The poor guy had to travel to Nebraska for a series of columns poking fun at our Midwestern friends.
If only he'd known they'd pay us a visit a few months later. It would have saved him the trip.
Sure, Illini are not Huskers nor Buckeyes ... but all those Midwesterners seem to have a passion for sweater vests. Jim Tressel's scarlet and gray is a tad less garish than the orange ones you'll see around town this week.
Since both Rose Bowl teams were staying in Century City, I decided to stop by and check on the progress of the T.J. Simers Memorial Midwest Exchange Program (or TJSMMWEP, for short).
From the outside, you could see flags hanging from balconies of the Illinois team hotel. Actually, some looked like beach towels. Maybe they had just discovered that Century City is nowhere near the beach.
It was evident that the regalia was being flown by a large contingent of alumni and boosters. They opted to support their team by staying in the same hotel, allowing them to partake in that hallowed LA fan tradition -- stalking.
It was also clear that most of the people staying at the upscale digs were older and well-off. The Illini are surprisingly popular amongst octogenarians. Younger, broker fans without football skills didn't have the luxury of staying at a place called The Plaza.
According to a photographer from Champaign, the Illinois student newspaper had a tiny budget and eight staffers wanted to make the trip. Since one was from LA, he volunteered his family's couch (and, presumably, floor). That left just enough money to take the group 2,000 miles by Greyhound.
The Beef Bowl has come and gone, but you can recreate the experience in just three easy steps ...
Call 100 of the hungriest guys you know and invite them over for dinner.
Show the video that was played for USC at this year's Beef Bowl (above).
Cook prime rib and several hearty side dishes. Lawry's recipes are detailed below.
If you want to break the record, your dinner guests will have to polish off at least 870 pounds of prime rib. That's the new mark set by Illinois, who unseated USC after just one day. The Trojans ate 799 pounds the night prior, which bested Purdue's 1999 high of 734 pounds. It's easier with more people -- Illinois happened to break the attendance mark, too.
If tradition holds true, the Illini are now the favorites to win the Rose Bowl (though Vegas odds makers remain unimpressed). The team eating the most at the Beef Bowl wins the Granddaddy of Them All almost 70% of the time. Michigan has historically skewed things, as they have no difficulty eating at Lawry's but choke when they get to Pasadena. Ironically, a Wolverine holds the individual record with a reported eight slabs in one sitting.
Enjoy these recipes, which have satiated a dozen Heisman Trophy winners (half of
them hailing from USC). The sliders sound good for game day.
Special thanks to Todd Erickson and Lawry's for an exclusive look at this video.
I'm sitting in the official Rose Bowl hotel (Beverly Hilton) and can't help but eavesdrop on the out-of-town media. It's not so much that I'm trying to listen, but they're excitedly shouting out various USC stats as they peruse the press kits. They seem impressed by the Trojan's offensive line and think that if the Illini aren't leading at halftime, the game's over.
The real reason I'm here is that Pete Carroll had one last press conference this morning. The full text, as transcribed by ASAP Sports, is after the jump ...
29 days after USC finished the regular season, their alumni have done the same thing in The League. Sammy Knight, Troy Polamalu, LenDale White, Junior Seau, Lofa Tatupu, Brian Kelly, and Steve Smith all will continue playing in January. Hypothetically we could also see Mike Williams, Matt Cassell, David Kirtman, Oscar Lua, and Manuel Wright, but don't hold your breath.
Here's how Trojans fared in the final week of the NFL.
Carson Palmer (QB - Cincinnati) finished his rough season on a high note, clubbing the baby seal that is Miami. He ripped the Dolphin's D for 316 yards and 3 touchdowns on 23-of-32 passing. He also gave up one interception in a 38-25 victory.
Willie McGinest (LB - Cleveland) had the best game of his season with two sacks and five tackles in a 20-7 victory over San Francisco.
Kenechi Udeze (DE - Minnesota) matched his best performance of the year with 8 tackles, but the Vikings fell to Denver 22-19 in overtime.
Junior Seau (LB - New England) made six tackles, one for a loss, in the Pat's historic 38-35 win over the Giants.
LenDale White (RB - Tennessee) ran 16 times for 45 yards and lost a fumble in a 16-10 victory over Indianapolis to put the Titans in the playoffs.
Steve Smith (WR - New York Giants) missed most of his rookie season with an injury, but finished with his best performance. He had three catches for 29 yards in the 38-35 loss to New England.
Billy Miller (TE - New Orleans) had three catches for 26 yards, but the Saints fell to Chicago 33-25.
Dwayne Jarrett (WR - Carolina) was credited for his first career career carry, going around the end for 11 yards in a 31-23 win over Tampa Bay. He hasn't caught a pass in six weeks, though.
J Leman has done it all on faith. According to Ben Malcolmson, he joined a number of Trojans and celebrities at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes Championship Breakfast this week.
If your New Years Day plans involve any part of the Tournament of Roses, you should know that driving and parking in Pasadena is an absolute nightmare.
A relative of mine lives within walking distance of the Rose Bowl and I often park at her house during major events. On the way to a game last year, Pasadena Police closed additional roads without warning and refused to let my carpool go to our reserved spot on private property.
Another thing you should consider ... Go Metro! Here's what they have to say about this year's Rose Bowl:
Fans
attending this game can also utilize the Metro Gold Line and exit at Memorial
Park Station. They can then walk a short
distance down Holly Street
to the Parsons parking lot at 100
West Walnut Street to catch a free game shuttle
starting at 10 a.m.
