Identity has been one of the biggest concerns for USC hoops this year. Despite getting shelled at home by Arizona, 80-69, the Trojans may have come out of the game with a better sense of who they are and what they're about -- grit.
Unfortunately, every other aspect of the game left Trojan fans gritting their teeth.
It started on a sour note when, less than two minutes in, Daniel Hackett was knocked out of the game. Perhaps he showed a little too much grit in diving for a loose ball. Coach Tim Floyd said the worst case scenario is a chipped bone in his hip and maybe a broken rib. Ouch.
Without Hackett, who was coming off a monster game in Oregon, USC's depth suffered a fatal blow. The team had been playing with a short bench all year, and that was compounded when Marcus Simmons reinjured his ankle this week. Suddenly, the Trojans were left with just five guys who could put in significant minutes. While they led frequently, things fell apart at the end as the fatigued Trojans failed to hit jump shots and struggled to elevate (with the exception of one frustration-induced highlight reel slam by Davon Jefferson).
The most remarkable performance was by Angelo Johnson, who stepped in for Hackett and had 7 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists. Those numbers weren't impressive, but here's one that was: 37. That's how many minutes he played a day after missing practice with the flu. That's grit.
Grit's a good word for a defensive team, especially considering the hard-nosed play in the opening minutes when USC made some steals and blocks. At one point, O.J. Mayo stuffed Jerryd Bayless' shot, recovered the ball, dribbled down court, and drained a tray in Bayless' face. All that was missing was an announcer shouting "boo-ya!"
Instead, the game featured shouts of frustration from USC's bench, where Tim Floyd obviously wasn't happy about all the second chances the Trojans gave the Wildcats. Afterward, he acknowledged, "The rebounding differential was probably the biggest number in the game for us."
The problems didn't end there.
O.J. Mayo had another big night, but was unable to carry the team on his shoulders like that guy he played with this summer (hint: his first name is Kobe). You can't fault a freshman for an ironman 39-minute performance, 23 points, and strong defensive effort against fellow fab-freshman Bayless ... can you? Probably not, but it's tempting. Mayo was just 9-of-23, including 3-of-10 from beyond the arc. Those numbers are fine for most freshmen, but Mayo is the freshman. When things got rough down the stretch, he took some wild shots and failed to take control. It would have been the perfect night for him to scorch the Wildcats for 40 points (that would be a USC freshman record) and make a bold statement. In the end, he's played like he acts -- understated.
Minutes before the game, ESPN posted this article that summed up that ambivalence about Mayo's stardom.
Davon Jefferson had more of a workmanlike performance. He was 8-of-12 from the field and 3-of-5 from the line for 19 points in 37 minutes. It would have been nice to see him handle the ball more in the closing minutes, but he was probably tired like everybody else. Earlier this week, Taj Gibson told reporters after practice that Jefferson seems to be taking on more of a leadership role. He certainly seems like the right man for the job if "grit" becomes the team's identity. While he may not like to take a charge, he plays hard and aggressive and his demeanor on the court often exudes a seething rage.
But as the clock wound down, Jefferson had joined USC's other top players on the bench. Mayo, Jefferson, and Gibson had all fouled out. Hackett was watching through eyes that were clearly red and watery, fighting through the pain so that he could support his teammates.
When the final buzzer sounded, the team on the court looked suspiciously like the group that couldn't beat Fresno Pacific a few weeks ago.
Enjoy this highlight reel of Sedrick Ellis in the Senior Bowl, which recently surfaced on YouTube. It's always fun to watch him leap Superman-style at a quarterback. Remember that great photo from Notre Dame?
Speaking of videos, part two of Pete Carroll mic'd up at the Rose Bowl is now available for free on USC's website. Could you imagine him mic'd up in Long Beach?
Pac-10 Trivia Time:
Of 18 coaches challenges, instant replay only reversed one in 2007 Pac-10 play. There were 30 total reversals in the league.
USC had the highest average attendance in 2007 at 87,486. UCLA was second at 76,379.
Arizona State and Stanford each played eight home games in 2007, tops in the Pac-10.
David Buehler was second in the Pac-10 in field goal percentage. He was tied for the least attempts.
The longest overall winning streak in the Pac-10? USC, 5 games.
The longest conference winning streak in the Pac-10? USC, 4 games.
The longest home winning streak in the Pac-10? USC and Oregon State, 2 games.
The longest road winning streak in the Pac-10? USC and Oregon State, 2 games.
Women's Basketball: Riding a three-game winning streak, the Trojans head north to take on a pair of top 10 teams. Stanford, currently #7, was the top team in the nation when USC pulled an upset at home earlier in the year. Cal, currently #9, hasn't been beaten by USC since 2005.
Women's Water Polo: USC starts the year ranked #2 in the nation just behind UCLA, with Stanford in third. The Trojans' first game is against #10 Hartwick (NY).
Swimming: After falling to Washington in both men's and women's competition last week, the Women of Troy will host #5 Cal and #3 Stanford this weekend.
Women's Tennis: The eighth-ranked Trojans swept Long Beach State this week and host Pepperdine tonight.
Men's Tennis: USC is a perfect 3-0 in dual matches this year after taking down San Diego State this week. The sixth-ranked Trojans head to the Bay Area this weekend to take on Cal and Stanford.
