The Cardinal (and Gold) Rule

Washington State Game Impressions: 5 Ws and an H

2010-09-25T22:35:00.000-07:00

Round Up:

USC routed the Cougars of Washington State 50-16.

Quarterback Matt Barkley was hit and miss with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He completed 64% of his passes for 290 yards.

WSU quarterback Jeff Tuel also had a 64% completion rating for 221 yards, but threw just one touchdown to three interceptions.

Fullback Stanley Havili electrified on the ground for 80 yards, including a 59 yard touchdown run on USC's first play of the game. Allen Bradford's 84 yards led all running backs, but he also lost a fumble. Marc Tyler added a touchdown and 30 yards while Dillon Baxter had 76 yards on 15 carries.

The Cougar rushing attack was headed by Tuel, who managed just 26 yards. Logwone Mitz added 24 yards.

Havili also topped the receivers, catching 5 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown. Ronald Johnson, Robert Woods and Brice Butler each caught touchdown passes as well.

Washington State's Jared Karstetter had a team high 89 yards through the air and two touchdowns.

WHEN was the game decided:

Early in the third quarter, Barkley found Woods in the end zone for a seven yard touchdown. The score capped a four play, 93 yard drive to start the half. The Trojans would go on to score 14 more unanswered points to put the game away.

WHO stood out:

Is there a more effective or sparingly-used weapon on the USC offense than Stanley Havili? He is a man among boys and his participation could be the difference between winning and losing in many a game this season.

The defense, particularly the secondary, continues to show improvement week to week. The tackling is better, the pass coverage is better, the overall awareness is better. Also a very positive sign was the pocket containment. Tuel, a QB who is comfortable taking off and running, was held in check on the ground.

True freshman Nickell Robey is starting to show why the coaches chose him as the starter. His pick six was an example of his improved recognition and his second interception was just icing on the cake of a strong performance. He did give up an early touchdown but even then he was in position and his coverage was not bad.

Another true freshman, Robert Woods, seems determined to shed his freshman label as quickly as possible. His play resembles that of a veteran.

The whole team deserves recognition for once again improving in the penalty department. Five flags for 39 yards is significantly more acceptable for this team.

WHERE do we need to improve:

Matt Barkley lacks consistency. That's a big problem. In the first half he looked scared in the pocket. He made bad decisions and bad throws. His two interceptions were costly and kept the Cougars much closer than they should have been. The good news is that he came back in the second half and appeared more comfortable, made better throws and performed strongly. But one half off, one half on will not cut it against teams like Oregon or Stanford and such play could spell disaster against beatable teams like Washington and Oregon State.

Turnovers need to stop. Barkley's interceptions were unacceptable. Bradford's fumbling problem could cost him the starting job, which is a shame considering how well he's been running.

WHAT did we learn:

The true freshman are coming into their own. Robey and Woods were pivotal to the win and Dillon Baxter looks poised for at least a productive season.

Havili will be a key to any USC success this season.

WHY was this game important:

The Trojans are now 4-0 to start the season for the first time since 2007. The team could have easily collapsed under the weight of the NCAA sanctions, breaking in a new coaching staff and inexperience. Instead they have improved in every game and continue to fight through adversity.

Things that made you go HUH:

The mystery of the kickers and the number ten is still unexplained. Is it possible Kiffin is just playing with everyone for fun?

Next week:

The Trojans take on Jake Locker and the Washington Huskies at the Coliseum. Steve Sarkisian's squad is 1-2 and will be coming off a bye week when they come to Los Angeles.

Minnesota Game Impressions: 5 Ws and an H

2010-09-19T16:13:00.000-07:00

Round Up:

USC defeated the Minnesota Golden Gophers 32-21 in their second road game of the season.

The Trojan ground game led the way as senior Allen Bradford pounded the ball for 131 yards and a touchdown. Junior Marc Tyler also punched in a score on the ground.

Minnesota's running game was held to 83 total yards, a team-high 40 coming from freshman Donnell Kirkwood. The Gopher's lone rushing touchdown was scored by junior DeLeon Eskridge.

USC and Minnesota saw similar numbers from their quarterbacks. Both Matt Barkley and Adam Weber threw two touchdowns and two interceptions. Weber completed just 51% of his passes for 224 yards. Barkley was more efficient with a 65% completion rating but had less yards, 192.

Ronald Johnson once again led all Trojan receivers with 63 yards and a touchdown. The Gophers' MarQueis Gray had 98 yards receiving and one touchdown.

Freshman Robert Woods logged his first touchdown as a Trojan when he returned a kick 97 yards.

On defense, USC's Jawanza Starling and Chris Galippo and Minnesota's Kyle Theret and James Manuel each came away with an interception.

WHEN was the game decided:

It is tempting to single out Woods' electrifying kick return as the deciding moment of the game. But it was the following USC drive, when Bradford took over leading an 88 yard drive that took nearly five minutes off the clock.

Bradford rushed for 43 yards on the drive which ended with a 21 yard touchdown pass from Barkley to David Ausberry.

WHO stood out:

The aforementioned Bradford was the star of the game, forcing the coaching staff to turn to him in the second half after making the most of his few first half carries. He may not have won back the starting job from Marc Tyler, but he certainly made the case for a bigger role in the offense.

Woods also had his coming out party as a return man. His kick return gave the Trojans a much needed spark and clearly helped demoralize the increasingly confident Gophers.

The defensive line finally looked like the dominant unit the coaches and media observers said they could be. The Minnesota coaches stubbornly tried to pound the ball (more on that later), but the line consistently stuffed the run all day and prevented the Gopher offense from getting into rhythm.

The secondary continued to show much needed improvement. Week to week players like Nickell Robey and Jawanza Starling have seemed noticeably more comfortable in coverage.

Chris Galippo, the much maligned senior linebacker who lost his starting job to sophomore Devon Kennard, was a force to be reckoned with in the second half. He looked about as good as he has ever looked at USC.

WHERE do we need to improve:

Penalties are still a problem. To be fair, seven for 71 yards is a vast improvement from previous performances. But penalties remain a costly problem, killing too many drives and extending too many of the opponent's drives.

The defense is much improved already. However, they still have a long way to go. The pass coverage is too porous, especially on routes coming across the middle. Also, the pass rush is not as effective as it could and should be.

Matt Barkley overthrows/under throws receivers far too often and seems to lack proper touch on his mid range passes. After protecting the ball in the first two games, he threw two interceptions on two ill-advised and inaccurate throws. Consistency is the name of the game and Barkley lacks that right now.

WHAT did we learn:

A) The defense can tackle properly. Something appeared to click in the USC defenders this week and all of the sudden they started wrapping up. Amazing.

B) The running back competition is not decided yet. The seniors Allen Bradford and CJ Gable are not content to let the younger guys have all the glory just yet.

WHY will this game be remembered:

Allen Bradford put himself back on the map. Robert Woods established himself as a special teams threat.

Things that made you go HUH:

As wonderful as it was to see the defense once again step up their play, I have a bone to pick with the Minnesota coaching staff. In football you often have to balance playing your style and exploiting the opposing team's weakness. In regards to that balance, there is a fine line between patiently maintaining your game plan and stubbornly (and detrimentally) sticking to a plan that isn't working. I believed the Minnesota coaches crossed that line and more. Instead of putting the game in the capable hands of their senior quarterback against a suspect Trojan secondary, they forced the run. For USC it was a godsend. With the Gophers insisting on running up the middle over and over against a defensive line that was not giving any ground, the Trojans were able to shut down the Minnesota offense and give the USC offense time to pull away. But I can only imagine how this game would have looked had Minnesota truly tested the secondary.

Kickers Joe Houston and Jacob Harfman were both assigned the number ten for the game. Kiffin said that it was a strategic change that he doesn't want to give away...I have no idea what that means.

Next Week:

The Trojans travel to Pullman to face the Washington State Cougars. WSU is 1-2, their only win coming against Montana State. This week they lost to Southern Methodist 35-21.

Rule #5: The Truth Will Set You Free

2010-09-15T15:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Reggie Bush became the first Heisman winner in the award's 75 year history to forfeit the honor and return his trophy.

Regardless of motive, Bush should be applauded for this move. He was by no means the first or only Heisman winner who failed to follow NCAA rules with regards to eligibility. Yet he chose to fall on his sword, admit he made "mistakes," and now pledges to help other college athletes avoid falling into the same trap he did.

In his statement, Bush all but admitted that he took illegal benefits during his time at USC:

"For the rest of my days, I will continue to strive to demonstrate through my actions and words that I was deserving of the confidence placed in me by the Heisman Trophy Trust. I would like to begin this effort by turning a negative situation into a positive one by working with the Trustees to establish an educational program which will assist student-athletes and their families avoid some of the mistakes that I made. I am determined to view this event as an opportunity to help others and to advance the values and mission of the Heisman Trophy Trust."

Here's the problem, implying guilt and sort-of-kind-of expressing remorse don't cut it. If you are going to give back an award of that magnitude, basically telling the whole world "I did wrong," what's stopping you from coming out and actually telling the whole world "I did wrong"?

Look at the baseball players who got caught using performance enhancers. Roger Clemens denied everything and became a hated figure. Andy Petite stood right up and admitted to using them and all was forgiven.

