and at the Giants. Jim Harbaugh

COLUMBIA, S. Duron Carter Jersey .C. -- Marcus Lattimore believes his knee injury was a test he had to pass, both for himself and South Carolina. The junior running back tore his ACL while blocking downfield at Mississippi State last October. His mother Yolanda Smith rushed to his side and Lattimores left leg was encased in a temporary brace as he hobbled into the locker room. It was a devastating loss for the Gamecocks -- coach Steve Spurrier announced it the next day with the words, "Our worst fears were realized" -- and for the durable Lattimore, who was frightened at first he might not ever again be one of the Southeastern Conferences top rushers. "I kind of felt like it was a test, a test to see if I was going to break, to see if Id give up," Lattimore said. "Because there were times I wanted to give up." Instead, Lattimore ran straight ahead into getting better. He leaned on his family and teammates and spoke with other football players like Pittsburgh Panthers running back Ray Graham and New Orleans Saints safety Roman Harper about dealing with similar injuries and their recoveries. "I look down on my phone and see that its Marcus Lattimore calling," said Graham, the All-Big East Conference tailback who also hurt his ACL last fall. Lattimore said the advice, the friendly chats and inspiring words helped him focus on returning to the field, something hes ready to do when the ninth-ranked Gamecocks open the season at Vanderbilt on Aug. 30. "Its been a long time," he said. Lattimore was South Carolinas Mr. Football at Byrnes High in 2009 and turned down Auburn to join Spurriers Gamecocks in 2010. Lattimore became an almost instant success for the Gamecocks, carrying 37 times for 182 yards and two touchdowns to beat Georgia 17-6 his second career game. Lattimore became the schools first 1,000-yard rusher in 10 years with 1,197 yards and 17 touchdowns as Spurriers go-to performer on offence and helped the Gamecocks to their first SEC Eastern Division title Lattimore was on his way to bigger things last year -- his 818 yards rushing still led the team despite missing half the season -- before his injury. So its no wonder Lattimores name has popped up on watch lists for the Heisman Trophy and other player of the year awards. "Im not really thinking about any of that," he said. Lattimore says his main goal is doing what hes always done: playing hard on the field and making the right choices off it. Despite a sore knee and long hours of rehab, Lattimore kept up his practice of visiting youth groups, speaking at church functions and mentoring young athletes at Byrnes High despite the demands of knee rehabilitation. "It was hard to keep him away," said Lattimores former high school coach, Bobby Bentley. "Marcus thinks those are the right things to do." Lattimores stepfather, Vernon Smith, said he saw an opportunity to show others you could go through rehabilitation and come back stronger. "He saw it as a positive example," he said. South Carolina strength coach Joe Connolly watched Lattimore throw himself into workouts, pushing as much as he could without any setbacks. Lattimore was cleared to fully run on the knee before the summer, Connolly said. Lattimore drew strength from other players like Graham, Arkansas Knile Davis, Notre Dames Jonas Gray and Harper. "We still keep in touch," Graham said. "Weve become friends." Lattimore has run strongly in fall camp, looking like the player who routinely broke tackles and cut to the right holes for big yards. He and Spurrier understand, though, that people will keep wondering about the knee until he handles those first few hits against the Commodores. Spurrier has seen little evidence Lattimore, a projected first-round NFL draft pick, is hesitating or protecting the knee when he runs. Spurrier recalled watching practice video this summer and seeing three defenders waiting to wrap up Lattimore. "He just lowered the pads and powered right through them," Spurrier said. Lattimore has changed several things about his routine since the injury, admitting he took his legs for granted instead of following proper training procedure. He spends more time on warm ups, ices his muscles down and uses the hot tub to stay fresh more than he used to. "I do the little things," he said. Something Lattimore wont change? His straight-ahead, power running style. If that means 35 carries, Lattimores prepared physically and mentally to handle the load. "Im not thinking about it anymore. Thats the main thing, just not thinking about the injury," he said. "Im just going out there trying to be myself as I did in the past." Anthony Calvillo Jersey .C. Lions are one step closer to reaching the top of the mountain. Andre Durie Jersey . Nieminen, who lost last years final to Gael Monfils of France, was down 