Ever wonder what it's like to see the Rose Bowl from the perspective of a B-2 pilot making a flyover?
Maybe this will help.
Photographer Mark Holtzman of West Coast Aerial Photography took this stunning shot from a Turbo Cessna 206 that was flying 4,300 feet over the Rose Bowl. Fellow pilot Larry Rogers held the plane steady while he shot, and they remained in constant communication with the FAA to avoid restricted airspace around the stealth bomber.
More aerial photos can be seen on Mark's website and in an upcoming issue of Sports Illustrated. Numbered prints are available on special photo paper. Sizes include 11 by 16 inches ($90), 16 by 24 inches ($150) and 24 by 36 inches ($275). For more information, e-mail mark@photopilot.com, call (818) 788-5056, or visit www.photopilot.com.
-- Adam Rose Photo by Mark Holtzman, used with permission.
Mark Sanchez certainly helped his case for the NFL draft last week, completing a whopping 28 of 35 for 413 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions against a solid Penn State defense in the Rose Bowl. He ran for a score too. Afterward, Sanchez and Pete Carroll spoke with reporters about the quarterback's future:
Carroll has repeatedly said that this can't be an emotional decision. If it's strictly on the numbers, ESPN's Todd McShay provides a pretty compelling reason for him to go. Here's his updated list of the top five NFL-ready quarterbacks:
Sam Bradford
Mark Sanchez
Matthew Stafford
Nate Davis
Josh Freeman
If Sanchez returns, USC will have 10 starters back on offense (important because they could lose all 11 on defense) and will transition into a strong offensive team instead of a strong defensive team. His leadership makes him uniquely important to the Trojans. For fans, his heart-on-his-sleeve style is always fun to watch.
Over the last two seasons, Sanchez always seemed to be laughing, grinning or yelling his lungs out. “He’s a goofy kid!" said wide receiver Damian Williams. "But we need that. You’ve got to have that enthusiasm out there.”
The holidays are over and odds are you're reflecting fondly on the food, the family gatherings, and, of course, the football. In order to brighten your day in the office, here's a look at some of the pageantry from the 2009 Rose Bowl between USC and Penn State. Click on any photo to enlarge.
*Editor's Note: This post previously contained a video showing the USC linebacker and ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews. A reference in the post described his actions on the Rose Bowl sideline as "dancing" with Andrews. Maualuga later apologized to Andrews. The video has since been removed once it was deemed inappropriate based on Times standards and practices, and should not have been posted.
The most brutal on-field clip was obviously Taylor Mays' brain-rattling hit on Penn State's Jordan Norwood and Kevin Thomas, his own teammate. Ouch. College football experts have been raving about Mays for a couple of years, but he flew under the pop-culture radar because he wasn't a YouTube sensation like Maualuga. Of course, Mays didn't get many opportunities -- most teams were probably afraid to put the ball anywhere near him.
We've got a number of USC and Penn State news conference videos available on latimes.com (go to the video player and find the sports tab) and on the L.A. Times YouTube account. I've been a little slow to post because I caught the stomach bug/food poisoning that went around the press corps. I'll try to get some photos and final thoughts (including the "stay classy" issue) posted this weekend. If there's anything you want to see or questions you want answered, feel free to leave a comment and I'll make sure to respond.
When Florida plays Oklahoma in the BCS national championship game Monday, it should be entertaining.
But it's not a legitimate national championship.
No matter what happens in Miami, there will be three -- maybe four -- teams that finish the season with a defensible claim to being the best in America. Making matters worse, the bowl games played in the last 24 hours undermined the main reasons that Florida and Oklahoma made it to the title bout in the first place.
Oklahoma was already a questionable choice for the championship game, having lost to Texas on a neutral field. The Sooners vaulted to the top of the national dialogue because of their smack-down of Texas Tech. The Red Raiders were just exposed, again, by a Mississippi team that walked into that matchup with an 8-4 record.
The same Mississippi team beat Florida, which launched itself into the title game by beating Alabama. The Tide was just thumped by Utah, which finishes the season 13-0.
What about USC? The Trojans finished with one loss, same as the eventual BCS champion. Their conference, the Pac-10, just went 5-0 in bowl season. One of their nonconference opponents, Notre Dame, won its bowl, as well. Another, Ohio State, is about to play in a BCS bowl.
What about Utah? The Utes were perfect, finishing with a win over the team considered No. 1 in America for the final five weeks of the regular season. Their victory over Alabama was by a larger margin than Florida's.
What about Texas? We'll see what the Longhorns do against Ohio State, but nobody will be surprised when they rip the Buckeyes apart and finish with one loss and a lot of BCS bitterness.
What about the winner of the BCS championship game? This isn't fair for Florida or Oklahoma, either. Though it's unlikely that pollsters will make them share the title, as sometimes happened in the pre-BCS era, this will be probably be the most dubious claim since BYU was crowned No. 1 in 1984.
