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Why USC Haters Are Lame
Smack-talk has started again in the world’s greatest cross-town rivalry. No other city but LA can boast two of the nation’s finest sports institutions. In fact, UCLA and USC are #1 and #2 in NCAA championships for all sports. But nothing gets All-American blood pumping like football.
When you have an institution of 30,000+, there are bound to be some skeletons in the closet. UCLA is a sterling exception, but that’s just because they sold the skeleton while it was still a cadaver. At least USC’s skeletons look great in a mini-skirt and Uggs. For those people who can’t hide their jealousy, here’s why you should stick an athletic sock in it.
FLAME #1: USC breaks all the rules.
USC has faced lots of allegations over the past year, but that’s due to the increased scrutiny that comes with the national spotlight. Notice that I didn’t say “convictions” or “violations.” The team has managed itself far better than Thug U and they didn’t demonstrate the same handicap that plagued the Bruins. As for Reggie Bush, nothing seems to stick to him (kinda’ like most college defenders over the past three years). If anything shady happened, look to his step dad. This is the same guy who alienated USC fans when declaring that Reggie would go pro several weeks before Reggie made his decision official. There won’t exactly be any tears shed in the land of Troy if he goes down for something.
FLAME #2: USC fans are bandwagon.
Of course there are bandwagon fans in Los Angeles. Does anybody else remember what Laker car flags looked like? They were yellow. I remember some very empty stands while the Trojans slumped through a 5-7 season in 2000. I even traveled hundreds of miles to watch a squad dubbed “the worst football team in USC history.” Why would anybody subject themselves to that sort of loyalty? Because when I wasn’t sitting in the stands I was sitting in class with a much maligned Carson Palmer (a so-called underachiever before he took home the Heisman). Students are the best fans (followed closely by alumni) because they are more dedicated, more passionate, and more connected with the student-athletes. As a student-fan, I appreciated the support from non-student diehards when we were loosing, but I couldn’t be upset with the large bandwagon that came shortly after USC’s last non-bowl loss in 2003 (and yes, I was on the road for that game, too). The students and alumni have always been there. To everybody else, welcome aboard.
FLAME #3: USC is an ivory tower dynasty. Damn Yankees, errr, Trojans.
USC’s fans are actually cheering for something that has taken shape over just the last 5 years. Pete Carroll has built something from nothing, taking over a team that had just recaptured the Victory Bell after 8 long seasons, and did it all while being looked down upon as an NFL retread. Unlike other sports dynasties which do it with money (ahem, Yankees), Carroll energizes the team with his own youthful enthusiasm and energy. Other coaches don’t take snaps with the team in practice, and that attitude is part of the reason he was able to recruit the best players despite the modern era of NCAA scholarship parity. While the NFL’s version of parity gives the best team the last draft pick (and only one per round), Carroll takes future top NFL draft picks into his program en-mass.
FLAME #4: USC is the University of Second Choice.
Stay classy, Bruins. I’m sure those erudite scholars of Westwood realize this is an ad hominum, or “straw man,” attack (the last cry of a desperate orator). Different institutions are going to be better at different things (USC gets the gridiron, UCLA gets the hardcourt, USC gets film, UCLA gets medicine). When painting the schools with a broad brush, remember that USC was recently named Time-Princeton School of the Year, and that the incoming Freshman class has a 3.7 GPA and middle 50% SAT range of 1290-1430. Once somebody becomes a Trojan, they become part of a network so strong it’s known as the USC Mafia. And if sports are your thing, USC and UCLA are neck and neck for the national lead once football championships are factored into the NCAA rankings (which don’t officially crown a champion). When it comes down to it, which championship is more impressive, football or men’s gymnastics? (Sidebar: After USC and UCLA, Stanford is third. With Cal ranking just outside the top 10, California is by far the top college sport state in the nation.)
Oh, and after being admitted by both institutions, I chose USC over UCLA.