That's not to say Bush would be forgiven by USC fans or college football fans in general. But at least he'd be looked at as someone who took full responsibility for his actions.

When he apologized- oops, my mistake, when he spoke "contritely" to Pat Haden in August, I called it a first step. This is another step in the right direction, but I'm still waiting for the day Reggie Bush comes clean and gives a real apology to all the people he hurt through his actions.

To be completely honest, I'm not holding my breath.

Virginia Game Impressions: 5 Ws and an H

2010-09-12T15:51:00.000-07:00

Round Up:

The Trojans opened the 2010 home campaign by defeating the Virginia Cavaliers 17-14 in a defensive battle punctuated by penalties and mistakes.

USC quarterback Matt Barkley had 202 yards and two touchdowns passing. His Cavalier counterpart Marc Verica threw for 190 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

True freshman wide out Robert Woods caught three passes for 64 yards and senior Ronald Johnson caught five for 58 yards. But it was Jordon Cameron and Brandon Carswell who came down with touchdown catches.

On the ground the Trojans were led by Marc Tyler with 67 yards while true freshman Dillon Baxter had 49 yards on nine carries in his debut. Virginia's Perry Jones ran for 77 yards; Keith Payne added 57 yards and a touchdown.

WHEN was the game decided:

Matt Barkley evaded pressure and sneaked a pass through the Virginia secondary to Brandon Carswell for a touchdown with one second left in the first half.

The defenses buckled down and despite a late (late) score for Virginia, USC controlled the game in the second half keeping the Cavaliers from seriously challenging for the game after halftime.

WHO stood out:

The refs. It was raining yellow flags at the Coliseum. Virginia had nine for 101 yards. USC was hit with 13 for 140 yards. To put that in perspective, USC had more penalty yards than they did rushing yards. Together there were 22 flags for 241 total yards. Putting that into perspective, neither team surpassed that number in rushing or passing.

There are two issues here. The first will be addressed a little further down. The second is how the dismal display of inconsistency from the refs affected the flow of the game for both teams. Big play after big play was called back for holding penalties that could have been called on every play. Personal fouls were assessed on one tackle then not assessed on another tackle of the same type. And I have yet to hear an explanation for the call of "targeting" which took the wind out of the sails of a USC defense that was seemingly finding its groove.

The defense. Not that they looked particularly great, but with a performance so significantly better than the drubbing they received at the hands of Hawaii, the defense deserves recognition. In the secondary, Nickell Robey specifically looked more prepared to play at the college level and Shareece Wright seemed much more like the senior he is. TJ McDonald also came away with an important interception in the end zone. The defensive line looked porous at times, but they came up big in short yardage situations.

Dillon Baxter. On a night when the running game never really got going, Dillon Baxter nevertheless showcased his skill and the reason the coaches are so keen on the true freshman running back.

Stanley Havilli. Nothing new, the guy is money.

WHERE do we need to improve:

Penalties. Penalties. Penalties. Blame the refs all you want for being inconsistent and irritatingly involved in the game, but the penalties that were deserved weren't just inconvenient; they were devastating. If even a third of the penalties were wiped out, the questions about offensive troubles would be non-existent and a decent performance by the defense would have been judged even better.

Offense. Most of the articles about USC after the game said that this game proved that the defense is not as bad as suspected and the offense not as good. I disagree. This offense is far better than they showed against the Cavaliers and they will have to play with the crispness and poise that they displayed at Hawaii if the team is going to be successful. The difference between the Hawaii and Virginia games was not all about facing a stronger defense (which Virginia has). It was the penalties and the dropped passes and the overthrown balls.

Where Barkley looked like a fifth year senior against Hawaii, he looked like a freshman against Virginia. Gone was the accuracy and touch. Where Ronald Johnson looked like an all-world receiver against the Warriors, he looked unreliable against the Cavaliers. The Virginia defense presented more of a challenge certainly, but they did not make Barkley incapable of hitting a receiver accurately or his receivers from holding onto open catches.

The defense. As improved as they looked, they still looked vulnerable in some of the same places. Often it was Virginia miscues (dropped or missed passes) that stalled drives. The corners and safeties are still not playing the ball. And most importantly, the defense as a whole still looked slower that the offense they faced.

WHAT did we learn:

Dillon Baxter, who had 11 touches, will be a featured member of the offense.

WHY this game will be remembered:

It was Lane Kiffin's first home game as head coach.

It was the first time Reggie Bush's number five jersey was not featured among the other Heisman winners in front of the peristyle.

Things that made you go HUH:

I said it before but..."targeting"?

The student section seemed more crowded than at any point last season...but much less loud.

Next week:

The Trojans travel to Minneapolis for a 12:30 p.m. game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Minnesota is 1-1 and lost to South Dakota on Saturday.

Saturday Wrap Up: Struggles at the Top

2010-09-04T21:45:00.000-07:00

The opening weekend of the college football season is usually characterized by one or two big match ups between ranked teams and a slew of blow outs from the rest of the top teams playing cupcakes.

This year we got entertaining marquee games (TCU (5) beat Oregon State (24) 30-21 and LSU (21) took out UNC in a nail biter (18) 30-24). We got plenty of routs (Alabama (1) drubbed San Jose State 48-3, Nebraska (8) manhandled Western Kentucky 48-10, and Oregon (11) devastated New Mexico 72-0). But we also saw quite a few top ten squads struggle against inferior opponents.

It started with Florida, the fourth ranked team in the country, managing only 212 total yards against a Miami (OH) team that ranked 108th nationally in total defense last year. Now let's put those 212 yards in true perspective: 187 of them came in the final 13 minutes, 72 of those were gained on one Jeff Demps' scoring run, and through three quarters the Gators had amassed all of 48 yards. Repeat. 48 yards total.

Tim Tebow's replacement John Brantley couldn't live up to the "Messiah" and an offense that returns only one starter from 2009 looked not just ineffective, but unprepared and confused.

Fortunately for the fans at the Swamp, the Florida defense bailed out the offense with four interceptions while the special teams netted a touchdown. A series of Miami (OH) mistakes also helped the game end in Florida's favor, 34-12.

Then No. 5 Texas took on Rice at home. While the Longhorns largely controlled the game, Garrett Gilbert, Colt McCoy's replacement, had an underwhelming performance, completing 14 of 23 passes for 172 yards. In the end, Texas beat a Rice team, which won all of two games last season, just 34-17.

But the day was not yet done for the top ten scares.

No. 7 Oklahoma faced Utah State in Norman. The same Utah State team that finished seventh in the WAC last year. The same Utah State team that is facing a season without two of their best players, running back Robert Turbin (ACL) and receiver Stanley Morrison (broken foot).

Despite that that Sooners gave up 340 yards passing to Utah State quarterback Diondre Borel while Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones, successor to Sam Bradford, completed just 47% of his passes and threw two interceptions. Oklahoma needed a sideline interception by Jemell Flemming in the final five minutes to prevent the Aggies from tying the game which ended 31-24.

What do all of these teams and games have in common? All three are breaking in brand new quarterbacks who are replacing some of the top names in college football over the past three years - Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford.

Which begs the question: How much of these teams' rankings are based on the reputation of their former signal callers?

I'm willing to bet two of these three teams do not end the season in the top ten.

Quick Hits:

In the first of two FCS upsets, 1AA Jacksonville State upset Ole Miss in a double OT thriller. Quarterback Coty Blanchard completed a 30 yard touchdown pass on fourth and 15 in the final overtime before a shovel pass on two point conversion sealed the win 49-48. Later, North Dakota State stunned Kansas and new coach Turner Gill with a 6-3 victory.
Cancer-survivor Mark Herzlich returned to the field at linebacker for Boston College. The 2008 ACC defense player of the year missed the 2009 season when he was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. He had five tackles in BC's opener against Weber State.
The Pac-10 was 6-4 on opening weekend. Six teams played on the road. Only Oregon State played a ranked team, losing to No. 6 TCU at the new Cowboys Stadium.

Hawaii Game Impressions: 5 Ws and an H

2010-09-03T09:26:00.000-07:00

ROUND UP:

USC beat Hawaii 49-36 in a game that showcased both offenses and left both defenses exposed.

Trojan quarterback Matt Barkley threw for 257 yards and five touchdowns, tying a school record. Wide receiver Ronald Johnson caught three touchdown passes, also tying a school record, and returned a punt 89 yards for a touchdown, while running back Mark Tyler amassed 154 yards on the ground and scored a touchdown.

Hawaii quarterback Bryant Moniz passed for 269 yards and one touchdown, but left the game with an apparent concussion late in the third quarter. Shane Austin, the Warrior's third string quarterback, finished the game with 141 yards through the air and two touchdowns, both long bombs behind the secondary.

The Warriors had two potential touchdowns affected instant replay. The first was called down at the one yard line and upheld. The second was ruled a touchdown by the officials on the field, but overturned in the booth.

WHEN was the game decided:

Ronald Johnson's punt return for a touchdown.

While Hawaii hung around, just within striking distance until the very end, RoJo's return put USC back into a comfortable lead. All threats by Hawaii after this point were quickly and easily quelled by the hot Trojan offense.

WHO stood out:

Matt Barkley looked good. Really good. The numbers say a lot, but even they don't tell the whole story. He was confident. His throws were, for the most part, crisp and he hit his targets accurately. Unlike last year, when he forced throws into dangerous places fairly often, there were practically no near interceptions or blatant throws into double or triple coverage.

