Tommy Trojan feeling blue -- victim of classic prank

While the cat's away the mice will play.

With thousands of USC students on their annual Bay Area pilgrimage (the football team is playing Stanford this weekend), pranksters doused the school's iconic Tommy Trojan in blue paint.

Formally known as the Trojan Shrine, the lifesize bronze statue has previously fallen victim to paint (and worse) during the week before the football game against crosstown rival UCLA. In response, Tommy is traditionally wrapped in duct tape several days before that game and an organization called Trojan Knights stands vigil.

There was no 24-hour guard this weekend. Tommy was pretty lonely, but he wasn't blue until he had an unexpected visitor.

Few details are known at this time. It appears the incident occurred late Friday night or early Saturday morning. Considering the colors, suspicion will immediately point to Westwood. USC plays UCLA in the Rose Bowl on Dec. 6.

School officials rushed to have Tommy cleaned up on Saturday morning. They can't be too pleased, but a good prank can always help keep the rivalry spirited. At least once in a blue moon.

-- Adam Rose
Photo by Lauren

Comments

[Krunch]

Check out last night's TommyCam (http://web-app.usc.edu/tommycam/capture/mpg_fin/ss/2008111504.mpg). It happened at 4:01am. If you go frame-by-frame, you can see the idiot in the middle of throwing the paint.

[Sandy]

The non-ranked Bruins are apparently feeling very Blue weeks before the Trojans deface and humiliate them on their own turf!

[Bernadette]

UCLA IS DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO THE ROSE BOWL.

EVER.
It's a big name.
BUT IT'S NOT. THE ROSE BOWL.

[Bruin]

When it says "In the Rose Bowl," it means in the "Rose Bowl," as in the Stadium that UCLA owns and plays in. Not the Bowl Game that is played in said stadium on January 1.

[03Bruin]

I want a picture for my office!!