No Te’o, No problem

Manti Te’o would have been an additional charm to the 2009 class of Trojans, but the absence, though somewhat unsettling, isn’t crippling to the structure. USC’s loss became Notre Dame’s gain, and everyone was aware of the possibility. But realistically, as much as Te’o is an outstanding 2009 prospect, he’s a more logical projection for 2011. During the recruiting process, Te’o made it clear that his plan is to embark on a 2 year Mormon mission, when he reaches the age of 19. Unless Charlie Weis suits and places him on the field this fall, the name may not be mentioned again for another two years. In fact, though Weis scored big in pulling one of the top linebackers in the country from Hawaii to South Bend, there’s a chance the hot seat coach may not be around when the time comes to coach him.

The Signing Day crew on ESPN was surprised by Vontez Burfict's decision to de-commit from USC and jump on board with Arizona State. I guess they didn’t have their ears near the grapevine, because it’s been swirling for days that he apparently didn’t have the grades for Southern Cal and would become a Sun Devil. He became the second big hit to Trojan expectations, but all is well.

Randall Carroll selected his hat, and chose to go across town to UCLA. Again, it’s not a problem. Carroll has aspirations of playing wide receiver, and the Trojans contemplated using his services as a corner. The last time a top receiver faced the possibility of conversion, he also chose to attend a rival school. That player was DeSean Jackson, who snubbed the Trojans on Signing Day and chose Cal. In all his greatness, Jackson completed his amateur career without a victory or touchdown against USC.

Signing Day may not leave a satisfying taste in your mouth, but that’s because the majority of the class was already set. The top player in the country, Matt Barkley, was enrolled before signing day ever came along. There were strong verbals from others, which made it less dramatic. Pete Carroll and his staff managed to cash in on some of the top talent in California, while also pulling Starling and Telfort from Florida, and Jarvis Jones from Georgia. Would Te’o and Burfict have been nice additions? Sure, but nevertheless, the Trojans are reloaded and ready to roll.

Fight On!

F**k it, UCLA won one

UCLA scores few victories over Trojans football, but they managed to claim a big one on Thursday. 5-star prospect Morrell Presley has de-committed from USC in favor of UCLA. The 6'4, 215 pound tight end visited both schools this month, and determined (in his words) that Neuheisel would "transform him into a better person and better man". That appears to be the marketing ploy in Westwood, as those were nearly the exact words used by Maurice Jones-Drew, in an attempt to slam the USC program earlier this year. But "development of males and persons" isn't the only thing being sold across town, as Presley also made a reference to the current instability of the Southern Cal coaching staff.

"And with some of SC's coaches leaving lately, just like that, I don't know what to expect. I know UCLA's coaches are going to be around for awhile", said Presley to the Sporting News.

The coaching carousel began years ago, yet it didn't stop him from originally committing to USC. I would have to believe this was stressed even more, with the departure of Sarkisian being most current, during his visit to the UCLA campus.

Something else that may be more troublesome for USC recruiting is what Presley then went on to say:

"When I took my trip to SC, they had some players who'd come in as the top seniors in the nation," . "Some of them told me they regret going there, because they weren't playing. That puts a lot of stress on a person, and I don't want that to be me."

If there's truth to this, the Trojans may want to rethink which players are used to host recruits, as it only provides ammunition and eases the recruiting battle for UCLA. Presley is rated as the top tight end in the nation, and we should remember from his days at USC, that the tight end is very important in a Norm Chow offense.

From a player's standpoint, I can't say Presley made a wrong decision. He wants to play now, and wants to play at the next level. Under the molding of Norm Chow, he's likely to get there. But as a fan of the Empire, I just have to suck it up and say, "F**k it, they won, and the Trojans took one on the chin."

Trojans continue decade of dominance; defeat UCLA 28-7 to claim 7th Pac 10 crown

The football monopoly in Los Angeles is officially over HERE.

Isn’t this where we left off? USC begins the season as Pac 10 champions, and finishes just the same. It’s become as traditional as the rowdy mobs of Black Friday and the lighting of the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. It’s an axiom, and just as Thanksgiving leads to Christmas, USC is winning a conference championship somewhere in between.

The task is hardly simplistic, as national critics make it out to be. They underestimate our Pac 10 brethren, judging based on the lack of traditional power programs, without seeing the quality brought to the field when facing the letters “U-S-C”. For weeks, Oregon State retained the conference lead, before surrendering their hopes last weekend. And with an open door, and a 28-7 victory over UCLA, the Trojans walk through as champions.

The UCLA Bruins welcomed USC and their symbolic home red jerseys to the Rose Bowl, and the Trojans made themselves at home. By rule, a penalty was accessed for garments worn, and as promised, UCLA called an immediate timeout to even the category and allow tradition to live. And for just a moment, it nearly appeared that we would have one of those hard fought battles from Coliseum yesteryears, but a USC fumble on the first series that led to the Bruins first and only score, would prove to be harmless, as the Trojans went back to work.

Defensive domination is the season’s theme, and Southern Cal claimed another victim. The Trojans allowed just 157 total yards and 7 first downs to their crosstown opponent. Kevin Craft earned just 89 yards passing, with wide receiver Dominique Johnson adding another 21 and a touchdown on a trick play that opened the game’s scoring. Bruin runners combined for just 47 yards, with drive after drive ending with UCLA in punt formation.