Simply put, the BCS has failed everybody. Its only job -- its only reason for being -- is to pit the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in America. It's impossible to do that with one game. The only reason the BCS survives this annual humiliation is that it creates an annual payday for an elite few, who are robbing the players and fans of a true champion.
Back when BYU won, lots of people were calling for a playoff. They're still right.
-- Adam Rose
Top photo: Utah fans celebrate a perfect season. Credit: Crystal LoGiudice/US Presswire
Middle photo: Mark Sanchez and the USC Trojans could be the real No. 1. Credit: Harry How/Getty Images
Bottom photo: So could Colt McCoy and the Texas Longhorns. Credit: Erich Schlegel/Associated Press.
USC Coach Pete Carroll talks to the media after beating Penn State in the Rose Bowl, 38-24. This is Carroll's full news conference, so the clip runs about 8 1/2 minutes. Individual clips will be coming later.
USC's players didn't get to celebrate on New Year's eve.
That was OK for Damian Williams. He had his coming out party a few hours later.
The Trojan wide receiver exploded for 162 yards and a touchdown in 10 receptions. It was easily his biggest night since transferring from Arkansas where he started in four games as a freshman. Now a redshirt sophomore, Thursday was easily the biggest game of his career.
“I’m still kind of shocked," smiled Williams after his monster evening, including 100 yards in the second quarter.
USC hasn't had a headline-grabbing wide receiver for a few years, but Williams appears to have the potential when he returns next year. If Mark Sanchez also returns at quarterback, the two should have quite a connection. "We’re really good friends off the field," said Williams. "I guess that kind of carries on the field."
The speedy wideout may seem more like Steve Smith or Keary Colbert, but Williams said he's been most influenced by 6-foot-5 Patrick Turner.
"Patrick was injured the whole year [in 2007]," said Williams. "He took a shot before the first game and he didn't play. For the whole year he couldn't feel his arm, he had tingling in his arm, and all that stuff. A lot of people don't know that, so they criticize him about dropped balls and whatever. But for his injury, he played a heck of a season. I got to watch that, be around him, hang out with him. I think he's my biggest inspiration. He's a great guy. He doesn't let a lot of things get to him. When you're around positive people, positive things tend to happen for you."
Sedrick Ellis, the former Trojan now with the New Orleans Saints, was proud of his former teammate. "I knew when he first got here from Arkansas that he was going to be a good player. He’s just living up to expectations."
Williams, for his part, wasn't worried about expectations. "I’m just happy to be out there," he said. "It's been such a long journey. It’s been a long time since I played in a big game like this."
-- Adam Rose Photo by Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times
No way, no how ... USC cannot earn a split national championship.
Florida and Oklahoma are not only the Nos. 1 and 2 in the BCS, but in the AP as well. Whoever wins next week in the BCS National Championship game will be the national champion.
But that doesn't mean the AP can't register a few protest votes. Texas could earn some with a big victory over Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 5. And USC, even though it slacked off a bit in the second half, clearly dominated Penn State in the Rose Bowl. So we ask ...
"Everybody knows that 'SC should have been in the national championship game," said Sedrick Ellis as the final minutes ticked off the clock in the Trojans' 38-24 victory over Penn State in the Rose Bowl. The former Trojan is now a defensive tackle for the New Orleans Saints. "Those other schools don't want to play us so they're going to keep running away!"
Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Keith Rivers said he would put USC No. 1 if he had an AP ballot, and that the Trojans should have been in the national championship game. "We should always be in it! Every year, we're close to the game and we're getting snubbed. They think our conference is weak, but our conference is 5-0 [in this season's bowl games]."
Willie McGinest, a longtime NFL linebacker now with the Cleveland Browns, said the simple solution was an eight-team playoff. "I just don't think it should go by computer," he added.
All of the former USC stars seemed to enjoy their afternoon in the Arroyo. "I never got to play in a Rose Bowl," said McGinest. "To see the guys come and do what they've been doing the last seven or eight years since Pete [Carroll]'s been here, it's been remarkable. It's been great. I enjoy watching it now -- and I talk a lot of trash!"
Ellis expressed a similar sentiment. "The guys always come and make a statement in the Rose Bowl. I'm just glad to see these guys continuing the legacy and the positive atmosphere here in Southern California."
Not everybody agreed on the feasibility of a playoff, though. "When I came to 'SC, I was from out of town," said Rivers. "You really don't get that much time to go home as it is as a student-athlete. It kinda makes it tough to support it."
Ellis liked the idea, but didn't expect things to change. "I think there definitely should be, just to see who the best team really is. But logistically, I just don't see it happening. I think that's too long of a season for college players. I don't think it will happen. It would be nice, though."
-- Adam Rose Photo: (L-R) Keyshawn Johnson, Marcus Allen, Keith Rivers, Sedrick Ellis, Willie McGinest, Ronnie Lott. Credit: Adam Rose
