USC has a website up explaining what's going on with the student center being built on campus. Check out the plans and renderings, some of which are pretty stunning.
The old student center is being torn down this summer and the new one, all 151,000 square feet of it, is scheduled to be ready for the fall of 2010. The Italian Romanesque design seems to reflect the best of the campus' oldest and newest buildings (this blogger has never been a fan of those concrete block-ish buildings that somehow slipped in there).
An era ends tonight at 10 when Traddies makes its last last call.
USC's only on-campus bar will be demolished, along with the rest of Commons, to make way for a new student center. I've been told there should be a substitute bar as part of the new facility opening in 2010, but nothing can truly replace the great memories and mediocre beer. Traddies has been around since 1987 and served as USC's version of Cheers ... an underground bar where everybody knows your name (plus beer pong and a lot of pre-game activity).
We really appreciate all the support you have given us all year. Last minute things.
Tonight is the last night and we are expecting it to be extremely busy so come EARLY.
Being that it is the last night, DON'T wear anything you really value - you might get a little wet. INSTEAD, wear the gear that you plan on wearing to the fountain run tonight.
Traveler is taking up permanent residence inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
A 14-foot-by-14-foot mural is being installed at the edge of the stadium's tunnel and will be visible to most of the crowd during football games. Dubbed "Tradition," the artwork features USC's mascot being ridden back from another championship at the Rose Bowl (symbolized by a bed of roses on the horse's back) and the Roman numerals for 1888 -- the year of USC's first football game.
This is the third large-scale sports mural done by local artist Mike Sullivan. Trojan faithful are sure to remember the Mario Danelo tribute he created last year at San Pedro High School. Posters of that mural can be seen hanging in a number of restaurants and other local venues, and proceeds from their sale have gone to the Mario Danelo Endowed Football Scholarship Fund.
The last year has yielded two of the Internet's most guilty pleasures: the Rick Roll and Stuff White People Like. Both are amusing and, on some level, awkward and disturbing.
With a nod to EDSBS's recent post on Stuff Black and Gold People Like, we present Stuff Cardinal and Gold People Like (not to be confused with the alumni organization by that name, which primarily likes football and tailgating) ...
Numbers - The nine-oh. The two-nine. The three-two. These all mean something to Trojans (though younger ones might now know the latter as "Superior"). Area codes fall into this as well. The 949 carries a different social meaning than 909 or 818. Those new to the area claim to be "still reppin' 213" when they get their new digits. And nobody knows what the Harbor freeway is anymore. It's the 110.
Whoever Is Playing UCLA/Notre Dame - When the Bruins and Irish face each other, USC fans will be satisfied only if both lose. Longtime Trojan broadcaster Pete Arbogast coined the term "The Perfect Day" for any time that USC wins and both of its archrivals lose. Trojan fans have been reported to have a toast outside of the Coliseum whenever a perfect day occurs.
Orange County - If they aren't from there, cardinal and gold people have usually watched their fair share of Laguna Beach or The Real Housewives of Orange County. And don't forget that The OC was produced by a USC alum. But mostly, cardinal and gold people are either from Orange Country or dated somebody from there.
Anybody living by or visiting USC is going to get tired of the same ol' food choices. Here's one that's easy to overlook: Vieta Coffee.
It's been around for a few years, but I think it tends to get lost in the shuffle. Vieta, formerly known as the Coffee Factory, is located on Figueroa in the same complex as Fatburger. The coffee concoctions are really good. If you've got a sweet tooth, make sure to try the toffee mocha blended. It's worth every cavity. The prices are better than the typical coffee chain, and USC students get 10% off. If you're hungry, they've got lots of pastries and you can get a fresh sandwich for under $4. Score!
I've gone a couple of times the past week because I was looking for something different. It really hit the spot, but the service can be slow because they put a little extra effort into the drinks. Don't go if you're in a rush, but if you've got time to kill this is the consummate college coffeehouse.
Brush strokes and backstrokes may be kindred souls.
Appreciating black and white photography can share ties with watching game film.
Their link? The same person making the art might also be making the play.