4-2 in the second set but recovered to win the match 6-3, 6-4. Niemenen says "I lost focus and made some simple mistakes but then I woke up and started playing more aggressive.After four weeks of NFL football the biggest surprise to me is that the New Orleans Saints are 0-4. Last year this was the leagues best offence and knowing what we know now, the leagues most vicious defence. On special teams, Darren Sproles is as good as any returner in football and the New Orleans Superdome was a true home field advantage. The Saints did not lose one game at home last year. And they ended the season with a quarterback in Drew Brees that broke the single season passing yardage record previously held by Dan Marino - 5,476 yards and 46 touchdowns is one heck of a good year. But this year, 0-4 with losses to Washington and their rookie quarterback, Carolina and their second-year quarterback, Kansas City who is not a playoff team and Green Bay, well, okay, that is understandable. Does the absence of Sean Payton make the big of a difference? Did Gregg Williams as a defensive coordinator influence good play that much? I mean neither played, they just directed. But what other possible answer could there be? The team is basically the same in personnel, but it is not the same in consistent excellent execution and determined resolve. What other answer is out there? I will say this, Sean Payton and his absence has elevated the pay scale for any new and good NFL head coach. There is conclusive evidence that the good ones make the difference between winning and losing, the Saints have proven that. All coaches are different just like all players are different. For some, their greatest strength is teaching the techniques and details of the game in a specific position. Often they are former players that have transferred the ability to play to the ability to teach. Not an easy transition, I tried and could not do it for various reasons. Others are planners and preparers and schemers. Almost always the coordinators, guys who design plays, love plays, and have an intense level of gratification in seeing what worked on the practice field work on the game field. They know both sides of the ball and are kind of the "nerds" of the game in that the game is all-consuming and affects all aspects of life outside of work. (If they have a life outside of work). Then you have the head coach and he is all of the previous two and then some. The head coach is the intimidator, the Buck-stops-heere guy, the guy you dont want to be called to the office for any reason guy. Zach Collaros Jersey. The guy who hires and fires and everything in between. Not all have that type of personality or presence. Tony Dungy for example was a coach that pulled people together to win (and he had Peyton Manning in his prime). But, for the most part the head coach of a NFL team has the job because he has the internal strength to activate a response from others. If you dont have a tough guy head coach you better have a Top-5 quarterback. When the Saints had Payton as head coach I could sense a focus that was unique, it transferred from Payton to his players. How? I dont know, its difficult to describe but I could sense that Paytons resolve was the teams resolve. I think part of it is that the head coach will address the team, as a team more than any other coach. Usually as many as four times: after the game, before the Monday morning meeting, before the Wednesday morning meeting to prepare for the next game, and right before the actual game on Sunday. That is 64 times a year over 17 weeks, 16 games, not including training camp and off-season. If you were to give me an opportunity to talk to a group of people 64 times over four months, I am sure I can mold and influence too, to some degree. It is true that a football team reflects the personality and often morality of the head coach. The reflection is more subtle than intense but it is there. At 0-4 I doubt the Saints are going to make the playoffs, they would have to win 10 of their next 12 to achieve Wild Card status. And they still have two games with Atlanta, San Francisco at home and at the Giants. Jim Harbaugh in San Francisco is a good example of a coach that makes an impact. His brother John does in Baltimore, too. What would happen if Bill Belichick left New England? Would they improve? Sean Payton must be sitting back and not enjoying the downfall of the Saints, but in a quiet moment he might be thinking that his future is bright for many years to come. His discipline, play calling, and in-game decisions all are missed and as much as the Saints will try to duplicate his absence, they cant. There is only one Sean Payton on the unemployment line. Only one Gregg Williams on the suspended list. And the Saints are 0-4. Logic rules in this one. cheap jerseys ' ' '