Barkley's favorite target on the night, Ronald Johnson, was a man among boys. From the ease with which he tore apart the Warrior secondary to the gutsy (some might say ill-advised) way he fielded a punt in traffic and took it to the house with ease, he shined in every possible way. He is very clearly the go-to receiver this season and will be a force to be reckoned with...if he can stay healthy.

Speaking of staying healthy, Marc Tyler showed exactly why the coaches elected to give him the start over senior Allen Bradford. Running with power, speed, and instinct, Tyler cut through the Hawaii offense like butter. The best way to describe number 26 between the tackles: slippery.

Lost in all the praise of the skill players was the performance of the offensive line. Barkley had plenty of protection for most of the night and they opened up plenty of holes for the running backs.

WHERE do we need to improve:

Defense. Defense. Defense.

And did I mention defense?

Specifically, the secondary got torched. In fact, they got torched, then fire department came and put out the blaze and then they got torched again.

Hawaii had touchdown passes down the middle for 30, 56 and 65 yards. And that's just the ones they completed. On a handful of other occasions Warrior receivers beat the coverage deep and only failed to score because of bad throws or an inability to make the catch.

On top of that, receivers were open going across the middle all night and there was a general lack of good coverage. Freshman corner back Nikell Robey seemed particularly unable to keep up with the quick Hawaii offense, but even veteran Shareece Wright didn't do enough to slow the aerial attack.

Needless penalties also plagued the defense as the inexperienced players failed to make plays for the ball and instead gifted Hawaii pass interference and other calls at important moments.

WHAT did we learn:

Very little that we can be sure of.

The offense clearly has a ton of potential. The play-makers like Barkley, Johnson and Tyler showcased what makes each of them special, but it will remain to be seen how they will perform against a quality defense.

The defense clearly has a ton of question marks. But lucky for them (and us fans), they won't be facing a spread offense like Hawaii's every week. Improvement is a must no matter what. However, this one dismal performance is not necessarily indicative of what we might see from the defense on a regular basis.

WHY this game will be remembered:

It was the first game of the Kiffin era. More importantly it was a reprieve from a difficult off-season and fans finally got some sense of what this team might do or not do this season.

Things that made you go HUH:

Two point conversions - Did Kiffin and company just decide to have some fun and take chances on the conversions? Were they testing out different strategies? Were they getting extra reps in for red zone plays? Was it all part of a giant Kiffin conspiracy to be a jerk? Did Hawaii head coach Greg McMackin ask, "what's your deal?"

Kiffin never smiles - Most coaches look pleased after a touchdown. Pete Carroll often looked jubilant. Lane Kiffin looked downright angry.

NEXT WEEK
USC faces the Virginia Cavaliers at the LA Memorial Coliseum on September 11th.

To tackle or not to tackle - that is the question

2010-08-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

Whether 'tis nobler in the body to suffer
The strains and bruises of full-contact practice,
Or to take caution against a sea of troubles
And, by no contact, end them. To hit, to tackle
No more...

Yes, that's right. I just pulled out the Shakespeare.

All because Sheriff- I mean, Coach Lane Kiffin has once again laid down the law after defensive tackle Nick Perry suffered a high ankle sprain during a goal line drill Wednesday.

No more tackling.

Which begs the question that I'm sure Shakespeare himself would have posed had be lived in this day and age:

To tackle or not the tackle?

Pete Carroll was a big proponent of full-contact drills. To be sure, there are plenty of good reasons to support going all out all of the time. It builds toughness and instills the idea of intensity at all times.

It definitely served the Carroll era teams well...To a point.

What those teams, especially in the later years, gained in intensity, they often lost in devastating injuries.

In years past the team was able to overcome those injuries. But those teams did not have to deal with scholarship limits and such major depth problems.

Which is why, even if it goes against my natural philosophy, this appears to be another genius football move by Kiffin.

And who doesn't love the classic Kiffin snark in this quote:

"We do one drill live and this happens," Kiffin said. "We can't afford to do it. We won't do any live tackling in live drills besides preseason games 2 and 3. We won't do it in practice ever again until about four years from now."

Rule #46: Take everything you hear with a grain of salt

2010-08-13T19:47:00.000-07:00

Hold your horses.

My last post seems to have been founded on a very big misunderstanding. USC AD Pat Haden has clarified his comments in a recent USA Today article with regards to Reggie Bush:

“Never did he say I’m sorry or I apologize,” Haden said. “Never did he say, 'I lied to the NCAA or I took stuff.' ”...

...“I would say it was conversation of him being contrite, but not an apology,” Haden said.

Haden said that he checked with USC’s compliance department before taking the call from Bush, who plays for the New Orleans Saints. Haden said he mostly listened during the call.

“When we say we have to disassociate ourselves, I didn’t know if I could talk to him or even listen to him,” Haden said. “It was basically just a conversation about him feeling bad about what he put the university through.”

Well that's...disappointing.

But what does it mean?

First, USA Today writers need to invest in a dictionary.

According to Merriam-Webster.com, the definition of contrite is "feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for a sin or shortcoming."

On the other hand, an apology is defined as "an admission of error or discourtesy accompanied by an expression of regret."

Close in meaning, but not interchangeable. Come on USA Today, get your head in the game! ...

Alright, I admit. I might have fallen for it too. With all the talk about Bush acknowledging that he made "a series of mistakes" it certainly sounded like he admitted error.

So let's just call this as a teachable moment and from now on very closely parse the exact meaning of everything Pat Haden, the Rhode Scholar, says.

Second, what exactly was involved in the "series of mistakes" Haden mentioned? Did Reggie admit to making mistakes in handling the Lake accusations? Or dealing with the NCAA? Or was that Haden misunderstanding Bush this time?

Third, is it possible that Bush did indeed apologize, i.e. give "an admission of error or discourtesy accompanied by an expression of regret," but did so with an expectation of privacy that Haden didn't understand? It would explain why Haden is now backtracking.

Or maybe that's just wishful thinking from someone who so desperately wants to think the best of Reggie Bush...

Reggie the Contrite?

2010-08-12T23:54:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Haden changes tune.

The phrase "mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa" is a favorite of mine.

Maybe it is a product of my obsession with Latin, maybe it is my Catholic upbringing shining though but the phrase has always seemed more meaningful than a simple "I'm sorry."

It comes from the Roman Catholic prayer for confession of sinfulness and literally means "through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault."

And it was the first thing that came to mind when I saw news of Reggie Bush's apparent apology to USC AD Pat Haden:

"He's really contrite," Haden said of the 2005 Heisman winner. "He knows he made a series of mistakes. It wasn't just one mistake. It was a series of mistakes.

"He told me, 'If I could turn the clock back, I would. If I could give the Heisman Trophy back, I would.' "

Bush will likely never be able to completely repair the damage he has done to USC but his mea culpa (albeit one relayed second hand) is a very positive first step.

And it is not because he said sorry. Or said he would give his Heisman back. It is because he admitted fault. At least by Haden's assessment, he confessed that his mistakes caused this mess.

The gesture was small and much more is needed. But for now I'll take it. Because every reconciliation has to start somewhere.

Just call him Sheriff Kiffin

2010-08-12T14:39:00.000-07:00

Pete Carroll may have had big balls, but Lane Kiffin is a hard ass. And I love it.

One of the biggest criticisms many had for the final year of the Carroll era was an apparent lack of discipline.

I think it's safe to say we will not be dealing with a similar problem as the Kiffin era begins.

Freshmen phenom Dillon Baxter now knows that better than anyone.

After two days of sideline punishment, Baxter was officially suspended for USC's season opener against Hawaii on Sept. 2 for violating team rules.

Presumably the suspension stems from an incident early Tuesday morning when the young running back allegedly broke curfew and reeked of a "controlled substance."

Kiffin had this to say:

"I think this is an extremely strong message and a very severe punishment for a player that may potentially be the most-skilled player on our whole roster," Kiffin said. "Hopefully that message not only helps him but helps our team and especially our freshman class."

The punishment is harsh for certain, but it sets a much needed standard for how Trojan players are expected to behave under this new regime. It started with more disciplined practices and laps or other punitive exercises for screwing up on the field. It has now extended to off-field behavior.

No player is safe from that standard. Not even the best young player on the team.

Interestingly enough, it was new AD Pat Haden's response to the situation the shed the most light on the suspension:

"Dillon's a high-profile athlete, like we've had some other ones around here, and he wasn't doing things he was supposed to be doing, Haden said. "And so when I say Lane gets it, I think he does.

"We can't just allow this kind of behavior, particularly for a freshman when they're just getting started, so I think he's done absolutely the right thing."

"Dillon's a high-profile athlete." Did you hear that Paul Dee?

Hopefully Baxter, and every other "high-profile" athlete at USC, heard it loud and clear because the spotlights are on and the microscopes are out. They may call him the next Reggie Bush on the field, but they will not tolerate Reggie Bush-like trouble off of it.

Sorry for the absence

2010-08-03T20:26:00.000-07:00

Due to work (of the non-paying sort), vacation, and Blogger being ridiculous and not allowing me to sign into my account, I've been neglecting this blog. I'll probably continue to post irregularly for now, but as we get closer to football season things should pick up again.

