As FITS reported exclusively last week, the University of South Carolina athletic department reinstated starting quarterback Stephen Garcia to the football team this week – albeit on a “probationary basis.”
The decision – announced Monday morning by head coach Steve Spurrier and athletics director Eric Hyman – comes two months after Hyman suspended Garcia indefinitely for his alleged conduct at a Southeastern Conference “life skills” seminar. Prior to that, Garcia was suspended for a week for shenanigans that occurred in Atlanta prior to the Chick-Fil-A bowl in December. News of Garcia’s exploits in Atlanta broke exclusively here on FITS.
“Stephen is returning to the team on a probationary basis and still has to do some things here for the next two or three months to prove himself worthy of being a student-athlete at South Carolina,” Spurrier said in a statement. “We will give him another chance and hopefully he can do the right things and represent the University in a first-class manner.”
Sources at the athletic department told FITS a week ago that a decision had been made to reinstate Garcia in advance of summer workouts.
Hyman said Garcia’s “probationary” status with the team will be reevaluated prior to the start of fall practice – and it sounds as though he’s putting the fifth-year senior from Lutz, Florida on a tight leash.
“With assistance from others, we have developed a list of measurable guidelines for Stephen to follow,” Hyman said. “I want to make it clear those guidelines, which will remain confidential, are designed to help him live a successful life and are not some trivial hoops for him to jump through in order to find a way to reinstate him. So the ball clearly rests in Stephen Garcia’s hands.”
Hyman and his wife, Pauline, have been at the heart of the Garcia soap opera all spring. While there are conflicting reports regarding what happened at the SEC “life skills” event that resulted in Garcia’s latest suspension, it is widely suspected that Pauline Hyman – wife of USC athletics director Eric Hyman – was involved with the event and was instrumental in convincing her husband to suspend the 6-foot-2, 230-pound quarterback.
Pauline Hyman – who runs the school’s “life skills” program – is considered to be the athletic department’s “Miss Manners,” which obviously makes her a capable foil to the hard-partying quarterback.
Eric Hyman has denied his wife’s involvement – although he and the school have failed to answer a host of questions regarding the event as well as Pauline Hyman’s alleged connection to it. As part of the suspension, the school also blocked Garcia from renewing his scholarship.
Garcia had his best season as a Gamecock in 2010. He threw for 3,059 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and had a 148.7 quarterback rating – teaming up with standout wide receiver Alshon Jeffery to provide an effective aerial complement to the bruising ground game of Marcus Lattimore. Garcia also rushed for 222 yards and six touchdowns.
With Garcia back in the lineup, USC will likely be favored to win the SEC Eastern Division again in 2011.
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By Big T May 30, 2011 at 12:12 pm
This is an issue I did a 360 on. I went from thinking Garcia needed to go, to realizing Hyman really screwed up on this one.
I think the CWS Title, and the SEC-E Title have kinda gone to Hyman’s head. What Hyman needs to acknowledge is that many more people are judging him by his hoops hire than giving him credit for the work of Tanner and Spurrier.
Hyman almost let his (and his wife’s) ego do something stupid. Thank goodness Spurrier saved another boneheadeed move by an administrator from himself.
By Franko May 30, 2011 at 1:50 pm
Well, if you did a 360, then that means you went all the way back around and once again think he needs to go.
By gamecock79 May 30, 2011 at 3:07 pm
Welcome back Garcia!! Can’t wait to see you suited up in the fall! Go Cocks!
By Michael P. May 30, 2011 at 3:14 pm
Don’t pat yourself on the back too much, everyone in Retardville, SC knew he would be let back on the team.
By BigT May 30, 2011 at 3:59 pm
Michael P. You mean to tell me you Taters knew all along…????
By Clemson Tigerblood May 30, 2011 at 6:05 pm
Oh God no, we are fucked again this season (I am a realist).
By fitsnews May 30, 2011 at 6:33 pm
Michael P.-
We reported a week ago that he would be back this week – the first media outlet to do so – but then again we’ve been ahead of the curve on the Garcia story (both to the QB’s credit and detriment) from the beginning.
Also … you don’t wanna see what we’re doing when we’re not patting ourselves on the back.
-FITS
By BradWarthenSucks May 30, 2011 at 6:55 pm
BigT – I think it’s funny that the chicken fans always go for the “tater” defense when something is said about their beloved Gamecocks. I’m not a Gamecock fan or a Tiger fan or a Bulldog fan or a Volunteer fan for that matter.
And yes I knew he would be reinstated, USC might as well hang up another 6-6 season (or worse) if he didn’t. I knew it, Spurrier knew it, Hyman new it… hell I bet ol’ fancy boy Pastides even knew it.
By Andy May 30, 2011 at 7:17 pm
FITS: Here’s one for you. Feel free to use it. I stole it too.