Metro does not allow eating,
drinking or smoking on board Metro trains or buses. To ensure public safety,
Metro prohibits the following items from being brought on board the Metro Bus
or Rail system: flammable products, barbecues and oversized items such as
ladders, umbrellas, tents, chairs and coolers.
The final buzzer sounded on the Trojan's basketball game against UC Riverside Saturday night and it was over -- not just the game, but just the entire Fall sports schedule.
Spring will start quickly (using the new year as a line in the sand) with the Rose Bowl and some hoops games, so this is a logical time for top ten lists. While considering the top ten USC sports stories of Fall 2007, it was obvious that certain words kept coming up.
To give things a new twist, here are the top ten words of the Fall. These aren't here because they are the "best," but they are the most significant, dominating both headlines and public discourse.
Injury. They happen all the time in sports and nobody is immune, but this semester had an inordinate number of setbacks for Trojan athletes. Men's basketball got thumped by Mercer without Davon Jefferson (knee) and Daniel Hackett (jaw), and still hadn't completely gelled by the time the faced their first real challenges. Women's hoops lost two of their top players before the season even began. The soccer team's defense was thinned out. Cross country couldn't field their lone NCAA championship competitor due to illness. Volleyball learned to adjust for awhile without Diana Copenhagen. What's missing? Oh yeah -- football. Early in the season, somebody inside Heritage Hall said the mounting injuries weren't unusual. A couple weeks later, newspapers were dedicating a mind-numbing number of column inches to injury reports. A healthy John David Booty or fewer chinks in the offensive line, and the Trojans might only be practicing on New Years Day.
Streak. While a couple big ones ended (top-10 rankings and home victories), the football program maintained their most sacred one: Pac-10 crowns. As Pete Carroll's pre-season goal, winning the league (or a share of it) for six straight years has also resulted in six straight BCS appearances.
USC men's hoops gave up an early 14-point lead to Riverside, tied it by halftime, pulled away in the second, and bumbled with their reserves down the stretch to win 70-57. It was one of the more underwhelming double-digit victories you could imagine. At times O.J. Mayo was impressive, but his 8-of-21 shooting was not. He led the way with 20.
Coach Tim Floyd wasn't exactly thrilled with the performance, but gave a lot of credit to
Jim Wooldridge, his former teammate at Louisiana Tech and assistant in Chicago:
On CSTV yesterday, college football analyst Trev Alberts predicted USC will be responsible for the biggest blowout of the bowl season (2 minutes, 3 seconds).
Other recent videos for your YouTubing pleasure ...
From the state that brought you "Vote Early, Vote Often" comes a quasi-scandal over ticket sales. Apparently the Fighting Illini refuse to say who they gave their best seats to.
"Illinoisans have the right to assume something sinister's going on
because we have proven over and over again that that's how things get
done in this state."
Anybody else curious to know how many S's are pronounced in "Illinoisans?"
USC, as a private institution, is immune to most of these inquiries (though as a non-profit, coaches annual salaries are revealed a couple years after the fact). Too bad -- it would be interesting to know if anybody on the Coliseum Commission got tickets to the big game.
While autographing a Lawry's Beef Bowl program in 2004, All-American wideout Braylon Edwards remarked, "I'll bet this is probably gonna' end up on eBay tomorrow morning, huh?"
On Thursday night, there were 523 items matching his name on eBay, but none of them were from the Beef Bowl. Memorabilia from the event is hard to come by. Limited to players, media, and others with close ties to the team, organizers have distributed collectibles since the 1980s -- but only to those in attendance.
Programs probably date back to 1963, and at least to 1970 (Stanford vs. Michigan). The early 1-sheets bear little resemblance to the 12-page color version that are being handed out this year. Mugs and baseball caps were given out briefly in the 1980s. The 1985 Ohio State team is pictured above with branded steins, meaning a 1985 USC version exists somewhere. Pins became a regular tradition in 1986 and have continued ever since. Lawry's added mini-footballs in 2002 (for the players only) and trading cards (currently printed by Choice Sports Cards) in 2004. USC's card from last year is pictured to the left. Most items are limited to a run of 1,000 or less, though production was bumped to 1,400 in national championship years.
The Trojans sat down for some serious pre-game grub at Lawry's in Beverly Hills on Thursday night. After chowing down on 799 pounds of prime rib (plus creamed corn, creamed spinach, and mashed potatoes), they topped it off with apple pie. The annual Rose Bowl tradition was a big photo op for the players and the media, who all seemed to have a great time. It was the third straight Beef Bowl for the Trojans and their 20th overall.
USC's prime rib poundage set the all-time record, eclipsing Purdue's mark of 734 set prior to the 2000 Rose Bowl Game. General Manager Todd Johnson anticipated that record could be broken tonight by the Illini. A 1965 article in Sports Illustrated claimed the "contest" was "more reliable than fortune cookies and tea leaves in predicting the Rose Bowl victor." So far, it's been right 35 out of 51 times.
Alatini "Tiny" Malu (weighing in at a mere 330
pounds) was singled out by Pete Carroll at most likely to win the clean
plate award. "We left all the big team eating to that table over there and Tiny Malu," he joked while motioning over a group of offensive linemen. "Tiny, we kinda' put you out there, brother. Once again, this is kinda' your time of year that you've got to stand out!" Then he added, "The table here with Parsons, Howell, and these guys ... they did some damage tonight, too."
Coach Pat Ruel came over to his offensive linemen, pointing at each one, "He's going to run tomorrow, he's going to run tomorrow ..."
Zack Heberer swore he only finish two cuts of prime rib, but Ruel retorted, "That's a four plate helping if I ever saw one." Heberer stuck with his two-piece claim as teammates insisted he'd polished off several more.