Fight On!

FINAL THOUGHT: Brett Favre is supposedly retired...again. Chances of him playing this season regardless - 75%

More on the (outrageous) NCAA sanctions against USC

2010-06-13T17:10:00.000-07:00

I hate to linger on the NCAA sanctions because everything is still very much in the air until the USC appeal is heard. But the more I investigate and the more commentary I read and the more evidence I see it has become infuriatingly clear that the NCAA did a hatchet job. Throughout the report from the Infractions Committee there mountains of weak evidence, untrustworthy witnesses and assumptions up the yin yang.

Here are some things you should look if you want to truly understand how outrageous the NCAA's investigation and conclusions are:

1) Two youtube videos looking at the transcript of Lloyd Lake's testimony to the NCAA. They detail discrepancies in Lake's testimony and how the NCAA asked leading questions to get the information skewed how they wanted it (and even helped him out a couple of times).

2) The 169 page response that USC submitted to the NCAA back in December, 2009. Keep in mind that this was given to the NCAA before the sanctions were revealed and even before the hearing on infractions in February. Yes, it's long, but at the very least it's worth reading the first few pages and skimming the rest.

If you don't want to do that here's a quick excerpt:

In accusing student-athlete I and student-athlete 2 (and their families) of accepting impermissible benefits, the Staff has accepted at face value the allegations of the primary accusers, and summarily dismissed the explanations of the accused. This wholesale acceptance is unjustified, as the evidence supporting many of the allegations is corroborated by little or no testimony or documentation.

The main accuser against USC and student-athlete l, agency partner A, has an extensive criminal record with multiple felony convictions, as well as a financial motive to provide a sensational story that damages USC. These facts are relevant in weighing his credibility. Some of agency partner A's most serious accusations are affirmatively disproved by the testimony of other witnesses and documentary evidence.

3) An interesting comment (from someone I can only assume is a lawyer) on the NCAA ruling and USC's strategy for appeal:

Posted by DB on June 11, 2010 01:23 PM at Trojanwire.com

I am astounded by the lack of evidence standards employed by the NCAA and I strongly believe that SC has the ability to use the CA Courts to get the major sanctions set aside if the appeal process excepts hearsay in support of sanctions. In fact on the pages 5 & 6 of the SC reply doc they bring up their right to due process which SC asserts was denied to it the by the NCAA. It is important to understand that the NCAA rules do not (can not) supersede state or federal law and SC sited Cason v. Glass Bottle Blowers Association of U.S. and Canada, 37 Cal.2dl34,143-144 as case law whereby this has already been adjudicated and established that associations must abide by Fair Process.

If a CA court rules that SC was denied due process it can invalidate the NCAA sanctions.

Another critical issue is the use of “Hearsay” as evidence which is essentially the basis of SC response to the NCAA assertions that Lake and others acted with the knowledge SC i.e. McNeal. As you will see below in the case of Tarkanian he asserted that he was denied due process and that the enforcement case was built on hearsay. While the NCAA has the right to discipline it was ruled that hearsay evidence was not admissible in infraction cases.

Can SC prove that the evidenced used to support major sanctions and a lack of institutional control meets the hearsay standard? If it can any sanctions based on that standard will have to be dismissed by law.

SC can get an injunction against the NCAA until the appeal process and court findings have been completed. SC can use the courts to rule on hearsay aspects of NCAA claims and if the courts rule that factual evidence does not support certain NCAA findings it can force the NCAA to set aside those rulings.

Essentially, SC can boil this down to those two issues and because there is already long standing case law they don’t have to litigate the whole case. SC can ask the CA courts to rule on due process and the hearsay standard.

I believe SC has already signaled to the NCAA that they will follow this path……

Just months before the 1976–77 season, the NCAA placed UNLV on two years' probation for "questionable practices." Although the alleged violations dated back to 1971—before Tarkanian became coach—the NCAA pressured UNLV into suspending Tarkanian as coach for two years. Tarkanian sued, claiming the suspension violated his right to due process. In September 1977, a Nevada judge issued an injunction which reinstated Tarkanian as coach. The case eventually made it all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States, which ruled in 1988 that the NCAA had the right to discipline its member schools, but required that due process be followed—effectively upholding the original 1977 injunction.[2]

In the decade between the original suspension and the Supreme Court ruling, it was revealed that the NCAA's enforcement process was stacked heavily in the NCAA's favor—so heavily, in fact, that it created a perception that there was no due process. The enforcement staff was allowed to build cases on hearsay, and shared few of their findings with the targeted school. The resulting negative publicity led the NCAA to institute a clearer separation between the enforcement staff and the infractions committee, as well as a system for appeals. Also, hearsay evidence was no longer admissible in infractions cases.[3]

4) An excerpt from the Congressional Hearing on the NCAA Infractions Committee (brought to my attention by BonesMcCoy on WeAreSC.com:

108th Congress - Judiciary Committee Hearing on NCAA and failure to implement placement of independent judges as arbiters

These are notes from a house committee hearing in the US Congress on NCAA hypocrisy in the rules enforcement process. Most specifically, the US Congress was investigating:

"the NCAA has failed to take action on several recommendations of its own 1991 study, most notably, those relating to the hiring of independent judges to hear infractions cases and the opening of these proceedings to all. This hearing will examine those recommendations and the NCAA's decisions not to implement them. We will also examine the investigated individual's role in the process and their ability to participate fully in it. And we will examine the NCAA's restitution rule, which punishes member institutions in the event that student-athlete initiated litigation is ever resolved in favor of the NCAA"

_______________

From Page 117

II. IS IT REALLY A COOPERATIVE AND COLLEGIAL PROCESS

I directly disagree with Roberts's contention that David Price, current NCAA Vice President for Enforcement, and his investigative staff are people who ''do not act out of animus, bias, or any personal vendettas.'' This is a point I made very strongly in my oral statement. In my direct and indirect experience ''in the trenches'' of college athletics for almost 20 years, my experience has been exactly the opposite. In what is supposed to be a cooperative and collegial process in reality could not be more adversarial and caustic. The enforcement staff is made up of mostly very inexperienced, low paid investigators who have an overwhelming amount of work. Many of them are thrust in hostile situations with the mantra to vigorously and sometimes viciously put down any type of resistance or defense to charges by the NCAA. Many times institutions just acquiesce to this pressure and put up little or no defense, lest they get blackballed by the investigators or the Committee itself for being uncooperative. The scales are heavily tipped in the enforcement staffs' favor and it simply is not fair or constitutional when you are not allowed to provide an effective defense. There is a better way.

To be fair, it is very difficult to really get to the bottom of things when you have limited power and the institutions are doing anything to protect their interests. Still, I believe the mistakes the enforcement staff and COI make are far more numerous that Potuto and Roberts state and many times I believe it is intentional. This intentional behavior is based on previous relationships, power of those getting investigated, potential vendettas, and quid pro quo. Examples like this add to the dysfunctional and imperfect nature of the process. Due to that I do not believe the process is remarkably accurate as Roberts attests. I only think it is reasonably accurate and I strongly believe that enforcement and the COI have tremendous incentive to pursue false or trumped up charges to protect the very aforementioned interests. Since the Committee is primarily made up of institutional staff members, the conflict of interest and potential for tampering is to much too high to ignore and it is ludicrous to think that it has never happened.

Page 117 PREV PAGE TOP OF DOC

III. RECOMMENDATIONS

...

I heartily endorse Representative Spencer Bachus' of Alabama efforts to finally lift the ''shroud of secrecy'' on this patently unfair and unconstitutional process. The old saying is true, ''If you cannot regulate yourselves, then the government will.'' Perhaps this is an area where government intervention absolutely needs to happen, and probably will, unless changes are made.

In this area, the NCAA has been literally begging for a congressional inquiry for over a decade. Institutions and affected individuals are not going to stand for the process as is. Sunshine is desperately needed on the process and the NCAA is so knee deep in litigation challenging it that it can no longer go unnoticed. There have been significant changes regarding NCAA enforcement since Congress last reviewed it in the 1991 spawning from the Lee Report. Some of the more notable changes included the creation of the Infractions Appeals Committee, tape recording interviews, and putting outside of the association individuals on the Committee on Infractions and the Infractions Appeals Committee. Even with these developments, there are still significant changes that must happen to ensure this process operates with integrity and respect for all individuals and institutions.

Page 118 PREV PAGE TOP OF DOC

Granted, the enforcement and infractions process is grounded in administrative law, not constitutional law. However, when dealing with institutions, reputations, and careers, constitutional due process and protections must apply or the government must make sure it happens. It cannot be reduced to blood sport when talking about someone's life and career. This is unfortunately usually done just to satisfy those who want a fall guy, while the one's really responsible continue to flaunt the integrity of higher education by cheating just win games.

It is an issue of fundamental fairness that all are guaranteed as citizens of America. The specter of NCAA investigations and sanctions can have far reaching negative effects on individuals and institutions involved. Therefore, past allegations and proven facts concerning the enforcement process including potential conflict of interest, use of secret witnesses, manufacturing evidence, and threatening employees of member schools during NCAA investigations and hearings are not keeping with the high values and integrity of intercollegiate athletics. A process that investigates itself presents on its face a major conflict of interest especially in the high stakes world of college sports. It is time to change it to provide fairness for everyone involved, including the enforcement staff and COI.

