I Can't Complain (but sometimes I still do)

I think there are 3 significant problems with most professional sports:

1. Salary caps
2. Extended seasons
3. Boredom

1. Parity blows. People prefer dominant teams. The Yankees, Lakers, 49ers, Cowboys, etc. You either love them or love to hate them.

2. Too many teams playing too many games. The quality is watered down, and all the seasons run into each other forcing you to chose between following one sport or the other.

3. Baseball has too many pitching changes, and takes too long between pitches. Games should last 2 1/2 hours, not 4 1/2 hours. Football and basketball games have too many timeouts called at the end of a game. 4 minutes of game clock can take 45 minutes, killing what should be the most exciting part of the game. I often get bored and change the channel instead of watching all the commercials.

How would the NCAA convince two private organizations, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, to take away the 2004 National Title from USC?

Supposing that the NCAA made USC "not recognize" the Poll outcomes, the final voting in the 2004 Polls would still remain the same. They can't simply go back in time and vote a new #1.

While nothing is out of the realm of possibility, the talk of stripping Reggie of the Heisman and USC of the 2004 NC is ridiculous. These private organizations cannot be forced to do anything.

So what we could end up with is no title for USC and no Heisman for Reggie (after they break into his home to retrieve it?), but the acknowledgement that USC was voted #1 by both polls in 2004 and Reggie Bush was named the Best College Football Player in 2004 (but we stopped recognizing factual history)?

Have any of these "Yahoos" ever actually stopped to think what losing a NC or a Heisman would like, since it has never happened before (probably should not ever happen), and time travel is not possible?

I have what is commonly referred to as a "High Need Child". She is also described as "Spirited", "Challenging" and good ol'fashioned "Hyperactive".

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), she was ill on Monday, which included having a fever and some vomiting. However, she was the absolute perfect child that day. She was calm and affectionate. She listened to directions. She didn't get into any trouble or break anything. All she wanted to do was be loved and comforted by The Wife and I. We were happy to oblige.

As far as I am concerned, it was a great day.

I said it before, and I'll say it again. The reason why I don't like these allegations is because Yahoo! Sports alleges that Reggie was given money to buy a car.

Did he get a big black brand-new SUV tricked out Lebron James style like Adrian Peterson, Maurice Clarrett, and DeShaun Foster were driving? No.

Reggie got a 10-year-old, used up, Chevy sedan.

Compared to other stories of players getting cars, this sounds like small potatoes. So does that make the allegation that much more believable because the gift was modest? Or does it look like someone (Lloyd Lake, Yahoo!, or both) are really out to get Reggie?

I know one thing for sure: I wouldn't risk my Heisman Trophy for some crappy used car.

I won't dignify Yahoo! Sports crappy, low-brow, damn the facts full speed ahead reporting style by posting the whole article, so here is a link to their newest installment in the The Official Reggie Bush Witch Hunt:

The Bush Tapes

LB Keith Rivers - Announced he would return for his Senior season.

Assistant Head Coach & QB Coach Steve Sarkisian - Turned down the Head Coaching position with the Oakland Raiders, elevated to USC's Offensive Coordinator by Pete Carroll.

DT Walker Lee Ashley - Wanted to transfer but is currently still at USC. EDIT: Has completed a transfer to the University of Minnesota. (Per 2/4/07 Scout.com story)

FB Brandon Hancock - Preliminary reports say that his petition to the NCAA for a 6th year of eligibility was granted (due to medical issues). Brandon is awaiting his surgeon's clearance though.

RB Chauncey Washington, OT Sam Baker, DT Sedrick Ellis, DE Lawrence Jackson and QB John David Booty will all return for their Senior seasons.

EDIT: S Antwine Perez - transferred to the University of Maryland.

DE Jeff Schweiger - transferred to San Jose St.

WR Dwayne Jarrett - Declared early for NFL Draft.

P Taylor Odegard - Has quit football to focus on academics and a future non-football career.

K Troy Van Blarcom - Academically ineligible and kicked out of school for failure to maintain a sufficient overall GPA.

Offensive Coordinator Lane Kiffin - Hired as Head Coach of the NFL's Oakland Raiders, thereby becoming the personal bitch of Owner Al Davis, Jr.

K Mario Danelo - Tragedy.

Back to the Rose Bowl.