Men's Volleyball: The Trojans have yo-yo'd through the start of conference play and are 4-5 overall (3-3 in the MPSF). They take their #11 ranking on the road this weekend to #3 Long Beach State and #15 UC San Diego.
Baseball: Have a kid age 7-13? Does he play baseball? Click here ... The USC alumni game is this Saturday at Dedeaux Field.
EA Sports will have several people at Thursday night's game against Arizona to interview fans, boosters, band members and other people associated with USC basketball to assist in the development of their new video games.
Right now, NCAA March Madness 08 contains about 30 "authentic" arenas with accurate geometry and color layout, but they're looking to step it up a notch. Game designers are taking notes on five schools to make things more realistic. As EA Sports rep Novell Thomas put it, "What the announcer does at Purdue is a little bit different than what they do at USC or Georgia Tech. We'll try and capture that uniqueness in our game."
USC, Purdue, and Georgia Tech will join Oregon and Arkansas in an online fan vote on MarchMadness08.com. The winner will have their arena made available for this year's game via download prior to the NCAA Tournament. All five will be available by 2009.
Two more USC screen shots from the current version of NCAA March Madness are after the jump.
USC starts off its 2008 home football season against Ohio State University. It's supposed to be a balmy 18 degrees tonight in the Buckeyes' hometown of Columbus. Around the country, it's cold and football is a distant memory.
Not so at USC. Set under Southern California's crystal blue skies, the Trojans are in full swing with recruiting and conditioning. All Things Trojan had an opportunity to talk with L.A. Times reporter Gary Klein about the activity, get some insight on next year's starting lineup, and much more. Click play to hear the lowdown on USC football.
After this weekend, USC's men's basketball team will be halfway through conference play. There have been some ups and downs, but things are looking good with a four-game winning streak and a couple of home games next on the schedule. On this week's podcast, L.A. Times reporter Ben Bolch talks about where the team stands versus early expectations and how they look at home versus on the road.
Former USC Coach Larry Smith passed away today. He was 68.
Mike Garrett, USC athletic director, who was associate athletic director for Smith's final two seasons at USC, said:
When he came to USC, he brought a tough-minded approach and solid fundamentals and he produced some very successful teams here. Getting his first three teams into the Rose Bowl is unprecedented in our history.
John Jackson, former USC and NFL wide receiver who became Troy's career pass-catching leader while playing for Larry Smith:
When he got hired at USC, Larry Smith was exactly what we needed. He was perfect for USC at that time in our history. He knew how to organize talent and get guys to play together as a team. He had a plan. Everything was built around discipline and playing as a team, and he got immediate results.
Johnnie Morton, former USC All-American and NFL wide receiver who played for Larry Smith:
Coach Smith was a very influential person in my life. He helped me develop toughness, character and discipline. He'll be remembered as an all-time great football coach who loved his players and genuinely cared about them as individuals as well as football players.
More reactions and information on Smith's time at Troy is available from USC's website.
The obit that will run in tomorrow's edition of the L.A. Times is available online now.
Former USC football head coach Larry Smith has passed away. He was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 1999.
Smith led the Trojans from 1987 to 1992, a stretch that included three Pac-10 championships and one Rose Bowl victory. His overall record with USC was 44-25-3.
The Spirit of Troy graces the cover of the latest edition of Halftime Magazine, a publication dedicated to -- you guessed it -- marching bands.
Halftime comes out bimonthly for the college and high school band community. Their five-member advisory board has four Trojans, including Band Director Art Bartner.
Looks like USC had mixed results at the Senior Bowl. John David Booty was 6-for-12 for 72 yards, with an interception and fumble, while Sedrick Ellis recorded a safety and recovered a fumble to be the team's defensive MVP. Chauncey Washington led the North with 38 yards on five carries. Click here for more.
The Seattle Times takes a look into what happened at Washington when Rick Neuheisel was coaching there. It's part of a weeklong series (there's a link to the second piece at the bottom of the first story). Andrew from Seattle e-mailed to say that local sports talk station KJR is "up in arms about 'How could they report this now' ... 'That whole regime is gone' ... and 'This won't impact signings.' "
Nine USC players and a few former coaches are at the Senior Bowl in Alabama this week, and the Cardinal and Gold is hard to miss. The Mobile Press-Register has an amusing article this morning for Trojan fans.
According to a forum post on WeAreSC.com, the Press-Register also conducted an interesting poll.
More than half of the players voted USC's Pete Carroll (more than twice as many as any other coach) as the head coach they'd like to have played for, other than their own.
Arkansas junior tailback Darren McFadden received twice as many votes as Florida sophomore quarterback Tim Tebow for the Heisman Trophy.
Nearly 60% of the players voted for a bowl system over a playoff system.
The same day nine USC students were arrested on suspicion of public intoxication during an event some are describing as a riot (reports are that 1,000-2,000 were involved), O.J. Mayo's dad was arrested for "possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver."
Ben Bolch will have a story up about Mayo's dad shortly.
There are a lot of rumors about the "riot" at USC, but eight years ago this would have been called a typical Thursday night, with no need for riot gear. That's just my gut feeling after seeing some limited video footage on YouTube (warning: expletives used at the end). Another difference? A few years ago, people wouldn't ask for trouble by posting parties on social networking sites like Facebook (that was apparently behind last night's events, and also led to a USC fraternity getting the ax for a party on 4-20 last year).