I believe that I convey workable solutions to a problem that has gone on far too long and one that needs to be fixed for college sports to survive in some semblance of an educational activity. The process as is does not allow for the real violations or violators to be uncovered. It is a mere facade to make believe that true enforcement is happening. However, it can be fixed. There are several modest and simple proposals that can upgrade this process, provide fundamental fairness, due process, and ensure that the bad actors that deserve to be punished are punished. Some of the suggestions for improvement I respectfully submit to the Constitutional Sub-Committee are:

...

Page 120 PREV PAGE TOP OF DOC

6. Make all hearings public, open to the media, to include public disclosure of hearing transcripts. If the NCAA feels they are doing it right, a little ''sunshine'' will just add needed credibility to what is now nothing more than a cloak and dagger ultra secretive process. Potuto's contention that public hearings would damage the process and hurt individuals is simply a smokescreen to protect the ''on the cheap'' get it done quick process that exists now.

...

Page 121 PREV PAGE TOP OF DOC

I do not share the optimism that Potuto and to a lesser extent Roberts have. I believe there are many more false positives and wrongful convictions via institutionalized scapegoating and sanctioned situational morality i.e. what some people do is permissible but what others do is not—even if it is the same thing. It is time to administer justice in a fair and equitable manner that ensures all, even the lowest common denominators, are protected under the constitution. I fully realize that nothing is ever perfect (although Potuto refuses to believe there is even the slightest flaw. She claims there is only miscommunication), but the current process is far from acceptable or even reasonable.

Before this NCAA report was released and the sanctions handed down, I maintained that based on the evidence USC would receive minor penalties because I believed the NCAA would rule with fairness and justice. I know now that I was wrong. Not in my assertion that the university deserved only minor sanctions, but in my belief in the NCAA. I will not make the same mistake again and I can only hope that USC takes the fight straight to the heart of the NCAA. This travesty of justice cannot be allowed to stand.

The 1928 USC Trojans: Forging a Dynasty

2010-06-11T16:05:00.000-07:00

Throughout the summer I will be posting a series on USC teams and players of the past. The first is a profile of the 1928 USC football team.

Long before Matt Leinart first tossed a football or Marcus Allen began weaving through defenses or the likes of John McKay and Pete Carroll showed up on the practice field, another legendary coach was laying the foundation for the more than 80 years of USC football excellence that would follow.

Howard Jones’ 1928 Trojans were the first of USC’s 11 national championship teams, but probably the least well known today. After all, how many of even the most devoted USC fans know the names or stories of Don Williams, Russ Saunders, Jesse Hibbs, Marshall Duffield or Lloyd Thomas?

Those are their names. This is their story.

Since arriving at USC in 1925, Howard Jones had led the Trojans to a series of fairly successful seasons. In his first season USC tied for third place in the Pacific Coast Conference and improved to second place in 1926. By 1927 the Trojans tied for first place with an 8-1-1 record and only a 13-13 tie with Stanford kept them from playing in the Rose Bowl that year.

The ‘28 team was talented and experienced, but had enough question marks before and throughout the season for observers to wonder exactly how high their ceiling was.

The biggest question, which needed to be answered quickly if the team were to have any national aspirations, was who would step into the shoes of departed captain and quarterback Morley Drury, “The Noblest Trojan of Them All.”

“The Noblest Trojan of Them All”

If you thought replacing Matt Leinart was tough, following the legend of future Hall of Famer Morley Drury may have been harder. The All-American, captain and 3-year football letterman handled just about every duty on the field including running, passing, punting, tackling and blocking. He also lettered in water polo, ice hockey and basketball during his USC career. In 1927 he rushed for an ungodly (for the time) 1,163 yards becoming USC’s first 1,000-yard rusher, a feat that would not be repeated in Southern California for 38 years until Heisman winner Mike Garrett led the nation with 1440 yards rushing in 1965. Drury was so beloved that in his final game in a USC uniform, the Trojan faithful at the Coliseum gave him a 10-minute standing ovation.

The competition came down to two players. Junior Russ Saunders was a bruising runner who used his size to bowl over defenders. On the other hand, senior Don Williams relied on a combination of power, speed and agility to elude pursuers, but having sat out the previous season with a chipped bone in his back there were concerns about his toughness and durability.

Still, it was Williams who stood out in preseason practices and won the starting job causing one observer to note that he “hits the line like a ton of dynamite and whizzes around end like a runaway engine.”

The nickname would stick and “Dynamite Don” Williams solidified his selection in a September scrimmage against the San Diego Navy football team by “slipp[ing] through the Navy line, whirl[ing] around the Navy ends and gallop[ing] past Navy tacklers.”

With the All-American tackle Jesse Hibbs anchoring a veteran offensive line, a talented backfield helmed by Williams and rounded out with Russ Saunders moved to fullback and senior Lloyd Thomas at halfback, the Trojans looked primed for a promising season.

Indeed the season got off to a promising start as USC took a 21-0 halftime lead in their first game against the Utah State Aggies.

The Aggies, however, would not give up easily. Star halfback Theron Smart returned the second half kickoff 85 yards for a score and then added another on a 39-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Call to cut the Trojan lead in half.

The USC offense responded in the fourth quarter with touchdown runs from Williams and Saunders to put the game out of reach.

A 51-yard pick six by Lloyd Thomas in the closing seconds was icing on the 40-12 win.

Thomas, a halfback the size of a lineman who was described by the Los Angeles Herald as “always a bulwark of defense in the backfield and a slashing interference runner (blocker),” would again display impressive defensive skill in the Trojans next game, this time in a more meaningful setting.

*----------*----------*

In fact, it was a defensive struggle on both sides when USC met Oregon State in the Coliseum before a crowd of 51,000 (quite large for the time).

The Trojans recovered a fumble at the Oregon State 36 early in the first quarter. Led by exceptional blocking from Jesse Hibbs, who had been moved to right end to counter the Beavers size at defensive tackle, USC marched down and scored on 12-yard run from Don Williams.

The Oregon State defense stiffened going forward though and kept the Trojans from reaching the end zone again in the first half.

With the offense struggling, the USC defense did more than enough to protect the lead. The Beavers were held scoreless and never crossed the USC 30 yard line.

Oregon State’s best scoring chance came as talented back Howard Maple took a USC kickoff and burst through the Trojan coverage unit, leaving defenders in the dust. It looked like a turning point in the game for the Beavers and a surefire score for Maple who was “rated as the fleetest runner in the great Northwest.”

Enter Lloyd Thomas.

“All of a sudden, out from nowhere, came the bulging form of Lloyd Thomas, galloping along in hot pursuit of the fleet Maple,” the Los Angeles Times reported. “Sure, Thomas got him – brought him down with a crash on the Trojan 43.”

The Trojan defense would complete the shutout and with two scores in the second half, USC won 19-0.

Things would not get any easier for the Trojans though as the next week the men of Troy would play what the Los Angeles Times said was “as tough a game as they will be called upon to play this year.”

*----------*----------*

The Saint Mary’s Gaels were coming off a successful 1927 campaign under head coach Slip Madagin and the week before had challenged an excellent Cal team in a 7-0 loss.

Lloyd Thomas started at quarterback in place of Don Williams, but with the absence of injured offensive linemen Jesse Hibbs and Charlie Boren the USC offense was in shambles.

Thomas’ performance didn’t help matters either. The halfback turned quarterback also handled punting duties three times in the first quarter. He averaged 6 yards per punt.

Even with the excellent field position, the Gaels were held scoreless by the USC defense and Thomas found an opportunity to redeem himself with a 60-yard scoring drive at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter Howard Jones turned to benched quarterback “Dynamite Don” Williams to ignite the men of Troy, not as a passer or rusher, but as a punter.

In 2008 UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel spoke the words that would become infamous among USC fans: “Punting is winning.”

What Neuheisel didn’t realize when he uttered the phrase was that those words may have applied to a game played by his rivals nearly 90 years before.

Williams put on a clinic with his quick kicks, surpassing 50 yards several times and keeping Saint Mary’s pinned deep in their own territory for the entirety of the second quarter.

But the game was not yet over.

The Gaels’ Fred Stennett scored on a short touchdown run late in the third quarter to tie the game 6-6.

Soon after, “Dynamite Don” Williams, newly reinstated as the starter, put on another clinic, this time in more traditional football skills.

He took a sweep to the left and turned it into a 31-yard gain. Then he hit Thomas with an 18-yard pass to the goal line. Finally, to complete the trifecta, Williams caught a pass of his own from Thomas in a crowd of defenders for the go-ahead touchdown.

Still he wasn’t finished.

In the fourth quarter Williams led a 50-yard scoring drive, doing most of the rushing himself, to end the game 19-6.

Writers at the time were in agreement that Williams “was the spark that galvanized the USC football eleven into action…because of his direction and his personal accomplishments without which there’s no telling what might have happened.”

As for Williams’ kicks, USC assistant coach Leo Calland would go on to say that they “decided the outcome of the game.”

*----------*----------*

The outcome of the Trojans’ next game was mired in controversy and mystery.

It was a battle of unbeatens as USC traveled to UC Berkley for their one and only road game of the season. Despite that the Trojans were heavy favorites going in. On paper they outmatched the Bears in every way. But one very important aspect favored the home team.

