Answer Wednesday!

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Back to the reader questions and football and the athletic dept. are dominant topics:

Q: Joe Blow said:

Scott, do you honestly believe the Sun Bowl “brawl” in the locker room and the BB mess would have happened with Mike Garrett here? Haden was in the locker room I just don’t see what’s going on with SC athletics.

A: Well, I think if Mike Garrett were in the locker room he would have been the most upset person in the locker room. There were many times he lit up athletes after games in the locker room and it was rarely pretty from what athletes tell me.

Garrett probably would be quicker to fire people than Haden, for better or worse. I think it would be interesting to know what he would have done with Lane Kiffin this year? He hired Kiffin. Does that mean he would give him another year? He fired Paul Hackett after three years.

One more interesting thing about Garrett. I heard Miami was interested in him the last time it had an opening for an A.D.

Q: Cheap Seats said:

At one press conference last season, you asked Kiffin why he decided to call a play for a throw to Soma Vainuku against Notre Dame during the goal line flop series.

At first, i thought that he might be a great receiver during practices, but now there’s word that he’s dropping passes in spring pratice as well. Why do they keep insisting he can catch?

A: I guess they have confidence in him. I don’t have anything against throwing to Vainuku, I just think some of the situations are wrong, such as on fourth down or third down when it is such a crucial drop. I’d rather throw to him on first-and-second down to build his confidence up and then go to him on third down afterward he makes some catches.

Q: Hey Wolf appreciate the work and the blog. Have met you a few times and enjoyed the talk.

What is your opinion of Haden and his work so far? What is the opinion of him in the eyes of people you encounter at the university and outside? He is a total joke in my opinion. What has improved under his watch? Nothing. Football, Baseball and Basketball are in shambles and it falls on him. He is a puppet to the donors (Floyd interview) and can do nothing more than solicit donations which while beneficial, don’t create winning teams. Seems like Pat “the ego” Haden needs to focus on whats important and spend less time dancing like a fool, lining up roles in USC theatre productions and golfing. Too bad he has the Pres in his back pocket. We are stuck with the “ego” for quite some time.

A: I’ve been a fan of Pat Haden since he got hired because of his transperency.

I think Haden is at a crossroads right now. His decisions for the current openings (men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball) will determine USC’s success for the next 5-10 years in those sports. And more important is what he decides to do with football.

I think it can be refreshing that he engages in activities outside the norm for an  A.D. However, I think that becomes less palatable to the fans when they see little success in the Big Four sports. When those sports are failing (and all of them just experienced or are experiencing lousy seasons), it looks like someone is fiddling while Rome burns.

You asked what those at USC think. I hear positive reports and then some complain that things are run more like a CEO in charge of a business than an athletic dept. that sometimes relies more on relationships.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/charles.bucket.3 Charles Bucket

    wolfman, you went way over your trOXan audiences’ head in that last response. allow me…

    Dummies: when wolfman said “fiddling while Rome burns” this refers to ancient Rome, in the Renaissance (pronounced re-NAY-sonce) times. Leonardo Da Vinci and the Emperor got into an argument, and the Emperor, Caesar, got really mad so he started playing the fiddle so hard that Rome caught on fire. So today this basically refers to “when the boss gets really mad”.

    class dismissed, Dum-Dums.

    • TrojanFamily

      It refers to Nero fiddling while he burned Rome (as an excuse to rebuild the city). Da Vinci would be born roughly 1400 years later. Chuckles, if this was meant as a joke, it fails in the most crucial element. It’s not funny. If you are being genuine, then log off and read a book.

      • Cheap seats

        Nero is only “suspected” of burning Rome. =)

        Bet chuckles doesn’t even know which emperor had St. Petersburg built.

    • steveg

      Why are you still here? You don’t even annoy anymore.

      • TrojanFan

        His whole life revolves around this blog, must be the man crush on the wolfman

    • TrojanFan

      What a stupid idiot! Go put your head back in the hole, no one cares what your opinion is

  • http://twitter.com/FatBooster Joe Blow

    About time people realize MG was a good AD. Better than what we have now. Sure, he was abrasive, but at least he was a winner

    • dtksr1 @dslextreme.com

      I miss the hell out of MG right now. He would have never let this program get to this vulerability, never. One other thing, I think if MG were here, he would have found a way to go after the NCAA over their sanctions and Kiffin would have been gone. MG was one of best AD’s USC ever had, he built the basketball arena for Christ sake. Nobody could have done that but MG! Max Nikias firing MG and bringing in “no mas” Haden to just watch the whole sports program self-destruct, tells me where his priorities are. Haden should go back to working Notre Dame football games for NBC.

