Scott Wolf inside USC

Here's the Weekend Forum answers.
By the way, I stood next to the newest USC newspaper blogger Saturday who said he would not do his blog ``like Scott Wolf.'' He did not know I was standing next to him. So he's already doing his job different than Scott Wolf, because I always know who is next to me.

Mitch Mustain greeted me after Friday’s practice because he knows I will endeavor to solve who was behind Pedalgate and of course he wanted to thank all of the commenters to this blog.

The most interesting position battle to me is at cornerback. Officially, there is no battle because Josh Pinkard is a safety. But he takes reps in practice at corner and played it during the scrimmage with Cary Harris nursing a hamstring. It’s definitely one of those ``stay tuned’’ spots.

If I had to give up my day (and night) job, I would definitely become Matt Leinart’s spirtual advisor. For one thing, I’d probably get paid $5,000 a month, which is what he pays his old high school friend to live with him in Arizona.

I expect Marc Tyler to redshirt. He still limps and is not cleared by doctors.

Mitch Mustain is eligible to play in the August 22 scrimmage although he was not used in Sunday’s scrimmage, most likely because it was only 78 plays and Aaron Corp needed some work.

Right now, the quarterback depth chart is being determined. But Pete Carroll wants Aaron Corp to get lots of reps because he wants him to be ready in case of the doomsday scenario where Booty and Sanchez get hurt. And based on Sunday’s scrimmage, Corp is already showing he could probably handle the job. Mike McDonald is a known quantity while Garrett Green is always going to be a reserve behind the more highly recruited prospects.

The last I heard the athlete who was involved in the Long Beach Halloween incident did not meet the academic requirements for Division I schools, so it might be another year before any college choice is made.

I was not aware Mitch Mustain was the only quarterback to beat a top five team. I was aware he was the only quarterback to lose to USC. Oh wait, as I scroll down, turns out Booty did beat a top five. Doh!

I can’t imagine why O.J. Mayo and the basketball team’s trip to Mazatlan is not receiving more coverage. Could it have something to do with the fact virtually every web site devoted to USC ``athletics’’ focuses on football.

The pass rush should be better this year with Brian Cushing a stronger pass rusher than Dallas Sartz and Kyle Moore/Everson Griffen an interesting combo at defensive end. It also might be better because I suspect the Trojans will blitz a little more this year.

As of right now, Mitch Mustain does not have a bicycle. He does not want to give any suspect another chance to attempt another ``hit’’ by rigging the pedals.

Ole Miss better win at least seven games or Ed Orgeron might be looking for a job. Do I see this happening? No. But three years is about all you get these days to win.

I believe the Cal game will be the biggest test for USC. Nate Longshore should be extremely effective this season and I think the Bears will circle this game on the schedule no matter what else they do this season.

I’ve heard coaches at Dorsey were upset at USC for the way Stafon Johnson was used last season. And I’m sure that had some influence on his ``half-brother’’ safety Rahim Moore although Johnson said Moore preferred to start his own legacy.

I hadn’t heard anything about Houston Nutt delaying Mustain’s release although Mustain also seemed to take his time so there was no hurry to leave Arkansas before the end of the school year.

I have not heard any talk about unretiring O.J. Simpson’s number, however I did hear O.J. Mayo’s number will be unretired following next season.

It’s been difficult to form a highly detailed opinion on Mitch Mustain so far because he is not getting many reps in practice right now.

Many of the players on the team are religious. Just watch when the team runs on the field and see how many players run to the end zone to pray before the game.

Brandon Carswell’s been fairly impressive since the first time I saw him in 7 on 7 drills this summer. He even caught Pete Carroll’s eye in practice last week. I believe he will contribute this season.

Broderick Green was given his first chance at the scrimmage and looked impressive on his first run, an 8-yard gain, but didn’t do much after that. Scrimmages often work that way. His size gives him a chance to get an extra long look as the coaches try to make sure they are not missing something if they just use him for short-yardage situations.
It would be nice if rosters were given out to fans at the door.

If the season started today, Patrick Turner and David Ausberry would probably start with Vidal Hazelton right in the mix. Ronald Johnson is also going to be in the rotation with a big upside. If he gets enough reps, Brandon Carswell might also be a factor. And if they get healthy, Travon Patterson and Jamere Holland are always the speed X-factors.