In the classic 2005 contest between USC and Notre Dame, Irish head coach Charlie Weiss famously instructed his groundskeepers to let the grass at Notre Dame Stadium grow long in an attempt to slow the speedy Trojan skill players.

The 1928 Bears did Weiss one better. They didn’t bother with grass at all.

Cal’s football field was barren, just a patch of dirt with a thin layer of sand on top.

And it was wet.

Never mind that it had not rained that week in Berkley, as the Los Angeles Herald put it “just how it got wet is one of those intriguing mysteries. One version is that there was a slight precipitation, limited by some strange meteorological freak, to the confines of the memorial stadium.”

And it was ravaged.

Though the reason for that particular issue was no mystery. The Cal freshmen and scout teams had played a game on the field just before the Trojans and Bears took the field leaving the surface in dismal condition.

Leading up to the game, sportswriter Jack James wrote that “California has no ball carrier to compare with ‘Dynamite Don’ Williams. That boy is a whole ball club in himself.” Cal might not have had a player to compare with Williams, but they found an answer for him.

His quickness and agility, the most important aspects of his play, hindered by the muddy field, the Trojan quarterback was abused by the Cal defense.

“If ever a ball carrier was marked for slaughter, Don Williams was that unfortunate,” the Los Angeles Herald commented. “He took terrific punishment and battering told on him.”

With Williams “too busy protecting himself in the clinches to inspire anyone,” it fell to sophomore quarterback Marshall Duffield to rally the troops.

The year before Duffield starred on the USC freshman team and there was a sense that he had enough talent to one day lead the Trojans to great heights. Harry Culver, a writer for the Los Angeles Herald said that “when you see a blonde, baby-faced but sturdy gridder hurtling off tackle, tossing perfect spirals or booting the ball with an air of nonchalance, that’ll be Duffield.

Duffield, along with Russ Saunders, led USC to its best scoring chance with four minutes left in the game, making it to the Cal 20 yard line. However, the young quarterback threw a costly interception and the Trojans left Berkley with a frustrating and disappointing 0-0 tie.

Howard Jones had only one thing to say about the circumstances of the game: “I would not care to make a statement about the situation.”

The men of Troy carried the hangover through to their next game against Occidental College. In a game they should have won handily, the Trojans struggled mightily in the first half before finally pulling away in the second for an unexpectedly tough 19-0 victory.

*----------*----------*

Although USC was glad to be done with a torturous October, the month of November promised no solace for the men of Troy who were set to meet Glenn “Pop” Warner’s Stanford Indians, a team considered the “strongest all-around material” Warner had fielded in his five years as head coach and the same team that had kept the Trojans out of the Rose Bowl the year before.

At the same time, USC assistant coach Leo Calland wrote a column in the Los Angeles Herald proclaiming that “results so far this season leave no doubt that the team representing USC is the weakest Coach Howard Jones has assembled since coming to Los Angeles. It will take a supreme will to win.”

Whether such a statement was Jones and Calland taking a page from former USC coach “Gloomy Gus” Henderson’s book on downplaying the team’s chance of success is open to debate. However, they were not alone in such sentiment. Sportswriter Harry Culver believed that the Trojans were “outclassed in every department of the game on paper.”

Stanford’s squad had a 10-pound per man weight advantage and Jones had never beaten a Warner coached team in his career.

“The USC Trojans have but one way left to win – through sheer fight,” Culver wrote.

Stanford dominated early. But the USC defense, “outclassed” as they may have been, was not lacking in “sheer fight.” Four times in the first half the Cardinal reached the USC 10 yard line. And four times the Trojan defense held them scoreless.

Then, on the final play of the half, Stanford quarterback Biff Hoffman dropped back to pass as Chuck Smalling raced past the USC secondary. Hoffman launched a bomb to the uncovered Smalling, who was so far ahead of the defense that no Trojan was near him. He caught the ball in stride and, with a stretch of empty field before him, was off to the races.

In the stands, 80,000 of the Trojan faithful looked on in horror.

Enter Lloyd Thomas.

   In a scene of glorious déjà vu “Lloyd Thomas fought his way out from a mass of players and took off in pursuit. It looked almost hopeless to those in the stands but Thomas had other ideas,” Los Angeles Times writer Braven Dyer wrote. “Finally, just when it appeared that Lloyd would never catch his foe, the Trojan halfback lurched forward, wrapped his powerful arms about Smalling’s legs and brought him down with a thud on the 10 yard line.”
   For the second time that season Thomas had improbably and singlehandedly prevented a sure touchdown and just as with Oregon State “that was the play that took most of the steam out of the Big Red steam roller, for Stanford was never dangerous after that.”
      In 1989, writing in the College Football Historical Society’s newsletter, Ray Schmidt would call it “the most important play in USC’s history.”

A dominating defensive performance in the second half and a Russ Saunders touchdown capped the 10-0 upset.

“A team is only that good once a season,” the Los Angeles Herald wrote. “The Trojans rose above themselves playing inspired, faultless football.”

Pop Warner put it another way: “USC was the perfect eleven, or as perfect as football teams can be made. In fact it was the most perfect game of football from a Trojan viewpoint that I have ever seen played.”

Howard Jones would never lose to Warner again.

*----------*----------*

The Trojans may have bested the Cardinal, but they still needed to make it through the remainder of November and they would have to do it without the services of “Dynamite Don” Williams who had fallen ill with a severe bout of influenza.

Once again Howard Jones would turn to the young Marshall Duffield to replace Williams, but this time the sophomore didn’t fail to reach the end zone. He accounted for four touchdowns in a 78-7 drubbing of Arizona. Then he led USC in a hard fought battle with Washington State.

After a first quarter Cougar fumble resulted in a 10-yard touchdown pass from Russ Saunders to Lloyd Thomas, Duffield scorched the WSU defense with a 75-yard scoring run and the Trojans entered halftime with a 13-6 lead.

Ted Rohwer returned the second half kickoff to put the Cougars back in the game, but another Washington State fumble, there were five total, was recovered and returned by Francis Tappaan 37 yards for a Trojan touchdown. A short touchdown pass from Saunders to Tappaan later capped the 27-13 victory.

The next week USC beat Idaho with a dominating performance from Saunders, who rushed for 148 yards, and the return of a healthy Don Williams, who scored a touchdown.

The Trojans were 8-0-1 and a win over rival Notre Dame in the final game of the season “would give them a heavy claim to national championship honors.”

The year before USC lost 7-6 in front of 120,000 at Soldier Field, allegedly the largest crowd to ever watch a football game. It was the Trojans only loss that year and Howard Jones had singled out revenge as one of the goals for the 1928 season.

As the first quarter ticked down, the Trojans marched down the field 67-yards before Russ Saunders scored a goal line touchdown.

The second quarter belonged to “Dynamite Don” Williams, whose running and passing led a short drive finished with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Marger Apsit.

Revenge was well in hand in another two plays when Tony Steponovich grabbed an 18-yard pick six to put USC up by three scores.

A 5-yard pass from Williams to Lawrence McCaslin late in the game all but ended the 27-14 win. It was the first USC win over Notre Dame in the storied rivalry.

The Trojans had their revenge and the national championship was in reach.

But USC never got the chance to face undefeated Georgia Tech in the Rose Bowl to determine a champion on the field.

Despite the Trojans having greater claim to a bid, on November 26^th the Rose Bowl Committee invited Cal to play the Yellow Jackets because USC had expressed a desire to spurn the bowl, wanting nothing to do with Les Henry, the committee chairman, and many of the policies he was pushing.

USC’s official position was that they could not play in the bowl that year because all football games had to be scheduled at least one year in advance.

Henry responded by offering USC an invitation to play in the Rose Bowl…on January 1, 1930.

USC rejected the offer and fired back that “post-season games of any nature are against general athletic policy.” Of course, in the same breathe they made sure to state opposition to each of Henry’s policies with which they disagreed.

Georgia Tech went on to beat Cal in a thrilling Rose Bowl game and finished the season undefeated and untied. However, USC was still rated as the national champions according to the Dickinson system because the Trojans played a more competitive schedule.

On January 4, 1929 the men of Troy and Coach Howard Jones were awarded the Jack F. Rissman national intercollegiate trophy, the first for the school and the coach at USC.

At the rally on campus, Dr. Dickinson told the crowd “that even had he taken into consideration the victory of Georgia Tech over California on New Year’s Day that the University of Southern California would have still be rated at the top.”

*----------*----------*

Since 1928, USC has amassed 11 national championships, seven Heisman Trophies and 34 College Football Hall of Famers. The ’28 squad may not have been the fastest or strongest of the all-time Trojan teams, but they set the stage for the winning tradition that would follow.

Head coach Howard Jones would coach USC until his untimely death in 1941 from a heart attack. His legacy would include a 121-36-13 record, four national championships, eight conference championships and five Rose Bowl wins in five appearances. He was a member of the College Football Hall of Fame inaugural class of 1951 and joined the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994 as a member of its own inaugural class.

In regards to his 1928 squad, when faced with the knowledge that only two of his players were included in the Associated Press All-Pacific Coast Team (Lloyd Thomas and Nate Barrager), he commented that the entire starting lineup at USC that year could have made up the All-Coast eleven.

