Hot links are on an irregular schedule due to travel. Enjoy this weekend edition. Another one will be up on Tuesday morning. General posting should be slow until Monday evening ...
"I didn't know whether to take it as a compliment or an insult," Maualuga, chuckling, told The Times' Gary Klein.
Here's a scarier thought for USC fans:
Despite being regarded as first-round pick in the 2009 NFL draft, the NFL grapevine has been rife with gossip that Maualgua was wavering on his decision to return for his senior season and was considering leaving USC to enter the supplemental draft in July.
Maualuga told Klein that friends and relatives had suggested the possibility.
"All that is talk," he said. "No matter what people say, I'm here for good and I'm going to graduate on time next spring. I came back for a reason and I'll definitely be at training camp."
I was on the Dave Dameshek show yesterday (710 ESPN) talking about the Dodgers at Wrigley, Indy 500, burgers, and, of course, the Petition for Tradition. In case you missed it, click here to find out about this noble cause. By signing the petition, you're showing support to return to the days when both USC and UCLA wore home jerseys for their annual football matchup, allowing for a rare spectacle of cardinal vs. powder blue. Pete Carroll and Rick Neuheisel are on board ... are you?
Rey Maualuga is getting a lot of preseason hype, and many consider him to be the top linebacker in college football next season. He won the 2008 Rose Bowl Defensive MVP award, but opposing teams can't afford to forget that he lines up with the man who won the same award in 2007. Brian Cushing is featured with Maualuga on USC's 2008 team schedule (above), and Cushing also makes the cover of this year's Phil Steele's 2008 College Football Preview (after the jump)
Former USC basketball players O.J. Mayo and Davon Jefferson completed their freshman year coursework in good standing, according to associate athletic director Magdi El Shahawy, meaning the Trojans will probably be spared further scholarship losses.
USC lost two scholarships and was issued a formal warning last year after achieving a four-year academic progress rate of 863, which was below the NCAA's minimum acceptable threshold of 925. Barring any transfers, El Shahawy said the school's next four-year average could rise significantly because every player expected to return next season remained academically eligible.
Even though they declared for the NBA draft, Mayo and Jefferson will not hurt the Trojans' APR scores because they are eligible for the NCAA's pro sport retention waiver.
UCLA's Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and USC's Davon Jefferson have been assigned to Team 6 at the Orlando NBA Pre-Draft camp.
Also on Team 6 are: Brian Butch of Wisconsin, Joey Dorsey of Memphis, George Hill of IUPUI, Joseph Jones of Texas A&M, Marcelus Kemp of Nevada, Shaun Pruitt of Illinois, Sean Singletary of Virginia, and Mike Taylor of Idaho and the NBA D-League.
The team's coach is David Fizdale, a Los Angeles native, a member of the all-West Coast Conference team while a player at San Diego, has been an assistant coach at Fresno State and with the Golden State Warriors, among other places.
-- via Diane Pucin, whose full story will be on latimes.com later tonight --
The Women of Troy claimed a national championship heading into Memorial Day weekend in Albuquerque, taking home the school's second-ever title in women's golf.
USC overcame some wild weather to finish with a six-stroke lead over cross-town rival UCLA, though there was little doubt of the outcome on the back nine of the final round.
"Back in December, we had a party for the team and I had a cake made that said, 'Believe in the Dream,' " head coach Andrea Gaston recalled. "I told them throughout the season to believe in the dream. We talked about it all year long. And it came true. It's incredible." After the tournament, Gaston was named NGCA coach of the year.
The NCAA title is the school's 86th overall (excluding football), good for a comfortable third place in college sports history. The Women of Troy have 13 of those championships. Thanks to the success of soccer and golf, they should take sole possession of 8th place on the all-time list at the end of this year.
Rivals has started a new power ranking of coaches, which apparently will be updated each week during the season. Pete Carroll is #1 to start the year. [Rivals]
Amid a controversy over potential NCAA violations and possible extra benefits, O.J. Mayo is doing what he's always done: staying focused, working hard and being a nice guy. Check out this video to hear from Mayo and the man who's training him in Chicago.
Kansas State assistant basketball coach Brad Underwood caused a stir when he told a local Rotary Club meeting that O.J. Mayo wanted to play for the Wildcats, but was shot down by then-head coach Bob Huggins. Mayo's best friend, Bill Walker, played for K-State last season and announced that he will join Mayo as an early entrant in the upcoming NBA draft. Huggins, Walker and Mayo are all originally from West Virginia.
