Matthew Kredell broke into the Daily News in 1998, working part time
at the paper while going to USC. The basketball team’s Elite Eight
run in 2000-01 was USC’s athletic highlight in his time at the
school, when the football team was stuck in the Paul Hackett-era.
After graduating in 2001, he started writing for the Daily News full
time. He’s in his second year covering USC, which coincides with the
rise of the program. He’ll take credit for the success, though Tim
Floyd may have more to do with it. A third-generation Los Angelean,
he grew up reading the Daily News while at El Camino Real High School
in Woodland Hills.
Add Simmons
Marcus Simmons was another freshmen participating in his first official USC practice. Simmons said the practice was rough because he's learning all the plays. In one drill, he was asked to set screens, something he said he had never really done before. But, after practice, Simmons was more excited than frustrated. He was one of the last players to leave the court, staying to battle one-on-one with both Kasey Cunningham and Dwight Lewis.
``Believe it or not, I was in the locker room just hollering and running around before hand,'' Simmons said. ``It was exciting for me. I got out there and it made me feel good, like I'm part of something.''
Simmons perhaps didn't see the midseason Tim Floyd.
``When we met in his office, he said he'd be hard on me,'' Simmons said. ``But I thought he was pretty soft today and I'm happy with that.''