Round 7

You probably have trouble posting comments. We’re working on it, I’m told.

Q: With the recent announcement that our hero Mitch Mustain has decided to allow his “competition” to be under the impression that he is the starter during the spring and summer before he steps in to save the day for the Trojans in the fall, and the other recent announcement that you now have an exclusive three movie deal with our hero Mitch Mustain, this raises some serious questions:

1) Can you confirm the rumors going around Hollywood that the sequel is called “Mitch and Me 2: The Electric Boogaloo”?

2) Will the bicycle that our hero Mitch Mustain rides in “Mitch and Me” have a reference in its design to the General Lee from the Dukes of Hazzard, in honor of his Southern heritage?

3) Does the fact that our hero Mitch Mustain has allowed his “competition” to think he’s a starter for the next few months not exhibit the great sign of a leader, that of generosity and compassion for the less fortunate?

4) When our hero Mitch Mustain decides to finally step in and save the day after the debacle that will be caused by his “competition,” will expectations have hit an all-time high, with new folk songs having been written about our hero?

5) Will the Trojan Marching Band’s new theme song be Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out For a Hero’?

A: No, Yes, Yes, Yes, the band does not add new songs.

Q: I don’t understand all the critics of JDB. In ’05, Leinart had a comp % of 65.7, td/int of 28-8 and a rating of 157.74. When JDB took over in 06 he had no running backs, yet had a line of 61.7%, 29-9 & 144.01, which is a great year. In 07 with half of an o-line and young, underperforming receivers he still was 63.2%, 23-10 (while out 3 games and including a 4 int stanford game w/broken finger) & 144.01, another terrific year all things considered. Plus, he was a great big game player. With the same surrounding cast as Leinart, he’s a champion. Scott, do you agree that he deserves more praise than he receives?

A: This seems to be a recurring question this week. I think Booty’s junior year was very impressive but fans remember the interception against UCLA and the tipped pass on the two-point conversion against Oregon State (which happened to be one of Booty’s best games).
Matt Leinart had some bad moments (the BYU game his first year as a starter) but the team was so good he could afford to struggle. And even his senior year, there were some unimpressive periods for him, but USC’s explosive offense would merely overpower teams like Oregon and Arizona State.

Q What is the official (PST) kick-off time for the Ohio State game on Sept. 13th.?

A: Probably 5 p.m. Check usctrojans.com.

Q: With Neuter Dame and UConn making a swell deal (for ND anyway), what are the chances we can get a few games for USC in a similar manner? It seems that it would be great for recruiting. The Orange Bowls were good, and I know about Arkansas, Nebraska, Auburn, VT and now Virginia, but I’m thinking on a more consistent basis. If we (are good enough and lucky enough to) play in the Rose Bowl AGAIN this coming season, I vote we move the Rose Bowl Game to Duke, like in 1942!! (minus the Pearl harbor aspect of course)

A: Actually, USC does have a swell deal. It’s called Washington State.

Q: I don’t understand why but people on this board seem to have issues with Mark Sanchez displaying the Mexican flag. Do you see a problem with it?

A: First, there’s been some misconceptions. The T-shirts last week were not produced by Sanchez. And the mouthpiece designed by a team dentist (of Latin heritage) that included the Mexican flag was not Sanchez’s idea, as some have reported. It was the dentist’s idea. He makes custom mouthpieces for all the players.
That said, it’s a hot-button image for some fans. If he wore an Irish flag, no one would complain.

Q: Why are practice uniforms different from game day uniforms? It may seem obvious that of course you have one uniform for game day and another for practices, but they seem so similar that I wonder why not go the extra step and have just one style of uniform? And in particular, why are the helmets identical except that they do not have the team logo on the sides? The practice uniforms themselves seem expensive, so I’m guessing cost’s not the reason. Is it tradition? Is it an NCAA or Pac-10 rule? Is it just to make game day a little more special? Or something else, maybe?

A: The practice uniforms are much less expensive. The jerseys are lower quality and less sophisticated in design. So are the pants. It doesn’t make sense to wear an expensive jersey with all the wear and tear every day and believe it or not, some at USC are a bit on the cheap side when it comes to purchasing equipment.
Besides, there’s also the idea of creating something special on game day. That’s why there’s no logo on the helmets (they would need replacing anyways because they’d get dinged up during the week). The logos are applied the night before the game for a special feeling on game day.

Q: So, as I recall, when Chilo Rachal announced his intention to declare early for the draft there were all kinds of veiled warnings from the staff (apparently since he committed the cardinal sin of never consulting them to see what they thought) that he’d probably regret the decision.With Chilo going high in the second round, is that vindication for his choice? Were the coaches at all helpful after he declared (e.g., was he given the same training and access to pro day events as the other draftees)? And what do they say (or, more importantly, think) now about his decision?

A: There were plenty of hard feelings after Rachal declared for the draft. But things slowly changed and I remember at Pro Day that Rachal and Pete Carroll embraced and whatever problems there were had been minimized. Right before the draft, they sensed he might go as high as the second round but thought he might go in the third.
They still believe Rachal was immature but in the end, they were supportive. It helps them to support him too, because USC looks good having a guard taken in the second round.