Answer Sunday!
Here's the last of the pre-signing day questions that remained relevant.
Q: TROJANS32 said:
I heard that MB7 has had a private tutor for a long time. Scott, do you know who he is, just what does he do, and how does he help MB7 at this point in time? Thank you, Scott.
A: Are you referring to football or academics? Every athlete has tutors for classes in order to assist them, especially freshmen, who are required to attend study sessions. Or are you referring to football? Like Matt Leinart, he works with Steve Clarkson, who is now touting the Baby Quarterback.
Q: Peter Parker said:
Taylor Mays, Charles Brown, Stafon Johnson, Anthony McCoy, and Jeff Byers are the only seniors invited to play in the Senior Bowl. I remember last year there were more players invited to all star games. Why haven't the seniors as Will Harris, Kevin Thomas, Alex Parsons,and Averell Spicer been invited to any all star games?
A: The Senior Bowl is the most prestigious post-season game because of all the NFL personnel in attendance. USC's had some pretty unusual classes in the past few years, with more than 10 players getting drafted. This year's class is not to the level. But I am surprised that Harris and Thomas were not in all-star games (unless I missed it).
Q: HANDICAPPED PARKING said:
How much do you think the probable coming NCAA sanctions hurt recruiting this year, and the same question for those lousy LA Times articles? Do the recruits pay much attention to that kind of stuff? And, along the same lines, do you think the coaching change hurt recruiting too? Thanx.
To make it one question, what do you think were the main factors that hurt us in recruiting this year, Scott? Thanx and thanx for the forums too.
A: The coaching change did hurt recruiting, with Dietrich Riley going to UCLA. Seantrel Henderson was going to come to USC under Pete Carroll too, so there was no change there. USC did add Markeith Ambles because Pete Carroll dropped him over character issues. I think the coaching change had less of an effect than usually occurs when one takes place, but it did hurt. Linebacker Jordan Zumwalt wanted to come to USC when Pete Carroll was the coach and Lane Kiffin did not show a lot of interest in him until the very end.
Q: Trojans Rule said:
HI SCOTT:
With the NCAA apparently not going to wait for the outcome of the Bush lawsuit to make their decision, and with the NCAA refusing our offer to self penalize the football program, would you consider either or both of these things as bad omens for us when it comes to trying to guess the eventual outcome of the NCAA decision? Thank you very much. Let me please add that I hope we bring back the chats in some form if you have the time. Many of us really miss them. Thank you again.
A: I do not think USC offered to self-impose football sanctions. USC's received a letter with a list of charges and believes it has a case. However, some officials also believe the NCAA is going to make a point and come down hard on USC. I would brace for the worst and hope for the best if I were a USC fan. If the NCAA does nothing, it will be criticized as being too lenient. The big question is what evidence they will produce when they announce penalties.
Q: Pop Goes The Weasel said:
Scott, do you have any idea why Kiffin didn't want Schwab when it appears we need defensive line help?
Thank you, sir.
A: He did not think Schwab was good enough.
Q: Champion said:
Why is USC losing commitments, and not getting commitments considering the small incoming class commited and the need at some positions?
A: The class ended up being about 21 recruits, depending if they all sign and qualify. USC lost commitments right near signing date last season, so it's not an unusual thing to happen.
From now on you are the "Baby Journalist."
Agree with gnossos. Despite my own personal flaws, wolf's stupidity is remarkable. How are you employeed? You're not funny, witty, clever, or smart about what really goes on in soprts.. nothing. Don't understand. Embarrassed that the BABY JOURNALIST is an alumnus of USC.
Realistically, who was the last team to get a post season and national tv game ban? Florida State, Oklahoma and Alabama did not? Michigan Bball as well? Look for wins and schollys to be vacated.
Love it!!! Secondhand Wolf, Baby Journalst!
Note to Wolf: We all know how much people love you at HH. That is why you always get secondhand quotes.
Let's flash forward to 2016. David Sills sign with SC and enters the Heisman discussion. DO you really think he is going to give the time of day to the self-important "journalist" who demeaned him by taggging him the baby quarterback. Get a clue Wolf. By then you will be Thirdhand Wolf. Come to think of it, by then there will be no Daily News and you'll be unemployed Wolf.
Fight On!
The babies are the commentators. Adults don't talk that way.
Baby blogger?