On the topic of crime (or at least criminally inept), we haven't said much yet about the Lane Kiffin vs. Al Davis feud (if you haven't heard about it, the San Francisco Chronicle's Ray Ratto has a great take on the situation). This is a PR debacle for both former Trojan coaches, but far worse for Davis. Angelenos already consider him a criminal for stealing pro football from L.A., and then there are his frequent crimes against fashion.
If you're O.J. Mayo, you don't take cookies, either.
Rumor is that at a photo shoot earlier in the year, Mayo declined a cookie from somebody because he didn't know if that would constitute an NCAA violation. Maybe he was kidding. Maybe he didn't like the flavor. At least it wasn't a fruitcake.
What is fruity? A mini-controversy about Mayo accepting tickets to a Lakers game from longtime pal Carmelo Anthony. Apparently Mayo only took the tickets after consulting with Coach Tim Floyd and the two believing that because Anthony was a friend -- not an NBA recruiter -- it was kosher. (There's a ticket to another game, from a teammate, that needs to be cleared up, too.)
According to USC, Mayo did break a rule. He was briefly declared ineligible but almost immediately reinstated when he paid $460 (face value of the tickets -- which frequently isn't the market value) to the charity of his choice. All in all, it's a minor situation. Case closed, lesson learned. Mayo will toe the line for a few more months and then be balling in the NBA. Right?
There's just one problem.
Mayo got in trouble for violating NCAA bylaw 16.11.2.2.3, which says student-athletes can't get special free tickets from pro teams (or their "agents," like Carmelo Anthony).
The rule that bit Mayo is baloney.
It seems pretty hypocritical that the NCAA welcomes high school recruits to their games with open, albeit complicated, arms. Young student athletes facing the biggest decisions of their lives are encouraged to check out what they'll face at the next level so that they can make a more informed decision about where to go.
But once they get there, many will face an equally difficult decision over leaving college early. Wouldn't it be nice if they could get more exposure to the pros so they could make an informed decision about when to make that jump?
Your stick-in-the-mud traditionalist might cry, "All the glitz and glamor of a pro game will trick these gullible kids into leaving too soon!"
Au contraire, seeing the pros in person -- be it NBA, NFL, or otherwise -- would allow student-athletes to better understand if they have what it takes to make it to the next level. Not only would they get a better sense of the pace of the game and player talent, but of the pressure and atmosphere. It's incredible motivation for them to work hard and stay focused. Sure, some kids might be star-struck by Spike Lee. Once they hear him heckling, they also might go back to school for a couple of years.
Obviously there should be limitations. After a couple of games, it ventures away from "education" and into "entertainment" territory. It would also make sense to limit tickets to sports that the athlete in question plans on playing professionally. The again, going to the Super Bowl can't exactly convince a women's water polo player to turn pro.
The biggest gray area might be which athletes get invited. Before anybody argues that if one player gets it, they all should, remember this ... If you're not good enough to be offered tickets, you're probably not good enough to be drafted. That's the whole purpose of this exercise, anyway.
Right now, the NCAA creates a teeny-tiny loophole with bylaw 16.7.1.1, where schools can provide tickets to their entire team as entertainment while on a road trip. This isn't something that can really address the educational concerns for prospective draft picks.
Hopefully the NCAA will figure this one out in the future. In the meantime, it will waste its energy on Mayo while it has bigger fish to fry.
USC will face the Oregon Ducks this weekend in McArthur Court, a 79-year old arena that ranks as one of the oldest in America. Home to decades of great basketball, it's also the site of the most spectacular game-winning shot in Trojan hoops history.
The Pit, as it's better known, is legendary for its raucous crowds and intimidating atmosphere, with four levels of fans hanging -- and screaming -- over the court. One night in early 1999, USC senior Adam Spanich capped an unfathomable come-from-behind victory by draining two three-pointers in the final 2.8 seconds of the game.
All Things Trojan caught up with Spanich this week by cellphone. Nine years after he took his last shot for the Trojans, his professional basketball career has taken him to all corners of the planet, with plenty of exotic locales and hairy border crossings. He's currently playing close(r) to home -- for the Oklahoma Cavalry -- where he still has a wicked shot from downtown. He talked about his travels, advice for younger players, and another moment that might have meant even more than his half-court miracle. All Things Trojan: The game at Oregon in 1999 sounds like a crazy scene. The fans were heckling, you were really getting into it ... what led up to that game-winning shot near half court? Do you remember what you felt like?
Adam Spanich: We had been down between 8 and 15 points the whole game. The coaches just kept saying to us, "Listen, keep it close, we're going to make a run here at the end." I had a really good game, so the fans had been giving it to me since the warm-ups. I love going on the road and I love talking to the crowd -- especially then. I'm a little more mature now. As a younger kid, I fed off of it.
We were down by five points with about 2 1/2 seconds to go. Coach [Henry] Bibby called a timeout. He'd talked to us all year about never giving up -- we play to the last second no matter what. I hit a three in the corner, and that put us down by 2 with 0.8 left. As soon as I made the shot I ran as hard as I could back up court, just in case, maybe, we could steal a long pass. Sure enough, the guy out of bounds took the ball just and heaved it down court. When I saw him do that, I was in a pretty good position [near the half-court line]. I intercepted the ball and did the best I could to aim with 0.8 seconds.
With USC's football dominance for several years and jokes about the Pac-1, it's nice to watch such a balanced league on the hardcourt.