USC players will walk into Lawry's The Prime Rib in a matter of hours for the annual Beef Bowl. Part of tradition is memorabilia given to the participants. In the past they've handed out pins, mugs, and trading cards.
Here's a sneak peak at the cards that will be handed out tonight for USC and tomorrow for Illinois (after the jump).
Stay tuned for more on some of the popular items that have come from this event over the years.
Despite being out in the open, the six could only be described as lurking.
They pounced as soon as they caught a glimpse of their prey's distinctive markings.
It was a coordinated attack. One would approach from the front and others would come from the sides. If they missed just one of their unsuspecting targets, another would chase from behind and close in at a full sprint. Their hunger could only be satiated by ... an autograph.
The hunting ground was Downtown Disney and the prey was anybody wearing a cardinal-and-gold track suit with a VIP credential hanging around their neck. The autograph seekers probably couldn't tell the difference between John David Booty and Aubey Layno-Moses, but the important part seemed to be getting as many signatures from USC players as possible.
The whole team was strolling around, dressed the same, and killing time at a special event. It was a field day for some. Little kids asked the players for autographs, too. They may have known every statistic or merely that they were meeting a very large man who was part of their favorite team, but there was no doubting the innocence of the request. It was reminiscent of this article about Harmon Killebrew.
The six? They were a different story.
I approached one during a lull in the action, telling her I was a writer and I was curious about memorabilia. I asked if she was a dealer, but she started to run away.
After winning the Super Bowl, a lot of football players proclaim, "I'm going to Disneyland!"
You may not hear that from a Rose Bowl winner, since they've already been. As part of a Tournament of Roses tradition, both teams and the members of the Rose Court kicked off pre-game festivities with a press conference at Sleeping Beauty Castle, then launched into a full media onslaught. It's the year of 1,000,000 dreams at Disneyland, but Wednesday felt more like the day of 1,000,000 photo ops.
Early on, Sedrick Ellis decided to get a churro. Then he got four more. He admitted he usually prefers corn dogs and also digs funnel cakes. We're pretty sure you shouldn't get between him and his theme park food. Sam Baker started talking about Rice Krispies, and Keith Rivers wasn't sure if he could fill up with the park's prices -- but a team dinner at ESPN Zone probably did the trick. Tomorrow, USC heads to Lawry's to continue their health regimen with slabs of prime rib, creamed corn, and creamed spinach.
The Fighting Illini raved about the obvious (weather and facilities at the Home Depot Center) and not-so-obvious (free entertainment centers shipped to them back home as a gift from the Tournament of Roses), and pretended not to notice when a park spokesperson repeatedly pronounced the "S" in "Illinois." For the most part they seemed really excited about going on the Teacups.
The Trojans had more of a mixed reaction to the famous kid's ride, with some looking forward to it but at least one rolling his eyes. Several USC players grew up just a few miles from the park. Sam Baker was more interested in hanging out in Downtown Disney, and Lawrence Jackson couldn't even recall how many times he had been.
While Baker wandered towards the retail district with a crystal replica of Sleeping Beauty Castle that had been presented to the team, other players also got to enjoy the Matterhorn and a number of other iconic Disney attractions. USC has been to Disneyland three years in a row, but Pete Carroll said it was still exciting -- especially for the younger players.
Both teams enjoyed an afternoon of fun and distraction from practice and, fortunately, nobody lost their churros on the Teacups.
Men's Basketball - Taking on Cal Poly before a light crowd of 5,321 on Saturday, it seemed like USC could have sleep-walked through the game. It wouldn't have felt out of place if the Trojan Marching Band took a page from a Warner Brother's cartoon and played Edvard Grieg's Morning Mood. With some typically solid D and an offense showing signs of improvement, USC waltzed away with a 78-55 victory. There's one more game USC can't look past (UC Riverside) before the start of Pac-10 play ... O.J. Mayo spent Christmas in LA instead of going home, presumably working maniacally on his jump shot. That's some serious work ethic.
Women's Basketball - USC won their own 4-team Women of Troy Basketball Classic last week. They downed Grambling State 78-45, then won the championship 75-68 over Portland State. The Trojans are undefeated at home this year. Heather Oliver was named MVP of the tournament with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists.
Women's Volleyball - After making it the the NCAA Final Four, the Women of Troy finished the season ranked #3 by the AVCA with a 29-5 record. It was the fourth time the Trojans made the semifinals in the past six years. Asia Kaczor (first team) and Taylor Carico (second team) were named All-Americans.
Men's Water Polo - After finishing as NCAA runner-up for the second year in a row, USC had six players honored by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches. Senior Tommy Corcoran made the All-American first-team for the first time, and has been recognized on some level for the past three years. Senior Adam Shilling has also been honored for three years, making the second-team in 2007 along with sophomore Matt Sagehorn. Sophomores J.W. Krumpholz and Shea Buckner and senior Gabor Sarusi earned honorable mentions.
Men's Tennis - Trojan alumnus Stan Smith, an NCAA and Wimbledon champ, was honored earlier this month with the Davis Cup Award of Excellence.
Like any sports team, the Trojans have spawned a lot of stuff. Call if what you will: tchotchkes, ephemera, souvenirs, swag, or sometimes even works of art. It all celebrates the history of Troy, and some of it is incredibly rare and meaningful. That's what we hope to discuss in this new category.
While some older posts are being tagged with the memorabilia label, we'll officially start this category with a look at items from the Lawry's Beef Bowl. The timing couldn't be better, since the USC football team will sit down for the world-famous prime rib eat-off this week as part of the Rose Bowl festivities.
