For those enjoying "I Love USC," you might like these tracks by another member of the Trojan family. Local artist ty.Eli has three USC songs for you to enjoy and download. You can check out his Myspace site for more info.
You may also be familiar with ty.Eli from his day night job as producer for sports talkshow host JT the Brick, where he goes by the name Michael Pearson.
Speaking of music about colleges, USC isn't the only place producing original songs. USF has a rap about their quarterback (sorry, "Booty, Booty, Booty Rockin' Everywhere" is great, but not original). A couple years ago, Miami added to their "Thug U"
reputation when a crude rap surfaced involving performances by former players.
It's not right to talk about rap and USC without mentioning a certain performer (no, not Snoop Dogg or Suge Knight).
Marvin Young left USC in 1989 with an economics degree. A year later, he picked up a Grammy for "Bust A Move." You know him today as Young MC. Yes, that was him on last season's Celebrity Fit Club. He's still a pop culture icon.
USC alumnus Aloe Blacc is a campus hero this time of year, though a lot of people don't know that he's the man behind this classic song (a parody of Biz Markie's "Just a Friend"):
I e-mailed him a while back, and here's the story behind the refrain popularized at tailgates, frat houses, and the 9-0:
I wrote the song in 1999 for a talent show called "Showtime at the Bovard" ... I think Program Board produced the event. I won the $500 grand prize. When I performed the song, I had a big 2-sided sign that said "I Love USC" on one side and "I Hate UCLA" on the other so people could sing along ... as if they really needed the sign to catch on!
Later that year or in 2000 I released a compilation CD with 10 songs submitted by USC student musicians. I put the "I Love USC" song at the end of the disc (credited to Tommy Trojan). I think I have a few discs left in storage. This is how it initially made its way around campus. Program Board asked me to perform the song at a big rally for the USC vs. UCLA game, which is when it became more popular.
Aloe graduated with honors in Communication and Lingustics/Psychology and was a Renaissance Scholar in 2001.
He released an album with DJ Exile (the duo is known as EMANON) in 2005 called "The Waiting Room" and a solo album in 2006 entitled "Shine Through." Today, he performs all over the world (recent tours include Australia, Asia, and Europe). His Myspace site has some great stuff (I've had one of his songs on my own profile for a while) and you can see his videos on YouTube. He was interviewed by LAist earlier this year.
If there's any sport that's under-appreciated at USC this year, it's women's soccer. The Women of Troy just set a school record with 17 wins on the season. They finished the regular season as a unanimous top 10 pick in the various national polls, despite not even making the top 25 in some eyes before the season.
Right now the Women of Troy are in the finest accommodations available in West Virginia (whatever that means). They're gearing up to play in the Elite Eight on Friday against the Mountaineers, a team seeded two spots lower than the second-seeded Trojans.
USC might have hosted the quarterfinals in their alternate home -- the L.A. Coliseum -- but that facility needs to be ready for a football game a few hours later. It's only a regular season game against UCLA, but the way some people are acting, you'd think it's the last time they'll ever play there or something.
Meanwhile, the Women of Troy are invading Morgantown without a goal scored against them in the first three rounds of the NCAA Tournament. You probably don't know Kristin Olsen. She wears number 0. She's allowed that many goals in 13 games this season, despite standing in the net behind a defense that was ravaged by injuries early in the year.
You probably can't pronounce Ali Khosroshahin. Don't worry, Mike Garrett struggled with it, too. But you should know that the first-year coach came from Cal State Fullerton and found a way to create harmony. When asked about that process, he acknowledged, "You bring a new coach into a program, a new coaching staff ... the kids didn't pick you, you didn't pick them. It takes some time to build some chemistry and some trust with one another."
"If you woulda' told me at the beginning of the season that we'd be in this position, I would have asked you what kind of drugs you were on. We just weren't a very cohesive unit in the beginning. There were a lot of people with their own ideas of how things should be."
There's a chance you've heard of Amy Rodriguez. She came to USC a couple of years ago as the national high school player of the year. She's stood out this year along with Ashley Nick (#16, pictured), who made All-Pac-10 and Janessa Currier, who garnered an honorable mention for the Top Drawer Soccer All-American team.
You might want to learn the names Megan Ohai, Alyssa Dávila, Ashli Sandoval, Kasey Johnson, Karter Haug. These freshmen headline a promising class that came up clutch for USC all season and provide the foundation for a strong future.
The Trojans won't play at USC again this year. If they make the final four, all the remaining games will be played in College Station, Texas. It's a shame if you missed them. The experience of a game at McAlister Field is unique. Athletes from other sports make an impressive showing. The field is intimate, and good-natured hecklers can be seen making referees laugh.
There's only one #1 seed among the eight teams left in the NCAA Tournament -- UCLA. The cross-town rivalry could potentially be renewed in the semifinals. USC lost this season in Westwood, 2-0, after the Bruins buried two far-post shots and the Trojans seemed to lose a step against the nation's top team. After the Florida game, Khosroshahin was asked about the team's improved fitness and said, "We ran 'em, and we ran 'em, and we ran 'em. We had three days off right before conference. We brought 'em into the Coliseum and they ran the stairs ... Fitness is key. You run so much in this sport that if you're not in shape, it makes the game extremely difficult. If you ask me, our fitness level still isn't very good, but it's a lot better than it was."
Nobody expected the Trojans to last this long. Now, they hope to be fit enough for just three more games.
Good: Dispatching Oklahoma, 66-55, with Davon Jefferson getting 23 points and O.J. Mayo taking over the game in the closing minutes as if to say to the Sooners, "My game. Not yours."
