In fall, the buck stops on the gridiron


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The never-ending sports cycle that is USC athletics is back for another fall semester — a period of time that never seems to lack excitement. Football, of course, takes the cake. You may remember a year ago — not more than a week into the semester — when a horde of news trucks and cameras […]

Turning pro is worth the wait


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For college athletes, making it to the pros is the dream, and for a vast majority of them, it’s a dream that can’t wait one or two years. Playing out all four years of eligibility is considered a stigma for NBA teams, who back away from an older prospect who needed more time to develop. […]

NBA Finals highlight false narratives


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It’s funny how narrative works in sports. Win a championship and you’re a legend. Lose one and you’re a choker. At least that’s how it is in today’s social media age. Look at LeBron James. He was the ultimate choke artist in Cleveland until he bolted for Miami and became the biggest traitor since Benedict […]

O.J. case still fascinates America


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It’s been 22 years since O.J. Simpson took off with Al Cowlings in his white Ford Bronco and led officers on a wild slow-speed pursuit around Los Angeles that unfolded on national television like a scene from a movie. Most stories die down and slip away from public memory after a decade or two. This […]

The one and only king of the world


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The first time I heard of Muhammad Ali was when I watched a black-and-white clip of him celebrating his 1964 heavyweight title after upsetting Sonny Liston. “I’m king of the world!” he yelled repeatedly, ignoring the interviewer’s questions. “I’m king of the world! I’m a bad man.” The first thought that popped into my head […]

Basketball facing unforseen challenges


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Coming off its best season and first NCAA tournament appearance in five years, things should have been looking up for the men’s basketball program. Instead, as the calendar flips to June, there appears to be more questions than answers, with two starters — forward Nikola Jovanovic and guard Julian Jacobs — declaring for the NBA […]

Olympics have become a disgrace


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In a few months, the best athletes in the world will congregate in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the 2016 Summer Olympics — or at least that’s the plan. The Olympics are supposed to be a grand event, celebrating unity in the spirit of competition and bringing tremendous pride to the host country. But for […]

Success is no accident for polo


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The women’s water polo team won its fifth national championship in program history on Sunday, adding to the impressive — yet largely unnoticed — dynasty that is water polo at USC. When you think of dynasties in Trojan athletics, you immediately think of football — the Pete Carroll era, the success under John McKay and […]

It’s hard to say goodbye


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A little more than four years ago, while cruising down PCH with my mother and sister, I got my first glimpse of it. The scene was set: sun shining, wind blowing, ocean on the horizon. The beauty of Mother Nature around me complemented the allure of what sat right in front of me — a fresh […]

No drama means no issues on grid iron


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It’s been a quiet spring for USC football. Tame, relaxed, uneventful, I’d almost go so far as to say, boring. With spring semester classes wrapping up, and with summer just around the corner, it’s finally time to really start thinking about football. The fact that USC football hasn’t been dominating the headlines the past couple […]