Mmmmm, Beefy ...

The Trojans sat down for some serious pre-game grub at Lawry's in Beverly Hills on Thursday night. After chowing down on 799 pounds of prime rib (plus creamed corn, creamed spinach, and mashed potatoes), they topped it off with apple pie. The annual Rose Bowl tradition was a big photo op for the players and the media, who all seemed to have a great time. It was the third straight Beef Bowl for the Trojans and their 20th overall.

USC's prime rib poundage set the all-time record, eclipsing Purdue's mark of 734 set prior to the 2000 Rose Bowl Game. General Manager Todd Johnson anticipated that record could be broken tonight by the Illini. A 1965 article in Sports Illustrated claimed the "contest" was "more reliable than fortune cookies and tea leaves in predicting the Rose Bowl victor." So far, it's been right 35 out of 51 times.

Alatini "Tiny" Malu (weighing in at a mere 330 pounds) was singled out by Pete Carroll at most likely to win the clean plate award. "We left all the big team eating to that table over there and Tiny Malu," he joked while motioning over a group of offensive linemen. "Tiny, we kinda' put you out there, brother. Once again, this is kinda' your time of year that you've got to stand out!" Then he added, "The table here with Parsons, Howell, and these guys ... they did some damage tonight, too."

Coach Pat Ruel came over to his offensive linemen, pointing at each one, "He's going to run tomorrow, he's going to run tomorrow ..."

Zack Heberer swore he only finish two cuts of prime rib, but Ruel retorted, "That's a four plate helping if I ever saw one." Heberer stuck with his two-piece claim as teammates insisted he'd polished off several more.

Meet and Greet with Pete Carroll

USC Marshall's Good Neighbors Campaign is throwing a meet-and-greet with Coach Pete Carroll and members of the USC football team on campus this Sunday from 11:30 A.M. to 3:30 P.M.

A $25 ticket gets you food, drinks, and a chance to watch practice and hang out on Howard Jones Field. If you want to bring the family, entry is free for children under the age of 12.

Proceeds from the event will benefit a number of local causes.

RSVPs are highly encouraged (click here to sign up for the event), but walk-ups will be accepted if there is space.

You can read the full press release after the jump.

USC Hosts NBA, Hollywood Stars

The 2nd Annual LA Stars All-Star Celebrity Basketball Game will tip off in USC's Galen Center on Sunday, August 5th at 5:00pm. Former Trojan stars Gabe Pruitt and Nick Young are scheduled to play. Last year's event featured Reggie Bush, and may or may not have been the exhibition game where he rolled his ankle.

LA Stars is a celebrity-packed weekend of events which aims to "rebuild, preserve, and provide programs and resources to at-risk youth in Los Angeles and the surrounding communities." Beneficiaries include four different foundations created by Baron Davis, Paul Pierce, Gilbert Arenas, and Magic Johnson. Davis, Pierce, and Arenas are supposed to participate in the festivities.

Tickets are still available through the USC Ticket Office or Ticketmaster. There's also a free event before the game called "Celebrity Carnival," held in USC's McCarthy Quad from 11:00am to 5:00pm. It will feature Hood Games, an "urban extreme sport competition" featuring break dancing, cardio, double dutch, and food demonstrations. Organizers hope to encourage healthy lifestyles.