Bad:Death threats to members of the Coliseum Commission. Are you kidding me? Not cool! Bad fans! No! That's no way to treat your employees. Do that again and you're spending a long timeout in Pasadena.
Good:Writing a polite and considered response to the people entrusted with running the Coliseum. Ultimately, they work for you and will listen when you ask nicely. Remember, happy employees are productive employees.
The executive leadership of USC's student government (both undergraduate and graduate) is spearheading a boycott of concessions at this week's USC-UCLA game to take a bite out of profits. According to the organization, 100% of concession sales benefit the Coliseum.
That could send a message, and give the Coliseum Commission a taste of what it would be like without the Trojans.
The move is in response to stalled negotiations between the University and the Coliseum over a long-term lease. USC is threatening to move its games to the Rose Bowl.
The Coliseum is a public facility and, as such, is owned by the people (i.e., you). If you want to voice your concern to the people responsible for managing the facility on your behalf, USC has set up a website.
Visiting Bruin fans not inclined to share their home stadium in Pasadena are encouraged to participate in the boycott. Word is being spread via online networking sites, e-mail and public announcements (potentially at upcoming rallies and other sporting events before the football game).
Remember that bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold outside the stadium are still koshersafe ... let's just say that's not crossing the picket line.
Sadly, Daniel Hackett may go an entire year without eating solid food at the Coliseum.
Ben Bolch, who covers USC basketball for The Times, sat down to talk about an exciting stretch of the season for USC, with games against Oklahoma, Kansas and Memphis. Get a preview of the coming week and an update on key injuries by clicking play:
For Thursday's article about the Oklahoma game, click here.
When Sedrick Ellis did this against Arizona State last week, it was a 15-yard penalty (photo actually from a game last season -- he does it a lot).
When Davon Jefferson did this against Southern Illinois three nights later, it was just a cool photo-op.
Actually, the penalty against Ellis was pretty ridiculous and Pete Carroll made it clear yesterday that he wasn't happy about it:
"I challenged the officials about the call because I thought it was out of line and it was too quick and without warning ... I was told that it was in the rules and written that way. So I went right to the source ... and it wasn't written that way, so they were misunderstood a little bit about that. It doesn't say you can't flex your muscles."
He later added, "That was an extremely significant play in the game. Look what happened after that. They went bang, bang, bang, we get 15 yards on a face mask and they are in the end zone ... that's a huge, huge decision to be made right there."
Carroll spoke to the league about the situation and got an explanation. He was "satisfied with what they said -- almost."
Mike Slive wears two hats. In addition to being the commissioner of the SEC, he also serves as BCS coordinator.
He held a press conference today addressing a lot of questions that people have about the BCS, this year's selection process, and future changes.
Though USC didn't come up in any of the major topics, the transcript may be of interest to anybody interested in how this crazy thing works.
Pete Carroll addressed the idea of a playoff in his press conference yesterday, and we'll have video of that up later today (we got delayed after that lil' Coliseum story broke).
The full transcript of Slive's conference is after the jump.
I've received multiple e-mails this morning about a forward making its way around the Eastern seaboard.
From: USC Alumni Club of Philadelphia
I've done some math, and here is the scenario, we beat UCLA in a good ol' fashioned butt-whomping, Missouri loses to Oklahoma, Boston College beats Virginia Tech, Tennessee knocks off LSU, Pitt beats West Virginia, Ohio State is the site of a massive Alien Abduction with the entire student body transported to the Zarquon 7 Sector in the Crab Nebula, Kansas secedes from the Union thus making them ineligible and Georgia realizes that its not really a university to begin with, so it drops out of membership in the NCAA, setting up a GOLDEN matchup with USC and Hawaii for the national championship. SEE? THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IS ON THE LINE, Trojans and Lady Trojans. So let's get out and support the team!
The Los Angles Memorial Coliseum is owned by the Coliseum Commission. The Coliseum Commission is "owned" by an equal partnership of the city of Los Angeles, the county of Los Angeles and the state of California. All three of those entities are owned by the public.
So you own the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The commission was created in 1945 and has nine representatives. Each jurisdiction has three representatives and one alternate. The county's are appointed by the chair of the County Board of Supervisors. At the state level, the governor appoints the members of the California Science Center Board, who select three from among themselves. For the city, the president of the L.A. City Council selects one rep and the mayor picks two on behalf of the city Parks and Recreation Commission.
The commission's presidency is rotated among the three jurisdictions.
Commissioners are technically appointed on an annual basis, though members typically serve for several years. The length of term frequently depends on a commissioner's other obligations. For example, if a commissioner is also on the Board of Supervisors and he or she leaves that office, the member would also leave the commission.
Supervisor Mike Antonovich, currently an alternate, first served on the commission in 1981. Supervisor Yvonne Burke is the longest-serving full commissioner. She joined in 1993.
Thanks to James for pointing out this open letter from Mike Garrett:
Unfortunately, talks are at an impasse, and right now we have no lease for the Coliseum next year. As a precaution, USC has negotiated a lease with the Rose Bowl to ensure that we have an acceptable stadium in which to play our home football games for the foreseeable future.
But this arrangement is not what we want. We want our football program to remain at the Coliseum. And we want the Coliseum Commission – our “landlords” who manage the stadium – to begin the long overdue rehabilitation of the Coliseum.
You can read the full thing here, with more information about USC's demands. Obviously USC officials are playing hardball with this Rose Bowl move, and the timing makes sense now that the NFL is out of the picture.
Remember that the Coliseum is actually owned by YOU -- the people. These contacts listed by USC are from agencies supposed to act on your behalf, so let them know what you think.