"It seems like art and athletics make strange bedfellows, but athletes are so focused," explains Karen Koblitz, curator for a special art show that opens this weekend at the Galen Center. About 30 unique pieces are on display, each crafted by a USC student-athlete. "It takes so much to be the best at their sport and reach the level they've reached. They understand that the same kind of energy is put forth into art. I think it's an interesting dynamic, and I think that's why some of them do so well in the fine arts."
The Louis Galen Annual ARTLETICS Exhibition is free to the public during all athletic events and upon special request. Now in its third year, this edition features two- and three-dimensional pieces from Trojans you may recognize in football, basketball, swimming, water polo, tennis, rowing, and track and field.
Koblitz serves on the Roski School of Fine Arts faculty and runs the ceramics department. She's taught many athletes over the years. One semester, there were six football players in the same class. "I was talking with one of their counselors, and she thought I might an interesting motivational speaker to talk with the students. I said, 'Oh, yeah! Maybe we can bring some of their artwork and have it around!'"
When they realized how much work it would be to set up the art for one night, the plan morphed into ARTLETICS. The first year it was held in Heritage Hall in the same cases as the school's fabled Heisman Trophies.
This year's exhibitors express what makes many of them unique -- culturally and competitively.
Dina Hegazy (swimming) is presenting black and white photographs taken at her family's farm in Egypt. Martin Coleman (football) grew up in Tonga and incorporates designs in his work that are inspired by his childhood. Two of his pieces are also titled in Tongan. A compelling digital photo by Jordan Thompson (water polo) captures one of his youthful teammates, who hails from Egypt, standing along a grizzled old man in a Los Angeles street.
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.
For those enjoying "I Love USC," you might like these tracks by another member of the Trojan family. Local artist ty.Eli has three USC songs for you to enjoy and download. You can check out his Myspace site for more info.
You may also be familiar with ty.Eli from his day night job as producer for sports talkshow host JT the Brick, where he goes by the name Michael Pearson.
Speaking of music about colleges, USC isn't the only place producing original songs. USF has a rap about their quarterback (sorry, "Booty, Booty, Booty Rockin' Everywhere" is great, but not original). A couple years ago, Miami added to their "Thug U"
reputation when a crude rap surfaced involving performances by former players.
It's not right to talk about rap and USC without mentioning a certain performer (no, not Snoop Dogg or Suge Knight).
Marvin Young left USC in 1989 with an economics degree. A year later, he picked up a Grammy for "Bust A Move." You know him today as Young MC. Yes, that was him on last season's Celebrity Fit Club. He's still a pop culture icon.
USC alumnus Aloe Blacc is a campus hero this time of year, though a lot of people don't know that he's the man behind this classic song (a parody of Biz Markie's "Just a Friend"):
I e-mailed him a while back, and here's the story behind the refrain popularized at tailgates, frat houses, and the 9-0:
I wrote the song in 1999 for a talent show called "Showtime at the Bovard" ... I think Program Board produced the event. I won the $500 grand prize. When I performed the song, I had a big 2-sided sign that said "I Love USC" on one side and "I Hate UCLA" on the other so people could sing along ... as if they really needed the sign to catch on!
Later that year or in 2000 I released a compilation CD with 10 songs submitted by USC student musicians. I put the "I Love USC" song at the end of the disc (credited to Tommy Trojan). I think I have a few discs left in storage. This is how it initially made its way around campus. Program Board asked me to perform the song at a big rally for the USC vs. UCLA game, which is when it became more popular.
Aloe graduated with honors in Communication and Lingustics/Psychology and was a Renaissance Scholar in 2001.
He released an album with DJ Exile (the duo is known as EMANON) in 2005 called "The Waiting Room" and a solo album in 2006 entitled "Shine Through." Today, he performs all over the world (recent tours include Australia, Asia, and Europe). His Myspace site has some great stuff (I've had one of his songs on my own profile for a while) and you can see his videos on YouTube. He was interviewed by LAist earlier this year.
Good: Dispatching Oklahoma, 66-55, with Davon Jefferson getting 23 points and O.J. Mayo taking over the game in the closing minutes as if to say to the Sooners, "My game. Not yours."
Bad:Death threats to members of the Coliseum Commission. Are you kidding me? Not cool! Bad fans! No! That's no way to treat your employees. Do that again and you're spending a long timeout in Pasadena.