Coach Tim Floyd has repeatedly said that nine teams have the potential to go at least a couple games into the NCAA Tournament. He's not the only one to praise those nine strong Pac-10 teams.
Then there's Oregon State.
Wallowing winless in conference play, the lowly Beavers got whacked by the Trojans (it's always awkward phrasing that one ... our old pal David Markland from Blogging.la actually found a Trojan Beaver). The high point for USC was a low for Oregon State -- make that a season low 44 points.
There's little else to take away from the 68-44 victory, but there is something to be said for the Pac-10 after watching dark horse Arizona shock Washington State on the same night. The same Washington State that clobbered the Trojans. The same Trojans that won big at UCLA. The same UCLA that dispatched Washington State. The same ... well, you get the picture.
Remember how USC came within one missed free-throw in the final two seconds of knocking off Memphis? The Tigers are #1 in both polls right now.
Arizona State, originally picked 9th in the Pac-10 by the media, was in the AP Top 25 at the beginning of the week.
Cal, sitting at the bottom of the Pac-9, beat a ranked USC team to open conference play.
Arizona's Chase Budinger told reporters after the Washington State game, "I think we can beat anyone in the country right now." That might be safe to say in any other league in America.
Bill Dwyre and I may not agree on whether the USC-UCLA game constitutes an upset, but we both agree that the Pac-10 is incredible this year.
Whodathunk Washington and USC could own the longest winning streaks (3 games) and be tied for 5th?
Cal is in 9th with a .647 overall winning percentage.
Facing multiple match points, the #11 USC men's volleyball team came back to upset #5 UCLA last night at the Galen Center. The match lasted five games, with the final one ending with an 18-16 score after USC had fallen behind, 14-12. The Trojans were led by Juan Figueroa with 20 kills and 11 digs.
With the win, USC now leads UCLA in the Lexus Gauntlet by a score of 37.5 to 10. The competition pits the schools against each other in several NCAA sports worth varying numbers of points. Football is worth 10, while a single water polo win is worth 2.5. Either school can clinch this year's trophy with 55.5 points.
So far in 2007-08, USC won in women's cross country, football, men's hoops, women's hoops and men's volleyball. The schools split in men's water polo, women's soccer and women's volleyball. There are 10 sports in which they have yet to face off, and some that will rematch (ex: basketball).
The competition was started in 2001-02, when USC took home the inaugural prize. UCLA won the next year, and the schools have alternated since. Each has won three times.
Also going on in USC sports:
Women's Basketball: The Women of Troy beat the Bruins for a sixth consecutive time last weekend at the Galen Center. Now they're preparing to host the Oregon schools ... The team is rallying behind the WBCA's Think Pink campaign for breast cancer awareness.
Swimming and Diving: USC alum Erik Vendt broke the American record in the 1000-yard free last week with a time of 8:36.49, more than six seconds better than the previous mark ... USC's 20th-ranked men and 21stranked women host Washington this weekend.
Men's Tennis: Sophomore Robert Farah, ITA's 9th-ranked collegian, came in as the top seed in the Sherwood Collegiate Cup but fell in the final round to 2nd seed Lars Poerschke of Baylor ... The Trojans, ranked 6th in the nation, will start dual-match competion this weekend.
Women's Tennis: Amanda Fink and Gabriela Niculescu made it to the doubles finals of this weekend's National Collegiate Tennis Classic, but fell to UCLA ... The 8th-ranked Women of Troy have been dealing with rain delays in their dual meet with Long Beach State.
USC just landed the top high school recruit in the nation. The news couldn't have come at a better time -- though it certainly is at an unusual one. Matt Barkley, quarterback at Mater Dei High School in Orange County, is just a junior.
Though it's not unusual for the Trojans to have a few big-name commits early on, Barkley's announcement was surprising. He's the youngest person ever to be named the Gatorade National Player of the Year, an honor traditionally won by the top senior in America. Barkley was expected to let teams compete over his services until closer to the February 2009 signing deadline.
Recruiting high school players has become a big business. Many Internet sites draw heavy traffic from news and interviews with young prep players. On their message boards for the local teams, much of the buzz has been about the coaching moves at UCLA, where the additions of Rick Neuheisel and Norm Chow supposedly were going to give the Bruins a shot at America's most prized recruit.
With just a few words, Barkley not only dashed dreams in Westwood and around the country, but put USC squarely back on top of the recruiting world.
With the rain pouring down outside the Galen Center, the USC men's basketball team hurried to get on a bus and catch its flight to Oregon. We caught the L.A. Times' Ben Bolch on his way out the door and got a look at what's going down in the land of Troy, and what to expect up north. Enjoy the podcast ...
The gang over at Trojan All Access and USC Rips It had a cool idea ... slap a mic on Pete Carroll at the Rose Bowl and see what happens. The first videos are starting to come out, including a seven-minute look at preparations early in the day. The free preview is available on USCTrojans.com.
[UPDATE: This post has been edited recently -- the content has been moved to USCTrojans.com, the school's primary athletics website. Same cool video, different place!]
With the new administration in Westwood, the Bruins have put together a formidable recruiting monster. Curiously enough, all of UCLA's top football coaches have a strong tie to USC.
Head coach Rick Neuheisel got his law degree from USC (1986-90).
Offensive coordinator Norm Chow was offensive coordinator at USC (2001-04).
Defensive coordinator Dwayne Walker was associate head coach at USC (2001).
HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" will air a program tonight looking into the Reggie Bush situation. Tim Hammer has a preview on LAist, including some good perspective on where this falls in the national priority list:
The rest of the country, however, seems to care more about Reggie's love life than his involvement with Lloyd Lake. Let's face it though; Lake doesn't have the curves of Kim Kardashian so it's tough to compete with her.
It's a good read. There's also some more analysis of the situation on the Sports Agent Blog.
The L.A. Sports Council handed out its top awards for 2007, and one of the biggest winners was USC's Allyson Felix. It's a role she should be pretty used to.
At a school where amateur athletes are the recipients of marketing campaigns, Felix has flown under the radar because she was competing in red, white, and blue -- not cardinal and gold. Her story is exceptional. Many athletes use USC as a springboard to their professional careers, but Felix turned pro at 18. With sponsorship money already pouring in and her first Olympics a year away, the sprinter did what few people in her position opt to do -- enroll in college.
Felix couldn't run in NCAA meets, but she's been representing the Trojans at a much higher level. The USC grad sprinted to a silver in the 200-meter at the 2004 Olympics and has consistently placed first at world-class meets ever since. In 2006, she won an ESPY award. In 2007, she went to the IAAF World Championships in Osaka, Japan, and came home with a whopping three gold medals (200m, 4x100 relay, 4x400 relay) -- just the second female athlete to accomplish that feat.
Her golden performance made the council's list of Greatest Sports Moments of 2007 and earned her the title of L.A.'s Sportswoman of the Year. Her male counterpart, David Beckham, may have stolen more headlines, but Felix stole the show when picking up her award. As Felix came up to accept wearing enormous red heels, legendary Dodger broadcaster Vin Scully couldn't resist cracking a couple of jokes. Both are quick on their feet.
The program also honored the top moment in 2007 for all local teams. USC's best, chosen by Internet voters from a list submitted by the school, was winning the NCAA women's soccer national championship. Other nominees had been the men's basketball run in the NCAA tournament and the football team's record streak of six consecutive Pac-10 titles and BCS appearances.
A panel of media experts ranked the region's overall top 10 moments and went a slightly different direction than the USC fans. The Trojans' football streak was named L.A.'s 6th greatest moment in 2007. The Ducks' Stanley Cup victory claimed first.
USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian was there to pick up the school's hardware. Also on hand was USC alum and sports personality Petros Papadakis, who emceed the event with Bill Macdonald.
After the show, Felix said that she planned on running the 200-meter and 100-meter in the Olympic trials and hopes to make a couple of relay teams, as well. Asked about the top sports moment she'd ever seen, she quickly recalled Michael Johnson's 200-meter record at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. She hopes to have some more memorable moments of her own this summer in Beijing.
UCLA's home court advantage on Saturday at Pauley Pavilion was remarkable.
In an arena brimming in blue, with a student section bouncing so hard that the cement seemed to shake, it didn't look like there were more than 100 cardinal shirts in the crowd.
That's because there probably weren't.
The most conspicuous absence (more so than John Wooden) was the Spirit of Troy.
USC and UCLA have a long-standing tradition of welcoming the opposing band and cheerleaders (OK, OK, Song Girls). Though the definition of "welcoming" is subject to debate, at least they got a seat -- until this year.
About two months ago, UCLA notified USC that Pauley would be sold out for the entire basketball season, and the Trojans would only get their league-mandated 100 tickets (24 behind the bench, 76 in the upper deck). Unlike past years, that was it.
Pauley Pavilion holds 12,819 (not to mention all the open space where the bleachers don't come all the way to the ends of court). The Galen Center holds 10,258. Was it really that hard to reserve 25-30 seats for a great tradition?
Rumors are circulating widely on both sides that at least one powerful Bruin didn't like the disruption of the Trojan Marching Band and put their foot down. Though nobody would go on the record with any such specifics, we do know that UCLA also notified USC that the Bruins would not send their band to the Galen Center later in the season.
USC hypothetically could have given some of their 100 tickets to "random" students who happened to be carrying trumpets or pompoms, but that would have created more problems. Players, coaches and staff are allotted seats for friends and family (up to four, in some cases). Let's just say nobody was taking away Mrs. Jefferson's ticket (especially after her premonition about Davon's performance). Once those were distributed, there were only a handful left for VIPs. Who gets dibs -- Mike Garrett or a tuba player?
Closer to tipoff, the Song Girls were also dis-invited (probably a first for most of them). UCLA reportedly had too much going on with its own spirit performances and sponsored promotions to allow USC's squad any time.
Obviously this, and UCLA's refusal to send its band to Galen Center, is a disappointing development in the great rivalry between these two schools. A number of people connected with USC and the Trojan Marching Band have expressed a desire to see the tradition restored quickly -- hopefully next season. Scott Wolf at the Daily News has been blogging a lot about this, and points out a number of other USC-UCLA traditions that have gotten the ax. In order to keep that list from growing, the ball's in UCLA's court.
The Department of Homecourt Security has released footage of Saturday's incident at the Galen Center.
USC's Mark Haas put together a video recap for USCTrojans.com (click here to watch for free) that shows some emotions flaring but nothing serious going down in the closing seconds of USC's victory over UCLA in women's basketball.
As reported earlier, there was a "fight" between the teams, but let's be careful not to exaggerate it.
