Rule #67: The asterisk may not be official, but it's there

Brian Cushing should lose his Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

It pains me to say it, but it's the truth

The former USC linebacker says that the banned substance he tested positive for in a random drug test was non-steroidal.

Because he's a Trojan, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. I'll believe him on that point and continue to support him.

However, the NFL says, steroid or not, it was a performance enhancer.

Also the positive test came in September, which means that any hope we had of his award-winning rookie season being untainted is now dashed.

And that means Bills rookie Jarius Byrd deserves the Defensive ROY award, not Cushing.

Regardless of what he says, the NFL denied his appeal and he now has to serve a four game suspension.

No award of that sort could keep it's integrity while allowing a player who has failed a drug test to retain it.

The circumstances may not be fair to Cushing, who continues to maintain his innocence, but life isn't fair and exceptions can't - and shouldn't - be made, especially when the details will likely never be cleared up.

It is unfortunate because these rumors have followed Cushing since high school, so he's used to fighting them.

There were false reports of a positive steroid test as recently as the NFL combine last year, so it's not like he hasn't had to deal with similar accusations before.

Given all that, he should have known better than to put himself in this situation. He, of all people, should have have been more careful about the products he used.

I know that's easier said than done, but when your reputation and legacy are on the line you have to be extra vigilant.

Cushing was not and now he needs to pay the price.

Rule #44: The probability of rain is inversely proportional to the size of the umbrella you carry around with you all day

It has been exactly four years and 11 days since the allegations against Reggie Bush and USC were first reported by Yahoo! Sports.

To put that in perspective, since that day the world celebrated a World Cup and three Olympic games, countries around the world were plunged into financial crisis, America elected its first Black president, and the New Orleans Saints won their first Super Bowl.

But what hasn't happened in those four years and 11 days?

The NCAA has yet to rule on USC's culpability in regards to the Bush matter.

Athletic Director Mike Garrett hopes that the NCAA rules soon.

No kidding. I've been waiting for the news in varying degrees of anxiety since I was still in high school.

Reggie Bush has been waiting for the verdict longer than he was even at USC in the first place.

The university went before the NCAA infractions committee on the weekend of February 19-21. They told us they would rule in six to eight weeks.

It is now week 11.

They said they wanted to wait to see the depositions from Lloyd Lake's civil suit against Reggie Bush.

The case was settled out of court two weeks ago. The depositions aren't coming.

And yet we are all still waiting.

It took the NCAA one year to complete the investigation and rule on Oklahoma's violations stemming from improper benefits received by quarterback Rhett Bomar and two others. It took them one year to investigate and put Indiana on probation for basketball coach Kelvin Sampson's impermissible phone calls. It took them two years to unravel and rule on Alabama's textbook scandal - a scandal that encompassed three years, 16 sports and hundreds of student-athletes.

Yet it's taken the time of those three investigations COMBINED to rule on ONE USC football player. It even took them a year and a half to resolve the OJ Mayo allegations. And even then it was USC self-imposing sanctions that ended that matter.

So is it too much to ask that the NCAA just get on with it?

If they have enough to hammer USC, then do it already.

If they don't, then just let us get on with our lives in peace instead of having to deal with someone popping up every two months with the "inside information" they have from their "sources" at USC or the NCAA or the CIA or the KFC, that says the Trojans will get the death penalty or just a slap on the wrist.

With a new generation of players and a new coaching staff, it's time to move on.

Unfortunately we can't really do that until the NCAA stops dragging its heels.

Until then I guess I'll keep carrying around this damn umbrella, waiting and waiting...and waiting for the downpour.

