Open Forum

Virginia seems to be a trap game. How much of a possibility is it that the team overlooks them looking ahead to the OSU game or do you think they will look at Virginia as a warmup/test session for the OSU?

SW, why do you think the L.B. Poly kids sometimes have problems translating their success from Poly to Troy (i.e. Manny Wright, Rowe and Joseph being the latest)? Fight On!

Do you read other sports blogs? Of so, which ones? Do you have a favorite?

What happened to BYU transfer Jordan Cameron? Does he still plan on coming to USC?

What do you think is on Mitch's iPod game time playlist?

HI WOLFIE:

HI WOLFIE:

In the 2005 game at South Bend,on the final play of the game, you are standing in the end zone for a perfect view.
Did you know they would allow you to go pretty much wherever you wanted---or did you just decide to take a chance, and go wherever you wanted, unless ordered to stop? I'm just curious as to the policy of the Irish when it comes to sportswriters freedom on roaming. Thanx as always---and, if you can consider this all one question--is SC's policy the same? Thanx again.

The offense will have many new starters this upcoming season, which offensive player(s) do you believe will step up in a leadership role?

Did Sark install any QB draws or bootlegs to take advantage of the three QBs ability to run? If not, why not? Also, is Sanchez being coached to tuck the ball when he runs? Thanks for the forum, Scott.

Just as Mike Garrett formally apologized to USC alumni in 2001 for the previous two decades of "embarrassing" football, when should we be expecting a formal apology from the coach of the Song Girls for the past decade of ugly squad members?

As the beat writer, can you tell us about Nikola Vucevic?

Considering how it's perfectly acceptable for alumni to criticize USC's administration, faculty and athletic department employees if there is reason to believe they are not doing their job well, then why is it considered off-limits to say anything critical about the women in charge of the Song Girls?

Was there a concerted effort by those in charge to reduce the number of attractive Song Girls and make them more homely so that they would appear more "real" and change the reputation that they were typical USC Barbie Doll blondes?

You had previously said that you had witnessed Song Girls audition a few years ago and that there are about 70 applicants. In the year taht you saw the auditions, what was the quality of the girls? Did the prettiest girls make it to the squad? What year was this?

I just heard we filled our BB Scholarship with a 6-10 forward from Simi Prep or something. I thought we had a ton of openings with all the early leavings and transfers etc. Are we truely filled? I guess I missed that.

Are the people in charge of the Song Girls accountable in any way to any supervisors or members of the administration? How could they have been allowed to destroy the legacy and tradition of the Song Girls these past few years with such blatant disregard for what had come before? Do they just treat the Song Girls as their own personal outlet and not care about how the product they put out poorly represents the university? Do any members of the administration care or do they think the Song Girls are so trivial that it's not even worth making a fuss or demanding some kind of overhaul to fix the problem and bring back beautiful girls again to the squad?

What is wrong with the football recruiting class, it started fast, but now many schools like Texas have more commits than USC also USC has too many soft commits? How do you see the class finishing up

The coaching staff does an outstanding job of getting the players physically ready for games with some great conditioning programs. My question, what do they do to get them ready mentally? Is it day to day, on the field instruction or do they provide any kind of formal training.

Now that Shipp has chickened out of the NBA draft, is Alex Stepheson more likely to scratch fucla from his short list?

In 1990, the Song Girls changed their name to the new politically correct "Song Leaders," but then reverted back to the old "Song Girls" name in 2006 and there has been absolutely no mention of "Song Leaders" ever since, as if it never even existed. What was the reason behind the reversal back to the old politically incorrect name after so many years?

Please dismiss a rumor from wearesc.com. Is USC WR Damian Williams in any way related to the Damian "Football" Williams that was a key figure in the Reginald Denny brick beat down that helped spark LA's Rodney King Riots?

If so does his scholarship at USC risk alienating a large portion of the alumni and fan base? Will these wounds re-open when King appears on TV's Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew?