      • Independent_George

        Fact Check:

        Garrett was on watch when sanctions hit. No way to sugar coat that.

        Carson Palmer and Pete Carroll built Galen. Garrett had scant to do with that.

        The big four atheltics in Garrett’s last year:

        Football: Stanford and Oregon pass USC as the pre-eminent programs in the Pac-10/12. USC wins 8 games, goes to Emerald Bowl. Pete Carroll leaves, Lane Kiffin hired. Sanctions!

        Basketball: Floyd foreced to resign. Let the entire recruiting class go. Sanctions! KO’s first year: 16-14, and well on his was to six and seven win seasons.

        Women’s B-Ball: Mark Trahk resigns. Trakh had a 90–64 (.584) record. Cooper hired. No tournament invites in four years.

        Baseball: Chad Kreuter. 7-20 in the Pac-12! Woooo!

        Yep, Garrett was a god!

        • http://twitter.com/FatBooster Joe Blow

          MG was on watch. Wait until mcnair’s case is complete before you pop off

          BS on Galen comments. Winston had more to do with it. MG was the CEO

          The four majors are worse under Haden.

          I’m positive MG wouldn’t have given you the time of day.

          • Independent_George

            Figures Wolf would repsond to a dumb troll like you.

            Lou Galen was so excited when Carson Palmer won the Heisman he gave the final amount to get it moving. No Carson Palmer, we could still be playing in ther Sports Arena.

            MG wouldn’t give me the time of day because he would have been busy napping when I asked. Do you know the dude took a nap every flippin’ day? He was as lazy as you are dumb.

            USC athletics started going downhill after Darrell Gross and Lisa Love left. Neither particularly stood out as ADs in their own right (although Gross is still hanging in there), but they did the heavy lifiting as Garrett napped.

            Notice how Garrett is now AD of a NAIA school. Couldn’t even get a gig at Division III school. Well, as they say, water seeks it’s own level.

            I will say that Garrett at least has a job. You troll Scott Wolf’s blog. Think about it, you mental midget, you troll a blog written by a journalist so desperate for hits he trolls his own blog. You troll a troll’s blog. How you even bother to get out of bed and breathe beats me.

            It is not how you start, but how you finish. Athletics pretty much went into a freefall Garrett’s last year. Haden ain’t exactly God’s gift to AD’s, but I am pretty confident that all four major sports will be better in Haden’s last year than they were in Garrett’s last year.

          • TrojanFamily

            George is dean on about Lou Galen. He built the arena named after him. Garrett was the fortunate beneficiary.

            And I concur that’s is about how you leave a program. That Garrett had to go NAIA is both the result of his style and his substance. He was abrasive and arrogant. But the real reason he couldn’t find an NCAA gig after he was fired was because he oversaw sanctions (and perhaps the worst institutional response to an investigation in recent memory). That response was pure Garrett. He never took the investigation seriously and the university was punished for it. That is his legacy.

            I always considered Haden a caretaker AD. His job was to rehabilitate the University in the eyes of the NCAA after Garrett. His management style is 180 degrees from Garrett. His public profile is too. In fact he has probably gone too far in his conciliation (especially because he and President Nikias overestimated their ability to convince the NCAA to reconsider the severity of the sanctions). Right now though, Haden has some extremely important hiring decisions. He needs to bring in a top baseball coach . He needs someone like Dixon for men’s basketball. He should give a great young assistant at a top women’s basketball program the chance to return that program to its excellence. And of course his big hire will be replacing Kiffin next where when the recruiting restrictions are over. That will define his tenure as AD.

          • http://twitter.com/FatBooster Joe Blow

            We will see. So far, NONE of the athletic programs have IMPROVED since Haden took over.

          • http://twitter.com/FatBooster Joe Blow

            You are so full of crap. I’m in Scholarship Club and knew Lou. I know MG would give a crap about a guy (i.e. CHEAP) like you. Who the F do you think hired Gross? Please provide the FACTS of SC going down when The Shadow left. There is nobody dumber on this blog than YOU.