Underwood today indicated that Mayo was saying up to the last minute that he wanted to come to K-State to be with Huggins because of their long ties. Huggins, though, said, "We're not going to take you. You'll never pass," in reference to NCAA amateur clearinghouse rules.
"So it's no surprise that this is coming out now," Underwood said of the scandal. "We knew it."
The irony is that "nothing's going to happen to O.J. Mayo," Underwood said. "It's becoming Southern Cal's problem."
Kansas State spokesman Tom Gilbert issued the following statement,
Neither Kansas State, nor anyone who has been employed by the university, has firsthand knowledge of any improprieties in the recruitment of O.J. Mayo. In his speech to the Rotary group, assistant coach Brad Underwood was speaking in generalities about his recruitment by K-State. We are unaware of any specific instances of NCAA violations involving Mr. Mayo.
Neither Underwood nor Wildcats head coach Frank Martin were available for comment.
I hope everybody's having a great holiday weekend. I had limited battery life while camping at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but I'm back inside a real building now and am putting some posts together (Hot Links will be postponed until Tuesday).
Remember that noon (12 p.m. Pacific, 3 p.m. Eastern) is the official national moment of remembrance. It's a great time to kick off the summer, but sometimes it feels like we might forget why this is "a day off." I got to spend the weekend with a close friend who is serving in the Navy, and he said one of the best things you can do to support our troops is to give blood. Bases frequently hold blood drives, and the Air Force has a base near LAX (USC also has a donation program). That will help ensure that more of our young men and women get to be honored on Veterans Day instead of Memorial Day.
Thanks, peace, and respect to those we have lost at war and to those who continue to serve (including USC ROTC programs).
Photo (via Flickr) by Jim Hinnant, 401st Army Field Support Brigade Public Affairs, taken this morning in Kuwait.
USC alum Troy Polamalu has experienced success in the NFL, but he's also struggled to return from injury. Instead of getting back on track by lifting heavy weights, he's doing the opposite. Check out this video as he explains his alternative training philosophy.
"It probably works for him because he's sold on it, and that's part of it," [Coach Mike] Tomlin said this week. "The reality is he's recovering from an injury, he's unable to participate in organized team activities, so it provides an opportunity for him to do what he feels good about."
Polamalu is being trained by fellow USC alum Marv Marinovich. Yes, the one who trained his son Todd to be the perfect quarterback. No, that had nothing to do with the Ricky Williams comment.
Conquest Chronicles is a great USC blog that lends perspective on what's happening in Troy. It's part of a network called SB Nation and recently got a face-lift, making improvements to its functionality. I've been meaning to give the changes a big thumbs up. While I'm at it, I'd like to call attention to a recent post.
One of its contributors, DC Trojan, came up with yet another potential solution to the dysfunctional relationship between the NCAA and NBA (and NFL). I think it's noteworthy that a lot of people in the blogosphere have been coming up with productive, creative ways to address the shortcomings of the current system:
One way in which the NBA and the NFL can help is to institute central oversight of rookie contracts, with rookies represented by contract lawyers from a pool pre-qualified by the leagues. Players can hire an agent for endorsement purposes only after they have completed their contract with the team that drafted them. Agents who are caught attempting to circumvent these league rules become a reason for sanctions on the players who use them - in other words, Ornstein screws up under this rule, the veterans who use him are fined $10,000 a week until they break their relationship with him.
That might not fix everything and there are some feasibility questions on this one (including the NBA players union's role, which is addressed in the post), but it's ideas like this that need to jump from message boards to board rooms.
