July 2007 Archives
You might have noticed the Las Vegas Review Journal reported over the weekend that USC quarterback John David Booty was in town Friday night at the Pure nightclub in Caesar's Palace (link after the jump).
It barely rated a sentence, which leads one to wonder if there's a double standard at work, considering the attention Matt Leinart received for his cavorting. Actually, the answer is simple. If you go out and do not make a spectacle of yourself, getting drunk and chasing C-list celebrities, you probably won't get too much attention in the gossip columns.
There are four freshmen waiting to be cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse as practice begins next week. More significantly, it does not appear as there are any ``nightmare'' cases, which means it's possible every freshman could qualify.
``That's the biggest I thing I want to do is knock them off. It's just going to be in my mind to beat them.''
-- Cal wide receiver DeSean Jackson on USC.
Although USC players will get the rest of the week off after working out today, it's not much of a break for the freshmen, most of whom have to stay on campus to attend summer classes.
``Some people are going home but I have class so I'm just going to stay here,'' quarterback Aaron Corp said.
Pete Carroll on the death of former San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh.
``Everyone who loves football will miss one of the game's great icons. He was an extraordinary mentor to so many coaches who are still in the game today. We all owe him greatly for his kindness and gifts.
"From the time I was a young college coach up to the present day, I've always been a great admirer of Bill and I've felt lucky to be a friend of his. All my thoughts are with his family. We will miss him dearly."
In our weekly series, finally, another conference that does not shy away from tough nonconference games.
A record 836 media credentials were issued for last week's SEC Media Days event with 29 radio stations and 12 TV satellite trucks covering the event. It was reported that nearly 100 fans crammed into the lobby of the Winfrey Hotel at 6 a.m. in anticipation of Alabama coach Nick Saban's arrival.
But that's nothing because at Pac-10 media day we had the presence of several fan wanna-be Internet web site writers and the Pete Carroll-Petros Papadakis confrontation.
We hear TMZ.com or some Matt Leinart-approved media outlet will probably announce today a settlement for $15,000 per month for child support but our sources tell us no agreement's been reached and the reports will be premature.
UPDATED: We were actually guessing about the media outlet when we wrote this item but it turns it we were right as TMZ.com is erroneously reporting the settlement.
I felt strange not answering Mitch Mustain questions every third answer but survived this exercise anyways.
We couldn't resist answering a Weekend Forum question right now, which asked why the team will not stay in Cardinal Gardens for training camp beginning this season? This is obviously in reaction to a similarly worded item that the World Champion paper in town wrote on Friday.
Only one problem: USC players have not stayed in Cardinal Gardens for training camp since 2004. Doh!
Maybe we've finally found a good reason for the Open Forum. To set things straight for others, including papers.
USC recently was picked to win the Pac-10 title by the media for the fifth straight year. But that's nothing compared to the Trojans' streak of 18 straight years (1965-82) picked to win the title.
Here's the man responsible for buidling the program, Coach John McKay, in 1961 with quarterback Bill Nelsen (left) and offensive lineman Mike Bundra.
We hear Matt Leinart's lawyers tried to silence media outlets from discussing him this week. Except for TMZ.com and People.com, of course.
Safety Taylor Mays looks like he's pushing 245 pounds right now but said he hasn't weighed himself lately.
"I just know I'm faster," Mays said.
Cal wide receiver DeSean Jackson said former USC safety Darnell Bing feels some relief after being waived by the Raiders.
``I just talked to him and he figures it's an obstacle he needs to overcome,'' Jackson said. ``But he wanted to get away from the Raiders since Day 1.''
I was tempted to say I had gout and skip answering the Open Forum questions. But then I thought you would all accuse me of being a bad blog father.
Anyways, here's a million questions on three subjects.
Since many of you have opinions on the subject, I asked a divorce lawyer who represents some clients that make as much as $15-20 million per year how much they pay in child support?
``Typically between $30-50,000 (per month),'' she said.
I'm not sure of Matt Leinart's exact income but an Arizona Cardinals source said his salary is nearly $7 million per year and he probably makes another $3-5 million in endorsements.
Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh did not back down from his controversial comments last spring that he heard Pete Carroll would leave USC after one more season.
``I say what I think,'' Harbaugh said. ``There is no purpose in terms of motivation. I tend to be frank. I repeated something I might have read in your columns.''
Pete Carroll on Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh saying USC is one of the best teams ever.
"I love Jim," Carroll said. "I'm glad he thinks that."
Here's the Pac-10 media poll for those who wondered if anyone besides USC would get a first-place vote.
Tailback Allen Bradford said he wants to stay at his preferred position this season without switching like last year.
``One thing I regret from last year was the way I kept moving around,'' Bradford said. ``I want to stay at tailback.''
Bradford played safety, tailback, safety, tailback and lined up at fullback (for pass routes but not blocking) in a few games.
``I want to see what I can do if I don't move around,'' Bradford said. ``The coaches haven't said anything to me about moving to fullback yet.''
Great timing to have Pac-10 media day tomorrow. Here's a few topics on the table:
1. The child custory battle involving former USC quarterback Matt Leinart.
2. The arrest of UCLA assistant coach Eric Scott.
3. Is Spike TV the next outlet for Pac-10 games in 2008?
I'll be on with Petros and Money (570-AM) today at 4:40 p.m. If you tune in at 4 p.m., you can hear Petros launch his attack on quarterback Matt Leinart's handling of his child custody case.
Safety Taylor Mays and cornerback Terrell Thomas were named to the Thorpe Award watch list today.
Bryshon Nellum was the Gatorade National Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year, but this is USC, so what matters is if he will ever play football. The answer came last fall when Nellum signed a track letter-of-intent, which meant he would not be able to play his freshman year.
