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.
Condolences to Arizona State's disbanded cheerleading squad. Apparently they got in trouble for being in their underwear (basically the same thing as a swimsuit). Of course, TheDirty.com (who brought those party-hardy Matt Leinart photos to light) is involved. The site published the original pics and is now campaiging to reinstate the squad. You can't make this stuff up.
Gary Klein wrote an interesting article today about trouble USC is having with unauthorized T-shirt sales:
USC's compliance department is investigating the circumstances surrounding the sale of a T-shirt that featured an image of the Mexican flag and included the words "Viva Sanchez." The shirt was sold during the scrimmage at a booth inside the gates of the Coliseum, but a school spokesman said the vendor was not affiliated with the university.
Every year, new T-shirts crop up around campus to celebrate USC and, frequently, specific players. If you stop and think about it, many of them seem to be unlicensed. USC has a very strict graphic identity program. Heck, all the school's media guides contain this little gem:
PLEASE do not use Southern Cal (it's like calling San Francisco "Frisco" or North Carolina "North Car."). The usage of "Southern Cal" on licensed apparel and merchandise is limited in scope and necessary to protect federal trademark rights.
Obviously USC takes brand protection very seriously -- and they're not the only ones. An organization called the Collegiate Licensing Company keeps a tight rein on trademarks for dozens of schools, conferences and other college sports organizations.
And then there's the NCAA, which bans the use of student-athletes' names or pictures on commercial items. Of course, jerseys sold at a mark-up in the school bookstore are OK because nobody knows that 11 is Matt Leinart or 5 is Reggie Bush (even though both numbers are retired). But I digress ...
Here are a few popular T-shirt slogans at USC in recent years:
"FUCLA" (blue shirt, with UCLA-style script)
"Bush/Leinart '04" (made to look like a presidential campaign logo)
"I like Bush but I love Booty" (or vice versa)
These tend to be sold out of a backpack rather than a store rack. Special mention goes to a fraternity homecoming T-shirt passed out a couple of years ago that listed USC's Heisman winning tailbacks, including the one and only "Mike Barrett." You'd think they'd at least spell the name of the school's athletic director right.
So what made the "Viva Sanchez" shirts more newsworthy than all those other possible violations? The fact that they were sold at a booth inside the gates of the Coliseum. Whoops!
The Trojan Marching Band is scheduled to play this weekend, but it won't sound like any of its usual performances.
Percussion will be replaced by dribbling, winds substituted for a swish of the net.
The 3rd Annual TMB Basketball Classic goes down on Sunday with the Trombones looking to defend their title. Last year, Daniel Hackett and Chris Penrose showed up from the USC men's basketball team. This year, women's basketball Coach Mark Trakh is scheduled to be at the final game along with Dennis Packer announcing on the PA (you may recognize his voice from football on Saturdays in the Coliseum and Sundays in San Diego for the Chargers).
The event is being held as a fundraiser for Relay for Life of USC. The band is selling T-shirts for $12, and if you'd like to order one you can email tmbbball@gmail.com.
A full news release and pictures from last year's tournament are after the jump.
There are a number of great USC blogs out there (USC Rips It, Conquest Chronicles, and Trojan Wire, among others). We'd like to welcome the latest one to the blogosphere.
Candy Yee is a volunteer at the information desk in Heritage Hall. You can see her, along with Patti and Dudley Poon, every Friday afternoon in the main lobby. They can hook you up with posters, schedules and, of course, something for your sweet tooth.
Working in Heritage Hall means Candy sees a lot of USC celebs, and she's sharing her stories over on TrojanCandy.com. She's also keeping us on our toes with a blog called "Trojan Justice: The (UC)LA Times Watchdog."
Candy raves about O.J. Mayo as one of the nicest guys she's met (he digs the Skittles and Snickers). She laughed that when Mayo took a photo with her son, clad in a Stanford jersey, the hoops star gave him a giant hug to cover the rival team's logo.
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.
Congrats to Gobrojans, a.k.a. Mikael Romano, who put together this winning entry in the Lexus Gauntlet YouTube Challenge. Mikael created a 25-second commercial that captured the spirit of the UCLA-USC rivalry. The grand prize for winning the contest? A two-year lease on a Lexus IS 250.
The announcement was made yesterday ... purely coincidental with our own USC-UCLA announcement.