I'll bet if Scott Wolf keeps this up, he will not be around when David Sills makes it to campus. The only buffoon that calls people names like this is TJ SImers and I highly doubt anyone considers him a journalist. Scott works for a second rate paper, is bald and probably impotent. Why dont we call him the bald..impotent..lonely..gollum Blogger (not columnist b/c that would imply some credibility). Where is the inside info from scott? lets face it he gets all his info from other sites
SC had the #1 recruiting class according to Rivals. Yet, they are still getting heat for the recruits that got away, Riley and Zumwalt. And, it is questionable how bad SC wanted those guys.
Schwab is an OL. He went to ASU because their academic standards are much lower than SCs.
Why do I get the feeling that there are about 100,000 people that are more qualified to run this blog than Wolfie?
a prodigy the Baby QB is.
Anakin Skywalker, he reminds us of.
The Force is strong with him, i sense.
however, an apprentice to the Dark Side he is.
and to the Dark Side eventually he will turn.
meditate on this i will.
I actually think that the NCAA not waiting for the Bush lawsuit outcome is a good omen for SC. Unless there's something I missed, the NCAA has no concrete evidence to suggest USC had any knowledge or even reason to suspect that Bush's middle-class parents who lived 2 hours away were beneficiaries of an ill-begotten home.
I think we all know someone who seems to live beyond their means. That doesn't mean they are doing it illicitly though. Assuming Carroll or staff even knew that the Bush's moved into a new home, why would they suspect it was from an agent? Wouldn't it be just as likely that Bush's mom received a raise at work? Or inherited some money? Or even benefited from the reckless loans banks were giving out at the time? Certainly a family whose son was sure to make millions in a few short months would be willing to finance beyond their means - knowing they'd have the money soon.
This whole thing is ridiculous to me and it's amazing how UCLA fans can be so self righteous about it seeing as how their coach is know as one of most morally questionable coaches in the country and their own basketball program was the posterchild for blatant cheating. (see Gilbert, Sam)
Dallas Trojan is right on about Wolf's competence.
The first question was such a softball, he should have just answered it, so basically Wolf does not know what kind of coahing or training Barkley receives, or from whom. MB7 probably has already learned to avoid the Secondhand Wolf. That is why Wolf anwered a bloggers question with another question.
Sureshots insights on Bush issue are among the most cogent and sensible I have read anywhere. Even newspaper reporters --whose main job is to sell newspapers with titillating copy-- have missed on these fundamental points. The Bush's may heave been stupid, Lloyd Lake and Mchael Michaels are nothing more than two-bit con artist hanger-ons who conned have-nots into a bad situation. NCAA would look really bad if they come out on side of snakeoil salesmen.
In addition, the Range Rover McKnight incident was microscopic if it is even an infraction. Bans, vacated wins and reduced scholarships are pusnishments meted out to schools whose athletes and coaches knowingly conspire to cheat on academic papers, forge grades, rob people at gunpoint, receive significant monetary inducements.
Pete Carroll had too much at stake: his integrity, a great job, a multi-million dollar contract and much more. No way he KNOWINGLY or WILLINGLY let's violations occur.
NCAA has little of substance, or we's have seen the smoke from the fire long ago. SC Haters are wishful thinkers. Garret is an idiot (more on that later).
Sanctions will likely be minimal if any.
FreeF**k, you are an idiot. Garrett is the real deal and the BEST AD SC has ever had. FU If you got, bring it. YOU DON'T.
It has been observed by several of the wise ones in here that the commitment of Master Sills is tentative at best. That's true. And that's all we have from Seantrel Henderson also. And without him that no. 1 poop is just that.
freethinker: you and your fellow Kool-Aiders would be right...IF the Bush case were isolated. but the NCAA (and justice seekers everywhere) have determined there is a PATTERN of misbehavior by Southern Cal players.
no one is claiming carroll and garrett had first hand knowledge of this stuff, but if "gee i never saw it" was a legit defense, players would be raking in off campus benefits everywhere. the only way to combat it is to punish the schools who in turn drill ethics into the players.
the one thing i find odd is the claim Kiff made to the recruits, that Southern Cal may have to "forfeit a few games." what team has ever had to forfeit a "few games"? when a player is deemed ineligible, then ALL the games they played in are forfeited, not a select few. Kiff knows this. why tell the kids something so clearly wrong?
I agree with FreeThinker and Sureshot on this one.The Range Rover thing was a joke. My guess would be a warning, if anying.