But USC coach Pete Carroll still looked into the matter this week to make sure, since he wouldn't mind seeing Nellum at wide receiver. Carroll said Tuesday he didn't think Nellum would be allowed to play this season under NCAA rules. But hey, it didn't hurt to ask.
So the gloves are off in the Matt Leinart-Brynn Cameron affair, according to this report.
http://www.tmz.com/2007/07/24/baby-mama-forcing-qb-out-of-the-pocket/#continuedcontents
This story was leaked by Leinart's camp to respond to an earlier story in the Ventura County-Star where Cameron spoke her mind. I guess those infrequent visits to Newbury Park and constant partying in Hollywood and Phoenix finally became a factor.
Anyway, this is the moment where I can say I recently bumped into Cole Cameron Leinart on campus and got a big hug from the friendly little guy (sorry Matt!).
But I really wonder what all this legal wrangling will do for his endorsement situation, something he deeply cares about after firing CAA earlier this year because he was frustrated over the endorsements earned by Reggie Bush. At least that's what Leinart told people at USC.
Looks like there won't be too many more stories in magazines now talking about fatherhood's effect on him.
Tailback C.J. Gable is up to 205 pounds after playing last season at 191.
Tailback Stafon Johnson said his shoulders are nearly recovered following offseason surgery and he's ready for a chance in training camp.
``I'm feeling good, about 90 percent,'' Johnson said. ``I'm really eager to see where I'm at.''
We averted an Internet meltdown tonight when quarterback Mitch Mustain emerged unharmed after a pedal on his bicycle snapped off while he rode it. Imagine the number of comments if he twisted an ankle.
In a continuing series, here's the real nonconference schedule to evaluate: The SEC.
The Versus Conference announced bowl arrangements with the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego and Hawaii Bowl for the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
The sixth place team goes to Hawaii in 2008 and seventh to San Diego, then it flip flops in 2009. Versus!
Fullback Jody Adewale was given his football scholarship back and will be on the team this season. Adewale also got USC to assure him of a sixth year so he can obtain his master's degree.
A cynic might not Adewale got invited back immediately after linebacker Josh Tatum left the program and tight end Jordan Cameron did not have the proper units to transfer to USC. Hello two scholarships!
"Coach (Pete) Carroll said he wanted me back and I always wanted to play," Adewale said.
If you forgot, Adewale was told last year he was not needed on the team and was going to work in the athletic dept. for his scholarship.
USC practices at the Coliseum the evening of August 22. Right now, it "might" be open to the public. The Salute to Troy barbecue is August 24.
There's nothing to make a Sunday night quite like a 52-comment mini-forum.
Especially when the first questions asks if I am ready for the new season. Did the last one actually end? I can't tell with recruiting, spring practice, summer workouts, passing drills, arrests, transfers, high school camps, someone getting kicked off the team, etc. Oh, and practice starts around August 6.
OK, on to the rest of the answers.
The jury is still out on last month's commitment from Carson tight end Morrell Presley, who will only be a junior next season.
But his work ethic Saturday was impressive. Presley participated in four passing games in the Southern California Tournament of Champions then took the unusual step of joining the linemen there in a weightlifting competition, where he power-cleaned 185 pounds more than 25 times.
Afterward, he rejoined his teammates in the passing tournament. Usually, the linemen and skill players do not overlap but Pressley performed double duty admirably.
Neither linebacker Chris Galippo nor quarterback Aaron Corp were allowed by Coach Pete Carroll to participate in the Orange County All-Star game for two reasons: They are enrolled in summer school and the game's date concerned Carroll if either player were injured.
Still, Corp is likely redshirting and all-star games are a culmination of a high-school career. But few schools have their entire freshman class enroll in summer school like USC.
``It would have been fun to play but I'm up here and it would have been a distraction,'' Corp said.
Did anyone notice our Player of the Day, Zeke Moreno, intercepted a pass and made a game-high seven tackles for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats yesterday?
It's Friday afternoon, so time for another Mitch Mustain item. The Arkansas QB says he frequently gets asked by his new teammates about last year's game with USC, where he ran for a TD, and coincidentally, threw a long pass to USC wide receiver Damian Williams.
``They bring it up a lot, asking me what I thought about it,'' Mustain said. ``They don't try to tease me about t. I thought USC was probably the toughest team we played. Or at least as tough as any we faced.''
Some terrific questions. The topics ranged from Mitch Mustain to Stafon Johnson to Mitch Mustain to Art Bartner to Mitch Mustain.
Researchers at Iowa and Maryland devised a new football rankings system based on academic and athletic success and claim recruits should study it because it proves good students help college football teams win. OK. Anyways, they call it the SAPR and here's the top 10 schools with their total points.
1 Auburn 1932
2 Georgia 1926
2 Miami (Fla.) 1926
4 Florida State 1923
5 Michigan 1922
6 Florida 1914
7 Boston College 1911
8 USC 1907
9 LSU 1902
10. Ohio State 1900
Complete rankings and the formula after the jump.
We hear forward Leonard Washington declined Kentucky's offer to enroll but be academically ineligible for a year.
Washington, who signed with USC but could not meet academic requirements, still hopes to eventually play for the Trojans.
Centers Matt Spanos, Nick Howell and Kris O'Dowd are practicing the shotgun during summer workouts.
Here's a brief interview with freshman quarterback Aaron Corp.
Unlike the Versus Conference, the SEC put out a preseason all-conference team today. And it wasn't just a first team, but three teams.
A familiar face is currently second in the Canadian Football League in tackles.
http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=roster&func=display&ros_id=989