O.J. Mayo has cut ties with his agent, Calvin Andrews of BDA. [LA Times]
The head of the NBA Players Assn. recuses himself from the Mayo case because of his own ties to BDA. [CNBC]
If you're looking for more insight, Marc Isenberg writes a blog covering money in sports. He raises some interesting points about the Mayo case. [Money Players]
Stephen A. Smith says runners aren't going anywhere, and you shouldn't be upset. [ESPN The Magazine]
Chad Ford thinks that if Chicago takes Derrick Rose, Miami might take Mayo with the second pick of the draft. [ESPN Insider, subscription required]
Football: BCS+WWL=USC
Of the top 10 coaching moves in BCS history, Pete Carroll was behind No. 2 and No. 7. [ESPN]
Of the top 10 BCS champs, USC's 2004 squad sits at No. 2. [ESPN]
Ted Miller does a Pac-10 version of the BCS best-ofs. [ESPN]
The judge in the Reggie Bush case has "warned attorneys for both sides that she was losing patience with their quarreling." [LA Times]
A new tailgating policy will be in effect at football games next year. [WeAreSC]
The season finale of "American Idol" featured an appearance by the USC Song Girls and Trojan Marching Band, backing up what otherwise might have been the most painful performance in "American Idol" history. "I Am Your Brother" is sung by Reynaldo Lapuz, though maybe it shouldn't be.
I don't watch the show much, but I do remember seeing Lapuz audition and torment Simon Cowell. I'm amazed they reprised it. If you enjoy train wrecks, you can't miss the video after the jump. Also, if you're an "American Idol" junkie, check out the coverage on our Show Tracker blog.
It's almost four months until the Trojans' next home game, but the grounds crew at the Coliseum is already working hard to ensure that the field is immaculate when USC plays Ohio State on Sept. 13.
The turf is getting a complete overhaul, and it's not as simple as sprinkling some seeds or firing up the lawnmower. Among the steps being taken this week and next:
107,000+ square feet of Bermuda grass was removed and transplanted in different parts of Exposition Park.
All sprinklers are being replaced to ensure consistent irrigation.
Field drain lines (which run north/south every 5 yards) will be inspected and cleared if necessary.
Storm drain lines (along the periphery walls) will be inspected and cleared if necessary.
The field will be rototilled to remove inconsistencies (like compaction) and start with a clean slate.
A laser-grade will be used to ensure consistency of the field's crown.
Sod will be laid and rolled. That's a three- or four-day process to ensure it makes proper contact with the field and leaves no gaps.
And you thought your summer lawn maintenance was tough!
Still bitter that USC got left out of the national championship game in January 2005? In retrospect, it was still the biggest BCS slight of the decade. [ESPN]
Here's a Vegas-style analysis of USC's national title chances. Be forewarned, the language is R-rated. Though there are a couple of errors (some self-admitted), it's still interesting to think about the odds. [Money Line Journal]
Chad Ford says watching DeMar DeRozan is like stumbling into a diamond mine. "From what I saw in roughly an hour, he's the real thing. Playing against college veterans three to four years older than him, he was dominant. He already has a pro body and a very smooth offensive game. He reminds me a lot of Dwyane Wade." [ESPN Insider, subscription required]
ESPN is on a quest to name the "Face of the Program" for college football teams around the nation. They ask, "Is it that fabled coach? A legendary player? A memorable play? A unique mascot?"
Some of the suggestions that have come up for USC:
TrojanTV All Access and USCRipsIt have put together another fun video, this one done by Mark Haas. It features Pete Carroll doing a "Jay-walking" bit around campus. Enjoy!
In 1995, running back Shawn Walters looked like the next big thing from Tailback U. The USC junior had led the team in rushing as a freshman and sophomore and appeared to have serious pro potential. But that September allegations emerged that Walters accepted as much as $16,000 in extra benefits. Walters insisted that he was innocent but did pay $3,400 in restitution and was suspended for parts of the 1995 and 1996 seasons. Years later, he maintained that it destroyed his career.
"That stigma from SC was following me," he told the L.A. Times in 2006. "I don't think anybody wanted to deal with something like that."
Much like the allegations against O.J. Mayo and Reggie Bush, the allegations surrounding Walters had a link back to a potential agent. Robert Troy Caron, an attorney from Ventura, founded Pro Manage Sports Agency in the hopes of representing clients like Walters -- but his company's tactics came under fire.
When USC officials determined that Walters received $9,000 from Pro Manage, they took the "unprecedented" step of suing the agency "alleging Pro Manage had interfered with the school's contractual relations with its athletes and had interfered with prospective business advantages for the university."
The case was "quickly settled" for $50,000 (coincidentally, the maximum penalty for damages allowed under state law -- unless actual damages were higher).
An educational institution is presumed to be adversely affected by the acts of an athlete agent or of an athlete agent's representative or employee in violation of this chapter if, because of those acts, the educational institution, or one or more student athletes admitted to or enrolled in the educational institution, is suspended or disqualified from participation in one or more interscholastic or intercollegiate athletic events ... or suffers financial damage, or suffers both suspension or disqualification and financial damage.