Senior halfback Lloyd Thomas was named to the NEA Second Team All-American squad. In recognition of his contributions to the team he won the Davis-Teschke Award, voted on by the varsity lettermen and given to the most inspirational player on the team.

Upon Thomas’ graduation, Howard Jones commented: “He is my idea of an All-American football player. I am convinced that no team in the country the past three years has had a player of more dependability than Lloyd Thomas.”

Jesse Hibbs, the outstanding senior captain and offensive tackle who garnered All-American honors in 1927 and was the strength behind the Trojan running game, was once again named an All-American by the New York Sun, NEA and Walter Eckersall. In 1999 he was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame.

“Dynamite Don” Williams, the electrifying senior quarterback and emotional spark of the team, received All-American honors from the NANA and Third Team honors from the New York World Telegram.

Junior center Nate Barrager, a key member of the offensive line, was named to the Second Team of both the Associated Press and New York World Telegram. He would go on to captain the 1929 Rose Bowl winning squad. In 2003 he was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame.

Fullback Russ Saunders, who contributed greatly to the success of the ’28 team, led the 1929 Trojans in rushing yards and scoring as a senior, won the Davis-Teschke Award that year and was named Player of the Game in the 1930 Rose Bowl. He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1994 and the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999. He was immortalized in 1930 as one of the models for the Tommy Trojan statue.

End Francis Tappaan eventually won All-American honors during his senior season in 1929. He rejoined Howard Jones and the Trojans as an assistant coach from 1931-32. He was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.

Sophomore quarterback Marshall Duffield would indeed reach great heights at USC as he logged All-Conference honors as a junior and senior and led the 1929 team to the Rose Bowl. He still ranks as one of USC’s all-time leaders in total offense and rushing yards. He was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.

Other members on the 1928 team to be inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame include Jess Hill (halfback), Jess Mortensen (halfback), Willis O. Hunter (assistant coach, Athletic Director), and Jeff Cravath (assistant coach).

Rule #109: Governing bodies will always find a way to mess things up

2010-06-10T22:07:00.000-07:00

I’m going to be blunt: The NCAA sanctions against USC are egregious, ridiculous, and atrocious.

I could go on with plenty more adjectives but in the end I would just be listing every word in the thesaurus that coincides with just plain BAD.

That’s not to say USC should not be punished.

There is no denying that the USC compliance office and Athletic Director Mike Garrett in particular made mistakes.

Could USC have done a better job monitoring Reggie Bush? Of course.

Should USC have been more diligent in baring Rodney Guillory from involvement with Trojan Athletics? Most certainly (In fact, Mike Garrett should lose his job for ever allowing that man near campus).

But given the content of the newly released NCAA report there is absolutely no reason USC should have received the penalties it has.

The two-year bowl ban, the reduction of 30 scholarships over three years, the four years of probation and the vacation of victories (including the 2005 BCS national championship) is as close as any school will come to receiving the “death penalty” in this era.

Quite frankly, the punishment does not fit the crime and an analysis of the charges and the evidence shows very clearly that the NCAA was not concerned with fairness when it was drafting this report.

Even if the worst of what USC is accused of is true, the precedent set by sanctions against other universities do not support the excessive penalties USC faces.

The NCAA was on a witch hunt and after a five year investigation they bended the facts to fit their assumptions. With the rabid college football establishment screaming for blood, they disregarded the burden of proof and slammed their hammer down with reckless force.

On what basis?

The word of a convicted felon and a man who willfully tampered with a USC student athlete.

Leading into the release of this report, it was clear to the more sane observers in college football that with the information available to the public the worst that USC could face were minor penalties. In order for the NCAA to rightfully impose major sanctions there would have to be a smoking gun, a damning piece of evidence that would bury USC that no one was aware of.

With the entirety of the NCAA’s findings now available, one thing is clear.

There is no smoking gun.

In fact, there is very little actual evidence at all and certainly none to warrant the excessive penalties handed down.

The closest thing the NCAA has to the all-important smoking gun is the testimony of a USC assistant coach assumed to be running backs coach Todd McNair.

They say they caught him in a lie and maybe they did. But as with most of this case, their evidence is circumstantial at best.

Lloyd Lake, the convicted felon who willfully tampered with a USC student, claimed that he called McNair at 1:34 a.m. on January 8, 2006 and told him to convince Reggie Bush to either honor his commitment to the would-be agent or reimburse him for everything. It is the earliest time Lake claims that McNair would have known about Bush’s violations (days after Reggie’s final game in a Trojan uniform).

McNair claimed that he could not recall such a call and that he had never spoken to Lloyd Lake in his life.

So Lake produced a phone record that proved a call occurred and that it lasted two minutes and 23 seconds.

McNair says he doesn’t know how the two could have discussed such a weighty subject in the time it would take to order pizza.

The NCAA sided with Lake despite the fact that there is no recording of the call so the only people who know what was said are McNair and Lake.

Even if you make the assumption that the call did involve a discussion of violations and that McNair did in fact lie to investigators, there is no evidence to prove either.

Yet the NCAA still went ahead with nothing but assumptions and conjecture, deciding to take the word of an untrustworthy felon over the word of an untrustworthy liar.

In fact, the NCAA took the word (and only the word) of the untrustworthy felon quite often in the report:

Committee Rationale – Finding B-1-a-(2) – Impermissible cash payment to student-athlete 1's parents

The institution and the enforcement staff were in disagreement with regard to the facts of this finding. It was the institution's position that there is "no basis upon which to conclude that the facts (of the finding) are substantially correct," citing its belief that the allegation was based solely on statements made by agency partner A, whom the institution contends is not credible. The committee finds that the violation occurred.

As set forth earlier in this report, student-athlete 1's parents did not cooperate with the NCAA's investigation and, therefore, there was no opportunity to review financial records, which could have shed light on this issue.

Translation: We have no hard evidence that Reggie Bush’s parents received any benefits from Lloyd Lake, but we believe the convicted felon who willfully tampered with a USC student-athlete anyways.

Committee Rationale – Finding B-1-a-(3) – Transportation to 2005 BCS Championship for student-athlete 1's family

The institution and the enforcement staff were in substantial disagreement with regard to the facts of this finding. It was the institution's position that "there is no basis upon which to conclude that (information in the finding) is substantially correct," citing the fact that the information supporting the finding is based on the testimony of agency partner A and the former brother-in-law and that there is no documentation regarding the purchase of the airline tickets. The committee finds that the violation occurred.

As set forth earlier in this report, the committee finds agency partner A credible. Moreover, the committee finds no reason to doubt the veracity of the former brother-in-law.

Translation: We have no hard evidence that Lloyd Lake or his former brother-in-law paid for plane tickets for Reggie Bush’s family to attend the 2005 Orange Bowl but we believe the convicted felon who willfully tampered with a USC student-athlete anyways. We also believe his former brother-in-law, who “was mindful of not leaving a ‘paper trail’ and insisted the transaction be completed in cash” and would have thus been admitting to willfully aiding in the tampering of a USC student-athlete.

Committee Rationale – Finding B-1-a-(11) – Deposit of cash into student-athlete 1's banking account by agency partner A's former girlfriend

The institution and the enforcement staff were in disagreement with the facts of this finding. The institution's position was that there "is no basis to conclude that (the finding) is substantially correct," pointing to the fact that agency partner A's former girlfriend was not certain of the amount of the deposit and that agency partner A provided no corroborating records. The institution further maintained that there was no information showing that agency partner A's former girlfriend had student-athlete 1's account number, which, the institution contended, she would have needed to make a deposit into his account.

The committee finds that the violation occurred.

In making this finding, the committee relies on information provided by agency partner A and his former girlfriend…

The committee found it persuasive that neither student-athlete 1 nor the institution could provide an alternative explanation as to how agency partner A's former girlfriend knew that student-athlete 1 banked at Washington Mutual.

Translation: We have no hard evidence that Lloyd Lake’s former girlfriend ever deposited money into Reggie Bush’s account but we believe the convicted felon who willfully tampered with a USC student-athlete anyways. We also believe his former girlfriend (who was only involved because the convicted felon was in prison at the time) who, if these allegations are true, admitted to willfully aiding in the tampering of a USC student-athlete. Furthermore, there is no possible way that the former girlfriend could have ever found out the Reggie Bush banked at Washington Mutual without depositing money into his account, because the name of the place where a person does their banking is one of the most highly guarded secrets a person could have (/sarcasm).

Ultimately, the NCAA has made it clear that despite their insistence that “the actions of these professional agents and their associates…struck at the heart of the NCAA’s Principle of Amateurism,” they are more concerned with continuing a cycle of stringing up scapegoats and punishing the wrong parties than truly tackling the problem of agents tampering with student-athletes.

USC is not innocent and deserves some form of punishment, but a FAIR form of punishment. Too much of the NCAA report is based solely on the word of – say it with me – a convicted felon who willfully tampered with a USC student-athlete, a man whose actions “threatened the efforts of the NCAA and its member institutions to sponsor and support amateur competition at the collegiate level” and violated the very principles the NCAA claims to hold so dear. The same man who will get off scott free despite his crimes.

(special thanks to several members of the WeAreSC.com forum community whose early analysis of NCAA report helped shape this posting, in particular 6DyNasTy6, from whom I gathered some more specific ideas)

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

2010-05-10T12:59:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-04T21:17:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-05-03T13:37:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-02T17:52:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-02T16:05:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-01T21:24:00.000-07:00

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.