Former president of the San Francisco school board JoAnne Miller, who
lives nowadays in Napa, was going through some old clippings the other
day when she ran across a 1991 Examiner story about proposed cuts to
school sports programs.
The cuts were opposed by many athletes who'd grown up in San Francisco. "If it weren't for sports," said Galileo High alum O.J. Simpson, "I probably would have wound up in prison or worse."
The story said that Simpson was at the time in the middle of
shooting "Naked Gun II." "Who knows," he said, "I might be dealing with
real guns in real life now if it weren't for high school sports."
When I was growing up, I used to keep all my ticket stubs in a jar (later a shoe box, eventually just a messy pile). I used to be able to count how many times I'd been to different venues.
That ended with the Coliseum.
I've lost track of the number of chilly nights and sweltering days I've spent with the Old Lady.
I've cheered, I've jeered, and I've spilled my beer (back when it was allowed). I've even run the steps. Oof.
As a loyal patron of the Peristyle, it's unconscionable to me that the Trojans may play their home games in the Rose Bowl.
You read that right. Weeks after the NFL made it clear it had shut the door on the future of a pro franchise moving in, negotiations for a stable future with USC have taken a turn for the worse. The Trojans are threatening a move to Pasadena.
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a shrine to sport. A national historic landmark, it has hosted two Olympics, two Super Bowls, the Pro Bowl, the World Series, and the MLB All-Star game. It's been home to three pro football teams, two college football teams, and a pro baseball team (the Dodgers are even coming back for an exhibition game in a few months). Countless international soccer matches have been played in its massive bowl. Watching an event there can be a religious experience -- literally. Pope John Paul II led his first papal Mass under the Coliseum's Olympic torch, and Billy Graham once attracted a record crowd of 134,254.
As much as the Coliseum represents the joy of these great moments, it also represents the pain.
USC fans just thinking back to the recent Stanford loss don't quite have the right perspective.
Last weekend I watched USC's women's soccer team play Florida in the third round of the NCAA tournament under the Coliseum's lights. Yes, women's soccer. Yes, it was pretty empty. But as a hard shot clanked off the crossbar, the echo reverberated sharply and sent chills up my spine. The ghosts of the Coliseum were watching.
An hour later the final seconds ticked off the clock. A bitter battle ended. USC won, 1-0. A handful of players collapsed to the ground and didn't get up for several minutes, shrugging away any who dared approach. All were from Florida. All were seniors. All were done with their soccer careers.
Time stood still as they communed with the ghosts. Their careers may have been over, but for as long as they lay on the grass they were part of something timeless -- something much larger than any one player or team. Some sports fans might dismiss the moment. A silly girls' sport. A game few watched. Players few fans would remember. But in the Coliseum, such thoughts would be sacreligious.
The Olympic flame stood guard above the players as they became one with all who had played before and all who would play again. Gold medals, Heisman Trophies, and national championships had all been earned on that grass -- alongside plenty of defeats and blunders. Those women were now a part of that history.
It was a stirring moment, but that's all it was -- a moment.
Think of all the great moments in the Coliseum, especially under the national and international spotlight. She deserves better than an occasional concert or 5K race finishing down her famed tunnel, because we -- as fans -- deserve better. Sport is like religion, and we must revere such hallowed ground so that it may provide us opportunity to join together again ... to feel joy ... to feel pain ... to feel.
Maybe this filthy, dirty Rose Bowl mistress is just being used as a negotiating ploy. But if USC does leave the Coliseum, all sides involved should be ashamed. Le's be clear: ALL sides. I don't think it's likely that the Trojans will relocate, but I don't even like the idea of it.
The Coliseum is proud and rich in history. It should have a program like USC, likewise proud and rich in history. It should never be abandoned.
Pete Carroll's weekly press conference ran a little longer than usual today. He was joined by a larger-than-usual press corps, a new drop screen that featured Lexus instead of the typical GMC logo, and a certain trophy. It was a little amusing just days after ESPN published an article by Eric Neel quoting Carroll as saying:
"I love trophies, but f--- 'em. They're for old men, for guys living in memory," he says. "I'm talking about: Are we competing today, every minute, in everything we do in practice. Are we letting loose and daring to be great here and now? And can we sustain that? And repeat it. Trophies are great, but we're trying to win forever."
Carroll acknowledged that his "visitor" adds a fun aspect to the rivalry. Besides the Bruins, he also spoke about implementing a college football playoff system (he likes the idea) and last week's personal foul penalty against Sedrick Ellis (he's still not happy about it).
We'll have video from the press conference later today.
I haven't opened up the virtual mailbag in a while. It's a busy week (you'd think there was a rivalry game or something), but I thought we should clear the air when it comes to implementing a BCS playoff, Reggie Bush costing USC a national championship (or two), Ed Orgeron returning to USC, football awards, and that pesky East Coast bias. [Most of it's after the jump, so click away!]
After this train wreck of a year, do you think we'll finally get a playoff system instead of the BCS championship? -- Eric F
No. Remember how much people were up in arms when USC was ranked #1 in both polls and still was left out of the BCS Championship four years ago? Or when Auburn went undefeated the following year?
I want a playoff as much as the next guy, but tough luck. Money drives this train, and the way things are going the BCS must be cruising on some tricked-out tracks. Think about how much controversy this generates. Think about how many talking heads are boosting their ratings by gabbing about it. Ka-ching.