Was it such a shock that USC thoroughly dismantled Michigan, a team which some experts thought was worthy of a rematch with Ohio State in Glendale, Arizona? Not really.

This is a simple rule to live by: In the Pete Carroll era, any current opponent or possible future opponent that is described as "Big and Physical" by its fans and/or the so-called experts, simply translates to "Fat and Slow".

Michigan, Oklahoma, Iowa ... I'm talking to you.

I'm just kidding. I'm going home to give them gentle encouragement.

When I was working at one particular construction project, after any difficult day the superintendent would joke that he was going home to beat the wife and kids, or he was going home to take it out on the wife and kids, or some other variation.

This only comes to mind because California Assemblywoman Sally Lieber is in the news for drafting legislation to outlaw the spanking of children under the age of four in the State of California.

From my understanding, if you spank your children, you had better not leave a mark (bruising) or you are going to jail. And I think that is a good rule to live by.

However, what you see now is more mental abuse by parents than physical abuse, because of the laws already in place on physical abuse. Would should have more laws on mental abuse of children, and leave the physical abuse laws as they are.

Furthermore, in my humble opinion, part of the gang problem we have is that new immigrants from other countries come here and they are used to beating the hell out of their kids to install authority over them. ***If anybody thinks I'm wrong, then ask anyone with Mexican heritage who's 30 and over about "The Chankla"*** We tell these parents from other cultures that the physical abuse of children is wrong, and the parents don't know how to raise a child without doing it. So they don't discipline their children, the children get out of control, and it leads to criminal activity later in life.

While the aforementioned "beating the hell out of your children" approach does not guarantee that you will have well-behaved children, I find it interesting that adults who were rowdy, out-of-control, and spanked as children are firm believers in corporal punishment.

These photos represent Jarrett's legacy at USC. Especially "4th and 9", one of the greatest moments in USC history.

Dwayne Jarrett has decided to leave USC a year early and enter the NFL Draft. Good luck in the league, Ocho. Personally, I wonder if he is making a mistake coming out early since he may be taken after Wide Reciever Calvin Johnson of Georgia Tech, and Tedd Ginn Jr. of Ohio St. (if he leaves early). Even crazier things could happen, like Jeff Samardzija of Notre Dame, Robert Meachem of Tennessee, or Sidney Rice of South Carolina also being taken ahead of Jarrett.

It is interesting to note that ESPN's Mel Kiper has Ocho at #14 on his Big Board, after Johnson and Samardzija. Even more interersting is that CB Leon Hall is listed four spots ahead of Jarrett after Jarrett torched him and the Michigan secondary for 205 yards and 2 TD's.

Draft predictions aside, Dwayne Jarrett was the best Wide Reciever in College Football last year and the year before. I could understand the argument of Calvin Johnson being better, but even while injured Jarrett was never shut out in a game last year.

Fight On! to a great Trojan, Dwayne Jarrett. Ocho.

While his announcement to go pro was expected, it still breaks the hearts of the Trojan Family. This is the same Trojan Family who chanted "One more year! One more year!" when Jarrett received his trophy for being the Offensive Player of the Game in the Rose Bowl against Michigan. However, Ocho did even more to endear himself to Trojan Fans everywhere when he shed real, sincere tears during his press conference to go pro. (Photos courtesy of WeAreSC.com)

So there I was in Rose Bowl enjoying my team's dominating win over Michigan in the 4th quarter, when the crowd around me starts the "Overrated Chant". I first tried to motion to my section (in a subtle throat slashing gesture) to cut that crap out. Once the chant had died down, I chastised the crowd around me by saying, "Michigan is not overrated. Michigan is good. We are just THAT much better."

I did not get much of a reaction, except from one possibly intoxicated female fan sitting a row above me. She seemed to be getting more friendly with me as the game wore on, so she was probably biased. The Wife was absolutely not worried. In a strange way, that makes me kinda sad.

Back to the topic: NEVER, ever diminish your win. The better your opponent is, the more impressive the victory over them. A fanbase should never start the Overrated Chant if they are accustomed to winning. And winning is something that USC does very well.

The USC Trojans finished the 2006 season, a rebuilding year, ranked No. 4 in both the AP and Coaches Polls.

Why not No. 2?