Troyjan&Tonic:

We all know you went to Cal State Fullerton, not USC, but do you have to keep trying to prove to everyone what complete idiots that excuse of a "school" produces? You're not funny. You have taken stupidity to a new level.

Another thing, no such word as "alumnist"; it's "alumnus." Christopher Cox is an ALUMNUS of USC (something you are not).

I can't believe my tax dollars go to fund anything at Fullerton...what a waste of good money. Why don't you go support your fellow public school, ucla, instead?

Scott-

With regards to the recent academic casualties, were they all a simple case of GPA dipping below 2.0 (or whatever the magic number is) or were their other academic factors we arent aware of (missing classes/study hall, etc)

Does each sport at USC have the same requirements (minimum GPA and x # of hours in mandatory study hall, etc) or does it differ on a sport by sport basis.

thanks...

Who is your pic to win the Euro Cup? And will Italy advance to the knockout rounds?

SW, sorry I'm braking the one question rule. I just read your "Making The Grade, Part II", so I have to ask since you had the "foresight", are you now saying that Trojans are lowering their standards to get some of these "stud" athletes? Fight On!

Do you honestly believe that the Song Girls can get back to being beautiful and the preeminent cheerleading squad in the country again? Haven't they dropped so far down that there really is no coming back? If you really do believe that they can return to their glory days, how long do you think it will take? Could it just be a case of cutting all the current girls and having an entirely new squad for of beautiful girls?

Any chance Romeo Miller would/could give his scholarship back and pay his own way so 'SC would have another scholarship to hand out?

Sigma Chi-

Posters whose only contribution is correcting the grammar and spelling of other posters overwhelmingly have nothing to contribute to the blog.

Anyone who has read my contributions over time would agree that I am at least intelligible, cogent, and usually compelling. I think one poster recently questioned my use of "reportage" and was proven wrong my a third party.

My posts are far more intersting that the in-joke run amok that he Mitch Mustain saga has become.

I also probably use mix up "are" and "our" and "their" and "they're" when I'm ducking in posts between family and work obligations. I guess all my takes are marginalized now.

Problem with some USC alums is they were born on third base and think that they hit a triple. That's why us Titans love it when Fullerton administers repeated beatings to USC on the baseball diamond.

When I went to the spring game, I was disappointed when they did not have the schedule posters like they always do. Then, I finally see this years as an electronic file only (weak) and it doesn't have a QB on it. It only has Rey, Cush, PT and Joe. Do you think this has anything to do with Mark not being the 100% sure starter? And having Joe instead of CJ or Stafon... because he's a prima donna?

Then go support that cesspit that is Fullerton, you loser!

While you're at it, sue them for failing to teach you what a "grammatical mistake" actually is. Writing "alumnist" rather than "alumnus" is not a grammatical mistake; it's something completely different, so find out what that's called.

You contribute nothing that could be mistaken for "intelligible, cogent, and usually compelling." If you have, we must have all missed it.

So what did that Fullerton degree get you? A few minutes away from washing cars for minimum wage so you can go on a USC blog in order to mingle with people who have an actual education and have no desire to latch on to a university that you have no affiliation with?

For the first 32 years of their existence, the USC Song Girls consisted of between six to eight girls each year, who were considered to be beautiful, exclusive, and the elite on campus. So what is the reason they have suddenly jumped up to 14 members this year, while the quality has gradually declined and is now at an embarrassingly low point? I can somewhat understand increasing the numbers up to maybe 10 girls, provided the same high standards as before are maintained without any loss in quality, but this is just not the case. This is an over two-fold increase in girls and a dramatic drop in physical quality. What is the reason behind the increased quantity while there has been no attempt to maintain the quality? Is it a case of getting more university funding if they have more girls?

Trojan in Redondo-

#1 The Fullerton campus is in a better neighborhood than the USC campus is.

