Remainders
Time to wrap up the forgotten Open Forum questions, including that elusive Josh Tatum query.
Q: Do you think if Vanessa Curry, the former Laker Girl who is 19 joins the Song Girls that will be back to being the best? Curry is the MVP of cheerleaders even over the Ducks.
A: I'm not sure if she's allowed back in Los Angeles.
Q: What happened to Josh Tatum the star recruit why did he transfer and is it true did he want to comeback here after leaving?
A: Tatum wants to return to USC but is still completing his academic requirements at City College of San Francisco.
Q: What is the latest with Manti Te'o? Are we the leading school to sign him, and will he commit early or wait until the signing deadline to announce?
A: Right now I hear he's going to wait. USC is in his top two right now.
Q: What was your favorite part about that piece on the Song Girls by Celeste Fremon? Mine were the comments by Dolly Rouse about how her sister was now fat with low self-esteem because she had been cut many years earlier from the Song Girls! I couldn't stop laughing when I read that. Do people who think like that really walk among us?
A: I thought the whole tone of the article was telling, the way it illustrated how brutal people can be and how devastating it can be for the girls who do not get selected. And after being around USC for many years, yes, these people really walk among us.
Q: James Boyd is listed as having a 40 yard dash time of 4.8-----do you know if that is accurate? It seems awfully slow for a DE of his size.
A: I really wouldn't worry much about a 40 time for a 17 year old who plays defensive end. I don't know how accurate the time is. He can play quarterback and defensive end, which shows he is athletic and if he really slow, USC would not offer him a scholarship.
Q: Do you know if USC will build a new soccer field. It was rather embarassing that our girls had to travel to play on the road when they were the higher seed.. Isn't it ridicoulous that USC doesn't have a field that can host an NCAA tourney game?
A: I have not heard any plans at the moment to upgrade the soccer field.
Q: Celeste Fremon's article highlighted how the Song Girls of past (pre-2000) conducted a very exclusive selection process. One sister was accepted while another was not as one of them was not up to standard. Girls who had previously been on the squad were not automatically selected the next year as newer girls were deemed more worthy. It seemed like there was an actual process and effort to get the BEST girls each year, no matter who she knew or what her previous connections were to the squad.
Has this fairness and due process been completely eradicated by the current regime that has taken the reins of the Song Girls and made it into a personal clique? Has corruption within the selection committee been so rampant that all legacy left behind by the beautiful Song Girls of yesteryear can be seen as insulting and disrespectful to the likes of Ms. Pillsbury?
A: Enquiring minds want to know.
Q: Any idea how many tickets USC was allocated by UVA? Any chance any of those tickets being offered for sale to the poor folks?
A: I heard the allotment was about 5,000, which very likely means no tickets for the poor folks.
Q: What do you think of this 2009 mock draft on foxsports placing DeRozan at number 4 and Taj Gibson at 41? I think DeRozan will easily be top 2 and Taj will be in the lottery.
A: I don't think much of it at the moment. I hear right now Derozan could be a top 10 pick, but the bigger question is whether he will be eligible at USC.
Thought you might be interested on my recent e-mails w/ Celeste Fremon:
Hey, W. I don't know anything about the controversy. Interesting.
I'm pretty much confining myself to the book I'm working on, WitnessLA and
the occasional op ed for the LA Times. But, hey, I'm always intrigued by
USC song girls.
By the way, I understand all the past song girls are showing up for
homecoming this year....uh....supposedly myself included, although there are
those alums who still are a tad irritated at me for that LA Times article
and they would like me to vanish (I'm sure they mean this in the nicest
possible way).
Anyway, I'd be quite curious to know what you know about the controversy.
All info welcomed.
Yours,
Celeste
Celeste Fremon
Editor
WitnessLA
http://WitnessLA.com
310-455-1389
-----Original Message-----
Dear Ms Celeste Fremon;
You prob have more significant and important issues nowadays than the
USC Song Girls, but I only recently read your article of 10+ years ago.
And you are prob aware of the ongoing controversies concerning
selection, quality and leadership of the Song Girls. Did you ever
revisit or have an interest in looking at them again, given the high
national profile and identification with USC, but the apparent recent
deterioration of the program?
Thanx in advance
-- Blessings to you, class of '67
Oh wow, Woody. Thanks for sharing. Perhaps she should write an article on what happens at this year's homecoming. Should be interesting. Can't wait.
Speaking of USC Song Girls, Oregon Cheerleaders and the UCLA Dance Team, here's an interesting link to a comparison between Oregon's and UCLA's offering.
http://beatsc.com/?p=2266
Seems like that guy has been reading the hub bub over here about Song Girl Gate. In previous posts, he actually says some nice things about our girls, but still finds a way to lord it over us regarding their dance team.