Mookie Wilson (BB)
▪ 8-Tom Owens (MBB) vs. 9-Stephon Gilmore (FB)
▪ 5-Steve Wadiak (FB) vs. 12-Pharoh Cooper (FB)
▪ 4-BJ McKie (MBB) vs. 13-Savannah McCaskill (Soc)
▪ 6-Sheila Foster (WBB) vs. 11-Eric Norwood (FB)
▪ 3-Whit Merrifield (BB) vs. 14-Martha Parker (WBB)
▪ 7-Tommy Suggs (FB) vs. 10-Matt Price (BB)
▪ 2-Jadeveon Clowney (FB) vs. 15-Wesley Bryan (Golf)
The Staley Region
▪ 1-A’ja Wilson (WBB) vs. 16-Dickie Harris (FB)
▪ 8-DJ Swearinger (FB) vs. 9-Sidney Rice (FB)
▪ 5-Devan Downey (MBB) vs. 12-Trey Dyson (BB)
▪ 4-Steve Taneyhill (FB) vs. 13-The Killer B’s (BB)
▪ 6-Todd Ellis (FB) vs. 11-Melvin Watson (MBB)
▪ 3-Sterling Sharpe (FB) vs. 14-Mike Hold (FB)
▪ 7-Hank Small (BB) vs. 10-Bruce Ellington (FB)
▪ 2-Michael Roth (BB) vs. 15-Brian Winters (MBB)
The Spurrier Region
▪ 1-Marcus Lattimore (FB) vs. 16-Ryan Succop (FB)
▪ 8-Duce Staley (FB) vs. 9-Jimmy Foster (MBB)
▪ 5-Stephen Garcia (FB) vs. 12-Ace Sanders (FB)
▪ 4-Earl Bass (BB) vs. 13-Brandon Bennett (FB)
▪ 6-Jeff Grantz (FB) vs. 11-Melvin Ingram (FB)
▪ 3-Sindarius Thornwell (MBB) vs. 14-Justin Smoak (BB)
▪ 7-Kevin Joyce (MBB) vs. 10-Landon Powell (BB)
▪ 2-Alex English (MBB) vs. 15-John Abraham (FB)
The Frank Region
▪ 1-John Roche (MBB) vs. 16-Trinity Johnson (SB)
▪ 8-Tiffany Mitchell (WBB) vs. 9-Kenny McKinley (FB)
▪ 5-Scott Wingo (BB) vs. 12-Elliott Fry (FB)
▪ 4-Alshon Jeffery (FB) vs. 13-Michael Carrera (MBB)
▪ 6-Christian Walker (BB) vs. 11-Alex Hawkins (FB)
▪ 3-Jackie Bradley Jr. (BB) vs. 14-Mike Dunleavy (MBB)
▪ 7-Ryan Brewer (FB) vs. 10-Shannon Johnson (WBB)
▪ 2-Connor Shaw (FB) vs. 15-Brad Edwards (FB)
Voting dates
▪ First round: 10 a.m. Monday, March 12 through 10 a.m. Thursday, March 15
▪ Second round: 1 p.m. Thursday, March 15 through 10 a.m. Monday, March 19
▪ Sweet 16: 1 p.m. Monday, March 19 through 10 a.m. Thursday, March 22
▪ Elite 8: 1 p.m. Thursday, March 22 through 10 a.m. Monday, March 26
▪ Final 4: 1 p.m. Monday, March 26 through 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 28
▪ Championship: 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 28 through 1 pm Friday, March 30
VOTE NOW: Tanner Region | Staley Region | Spurrier Region | Frank Region
Here’s a PDF view of the bracket
Gamecock Madness Bracket by The State Newspaper on Scribd
VOTE NOW: Tanner Region | Staley Region | Spurrier Region | Frank Region
This story was originally published March 12, 2018 at 10:15 AM with the headline "Who’s the most popular Gamecock of all time? You tell us."