USC rushed for 209 yards, with Joe McKnight’s 99 leading the attack. Sanchez was the victim of some big hits, some coming late and drawing flags, but finished 18 0f 33 for 269 yards, with a touchdown and interception. Damian Williams was the recipient of one Sanchez touchdown pass, before leaving the game with a slightly separated shoulder. The early prognosis has Williams out 2 weeks, which would have him back in time for Penn State and the Rose Bowl.

The final BCS standings will be released Sunday at 5:20 pm PDT. USC in the national championship game is not one of the expectations, and we are more likely to see Florida playing Oklahoma. But don’t forget to keep your eye on the AP, as Texas still has an opportunity for an AP title, unless they are jumped in this week’s polls or Alabama fails to fall very far. Congratulations to the USC Trojans on their 7th consecutive Pac 10 championship, and 7th straight 11-win season. It’s a decade of dominance for Trojans football, and it continues on…

FIGHT ON!

Preview | (5) USC at UCLA

The Trojans enter their second rivalry in as many weeks, as they continue to walk the BCS path. The Oregon State mishap last weekend cast a familiar fragrance of roses, and the men of Troy can solidify their 7th consecutive BCS bowl game with a victory over the rival Bruins on Saturday to clinch a birth. Failure to do so would create a 3-way tie in the Pacific 10, allowing the once disheartened Beavers their first January trip to Pasadena since 1965.

If we thought the Fighting Irish were a bad opponent, this week brings one worse. Charlie Weis and Notre Dame faced criticism for defeating just one program with a winning record this season, but UCLA hasn’t recorded a victory over any. The Bruins began their season with the shocking and unexpected Labor Day victory over Tennessee. But here in December, peering back on a season unfolded, that initial victory over the now 5-7 Vols appears neither shocking nor unexpected.

This is a battle between the “haves” and “have-nots”. It’s the battle of Los Angeles and the awarding of the Victory Bell. It’s a tradition renewed, with both programs prepared to take the same field in home colors. It’s one program eying a prize of Roses, and the other in a spoiler role. This is about pride and bragging rights. This is USC and UCLA.

“War Time! Let’s take it outside…”

BRUINS (4-7)
Last Week: L-Arizona State

If first year coach Rick Neuheisel and his dream team staff are looking to pinpoint a single reason for the team’s lack of success, look no farther than the list of inactive players sidelined by injuries. The greatest losses have come at the quarterback position, the key to any offense. Before the 2008 campaign ever began, the Bruins lost their named starter Patrick Cowan with a torn ACL. And before Ben Olsen could ever get comfortable in the replacement role, the Bruins lost a second quarterback with a broken bone in his foot. That left Kevin Craft, a junior college transfer, to lead the group. He responded by leading them to a 110th ranking in total offense, and a passing rank of 64.

The Bruins lost 3 of their last 4 games. And in that span, Craft has thrown 12 interceptions and no touchdowns. Though the hopes of the staff were to see continual improvement in the first year quarterback’s play, Craft has actually been progressively worse with each snap under center. With a failing offense that sputters, Dwayne Walker’s defense spends the bulk of the minutes on the field. Amazingly, the Bruins rank second in the nation when it comes to defending the pass, allowing less than 160 yards per game to the opposition. Not so amazing, they rank 86th in the nation defending the run, which may account to the low passing statistics, since the better weapons against the powder blue defense are the legs of your running back.

TROJANS (10-1)
Last Week: W-Notre Dame

The last time Southern Cal made the regular season trip to Pasadena, their title hopes were upended 13-9 by a Bruins team with the perfect defensive plan. Last year in the Coliseum, it was a return to the norm, with UCLA playing the more familiar role of punching bag. The team USC will face on Saturday is less talented than the previous two, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Trojans record another shutout.

The Bruins play into every Trojan strength. They can’t stop the run, and USC averages over 220 yards per game. They appear impressive against the pass, but the Trojans are the most efficient passing unit in the nation. The 110th total offense versus the nation’s top defense is clearly a mismatch, and the Bruins can’t protect the quarterback, having been sacked 35 times already this year. Just look at it from this perspective, Notre Dame was a better team, and they managed just 3 points and 4 first downs last week.

Analysis: UCLA assembled a dream team coaching staff, but they don’t have the talent to reap the rewards. Both Norm Chow and Dwayne Walker know the Pete Carroll system well, but their current roster is helpless against this machine. This is a hate filled rivalry, but unfortunate for the Bruins, it’s the cardinal and gold positioned to disgrace and embarrass their opponent.

All Time Series: 42-28-7
Streak: Trojans won 1

bRUINS surrender the fort

The idea of USC wearing their home darks for the annual crosstown rivalry game with UCLA has been kicked around for over a year now. When Rick Neuheisel became the new head football coach in Westwood, it became more of a possibility, as he played in those early games when the coliseum hosted both home teams. But as I mentioned nearly a year ago, in allowing this to happen, Neuheisel would be giving the Trojans the keys to the house.

Both teams wearing home uniforms are a reflection of old Coliseum traditions. Allowing this to happen at the Rose Bowl would be nothing more than coming to the realization that you are the ugly stepchild renting space in a venue across town, and must succumb to the wishes of the rightful owner. Rose Bowl history doesn’t show Bruins and Trojans together in darks. Rose Bowl history shows USC owning the house. 22 times the Trojans have emerged the victor in January Rose Bowl games, more than any other. Wearing the colors to represent their home isn’t so much new, as it is proper and long time coming. But honestly, if you’re a Bruin, how and why would you allow this to happen? If anything, it shows a monopoly, something they claimed to be over.