The same code also allows for the individual athletes to sue. Obviously this isn't legal advice, just more food for thought.
[All quotes (except for the state code) are from an article called "A Bush Precedent" by Gary Klein that ran in the LA Times on Friday, Oct. 13, 2006.]
Unless you're really obsessive about sports media, you may be unaware of Le Anne Schreiber, who serves as ESPN's ombudsman. She's sort of like a reader's representative who works on the inside, trying to the keep the World Wide Leader in check. Something stood out to me in her latest column as she wrote about the O.J. Mayo story that aired on the network's "Outside the Lines":
It was a breakthrough report, impeccably researched, and it is likely to provoke further inquiry into the too-cozy relationship between NCAA basketball programs and the rogue agents chomping to get an early hold on players expected to reap hefty pro contracts after they reach the NBA-mandated age requirement.
No complaints here. The report appears to be exemplary journalism.
Then she addressed an interview with Miguel Tejada that led to the MLB star walking out with the cameras rolling:
Many viewers also took it hard, objecting not to ESPN's uncovering the lie, but to the way it was exposed in a face-to-face interview, with cameras rolling as Tejada, after being asked to state his age, was presented with a birth certificate from the Dominican Republic proving he was two years older than he had just claimed. "Can't you ...?" asked a flustered Tejada, looking at the camera and making a scissors gesture with his fingers. When the questions kept coming, he disentangled himself from the microphone wires and walked out of the interview.
Viewers who wrote me called the interview "sleazy," "sneaky" and "distasteful."
ESPN also approached Mayo with the cameras rolling -- as he walked out of his final news conference as a Trojan. The two situations aren't identical: Mayo is famously difficult to contact and ESPN did not make that a centerpiece of its report. Still, ESPN had Mayo's cellphone number (it was on that bill apparently paid for by Rodney Guillory) and I wonder how much of an effort was made to allow him to respond before the report aired. Mayo has repeatedly said he was surprised by the allegations; ESPN said he declined to comment before the airing of the show.
This isn't to say anything was done incorrectly. I just wanted to point out that this profession isn't always as easy as reporting scores and records. Like the title says ... food for thought.
Menelaus (I presume named after the king of Greece who fought Troy) has compiled a lengthy list of allegations against USC. The comment section gets a little spicy, and it was picked up by Deadspin. [Bruins Nation]
I've said it before and I'll say it again ... the case that O.J. Mayo got caught with his hand in the cookie jar appears to be strong.
Despite a very earnest and categorical denial Wednesday, there's a long way to go before Mayo can be cleared. To me, the biggest sticking point is that Andy Katz (ESPN) called Mayo on his cellphone, and the bill for that number was apparently paid for by a credit card under Rodney Guillory's name. That seems pretty incriminating, though I'd still love to see those documents released.
Regardless of how this plays out -- even if he took more than $30,000 in extra benefits -- I'd like to be the first one to say that O.J. Mayo is really a great kid.
Except I'm not. Not even close. Reporter after reporter, columnist after columnist, coach after coach, has gone on the record to say that O.J. Mayo is poised, respectful and seems to have great character.
Despite this apparent blemish, all the hype holds true.
If there's one thing that people should take away from today's article it's these two lines:
Mayo had just completed his last school final when he paused to speak to a reporter.
Following the interview, Mayo slipped into a new red Porsche Cayenne GTS with two friends and drove off, saying he was headed to Chicago for workouts in advance of next month's NBA draft.
A Porsche. A posse. Why would O.J. Mayo bother taking a freshman class final? A promise.
A couple of months ago, I heard Mayo reiterate his pledge to Coach Tim Floyd that he would finish the semester. He didn't have to. Heck, the year before three players just stopped going to class.
But that wasn't like Mayo. He finished up, even though technically nothing could make him -- except himself.
That says something about this young man.
It also speaks volumes about the situation that surrounded him. As a high school player, he was 12 months from his first shiny red Porsche. In the interim, USC sold No. 32 basketball jerseys in the bookstore for $75. To put that in perspective, the store sold a football jersey for $15 less -- and it actually came with sleeves.
