Trojan athletic programs are in flux


USC is entering a seminal period in its athletic history. That statement might sound like hyperbole. And I admit I have a tendency to be hyperbolic. But it is true. The next five years will tell us a lot about the USC athletic program. Consider this: In the 2013 calendar year, six of USC’s 19 […]

Bullying problem starts with coaches


There’s a video clip on YouTube of former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis miked up during a game against the San Francisco 49ers. The whistle blows on the play, and Lewis trots towards 49ers fullback Moran Norris. Lewis nods his head before saying the words that would forever become associated with his persona: “It’s a […]

Family the biggest challenge for Sam


Earlier this week, Michael Sam Sr., the father of gay NFL prospect Michael Sam, aired his concerns to the national media that his son would be incapable of providing his future grandchildren with a traditional family environment to grow up in. After Sam Sr. received a text message from his son simply stating, “Dad, I’m […]

Baseball team has reason for optimism


Tomorrow, USC baseball begins its 125th season of play. Under the lights at Dedeaux Field, junior Wyatt Strahan will throw the first pitch of the season against the Northwestern Wildcats at 6 p.m., and few at this school will care. For roughly the last decade, baseball season has not meant much in the grand scheme […]

Recruiting is crucial for USC basketball


March Madness is right around the corner. Guess who won’t be participating? If you guessed “The USC men’s basketball team for the third year in a row,” pat yourself on the back. If you haven’t heard, Trojan basketball has been in a bit of a slump as of late. The common thing to say in […]

Michael Sam came out at a good time


On Sunday, former Missouri defensive lineman and reigning SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year Michael Sam announced that he is gay, becoming the first openly gay NFL Draft prospect in league history. If no active player comes out between now and the start of next season, Sam will be the first gay North American athlete […]

Trojan basketball can’t find support


The atmosphere at the Galen Center had all the reason to be rocking. The Trojans were playing crosstown rival UCLA, tipoff was 7:30 p.m. on a Saturday night, in-house DJ Mal-Ski was spinning some half-decent tunes and even USC hardwood great Nick “Swaggy P” Young was courtside with his son. Yet as the Trojans built […]

USC sells itself when recruiting athletes


With signing day now behind us, a new recruiting class in the books and a lot of optimism about USC football’s  future, I wanted to take a second to reminisce about a special someone. Someone who was always regarded as a top-notch recruiter and was loved by all. I’m talking, of course, about former USC […]

Recruiting drama is a guilty pleasure


The other day, I caught myself doing something embarrassing. I was perusing the internet and realized that I was looking up recruiting rankings. But not just glancing. I was legitimately researching. And what’s more, I was legitimately caring. I somehow found these kids and their impending decisions important. To many, this is all just part […]

Sunday a reminder of Carroll’s greatness


The Super Bowl is finally over: The media circus has subsided, the game has been played, snacks were devoured, Tim Tebow got a contract to talk about how he didn’t need a contract and, oh yeah, the Seahawks won. They didn’t just win: They made the game boring. At halftime it was 22-0 with an […]