FIGHT ON!

Neuheisel believes fewer kids watching football today

Appearing on the FOX radio show, in a conversation sparked about Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb not knowing the NFL overtime rules, UCLA football coach Rick Neuheisel said it was surprising to hear, but gave a reason for it. His belief is that fewer kids are watching football today, compared to his generation. The Bruins coach says, “There's just too many other things they can do with their social time. Video games have taken a large majority of that. And I'm not sure you've ever seen a tie in a video game!” Although his take is somewhat sensible, I won’t agree with it.

When comparing today to yesterday, you see how widespread the game of football has become, in regard to media coverage. Yesterday, a televised Thursday game was only a Thanksgiving Day occurrence. Today, there isn’t a single day of the week where football isn’t being broadcast nationally at one level or another. Yesterday, if you missed a game, you could only read about it or catch highlights. Today, you use the DVR and record several games to be viewed several times over. College conferences now have their own networks or are contractually tied to others, so even if a game wasn’t televised live in your local area, you can catch a replay later in the week. If you’re looking to view it live, ESPN 360 or CBS Sports Line will capture the feed and display it on your computer monitor.

Today’s kids know more about football than their father’s before them, which is why athletes continue to improve with time. They know more about training and diets. They imitate their gridiron heroes (from mannerism, dress, and movement) through images provided in high definition. They know all about contracts and how combine results increase your earnings, as hold-outs and signings are now just a part of daily television conversations.

If there are players in the NFL that don’t know the overtime rules, it’s not because they didn’t watch enough football. It’s because ties don’t occur that often. As it is, they could have watched every game for the past five years without witnessing a tie. Maybe Neuheisel’s kids aren’t watching football, because that game isn’t being played in Westwood. After all, the best chance they have to see their dad lead UCLA to a National Championship is to hand him a joystick and insert a disk.

Lendale White fires back at Jones-Drew

Former UCLA Bruins running back Maurice Jones-Drew, currently with the Jacksonville Jaguars, sounded off a month ago about the differences between USC and UCLA. He gave the typical “University of Spoiled Children” remark that is a haters favorite, and said he would want his kids to enroll on the campus in Westwood, because it produces a better education and people.

"To go to a great school like UCLA to get that degree where kids at other schools might become ... and this is no knock...you go to UCLA, you're guaranteed a job at NASA pretty much. That's what happens. You go to UCLA, you might become the next president. It's up there like that. Another great thing about UCLA, they don't lower their standards for their athletes. It was always the same as the regular students. I assume at USC they do other things like pay 'em. But they hold them up to the same standards and when you get like that it does scare some kids away."

For Mr. Drew to even focus on NASA, his Bruins education must have excluded factual points, such as the first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong, having a Master of Science degree that reads “The University of Southern California”. As for equal treatment of students and athletes, maybe he should check into why Jim Harrick was forced out of the UCLA basketball program. It seems to have had something to do with “false expense accounts”. And as Harrick moved on to coach Georgia basketball, his son was caught paying the phone bill of a Bulldogs player, and providing “fail-free” exams for members of the team attending his classes. And let’s not forget that before Sean Higgins was winning the National Championship for Michigan Hoops, he had a signed letter of intent to attend UCLA. The Bruins weren’t going to allow him out of the commitment, until Higgins threatened to start singing about recruiting gifts.

This week, Lendale White fired back at Jones-Drew, when asked what would happen if his kid wanted to attend UCLA.

“I probably would ground him until he realized that that’s the worst grief you would ever imagine about going to play. You know, powder blue. I guess enough said. Their powder blue uniforms and that ugly mustard color. I don’t know.


“UCLA sucks. It’s the worst school you could ever go to if you were a football player. You know, they never win anything, and SC dominates them, so … you gotta make your choice. If you want to get dominated by your crosstown rival where they can come on your campus and take your girlfriends and stuff, then you take that decision.“

In other words, Mr. Jones-Drew, your program and faculty may not see a difference between an athlete and student (according to you), but your co-eds are star struck, recognizing the rare sighting of a football superstar on the Bruins’ campus, and giving the cardinal and gold the umm…special treatment.

Here’s the audio, enjoy!

Root for the Buckeyes this weekend

It's no secret that USC needs a lot of help if they're going to make an appearance in the BCS title game. They can certainly help themselves by not losing anymore games, and putting on a show with each victory. But winning alone won't get them in. They need help from some programs that a Trojan fan wouldn't normally root for. The Beavers caused more damage by losing again, this time to Utah. So, if you support the empire, these are your allies on Saturday.

The Top 8 in the coaches' poll- This is pretty obvious. In this game of musical chairs, and the Trojans needing another seat, it's easiest to obtain if someone above them gets booted. It's improbable that Oklahoma would lose to Baylor, as it is Kentucky beating Bama. But Colorado presents a possibility, playing host to the Horns. The Buffs scored an upset against OU last season, and they're much improved in '08. LSU has a bye, so they can't lose, and BYU has already won. Texas Tech plays Kansas State, let's hope the Wildcats have a defense.

