This year’s recruiting class is a statement


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Wednesday was a monumental day for the USC football program. Any time the Trojans can finish in the top five of recruiting rankings, it is a successful National Signing Day, but this one had extra significance. First and foremost, Clay Helton has proven that he is no step down from previous coaches on the recruiting […]

COLUMN: Newfound success is fuel for the Trojan fire


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Last September, on a damp, dreary Friday night in Salt Lake City, Clay Helton squeezed into a tiny room in the bowels of Rice-Eccles Stadium after a devastating, nail-biting loss — one that dropped his team to 1-3 — and answered questions from the media. The head coach lamented how the win slipped away, how […]

Curry has shaken up collegiate basketball


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I used to think Steph Curry ruined basketball. He was too much of a show-off. He sank those deep-ball 3-pointers that arced high enough to kiss the rafters of Oracle Arena before splashing without even skimming the rim. His touch was special enough or just downright lucky enough to ensure success for his Golden State Warriors, […]

COLUMN: Trojans in good shape heading into National Signing Day


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It’s pretty incredible to think that we are now over four weeks removed from redshirt junior kicker Matt Boermeester’s 46-yard Rose Bowl-winning field goal that split the uprights as time expired against the Penn State Nittany Lions. It’s also crazy to think that it’s time to stop celebrating the win in Pasadena and start looking […]

Pro Bowl must shift layout to be relevant


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The NFL conference championships were settled last weekend, which means it’s now time to revisit the time-honored tradition of trashing the Pro Bowl, which will take place this Sunday in Orlando. Are you rolling your eyes? Are you muttering something under your breath about beating a dead horse? I don’t blame you. But no matter […]

COLUMN: Ventura’s death reminds us to cherish sports and life while we can


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Nothing lasts forever. That’s true of many things, but nowhere is it truer than in sports. Dynasties, winning streaks, losing streaks and healthy quarterbacks — they’re all cut short eventually. The Curse of the Billy Goat at Wrigley Field collapsed this year, and Connecticut’s 94-game run will someday come to an end. Even Steph Curry […]

COLUMN: USC men’s basketball must heat up to compete in Pac-12


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The normal order has been restored for college athletics in Los Angeles. USC football and UCLA basketball are back to their respective heights. USC is once again winning Rose Bowls with the best quarterback in college football leading the charge, while UCLA basketball is picking up marquee recruits and headlining a deep Pac-12 conference. While […]