The Lexus Gauntlet, awarded annually to the all-sports champion of the crosstown rivalry, currently stands at 47.5 to 32.5 in favor of USC. It takes 57.5 points to win or 55 with a tiebreaker.
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.
Do you hate Love? Hate to love him? Is it a Love-hate relationship?
There were a number of people wearing USC gear at the UCLA-Texas A&M game on Saturday night in Anaheim (not to mention Kansas Jayhawks, Los Angeles Angels and Dallas Cowboys apparel). Among the Trojan positions on the Bruins:
I'm rooting for the Bruins. Pac-10 all the way!
I wouldn't mind if UCLA loses.
I rooted for Stanford, but I'm rooting against the Bruins.
I'm not rooting for anybody. I just bought this shirt as a souvenir.
I guess there's something to be said for clean clothes -- and maybe for claiming a victory over the possible national champion.
The Honda Center crowd was obviously tilted in UCLA's favor. At halftime of the first game (Stanford escaped Marquette in overtime) the NCAA paid tribute to USC's recent national championship in women's soccer. The fans booed.
What's your take ... is it ever acceptable to root for your archrival?
When USC and UCLA tip off today at the Staples Center it will be the first time the two programs have ever faced each other in the Pac-10 Tournament. It may also be the last time you see the school bands at a hoops rivalry game. UCLA this year ended a long tradition by refusing to invite the Spirit of Troy to Pauley Pavilion. It also declined to send its band to the Galen Center.
Whether you're watching in person or on TV, make sure to enjoy the sounds of the Trojan Marching Band. If you've got some time, check out the band's 2007 Year-In-Review (after the jump), which chronicles an impressive 452 engagements and 47,677 miles traveled. It's amazing how much work goes into the performances around the nation. Maybe it deserves an invite back across town.
This YouTube video came up in the discussion of yesterday's Conquest post. It's a classic ... The Spirit of Troy performing with Fleetwood Mac in an empty Dodger Stadium. "Tusk" earned the Trojan Marching Band its first platinum album.
In the wake of Oscar season, it seemed appropriate to share a little about this classic film score. From the school's website:
Another famous USC song is the regal processional march, "Conquest," by Alfred Newman. It is usually played after every USC score and victory. This stirring battle cry, from Newman's score to the 1947 motion picture classic "Captain from Castile," has become synonymous with the championship tradition of USC since the Trojans adopted it in 1954 during a basketball game against Oregon State. Newman, a legendary composer of film music, was the musical director of Twentieth Century-Fox Studios.
The Spirit of Troy graces the cover of the latest edition of Halftime Magazine, a publication dedicated to -- you guessed it -- marching bands.
Halftime comes out bimonthly for the college and high school band community. Their five-member advisory board has four Trojans, including Band Director Art Bartner.
UCLA's home court advantage on Saturday at Pauley Pavilion was remarkable.
In an arena brimming in blue, with a student section bouncing so hard that the cement seemed to shake, it didn't look like there were more than 100 cardinal shirts in the crowd.
That's because there probably weren't.
The most conspicuous absence (more so than John Wooden) was the Spirit of Troy.
USC and UCLA have a long-standing tradition of welcoming the opposing band and cheerleaders (OK, OK, Song Girls). Though the definition of "welcoming" is subject to debate, at least they got a seat -- until this year.
About two months ago, UCLA notified USC that Pauley would be sold out for the entire basketball season, and the Trojans would only get their league-mandated 100 tickets (24 behind the bench, 76 in the upper deck). Unlike past years, that was it.
Pauley Pavilion holds 12,819 (not to mention all the open space where the bleachers don't come all the way to the ends of court). The Galen Center holds 10,258. Was it really that hard to reserve 25-30 seats for a great tradition?
Rumors are circulating widely on both sides that at least one powerful Bruin didn't like the disruption of the Trojan Marching Band and put their foot down. Though nobody would go on the record with any such specifics, we do know that UCLA also notified USC that the Bruins would not send their band to the Galen Center later in the season.
USC hypothetically could have given some of their 100 tickets to "random" students who happened to be carrying trumpets or pompoms, but that would have created more problems. Players, coaches and staff are allotted seats for friends and family (up to four, in some cases). Let's just say nobody was taking away Mrs. Jefferson's ticket (especially after her premonition about Davon's performance). Once those were distributed, there were only a handful left for VIPs. Who gets dibs -- Mike Garrett or a tuba player?
