Dark-skinned with a Southern accent, Devan Downey will never be the Democratic Party’s Harry Reid-approved choice for a Presidential candidate. But the University of South Carolina’s Fighting Gamecock star in his team’s prime-time ESPN win over then undefeated and number one ranked Kentucky Wildcats this week sure showed up the light-skinned accent-less President.

Braves-Gamecock (pictured) knew, when he heard the sycophant in the White House campaign for Kentucky’s team to congratulate them on their rise to the top of the AP college basketball poll and tell them that they need not worry too much about their game in Columbia that evening, that USC would probably win, given the Barack kisses of death in post-Inauguration elections in Georgia, New Jersey and Virginia.

This was the first time my law school alma mater had ever beaten a team that was ranked #1 at the time, but it was not our greatest win. Under Frank McGuire in the late 60s and early 70s, South Carolina was a major power in college hoops and even won the ACC with a 14-0 record when All-American John Roche lead the team. The Gamecocks have also won the SEC in the 90s and beaten Kentucky twice in some years.

But what is most special about this week’s win, was that the country was introduced to the jewel of a small player from the small town of Chester, S.C., whose game is anything but small. The sports world is gaga for Devan Downey (pictured).

Braves-Gamecock nation joins forces with Tebow-nation this week to remind the NFL-creeps that whether their horse-teeth inspectors relegate the Florida Gator to a glue factory or not, matters not a whit to those that love the college game and that see it as a superior test of athletic ability and leadership.

NFL’s social darwinists can’t take Heisman away

I was not part of the worship Tim crowd, but there is no denying what a good man this is and that his achievements on the gridiron make him one of the top football players of all-time. They take the Heisman away from those the NFL shun.

That said, we are looking forward to only our sixth Super Bowl ever in which one of our teams is participating. As a life-long Colts fan who also pulls for Dixie’s Falcons and Panthers, we hope the Saints go marching out of Miami as losing martyrs trampled under equine foot.

Braves Pitchers and catchers report in 21 days and we hope that before the first umpire’s regular season cry of “Play Ball!”, that Obama campaigns for the Phillies.

Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Minority Report columns

“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson

Originally published @ Examiner.com, where all verification links may be accessed.