Mayo was also paid an NCAA-approved monthly stipend of $450 (or six jerseys) and he was expected to keep his nose clean. Maybe that wasn't enough. Maybe the NBA should have let him in earlier or threatened to punish rookies who break these sorts of rules.
There's a great story that Mayo once declined a free cookie because it might be an NCAA violation. But if you give a mouse a cookie ...
Turns out the USC compliance officers are having an easy week -- they could be at Alabama State. The NCAA hammered the school on 40 violations involving athlete grade changes without the knowledge of their professors. The sad part? That means it probably can't even count the remaining 628 violations. You didn't misread that. [USA Today]
About a month ago the USC football program* released a goofy video featuring tight end coach Brennan Carroll (Pete's son) putting prospective walk-ons through the paces and hamming it up. Initial reaction was either positive or mildly perplexed. Apparently opinions headed south and now the program has decided to yank it off of YouTube. That follows allegations that Rick Neuheisel used it to recruit against USC and Deadspin's blasting the video. A lot was made over the use of profanity, which we all know is prohibited in footba ... wait. Nevermind.
Humor is very subjective. Most of this stuff is targeted to recruits and I doubt that's who was complaining. This particular video was full of absurdity, with delivery varying from deadpan to eccentric. Here are a few actual lines from the video and who I could picture saying them:
Peter Griffin: "Whistle! Whistle! Whistle! Good. I don't have a whistle. I just say whistle."
Dr. Gregory House: When told they don't have enough stopwatches to do two drills at once: "We don't need 'em. I'll do it in my head."
Denny Crane: "I don't necessarily need to check my watch to know it's time to go."
Eric Cartman (or perhaps said to him): "This is dog wosh. Those shorts are way too tight for you. Way too tight on the shorts."
Michael Scott: When asked if there were any prospects: "Zero. But they could all make it."
My guess is that there's some sort of generation gap. I wonder if people upset about the video could identify at least two of these five characters. Then again, Deadspin and Gutty Little Bruins both skew toward the right demographic, and neither one liked it. Obviously if you don't like (or get) the humor, Brennan Carroll might look like a pretty big jerk. And profanity, although beeped, might not be appropriate for younger recruits. So ... what say you?
* The video was produced by TrojanTV All Access and released on PeteCarroll.com and USCRipsIt.com.
The O.J. Mayo situation continues to evolve and has left people with a lot of questions. Over the coming weeks I'll try to break down the situation with an ever-evolving F.A.Q. (frequently asked questions). This is version 1.0. If you're in a rush, I'll boil my opinion down to one sentence:
O.J. Mayo broke the rules and Tim Floyd had better start explaining things.
I'm working on a post called O.J. F.A.Q. 1.0, which will go up soon. In the meantime, here's a clip of me trying to put some perspective on the whole O.J. Mayo situation.
Thanks to "First Take" for having me on this morning. I think I swapped a "Rodney" for "Ronald." I also want to be clear that everything at this stage is a Star Jones special: "allegedly." I used the term a few times but I probably could have used it more. Regardless, I think some of the ESPN discoveries about alleged extra benefits are practically irrefutable. More on that in the FAQ.
There have been a lot of headaches this off season in college hoops. Regardless of how many individuals are at fault, one institution lacking control is the NBA.
A few years ago the suits at the NBA were concerned about their image. Hello, dress code! I have no idea what that solved, but they still haven't adequately addressed a fundamental problem -- one with a bigger influence on how they develop players to represent the league.
The NBA and their farm system the NCAA have a dysfunctional relationship. In a league in which some players have a bad reputation for baby-mama drama, the organization responsible for the league's diaper dandies has been left downright impotent.
Earlier this week I tried to explain to a friend why Nick Young, Gabe Pruitt and Lodrick Stewart bolted for the NBA before finishing their semester at USC in spring 2007 -- costing the school two scholarships.
"Why couldn't they punish the players?" she asked.
I pointed out that no sanction leveled by USC or the NCAA would affect them. As pros, they were already ineligible to play in college. Taking away their scholarships has zero effect because they make six or seven figures per year in the NBA. Plus what are the odds they really want to finish school?
She mused that it's too bad the NBA can't punish them.
Four days later I was telling her why USC and the NCAA had no practical recourse against O.J. Mayo for allegedly receiving $30,000 in illicit benefits.
Again, she mused that it's too bad the NBA can't punish him.
Again, she was right.
The NBA should punish rookies who fail to meet the most basic off-court expectations.