Closer to tipoff, the Song Girls were also dis-invited (probably a first for most of them). UCLA reportedly had too much going on with its own spirit performances and sponsored promotions to allow USC's squad any time.
Obviously this, and UCLA's refusal to send its band to Galen Center, is a disappointing development in the great rivalry between these two schools. A number of people connected with USC and the Trojan Marching Band have expressed a desire to see the tradition restored quickly -- hopefully next season. Scott Wolf at the Daily News has been blogging a lot about this, and points out a number of other USC-UCLA traditions that have gotten the ax. In order to keep that list from growing, the ball's in UCLA's court.
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.
If you're already bleeding cardinal and gold, you may as well share with somebody who needs it. Since it's Troy Week (a/k/a Rivalry Week, a/k/a Hate Week), the Lexus Gauntlet and Red Cross are having a blood drive so USC and UCLA can compete in something for a good cause. Here's the info on where to give near USC:
Supporters of USC can give blood at the Heritage Hall Lounge on Monday (Nov. 26) as well as Wednesday through Friday (Nov. 28-30). On Tuesday (Nov. 27), a Red Cross station will be set up at Tommy’s Place. Both Project Umbilical Cord Stem Cell and the ROTC are coordinating the blood drive efforts at USC. The L.A.T.I.N.A.S. Group is sponsoring Wednesday’s blood drive. To sign up and make an appointment in advance on the USC campus, contact either Katherine Prendergrast (projectucsc@gmail.com) or Mitchell Chavarria (mrchavar@usc.edu).
Trojans go all-out when they invade. In San Francisco, even the Macy's was clad in cardinal and gold. OK, maybe those were Christmas decorations.
Outside, in Union Square, an 80-foot Christmas tree (yes, it's November 9th) was only the second most unusual sight. It's tough enough competing for attention against spray-painted street performers and the town's other assorted eccentrics, but on Friday night it was impossible to top the Trojan Marching Band.
USC fight songs echoed through the tall retail corridors, and from high above the square people in hotels and department stores flocked to the windows to see what the fuss was all about.
Below, the Spirit of Troy, Song Girls, and Spirit Leaders put on a traditional pep rally for the assembled masses and startled locals.
The So-Cal Spellout became a running theme at the end of the rally. After a Yell Leader alumnus instructed the crowd on the proper way to do it, the rally was supposed to end. Even though the band had left, somebody noticed the PA was on and (drink in hand) tried to start another cheer.
Members of the Trojan Knights, not to be outdone, huddled up and exploded with a rendition of their own.
Minutes later, another random group tried to start things up again.
Whether fueled by spirit, spirits, or caffeine, they all seemed to have a blast.
The Spirit of Troy was the centerpiece of a large pep rally this Friday at Chicago's Navy Pier. If you couldn't make the trip, this is what you missed. There are also a few photos after the jump.
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.
Trojans pick up a lot of hardware and they need somewhere to put it. Check out the latest L.A.Times video report as Jeff Amlotte looks around Heritage Hall with USC Sports Information Director Tim Tessalone.
News surfaced this week that a high school student in Ohio was suspended because he coordinated the card stunt in the video shown above. While fooling rival fans into spelling out "We Suck" may not be the pinnacle of sportsmanship, at least the kid showed some ingenuity. USC fans pulled a similar stunt back in 1971, spelling out "Westwood Sucks" -- on national television.
Of course, card stunts can be more administration-friendly. A USC website states that the practice was invented in Troy in 1922, though a rival claim from Berkeley dates the start to 1910. Unlike USC, the Bears are still putting on a pretty good show (at least they did two years ago).
The USC site also claims the Guinness World Record for largest stunt at 8,000, but even fans with a short memory know that isn't true. In 2004, Trojan fans participated in a visually stunning display at the Rose Bowl that formed an American flag and appeared to involve the entire stadium.
In recent years, a few card stunts have been attempted in the Coliseum but they weren't very successful. Heading into the 2007 football season, there doesn't seem to be any formal interest in reviving the tradition in Troy.
Does anybody reading know more about the history of card stunts at USC?
The Spirit of Troy (a/k/a the Trojan Marching Band, a/k/a the Greatest Marching Band In The History Of The Universe) got some ink in today's LA Times.
The band will perform in the Tchaikovsky Spectacular at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday and Saturday at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are still available for a tradition USC has been a part of for at least 20 years.
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.