Good:Writing a polite and considered response to the people entrusted with running the Coliseum. Ultimately, they work for you and will listen when you ask nicely. Remember, happy employees are productive employees.
Like a bizarre Jack Johnson song, USC's Trojan Knights are sitting, waiting, and wishing.
As of last night, they are standing (sitting) guard over Tommy Trojan. It's a 24-hour-per-day vigil.
They are waiting for Saturday's showdown against UCLA.
They are wishing for sweet victory -- one that will propel the Trojans into the Rose Bowl.
Yes, UCLA is all that stands between USC and the BCS promised land. That will mean showing no mercy, and no appreciation for the big favor UCLA did by beating Oregon yesterday. For once, in some twisted and bizarre cosmic wormhole, the Trojans were actually rooting for the Bruins. Thanks to their victory over the Ducks, USC will control its own destiny in the race for Pac-10 supremacy.
Why is 'SC playing so many night games? I counted 7 games that start after 4pm (Stanford is the 4th in the first 5 games). Is it due to their #1 ranking = TV ratings= $$$$ for 'SC? I don't recall a season when they played so many night games ... I could be wrong. (They DEFINITELY did not play this many when I went to 'SC.) -- Kathryn S
Why is USC on different TV stations on any given weekend? ABC? Versus? -- Gabriel in Los Angeles
In some ways USC is just along for the ride. Leagues typically negotiate contracts. ABC has first crack at the Pac-10, up to six games per season per team (they maxed out on USC, plus the Nebraska game). They can farm those games out to other Disney companies (The Mouse happens to own ESPN). Fox gets to choose next, and can sublicense some of their games to Versus. Though Versus isn't known for much more than NHL and the Tour de France, at least it guarantees the game national coverage. For games that don't get picked up, USC has a relationship with Fox Prime Ticket and Fox Sports West to get some local play. And you thought your fantasy draft was complicated!
Other leagues do their own thing. You may have noticed special logos for the SEC on CBS, and, yes, the spiffy new Big 10 Network. Since they're independent, Notre Dame has an exclusive with NBC. At a rumored $9 million per year, maybe they can save up to buy out Charlie Weis' contract (that's a $21-million problem).
So what does this mean for game time? More people watch TV at night and advertisers pay for eyeballs. The money isn't all for USC (there's revenue sharing similar to bowl games), but the relationship holds: #1 ranking = TV ratings = $$$$ for 'SC. The Trojans set a record with seven night games last year and tied it this year.
But wait, there's more! The Trojans have a built-in audience in the second-largest TV market in America (think fast ... how many college teams are located in #1 New York?). It doesn't hurt that USC has an enormous legacy and a zillion story lines (yes, I counted). It's another way they're the Yankees of college football. That means more late starts even when USC isn't the best in the land.
I hope you'll explain in your blog to Trojan fans why the USC offense, despite being loaded with spectacular talent as usual, has regressed steadily during the past two years, to the point where disorganization has led to the Washington game being the most frightfully embarrassing fiasco in recent memory. The USC offense was so chaotic, the signal calling so fitful and inconsistent, the mistakes so frequent, that even Pomona College or Glendale College would have been ashamed of them. I've said for two years, "Bring back Norm Chow." The USC offense once struck terror into opponents. Now it can't even get out of its own way. -- Edward in Marin
Nobody is going to mistake these Trojans for the Pomona Sagehens or the Glendale Vaqueros. Actually, the Vaqueros dress a lot like the Trojans and even won a bowl game near Pasadena last year, but that's another story.
Since Norm Chow isn't coming back, let's try to put this in perspective. Two years ago USC fielded a team with two Heisman trophy winners in the same backfield. They were first-round draft picks. A third member of that backfield is having a better NFL season than the guys with the hardware. Both receivers are getting NFL paychecks. And the tight end. And three offensive linemen. Yup, nine of the eleven guys who started on offense are now certified professional football players. Even with all that talent, the '05 team managed only three points in the first half against Arizona State.