To set the scene, USC dominated almost the entire game, but the Bruins came within a shot down the stretch. A hard foul led to the benches clearing, some shoving, and multiple ejections.
Perhaps "the good fight" is one that doesn't really happen.
Certainly the good news for the Women of Troy is a winning record in the Pac-10 (4-3), including key victories over national powerhouse Stanford and crosstown rival UCLA (their 6th straight against the Bruins). The latter came against a crowd of 8,545, the fourth largest in the program's history.
The Trojans' success continues to be impressive after the loss of their top freshman and sophomore to injuries. Imagine the men's team playing without O.J. Mayo and Taj Gibson. (Of course, the women's team gets more contribution from their upperclassmen.)
... and we're not talking about falling in the rankings (8th in the AP, 7th in the ESPN/USA Today poll ... USC jumped to 33 and 31, respectively). Two Bruins, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Lorenzo Mata-Real, suffered concussions in the first half against the Trojans this weekend. Here's how one of them happened. Also on YouTube:
After leaving Troy for Tennessee in 2005, Chow became a mentor to Vince Young. At least he was with USC alums Jeff Fisher (head coach), LenDale White (running back) and, eventually, Mike Williams (a wide receiver who is slowly morphing into a nose tackle).
The gunslinger guru is ultimately a hired gun. He'll saddle up next season at UCLA, again as an offensive coordinator.
Bruin Coach Rick Neuheisel wasn't able to steal linebacker coach (and UCLA alum) Ken Norton from the Trojans, but this one strikes a much deeper chord. Though USC is sure to maintain the party line ("we're taking it one game at a time" ... "they're a great team, he's a great coach"), the media will have a field day with the Carroll-Chow and Sarkisian-Chow "rivalry."
The Sarkisian angle is simple -- he worked under Chow for three years at USC, first as a graduate assistant and then two seasons as the quarterback coach. Now he's the Trojans offensive coordinator. The two will be compared, though they won't compete head-to-head.
The Carroll angle is a bit more complex. He aggressively pursued Chow as his first hire at USC, pushing the administration to free up enough money for the offensive mastermind. With Carroll as head coach, they partnered to win consecutive national championships -- Chow listed as offensive coordinator and Carroll listed as defensive coordinator. Nationally, both have been considered the best at their respective roles. Just a few years later, they will be pitted against each other with an intimate knowledge of how the other operates.
There's a temptation in Troy to get upset at UCLA for hiring from within the Trojan family, especially because Chow and Carroll reportedly didn't end on great terms. That's like mocking the Bruins for having gold as a team color. USC's no different. Besides having Norton on staff, the Trojans once tried to hire Knute Rockne away from Notre Dame. He respectfully declined, and famously suggested they go after Howard Jones.
It was just a few weeks ago that Chow was considered a candidate for UCLA's head coaching position. He won't exactly be taking a pay cut, thanks to his NFL severance. It really facilitated things when the Titans fired Chow. Had the timing been different, maybe he'd have wound up the head coach at Hawaii, which happens to be where he grew up.
At USC, Norm Chow was a man who enjoyed the simple pleasures (like watching Traveler gallop around the Coliseum), a man who was often portrayed as far more profound than eloquent, and a man who's brilliance transcended the complexity of his difficult profession. For Trojan fans, Yoda has joined the dark side.
[They] take their shots in the media, but they won't show up in court. … They don't want to see us in the courtroom. The lawyers are ducking and dodging us. The hangup is they don't want to give us their deposition. … But at the same time, they're doing interviews and making the media rounds? … It's like a trash talker on the field. If you're serious, meet me on the 50-yard line.
It's nice to see him finally respond, but that's it? Out of all the things he could say in response to a possibly-extorting-convicted-felon-turned-compensated-source, he complains about too much media exposure? (I'm not buying the "ducking and dodging" yet ... the legal system is slow.)
Let's look at this another way.
Bush is fully aware that his football value isn't limited to the field. Sports, especially the NFL, is a business. He's worth a lot more on TV and billboards than he is "on the 50-yard line." David Beckham could have taught him that while filming a commercial.
Bush will beat most people on a football field. He may very well beat Lake in court. But in the media field and court of public opinion (the same one that lines his pockets with multimillion-dollar endorsements), so far he's the only one choosing not to meet "on the 50-yard line."
While there's probably a team of attorneys telling him not to talk, the marketing execs at Adidas and Subway must be getting a little uneasy. Like the fans, they probably wouldn't mind closure, either.
So, Reggie, if you've got nothing to hide:
Find a reporter at Sundance (E!'s Laura Lane is on the scene -- she's a USC alum).
Flash your million-dollar smile.
Issue a firm denial that would make Roger Clemens look meek.
No matter what happens in two weeks, the Trojan Family will add some Super Bowl rings to the collection. Here's how USC alums fared in this weekend's NFL conference championships:
Steve Smith (WR - New York Giants) made two caches, of 14 and 11 yards, in a 23-20 OT victory in Green Bay.
Junior Seau (LB - New England) had six tackles and made the Pats' only sack in a 21-12 win over San Diego. Matt Cassell (QB - New England) didn't take a snap against New York, but will back up Tom Brady in the Super Bowl. He may become the first person to ever win a college national championship ring with an undefeated season AND a Super Bowl ring with an undefeated season (we haven't double-checked the undefeated Dolphins roster, though). He already holds the rare distinction of backing up two Heisman Trophy winners (Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart) and an NFL MVP (Tom Brady).