Rule #3: You are a Bruin for four years, but a Trojan for life (PART 2)

Yesterday we looked at how young Trojan rookies in the NFL are faring. Today here's an update on some non-rookie Trojans as they gear up for the season:

• I'm going to resist doing a Ferris Buehler joke here, but it looks like David Buehler has a chance to be The Guy in Dallas this year, or at least as close a kicker can get to being The Guy.
• Pete Carroll has been raving about wide receiver Mike Williams, who is once again hopeful that he can resurrect what has been a disappointing career.
• Not only has Matt Cassel apparently bulked up this off-season, but he is the "hardest working quarterback" running back Thomas Jones has ever been around.
• Last year's rookie of the year, Brian Cushing, has turned to MMA to improve his game. Do you hear that? It's the sound of AFC quarterbacks and running backs running for cover.
• Tight end Fred Davis filled in nicely for Chris Cooley last year when he was sidelined by injury. Now Davis is pushing him for playing time.
• The Panthers say that wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett needs to step up or be replaced. His performance thus far in practice has looked promising. But now there are questions about what his hiring of agent Drew Rosenhaus might mean for his future in Carolina.
• Philadelphia offensive tackle Winston Justice had a nice season last year with the Eagles and fans are hopeful he can build on that. And apparently he's been honing his writing skills as well, penning a weekly column for the Philadelphia Daily News, including this piece looking back on his draft experience. 
• Matt Leinart says he's ready to be the starter in Arizona, but didn't do too hot in the first day of practice. Luckily, he looked much better on Day 2. Quarterbacks coach Chris Miller has been working with all the Cardinals QBs to improve their accuracy. For Leinart, and back up Derek Anderson, this means a change in mechanics.
• Leinart's teammate and Cardinals' right guard Deuce Lutui was the only player to not show for the first day of Arizona minicamp. Best guess is he wants a new long term contract, but with the Cardinals signing veteran Alan Faneca he might not get it.
• NFL rules are throwing a wrench in the Carolina Panthers' hopes to resign Pro Bowl center Ryan Kalil.
• Brown's linebacker Kaluka Maiava has lived in the shadows of his more high profile Trojan teammates, but at least one blogger in Cleveland thinks Maiava is not getting the credit he deserves in the NFL.
• Cincinnati Bengals' linebackers Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga are both working to capitalize on a strong 2009 season. Rivers is committed to improving his pass coverage skills, while Maualuga is excited to get reps at middle linebacker during the off season workouts.
• After a so-so rookie season with the Buccaneers, defensive end Kyle Moore has lost weight and feels good about competing for a starting job.
• Carson Palmer liked the Bengals draft, particularly the way they filled needs at receiver and tight end. Hopefully those players help the Cincinnati quarterback reach his potential to be great.
• Steelers Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu surprised his team by participating in the first day of minicamp as he continues to recover from a knee injury suffered last season. 
• The Jets are shooting for quarterback Mark Sanchez to return to practice in June. Also, it looks like the team trusts him enough for his opinion to matter on draft day. He reportedly signed off on the Joe McKnight pick.
• Could the Giants' Steve Smith lead the league in receptions next year? This writer thinks so. 
• New Seahawks' running back Lendale White is looking slim and happy to be reunited with former USC coach Pete Carroll. And many think his impact will be worth the risk.

Rule #3: You are a Bruin for four years, but a Trojan for life

Here's a look at how some of the newest Trojans in the NFL are doing:

• After his well-publicized criticism of Pete Carroll after the draft, Taylor Mays is now making headlines in San Fransisco for more positive reasons. The 49er's safety has been focusing on playing the ball and not the receiver with some good results.
• The New Orleans Saints are not just excited about snatching up offensive tackle Charles Brown in the second round but they are comparing him to......running back Deuce McAllister. But don't expect Brown to be carrying the rock any time soon, this has more to do with what his presence could mean for trade talks surrounding Jamal Brown than a position change.
• Wide receiver Damian Williams already has Tennessee Titans coaches salivating over his potential impact on punt and kick returns, but there's a chance he could find early play time as a receiver as well. GM Mike Reinfeldt is already on record as saying he could eventually become the Titans number one receiver.
• Colts fans seem split on corner back Kevin Thomas. Some say he was a reach in the third round. This fan thinks otherwise.
• Defensive end Everson Griffen says he's happy in Minnesota with the Vikings and ready for the transition from college life to life as a professional.  