Ohio State- Root for the Buckeyes to beat Wisconsin. In 2006, USC throttled the Arkansas Razorbacks in the opening weeks of the season. Arkansas went on a run, and even though the Trojans dropped a game to Oregon State, voters couldn't find it in them to rank the Trojans lower than an Arkansas team they had beaten 50-14. So as the weeks wound down, Arkansas was among the nation's top 10, but despite the loss to Oregon State, the Trojans always remained ahead of the Hogs in the rankings. Make sense? USC needs Ohio State to keep winning and making a push towards the top of the polls.

Maryland and Cal- Although the Terps are playing Virginia this weekend, and the Hoos were an early opponent, Virginia winning this game wouldn't do USC any good, because they just won't win enough ballgames to matter. The better option is to root for Maryland. If Maryland continues to win, Cal's loss to the Terps is on a lesser scale. USC still has Cal on the Horizon and needs their schedule strength. With that said, also root for the Golden Bears over the Sun Devils. If Arizona State wins that game, they may push themselves closer to the rankings, but it does no good, since they play USC next week. If a team is at the bottom of the rankings when they play USC, a loss to USC will surely knock them out. It's better for Cal to win and gain momentum in the polls, before the Trojans meet them in November.

Notre Dame- Voters love The Irish. Notre Dame plays Stanford, but you don't want to root for this Pac 10 team, because the Domers are likely to wrack up more season victories than the Cardinal. A 4-1 Notre Dame team has a great possibility of snagging the bottom of the coaches' poll.

UCLA and Tennessee- This is another obvious choice. You need Tennessee to start notching some wins, while also needing UCLA to start rolling. If the Vols can gather some key victories, the Bruins' victory in the opener will appear more credible. Tennessee is playing a cream puff this week, but they desperately need some positives in the win column, and I'll take whatever they can get.

F@#* BEANIE WELLS

Yeah, I said it. One of the biggest games of the year, maybe of the decade, and all the media can talk about is Beanie Wells. Yes, he’s a Heisman contender. Yes, he’s a spark plug for the Buckeyes' offense. But hell, if you listened to analysts over the past week or so, you would swear THE Ohio State was a one man show. That’s not true. The Buckeyes are loaded with talent. And if the loss of Beanie Wells is worth this much hype, then obviously all the others are overrated. Besides, here in Los Angeles, we fully expect him to play.

But let’s look at what’s being preached, and what has occurred. Beanie was injured in the Buckeyes’ opener against FCS Youngstown State, leaving the game after running for 111 yards. That was an opening game 43-0 ass whipping, right? The Buckeyes followed up the opening weekend by struggling with the Ohio Bobcats. We all know this, because it was highly publicized. But how did Youngstown State follow up their paddling? They went back for seconds. “Thank you sir, can I have another?” In week two, Youngstown State was drubbed by South Dakota State by a tune of 40-7. Dakota’s Kyle Minnett ran for 123 yards and 2 scores. In fact, the Jackrabbits were more productive on offense (506 total yards) than the Buckeyes (495) managed against the Penguins.

Beanie Wells played in January’s BCS Championship game, and played well. Even with his 146 yards, the Buckeyes still lost by 14. Wells also played in the 2007 BCS title game against Florida, and the Buckeyes as a team rushed for only 47 yards against the speedy Gators defense, losing by 27 points. The point is, fixing whatever is broken doesn’t begin with Beanie Wells.

Flashback to 2006, and look at the UCLA Bruins. Ben Olsen goes down with an injury (imagine that?), and the team is set to face the second ranked Trojans. They insert Patrick Cowan as quarterback. Cowan allows Dwayne Walker’s defense to work, and he manages the game to keep his team in it. Final score, UCLA 13, USC 9.

Move on to 2007, and Stanford quarterback T.C. Ostrander suffers a seizure just days before the Cardinal are scheduled to meet No.1 USC in the coliseum, where the Trojans hadn’t lost since 2001. Insert Tavita Pritchard at quarterback, who never started a game. The 42 point underdogs take advantage of Trojan errors, and Pritchard tops his final drive with a touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone. Final score, Stanford 24, USC 23.

All this hype about Beanie Wells is painting THE Ohio State as a program without depth, and a program that leans on one man. The program is more rounded than the media is making them out to be. No mention of Trojans that are game time decisions, such as starting linebacker Brian Cushing and starting receiver Vidal Hazelton. Why? It’s because USC is expected to just plug in new players in those positions, and regardless of game time experience, they are expected to outperform their opposition. It’s always been the Trojan way. A man goes down, and you "fight on" with what you have.

But I’m pretty tired of hearing about Beanie Wells all week. Aren’t you? Yeah, I know. I just rambled about him, myself. But there’s a big difference between a “sky’s falling” rant, and just putting your frustrations simply, by saying……F@&* Beanie!

Bruins have a message for Los Angeles…and actually paid for it

The Trojans have some upcoming business to handle in Virginia, but apparently the rivals across town are already focused on a game in December. Yes, above is an ad run in today's Los Angeles Times, which seems to be Rick Neuheisel and his gutty little Bruins sounding their arrival, as if they've retaken the City.

First of all, congratulations for admitting that USC has dominated this town, and you’ve spent years playing the role of the ugly step-sister. Secondly, Norm Chow won’t make a single pass, Dwayne Walker won’t make a tackle, and Rick Neuheisel won’t use his foot to boot any game winning field goals. Great coaching staff, but same players from last year, so I’d say the ad is premature. And finally, be bigger and stronger before you decide to stand up to the bully. Until then, just continue to hand over your lunch money. You know the routine.