Scott, why do you keep saying it hurt the recruiting class when pete carroll left. We probably would have signed henderson(still a big if), but zumwalt was not a lock by any means. Even though riley was kind of a silent commit, he never really did come out for SC. Neither did Shirley. Neither did Pullard, but he did choose USC under Kiffin. We also got stanley,from AZ, Robey from florida and kept every other major recruit except for Darr. He said he just did not like SC enough and it did not have his major. Plus Kiffin pulled in thomas, Vainuku and ambles. Carroll would have probably landed henderson, either pullard or shirley and would be 50/50 for riley or Zumwalt. He would not have received letters from ambles, stanlley, robey and possbly thomas. Lane Kiffin pulled those guys in. PC would have probably received letters from a couple more guys, but I do not think we would have done any better than Kiffin. We had the highest star rating and could have even been number one on every recruiting service if Kiffin had offered and received commits from another 5 more 3 stars.
Charlie suck-it repeatedly embarasses himself on this blog. Why would USC have to forfeit all games played by reggie bush when he received the benefits during his junior season? IT was only then when his amateur status was probably compromised w/o the knowledge of USC. So therefore, if usc is going to have to give back a few games, it would only be the 12 games from '05. You fools are really reaching now, just because ucla has been mired in mediocrity you are clinging onto this for some sense of victory.
Scott,
Aside from cradle snatching,how many of our recruits do think will be academically eligible? I don't think Pullard qualified at UCLA.
Nobs? How did you get that name, by sucking so many?
Garrett may have been a great player, but he is a doofus as an AD. The mere fact that he is ridiculed in the press means that he cannot handle himself with the press. When one studies how great leaders handle the press, the best of them maintain a dignified relationship knowing that dealing with reporters is like handling double-edged sword: it is a silent and sweet weapon, but if you're don't handle it properly, it can cut you to shreds at any time.
The L.A. media is calling for Garrett's head and he hides from them and blows them off. He will be gone before the year is out. Good riddance.
Nobs? How did you get that name, by sucking so many?
Garrett may have been a great player, but he is a doofus as an AD. The mere fact that he is ridiculed in the press means that he cannot handle himself with the press. When one studies how great leaders handle the press, the best of them maintain a dignified relationship knowing that dealing with reporters is like handling double-edged sword: it is a silent and sweet weapon, but if you're don't handle it properly, it can cut you to shreds at any time.
The L.A. media is calling for Garrett's head and he hides from them and blows them off. He will be gone before the year is out. Good riddance.
Bibs -- Dude, what are you asking Wolf for. He cannot even spell Peyton Manning's name.
From reading these comments, it is clear that there is one thing Myself, a longtme USC supporter, and UCLA fans on here can agree on...that Free tinkle toes is a buffoon. What a weak personality you must have if you believe Bill plashke (daughter at Notre Dame and UCLA apologist), TJ SImers (longtime enemy of Mike Garrett before any of the ncaa bs was out there & general A-hole), Editor Bill Dwyre (Notre Dame alum). THese tree goons which are the principle writers on the LA times sports page all hate usc and really have no credibility. Why should Mike Garrett be fired? THere is absolutely no evidence to indicate that the athletic department should have known what Bush's stepdad was doing in san diego with shady hangers-on. He made the final decision on PEte Carroll, he hired Lane Kiffin who has already done a good job of bringing in a top recruiting class, he hired Kevin O'neill who has proven to be an excellent hire (currently 1 game out of 1st in pac10)..Maybe he isn't the best public speaker, but that is no reason to call for the guys head. He was the first Heisman trophy winner at usc, started tailback U...scored the most famous td in superbowl history (65 toss power trap for Hank stram and the KC chiefs)...I mean Bill Plashke is such a d-bag that he even commented on Lane Kiffin's suit size at his intro press conference. So grow a pair and make your own decisions rather than being swayed by biased scumbags who write for the LA times.
FreeF**k, you are an idiot. I got the name from being the last of 2,344 guys your wife sucked. The press hates MG because he won't play their game. I'll bet you're really SW!
SW may not be able to spell Manning's name but at least he's not dumb enough to post his comments TWICE. Idiot.
Free...There is probably a factor relating to institutional control improvement to satisfy the NCAA.. that might have MG's hide. However when you continue your anti Mike Garrett rant, are you also considering MG's efforts re: the massive $$$$ infusion into USC's coffers? The Galen Center? the new athletic complex in your anti Garrett equation?
some pretty rude folks here, dammn!!