FOOTBALL

Morning Buzz: Little Things Help Define USC

A recurring theme with USC is a lack of accountability.

Lynn Swann has operated without oversight for three years. Clay Helton has been allowed to let the football program become a loose ship with little or no discipline in that same period.

I won’t even get into Max Nikias or some of the other problems.

But this ties back to Monday’s news about USC possibly scheduling FBS opponents. The attitude is “we might get criticized but it’s not a big deal.” I remember when USC opened the 2015 season against Arkansas State and Idaho, an administrator told me, “We’ll take the hit.”

Nothing matters to these people, some of whom have worked for decades at USC. They think you are the problem when you question season-ticket policies or voice displeasure about a coach.

But through it all, USC has some traditions few others match:

  • It doesn’t put names on the back of jerseys
  • It wears black cleats (except when Lane Kiffin briefly screwed that up)
  • It does not wear alternate uniforms
  • It does not play FBS opponents

These might be little things to some people but they help define USC.

A few years ago, Kiffin and Pat Haden wanted USC to wear alternate uniforms. I wrote many stories about it and fans bombarded Heritage Hall with phone calls and emails. USC eventually backed off the idea.

I do not anticipate a similar reaction if USC wants to play an FCS opponent. But all of this revolves around the integrity of the program. Without its values, USC might as well be some of other non-descript Pac-12 team that lacks a strong identity.

29 thoughts on “Morning Buzz: Little Things Help Define USC”

  1. Sadly the educrats that run USC and the BOT want USC to become The Stanford of the West-no more USC as we once knew it even a decade ago. They want the old Baby Boomer fans to go away and be replaced with Gen Xers and Millennials who tailgate, shake their pom poms and hope USC wins a majority of their games and occasionally goes to the Rose Bowl but won’t hold the football program to the high standards of the last century. Getting rid of SC traditions is the perfect way for the educrats to alienate the old fans and drive them off.

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    2. What? Now you’re gonna get all geographical on us?!
      #We’reNotThatKindaSite
      #Fun,Fun,FunTillDaddyTakesTheT-BirdAway

      Like

      Reply

  3. Max Nikias had plans for USC to become the Duke of the west coast when he set out to De-Emphasize Trojan football.

    Yes Duke…that was the extent of Nikias’ vision and aspirations.

    That asshole Nikias should have been fired for wanting USC to be anything other than USC.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  4. If USC wants Trojan football to schedule down and give Clay Helton a shot at a .500 W/L record for the upcoming seasons remaining on his infamous contract extension, maybe Lynn Swann can work some of his magic and coax Leuzinger and Centennial high school to put the Trojans on their CIF-SS Bay League football schedules.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  5. Bozo Helton had a year’s start on Tom Herman’s Texas program , and look how far ahead the Longhorns are over the Trojans. There are 3 PAC 12 teams ranked in the top 25 for the upcoming season, with Texas at number 11 , while Clueless Helton, and his backwards ass program aren’t even ranked. But the unqualified, delusional Athletic Director, Lynn Swann, said the SC program is in “Great Shape” … lol 😂.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    1. Isn’t that the SAME longhorn team that only developed 2 players good enough to be drafted…?? Thought player development was the big deal. Texas has one good year in a row, and asshat freddie uses them as an example. Why don’t we compare the first two years for both coaches, or wait for herman to finish his third. Only clown here is the guy who moves his arguments to suit his agenda.

      Bassackward freddie

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Pudly —check out the first comment to the article —it puts everything into a very clear perspective.
      [It’s written by a guy named Frappier —I boxed a guy named Steve Frappier once and got tagged real good trying to throw a left uppercut (which leaves your whole left side open to a right). I wonder if this is the same guy?]…..
      #NicePunchFrappier

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Well now MG, this explains a lot. Lol.
        BTW, that video link was available….just disabiled on everything but youtube. Click on youtube & it played. I was so bored in the rain that I watched it twice. So many 10yr NFL all pro players in that game.

        Liked by 2 people

      2. A closer look at the numbers doesn’t indicate, to me at least, there is a drop off. The incoming class (accepted) was smaller by 9% so deposits being down 7% shouldn’t be surprising.

        Like

      1. Witty.

        🤯💥🤯 stupid little fella. The feds are looking at the previous pay scheme that the ruins tried to hide from them, huh?

        Hahahahaha

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Hey owns, saw you just signed another player for this class, this one is bound to raise your recruiting class rank, maybe all the way thru the 50’s into the sixties…he’s a TE who’s not ranked… he never played that position and had no offers, none, nada, zilch, nyet, Keene….

        Hahahahaha

        Like

    2. Boy! That doesn’t sound good, Pudly. It may be time for a certain friend of ours to re-direct his “Death Penalty” talk…..
      [I’m happy to get him started: “The Death Penalty Cloud hovers darkly over the Westwood skies………….”]

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      2. Ah, Westwood! It was the sight of one of my happiest sports moments. As a poverty struck law student I saved up enough to see Ali fight Foreman at the Bruin Theater. When I could tell Foreman was going to go down if he got hit with one more shot, I yelled at the screen, “Knock him out, Ali —knock that mother f……er, out!” One of the Bruins in attendance said, “Shhhh! There are ladies present!”

        Liked by 2 people

      3. The Thrilla in HollywoodHilla…still entertaining to watch replays of that fight (especially the beginning with the cobra-like right hand leads that were George’s notice that it was not going to be what he was anticipating)…

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Anytime ruins are somewhere there are women present. Look at their teams over the years, it’s a long and glorious tradition in westwierd.

        Like

    1. I’ve always liked Michael. But —let’s face it —-Michael isn’t “in” to playing “patiently aggressively” —-he’s all about playing balls out. J. T. has the exact same mentality. I really hope Graham finds a way to maximize this mindset. If he does, they could be great.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Pittman is a very outspoken and colorful interview…interesting take on HIS qb pick..he touches on many topics. Probably the best player interview I’ve heard in quite a while…

        Liked by 1 person

      2. He talked like somebody who KNOWS he’s in the right system and he’s going to have a big year and win a lotta games.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. He’s not into practicing that way either…he’s been in more practice altercations than anyone I can remember…

        Like

Leave a comment