When I’m dealing with a tough situation, I’ve learned to take a simple approach in order to decide what to do. First, I think of the worst-case scenario and imagine that. Second, I think of the best-case scenario and imagine that. Then I decide what to do. Intuitive, I know. Why am I telling you [...]

It has been a rough year for the USC men’s basketball team. Yes, you probably know this by now. But when one considers the magnitude of the seemingly never-ending pile-up of sanctions, ineligibilities, injuries, and coaching and staff changes — not to mention the pending NCAA investigation that has loomed over the program for a [...]

Who knew that freedom of speech doesn’t extend to facial accessories? OK, so the Bill of Rights doesn’t guarantee one’s ability to provide shoutouts during college football games by writing messages on eye black ­— those small, dark strips you see your favorite players wearing just above their cheekbones. And as history has shown, if [...]

I know it. You know it. We all know it. When it comes to sporting events, February is about as exciting as the alligator exhibit at the Los Angeles Zoo. Other than the occasional devouring of children, it is monotonous and bland, offering spurts of curiosity only to tease us and revert back to its [...]

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s … DeMar DeRozan? Not quite. But for this weekend, he will have to do. Nobody is going to mistake the former USC basketball star for Superman. Nobody will even mistake him for Super Dwight. But on Saturday night, DeMar DeRozan will have me watching the slam dunk competition [...]

The first thing I noticed when USC released its men’s basketball schedule was that odd date for the Trojans to host UCLA. Hey, isn’t that Valentine’s Day? The scheduling didn’t make sense at first, but now I think I get it. This is a rivalry game that needs to be shown some love. Based on [...]

Tony Ciarelli loves his coach. He hangs out with him on the weekends. He eats dinner and sleeps at his house. Not too many players have this intimate of a relationship with their coach. Then again, not too many players have their father as their coach.

Less than a week ago, most people were praising Lane Kiffin’s recruiting tactics after, according to Rivals.com, he signed the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation. That praise may have been a bit premature. It was reported Thursday that the new USC football coach spoke to 13-year-old star quarterback David Sills, a seventh-grade student [...]

Someone asked Nikola Vucevic after USC’s 66-63 win over California on Thursday if he enjoyed being put on the spot near the end of the game, when he knocked down four free throws in a span of 10 seconds to secure a crucial victory for the Trojans. The sophomore didn’t hesitate. “When I made them, [...]

Three weeks ago, UCLA football coach Rick Neuheisel stood in front of a packed crowd at Pauley Pavilion during halftime and delivered a rousing speech about the return of Bruin football. “We are not going to rest until we bring back the Pac-10 championship, the Rose Bowl championship and the national championship back to UCLA!” [...]