For more on Joe McKnight and Stafon Johnson check out the Quick Hits portion of this post.

Rule #30: Keep sports and politics separate

There's been a lot of talk lately about the new Arizona immigration law, so much so that it's even found it's way into sports conversations

Players and managers, like Adrian Gonzalez, Heath Bell and Ozzie Guillen, have threatened to boycott the 2011 MLB All-Star Game in Phoenix, Arizona.

Officials from San Fransisco have called for the game to be moved out of Arizona entirely.

And some activists have even taken to protesting the Arizona Diamondbacks at ball parks.

It's an issue I feel strongly about, but I don't want to get into the politics of the Arizona law. If you know me personally you can guess where I stand and if you frequent the WeAreSC.com Off-Topic Forum my feelings have been made more than clear.

But I'm not going to get into it because I don't think it has a place on a sports blog as a political issue.

For that same reason I'm going to scold these players and managers and fans and officials for making this issue about baseball, when it has no place in the sport.

If they want to go ahead and voice displeasure at the law, I have absolutely no problem with that. Hell, even Shakira has gotten into the discussion.

But taking it out on the Diamondbacks is almost as stupid as it is ridiculous. And demanding that Phoenix lose it's chance to host the All-Star Game is just as misguided.

If you disagree with the law, take your frustration and use it in the political sphere. The law has nothing to do with the All-Star Game and the All-Star Game has nothing to do with the law.

China still got to host the Olympics and it's human rights violations are one hundred times that of anything alleged in the new law.

There is, however, one group I would gladly beg to boycott Arizona in the coming weeks. On behalf of all Phoenix Suns fans, I implore the San Antonio Spurs to refuse to play in the state and forfeit all such games. Please, pretty please.

Quick Hits:

• Former USC running back Joe McKnight had a rough start to his pro career with the New York Jets as a stomach flu, nerves and maybe some conditioning issues led to a questionable performance. McKnight dropped easy passes, battled muscle cramps and vomited. I'm not going to jump on McKnight over practices that won't mean much in the end. However, while I admire his being honest about not being in shape, if I'm the Jets I sit him down and lay down the law about what it takes to be committed to being a successful pro - particularly being prepared. In fact, McKnight's admission makes Mark Sanchez's sage advice even more essential. If anyone can show a young running back what commitment looks like it's LaDainian Tomlinson.
• While we are on the topic of former USC running backs - here are a couple nice articles about Stafon Johnson's inspirational journey to the NFL. The first features just Johnson and his recovery from a near-fatal weightlifting accident, the second looks at the paths of Johnson and fellow rookie running back LeGarrette Blount to the NFL and the Tennessee Titans.
• Can you feel it? The World Cup is oh so close (should I be embarrassed that I just squealed like a girl at that thought? -oh wait... ). So here's a nice little preview of goal scorers to watch out for. And the World Cup theme song to pump you up some more.

Rule #28: It's never too early to name someone the next *insert legend here*

The day couldn't have been more perfect.

Tailgating in the Coliseum parking lot, beyond picturesque California weather and, most importantly, Trojan football.

In his short tenure as head coach, Lane Kiffin has made his presence known with closed practices, a more disciplined environment and take-no-prisoners, brutal honesty towards the attitudes and performance of his players. His effect on the Trojan Huddle was no less visible.

The most noticeable change was the make up of the cardinal and white teams. This year it wasn't the 1st team in one color against the 2nd team in another. Instead the teams were divided into defense and offense, with the offense in white and the defense in cardinal. The scrimmage also featured a modified scoring system which awarded points to the defense for making stops, forcing turnovers and scoring defensive touchdowns.