Practices are open to the public but I always recommend calling the football office in advance.

Chris Carlisle, the strength coach, does his important work in the off-season according to Pete Carroll. Once practices start, he supplements the program with workouts.

As a beat writer, you always have a give-and-take relationship with coaches. There are things you are willing to work with as long as you remain ethical and honest to the paper and readers. Many times I write things that irritate fervent fans because I am being honest to the overall readership, who I believe expect and deserve answers to tough questions.
As I mentioned before, I was aware of the Pete Carroll-Norm Chow rift but I tried to be fair and diplomatic before I wrote about it. That’s the type of sticky situation a beat writer encounters and needs to solve every season.
If I found out through my own doing that a top recruit committed to USC, I’m sure I would write something about it.

Mark Sanchez’s visit to Colorado may or may not have included an ulterior motive. But he doesn’t really have a good reason to leave USC until the spring if he loses out to Mitch Mustain or Aaron Corp. And since he already redshirted, it’s really in his interest to stay at USC at least till the whole QB derby gets resolved.

There’s been nothing new from the police or coroner since the original report on Mario Danelo’s death and I do not think there will be any new developments.

Pete Arbogast remarried on Saturday night. I did not attend the wedding.

Kris O’Dowd is doing well in his first week at center and is sharing reps with Matt Spanos and Nick Howell.

It’s difficult to gauge whether Mitch Mustain can lead USC because he’s played sparingly in practice.

The basketball team’s APR is a concern because of Gabe Pruitt’s not passing his spring classes. If O.J. Mayo left after a year, it would not be crucial if he is in good academic standing. The NCAA does take players leaving after a year or two into consideration if the player is in good standing, a la Nick Young.

Regarding the QB position, what I said previously was that in recent years no matter who gets plugged into the system seems to shine. I do believe John David Booty benefits from his years learning the system and had a distinct advantage over Mark Sanchez. And Sanchez should also have a similar advantage over Mustain and Corp.
But when the spring competition starts, the best QB will win the job because that’s all Pete Carroll cares about.

The red zone begins at the 20 yard line.

If a single blogger was responsible for the interest in Mitch Mustain, it would cause me much consternation but would not derail my book or movie deals regarding ``Mitch and Me.’’

USC will take three QBs to Pac-10 games. But McDonald helps his case if he is the holder on field goals and extra points.

I get around to answering all these questions when I answer them. But as all the other loyal readers know, the Weekend Forum answers appear Monday and Open Forum on Fridays.

Well, that’s it for this weekend. The scrimmage was quite interesting. I counted 200 parents, 100 Internet geeks, 50 Internet reporters and 40 bloggers at the scrimmage. I’m really not sure why the scrimmage was closed to the public and I will ask Pete Carroll about it. Someone has to be the voice of the people!

Comments

Thanks again, Scott. And tell that rookie blogger to survey the area before talking smack. And yes, virtually every website covering USC athletics ignores Hoops, which is a shame. An exception: TrojanUpdate.com.

Posted by: EloiPfeiffer | August 13, 2007 03:41 AM

Thanks very much as always, Scott, and especially for taking my question and explaining the ethical considerations that you --or any beat writer--encounter as part of the job.

Hope that you will be able to continue the forums--it's our best chance to learn! Thanks again!

Posted by: TIREBITER1 | August 13, 2007 05:03 AM

Great job as always, Scott. I have been in the LA area this past week and was one of the people allowed to attend the scrimmage. Damn, what a stinker Sanchez put on! Yet again. No way he will last past the spring.

So keep doing what you're doing, the real Trojans appreciate your hard work.

Mustain in 2008!

Posted by: TrojanSAEinNYC | August 13, 2007 05:10 AM

May the BEST man win in '08, whether it be Pete, Mitch, or Aaron! We will NOT find out until the Spring--or maybe even later!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: TIREBITER1 | August 13, 2007 06:30 AM

How Do You Do??

As always Wolfie, you be DA MAN!! Answered all the questions and provided great insight. Was Petros and/or his dad, John, at the scrimmage?

Fight On!

Posted by: Trojan Pal | August 13, 2007 06:39 AM

Thank you, yet again, for the wonderful answers, young man. You really do a tremendous job with your blog and it is such a fabulous resource.

