Another Question
Let's say Mark Sanchez is out two weeks with a dislocated kneecap. Would you bring him back with a week to go before the Virginia game and start him or just go with Mitch Mustain or Aaron Corp instead?
Remember last year, John David Booty practiced during the week with a broken finger but USC ended up going with Sanchez for three games.
What would you do?
Don't you just have to play this one by ear. It's really tough to make a call three weeks before the game when you have no idea how his knee will react. As previous posters have said, Kris Richard suffered this injury and was out 10 days... Andrew Bynum suffered the same and is still out.
If I'm not mistaken Demarco Murray from Oklahoma also suffered a dislocated kneecap before the Big 12 Championship game and he is still struggling...Gary Klein in the LA Times referenced Kris Richard's injury but also noted that he was never the same after he returned...although he is a DB which requires speed.
Isn't this the same injury that Andrew Bynum had and missed the rest of the season (over 4 months). Saying the kid will be back in 2 weeks is a little overly optimistic.
The real question is who starts if Sanchez has to miss 3 weeks and SC beats Virginia and Ohio State, who starts on the road at Oregon State?
If Sanchez has a full week of practice, you start him. Less than that, he doesn't start. Purportedly, the cap popped right back in, no tears, chips or pulls. Bynum, O'Dowd's dislocations caused more collateral damage, from what I have read. We'll know more on Monday or Tuesday, but here's to hoping Mark comes back quickly.
I hope Sanchez is fully recover before playing any college game.
Scott Wolf landed four fish named:
sureshot, SC1 and MODEVIL X2. I will NOT fall for his cheap baits. I am a pretty good fisherman also! Check these stories by Gary Klein:
1. http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-sanchez9-2008aug09,0,6209706.story
2. http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-usc10-2008aug10,0,7269674.story
Gary Klein reports in link #1 fourth paragraph that team doctors reported: "no ligament, cartilage or bone damage". Then he followed with his second story that the injury is NOT as bad as feared.
Keep in mind that Andrew Bynum had surgery. Surgeries indicate reasons to correct structural damage. Don't be surprised if a week from today Mark is up and practicing. If NOT you guys will be after my Latin good looks!
Viva Sánchez
Well guys I spoke too soon:
ESPN Shelley Smith reported that after talking to Mark's father Mark will be out for FOUR weeks.
Thanks
My guess is Sanchez is held out of the opener, Mustain starts - and gets some USC experience - and then the coaches see who can do what with an extra week to get ready for Ohio State.
USC isnt winning a National Championship (AGAIN) this year, so it doesnt really matter.
This will be 4 years in a row Pete has had the best talent in the country and failed to win.
"If he can't win with the best talent in the country, what the hell else does he need." - USC'89
I am going to second what '89 said...It's pretty obvious we have some large holes..an inexperienced QB, an untested O-line manned by guys who are not exactly Sam Baker...yes that's you Nick Howell, Alex Parsons, Heberer, etc. I saw Heberer get flattened by an Idaho D-lineman last year, why do you think people at the colisseum were booing at the end of that game? Not to mention the hole...err more like a huge black hole we have called "WR's who can't catch a cold much less a football" like the three stooges, VH PT and DA. Freakin' Ausberry doesn't even bother finishing his routes unless the ball is thrown to him. he was unceremoniously benched at the end of last year they were so tired of his crap.
"You reap what you sow" is the saying...we spent years going after #1 offensive players like McKnight and Hazelton and oops..we now have Alex Parsons starting on the o-line, a converted DE in high school..as far as the loaf triplets, hazelton, turner and ausberry go, unfortunately alot of guys are coming to USC now as a ticket to the NFL and a Kim Kardashian girlfriend and don't put in alot of effort. (Darnell Bing, anyone?)
I have always agreed with Scott, with Chow gone we won't win another NC. We fans are already in the mode of "11-2 with a Rose bowl win is good enough" which only gives confidence to PC to keep the "bend but don't break...until we lose a game then turn the dogs loose" defensive philosophy going, and the patented Sarkisian drive...1.Off tackle run for 2 yards 2. 4 yard slant pass to Turner/Hazelton/Ausberry/insert name here who promptly drops it 3. The pridictable third and 11 run by Joe Mcknight 4. Punt
Things should be better this year as JDB and his 5 yard laser beam passes but oh, I can't hit the broad side of a barn past 15 yards arm is gone..he is the second coming of Andre Ware I swear..can throw it 80 yards but couldn't hit the empire state building with it..But there are still too many questions. Beyond stated above, does A. Spicer suck so bad that C. Tupou is actually going to start? If not why did they bring H.Fangupo in? Now PC said yesterday J. Casey could start...ouch..sounds like beanbrain Wells is going to run all over us.
There is a realy culture of complaceny on this football team, just sitting around waiting for other teams to lay down for them and go talk to Erin Andrews and hey, we are 11-2 and won the Rose Bowl, what do you want?
A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, EINSTEIN
As for Sanchez, I doubt he will be back in 2 weeks..just rest him until tOSU game. I am sure MM can handle Virginia.