If you're already bleeding cardinal and gold, you may as well share with somebody who needs it. Since it's Troy Week (a/k/a Rivalry Week, a/k/a Hate Week), the Lexus Gauntlet and Red Cross are having a blood drive so USC and UCLA can compete in something for a good cause. Here's the info on where to give near USC:
Supporters of USC can give blood at the Heritage Hall Lounge on Monday (Nov. 26) as well as Wednesday through Friday (Nov. 28-30). On Tuesday (Nov. 27), a Red Cross station will be set up at Tommy’s Place. Both Project Umbilical Cord Stem Cell and the ROTC are coordinating the blood drive efforts at USC. The L.A.T.I.N.A.S. Group is sponsoring Wednesday’s blood drive. To sign up and make an appointment in advance on the USC campus, contact either Katherine Prendergrast (projectucsc@gmail.com) or Mitchell Chavarria (mrchavar@usc.edu).
Justin Fargas (RB - Oakland) had another huge week with 22 carries for 139 yards and the game-winning touchdown. Oakland's 20-17 win over Kansas City snapped multiple losing streaks.
Carson Palmer (QB - Cincinnati) gave one of his best performances of the year, connecting on 32-of-38 passing for 283 yards. He tossed three touchdowns to Chad Johnson and had one pick. The Bengals beat Tennessee, 35-6.
Billy Miller (TE - New Orleans) made four catches for 32 yards, including his second touchdown of the season. The Saints smoked the Carolina Panthers, 31-6.
Brian Kelly (CB - Tampa Bay) secured victory for the Bucs with his first interception of the season. He also had a tackle in the 19-13 win over Washington.
Sammy Knight(S - Jacksonville) returned an interception 15 yards to help the Jaguars beat Buffalo, 36-14. He also made two tackles.
Reggie Bush (RB - New Orleans) struggled with a bruised left shin and only had 12 touches in the victory over the Panthers. He had 9 carries for 32 yards and 3 receptions for 30 yards. Mike Williams (WR/lineman-in-training?) was signed by the Tennessee Titans, where he'll join several other Trojans playing under Norm Chow. Williams was cut a couple weeks ago by Lane Kiffin's Oakland Raiders. Rumors circulated that some people in the NFL thought he should switch to tight end, and the Titans may experiment with him as an H-back. At 271 pounds, Williams is currently way overweight (he's supposed to be 229). Presumably he got fatter, not stronger.
Mike Patterson (DT - Philadelphia) made four tackles as the Eagles almost knocked off New England, but fell, 31-28. Earlier this month, Patterson signed a 7-year, $32-million contract extension.
Lofa Tatupu (LB - Seattle) made nine tackles, two for a loss, as the Seahawks beat St. Louis, 24-19.
USC obliterated 18th-ranked University of Southern Illinois on Sunday night to win the inaugural Anaheim Classic. Davon Jefferson had a major coming-out party with 20 points in just his third game as a Trojan and O.J. Mayo took home the tournament MVP trophy.
Besides the 70-45 final score, what stood out the most about this game was the early absence of two of the Trojans' biggest standouts. O.J. Mayo and Taj Gibson started on the bench. Coach Tim Floyd merely said that he was trying to give other players an opportunity:
I think it's part of breeding unselfishness with the team. We did it for a couple different reasons. Obviously O.J. and Taj have gotten a tremendous amount of attention and they're terrific players ... We have a lot of guys who can play. Those guys need to get confidence ... We started the same four guys every night last year and we continued to change our fifth spot to try to build depth -- to try to build long-term experience for our team. I think the fact that Dwight [Lewis] and Daniel [Hackett] started 14 games a year ago is helping us this year. They're more comfortable in that role. I know that we're going to need Angelo Johnson in critical matchups this year. I know that we're going to need Keith Wilkinson in certain games where we're playing against great pressure. I think it's a big deal to players, it's a big deal to media who starts. It's not to coaches. Coaches understand that those first three or four minutes are not the game. [It's] who finishes the first half, who starts the second half, and who's finishing games. It's just a part of what we're trying to do in terms of thinking long-term. I think it's great that Taj and O.J. can be willing and accept that and understand that it truly is about team.
Gibson added, "It wasn't that big of a deal. It was all for the good of the team."
Turns out tiebreakers (mentioned in earlier posts) only apply to the Rose Bowl. In the event of a large tie for first or second in the Pac-10, the affiliated bowls would get to chose their own participant. Here's the lowdown from USC's sports information department:
If USC defeats UCLA, the Trojans will finish as the Pac-10
champion (or co-champion with Arizona State if the Sun Devils defeat
Arizona). In either case, USC will go to the Rose Bowl, as it beat
ASU.
If USC loses to UCLA, USC will finish in either a 4-way tie for
first place in the Pac-10 (if Arizona defeats Arizona State) with UCLA,
Arizona State and either Oregon or Oregon State OR in a 3-way tie
for second place (if Arizona State defeats Arizona) with UCLA and either
Oregon or Oregon State. In the 4-way tie scenario, UCLA would go to
the Rose Bowl as the Pac-10 representative based on the Pac-10
tiebreaker. In the 3-way tie scenario, Arizona State would go to
the Rose Bowl as the outright Pac-10 champion. In either tie
scenario, USC-in order of selection-could be chosen by the Holiday, Sun
or Emerald Bowls (or possibly the Las Vegas Bowl, if the Emerald decides
to take the Pac-10’s fifth team instead of its fourth).
Back in 2002 (the season Carson Palmer led the Trojans to an Orange Bowl thumping of Iowa), ESPN.com ran a hypothetical playoff bracket at the end of the season. Their champion? USC.
Based on today's BCS rankings, this looks like another year Troy would have fared better with a real playoff.