My heart goes out to the Bruin nation

There’s plenty of hate between USC and their rival UCLA. Together they compete for complete dominance of a single city, splitting the population in half, and allowing children to secure the future with the same hate that drives us today. But it takes just one moment, and just one act, to make us realize our similarities. One of those moments occurred this weekend, as Todd Bachman, the father of former UCLA volleyball player and 2004 Olympian Elisabeth Bachman, tragically lost his life to a senseless act of violence in Beijing.

Elisabeth was at the Drum Tower with her parents when the incident occurred, but was not harmed. Her father died from the stab wounds received from a crazed attacker. Her mother, Barbara, also became a victim, and at last report, said to be in serious condition. The attacker, identified as 47 year old Tang Yongmin, followed up his violence by throwing himself from the second story balcony of the tower, where he died in the street. This wasn’t a robbery or quarrel. It was one man, in one moment, changing the lives of one family. This was an Olympiad, less than a day old, already claiming a casualty.

My heart goes out to the Bachman family and Bruin nation. We are forever separated on gamedays, but as an American, I am unified in grief.

Rookie tips for John David Booty

John David Booty was the 4th Vikings quarterback to enter the game on Friday night, but he played the majority of the second half. If you’re someone that watched Booty play at USC, you saw very little difference in his NFL debut. That relates to both the good and the bad.

Booty did complete 9 of 18 passes for 82 yards, but he was also sacked once, produced a fumble, and threw one final interception, assuring that no statistical category would go untouched. But if I’m the Minnesota Vikings, there is one major area of concern when it comes to their first year quarterback. Some areas can be improved on with time, but there is one particular statistic that has plagued J.D. since his playing days at Southern Cal, and it’s followed him to the purple city.

Booty had 3 passes tipped at the line of scrimmage, and surely tips are not a rare occurrence in football games. But Booty has a lot of passes tipped, and so many that USC’s Steve Sarkisian experimented with working him from the shotgun, looking to deflate those statistics. Watching Booty play, I came to a point where I would exhale, once the ball traveled beyond the line, knowing that he cleared defensive linemen.

And this isn’t something that took long to uncover, because tipping was immediate, in his replacement of Matt Leinart. The Trojans were riding winning streaks against the Pac 10 and regular season opponents in 2006, and looking to make a third straight appearance in the BCS National championship game. They were still talented and surging, but on Booty's watch they were derailed twice, first by Oregon State, and then by UCLA.

Booty passed for 406 yards and 3 touchdowns against the 2006 Beavers, as USC made a tremendous comeback on the road. With little time remaining, USC scores a touchdown to bring them within 2. The pass on the two point conversion, intended for the 6’5 Dwayne Jarrett, fell harmlessly to the turf, batted at the line of scrimmage.

On the final week of the regular season, USC still had a chance, ranked No. 2 in the polls and needed just a win against their crosstown rivals to make a championship game appearance. It was a defensive struggle, but USC roared down field with time quickly expiring. They were in striking distance, down 13-9 and in the red zone. Booty dropped back, threw forward, and had the pass batted in the air and intercepted.

Three more tipped balls in Booty’s first NFL game? That’s nothing new. In fact, it’s getting pretty old. Trojans fans were pretty forgiving, but it’s still something never fixed. USC managed to win the majority of their games and win their conference, despite the flaw. But as an NFL quarterback, your stay won't be very long, if clearing the line is problematic, consistent, and damaging to the franchise and future hopes of success.

Have a six Pac on me

It’s the end of the week, so what’s buzzing around the Pac 10 Conference? Fall camps are underway, the media is making their assessments, and programs are strengthening and weakening. So after a long week of work, it’s time to relax and have a six Pac, on me.

USC defeats USC

Southern California is now officially, and without dispute “USC” and the rightful owner of the interlocking “SC” logo. The battle that had been waging between Southern Cal and South Carolina finally came to an end, with the administrative tribunal of the U.S Trademark and Patent Department ruling in favor of the California school.

Rey Maualuga explained his wearing of a pink thong over his practice shorts last week, and I had been waiting for it. According to Rey, he just wanted to liven up the place and keep the guys loose, and never thought photos would surface on the Internet. Rey? Get real! This is 2008. Chances are, if you miss the toilet in a public restroom, TMZ or some other Internet source will post it. When asked where he got the pink thong, Maualuga jokingly said he took it out of teammate Brian Cushings’ locker. The whole thing was amusing, and I still dare an opponent to mention that thong on gameday.

The media loves Dennis Erickson

Arizona State was an “okay” team or even less than that, before Dennis Erickson arrived last year. Change the coach, and the media changes your identity. Suddenly the Sun Devils were an excellent program and national contender; though they lost to every good opponent they played. There’s still no let up, as analysts are still projecting greatness for the desert rats, despite little change from 2007.

Though the national media feels ASU will push USC for the Pac 10 title, the Western media didn’t give the Sun Devils a single first place vote, but did choose them to finish second. Without Dennis Erickson, and having that same roster, I wonder where the Sun Devils would rate. Probably in the middle of the Pac, as they were before his arrival.

Clock is ticking on Big Ben

The UCLA Bruins are working quarterback Ben Olsen back into the rotation, after sitting out with a foot injury. Norm Chow’s “second choice” must now shoulder the unit, while trying to maintain his health. Pass protection becomes top priority, with Junior college transfer, Kevin Kraft, sitting as the top available back up on the UCLA depth chart.