Anybody reading this blog who owns something with a rare or unique connection to USC history is encouraged to share photos and the story of their favorite item. We can't promise that it'll all get discussed here, but if you have an original leather helmet signed by one of the early Trojan teams or every ticket stub from the USC-Notre Dame rivalry ... we'd love to hear from you! Email adam@laist.com.
Keep in mind that this category is not about run-of-the-mill hats and t-shirts. Unless there's a compelling reason to discuss something that's currently commercially available, we'll try to stick to items that are of historic merit or were not originally intended for sale to the public.
As I'm returning from a holiday season with loved ones (nobody was harmed in the feats of strength and the Festivus poll is as shiny as ever), I wanted to take a moment to say a big THANK YOU to everybody who has made this blog so much fun in its first few months. Yes, you ...
The great Trojan family and an ever-curious group of readers who are always at the ready with questions and ideas. Keep 'em coming! I hope this blog starts to reflect more and more of your input as we move forward into the new year.
Gary, John, Ben, Randy, Mike, Mike, Rich, Bill, Kurt, TJ, JP, Barbara, Bettie, Lindsay, Meredith, Dan, Alan and everybody else at the Times (and welcome aboard, Tony). Also to all the other members of the USC press corps and extended media/blogging family.
Tim, Darcy, Jason, Paul, Dave, Jessica, and everybody else who's helped out inside Heritage Hall.
Coaches and players from lots of different sports.
USC's opponents, because it takes two to tango.
All the experts, gurus, sources, spokespeople, publicists, or whatever you prefer to be called!
Friends and family ... especially mom and dad.
I hope I'm not forgetting anybody, but I know this hardly scratches the surface. Even "personal" blogs tend to be, somehow, a group effort. Something like this -- an attempt to chronicle all things Trojan -- could never have gotten off the ground without a lot of help and support.
Thank you all!
Here's to continued growth and fun in '08. We've only just begun ...
In his first year coaching the Women of Troy, Ali Khosroshahin won the national championship and was named Coach of the Year by Soccer America. It's a nice start, but this is a guy who is always looking to improve. With a team that was pushed by freshmen and a philosophy that emphasizes discipline, fitness, and fun, what lays ahead?
All Things Trojan caught up with Coach K to get his perspective on a groundbreaking year and what the women's soccer team is all about.
USC isn't really known as a soccer school. You've been around Southern California your whole life. What were your impressions of the program before you came in?
Coming in you know the reputation of the University and you know the championships that are all over the department. I knew the expectations from the department would be very high. That's fine by me because I felt like the resources are there to have those expectations. Coming into it our hopes were to win a national championship. Knowing that the team was very talented (there were some very good players there) knowing that you have the resources from the administration to get whatever you want done accomplished ... we saw all the components were there.
Early in the NCAA Tournament you said, "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!" Your team developed quickly. Even though your goal was a to win a national championship, realistically how long did you think that would take you?
Everyone keeps saying this is our first year, but you also have to remember I've been coaching in the Division 1 level now for 10 years. This is something I've been striving for and working towards. The plan that I have isn't something that's any different than what we've done anywhere else.
A number of USC fan favorites, including Reggie Bush, Justin Fargas, and Keary Colbert, sat out this week with injuries.
LenDale White (RB - Tennessee) became the Trojan's second 1,000-yard rusher this season thanks to a 23 carry, 103 yard performance. He's up to 1063 on the season. The Titans beat the Jets 10-6.
Carson Palmer (QB - Cincinnati) had another rough outing. He was 11-of-21 for 115 yards, 1 touchdown, and two more interceptions (19 on the year). The Bengals squeaked out a 19-14 win over Cleveland.
Troy Polamalu (S - Pittsburgh) forced a fumble and had six tackles as the Steelers beat St. Louis 41-24.
Brian Kelly (CB - Tampa Bay) made an interception and a tackle in a 21-19 loss to San Francisco.
Junior Seau (LB - New England) mad five tackles and was credited with half a sack in the Pat's 28-7 win over Miami.
Sammy Knight (S - Jacksonville) made eight tackles as the Jags downed Oakland 49-11.
Billy Miller (TE - New Orleans) made three catches for 38 yards against Philadelphia. The Saints lost 38-23.
Chris McFoy (WR - Oakland) caught the first pass of his career, a 19 yarder for Lane Kiffin's Raiders. Keary Colbert (WR - Carolina) may be looking for a real estate agent.
After easily downing Cal Poly on Saturday, Tim Floyd assessed the upcoming schedule and remarked on the start of Pac-10 play.
This league is so strong. I've had a chance, because of the limited number of games in the last three weeks, to have spent more time watching some of our Pac-10 teams that we'll be playing. I'm blown away that Arizona State's picked 9th. They remind me of Washington State a year ago, picked 10th. I think it's a team that can finish in the top two or three in our league.
I don't know who in the heck's going to finish 9th or 10th. That's the scary part about this league: who finishes 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th. It's just so strong from top to bottom.
Cal -- nobody's talking about them and they may have the best front line in the country. If they don't, it'll be our second game against Stanford. They may have the best front line in the country. I think they're probably saying the same thing at UCLA. Arizona State may be playing the best defense in the United States. You're looking at teams like Washington State and UCLA who play defense as good as anybody in the country. This is a great league and it's going to be a real challenge for our young guys to adjust to the different styles of play and understand the quality of the opponent night in and night out, but hopefully [USC's experience against] Kansas and Memphis will help us in that area.