Like a bizarre Jack Johnson song, USC's Trojan Knights are sitting, waiting, and wishing.
As of last night, they are standing (sitting) guard over Tommy Trojan. It's a 24-hour-per-day vigil.
They are waiting for Saturday's showdown against UCLA.
They are wishing for sweet victory -- one that will propel the Trojans into the Rose Bowl.
Yes, UCLA is all that stands between USC and the BCS promised land. That will mean showing no mercy, and no appreciation for the big favor UCLA did by beating Oregon yesterday. For once, in some twisted and bizarre cosmic wormhole, the Trojans were actually rooting for the Bruins. Thanks to their victory over the Ducks, USC will control its own destiny in the race for Pac-10 supremacy.
The former USC assistant played a major role in several of the Trojans' big recruiting classes and was hired by Ole Miss three years ago to turn that program around. His NCAA head coaching debut didn't turn out as well as some had hoped.
Ole Miss will start posting help-wanted signs along with Michigan, Nebraska, Texas A&M, and plenty other colleges by the time this year is done.
Orgeron remained a solid recruiter at Ole Miss and is still beloved by fans everywhere for his, well ... if you have some time to kill, enjoy these videos ...
It's all coming together for USC. If the Trojans beat UCLA next week and Oregon loses one of its next two games (very possible with all of the Ducks' injuries), USC is Rose Bowl-bound.
Don't bother asking any of the coaches or players about it. Yet. That doesn't matter to the Trojans today. Or tomorrow. In fact, the only thing that matters between now and next Saturday is UCLA.
But after that? An interesting scenario could emerge.
Unless Ohio State squeaks into the BCS national championship game (a collective "not again!" would be heard from the SEC to the Pac-10), they're a lock for the Rose Bowl.
It sounds like a classic New Year's Day matchup: USC and OSU.
Except they play each other again a few months later -- the second week of 2008, to be exact.
The programs have scheduled a home-and-home (@USC in 2008, @OSU in 2009) and good, bad or inconsequential, these teams might play three times in less than two calendar years.
That's after not facing each other since 1990.
They did play three straight Rose Bowls in 1973-75 and three straight regular season matchups in 1947-49. Overall USC is 11-9-1 against the Buckeyes.
USC was a favorite on the road against a higher ranked team, but Arizona State wasn't supposed to be a turkey. That's why USC's pilgrimage to Sun Valley was a statement game.
The Trojan defense spent most of its night stuffing the run (16 yards on 35 attempts) and gobbling up Rudy Carpenter (six sacks). Several hits (notably by Lawrence Jackson and Rey Maualuga) were bone giblet jarring.
John David Booty feasted on the secondary for one of the best nights of his career. It helped that his receivers sliced their way for 265 yards-after-the-catch. Chauncey Washington mashed his way for 80 more.
Final score: USC 44, ASU 24.
USC's cornucopia is still full. Their dynasty in the Pac-10 is not over.
Other, less pun-intensive observations on the game:
Play-calling was vastly improved. Credit offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian for an aggressive start, regaining momentum later on, and productive play-action calls. A reverse-toss by tailback Desmond Reed was a good idea under the circumstances, and rolling out Booty when Sam Baker was hurt created some much-needed breathing room. A lone criticism? The running game wasn't established well enough. Otherwise, it was nice to see what Sarkisian can do with a healthy team and more experienced freshmen (especially going vertical). ... Fred Davis is the man. While Booty's numbers were certainly impressive (375 yards, 4 TDs), you have to remember that a whopping 265 of those were after the catch (thank you ESPN for tracking that -- something not usually seen on the stat sheets). Fred Davis was particularly impressive after the ball was in his mitts, rolling for 119 yards and a touchdown on five catches. He's the MVP of this game, and probably the season. It's hard to believe that it's only his third 100-yard game of the year. It's also hard to believe he's a tight end. ... USC hit hard in this game. Not that they don't hit hard in every game, but this one was particularly brutal. The Trojans punished anybody wearing maroon and gold. Lawrence Jackson did a lot of the damage, but Rey Maualuga probably had the nastiest hit of the night on Carpenter. Poor kid. ... While USC struggled with penalties again, at least one call was completely bogus (so much for this so-called "methodical" officiating crew). Sedrick Ellis was tagged for a 15-yard personal foul after celebrating a big sack. It would have been 3rd and 20+. Instead, ASU was set up for a score and the momentum swung over to ASU. The call was so bad that NBA legend Charles Barkley, yappin' on the sideline, acknowledged that it was a terrible call -- and he was rooting for the Sun Devils.
So what atrocity did Ellis commit? Flexing his muscles.
How rude!
On the other side of things, USC got lucky when the officials stuttered on a ball thrown by Booty to Ronald Johnson. They eventually ruled it an incomplete forward pass. In reality, ASU recovered a fumbled lateral. In the greater scheme of things, these were two momentum-changing plays that -- hopefully -- canceled each other out in some karmic way. Regardless, this continues a legacy of bad Pac-10 officiating that doesn't escape notice in the national spotlight.
Who will control the clock? - USC held a slight edge on the clock (30:45 to 29:15), and keeping the ball away from the Sun Devils was obviously a good thing (even ASU QB Rudy Carpenter might agree -- he looked dazed after getting hit so much). Despite allowing a kickoff to be returned for a score in the early going, it didn't hurt that Carpenter didn't get the ball into his hands until the 22nd play of the game.
Can USC wreck Carpenter’s plan? - Carpenter was brutalized all night. At some point you really had to feel bad for the kid. USC spent more time in his backfield than most Americans spent on the couch this Thanksgiving.