          • Independent_George

            “I’m in Scholarship Club and knew Lou.”

            I doubt that.

          • http://twitter.com/FatBooster Joe Blow

            How much would you like to bet???? I’ll bet you aren’t even in C&G.

          • Independent_George

            Ooooooo. Wanna bet!

            What, are you in third grade?

          • http://twitter.com/FatBooster Joe Blow

            BTW, guess MG isn’t the only guy that won’t respond to you. Scotty is the man!

        • http://www.facebook.com/charles.bucket.3 Charles Bucket

          Big George!!! great point!! the fact that McNair was running with Lake like part of his posse and Bush and Mayo were blatantly taking money says no one gave a flip about Sith Lord Garrett!!!

          lets face it, Garrett is laughed at by most including the wolfman!!!

          and the dumb trOXans that want MG back are like the whackos who want Sarah Palin to run for President!!!

          GAAAAWD this blog is so sugar SWEEEEET!!!

          a steady stream of the impossibly STUPID trOXans!!!!

          no wonder the CADRE FLOURISH on this blog like chimps in a banana plantation!!!! it’s just TOO EASY!!!!!

          • dtksr1 @dslextreme.com

            Yeah, well dud you can’t live a day without being smack dab in the middle of this blog like a junkie needing his daily fix. Who are you comparing all this to? Not that winner across town that can’t pass a fast-food joint on the way to & from his bean-counting.

          • TrojanFamily

            Shh. The adults are talking.

      • http://twitter.com/FatBooster Joe Blow

        Amen

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ben-Doverz/1423558008 Ben Doverz

      He was a D bag, but you’re in love with him and that’s all that matters, right NOBS?

    • TrojanFamily

      I met Garrett and liked him. He was arrogant but that never bothered me. He went on complaining about sharing USC’s television money with the rest of the conference. I give him credit in that his teams won (even if he was more lucky than talented with the hiring of Carroll). But asking for him to come back after the sanctions is the equivalent of those who wanted Nixon to come back after Watergate.

      • http://twitter.com/FatBooster Joe Blow

        Who’d you rather have? Obama or Nixon?

        • Independent_George

          Obama. He is more conservative.

          • http://twitter.com/FatBooster Joe Blow

            What a shock. Guess you want to make sure Medicare and SS stay in place.

        • TrojanFamily

          You know Nixon is dead, right? It might explain your unhealthy obsession with Garrett and your desire for him to return.

      • dtksr1 @dslextreme.com

        MG was never given the chance to deal with or overcome the sanctions… Max Nikias wanted an AD that would blend in with the wallpaper, smile a lot & say little. In a sense, just surrender the trojan sword to the adversaries and take our medicine. This is exactly what we got right now. There’s no edge in the emotion or attitude, no fight to get an extra inch, just be nice for the NCAA. Well there’s already a school across town that has acted like that for the last 20 plus years in mediocrity.

        • Independent_George

          Nope. Garrett was gone because he wouldn’t have been able to run an Athletic Department in the era of Super Conferences. The job now requires abilities way above his skill set. Besides, being an AD in the new Pac-12 would have cut into his nap time.

          BTW, USC can do better than Haden, especially in finding someone who actually likes USC. I’ll give Garrett that, he would bleed cardinal and gold. He would have never gone on national radio and called USC’s oldest rival “The only brand name of college football” and say that USC wants to be more like Notre Dame. Yes, Pat, more santicmony and hypocrisy, that’s what USC needs!

          • http://twitter.com/FatBooster Joe Blow

            U r full of crap

  • Cheap seats

    “I’d rather throw to him [Vainuku] on first-and-second down to build his confidence up and then go to him on third down afterward he makes some catches.”

    For once, I actually agree with Wolf on this!

  • http://twitter.com/FatBooster Joe Blow

    Torpedo, got my brackets, w parlay, done. And that’s NO BS

  • http://twitter.com/FatBooster Joe Blow

    Here’s my final take on this. 99.9% of the posters are either dumb @$$ bRuins (85% not even grads), SC fans that never graduated from anywhere, or SC grads that do not donate (Trojan Club is NOT a donation), only buy tickets (BFD), and are never acknowledged by the athletic department. In other words, losers.