It's hard to imagine a situation where .500 is acceptable, but when Times reporter Ben Bolch asked if that record would be good in league play, Floyd said yes. It isn't a matter of lowering expectations (as Trojan's remain very high this year), but a byproduct of playing in a league where as many as seven teams, including USC, could make the Big Dance.
I can't be the only one who feels like Henry Bemis from time to time.
Major props to anybody who understands the reference.
I've made sure to read each book in the gift idea category, but there aren't many shopping days left until Christmas and there are a few left on my nightstand and to-read list that may be of interest to Trojan fans (or more to the point, their loved ones). If you need a few more ideas, here's a listing of things that could be good but I haven't checked out personally -- yet. If you write any comments, please be aware this list is subject to change as I create individual posts for as many of these as possible ...
Conquest (David Wharton and Gary Klein). Two LA Times writers give you the inside scoop on how USC shot back up under Pete Carroll. I'm about halfway through and so far, so good.
One Night, Two Teams: Alabama vs. USC and the Game that Changed
a Nation (Steven Travers). Account of how race relations were impacted
by USC's success against Alabama. Trojan icon John Papadakis was apparently involved in this project.
Saturday Rules (Austin Murphy). A college football columnists from Sports Illustrated follows the 2006 season (heavy USC coverage) to argue why
college is better than pro.
UCLA vs. USC: 75 Years of the Greatest Rivalry in Sports (Lonnie White). An LA Times writer and former USC player profiles the rivalry's history in all sports. I've thumbed through it and it's got a lot of detail.
The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership (Steve Sample). I've actually read this one. It's a personal favorite, written by USC's President.
A Darker Shade of Red (Lloyd Pye). Former Tulane football
player's fictional account of the brutal pre-1990 redshirt/scholarship
system. Random, but it's the only fiction suggestion I've had.
The Art of War (Sun Tzu). Recently reported as one of Pete Carroll's favorite philosophers.
Tom Kelly's Tales from the USC Trojans (w/Tom Hoffarth). Self explanatory.
Trojanology Triva Challenge: Southern Cal Football. Trivia games about
USC football history (sold in package w/Tom Kelly's book on Amazon)
The Coliseum Commission has reached a deal, just not the one USC fans are eagerly awaiting.
Governor Schwarzenegger's office announced today that Monday's negotiation between the California Science Center Board (which technically owns the Coliseum and is appointed by the Governor) and the Coliseum Commission produced an agreement that should become official on January 9th after their respective boards approve it. The two parties were essentially operating under an expired agreement that allowed the Commission to pay a small fraction of their rent.
Based on the Governor's press release, it the Commission's basic costs to lease the facility will jump from $80,000 to $1,000,000 per year, but that's still far below recent assessments that had valued the property's rent at $2,000,000.
The lease term of 47 years coincides with the life of the Commission's Joint Powers Agreement. After that time, the Commission's existence would be contingent on a new lease. USC, which essentially sub-leases from the Commission, has asked for a deal that would last as long as 75 years, but the Commission obviously can't sign anything longer than 47 years.
Had this arrangement been in place last year, the Commission would have turned over most of their $1.46 million profit. Keep in mind that any money that the Commission makes gets pumped back into the facility and is not disbursed to any of the participating agencies, Commissioners, employees, etc. This is money that likely would have been put towards additional repairs or saved for deferred maintenance.
Since the State owns the Coliseum, they're essentially collecting their money immediately instead of letting it get re-invested in their property (and held temporarily in a City fund).
While this deal seems straightforward and extremely fair to the Commission (who wouldn't want to get half-off on their rent?), it may push them further into a corner in their negotiations with USC. The major sticking-point in that deal is renovations, and the Commission's cash flow is about to take a significant hit. If they can't afford to make the repairs (after subtracting liabilities, they only have $3.1 in assets), USC is demanding a master lease and will do the repairs themselves.
The Commission is proud of their independence and lack of outside funding, but this makes me wonder if they might have an argument for using State taxpayer dollars for any major upgrades since it would be an investment in the State's facility, not their own. On the other hand, most upgrades will involve technology (jumbotron) or high-traffic areas (bathrooms) and will significantly depreciate by the time the new deal expires.
The Los Angeles Sports Council has opened voting to the public for the greatest moments in local sports. Each major team will have a moment honored at the Council's annual awards show.
USC has three nominees on the current ballot, but winning the 2007 Rose Bowl didn't make the cut:
Trojans Defeat Longhorns To Advance to Sweet 16 - Led by swingman Nick Young's 22 points and a stout defensive effort, the USC men's basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 by defeating Texas 87-68 in Spokane, Washington. The fifth-seeded Trojans' 25th win set a USC program record (March 18).
USC Beats UCLA to Clinch Rose Bowl Berth - In front of a raucous Coliseum crowd of 91,553, the Trojans secured a third straight Rose Bowl Game appearance and a record 32nd overall with a convincing 24-7 victory over crosstown rival UCLA. The Trojans (10-2, 7-2 Pac-10) won their final four regular-season games to earn an unprecedented sixth consecutive conference championship as well as a sixth straight BCS bowl berth (December 1).
USC Women's Soccer Wins First-Ever NCAA Title - The Women of Troy won their first NCAA soccer championship by defeating Florida State 2-0 in the final of the NCAA College Cup at College Station, Texas. Trojans Amy Rodriguez (forward) and Kristin Olson (goalkeeper) were named the tournament's Most Outstanding Offensive and Defensive Players, and the team set program records with an overall 20 victories and 15 shutouts (December 9).
