Chris Dufresne: USA Today coaches reverse call on secret ballot decision

It's been a tough year in the replay booth, but college football finally got one right when coaches in the USA Today poll today  overturned a decision made last off season to quit making their final ballots public in the final Bowl Championship Series standings.

There was "irrefutable proof'' this was the correct call and that the coaches had no choice but to do this or risk getting tossed out of the BCS starting in 2010.

The American Football Coaches Assn. last January commissioned Gallup to  find ways to improve the USA Today poll. Gallup suggested the AFCA could produce a more accurate index if the coaches made their votes anonymously.

Well, isn't this just what the coaches wanted to hear!

Most coaches never wanted their votes made public to begin with. They were forced into transparency after some suspect secret vote juggling in 2004 involving a BCS bowl berth battle between Texas and California. In one of the BCS's darkest chapters, Texas edged Cal by a slim points margin for the Rose Bowl berth, setting off arguments and cries of conspiracy. In the aftermath, the Associated Press pulled its poll out of the BCS formula.

After four years of having to their final votes exposed, and sometimes ridiculed, the coaches were all too happy to have Gallup recommend going under ground again.

But it was never going to fly with the BCS, which immediately sent signals that the AFCA had better reverse field or risk no longer being part of the BCS formula.

Today,  the AFCA wisely acted and acted wisely.

"The AFCA agreed to be a part of the BCS selection process when we were asked by the commissioners in 1998,” AFCA Executive Director Grant Teaff said in a released statement. “As with past decisions by the AFCA and the FBS head coaches, we are again acting in what the coaches believe to be the best interest of the game.”

That's just mumbo-jumbo for saying we got it wrong before, but now we got it right.

-- Chris Dufresne

Photo: Bowl Championship Series on Jan. 4, 2008. Credit: Charlie Riedel / Associated Press.

 

Tim Floyd says, 'Security!'

Former USC basketball coach Tim Floyd jumped into a casino food court melee and broke up a fight last Friday. His Good Samaritan efforts were recorded and widely distributed via YouTube.

In an interview today, Floyd told me that when the fists started flying he "waited 20 or 25 seconds for security to come but no one came. I just thought somebody needed to step in and stop things."

Since the video clip went public, Floyd said, "Friends have been calling suggesting I start applying for jobs as a security guard. That was more physical than anything I saw in the Pac-10."

For the full story, jump to my sports media column at latimes.com/sports. Floyd, by the way, settles the question as to whether the man who prevented a woman from hitting Floyd with a chair was indeed Henry Bibby, as Jim Rome has said.

-- Diane Pucin

Photo: Tim Floyd from earlier this year. Credit: Spencer AWeiner / Los Angeles Times

Former USC basketball coach Tim Floyd breaks up casino fight

Now that former USC men's basketball coach Tim Floyd is out of a job, maybe he should think about becoming a bouncer. Or maybe he can negotiate peace treaties.

Check out this video of Floyd breaking up a recent fight at Morongo Casino in Cabazon.

Floyd does a great job getting right into the fight and restoring order while a bunch of other folks just stand around and stare. I wonder if he knows how close he was to getting walloped over the head by a chair?

-- Austin Knoblauch

USC football: Former Trojans Jamere Holland, Broderick Green and Emmanuel Moody contributing at transfer schools

Former USC receiver Jamere Holland came back to haunt the Trojans, catching a second-quarter touchdown pass for Oregon in the Ducks' 47-20 victory at Autzen Stadium.

Holland, who transferred from USC after the 2006 season, caught a pass from quarterback Jeremiah Masoli in the back of the end zone, causing Trojans Coach Pete Carroll to doublecheck if it was the former Woodland Hills Taft High star.

"I just asked if that was him," Carroll said Sunday night. "I couldn’t read the [uniform] numbers very well."

Holland had three receptions for 33 yards. He has 10 catches for 138 yards this season.

Holland is one of several former Trojans contributing at other schools.

On Saturday, former tailback Broderick Green scored on a 99-yard run in Arkansas' 63-27 victory over Eastern Michigan. Green, who left USC after last season, finished with 131 yards and two touchdowns in eight carries. He has gained 255 yards in 55 carries and scored six touchdowns this season.

Former tailback Emmanuel Moody, who transferred to Florida after the 2006 season, gained 26 yards in seven carries in the top-ranked Gators' 41-17 victory over Georgia. Moody has rushed for 301 yards in 39 carries this season.

-- Gary Klein

Photo: Jamere Holland makes a catch in practice while with the Trojans in 2007. Credit: Kirby Lee / US Presswire

Oregon victory has USC fans flying not-so-friendly skies

How much are Oregon fans reveling in the 47-20 victory against USC on Saturday? Duck fans flying south Sunday were ready to crow, even the ones doing the actual flying.

