Take 2
Here we go with the you-know what questions.
Q: Did USC fire Mike Gillespie? and if so why?
A: Yes, he was fired. Athletic director Mike Garrett never liked him, even when they were winning. So once there were a couple lean seasons, and Gillespie would tell you he was responsible for those results, it gave USC the opening to give him the hook. Of course, as someone who played on a national title team and won a national title, you could make an easy argument he deserved better. USC hasn't won a women's tennis title in more than 20 years but no one ever talks about that.
Q: How much of the decline in the standards of the USC Song Girls can be traced back to when Dolly Zachary ceased being on the selection committee?
A: I'm really no expert on the behind-the-scenes issues with the song girls, so I don't know about this, other than as I previously stated, there are some people who are relics from the 1970's now making selections.
Q: Why is such blatant nepotism allowed to not only occur with the Song Girls, but actually appears to be accepted and unchallenged by those within the university, leading to the reputation of the squad being damaged. Not only was the daughter of the coach made a captain within months of joining the squad over girls who were entering their third year as Song Girls, but then her daughter's high school friend joined the squad as a senior, also becoming a captain within a few months and allowed to be a fifth year member of the squad, despite the fact that it went against the Song Girls' own policies. With the Song Girls being used for the personal nepotism of the coach - who also hired her daughter's high school choreographer for the Song Girls - how could those within the university allow this to continue when it is so adversely affecting the image and product that is being put out there?
A: Because nepotism is one of USC's specialities. Look around USC and you can find it everywhere. I admit that in the past few years I've increasingly heard complaints from female USC students about decisions being made regarding the song girls. I'm beginning to think these issues should be addressed by some USC type of spokesperson because they are currently quick to complain but not-so-quick to answer specifics.
Q: Do you think that every single question about Mitch Mustain has now been asked at this point and there are simply no more questions left?
A: One could only hope.
Q How many girls audition to be Song Girls each year? With the squad we've been getting, it seems as though all it takes is for a girl to sign up and she's on the team. I wonder if there is a short supply, but for a campus with thousands and thousands of girls, it seems like there would be no shortage of quality girls to choose from. Unless of course there's nepotism, as so many here have suspected. Do you know what the selection percentage is? I am curious exactly what the acceptance rate is for applicants
A: The last time I watched tryouts, there were at least 50 girls participating, but that was a few years ago. It's always been considered a prestigious role, so I think it does get a lot of applicants.
I think that this year there were 70-80 girls to fill a couple spots.
Last year I heard there were upwards of 100.
I've never seen a school so interested in a career backup. The tide is turning my little Cardinal and Gold friends. #103 was just finished off this week. 103 to Trojan fans is the number of arrests in a given year by those in the athletic program. Keep up that 2.5 GPA.
FYI...you can have Allen Bradford and Shareece Wright...two guys who would've flunked out at UCLA anyway...where attendance is mandatory.
I find it hilarious that you read and post on this blog.
Stupid bruin. OF course you haven't "seen a school so interested in a career backup." You're a bruin. You losers think tradition means skipping practice. The only way ucla will ever succeed in football is if they make it a girl's sport and let fat, ugly chicks dominate it. You're all about softball and gymnastics, fruitcake. Funny that you have "NC" in your name and you're posting on a FOOTBALL blog, pansy.
Allow me to be the first to congratulate you on Alfred Rowe...what an accomplishment. When you are last in terms of admittance standards, a few dozen slip through the cracks.
That's part of your problem, bruin. You think admittance standards really matter. Funny since half of ucla's athletes are special admits who are depriving a real student of an education. Seriously though, playing the academic card is for losers like you. What you should really be asking is whether you'll live to see ucla football accomplish anything meaningful. Doubtful.