To vote for your favorite, visit www.lasports.org. Polling ends January 10th, and the winners will be announced at the banquet on January 20. A panel of media experts will rank their overall Top 10 moments of the year, along with a Sportsman, Sportswoman, and Sports Executive of the Year. The show will air live on FSN.
This is just the third annual awards dinner, but the Council started honoring greatest moments back in 1995 (including a top-100 of historical moments). Recently, USC was involved in the top overall moments of 2003, 2004, and 2005. For more on the history of the awards, visit their website.
On Sunday, the Trojans will bask in the sun while the Illini shiver in Champaign. It's currently predicted to hit 70 degrees here in Los Angeles, while on the University of Illinois campus the mercury will top out at 28 degrees. That's the high. Last night it was 13 degrees.
The last time the Illini played outdoors was against Northwestern on November 17. Since then, they've been forced into the Irwin Indoor Facility, where an 80-yard artificial turf field is contained under a 50-foot roof. The neighboring stadium and grass practice field are just a little too icy.
When asked about the conditions in Illinois, Associate Sports Information Director Cassie Arnar insisted, "nobody's a fish out of water." Still, they'll probably appreciate their upcoming trip to LA. A practice scheduled at the Home Depot Center on December 26th will be their first outdoor meeting in almost a month and a half.
The worst USC has to deal with is high winds at the team hotel in Santa
Monica. On the beach. Life's tough. Watch out for those flying palm
frawns.
Tight end Fred Davis, who played high school football in Ohio, recalled a snowy playoff game that was bitter cold. Comparing that experience to the mild drizzle at practice on Thursday, he smiled, "It definitely feels good to be in this nice weather."
The Trojans are also using the Home Depot Center to prepare for the Rose Bowl. Thursday's practice was the first of three on the soccer fields outside the stadium in Carson. Pete Carroll gave it high marks. "This is an incredible facility. Everything about this thing is first-class. It's really fun to come out and do our work here. There are a lot of really good amenities."
The Trojans are using one grass pitch and one artificial pitch that add up to a lot more space than USC's Howard Jones Field. Carroll laughed a little about the extra running in practice. "The way we like to hustle from drill to drill -- it's a long ways between our spots here! Other than that, this is a fantastic setup for us."
Q: What do you call a first-year coach who takes over a team that's never made it past the second round of the NCAA tournament, then wins the national championship by allowing just one goal in all six playoff games?
A: Coach of the Year.
Ali Khosroshahin won the honor from Soccer America today.
The magazine also announced first-team All-American honors for sophomore goalie Kristin Olsen and freshman defender Kasey Johnson. Freshmen midfielders Megan Ohai and Ashli Sandoval were named to the second team.
Johnson, Ohai, and Sandoval also made the All-Freshman team. Imagine how this group will look next year when they have a little more experience.
USC senior 2-time All-American first team defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis and senior All-American and Mackey Award-winning tight end Fred Davis were named the Co-Most Valuable Players of the Rose Bowl-bound Trojan football team at the annual awards banquet Wednesday night (Dec. 19) at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. It’s the first time that USC has had Co-MVPs since 1979, when tailback Charles White and quarterback Paul McDonald shared the honor. Ellis, who won unanimous All-American honors this season, was the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and won the Pac-10 Morris Trophy for the second consecutive year. He had 56 tackles in 2007, including 12.5 for losses (with 8.5 sacks), and in his career has posted 28.5 tackles for a loss and 17.5 sacks. Davis has 55 receptions for 794 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2007, all team highs and season records for USC tight ends. He also owns the USC tight ends career records for receptions (110), receiving yards (1,321) and TD catches (12). Ellis also shared USC’s Co-Defensive Lineman of the Year Award with senior 2-time All-Pac-10 first team defensive end Lawrence Jackson (it was the third year in a row that Jackson received that honor) and USC’s Co-Lifter of the Year Award with senior All-American first team linebacker Keith Rivers and junior All-Pac-10 first team safety Kevin Ellison, who also won USC’s Bob Chandler Award. Senior linebacker Thomas Williams won USC’s Most Inspirational Player Award. He also shared USC’s Special Teams Player of the Year Award with junior linebacker Clay Matthews. Senior 3-time All-American first team offensive tackle Sam Baker and senior center Matt Spanos shared USC’s Offensive Lineman of the Year Award. Spanos also captured USC’s Courage Award.
The Coliseum Commission sent a letter to USC today indicating that while they weren't happy with all the terms USC had proposed, progress was being made.
The Commission also stated they would send USC a new counter-proposal soon.
Doheney Library doesn't draw millions of TV viewers.
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum? It's been doing both of those things for decades.
No one place is a greater part of the shared USC experience than this majestic facility. Chris Epting has compiled a photo-book consisting of a couple hundred Coliseum images that can take your breath away. It's part of the Images of America series by Arcadia Publishing.
Remember that this is not just about USC. You'll see Olympic images, baseball configurations, Pete Rozelle handing Pete Lombardi the first Super Bowl trophy (another photo from that days shows partially empty stands!), and even an artificial ski-jump ramp coming out of the peristyle. Lots of famous faces are included.
Of course, there are a bunch of USC pictures inside the 128 pages.
Epting has additional features on his website, including more photos and a 360°view from mid-field. There's also a short video that poses a random question -- who is Dr. John Paul Ryan? Apparently there's a plaque honoring him in tunnel 19, but Epting's research didn't turn up a reason why. The plaque references halftime of the Cal game in 1996.
This gift is good for: Angelinos. Sports fans. Architecture aficionados. Nostalgics. People who appreciate black and white photography.
This gift is bad for: Somebody looking for reading material or a detailed written account of the facility's history.
