Sometimes all it takes is just one little push to get a rock rolling down the hill, or sometimes you just have to make sure people think you've pushed the rock.

In other words: perception often times is reality, especially when it comes to the world of collegiate athletics.

A great example is the buzz centered around women's basketball at South Carolina. Yep, that's right. Women's by God basketball.

See, here's the thing, I realize that in reality, the sport in its current state, undone by the scandal of Pam Parsons and the Susan Walvius error, er, era, can go nowhere but up at the University. 

It got a serious shot in the arm with the hiring of Dawn Staley last year, but it got a SERIOUS shot in the arm last night with the commit of Kelsey Bone.

Why?

Big name prospect, that whole title of "McDonald's All American," and, let's not forget everyone, it happened on one of the "Family of Networks."

Thus, the ESPN commentators had to talk about us, and that's all we need.

Now, regardless of what our record was this past year, who we are returning and who we are bringing in, we're now a topic of conversation, there's a buzz and we might just be a "program on the rise."

Further proof can be seen on one of the fan message boards covering the Gamecocks. As of about 11:45 this morning, of the 41 active discussion topics on the PREMIUM message board, eight were related to Kelsey Bone.

That's a hair under 20 percent. 

Moreover, that's a hair under 20 percent in the midst of spring football and calls for pitching coach Mark Calvi to be fired.

Again, a topic of discussion. Bone's singular action not only gave us a shot in the arm to the national media, but our own fanbase as well.

Hopefully this will translate into further attention from the fanbase, which, maybe will turn into a few more bodies through the turnstiles.

Now, before you mistake this as some sort of call-to-arms about equality or women's basketball in general, it's really not. I'm just trying to say that there is room for across-the-board excellence at Carolina.

If all of our programs can get some modicum of consistent success ... talk about getting a rock rolling down the hill ...