#2 You are a textbook example of an Internet priss torturing everyone with mundane language corrections.
I did not go to USC, but my older brother did in the late 1980's. He liked the school but conceded he could have received the same education at a state school. His biggest plus is that USC gives him a football team to cheer for.

#3 Thankfully you don't speak for everyone as I get tons of positive feedback from my questions to Scott as well as my comments.

#3 I've been following USC football since the year Charles White won the Heisman Trophy. I will never bow down to the few academic elitists who think they own the exclusive USC cheering section. Where did Pete Carroll go to college?

#4 In the professional office I work at there are USC, UC, and CSU grads. The salaries do not depend on what school was attended but by merit and value in the marketplace. Who earned the better return on their tuition investment? College attended plays no role.

Scott,

How good are the chances that Alex Stephenson will transfer to USC? I just read your blurb about his mother saying the Trojans are still in the mix, but how good in the mix is the question? If so, is he a solid enough player to contribute right away, if given the chance by Floyd?

Scott,

You said Art Bartner arranged to have his daughter on the Song Girl squad of the mid 1990s. What was her name and what year was she on? I'd like to see if she made the grade or was this nepotism at its worst.

What are the chances of Roland Johnson switchinng positions from wide receiver to cornerback? He stated once he would not mind the change. Is Pete Carroll and Nick Holt thinking about. Also, with the recent departureson the defense would this not make sense.

Oh no, I have two #3's in my previous list.
Blame it on CSUF!

Everyone should just ignore this fool/tool from Fullerton. He's nothing more than a wannabee and a never-will-be.

The academic requirements for Fullerton = People who could not even get into the county jail

That place is the biggest joke ever, so their "alumni" (can't stop laughing over the thought that anyone would be an "alumnus" from that place!) align themselves with far superior institutions; hence, a wannabee culture and huge inferiority complex.

How much validity is there to the belief that the reason the Song Girls have become so ugly this past decade is due to the pretty girls on campus viewing the Song Girls as "geeky," ridiculing grown women in their 20s waving pom-pons, so the pretty girls no longer try out for the squad? As a result, we have been left with unattractive and socially awkward girls almost exclusively comprising the Song Girls rather than the pretty and outgoing types, which was never the case in the past. Haven't the Song Girls become a source of ridicule and mockery among the pretty girls on campus and this is directly reflected in the types of girls that now tryout and comprise the squad?

Biggest scandal of the past year - Bushgate, Pedalgate, Mexican Flag T-shirtgate, Walk-ongate, Mayogate or Song Girlgate?

I read where you said that the reason the athletic department has expressed opposition to criticism of the Song Girls is due to how they do not receive scholarships, whereas criticizing USC athletes is acceptable since they do receive scholarships. However, that is an incorrect assertion. Did you know that every Song Girl does get a tuition credit simply for being on the squad? It's not much, but they do get it. Also, did you know that they do get paid for private gigs, including the recent embarrassing American Idol performance, where each Song Girl who took part got paid $800 apiece? Do you also realize that a percentage of each student activity card that is sold goes to fund the Song Girls? So as long they are are being funded by the university and expected to represent students and alumni in publicly, does that not mean it is perfectly acceptable to express criticism if the Song Girls and the people in charge of them are not managing to live up to our high expectations?

Are Alfred Rowe and Vincent Joseph allowed to be back after next year if they get their grades up? Has Carroll allowed them back. If he are does, will it count for scholarships.

With news of Tom Hansen announcing his retirement this week, one can say that one of the most influential/or powerful opponents of a college football playoff will soon be out of the lucrative college football business.

It may be way too early to predict how this will all translate in regards to a playoff system. However, as a college football fan, one can view this departure with some optimism that we are possibly one step closer to some sort of playoff system or compromise. I guess that all depends on if his replacement shares his identical views on the subject. Who are some possible replacements for Hansen as Pac-10 commissioner? If any potential replacements do exist at this time, what are your thoughts/or opinions on the potential replacements. Thanks!