History Lesson

Hey Scott,

Peel off your “quick to criticize” glasses for a minute and let’s look at the real reason for the confused “out of sync” play exhibited by USC recently.

I think you need to grade Pete Carroll & the coaching staff with a large grading curve due to the tremendous amount of injuries that have decimated USC this year.

Injuries are part of the game, but this is different 27! players are injured or out for the season. Chemistry & continuity are part of football as well & USC has been shuffling the deck with players all season, due to injuries.

Our coaches have not complained, they simply move ahead with the troops they have.

Here’s a quick snap shot of USC’s Titanic injury list:

Jody Adewale groin injury / has not played
Sam Baker groin injury & hamstring / missed 3 quarters of AZ game
John David Booty Broke middle finger of passing hand / Did not play vs AZ
Luthur Brown Slowed down due to back problems /played vs. AZ
Jeff Byers banged up but playing
Brian Cushing Out since the Idaho game 1st game of the season
C.J. Gable Out for the season / groin surgery
Chris Galippo Out for the season / back surgery
Broderick Green Out for the season thus far / might red shirt
Kevin Ellison Broke nose vs Arizona playing hurt
Clay Harris Sprained shoulder
Zack Heberer Sprained shoulder missed 3 quarters of AZ game
Stafon Johnson Sprained left foot missed Stanford & AZ game
Vincent Joseph Neck sprain injury out since beginning of Nebraska game
Alatini Malu Strained a hamstring against Washington playing sore
Clay Matthews Broke his left thumb vs Nebraska {Playing Hurt}
Rey Maualuga Hip Pointer or worse missed most of AZ game thus far
Kristofer O'Dowd Injured Knee vs Washington missed Stanford & AZ thus far
Travon Patterson Right foot surgery out for the season
Josh Pinkard Out for the season /torn ACL in his left knee.
Chilo Rachal Injured Knee vs Washington missed Stanford & AZ thus far
Drew Radovich Playing hurt with back injury
Malcolm Smith Out with hip injury missed Stanford & Az game
Matt Spanos Playing with torn triceps & gash on his snap hand
Kevin Thomas Surgery on a sprained left shoulder out for season
Chauncey Washington Shoulder sprain missed first two games of season
Shareece Wright Hamstring strain missed Stanford & AZ game

Cut the team some slack here!

Fight On! RB

That was a disappointing year because SC was coming off its first national championship in about a quarter of a century, and the expectations were high. But the Trojans lost a lot of good players from the 1962 team, and so it should not have been shocking to lose to a good Notre Dame team. And UCLA losing to ND, well, they are after all only UCLA.

Lawyer John...not sure how "good" you think that ND team was in '63 since it only won those two games that year...

I stand corrected, I guess that was not a good ND team. But I recall listening to the game on the radio, and Hal Bedsole, our All-American end, kept dropping passes. Sound familiar?

RB,

I appreciate your comments. You are level headed and hit the nail on the head. 27 injuries make a tremendous difference. We continue to succeed in spite of that. FIGHT ON!!!

Add: Nick Howell, who battled Spanos to the wire, for the starting job at center (serious hernia). Our "insider" beat-writer, not knowing anything was affecting his play. Sanchez (fractured thumb, and Tyler out, probably redshirting. Again, no excuses, but some facts for the ("blame Booty", "blame Carroll, "blame Sark", etc.), Whine&Gold Club. The, "I want off the bandwagon", group.

Looks like there may be another change at QB this week for USC's opponent. Why does USC seem to do so poorly when the 2nd string quarterback plays. Stanford this year...UCLA last year.

And remember 1966 USC had just lost to UCLA but USC got the nod to go to the Rose Bowl based on a vote of the Conference....which resulted in a near UCLA riot as disappointed fans that had gathered at Pauley Pavillion in anticipation of a decision in favor of UCLA...then after the announcment many of them walked onto the Freeway blocking traffic, etc....apparently planning to walk down to the USC campus.

Then to show how deserving USC was the Trojans had the opportunity to play Notre Dame the next week when Coley O'Brien substituted for Terry Hanratty and ND beat USC at the Coliseum 51-0! (Actually the most memorable part of that game was the retirement of the first Traveler which occurred DURING the game as I recall as it was much better than watching the miserable game.)

Thanks for that list RB. I used it earlier in a debate with "friends" from the south...

good for them in 1963

Ara Parseghian sucks

ND sucks

it's not 1963 anymore their coach has more chins than a chinese phone book

They are wearing their puke green uniforms no one deserves to win wearing something that ugly

they average 1.02 yds/pc

Clausen couldn't hit the broad side of a barn

I was at that '66 game and that leperachan was running around acting the fool all day long. I wanted to choke that little bastard. Everytime I see that guy on TV I want to choke him. Sorry..... but I HATE the Irish.

SC_class_of_42

Those are immortal words.

I remember after that 1966 game my dad didnt talk the rest of the weekend.

ND is probably going to pull out some emotional, stupid crap like throwback jerseys.

Hope SC annihalates them.

Thanks Leo, that was a bad day for all of us in Cardinal & Gold.