Ronnie Lott is in the news, and not just because his dealership is tied to the O.J. Mayo controversy. He's actually quite the humanitarian. [SJ Mercury News]
If you have ESPN Insider, Chad Ford says Mayo's stock has been on the rise because of what he did on the court and because of his character off of it. Hmmmm. [ESPN Insider]
There was only one team No. 3 USC couldn't beat this year in women's water polo. After upsetting No. 2 Stanford for the second tournament semifinal in a row, the Trojans suffered their fourth loss to UCLA this season. This one was in the national championship game.
Earlier I mentioned that the written statement released by O.J. Mayo didn't sound like O.J. Mayo. However, these quotes seem a lot more natural:
"I don't know anything about it. It caught me by surprise. I've got to get to L.A. to see what's going on. I'm just focusing on the draft."
"I had no knowledge of anything like that. I'll find our more when I meet with Mr. Duffy and Mr. [Calvin] Andrews [of BDA]," Mayo said.
When asked specifically if he received any money from Guillory, Mayo said, "No sir, I did not receive any money from Calvin or Rodney or anything. It all caught me by surprise."
"I would just like to know if I did [get money] where did the money go. I was a struggling college student like everyone else. I bicycled to class. The truth will come out, even though the perception is reality."
I've been around Mayo on quite a few occasions, though always in some sort of basketball arena. He's very composed. He strikes me as a good kid. It's entirely possible that he's wrongfully getting his name dragged through the mud.
At the same time, ESPN was very diligent in its reporting, going so far as to check with employees at clothing stores that Mayo allegedly frequented. USC has had previous bad experiences with Guillory. There's a lot of investigating yet to be done.
A big "Happy Mother's Day!" to all USC moms out there.
If you're on a computer reading this right now, you should probably be calling your mom instead (don't forget grandmas, wives, moms-to-be, etc.). I know you have time today -- Hallmark didn't set this holiday outside of football season for nothing!
And to my mom ... Thanks for everything, I love you!
ESPN is reporting that O.J. Mayo received about $30,000 in improper benefits during his time at USC. Allegedly, the agency he signed with after leaving USC, Bill Duffy Associates Sports Management, has been funneling him money for years through a close friend named Rodney Guillory. A former member of O.J.'s posse, Louis Johnson, is now spilling his guts after being estranged from the inner circle since March.
When Mayo was in high school in Ohio and West Virginia, Guillory was receiving monthly payments from the Northern California sports agency Bill Duffy Associates. Johnson said BDA provided Guillory with around $200,000 before Mayo arrived at USC, and that Guillory used most of the money to support his own lifestyle but also gave a portion of it to Mayo.
In exchange for the payments and gifts, Mayo entered into a verbal agreement to allow BDA represent him when he turned pro, Johnson told "Outside the Lines."
Providing athletes with money or other benefits is a violation, according to NCAA rules. In California, it's a misdemeanor for sports agents and their representatives to provide cash or gifts to student-athletes.
Johnson supplied expense receipts and money transfer orders to corroborate his account. Johnson seems to be the only one talking, but you can see statements from everybody else in the video above. After the jump is a video from ESPN's "Outside the Lines," which aired the story Sunday morning after a four-month investigation.
In August 2007, a few days before the fall semester began at the University of Southern California, freshman basketball guard O.J. Mayo decided he needed some new clothes for school. His friends, Louis Johnson and Rodney Guillory, picked him up in Guillory's black Infiniti SUV and soon they were at a mall in Carson, Calif., picking out thousands of dollars of clothing.
The story goes on to talk about a flat screen TV, cellphones, meals and airline tickets.
To recap, a high school in Utah changed its name to the USC Trojans and has the same colors as and a similar mascot to the University of Southern California. So the university busted out its finest rendition of "Homey don't play dat" (anybody remember Homey The Clown?). According to the Salt Lake Tribune, "Utah Southvalley Community Private School ... confirmed Friday that it received notice from USC Thursday regarding the trademark issue."
Take a look at the high school's logo (above right).... Where have I seen those interlocking letters before?
Among the highlights of the story:
The school's owner (technically "president of the Board of Trustees," but the principal told me "owner") claims to be related to Priam, the king of ancient Troy. He told the Tribune, "I'd be happy to give you that lineage.... I've got a nice little chart going all the way back."