There are plenty of websites about USC, but four lead the way with fans who can never get enough content.
In the past year, a lot changed in Troy's digital landscape. A trio of sites emerged that take a close look into Heritage Hall, plus one that originates from within. All of them offer basic information to the public, but you'll have to subscribe to access premium content like videos, practice reports, and members-only message boards.
All four are also helping realize the full potential of online journalism. If you visit games, practices at Howard Jones Field, or any number of other USC events, you'll see dedicated reporters and photographers from each site covering up-to-the-minute news and developing features. I asked the publishers which aspect of their site they were most proud of; all referenced their hard-working staff.
The similarities continue. Each is affiliated with a national sports news network. Except for the USC-run site, all build communities through their message boards and cover high school recruiting. All of them are also big supporters of Ricky Rosas, and the three independent sites teamed up for a successful family holiday drive this past weekend.
A subscription to any of these could make a die-hard Trojan very happy. The pricing is similar, but each has differences in their core packages and add-ons (such as magazines and premium access to affiliate sites).
In picking a site, don't just go by these bullet points. The first three all have a different editorial feel. Despite some membership cross-over, there is also a difference in their message board communities. To learn more about it, check out the free content and consider the 7-day trials that each offers.
Like a good offensive scheme, Todd Erickson's "Road to the Rose Bowl" is well-balanced. It's chock-full of interviews, stories, photos, and, for good measure, a few recipes. Even if you only read the USC parts, you can tell that a lot of research went into this book. There are over 450 photos and 125 recollections from people who have played a part in The Granddaddy of Them All®.
The current edition, subtitled "50 Years of Lawry's Beef Bowl," uses the popular Rose Bowl pre-game tradition as a running theme. For those unfamiliar, the Beef Bowl is a large dinner party hosted by Lawry's The Prime Rib in Beverly Hills. Each school attends on separate nights the week before the game, and there's all sorts of lore behind the significance of who eats the most (both individually and as a team). The book has great anecdotes about the festivities.
As for gridiron anecdotes, Erickson said one of his favorites is about USC coach John Robinson and Michigan coach Bo Schembechler and a controversial call in 1979.
"It seems to epitomize these two legendary
coaches and the storied college football programs they helmed. They
represent the best of the Big Ten and Pac-10, making it through the
gauntlet of their respective conferences to be able to match wits with
each other in the greatest bowl game of college football. I love how
they became great friends off the field, and the sense of humor they
shared about one of the most controversial officiating decisions ever
made in the history of the game."
That game is celebrated with a two-page spread, as are all the others from 1957-2005. With the most Rose Bowl appearances, the Trojans earned the most ink in the book.
To stay up-to-date, you can get a special insert covering the 2006 game (though it's one that Trojan fans might rather forget). High-definition copies are available for pickup at the restaurant, or you can download and print everything from the book's website. Future editions (scheduled for 2009 and 2013) will include more years (in both directions), but for now this volume is sure to please.
As promised, the book can also fill your belly. Original recipes for Lawry's prime rib, whipped cream horseradish, creamed spinach, and creamed corn are included in the back.
This gift is good for: Any college football fan. Historians. Foodies. Coffee tables.
This gift is bad for: Backpackers. OCD statisticians. Dieters (if you make the creamed spinach).
Price: Listed at $29.95 but you can often find it for less (try Amazon, but they might be out of stock at the moment).
Where to find it: Most major booksellers, including online retailers. Some may be out of inventory. If so, check with Lawry's in Beverly Hills (310-652-2827) and see if they can hold a copy for you.
Add-on ideas: Need to make this gift a little more meaty? Lawry's sells bottles of their Vintage Sherry
Salad Dressing, CC Brown's Hot Fudge and Seasoned Salt and Pepper in
the restaurant and on their website. They also have gift certificates
available for the restaurant. If you want to be really creative, memorabilia from the Beef Bowl
(gifted to participants, never sold to the public) occasionally makes it onto eBay. While none of the traditional
pins are currently listed, they do have one of the recent trading cards.
Men's Basketball - #25 USC stomped Delaware 83-54 on Monday night thanks to 68% shooting. With the margin reaching as many as 36, it was never really in question ... O.J. Mayo became the first Trojan to score in double digits in his first 10 career games ... Around halftime, Jonathan Kay of Rivals pondered whether the Trojans would call a single timeout in the game. They didn't. As the assembled press corp scratched their heads over what else was worth writing about, the band kept counting down the game clock for Delaware -- several seconds early.
Women's Volleyball - After an upset sent the Trojans to the NCAA Final Four in Sacramento, the Women of Troy fell to Stanford in the semis ... All-American Asia Kaczor was named one of four finalists for the Honda Award, presented to the nation's top player in every sport.
Women's Basketball - Following a difficult midwest trip, USC got back on track with a 55-52 victory over Pepperdine last week. Nadia Parker had 17, all in the second half ... This weekend they'll host the Women of Troy Basketball Classic, including Portland, Hawaii, and Grambling.
Women's Soccer - Rankings and awards are inconsistent in college soccer. USC ended the season without a first team All-American.
Ask anybody, and they're probably satisfied with the national
championship instead. The fact that they did it as a unit without individual standouts says
a lot about this group -- and their coach ... It would be unfair to say nobody is getting recognition. Goalkeeper Kristin Olsen, who only made the Pac-10's second team despite dominating almost every statistical category, is a finalist for her sport's Honda Award. The sophomore was already named top defensive player in the NCAA Tournament ... Ashley Nick and Kristin Olsen were named to the NSCAA All-America Second
Team.