Indecision in Berkeley

There’s still no clear cut winner in the Cal QB battle. Both Nate Longshore and Kevin Riley are capable, and many programs could only wish to have this type of position battle. Give the edge to Riley, but don’t count Longshore out.

Running back Jahvid Best is the heir apparent to DeSean Jackson and the Golden Bears’ special teams. A hip injury suffered in last year’s meeting with USC that caused him to miss the remainder of the season is no longer a concern. The sophomore doesn’t appear to have any lingering effects, and Tedford is prepared to utilize his talent is several offensive areas.

Nike has vision for Ducks

It’s no surprise that Phil Knight would use his corporate empire to improve the performance of Oregon athletes. Knight, the co-founder of Nike and Oregon alum, has given the program the best shoes, uniforms, helmets, etc to bring about the best athletic performances. Now Nike has taken it a step further, as they use 4 ducks in an experiment to improve vision. No, it has nothing to do with eating carrots or popping pills. Experiments included player response in drills where they touched a series of colored lights, along with recording brain reaction when goggles are worn to block vision.

The scene of the crime

USC travels to Palo Alto this year to play Stanford. For the second year in a row, the game will be aired on Versus, which for SC fans is a return to the scene of the crime. But have no fear, because with the exception of Cal in 2004, the Trojans have embarrassed each opponent in revenge matches taking place the following year.

Trouble Bruin In Westwood

No, the Bruin football team didn’t go over the wall again to leave Coach Neuheisel standing in embarrassment. But the new coach still has his hands full in this first year of “the turnaround”, which is geared towards lifting the program back to a level of national prominence and significance. His quarterbacks are banged up, the media still votes his program as the ugly step-sister of USC, and players are leaving the field, only this time not voluntarily.

In preparation for a big out of conference contest with Tennessee, Neuheisel was forced to suspend starting Safety Bret Lockett for that opening game. UCLA takes on a Volunteers team that gives up very few sacks, and they will do it with only one returning starter in the secondary. Academics also claimed another Bruin, as Tailback Christian Ramirez is academically ineligible for the 2008 season.

During last week’s Pac 10 media day, Rick Neuheisel referred to the Trojans as the “Elephant in your living room”. He went on to say, “You can’t be the head coach of UCLA and not find a way to compete successfully with USC”. And he finished it off, without an “if”, but with a “when”.

“But the good news is when we catch them, and I say when…”

I guess those words are necessary for player motivation and from a recruiting stance, but barring a complete collapse of the USC program, that “when” doesn’t appear to be anywhere in the near future. “When” you win the recruiting wars, that “when” may appear much closer. But as it stands today, USC is still a choice program of the nation’s top high school recruits. An important step towards advancement would be a victory over Tennessee. Lose that game, and lose it badly, and you are moved to the back of the recruiting line. But win that game, in front of a national audience, and UCLA could find their name on the short list of some top prospects. You can record a victory against an SEC opponent, and the media will launch you dramatically in the rankings, regardless of whether or not that Southern opponent was actually good. That's just the way it is in this media controlled world of bias.

Who is the best quarterback in the Pac 10?

It’s a simple question, with a not so simple answer. John David Booty, Dennis Dixon, and Alex Brink have moved on to join their other Pac 10 brothers in the NFL. What’s left behind, for probably the first time in years, is the lack of one quarterback really standing in the national spotlight. Before Booty, there was Leinart. Before him, it was Palmer, Anderson, Harrington, and Boller. And now I look at the 2008 conference starters, wondering who is the best of the bunch.

Mark Sanchez. USC: With only 3 starts under his belt, Sanchez is still fairly unknown by the national media. He was once the top High School quarterback in the country, but wasn’t as heralded as J.D Booty. What Sanchez will give you is a Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart rolled into one. He can power the ball downfield with a cannon , or float it in with a light touch. Sanchez also offers another dimension that both Leinart and Palmer did not. He’s a mobile quarterback who isn’t afraid to tuck the ball and run. 2008 should no longer show that statuesque figure in the backfield, though it does increase the injury potential.

Rudy Carpenter, Arizona State: I can just concede that Arizona State’s Rudy Carpenter is the leader of the Pac, based on some mock draft sources already projecting him as a first round quarterback selection in 2009. But that information isn’t really conclusive, because it really only says he’s one of the best seniors in the country. Of the senior starting quarterbacks, Rudy may be the best in the conference. But if pooled with underclassmen, is he? If there is no improvement on the Sun Devils offensive line, we’ll never know how good Carpenter is. The line surrendered 55 sacks in 2007, which only makes for a bad quarterback, and a bad QB he has been.

Nate Longshore, Cal: Nate Longshore’s college career has been hot and cold. At times, he’ll show flashes of brilliance, but other moments can leave you head scratching. He’ll be put through the most severe test in 2008, after losing the targets of Lavelle Hawkins and DeSean Jackson to the NFL, along with Justin Forsett, who provided run support.

UCLA’s Quarterback By Committee: The Bruins have the quarterback guru, in Norm Chow, but don’t have a true QB. Ben Olsen will get the opening start, but only because the named starter (Patrick Cowen) is gone for the season, recovering from a torn ACL in the spring. Ben Olsen was another highly touted quarterback recruit, but has failed to live up to his billing. He possesses a large frame and good vision, but his lack of mobility kills him. Though he’s large, he’s fragile, and it will be interesting to see if he survives the Tennessee game unscathed.