Well done.

Posted by: Turnstiles | August 13, 2007 06:57 AM

Good job. Keep those whippersnapper bloggers at bay! They have nothing on you!

Fight on!

Posted by: breezy | August 13, 2007 07:03 AM

Thank you for the forum, Scott. I agree, Aaron Corp is clearly up to the job of starting at quarterback. Just a great talent and a solid young man.

Posted by: DaveFromCDM | August 13, 2007 10:34 AM

I think I totally know the new blogger in question. If I'm correct, his is a romanticized/PR machine version of this -- diluted and none of juicy, usually hush-hush controversy.

In conclusion, Scott's blog can never be topped.

Posted by: WannabeStar001 | August 13, 2007 11:03 AM

That blogger was a Daily Trojan writer who used to write articles attacking USC coaches for no other reason than to generate controversy. When he tried out as a football walk-on as a senior, for a Daily Trojan article, he was given a spot on the roster as an act of charity and to to see him squirm and shut up.

It worked, since he now kisses ass to the very coaches he attacked for no reason just a matter of months earlier. Now he just grovels up to everyone in the athletic department and they lead him on a leash like the obedient dog he is. Just pathetic.

Posted by: 28th Street | August 13, 2007 11:20 AM

28th Street--yeah, I remember that guy too-can't think of his name tho--I don't know if you want to toss it out?
By the way, you always do very good, thoughtful posts--like the one about a group of guys wanting to be doctors, and some resisted being forced to become education majors or something--like ALLEN not wanting to play FB.

Posted by: TIREBITER1 | August 13, 2007 12:23 PM

Hey SAE,

Did you s--t on your fraternity brothers and do you currently s--t on co-workers the way you do on SC players? A certain writer's obsession with Leinart is nothing compared to the one you have with Sanchez.....it's kind of creepy....

Posted by: RickyRangBells | August 13, 2007 01:48 PM

Thank God Scott is not an internet geek like this new blogger...oh, wait...Scott has an internet blog...never mind.

The new blogger is blind if he can't recognize Scott in a crowd. lol

Posted by: Trojanhoya | August 13, 2007 02:14 PM

RickyRangBells: Way to go--just like your namesake ran over guys--I love it.

Posted by: TIREBITER1 | August 13, 2007 02:42 PM

Great work Scott.

TIREBITER1 - I think his name is Ben Malcolmson, I'm no familiar with his DT work.

Posted by: Trojan RAB | August 13, 2007 03:02 PM

Personally, I hope Corp wins out in 2008, if for nothing else, the laughs that would provide would be unreal!

If Sanchez goes down this season, then suddenly Booty is injured....hello Corp! He will firmly implant himself as the starter during this season and win out in 2008. And we will have four years of Corp as starter! Damn funny.

And no one ever predicted that!

Posted by: Woodward | August 13, 2007 04:06 PM

Gosh, 28th Street, you seem to know a lot about Ben Malcolmson and his recent activities - care to reveal your sources? Since he works for the Athletic Department now, I guess "kissing a*s" is how you would characterize everybody's relationship with their employers.

I'm sure it peeves beat writers that there is now a source actually inside the USC A.D. blogging the latest news on the Trojans. I don't think USC fans are bothered by it, though.

Posted by: Defender90 | August 13, 2007 05:58 PM

TB1:
Are you serious or sarcastic regarding RickyRangBells? Pardon me but I don't take anything for granted.
Thanks

Posted by: Door Prize | August 13, 2007 10:46 PM

Gee, Defender90, do you really think a journalist can provide objectivity if he is being paid by his source and the topic he is covering? Do you really think he is going to discuss arrests and troubles on his blog, any problems within the department, any information that has not been officially released?

Being on the payroll immediately changes the notion of being a journalist, with only certain news being allowed to be reported. The football office has an image they want to portray and that is what that blogger will now write about, while making sure nothing even remotely negative or controversial in nature gets covered.

There is no objectivity if a journalist is being paid by the very source he is covering.

Posted by: 28th Street | August 13, 2007 11:28 PM

28th:
Which shoes fit your brain, I mean your feet(!)?
-stupid
-naive
-a$* kissing
Maybe all of the above!