Norv Turner (Coach - San Diego) heads home after the Bolts ended a second straight season with a loss to the Patriots. Turner, in his first year in San Diego, oversaw an impressive turnaround that took the Chargers from 1-3 to 11-5. Including the postseason, they rode an eight-game winning streak into New England. To see how Turner's popularity changed throughout the season, click here.
Reserves Oscar Lua (LB - New England) and Manuel Wright (DT - New York) will probably enjoy a view of the Super Bowl from the sidelines.
In a game featuring a pair of strong defenses, USC prevailed by keeping the Bruins off the scoreboard for the final 2 minutes. They also held UCLA to a season-low 33.3% shooting from the field.
On the other end of the court, the Trojans shot a whopping 60.9%. While they played team ball in the 72-63 win, a lot of the focus will be on freshmen Davon Jefferson (25 points) and O.J. Mayo (16 points).
UCLA's Kevin Love turned in a solid performance that resulted in a double-double. The so-called "freshman rivalry" with Mayo never materialized for obvious reasons -- Russell Westbrook guarded Mayo while Taj Gibson tried to put the glove on Love.
In the locker room, everybody seemed to walk the party line ... "they're a great team" ... "this is a tough league" ... "every win is special" ... "it doesn't get easier from here " ... they were saying what they were supposed to. What weren't they saying? That this is finally a game for the Trojans to hang their hat on.
It is.
USC has now played up to the level of their competition in three huge contests. For Trojan fans, they won the one that counts. Next they'll go on the road to face the Oregon schools, where Tim Floyd is 4-0. Things are looking up in Troy.
Over on What's Bruin, Rich Perelman will be talking about everything from the decibel level at Pauley (which happened to be 112) to the reason why the Trojan Marching Band wasn't there to contribute to it. He's the scorekeeper for UCLA, but one stat he won't have ... the media swarmed O.J. Mayo in the locker room for over 20 minutes before he could even start his TV standups. Looks like he's getting the exposure he was after.
The second half is under way at Pauley. More running observations ...
Davon Jefferson is the key to this game if the Trojans win it. Outside of that missed alley-oop, he's been strong above the rim.
In the women's basketball game, UCLA just made a big comeback and is within a shot, 58-56, with a few minutes remaining. Lara Boyko is blogging it over on CSTV. Apparently there's a fight going on over there -- literally, between two players.
USC 44, UCLA 37? Fifteen minutes to play? They aren't slogging through it like they were in much of the first half, but I think both teams are still on pace for 20 turnovers.
Daniel Hackett picked up his fourth foul with 13:15 to play. That's a concern Ben Bolch pointed out this week. Right now, it looks like a major momentum changer for the Bruins.
The Bruins are back in the lead and the stands are shaking. The concrete stands. Talk about a home court advantage.
UCLA's range has suddenly improved.
The Bruins' Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is out with a concussion.
Go figure ... with about 8 minutes to play, USC's out-shooting UCLA, 57% to 37%.
After some frenzied transition game and a couple of turnovers, Mayo just threw it down to notch it up at 57 and take a little buzz out of the crowd. 5:19 left to play.
Across town, there've been four ejections. USC won that one, but we'll see what price both teams pay afterward.
USC's giving up a lot of second chances and needs to play better above the rim to pull this one off.
"After tonight, I don't think Davon Jefferson is getting benched any more this year." -- Beto Duran, ESPN 710
Holy cow ... USC's smelling an upset with less than a minute to play.
We've been giving a bunch of shout-outs today. Here's another good one ... USC alumnus Danny Page, Rob Tendick and Patrick Kinmartin recently started an Internet soccer radio show over on 101Soccer.com. They'll be hosting a tailgate today at the Home Depot Center where the U.S. National Team takes on Sweden at 5:30 p.m.
This is a "live" post, meaning it'll be updated as the first half goes with thoughts and observations on the USC-UCLA game going down right now at Pauley Pavilion ...
Rich Perelman, our UCLA blogger here at latimes.com, will have his periodic updates running from his courtside scorer's table. Click here to see what he's observing. (My seat? I'd call it the nose-bleed section, but there's not enough gravity here to support any blood flow).
Speaking of Rich, we did a call-in segment on John Walters' NBC Sports show this week. Check out my outlandish prediction.
Hint on my outlandish prediction: If this game is ugly and low-scoring, USC can pull it off. Five minutes in, that's what it looks like. If the score is high, USC just won't be in this one. Remember that these are probably the best two defensive teams in the Pac-10.
It's 11-11 with 11:11 to go in the first half. Both teams have taken some lame shots and coughed up the ball a couple of times.
Back across town, the Women of Troy are thumping the UCLA women's basketball team, 23-8.
USC fans are making less of an appearance at this game than USC's bench. That's almost an achievement.
Halfway through the first half, I think I'm more impressed with Kevin Love's shooting than his low post play.
O.J. Mayo drew a double-team and hit Keith Wilkinson cutting under the basket for a reverse. UCLA's been swarming on defense this whole game. If it keeps up like this, USC will have to keep the assists high and the turnovers low -- something they've struggled with all season.
It's not as low-scoring as I thought it would need to be for USC, but with under 3 minutes it's tied -- again, it's been a little sloppy. UCLA's shooting from beyond the arc could definitely be described that way. Not that USC is better.