Can USC avoid an ASU comeback? - No, but it worked out in the end. ASU once again overcame a double-digit deficit. Unlike most opponents, USC didn't crumble. In keeping with ASU's trend, USC didn't score in the 4th quarter. ASU has now given up just 12 fourth-quarter points this season.
Will Chauncey Washington have a big game? - It wasn't too shabby (22 carries for 80 yards), but Washington was "merely" dependable. USC struggled to establish the running game early on, but was surprisingly effective with play-action.
Will the Trojans' mental game be sharp? - The mental errors were there. You could tell something was amiss when Booty lined up behind Jeff Beyers (the left guard). USC had 60 penalty yards in the first half and "only" 15 in the second.
Is Weber the fresh[man difference] maker? - Forget ASU's Weber. Huge props go to USC punter Greg Woidneck and kicker David Buehler. Woidneck was blocked once late in the game, but sent his other two kicks booming for 50 and 54 yards. That's the best he's done all season. Buehler has been perfect on extra points and field goals (long of 42) and solid on kickoffs.
It's rare that USC fans will ever root for UCLA, but all of Los Angeles will be united against Oregon on Saturday. The Ducks are going to waddle limp into their home game against the Bruins without their heart and soul (Dennis Dixon) and with a number of other injuries on offense. A UCLA win would be an early Christmas gift for the Trojans. Here's how things are shaping up:
If the Trojans beat UCLA next week and ...
Oregon beats UCLA and Oregon State: The Trojans will earn a share of the Pac-10 crown, marking their record 6th straight year at the top. However, they will tie the Ducks, and Oregon will go to the Rose Bowl on a tiebreaker (beating USC head-to-head). USC could go to the Fiesta Bowl (vs. Big 12 champ, unless it goes to the national championship game), Sugar Bowl (vs. SEC champ, unless it goes to the national championship game), or Orange Bowl (vs. ACC champ, unless it goes to the national championship game).
Oregon loses to UCLA or Oregon State: USC would win the Pac-10 and go to the Rose Bowl. Even if USC and Arizona State have the same record, USC would win the tiebreaker (since USC beat Arizona State).
If the Trojans lose to UCLA next week and ...
Oregon beats UCLA and Oregon State, Arizona State beats Arizona: Oregon ties Arizona State, but takes the Pac-10 and the Rose Bowl on the tiebreaker. Arizona State goes to the Holiday Bowl, USC goes to the Sun Bowl.
Oregon beats UCLA and Oregon State, Arizona State loses to Arizona: Oregon takes the Pac-10 outright and heads to the Rose Bowl. USC and Arizona State tie for 2nd, USC takes the tiebreaker and goes to the Holiday Bowl.
Oregon beats UCLA and loses to Oregon State, Arizona State beats Arizona: Arizona State wins outright and smells Roses. Oregon ties USC for second and goes to the Holiday Bowl on the tiebreaker. Trojans head to the Sun Bowl.
Oregon beats UCLA and loses to Oregon State, Arizona State loses to Arizona: USC, Oregon and Arizona State tie for the Pac-10 crown. Oregon goes to the Rose Bowl. USC goes to the Holiday Bowl.
Oregon beats Oregon State and loses to UCLA, Arizona State beats Arizona: Arizona State takes the Pac-10 and Rose Bowl. USC, Oregon and UCLA tie for second. UCLA goes to the Holiday Bowl, Oregon goes to the Sun Bowl, USC goes to the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco or Las Vegas Bowl.
Oregon beats Oregon State and loses to UCLA, Arizona State loses to Arizona:A four-way tie emerges among USC, Oregon, Arizona State and UCLA.UCLA goes to the Rose Bowl, Oregon goes to the Holiday Bowl, and USC goes to the Sun Bowl.
Oregon loses to Oregon State and UCLA, Arizona State beats Arizona: Arizona State wins the Pac-10 and goes to the Rose Bowl. USC and UCLA tie for 2nd. UCLA goes to the Holiday Bowl, USC goes to the Sun Bowl.
Oregon loses to Oregon State and UCLA, Arizona State loses to Arizona:USC, Arizona State, UCLA, and Oregon State split the Pac-10 title.The teams would be broken up by their collective record against Oregon and Arizona.
Before the season, the Sun Devils were supposed to be a gimme for the almighty Trojans. I didn't think they were great, but called it one of two games that could sneak up an unsuspecting USC. Things are different now. Nobody is questioning that the Sun Devils are good, and nobody is convinced the Trojans are almighty.
Now I'm wondering ...
Who will control the clock? - The Sun Devils are ball hogs. They lead the nation with an average time of possession of 34:21 per game. That may help explain a statistical oddity about ASU (or vice versa). Despite having the worst red-zone defense percentage in the Pac-10, the Sun Devils only allow an average of 2.1 trips inside the 20 per game. That’s by far the best in the league ... The Trojans also like to hang onto the rock, averaging possession of 31:35 per contest. Bottom line: the more USC can keep the ball out of ASU’s hands, the better.
Can USC wreck Carpenter’s plan? - Pete Carroll spoke highly of ASU quarterback Rudy Carpenter’s ability to pull off plays under difficult circumstances. The only reason he’s been in those situations is a shaky offensive line. It has allowed a league-worst 43 sacks this year and is facing one of the top defenses in the nation (3rd overall and 16th in sacks nationally). If the Trojans can apply pressure -- and finish – they’ll be celebrating this Thanksgiving. Last year they held Carpenter to 124 yards through the air.