Went to my new doctor last week and through the examining room door walks this drop dead gorgeous, stunningly beautiful, 30ish blond haired babe with legs all the way up to her ass. Sensing my nervousness she said, “Don’t worry, I’m a professional and I’ve seen it all before. Tell me what’s wrong and I will give you a comprehensive exam.”
I thought about that for a moment and said, “My wife claims that my dick tastes funny”.
By CINDY May 30, 2011 at 7:26 pm
Here kitty kitty
By Captain Renault May 30, 2011 at 9:17 pm
I’m shocked, shocked to find out that Garcia has been reinstated!
By Joe May 31, 2011 at 7:27 am
Connor Shaw must REALLY suck
By Ben May 31, 2011 at 7:34 am
The story here is not that Steven Garcia is a putz and a sorry person, the story is that the Columbia media ignored a major story about a Unversity athletic department that is a government organization covered by FOIA regulations. There are far too many secrets left out of this story that taxpayers have a right to know. Who was the Lifestyle Instructor, what did stephen actually do, what was the involvement of Mrs. Hyman and were there any emails between Hyman and the football program or other athletic officials or the Garcia family.
I’m glad Garcia is back and its time for football.
By Big T May 31, 2011 at 8:49 am
I agree w/ FITS on this one.
If they get something, and get it first, you have to give them credit…
Don’t be like a Liberal. Liberals blame all their many EFF-Ups on everybody else. And you cannot give credit for the people (never you) who do things right.
FITS had this before anyone else. Grow as set. Be big enough to acknowledge that. Don’t be a like a liberal…
By Gamecock alum May 31, 2011 at 9:11 am
So this is double secret probation without the secret?
I’m excited about this football season. If Hyman will get out of the way, we might have the best season of my 37 years as a Gamecock. My only concern today is NAVY. First game of the season, please don’t let Navy be this years Navy. We need revenge, we need to get everyone on the team aware of the 1984 season’s Navy Game when we were ranked 2 and Nebraska was ranked 1 and Nebraska lost and we played Navy….We need the new student body to be aware and the football team pumped up and ready to hit them like they are Auburn or Georgia. Just to make a statement of intent ;)
By LaughSnort May 31, 2011 at 9:24 am
It’s not like they’re giving a break to another Michael Vick-type. Two beer suspensions and one suspension for trying to get some tail before the SEC Championship? Give me a break. It sounds like this last mess was contrived by Mrs. Hyman’s sticking her nose in to her husband’s business and not liking Garcia personally. The only thing Garcia has done that made him look worse than just the average college kid was keying the car, and that 4-5 years ago. The kid has been a victim of his own bad luck and immaturity since he’s been there, but he’s also had a target on his back. Jesus.
By The Colonel May 31, 2011 at 1:58 pm
He’ll screw it up (again)
By Sumpter Cock May 31, 2011 at 4:49 pm
The very negative Ron Morris column this morning on Garcia being reinstated is further evidence that the Hyman machine is continuing to attack Stephen. This is evident by the company line being spouted by the local biased media that usually states what the athletic department tells them to say. Apparently the newspaper writers, tv sports reporters and talk radio folks are more concerned with staying in good favor with the athletic department then investigating and reporting the truth. Why no FOIA requests to determine what really happened and why didn’t any reporters disclose who the Lifestyle Instructor was. If the Lifestyle Instructor was paid with State Funds or Athletic Department funds (any money in state accounts is considered state funding) then we the taxpayers have a right to know. One can only conclude that either the media is lazy or they enjoy the perks of covering the athletic department so much they opt not to do their jobs.
By Pro-Garcia May 31, 2011 at 4:56 pm
Eric and Pauline Hyman should stop micromanaging the football program NOW. The Hyman’s have an excellent General with Steve Spurrier but if they continue to meddle behind the scenes than the war will be lost before the football season ever starts. The Hyman’s meddling is almost like President Johnson undermining General Westmoreland during Vietnam. Let General Spurrier and his troops deliver us our championship and let the Hyman’s enjoy their luxury box at Williams Brice!
By ExFan June 14, 2011 at 6:43 am
This is EXACTLY the reason USC will NEVER get beyond the middle of the pack.. and for all of you that are going to point out that they won the East last year.. well lets take a look at that.. Florida was down and now the coach left, Georgia was down… and that coach could be leaving, Tennessee has a new coach for the second straight year.
Spurrier has completely ruined USC football. He has turned around on himself like I dog chasing his own tail. Just answer one question for me truthfully and you will see my point. IF Garcia was a baseball player, would he still be on the team? ENOUGH SAID!!!!
By Gamecock alum June 14, 2011 at 7:45 am
We need a few more “Exfans”. Do you have like minded friends? Try to persuade them to join you. Who is your new team? Now that you are not a fan anymore, could you stop posting comments about my team? Thank you.
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