Parents are upset because the school apparently changed its mission "from helping autistic students to greater emphasis on athletics."
As of last summer, the school was called Woodland Hills High School
The school's owner defended having similar names, noting that there is another USC--the University of South Carolina.
That last one is amusing, because a few months ago the University of South Carolina (originally called SC College) reportedly changed the pigment used in their officially licensed merchandise -- realizing they didn't have a very distinct brand. That was also around the time they did a study revealing that people in their own region associated "USC" with Southern California.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: USC has a very strict graphic identity program. Still, they may see some benefit in having namesake high schools. It's working fine for Notre Dame (though last year some of the high schools might have been able to beat the university).
I was a little nebulous before when using "graduation rate" in relation to the APR, so here's some more information:
"An APR of 925 projects to an NCAA Graduation Success Rate of approximately 60 percent." -- NCAA
"An APR score of 925 correlates to an expected graduation rate of approximately 50 percent, using the federal graduation rate methodology." -- NCAA
Turns out there are two commonly used formulas. Unlike the federal rate, the Graduation Success Rate accounts for transfers into an institution or those who leave in good academic standing (including those who leave for the pros but are academically eligible to return).
The NCAA believes that the GSR is a more accurate, and that seems like a fair assessment. Even the best student would be pretty dumb to turn down an NBA lottery selection.
A few months ago I said that USC's women's soccer team was the most under-appreciated team in the land of Troy. Then it won the national championship.
I wasn't as prescient this month.
The USC-UCLA track and field dual meet used to be one of the hottest tickets in town. The two programs have won 42 national championships in the sport between them. From what I gather, fans used to be hanging onto fences to watch the sold-out event. Nowadays, the most expensive ticket costs less than two gallons of gas. The meet is obviously a better deal.
Last week I mentioned that the USC-UCLA meet was coming up, but even after it ended Saturday it took me several days to realize what a great event it was for purists.
Sports are as entertaining as ever -- if not more so -- but they certainly aren't pure. Drug scandals have torn the heart out of baseball, track and field, and cycling. The Olympics, once an adequate reason to halt wars and ignore all differences, are being hijacked by special interests. Even sports journalism is getting uglier with Luddite buffoonery (see: Bissinger, Buzz).
Stat geeks have had plenty of fun since the NCAA issued an Academic Progress Report this week. Check out this list of USC sports in order of APR (based on an average of the last four years). Remember that a perfect score is 1,000 and a 50% graduation rate equates to a 925. USC had two perfect scores and one that was, well, dismal.
USC-bound shooting guard DeMar DeRozan took the SAT for a second time Saturday and should receive his results in a few weeks, Compton High Coach Tony Thomas said Wednesday evening.
"He said he's confident and feels good about everything," Thomas said. "Hopefully, it works out."
Thomas said DeRozan described his first SAT score as "right there" as far as giving him the necessary standardized test score for entry into USC, but the 6-foot-6 senior took the test again in the event that he fares poorly during his final high school semester and needs a higher SAT score on the NCAA's sliding eligibility scale.
DeRozan is scheduled to graduate June 12 and should know his final grades by then, Thomas said.
Despite some skepticism on Internet forums, a school official confirmed that a USC championship ring that surfaced on EBay "appears" to be the real deal. Although nobody at USC or the LA Times would be able to actually vouch for its authenticity, the seller is offering a 200% money-back guarantee. There are a few oddities though, like a mention that the ring came from an LSU player (probably an error from copy/pasting another eBay listing). You can buy it now for $7,500.
Part of the confusion comes from fans noticing that the ring on EBay doesn't match this photo essay done on WeAreSC.com. It turns out sometimes schools give rings, sometimes the bowl, and sometimes both.
The main ring on EBay, which features a black stone, appears to be the one issued by the Orange Bowl. USC issued one with a red stone. Photos of different styles are featured in the EBay ad, and may be just for comparison purposes -- or possibly not the actual ring so as to protect the original recipient's identity. If you're in the market, ask a few questions before plunking down that much cash. Caveat emptor.
The Women of Troy claimed a national championship heading into Memorial Day weekend in Albuquerque, taking home the school's second-ever title in women's golf.
ESPN is on a quest to name the "Face of the Program" for college football teams around the nation. They ask, "Is it that fabled coach? A legendary player? A memorable play? A unique mascot?"
About a month after we 