Can USC avoid an ASU comeback? - ASU has been behind at some point in every Pac-10 game this season and has been outscored 83-36 in first quarters. Apparently the Sun Devils need time to warm up. They’ve put up 306 points in the rest of their games, and only allowed 97. Opponents average a meager 1.2 points in the 4th quarter.
Will Chauncey Washington have a big game? - Sure, Washington’s 220 yards against Cal were a big deal. Just don’t forget that the last time he faced the Sun Devils, he rushed for 108 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown in the final five minutes. This game should be a good opportunity for him.
Will the Trojans' mental game be sharp? - It’s a national holiday and USC is on the road with a packed house that QB John David Booty acknowledged as being rowdy. With the national spotlight shining and a Pac-10 title on the line (moreso for ASU), this is a pressure-cooker situation. Both teams are coming off a bye week, and had to shift their usual schedules for a rare Thursday showdown. It’s a Thanksgiving recipe for mental errors. The Trojans have struggled all year with turnovers and penalties, and if they get sloppy, these Sun Devils will take advantage.
Is Weber the fresh[man difference] maker? - ASU kicker Thomas Weber has been en fuego this season and is up for the Groza Award. He’s 19-20, including a string of 17 consecutive field goals and is the leading scorer in the Pac-10. But wait -- there’s more! The Sun Devils realized halfway through the season that he can punt, too (he’s already boomed a 63-yarder). Since special teams haven’t been the Trojans' strong suit this year, Weber could cause trouble. Also look out for ASU return man Kyle Williams, who leads the Pac-10 with a 11.8-yard average.
Random Factoids - John David Booty is 7-0 lifetime against ranked teams ... USC is a 3-point favorite despite playing a higher ranked team on the road ... ASU’s six-game home winning streak is the longest in the Pac-10 ... USC’s one-game road winning streak is tied for longest in the Pac-10 ... Arizona has the longest overall winning streak at three games ... Pac-10 games are averaging more than two instant replay reversals this season. However, only one of 15 coaches' challengers has resulted in a reversal.
Eric Neel's been around Heritage Hall (and the Coliseum, and away games) all season working on this Pete Carroll feature for ESPN. It's quite a Tribute to Troy Carroll.
Is Mark Wahlberg the next celebrity to join the USC fold? The basketball team partnered up with his foundation last night for a good cause.
There's been a lot of talk lately about the spread-option offense and dual-threat quarterbacks (Vince Young, Tim Tebow, Dennis Dixon and Jake Locker rush to mind). On Tuesday, Pete Carroll was asked about the trend.
Due to time constraints, we can't show the entire thing (just two minutes), but Carroll does talk about recruiting Tebow and his thoughts on other Pac-10 quarterbacks. Note that when Carroll discussed the idea of using the system at USC, he started off by acknowledging freshman Aaron Corp (likely to redshirt this season) as more of a mobile quarterback. His full comment, as provided by USC's transcription service, is after the jump.
For more on the spread-option, including some earlier comments by Carroll, click here.
Men's Basketball - USC landed the 8th best recruiting class in the nation, according to Hoop Scoop ... DeMar DeRozan is the guy who USC hopes will make fans forget about losing O.J. Mayo to the NBA. The Compton High recruit is ranked as the top shooting guard and second best player in the nation by Rivals.com, while Scout.com considers him the nation's top small forward and fifth best player overall ... Donte Smith was rated the nation's top JC talent by the Jerry Mullens Report. He sat out this year at Mt. SAC so that he would have three years of eligibility at USC ... Percy "Romeo" Miller signed along with DeRozan and will probably evolve into one of the greatest media circuses in the history of college sports ... Guard Malik Story is still on the radar, but has not officially signed yet.
Baseball - USC signed 10 players this week, six ranked in the nation's top 200 by Baseball America and two who earned Aflac All-American honors ... Shortstop Tim Beckham is considered the top infielder in the nation by Perfect Game and the second best overall by Baseball America. Keep in mind that, unlike other sports, baseball signees could still choose to skip into the pros instead.
Women's Volleyball - The Women of Troy signed setter Kendall Bateman of nearby Mira Costa, currently the #1 team in the nation. Bateman was named to the 2006 Mizuno/Volleyball Magazine All-America first team and is a two-time member of the national youth team.
Men's Volleyball - Four prep stars from Orange County signed with USC. Three have previously played together on the same club team.
Women's Golf - Jennifer Song, currently playing for her high school in Seoul, South Korea (she has dual citizenship), has signed to play at Troy. At the 2007 U.S. Women's Open she tied for the low amateur in the tournament.
Women's Tennis - Alison Ramos, consistently one of the top 10 players in her age group in the nation, has signed with USC for next season.
Women's Water Polo - The Trojans added nine new players, which coach Jovan Vavic called "one of the deepest classes we’ve had."
Women's Soccer - The soccer team is the big news on campus (even Pete Carroll was raving about it in his weekly press conference). The Women of Troy made it to the third round of the NCAA tournament for this first time in the program's history, and will host Florida at the Coliseum at 7 p.m. Saturday.
USC played its first two rounds at Missouri, smoking Creighton, 3-0, before edging Mizzou, 1-0. Ashley Nick had a huge week, scoring the winning header against Missouri in double overtime. She connected off of a flip throw-in by Megan Ohai (pictured left). We don't have video of the play, but this is what the rare move looks like.
Besides netting the first game-winner of her career, Nick was named to this year's All-Pac-10 first team. Amy Rodriguez (M/F) and Kristin Olsen (GK) earned second team honors, while freshmen Kasey Johnson (D) and Megan Ohai (M) each garnered an honorable mention. Ashli Sandoval (M) joined Johnson and Ohai on the All-Freshman Team. Janessa Currier, who did not get any league awards, got national recognition with an honorable mention by Top Drawer Soccer.
