Open Forum

SW, since it's banquet time, name your MVP Trojan for this season, your Most Improved Trojan and your Trojan "Warrior". Fight On!

Scott:

Based on the recent scrimmage, as well as what you have seen throughout the season, what is Mitch Mustain like under pressure? Is he able to adapt to another offensive play when the designed one is unable to be executed? Does he keep his cool in these situations, or does he crumble?

While I'm at it, yes, I was very impressed by what I read all over the place about the December scrimmage. Looks like young Mr Mustain is very much the real deal that he is advertised to be.

Are USC practices over the next two weeks open to the public, and if so, can you provide location and times? Thanks ...

Does Damian Williams show any signs of rust after being injured for so long? Does he have any limitations?

Hey Scott, I remember a few months back you said that Mitch Mustain's favorite Spice Girl was Sporty Spice (mine is Baby Spice, by the way. Who's yours?), so I was just wondering if you know whether he attended the recent reunion shows at Staples Center???? And now that the David Beckham to LA move has totally fizzled out, is Mustainmania going to sweep the region or the country? I think so. It's just a matter of time, in my opinion, now that Beckham is out the picture and LA is ready for a new icon. No Shaq, Kobe is over, Leinart is finished, and Beckham never really happened. The time is ripe for Mustain, right?

Hey Scott, thanks for the forum.

If you were in charge for one day of NCAA/BCS football, what changes would you implement to move toward a playoff system. Play the bowl games, and then have four-team playoff? Plus one system? Junk the bowls, and follow D-II format? Go old school and just have the bowl games with traditional matchups? Any other system? Also, once you have described the system you would use, please plug in how that would have played out this year with predictions of the playoff games.

I know its a lot to ask, but all I want for Christmas is a playoff system with USC in it. Thanks!

Any juniors thinking about declaring for the draft?

Which players do you think will transfer to other schools before next season?

Hello Uncle Scottie:

Can you briefly discuss your feelings re Khaled Holmes and Matt Kalil, 2 of the linemen that have committed to us---and the receivers Butler and Adams[if he stays committed}?
Thanx in advance!

Scott-

There is a John Wayne Scholarship Award given each year to a senior football player who seeks to pursue graduate studies after getting their bachelor's degree from USC, but it has not been awarded since 2000, the year Caesar took control of the prgram. Coincidence?

Now that your favorite team WV lost its coach and the "elite" staus you bestowed on them before losing to Pitt, who are the elite teams now-other than Florida and Texas :))) ?

Which players do you consider to have been disappointments this season?

Who is your Most Valuable Assistant Coach of the year? Most Improved? Most Disappointing?

What kind of competitive drive does Mitch Mustain possess? I know we have had players that could be considered lazy or unwilling to learn and those who were only out for personal glory. Is Mitch a team player with drive? Does he know what he wants and how to get it? Essentially, does he have what Teddy Roosevelt described as "the fire in the belly"?

Scott,
How many scholarships are available for the upcoming recruiting class of 2008? So far, there are 14 commitments.

Does JDB start against OSU if USC does not lose to Oregon?

Does USC lose to Stanford if they pull JDB due to his injury to his finger?

Scott, I thought you were supposed to be back on the USC basketball beat, but I haven't seen any stories from you. What's up?

Scott:

With yet another semester successfully behind us at USC and even more accolades, with new twists, coming the way of our hero Mitch Mustain this past week, this raises some serious questions:

1) Now that Damian Williams has been referred to as a "sidekick" to our hero Mitch Mustain by numerous reporters, which other dynamic duo do you compare our Trojan duo with? Batman and Robin? Han Solo and Chewbacca? Or a wholly other duo?

2) With our hero Mitch Mustain now having left the dangerous soil of California until the new year, after having avoided all manner of trouble and danger at every possible turn, could there possibly be any more proof that he is, indeed, The Chosen One?

3) Will our hero Mitch Mustain be the first ever Trojan football player with his own action figure to be sold on campus next year?

4) Was our hero Mitch Mustain's performance at the December scrimmage proof that he will not have any mercy come the spring on anyone who seeks to make a "challenge," however futile, to his destiny as the leader of the Trojan football team?

5) Is it not true that the real reason NBC's show Heroes is on strike is not because of a writer's strike, but because the so-called "heroes" on the show cannot compare to our hero Mitch Mustain, and the producers are attempting to change the show into a reality show based on his daily activities?

6) Was there ever any doubt on your part that our hero Mitch Mustain would ascend to such greatness when he arrived on campus? Will your early insight result in other reporters being shunned with their recent love and praise for our hero Mitch Mustain?

7) Do you now expect the first edition of Mitch and Me to outsell Harry Potter and a second printing will be ordered even before the first printing has even hit the stores? Are you worried about others coming out with books about our hero Mitch Mustain first?