Its a stretch that he'll make it back for the UVA game. This being back in a week stuff is not being realistic. He didn't do any structural damage, but he did enough damage to it that he now has to keep it immobilized for weeks for it to heal itself and then he'll have to strengthen that leg back up(especially his quad area), which happens to be his plant leg. I had a similar injury where I dislocated my knee cap and the doctor said 4-6 weeks. They pretty much have to shut him down and then they'll have to rehab him with the goal of not having to shut him down again. I just hope they don't rush his rehab because its important that he increase his muscle strength and gains his flexibility back to prevent a recurrence. Unfortunately, I have been saying this for a couple of years now, I don't like the fact that many of our players have had so many musculoskeletal injuries (hip/back/shoulder) the last few years coming out of Fall Camp. I've got my opinion on the head strength and conditioning coach, but I'll leave those opinions to myself.
In case anyone has not been following the pre season games, Booty was being Booty again for the Vikings..he hit approx. 50% of his patented 4 yard slants, with an INT...looks like he will be joining Bing, Byrd, Kareem Kelly, W. Justice ("I gave up 6 sacks in 1 game!") M.Williams, Will Poole, Frostee Rucker, Dwayne Jarrett, S.McCullough, Dallas Sartz and all the other USC players who have done squat in the NFL..
No TroJay your right...how many times have we seen top shelf talent standing on the sideline because of Carlisle working them like dogs? Or PC's "practice just like a game go 100% everyday" that injures players before the season even starts? What good does it do to have all these blue chippers if 30% of them are injured and not playing?
I heard the same story about Galippo...he hurt his back again working too hard in the weight room.
Right now USC and PC & crew are still living off the glow of the Bush/Leinart era..and pulling in top shelf recruits from that. A couple of more years of 11-2 or 10-3 and no NC, and they will be looking elsewhere..(hello LSU, Oklahoma,Georgia). I have posed this Q to Scott and he confirmed that as long as PC keeps turning in 10-3 years with some BCS bowl win, he isn't going anywhere. So the only people who can do anything about this is us, the fans.
OK cue the sunshine pumpers to jump all over me and tell me what a moron I am :o))
I suspect that some are being unrealistically too harsh.
For those who are so angry and dissatisfied with 11-2 and only a top five type finish, please think back. Prior to Carroll's arrival, when was the last time USC won a national championship. (freaking 1978-that's when) And who else ever coached USC to 6 consecutive Pac-10 or Pac 8 Championships, either solo or shared?
I would love to see SC win another national title and I suspect it will come sooner than later. As for being a sunshine pumper and jumping all over another poster, it is not necessary. I simply think some expectations are unrealistic and some of statements are incorrect or exaggerations.
Notice, a poster heard something about Gallipo--well is he sure, absolutely positive that his informant and his information is totally correct? And as for Alex Parsons, I assume the poster knows that when Parsons was recruited, the guy that counts the most had him inked to play the Oline? And btw, please notice how good, mobile and aggressive that kid really is? If there was a mistake with him, just perhaps it is that the team regrets not having redshirted him.
BTW, if some are so sure that Pete won't be able to continue to attract the top guys if SC only wins 11 games a year, just how did Bobby Bowden do it for years at Florida State--I mean he won how many national championships? Yet for years, FSU was as talented as any team, anywhere.
Make no mistake, the loss to Stanford last year was something that will haunt many forever. Does anyone think a guy with an ego as big as Pete Carroll's is not more pissed than most any fan that a trip to the BCS game was sent packing with one of the most unacceptable losses that I can remember since 1967?
Living here in the middle of SEC country, but following the Trojans forever, I can tell you that the teams here are not going to overtake SC any time soon. Pete Carroll is far from perfect, but he has already accomplished some amazing things and this team is likely to compete for a BCS title game every year so long as he stays at SC.
It is great to expect the best, but IMO, a top five finish with an occasional National Championship is nothing to sneeze at. As for Carlisle and his methods, there just might be more going on than meets the eye. Just maybe it is not all on him. Ever wonder who has the final veto power on the team in everything? MJDavidson
OK guys the Ducks physician Dr. Milhouse who has NOT examined Mark Sánchez stated that his type of injury sometimes it takes 4-6 weeks to recover from:
http://usc.freedomblogging.com/
The wait has begun...
RickyIrvins, is the problem a "culture of complacency" or is it players "working too hard"?
No sunshine pumping necessary to tell you're a moron.
Ricky, I'm no 'sunshine pumper' but it doesn't take much to notice you have issues in your life other than USC football that make you a very unhappy person.
The haters are hatin'. Perrenial BCS contention and Pac10/Rose Bowl championship-level play is not enough. What a dark, negative, fantasy world these haters live in.
1. El Capitan, Thanks for the updates. You're doing a much better job gathering and posting information than Scott Wolf these days.
2. Winning the Pac-10 crown as well as a Rose Bowl is a success.
3. If USC fails to even win the Pac-10 this year and Cushing, Rey, Mays (if he leaves as many predict) or ANY players go in the first round - the high school recruits will keep coming.
4. Anyone else notice that no QB or RB made it onto the season tickets this year?
Mike Garrett must sleep well at night knowing so many of the fan base are happy with second place.
Before Sanchez's injury Las Vegas had SC as the odds-on favorite to win the national championship at 3:1. But that still means SC has only a 25% chance of winning. In other words, SC would win the title every 4-years on average if they maintained those odds. So since SC won in 2003 and 2004 if they win another title by 2014 they will have won 3 titles in 12-years. Thems the averages, boys, so get real.