Posted by: Door Prize | August 14, 2007 05:33 AM

RBR:
SAE has an obsession for MM and I don't mean chocolate, either.

Posted by: Door Prize | August 14, 2007 06:06 AM

Pedalgate is this generation's Watergate and Lewinskygate. The Trojan Family will not be safe until this great mystery has been solved.

Now that Sanchez will not be playing, he will have a lot of free time on his hands. Someone should follow him around and keep an eye on him at all times! He's a slippery one, that Sanchez.

Posted by: FluorTower | August 14, 2007 09:41 AM

DOOR PRIZE SERIOUS
TROJAN RAB THANX

Posted by: TIREBITER1 | August 14, 2007 03:17 PM

28th Street, I wasn't calling you out on your opinion of the job Malcolmson has vis-a-vis his "journalism" credentials. That's your personal issue and you're welcome to get as worked up about it as you want (although unless you've found a banner on uscripsit.com proclaiming it the "fair and balanced" website for info on USC, I don't know what you're going on about).

I was calling you out on your laughable assertion that Pete Carroll and/or the USC A.D. would give enough of a rat's a*s what a DT writer was saying about them to offer him a job to "shut him up." Please. Get over yourself.

Posted by: Defender90 | August 14, 2007 09:11 PM

Defender90:

First, learn how to read.

Second, once you do master the art of English comprehension, you will see that I said the blogger "was given a spot on the roster as an act of charity and to to see him squirm and shut up."

Carroll could not care less what that blogger wrote about him. He was given a spot on the roster as a joke, which was widely known to everyone at SC. He had no athletic ability and was not going to contribute to the team in any way whatsoever, even for a walk on.

He used to write the most ridiculous stories about SC coaches simply to attack them. He tried out for a joke for the football team so he could write a story for the Daily Trojan as a final column for his senior year. Then, despite the lack of any athletic ability and a joke of tryout performance, he was given a spot as a walk on, which resulted in a miraculous turn around - he started kissing ass to the very coaches he was needlessly attacking previously. Pure hypocrisy.

So, now, it's laughable how his journalistic "integrity" consists of saying whatever he is told to say by the football office, while going against everything he once claimed/pretended to be wrong with the athletic department.

He's a hack, period.

Posted by: 28th Street | August 15, 2007 04:46 AM

Dude, obviously you have issues with Ben Malcolmson and/or USC. Maybe you also competed for the walk-on spot and didn't get it?

Your writing practically screams JEALOUSY. He had a "joke of a tryout"? Was that something else that "was widely known to everyone at USC" or your special insider knowledge? Or "He had no athletic ability and was not going to contribute to the team in any way whatsoever..." LOL, wow, could you make that declarative statement any stronger?

You don't have to read the USCfootball blog. I just wasn't getting the point of all your anger and hostility, but this is about you, apparently.

P.S. If you find it shocking that the USC Athletic Department isn't interested in spending time blogging about Leinart's child support sideshow or speculating about Mario Danelo's death, it might also shock you to learn that campaign managers prefer to highlight the positive attributes of the candidates they work for, movie studios tend to quote the good reviews in their advertisements, etc.

Posted by: Defender90 | August 15, 2007 03:04 PM

Jealous of that blogger? Again, learn to read.

You asked what issues I had with that blog and I laid them out for you.

It's hypocrisy on the part of that blogger after he spent the previous few years at the Daily Trojan savaging the very coaches he now kisses ass to. One stupid article after another, written with the intent of causing controversy so he could get a newspaper job after he graduated. It worked with a previous DT writer whose attacks got him a gig at SI.

As far as his walk-on tryout, even he admits it was a joke and there was no way he should have made the team. He tried out so he could write a newspaper article, period. He somehow made it and even went so far as to ask Pete Carroll why he was chosen after he failed to do even one thing right at the tryouts.

There is no anger or hostility on my part. I am only laying out that blogger's hypocrisy and lack of journalistic integrity. He is no different than any other employee in the SID, but claims to be something he is not.

If you enjoy being fed what the leader wants you to think, that blog is for you. If you want real insight and objectivity, it is not the place for you.

It is that simple.

Posted by: 28th Street | August 15, 2007 04:16 PM

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