I think part of the "problem" is the shadow of 2005. Of course the offense has declined since then! I wouldn't say it's been steady, though. Aside from a season-opening whuppin' of Arkansas (just a soft SEC team, of course), the 2006 Trojans weren't able to reach 30 points until about halfway through the year -- in a loss to Oregon State. This year's offense has done much better on the scoreboard.
That's not to say there aren't problems. The preseason sixth-string tailback (high school All-American Alan Bradford) may need to start this weekend because of injuries. Booty isn't leading the Heisman race. The win in Washington was close. I believe these are called high-class problems, and I'll address more of them in a post with questions for the Stanford game.
Thanks to Adam Nordin ('06), who found a high-quality MP3 of "I Love USC." I'm putting up the clip so we can try and track down who wrote/performed this version. If you have any more info, please pass it along.
Also, thanks to SD Hoosier for finding a YouTube video with the track.
A final thanks to Joan Lima ('89), who earned Brownie points earlier for tracking down this story about the USC-LSU billboard rivalry.
Next time you visit the University of Southern California, remember to walk an extra hundred yards. It's worth it.
The on-campus parking meters (above) are 700% more than the city's off-campus meters (below). They're hardly a football field apart. Even better, city parking is usually free after a certain hour, while campus is enforced 24/7.
Game Day Congestion Expected Near USC, Coliseum Due to Construction Projects
Fans Asked to Allow Extra Time for Access to Saturday’s Evening Game
Fans attending the USC Trojans home football game against Idaho are advised to allow extra time for parking and pedestrian access to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, Sept. 1. Because of construction of the new Exposition light-rail line, and construction at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the California Science Center, the roads and sidewalks around the USC University Park Campus, Exposition Park and the Los Angeles Coliseum will be especially congested. In addition, pedestrian access through Exposition Park may be significantly impacted –- please allow for additional time in the walk from your cars to and from the game. The game will kick off at 7:15 p.m.
Legions of USC alumni are in for a shock when they come to campus on Saturday for the opening game.
Don't worry, it won't be caused by 45-point underdog Idaho.
The 901 Bar and Grill, formerly the 901 Club and best known as the Nine-Oh, has undergone jaw-dropping renovations. For years, it was considered a bad dive bar -- the type that violated all five of your senses.
But patrons were fiercely loyal, and like it or not, the 9-0 remained an icon of USC student life. With limited hours at university-run Traditions, a beer-and-wine-only liquor license at 29th Street Cafe, and the closure of Julie's Trojan Barrel many years ago, the 9-0 has been the only legitimate bar at USC for at least a decade.
All that "dedication" is now being paid back. It's still the kind of place where you can rub elbows with (potential) Heisman winners, but now you don't need to hit the showers afterwards. Recent alumni are guaranteed to be impressed.
Besides the physical improvements, the 9-0 has opened up its kitchen and extended its hours. People can come in for lunch at 11:30 a.m. and can stay until they get kicked out after last call (around 1:30 a.m.). The kitchen currently closes at 10 p.m., but owners are planning on extending hours until 2 a.m.
The changes are a dream-come-true for Leo Amari, Johnny Liska, Alex Manos and Roger Toussaint. The four recently became business partners with the existing owners (who also own the Trocadero and Cabo Cantina). They had worked at the 9-0 since shortly after the place was purchased in 1996.
Toussaint was the man behind the new design and is responsible for a long list of improvements.
Adam Rose learned about the highs and lows of USC athletics while going to school. As a freshman, he watched the football team crash to the bottom of the Pac 10. By the time he was a senior, he was in the stands for a National Championship. In between, he liked to argue points as a member of the Trojan Debate Squad. Nowadays, he's just looking to tell a good story. He is currently Sports Editor for LAist, where he covers a wide range of local action. He can also be seen weekly on KNBC 4's News Raw. Adam manages special events in the sports community when he isn't participating himself (he staggered through the LA Marathon and can often be found on local soccer fields). If you have a question about the Trojans or just want to give him a piece of your mind, email: adam@laist.com.
Bad: Bruin Bear displayed prominently on campus.
Like a bizarre Jack Johnson song, USC's Trojan Knights are sitting, waiting, and wishing.
Legions of USC alumni are in for a shock when they come to campus on Saturday for the opening game.