Both teams have now missed a wide open dunk. Warning to all future players: Do not study Kwame Brown film. USC's miss was at least a little acrobatic, as Davon Jefferson missed an alley-oop even though he got his hands on the ball.
Dwight Lewis scored in transition to pull USC within one, 32-31, at the half (it was still 29-29 with a minute to go). Looks like his hand isn't bothering him.
UCLA is the best one-loss team in the nation, if not the best, period. At this early stage, they're a #1 seed in the Big Dance. The Vegas lines aren't out yet, but they will be soon. When they are, USC will be a dog on the road at Pauley Pavilion.
Let's just say the Trojans have a puncher's chance. Both teams pride themselves on defense, which means the game could be within a couple of shots down the stretch. If USC does win, it'll edge the Trojans back on the national scene and give the program a landmark win for the season.
Westwood will hibernate for the winter (March Madness is spring in my book).
What's nice for USC is that it has nothing to lose. Before the season, this was supposed to be THE game, sending Trojan-Bruin hoops toward the ranks of Tar Heel-Blue Devil. Now that Pac-10 play has started, the stakes just aren't that high. Even the heralded freshman showdown of Kevin Love and O.J. Mayo should prove uneventful. They'll only match up on the scorecard -- one's a guard, the other's a center (at least at the college level).
If USC loses this game, they'll have fallen to a top team on the road, early in Pac-10 play. Yawn. That leaves 13 games to eek out a few wins in the nation's toughest conference and walk backward into the NCAA Tournament. Remember Arizona State? The Sun Devils were picked ninth in the Pac-10 media poll. They're currently ranked 22nd in the nation.
UCLA, on the other hand, will prove nothing by winning. By losing, the Bruins would take a hit in the rankings and face an emotional letdown of losing to a team they know they should have beaten.
Look at it this way, 'SC fans ... this is how non-delusional Bruin fans feel in the fall. Try to enjoy the ride, and celebrate like crazy if the Trojans pull off an upset.
We've had a lot of great discussion about the Reggie Bush book, but one recent comment caught my eye that put a different perspective on things, and I don't want Steven Smith's insight to get lost in the shuffle:
The proper historical analogy is Jim Thorpe. Thorpe was stripped of his two gold medals for playing semipro baseball, which in 1912 was the moral equivalent of a college athlete receiving an under-the-table payment. In time, the IOC had a change of heart, and Thorpe was eventually given his medals back, some three decades after his death. It would tarnish the credibility of the Heisman Trophy if the Downtown Athletic Club were to make the malum prohibitum regulations of the NCAA a criteria for whether someone was the best college football player in the country.
A number of other people discussed the concept of amateurism and there were some grumblings about how schools profit off of NCAA athletes. Thorpe is the first example I've heard of in which prevailing attitudes changed. Though the scale of Thorpe's compensation was small compared with what is alleged in the Bush case (and in an environment in which he might not have understood the offense), it'll be interesting to see what people think in a few decades ... or whenever athletes are allowed to drive school-issued flying cars.
Marc Isenberg also has some interesting criticisms in his blog, Money Players:
The book relies heavily on secretly taped conversations that took place between Lake and Bush and Lake and Bush's stepfather, LaMar Griffin. Yaeger on the tapes: "Frankly, without the tapes, I don't think you do this book." Under California Penal Code 632 it is a crime to record a conversation without all other parties' consent.
I'm not a lawyer, I'm not interpreting the law, and I'm not accusing Lake of a crime (I'd probably have to take a number, anyway). Isenberg's blog contains more discussion about some loopholes, but that was something that made me go, "hmmmmm."
The Trojans are leading the Bruins, 25-10, in this year's Lexus Gauntlet, but a lot of points are on the line this weekend. USC will host the UCLA's women's basketball team on Saturday in the Galen Center, while across town the Bruin men welcome the Trojans to Pauley Pavilion.
If you want to get involved in your own way, they're giving away a two-year lease on a Lexus IS 250 for the best YouTube video that captures the spirit of the rivalry.
USC junior Amy Rodriguez will miss a few classes to start this semester. Hopefully her professors will understand. Actually, as an international relations major, maybe she should be getting extra credit.
Rodriguez is currently in Guangzhou, China, where she scored two goals and picked up an assist against Canada in the Four Nations Tournament. It was the first time she hit the back of the net for the U.S. women's national soccer team. It was also her first start (sixth cap overall), and she played the full 90 minutes. Looks like Coach Ali's emphasis on fitness is paying off.
Sports Illustrated's Peter King on the idea of Pete Carroll going to the Atlanta Falcons (owned by Arthur Blank):
If Pete Carroll ever gets to second base with Arthur Blank, I'm turning in my sportswriter's license. I give up. I will be ... well, let's see. What is the word beyond "shocked?'' Um, whatever that is, that's what I'll be.
For more of his "Ten Things I Think I Think," click here.
KTLA recently did a five-minute profile of Percy Miller, a/k/a Romeo, and his plans on going to USC. There's nothing groundbreaking here, but the hype continues to build ...
Former USC football head coach Larry Smith has passed away. He was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 1999.
Don't take candy from strangers.
USC will face the Oregon Ducks this weekend in 
Football is over, so it's safe for Bruin nation to come out of its cave.
USC junior Amy Rodriguez will miss a few classes to start this semester. Hopefully her professors will understand. Actually, as an international relations major, maybe she should be getting extra credit.