Willie Tuitama, Arizona: Now familiarized with the Sonny Dykes offense, Willie Tuitama may finish the season as the Pac 10 statistical leader for quarterbacks. He should appear in the likeness of Graham Harrell of Texas Tech, where Dykes called plays, before being hired by Stoops last year. Unlike Mark Sanchez, Tuitama is limited in offensive weaponry, but playing in that pass happy Wildcats system should give him more pass attempts, completions, and yards. He showed maturity in 2007, and if he limits his mental errors, he may just be the best quarterback in the Pac 10.

Jake Locker, Washington: Locker is already God-like in the Emerald City. With Dennis Dixon gone, he represents the most mobile quarterback still in the conference. He is the West Coast version of Tim Tebow, but his weapons aren’t comparable. UW’s entire success is based on the play of Jake Locker. Athlon Sports has him on “Heisman Watch”, recognizing Jake as one of the best players in the country. Would that make him the best quarterback in the Pac 10? With only a year behind him, the expectations are high, as the Husky faithful look for him to be the next legend of the Lake.

Sixty percent of the conference is represented in this piece, and I still have no clear cut answer. But that’s why they play the games, so the the listed individuals can provide us with one.

Mayo traded from Minnesota to Memphis

O.J. Mayo traveled from the great North to the Southern part of the country in just 3 hours. After being selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves, ESPN is reporting that Minnesota and Memphis have agreed in principle on a trade that will have a Trojan and Bruin switching places, as well as others.

According to the source, the Wolves will receive Kevin Love's draft rights, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal, and Jason Collins. In return, the Grizzlies get O.J Mayo's draft rights, Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker, and Greg Buckner.

'Title Town' search ends in Los Angeles

ESPN is spending its days searching the crevices of American cities for what they call “Title town”. But they can save fuel and travel costs, because the obvious choice sits out West, and I dare anyone to challenge it. The Boston area owns the most recent success, but even with all they’ve achieved over the past 5 years, they lag far behind the City of Angels.

Titletown is to be a gathering place of champions and legends of the game, and I doubt anyone across America has more to offer than this smog filled, star-studded, sports paradise along the Pacific Ocean. The numbers are as staggering as the names, and the venues echo with history and ghosts that romped to fame.

Today, Los Angeles is without an NFL franchise, but both the Los Angeles Coliseum and Pasadena Rose Bowl have hosted the NFL’s biggest game. Bart Starr rang in the Superbowl era with a victory on the Coliseum floor, and After trailing at the half, Terry Bradshaw orchestrated a second half masterpiece on the blades of Rose Bowl grass. The last championship for the Raiders was as a representative of the City of L.A., and the Rams were NFL champions in ’51, before moving on to Saint Louis and Superbowl stardom.

The Lakers arrived in Los Angeles, representing the first NBA dynasty, after winning championships in Minnesota in 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, and 1954. They've added another 9 NBA titles, and the Staples Center rafters hold the jerseys of the NBA’s all time leading scorer (Kareem Abdul Jabbar), all time rebounder (Wilt Chamberlain), and 2nd all time in assists (Magic Johnson). Other legends wearing the purple and gold are Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and James Worthy. They won 3 titles with future Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neil, and currently boast the league’s best player in Kobe Bryant. Phil Jackson has coached 9 champions, and though 6 were earned in Chicago, the triangle offense has been his greatest weapon against opponents. The architect of that offense, Tex Winter, is a USC graduate.

The Dodgers moved to L.A, after securing one title in Brooklyn. They added 5 more for the city, with their neighboring Angels adding another. Everyone remembers the famed Kirk Gibson homerun that added to the legends of Sandy Koufax, Maury Wills, Don Sutton, Tommy John, Don Drysdale and Fernando Valenzuela. Orel Hersheiser had a scoreless innings streak, and Eric Gagne had a record streak for saves. Nolan Ryan originally wore a halo, before moving on elsewhere in the league to establish records. And though Jackie Robinson is most remembered as a Brooklyn dodger, he was stealing bases for UCLA, before breaking any major league barriers.

When it comes to college sports, it’s a runaway. The USC Trojans are 12 time champions in baseball, and 11 times in football. No basketball program in the country has more titles than the 11 achieved by UCLA. UCLA is the first school to reach 100 combined national titles in sports. No other school has more Men’s team titles than USC. As one ESPN reporter put it, If USC was a country, they would have placed 16th in the medal count of the 2004 Olympic Games. Candace Parker has joined the WNBA’s L.A sparks, looking to build on a legacy that can possibly make her the greatest female basketball player in history. To do so, she needs to surpass 3 local products, Cheryl Miller (USC), Lisa Leslie (USC), and Ann Meyers (UCLA). 8 Heisman trophies have been won in Los Angeles, and the list of high profile athletes and coaches from USC and UCLA alone could easily create an all time greatest team in nearly any sport.

Though the Kings have no titles, the great one, Wayne Gretzky, skated on their ice. In Orange County, the Anaheim Ducks are just one year removed from Hockey superiority. Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins fought their way from the L.A streets and to championship belts. The L.A Galaxy were kicking their way to the top of the soccer world, before adding David Beckham to market it. At UCLA, Arthur Ashe was setting the pace, and erasing color from the game of tennis. Across town, many years later, Venus and Serena Williams went from little girls in a big city to playing temporary roles as Queen of England. A 7 year old named Pete Sampras first picked up a racket in his Los Angeles area home, before he went on to rule the world.

