THE MONDAY MORNING OPTIMIST NEEDED A MINUTE.

Not going to lie the past few days have been a little difficult on your old pal the optimist. You might say the wind got sucked out of his sails. He certainly lost his voice. Although that is no excuse for being able to write words on a computer.

In any event, we’re picking up the pieces and giving you people exactly what you want need just in time to get you all pepped up for a matchup against the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday in the concrete hellscape Neyland Stadium.

Yes, the South Carolina Gamecocks lost in particularly Gamecock-y fashion to the Florida Gators last weekend. Yes, 21 points were scored by the other guys in the fourth quarter. Yes, there were some @coughs@ some officiating ‘miscues’ that may or may not have changed the course of the game. Yes, it was fifty degrees and pouring rain for periods of the game. Yes, your tailgate spot got jacked so some six year-old could stuff his face with funnel cake. Yes, the ‘cocks outplayed the gators for three quarters of the game. Yes, none of this changes the fact that they still got lost the game.

Dammit. I’m supposed to be optimistic.

Hey, things could be worse...

Like...way worse.

Think about it, we could be Rice. Or Akron. Or Memphis.

Or this lady.

Or Randy Edsall.

Miraculously, the worst officiating that took place last week wasn’t in Columbia.

See? There’s plenty to find that will keep you upbeat before the Pillow Fight of The Week against Jeremy Pruitt’s fighting kennel outcasts. At least we don’t have to worry about the possibility of more officiating nightmares this weekend. Wait. Okay, well at least we didn’t do a chest pass in a fake punt.

Have a great rest of your week!

DSGCTYW