Open Forum, The Sequel
Here's the rest of the answers to the Open Forum.
The scout team is a perfect vehicle to observe Mitch Mustain's talents and he's done a nice job. Don't forget he goes against this defense every day while opponents only get one crack at the Trojans, so maybe he knows the weak spots.
Basketball Top 25? Huh. What? Basketball? Ask again after we get through October. Thanks.
Top five tight ends I covered? Hmmm. Fred Davis John Allred, Dominique Byrd Alex Holmes Antoine Harris.
USC does not really throw to a second tight end when it uses two tight ends. It prefers to use Anthony McCoy and Dale Thompson as blocking tight ends.
I'm on the field and in the pressbox at games depending on what time a game starts.
Pete Carroll's practices are much quicker and also more physical than the previous five years I covered USC. It's a great way to keep the team sharp but as you all know, can lead to more injuries. As one running back told me a couple years ago, he wasn't gonna practice on a Wednesday because too many reserves were looking for playing time and would try to make a crazy hit on him when he was already nursing an injury.
Look how long it's taken Patrick Turner to come back from the hit Rey Maualuga leveled him with before the season.
Regarding the Mayo-Hackett incident. My key source was a member of the basketball team present in the gym. Otherwise, their account would carry less weight. Additionally, what happened seems to be an open secret around USC, except when the basketball team, including Mayo and Hackett, were asked by Coach Tim Floyd. I should add Floyd's tried to find out what happened, so I don't fault him. He looked into it and did the best he could to find out. And my experiences with him show him to be an honest broker.
Ironically, a friend told me today that a club coach who is very good friends with Mayo and Hackett confirmed the punch story to him. And UCLA's Kevin Love, who was being trumpeted as a friend of Mayo by everyone, alluded to the punch at UCLA's media day
I don't think Pete Carroll is really holding back too much for the Oregon and Cal games. He'd rather beat Stanford than lose and keep plays in his pocket.
``What is the meaning of life?'' USC football, of course.
Of course sports is a distraction from other aspects of life. But it also has great similarities to politics and other life lessons and can teach lessons to athletes. Or maybe it beats working for a living!
Nicely done, Scott, nicely done.
GOOD JOB HERE, SCOTT--I UNDERSTAND THAT HACKETT HAS HAD ALTERCATIONS WITH AT LEAST TWO OTHER TEAMMATES BEFORE THIS--I WONDER HOW THIS WILL AFFECT TEAMWORK--GUESS WE'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE. IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE LA TIMES, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, HAS ALWAYS REFERRED TO THIS MAYO INCIDENT AS AN ELBOW. IT APPEARS THE TIMES DIDN'T DO ANY DIGGING, EITHER HERE--OR ON THE BRIAN PRICE STORY--AND THAT THE ENTIRE PAPER CONTINUES TO DEPRECIATE.