The art of capturing USC at its finest


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When tailback Reggie Bush hurdled over UCLA cornerback Marcus Cassel in December 2005, he was there. When wide receiver Mike Williams reminded us of his greatness with a one-handed catch for the ages against Oregon State in 2003, he was there. And when DeMar DeRozan and Daniel Hackett helped to lead a legendary USC basketball […]

Trojans still hungry to figure out their identity


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You’d never know it, but USC is three games into its football season. So that explains the guys in white and cardinal playing on ESPN Saturday against Minnesota. And those same guys jubilantly singing “Fight On” afterward — I guess those must have been Trojans. Still, three games into the season, I can’t help but […]

Bradford once again proving his worth


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It was a classic sports metaphor unfolding right before my eyes: Senior tailback Allen Bradford, sitting at third on the USC depth chart, gets his number called from the sideline during the Trojans’ game in Minnesota Saturday. Until recently, this wasn’t a rare occurrence for Bradford, who helped lead USC with 668 yards and eight […]

Energy level must stay elevated in Minnesota


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Sometimes, fans assume that sports are like algebra. If Team A beats Team B by 21, and if Team B beats Team C by 14, then it follows that Team A should beat Team C by 35. Right? No — at least, not according to Lane Kiffin and the Trojans. Kiffin dismissed any thought of […]

New coach, same story: lots of penalties


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Discipline. That would be one of the first words that comes to mind when thinking of the difference between former USC coach Pete Carroll and his successor Lane Kiffin. From his first practice in the spring, Kiffin made sure players touched every line during sprints, paid full attention during practice and adhered strictly to the […]

Bush’s move remains irrelevant to USC


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Former USC star running back Reggie Bush beat the Heisman Trophy Trust to the punch Tuesday when he forfeited his 2005 Heisman Trophy. That same day, he released a statement peppered with public relations-friendly phrases. Bush talked about how winning the Heisman was “a dream come true” and gave credit for winning the award to […]

Injury provides Tupou with hidden blessing


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For Tupou, that eventful day at the Coliseum gave him the opportunity most collegiate football players would happily choose to neglect — a time to look in the mirror and accept the responsibility of prior shortcomings.

In light of early obstacles, any win will do


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As sophomore quarterback Matt Barkley got up to leave his seat at the press conference after USC’s closer-than-you’d-like 17-14 win over Virginia Saturday night, he muttered in a hushed voice, almost out of range of the microphone, “A win is a win.” The tone of the statement coming out of the young leader’s mouth appeared […]

Early schedule tough to swallow


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Hi. My name is Dave and I love cupcakes. (This is the interactive part of the column, where you collectively and cheerfully reply “Welcome, Dave.”) OK, so there might not be such a thing as Cupcakes Anonymous, but if there were, I would be without a doubt one of its cornerstone members. One look at […]