Florida, who also went to double OT in its last game (actually beyond -- into a shoot-out), will be USC's first opponent in the Coliseum since 2001. It's the third time USC has hosted the tournament there, where they have a 26-5-3 record overall. USC normally plays on McAlister Field (which doesn't have lighting for night games). Tickets can be purchased on game day at Gate 4. It's $10 for adults and $5 for kids under 12.
Men's Water Polo - The Trojans sunk the UC Irvine Anteaters at home last weekend and finished the season with a perfect record at home. They haven't lost at McDonald Swim Stadium since 2004 ... USC will be a #2 seed in Berkeley this weekend for the MPSF league championships and will start off against #7 UCSB. Women's Basketball - The Women of Troy got back on track last weekend with their first victory of the season. Brynn Cameron led the way with 16 points and Camille LeNoir returned from injury to score 9 in a 70-57 win over Colorado ... USC is currently heading to the Bahamas to play in the Junkanoo Jam. For more on Thanksgiving tournaments, check out this article by Lara Boyko (who regularly covers USC sports). Women's Volleyball - After beating #5 Washington and unranked Washington State, the Trojans took over the Huskies' ranking in the polls. They'll head to the desert this weekend to finish up the regular season against Arizona and Arizona State, then wait for NCAA Tournament brackets to be announced on Sunday ... Asia Kaczor was named Pac-10 Player of the Week. She set school and conference records with 44 kills and 100 attempts against Washington. This is the fifth time she's been given the honor.
Women's Swimming and Diving - USC beat Ohio State in a dual meet and multiple swimmers hit NCAA qualifying times.
A few weeks ago, the biggest media circus around USC was supposed to be about O.J. Mayo. Never mind that hoopla.
Meet Romeo.
The number provided at the start of this video (which seems to have been shot yesterday before or after he announced that he signed with the Trojans -- he's wearing the same clothes) leads to a fan club/cellphone service that gives away things like free wallpapers, ringtones, etc.
The full press conference video of DeMar DeRozan (ranked the second best player in the nation by Rivals.com) and Percy "Romeo" Miller signing with USC is available here.
There's a USC basketball player on the front of TMZ, but this time it has nothing to do with Matt Leinart baby-mamma drama.
Percy Miller, better known as rapper Romeo (best known as rapper Lil' Romeo), officially signed to play hoops for USC next year. The Beverly Hills High point guard is listed at anywhere from 5'10" to 6'1". His father, rap mogul Master P, signed with two different NBA teams in the '90s but never played a regular season game. Dad may not be a welcome guest at all away games. Master P was arrested at UCLA a couple of years ago.
The bigger news was actually the signing of local prep hoops star DeMar DeRozan, who announced with Miller. The 6'6" small forward from Compton High is considered one of the best incoming players in the nation.
Just like any other high school kids, they made their announcement at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills with plenty of media on hand. Explaining why he didn't just rest on the laurels of his family's music empire, 18-year-old Miller remarked, "The whole educational thing, I like to teach that to the kids."
He went on to add, "Knowledge is wealthier than money."
Reggie Bush (RB - New Orleans) has struggled on the ground, averaging 2.4 yards per carry last week and only 2.3 yards per carry this week in a 23-10 loss to Houston. He had 34 yards on 15 carries, and 70 yards on 12 receptions. He also fumbled the ball twice, but only lost it once.
Justin Fargas (RB - Oakland) ran for 60 yards on 22 carries and had 29 more on three receptions. The Raiders fell to Minnesota, 29-22.
Carson Palmer (QB - Cincinnati) had a rough day with four interceptions (three to Antrel Rolle) in a 35-27 loss to Arizona. He was a whopping 37-of-52 for 329 yards and threw two touchdowns.
Sammy Knight (S - Jacksonville) had an interception and two tackles in a 24-17 win over San Diego.
Billy Miller (TE - New Orleans) picked up 25 yards on three catches in the loss to Houston.
Keary Colbert (WR - Carolina) snared six catches for 33 yards in a 31-17 loss to Green Bay.
Dwayne Jarrett (WR - Carolina) had a career-high three receptions for 39 yards in the loss to the Packers.
Troy Polamalu (S - Pittsburgh) made six tackles in a 19-16 OT loss to the New York Jets.
Lofa Tatupu (LB - Seattle) made six tackles (one solo) in the Seahawks' 30-23 win over Chicago.
David Kirtman (RB - Seattle) made it up to the Seahawks' active roster and saw limited action on Monday night and this week against Chicago.
At the 2007 FINA World Championships, USC alumnus Klete Keller participated on an American 4x200 freestyle relay team that shattered the world record. Its time of 7:03.24 was more than a second ahead of Australia's 2001 mark. Yesterday, the group won Relay Performance of the Year at the Golden Goggle Awards, presented by USA Swimming.
Two other USC athletes, junior Rebecca Soni (Breakout Performer) and alumnus Mark Warkenstin (Perseverance Award) were also nominated for this year's honors.
Bad: Bruin Bear displayed prominently on campus.
The revolution will not be fed.
When Sedrick Ellis did this against Arizona State last week, it was a 15-yard penalty (photo actually from a game last season -- he does it a lot).
Mike Slive wears two hats. In addition to being the commissioner of the SEC, he also serves as BCS coordinator.
Like a bizarre Jack Johnson song, USC's Trojan Knights are sitting, waiting, and wishing.
This day couldn't have been timed any better for Trojan fans.