The city has hosted 2 summer Olympiads. A young NBA prospect named Michael Jordan claimed his first Olympic gold in L.A. A young Boxer named Evander Holyfield was disqualified in ’84 for a knockout punch that came after the bell. Carl Lewis equaled the 4 golden moments of Jesse Owens' Berlin brilliance,and Mary Lou Retton became America's sweetheart.

Search no more, because this is "Title town". Is there another City to compare? You tell me, because I'm more than willing to listen and give it thought. As USC alumnus George Lucas would say, “The force has been with us.” And as for this article, as a young UCLA film student named Jim Morrison would put it, “This is the end.”

Eyes On A Foe: Teddy Bears closing the gap?

I’m completely dumbfounded by how quickly the UCLA Bruins have shaved their odds of winning the 2009 BCS Championship game. At season’s end, the Bruins opened at 70-1. As of yesterday, they are down to 35-1. That’s a 50% improvement in Vegas, without any significant change to the roster.

The Bruins already lost Patrick Cowan to injury, after he was named the starting quarterback by Norm Chow. Even with his loss, the Bruins continued to better their odds. How is that? The UCLA coaching staff may have had confidence in Cowan, but it sure doesn’t seem like the general public did, since sportsbooks have been collecting money from people even more confident in the Bruins using an alternate option at QB.

The Bruins have 2 tough games out of conference, Tennessee and BYU, and then enter conference play, where USC, Arizona State, and Oregon are sure to be ranked. They’re looking at possibly 5 ranked opponents on a 12 game schedule. Lose just one of those games, and the Teddy Bears won’t be playing for any championships in January. Everyone knows the only way a Pac 10 team is going to play in a BCS championship game is to go undefeated and hope to be selected.

The Trojans remain the heavy favorite with most oddsmakers, holding steady at 3-1 to win it all.

bRUINS trash talk USC, While serving up livers on the black market

Some Bruin bloggers spend more time trashing USC than focusing on their own school or program. The news on those particular UCLA blogs are Trojan happenings, ranging from O.J. Mayo’s scandal, Reggie Bush’s scandal, O.J. Simpson’s run-ins with the law, to any DUI’s or minor offenses received by former Trojans across the professional leagues. But while these writers were busy nitpicking and trashing USC, and praising UCLA for being an institution of sense and purity, the UCLA Medical Center was participating in an act that isn't just horrible, but will launch a criminal investigation.

On Saturday, the Los Angeles Times broke the story of UCLA Medical Center serving up liver transplants to Japanese mob bosses in exchange for monetary donations. What’s the price of a liver at UCLA? It’s $100, 000. For $100, 000, the Goto Gumi gang was able to bypass everyone on the long list of American patients awaiting life saving liver transplants.

According to the story, a plaque on the seventh floor surgery office reads, “In grateful recognition of the Goto research fund established through the generosity of Mr. Tadamasa Goto”. Mr. Goto is one of 4 Japanese men that are barred entry into the United States. Of course, UCLA claims they knew nothing of the mob connection, but I still fail to see how any foreigner, regardless of his wealth, can take precedence over ailing Americans.

The 4 livers in question were transplanted between the years 2000 and 2004, with UCLA receiving generous donations for each. In the year of Goto’s transplant, 186 patients died as a result of their failing organ. Allowing one to survive, would mean exchanging them in the casket with this Japanese mobster. Obviously, this wasn't something the UCLA Medical Center was willing to do.

Bruins are often heard saying that you “can’t spell scum without the letters U-S-C”, but obviously, after a national search of hospitals, Japanese mobsters found their scum listed under “U-C-L-A”.

Eyes On A Foe: Bruins protected against Neuheisel’s past

With the details of Rick Neuheisel’s contract released, the Bruins don’t appear to be as stupid as some thought them to be. Neuheisel left a trail of sanctions and damaged programs behind him, but this time around, if he can’t break old habits, it’s going to hit him in the pocket.

Colorado received 2 years probation, for violations occurring while Neuheisel was head coach. Washington forced him out, after allegations of gambling surfaced and began to swirl. UCLA opened their arms and welcomed their former Rose Bowl quarterback home, but that welcome required a signature that would protect the program against any future losses.

One provision of Neuheisel’s contract states that if the program receives sanctions and/or probation, “in which the coach was directly involved, that coach facilitated, condoned, ignored what the coach knew or should have reasonably known”, bonus incentives become void and repayable to the program.

In writing, the punishment doesn’t seem very severe. But when you look at a coaches salary, you realize the bulk of their annual earnings are generated by bonuses. Neuheisel receives a base coaching salary of $250, 000 per year, but with incentives and bonuses, it’s stretched to a possible $1.75 million annually. His contract includes as follows:

Academic bonuses- up to $50,000
8 victories- $20,000
12 victories- $100,000
Pac 10 title- $100,000
Pac 10 co-champ- $80,000
BCS title game- $200,000
Any BCS game- $100,000
Bowl paying conference $1 million- $40,000
Bowl game under $1 million- $20,000
Coach of the year- $50,000

Also included in the contract is a home loan, 2 Automobiles, and a family suite at the Rose Bowl.

Note: The Bruins just landed Super prospect QB Richard Brehaut from Rancho Cucamonga. The 6’3 High School Junior should give Neuheisel a step towards reaching his incentives in the future.