Quarterback Debate - In order to address a previous football question on this blog, I arbitrarily asked students at the basketball game if they preferred Mark Sanchez or Mitch Mustain. Sanchez won in a bigger blowout than the one on the court that evening. I'll be the first to say that this doesn't really prove anything, other than Mustain's low-profile on campus. That will change come Spring camp. I doubt there'll be much more to add until then.
Justin Fargas (RB - Oakland) ran the rock 26 times for 89 yards and a score along with a seven yard reception. He now has 1,009 yard on the ground this season, marking a major milestone for the Encino native. Unfortunately, he left in the 4th quarter with a sprained right MCL. The Raiders fell 21-14 to Indianapolis.
Carson Palmer (QB - Cincinnati) was 19-of-31 for 251 yards in a 20-13 loss to San Francisco. He completed his first touchdown pass in three weeks, giving him 100 on his career. He's the fifth fastest NFL quarterback to reach that plateau.
Troy Polamalu (S - Pittsburgh) made ten tackles in a his first game back from injury. The Steelers fell to Jacksonville 29-22.
LenDale White (RB - Tennessee) was playing through pain, but ran for 93 yards on 24 carries. He also had a catch for no gain in a 26-17 victory over Kansas City. With two games to go, he just needs 40 yards to break the 1,000 mark.
Junior Seau (LB - New England) had nine tackles and two sacks in a 20-10 win over the Jets.
Sammy Knight (S - Jacksonville) made seven tackles (one for a loss) in the Jaguar's loss.
Lofa Tatupu (LB - Seattle) made seven tackles in a 13-10 loss to Carolina.
At the start of this season, former NCAA tennis star Kurt Streeter wrote a piece for the LA Times involving a book called The Inner Game of Tennis.
That doesn't seem out of place until you find out the column was really about Pete Carroll.
Carroll first picked up the book when he was a graduate student, and it had a profound influence on his coaching philosophy. Written by W. Timothy Gallwey, the work was one of the first to dive into the now popular topic of sports psychology. While it focuses on tennis, the lessons are easily applied elsewhere.
The Inner Game has developed a big following since it was first published in 1972. Carroll is such a big fan that he wrote the foreword of the latest edition. He also reportedly had his three Heisman winners -- Palmer, Leinart, and Bush -- read the mere 122 pages. The latest Trojan to subscribe to the philosophy is team captain Lawrence Jackson.
To sum it up, Jackson pointed to an example in the book about a cat stalking a bird. "He doesn't have to think about how high to jump or how far to jump. When the bird takes off, he takes off. Whatever's necessary to get it, he's got it because he's so focused. When you start to calculate, 'I've got to jump this high' ... then you lose who you are and your natural ability to get it done."
Jackson said that the book isn't exactly assigned reading on the team (certain All-Americans I talked to hadn't even heard of it), but that Carroll shares it with players in certain situations.
"I do think that everybody should read it," Jackson added, "on our team or in life."
This gift is good for: Students of the game. Deep thinkers. People looking for zen in unusual places.
This gift is bad for: Fans with a casual interest. Young children. People looking for technical tennis instruction.
Price: $13-17
Where to find it: Available in most major bookstores and major online retailers. You can get more info on the book's website.
Many people are justifiably excited about Mitch Mustain's performance in today's scrimmage, where he went 10-of-16 for 162 yards and three touchdowns. It was his final opportunity to practice until the spring because of a rule that precludes him from participating in any more practices as a redshirt transfer.
Mark Sanchez, who was 9-of-12 for 54 yards, has been the guy to beat -- though he is beatable. Turnovers are a major concern for him, and Pete Carroll stresses ball control. A couple commenters on this blog, and plenty more on message boards, were quick to express displeasure with his performance after filling in for John David Booty (who's still nursing that finger and was just 2-for-7 in the scrimmage). One even declared, "He was dreadful" and blamed him for the loss to Oregon.
Wait -- really?
It's important to put Sanchez's season into perspective. He jumped in mid-season and went 2-1 as a starter, with the
one blemish coming at the hands of a team that was, at that time, arguably
the best in the nation. Some may blame him for the loss, but notice who didn't -- the coaches. While they were critical of his two interceptions, they didn't sign a death warrant on his career. They even acknowledged that the system was simplified because of his inexperience. Carroll didn't mince words: "It doesn't have anything to do with talent. It's experience at that position." That's an asset next year's starter will have.
Rewind to the Oregon loss. Even Sanchez pointed out, "Last week, I was a hero, this week, I'm a zero." That's because the spotlight is always on the quarterback and he threw two interceptions. Fewer people remember Drew Radovich's holding penalty that reversed a 65-yard touchdown. It wasn't all his fault, either. It's a team game, and USC played a sloppy one in Oregon.
If your New Years Day plans involve any part of the Tournament of Roses, you should know that driving and parking in Pasadena is an absolute nightmare.
USC players will walk into Lawry's The Prime Rib in a matter of hours for the annual Beef Bowl. Part of tradition is memorabilia given to the participants. In the past they've handed out pins, mugs, and trading cards.
In his first year coaching the Women of Troy, Ali Khosroshahin won the national championship and was named Coach of the Year by 
The Los Angeles Sports Council has opened voting to the public for the greatest moments in local sports. Each major team will have a moment honored at the Council's annual awards show.
was a dilemma that sacked your gift-giving joy.
Many people are justifiably excited about Mitch Mustain's performance in today's scrimmage, where he went 10-of-16 for 162 yards and three touchdowns. It was his final opportunity to practice until the spring because of a rule that precludes him from participating in any more practices as a redshirt transfer.