Fans were also treated to the return of noticeable half-time adjustments, which felt few and far between during the last couple of seasons. In typical Kiffin fashion, after a lackluster first half the head coach told his offensive players to "take their scholarship checks and give them back to the fans that came out today because that was an embarrassing performance."

The offense responded with six touchdowns in the second half and ultimately won the day 54-30.

Things we learned (that we may have known already):

• Stanley Havili is a weapon that must be utilized if the Trojans hope to be successful on offense this year: The senior fullback had three touchdowns and 129 yards receiving on five catches. He looked about as dominant in the passing game as his stats suggest. Most troubling is that he also looked about as dominant as he has throughout his career in the rare times he's been involved in the offense. Without a doubt he has been the most underutilized Trojan of the last decade. Hopefully this is a sign that's about to change.
• This defensive line will be a dominant squad: Similar things were said about last years line, things that never seemed to pan out. However, with Ed Orgeron at the helm it doesn't just feel like the right thing to say, but not saying it seems crazy. Nick Perry had five tackles and a sack, while the line as a whole consistently stuffed the running game and got pressure on the quarterback.
• The offensive line needs work: As good as the defensive line looks, some of that dominance has to be attributed to the struggles of the offensive line. To be fair, the line is stretched thin with injuries so it shouldn't be a surprise that they aren't dominating. Still, too often today the defensive made it through the line like there was nothing there.

Things we learned (that we may not have known):

• Dillion Baxter is...WOW: The world saw what he could do in this youtube sensation, but that was just one run and as impressive as it was, it could be easily written off as a great athlete facing walk-ons. Not. Any. More. If there were any doubts of the incredible talent of this freshman running back/wide receiver, there are none now. Not after his electrifying 13 carry, 129 yard performance (and how great is this quote from Lane Kiffin on Baxter's 57-yard fourth down run?). I'm going to say it now, Dillion Baxter will not only be a household name by the time he leaves USC, but his jersey will sit next to Reggie Bush's on the Coliseum peristyle.
• Mitch Mustain may have benefited the most from Kiffin's return...and he'll probably have little to show for it: The back up quarterback was the star of the scrimmage throwing for 299 yards and five touchdowns and once again outplayed his younger counterpart, Matt Barkley. Unfortunately for Mustain it seems it would take wither an injury or a meltdown of epic proportions for Barkley to lose the starting job. However, it is becoming more and more clear that Mustain has elevated his game since Kiffin came to town. Considering what Kiffin did turning Tennessee's Jonathon Crompton into a draft-able quarterback, it isn't all that surprising that Mustain would also show such marked improvement. He may not win the starting job, but this can only be good for Mustain's draft stock a la Matt Cassel.
• Travon Patterson may have arrived: The senior caught 5 passes for 101 yards and 2 (beautiful) touchdowns and clearly had the best showing of the receivers. It was just one game and Ronald Johnson and Brice Butler look firmly entrenched in their spots on the depth chart, but if Patterson keeps this up he should have no trouble finding playing time this year.

Things we didn't learn (or questions that weren't answered):

• How will the secondary fair without Taylor Mays and company?: When a quarterback throws for five touchdowns it can't be a good sign for the secondary, can it? The fact that Havili's three touchdowns were born out of mismatches that most teams can't deal with anyway eases some of the concern, but the secondary got burned on several other passes. 
• How improved will the sophomore Matt Barkley be over the freshman version?: He didn't do much early, but then again no one on offense did. And his best play, a 41-yard touchdown to Travon Patterson, also marked the end of his day as a hand injury kept him out of the game. Would he have dominated like Mustain if give more snaps? Who knows. At least he didn't throw any interceptions.
• Galippo or Kennard? Kennard or Galippo?: The middle linebacker battle has been one of the more intriguing of the spring, but the depth chart still reads OR between them. Galippo had three tackles to Kennard's two, still it seems neither did enough today to take hold of the starting job before the Fall.