8) Is it true the teams on the 2008 schedule are discussing forfeiting their games against USC rather than go against the powerhouse that is our hero Mitch Mustain, fearing that he will score so many times against them, the scoreboards in the stadiums do not have enough digits to cover the humiliation? Is there any doubt now that with our hero Mitch Mustain, the Trojans will begin a 13-0 odyssey toward the National Championship, the first of many to come?

Fight On!

What is your take on the Coliseum Commission and the USC posturing? It appears from a layman's perspective (and one who frequents the Coliseum) that the CC has defaulted on it's previous rental contracts with USC by not maintaining the Coliseum. However, it also appears that USC is attempting to take advantage of that fact along with public support to cut themselves a sweet deal. Do you have any insight that might be interesting to us fans?

Scott,

As it now appears that Booty will likely not be a high NFL draft pick, what do you think the chances are that he will not have anything but a very short stint in the league like so many other recent Trojan players? Is he on track to graduate?

Who are your favorite 'bloggers' on this site? Least favorites?

If USC jumps out to a big lead (say, 3 TDs) in the Rose Bowl, any chance fans will get to see a sneak preview of 2008? Or will the coaches give Booty, Washington, Dennis, and the other graduating seniors as much time on the field as possible?

Thanks and have a great holiday.

P.S. What kind of deep ball does Mustain throw? Is he accurate? Like a laser? Does a pass from Mustain feel like velvet in the receiver's hands?

What have you heard about Ed Orgeron being hired as the DC at Miami?

Flower child when you and MM win the medal of honor because you and MM sacrificed your lives for this country's honor then you can use the word hero properly you moronic liberal ignorant idiot.

Scott,
I've read your blog since the spring and have really enjoyed your insight into the football program. I've noticed however, that the negative tone has increased the last few months and I'm not sure if it's because of a dissapointing season or if your are attempting to draw readers with an anti-SC slant.

I believe you care about the program but I just don't understand why everything has to be so "negative". For a lot of people the football program is somewhat of an escape from the drudgery of everyday life and it is nice to have a positive spin on issues.

I am not talking about being delusional. Criticism is warranted and it should come from someone close to the program, but constant negativity is counter-productive. The glass isn't always "half-empty", you know?

With the exception of your ap balloting I agree with a lot of your insight. With your pessimistic comments I am now forced to just mine this site for information instead of coming to it for a few minutes of enjoyment during my day. Please do what you can to see the "half-full" side of things.

Thank you

I have asked you in the past in regards to Mitch Mustain's progression read skills and since I was not at the scrimmage this past week and you were, I would like to ask some questions that hopefully you would be able to answer.

First, from what I have read about the scrimmage, it does seem that Mustain was under attack from the defense, yet it was his ability to read the progressions that allowed the ball to still get to an offensive target? Would that be accurate and was it a good example of someone who has the talent of making tough reads and then managing to follow through?

Second, from your description of a couple of the plays, the Mustain to Williams passes were made despite unfavorable conditions, so does that mean Williams also made adjustments and Mustain can figure out where Williams will end up in Plan B and still make the correct throw?

Finally, I have been told by many observers that Mustain may very well be the best quarterback at USC at progression reads since Leinart (while some say he may be even more advanced, but that's for another day), so from what you can tell, does it appear that USC may finally have a quarterback again that is capable of not only being able to read progressions, but be able to follow through on the read successfully? Would this not imply that a there is finally a QB on the roster who can adapt to a more complex offense rather than restricting much of the playbook due to limitations, including an inability to read defenses particularly well?

Thanks in advance for answering this question and for providing this forum. Always greatly appreciated.

RobH:
Until your beloved plays against a Bona Fide defense save your accolades and candles. He played against a "third-team" of mostly walk-ons and redshirts, OK? Does that answer your infatuated question? You have a computer use to find the answers to your kissy-kissy give me attention questions, daddy! Are you and flower child close friends? UHM?

What's the current situation with Broderick Green?

And let me be the 1000th one of your readers to say this -- ban El Capitan already! Seriously, Scott, do we really have to be subjected to his attacks, nonsense, illiterate rants, and non-Trojan garbage when we come on your blog? Yes, I know everyone generally ignores him and he is a source of ridicule, but still, we don't need a village idiot with no USC ties on a board dedicated to a fine private university.

Max:
Idiot, this is a FREE country and I have done more for this country than you. I attack idiots like you because your moronic garbage philosophy has to be attacked. This country is at war and flower child uses the word hero so loosely it is embarrassing, pathetic and offensive. The fact that I did NOT attend USC should NOT be held against me while rooting for the team that loyally I have rooted for over 30 years, jerk. That is your excuse to hide the anti Latino prejudice/sentiment which a lot of you use as an excuse as well. IF you use that then blacks, Samoans and Latinos would NOT be allowed to represent USC sports program. Get a grip clown.
Have I attacked USC? NO. Again I have rooted for USC and that is my right big prejudiced MORON.