Rule #84: No matter how many times Brett Favre retires he can always come back

2010-04-30T19:50:00.000-07:00

Quick Hits:

USC head coach Lane Kiffin released the depth chart for the spring game today. There are far less "OR"s than populated Pete Carroll's depth charts but several position battles were left unresolved, most notably middle linebacker. What we do know is that both Chris Galippo and Devon Kennard will see the field, Allen Bradford will be "the guy," and apparently things work backwards for Monte Kiffin safeties.
Matt Barkley has looked impressive throughout the spring, enough to solidify his hold on the starting quarterback job. On the other hand it seems that center Kris O'Dowd had to pick up his game to impress the coaches.
Tiger Woods missed the cut at Quail Hollow. Do you think he still wishes everyone would only pay attention to his golfing?
Brett Farve Watch 2010 has officially begun. Does he need surgery? Will he retire? Is it even worth asking the question anymore?

Rule #71: Championships should be determined on the field, not in the polls

2010-04-29T15:02:00.000-07:00

Quick Hits:

The NCAA selected a new president yesterday and already Mark Emmert is making headlines and worming his way into my heart. Not only is he on record as being a proponent of a college football playoff, but he wants to seriously address the issue of one-and-done players. Add to that the fact he hails from the Pac-10 and he supports the smaller expansion plan of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. I think we have a winner.
Will they or won't they? At the beginning of the week we heard that JaMarcus Russell was as good as gone in Oakland, now not so much. The Raiders have 6.45 million reasons to cut a player who is, by every measure, a bust (Raider's fans rest assured, however, he still isn't the worst). But this is Al Davis we are dealing with, so when we see Russell on the sidelines next year in a black and silver jersey making an absurd amount of money to back up Jason Campbell, don't be surprised.
Ted Miller has some excellent articles about USC quarterback Matt Barkley and head coach Lane Kiffin on his Pac-10 blog. On January 8th when it was first reported that Pete Carroll was leaving for the Seattle Seahawks did anyone expect to be this confident going into the new season without him? I certainly didn't.
The U.S. National soccer team revealed their new home jerseys for the World Cup. Apparently the jerseys have two significant features. The first: they are styled after the jerseys worn by the 1950 team that upset England. The second: they are made entirely out of polyester recycled from water bottles.

Rule #8: It's not over until the fat lady sings

2010-04-28T14:39:00.000-07:00

The fat lady sang for the Bulls and Heat yesterday.

And she might be warming up for another performance for the Oklahoma City Thunder after last night's demolishing at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The game ended 111-87, but if we're being honest the Thunder could have just cut their losses and hit the locker room when the Lakers took a 10-0 lead.

I mean, why even bother dealing with the embarrassment of missing your first 13 shots when it was clear the game was over with Andrew Bynum's first dunk.

If that wasn't indication enough that a beat down was coming then maybe the inclusion of Pau Gasol in the game plan should have sent Kevin Durant and company into the fetal position.

Even more than that, if Scott Brooks, the OKC coach, had any sense of mercy for his young players he would have forfeited the moment it became clear that Kobe Bryant was going to spend more time including his teammates than throwing up ill-advised shots for no other reason than - well he's Kobe and he can.

I may not be a fan of Los Lakers, but I know this: If Gasol gets involved OR Bynum plays like the dominant big man people keep telling me he is OR Kobe remembers that he plays for the Lakers and not the one-man-show Kobes...then the Purple and Gold are dominant.

AND if all three of those things happen all together they way they did in Game 5 then the Lakers are unbeatable.

The good news for any team that might face the Lakers going forward:

The Lakers are nothing if not inconsistent.

So Laker fans, enjoy this moment while it lasts. Because this is still the same team that lost two straight to a team that has as much playoff experience as a troupe of girl scouts. It's not a matter of IF they will revert back to that team, but WHEN.

But at least then you all can go back to blaming the refs. I know how much you all love that.

Rule #666: Never tempt superstition

2010-04-27T12:33:00.000-07:00

I don't like to admit it, but I am a superstitious person.

Intellectually I acknowledge the insanity of it all (after all, how exactly does my wearing the right t-shirt make the players on my team play better?).

Still, I have learned that it's best to not test it.

Case in point: The Phoenix Suns.

I like the Suns. Steve Nash is my favorite player in the NBA and he has been for the better part of the last decade. I have been so excited to see them get back to their run-and-gun style and make it back to the playoffs.

Unfortunately I am not allowed to actually watch them play.

A few years ago I noticed that nearly every time I watched the Suns play, they lost. It became more and more apparent in the playoffs.

So I stopped watching and low and behold, they started winning (I tried a similar strategy with the Clippers but with no success. They lose whether I watch or not. I don't think they can help it).

Now, this year the Suns are facing the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round. Forgetting about the curse I watched the Game 1 - they lost.

Luckily, Game 2 and 3 - both Suns blowouts - were on NBATV, a channel I don't get and therefore couldn't watch.

Then a friend of mine (guess what team he roots for) forced me to watch Game 4 - and they lost again.

Wanna know if I watched Game 5?

I don't tempt superstition.107-88.

Rule #9: The Raiders will make absolutely no sense.

2010-04-26T22:11:00.000-07:00

Rules are made to be broken.

Or at least, that's how it seems this year considering how the Oakland Raiders completely threw me off guard by not screwing up their draft this year.

And I wasn't the only one.

To the surprise of...well, everyone Al Davis' club didn't make the biggest first round reach (that distinction fell to the Jaguars or the Broncos depending who you ask) and continued to make uncharacteristically smart football decisions through out the three-day affair.

Maybe next year I won't go in expecting the Raiders to be completely illogical.......

Nah, who am I kidding, they'll find some way to mess things up again.

Rule #56: Blame Pete Carroll

2010-04-26T00:12:00.000-07:00

I love you, Taylor Mays, but it seems you have fallen into the same trap that so many USC fans have been sucked into since that fateful January day when the news first broke that Pete Carroll was leaving the Trojans.

Blame Pete for EVERYTHING.

I can understand the frustration. Mays, a Seattle native, saw a perfect situation. His (beloved) former coach was now in charge of his hometown franchise, a franchise that would no doubt be looking for a Safety in the draft. Who wouldn't be excited to not only go home, but continue to play under the same man who mentored you in college?

It was a dream come true. A dream that was shattered by the name Earl Thomas.

A dream that was then beaten mercilessly into a bloody pulp by every pick that didn't end with the name Taylor Mays (35 to be exact).

So after nearly 24 hours of torturous waiting and wondering what he did wrong, Taylor vented:

Mays told the [Sacramento] Bee: "I definitely thought from the relationship we had, the things that he had told me about what I needed to be aware of with the draft process and things that I needed to do, I felt he told me the complete opposite of the actions that he took, which was definitely -- it was alarming. ... I understand it's a business. But with it being a business, he needs to be honest. And that's all I was asking for."

Mays said Carroll told him "I didn't have anything to worry about, that my game was OK, that my backpedaling was fine ... my tackling was fine. It was all things that I asked -- what I needed to work on, what I needed to show. I was kind of led to think that I was going to be OK."

Here's the problem. Mays knew precisely what he needed to improve in his game if this LA Times headline from last year is to be believed:

Taylor Mays to return to USC

THE ALL-AMERICAN FREE SAFETY WAS PROJECTED AS A FIRST-ROUND NFL DRAFT PICK BUT SAYS, 'THERE'S SOME THINGS I NEED TO WORK ON THAT I THINK WILL REALLY HELP ME ELEVATE MY GAME.'

Those things that he needed to work on, mostly coverage skills, were the same things responsible for his draft free fall.

(That's not to say Carroll is completely without blame in this. If Carroll indeed told Mays that his tackling was "fine" then something was wrong. While Mays was one of the best hit men in college football, fans often bemoaned the fact that he had the frustrating habit of not wrapping up.)

In the end Mays needs to remember saying this:

"I can't say I want to come back so I can take Spanish 2, but I just think it would be best for me in the long run," he said. "It might affect making a million dollars right now but hopefully in 10 or 20 years I'll look back on it and be like, 'That was the right decision.' "

Live by those words Taylor. They mean as much now as they did then.

The Cardinal (and Gold) Rule

Washington State Game Impressions: 5 Ws and an H

Minnesota Game Impressions: 5 Ws and an H

Rule #5: The Truth Will Set You Free

Virginia Game Impressions: 5 Ws and an H

Saturday Wrap Up: Struggles at the Top

Hawaii Game Impressions: 5 Ws and an H

To tackle or not to tackle - that is the question

Rule #46: Take everything you hear with a grain of salt

Reggie the Contrite?

Just call him Sheriff Kiffin

Sorry for the absence

More on the (outrageous) NCAA sanctions against USC

The 1928 USC Trojans: Forging a Dynasty

Rule #109: Governing bodies will always find a way to mess things up

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

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

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

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

Rule #30: Keep sports and politics separate

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

Rule #84: No matter how many times Brett Favre retires he can always come back

Rule #71: Championships should be determined on the field, not in the polls

Rule #8: It's not over until the fat lady sings

Rule #666: Never tempt superstition

Rule #9: The Raiders will make absolutely no sense.

Rule #56: Blame Pete Carroll

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