A JetBlue pilot stepped out of the flight deck to address the passengers on a flight about to leave Portland for Long Beach. He welcomed everyone on board, and said, “What a great victory by the Ducks yesterday.”

A number of USC fans on board grumbled, though it did not deter the pilot, as he continued, “you know what the worst day of the year is? When USC plays Notre Dame because I can’t figure out how to get them both to lose.”

Spotting Oregon State fans, he asked if the Beavers won too and who they beat.

“UCLA?” the pilot said. “Wow, if only the Yankees had lost yesterday, then it would have been a perfect day.”

Call it a dead schtick landing on Los Angeles college football fans.

-- Chris Foster

USC football: A fan's look back at the Oregon game

It took some time, but I finally found something good to come out of USC’s 47-20 loss to Oregon on Saturday night

I’m going to be able to sleep in on New Year’s Day. No getting up at 6 a.m., no leaving the house by 7 to get a decent parking spot at the Rose Bowl, no waiting six hours for the game to begin. No spending an hour afterward trying to find the car in the darkness, then needing two hours to move two miles.

Those are all problems that Oregon’s fans are going to have to deal with.

Yes, the Ducks are headed to the Rose Bowl, either for the Jan. 1 game or the Jan. 7 national championship game. They were that good Saturday night on their home field.

As for the Trojans? Where do you start?

For the first time in Pete Carroll’s nine seasons as USC’s coach, the Trojans looked completely outclassed. Of Carroll’s 16 losses before Saturday, only one was by double digits (a 27-16 loss to Notre Dame in 2001). The average margin of those 16 losses was 4.3 points.

That’s how good and competitive Carroll’s teams have been. And that’s what makes Saturday’s game such a shocker. In a big game, with the Pac-10 championship on the line, USC was embarrassed. I’m sure many USC fans thought a loss to the red-hot Ducks was possible. But by nearly four touchdowns? No way.

Sunday's poll: Which is more disappointing, two-loss USC or 0-5 in the Pac-10 UCLA?

Few expected that at this point in the season that USC would have two losses and UCLA would be 0-5 in the Pac-10. So which is more disappointing? Vote now and let your voice be heard, then leave a comment letting us know why you voted the way you did.

-- Houston Mitchell

Oregon driving tip: When the Ducks are winning, troopers might just give you a break

From the strange-but-true file ...

After finishing up writing about UCLA’s loss to Oregon State, I was driving back to Portland. I tuned in the USC-Oregon game to see what was going on.

As if on cue, Oregon scored a touchdown, and the announcer said, "That makes it Oregon 40, USC 20."

I guess I was so surprised that I swerved a bit on the road. The red and blue lights immediately flashed in my rear-view mirror.

After pulling onto the shoulder of the road, the state trooper approached and said, “You seem to have some trouble staying in your lane, have you been drinking?”

I explained I had just covered the UCLA-Oregon State game and was sober and that "I was listening to the Oregon game, and the Ducks just scored, which I guess surprised me and I jerked my hands."

He went to his car, ran a background check on my license and then returned.

“Mr. Foster, I'll let you off with a warning, but the next time the Ducks score, try to contain yourself.”

-- Chris Foster
chris.foster@latimes.com
Twitter.com/cfosterlatimes

USC football: Did record crowd at Autzen Stadium help Oregon? Well, it didn't hurt

A record crowd of 59,592 packed Autzen Stadium and brought the noise during Oregon's 47-20 victory over USC.

Not that USC Coach Pete Carroll would acknowledge it.

"The noise of Autzen did not affect our game," he said.

Really?

USC was called for six false-start penalties.

"It was not a factor for me," USC quarterback Matt Barkley said.

Well, it was for Oregon.

"My ears are still ringing," Oregon Coach Chip Kelly said. "There is no place like this in college football."

-- Gary Klein

Photo: Autzen Stadium during Saturday's USC-Oregon game. Credit: Kirby Lee, US Presswire.

Related story: Poll: Who has been more disappointing, USC or UCLA?

USC football: Loss at Oregon a learning experience for Matt Barkley

USC quarterback Matt Barkley's streak of six consecutive victories as the Trojans' starter ended in the 47-20 defeat by Oregon.

Barkley completed 21 of 38 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.

Barkley connected with receiver Ronald Johnson for a 3-yard touchdown to tie the score, 10-10, early in the second quarter. His 4-yard touchdown pass to Damian Williams late in the second quarter tied the score, 17-17.

The freshman was victimized by a key drop by tight end Blake Ayles. But Barkley also underthrew a pass and overthrew several that might have resulted in long gains and possibly touchdowns.

Barkley's pass on the final play of the game was intercepted by Oregon safety T.J. Ward.

“There is a lot I can learn," Barkley said. "I realize there is nothing we can do about this.  Come Monday, on the practice field, it is a whole new year.”

-- Gary Klein

Related story: Poll: Who has been more disappointing, USC or UCLA?