Is it because the Rose Bowl was more of a distant memory (all of a week ago) than LSU beating the snot out of ND (as expected) or Florida beating the snot out of Ohio State (not expected)? Either way, it doesn't really matter. When you are not No. 1, a Top 5 finish is all that anybody remembers, or keeps track of.

2007 Rose Bowl Champions sounds pretty damn good to me.

Mario Danelo (Born July 3, 1985 – Died January 6, 2007)







USC Place Kicker Mario Danelo's body was found was found by a passer-by on January 6, 2007 in San Pedro, California at the bottom of the 120 foot tall White Point Cliff near Point Fermin Lighthouse.

His death has shocked the Trojan Family.

(Note the above photos were "borrowed" from Joe Andras of WeAreSC.com)

The best Rose Bowl recap belongs to a favorite writer/commentator of mine, Ivan Maisel of ESPN.

PASADENA, Calif. -- One drive into the third quarter of the 93rd Rose Bowl, Michigan had made it clear to USC that it would not be able to move the ball on the ground. The Wolverines had limited the Trojans to 19 yards on 15 carries.

Big mistake. Once USC abandoned the run, Michigan never had a chance.

"We're talking on the headsets," offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin said of his conversation with quarterbacks coach Steve Sarkisian. "We said, 'We're not running the ball another play.'"

On the next 30 plays over five possessions, quarterback John David Booty threw 28 passes. The other two snaps? Quarterback sneaks for first downs.

The rest was history -- and so were the Wolverines. Those five possessions produced four touchdown passes and a field goal, and the No. 8 Trojans (11-2) pulled away to a 32-18 victory over the No. 3 Wolverines (11-2).

Booty finished with 391 yards and the four scores, completing 27 of 45 attempts. Rarely have such big numbers belonged to an assistant. The guy who applied the paddles to the Trojans' chest, Dwayne Jarrett, did so by stretching the Wolverines' secondary beyond its vertical limit.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Jarrett not only caught 11 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns but also made Michigan cornerbacks Leon Hall and Morgan Trent look as if they belonged on the USC scout team. That's saying something, since Hall made many All-America teams and finished the regular season as a Thorpe Award finalist.

Jarrett surpassed Keary Colbert to become the Trojans' all-time leading receiver (216 catches) in what might have been his last college game. He is expected to leave early for the NFL. As ESPN anchor Chris Fowler interviewed the Offensive Player of the Game, the Trojans' fans chanted, "One more year! One more year!"

Jarrett sounded as if he had one foot on the April stage with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

"I've been here three years. I've had great success here," Jarrett said. "It's not definite. There's nothing written in stone. I'll go back home with my family, talk about it, get all the facts and try to make the best decision."

In other words, so long.

"Dwayne had an absolute memorable night," USC coach Pete Carroll said.

Not to give short shrift to the Trojans' defense, which sacked Wolverines quarterback Chad Henne six times, forced two turnovers and limited tailback Mike Hart to a season-low 47 yards. But the game changed when USC changed its offense.

The Trojans scored only one touchdown on this same field a month ago in their 13-9 loss to UCLA. The first half against Michigan ended in a 3-3 tie. Once Kiffin and Sarkisian cut loose, the Trojans found their rhythm, thanks largely to Jarrett. The junior, who struggled with injuries over the first half of the season, finished with a career best in yards and tied his career best in catches.

Jarrett had an advantage of three inches and 31 pounds on Trent, and five inches and 22 pounds on Hall. He also proved he knows how to use his hands to get open, and to catch the ball once he does.

"If you don't have perfect position on him, he's going to catch it. That's all there is to it," Trent said.

Trent didn't have perfect position on him very often. Jarrett said the Wolverines had "a little bit of a weakness" in the secondary. He didn't use "weakness" and Trent in the same sentence, but later Jarrett said, "The times he was on me, we tried to exploit it for big plays."

Take that first touchdown drive. Trent bit on a jab step by Jarrett, who then cut inside and caught a 25-yard pass at the Michigan 2. That set up Booty's first touchdown pass on the next play to Chris McFoy.

Jarrett beat Trent again on the next possession, shaking off his tackle and taking Booty's quick pass 22 yards for a touchdown to increase the lead to 16-3 (Mario Danelo missed the extra point, the first of his two misses).

Jarrett saved his best for the fourth quarter. Michigan had closed the lead to 19-11 with a snappy eight-play, 80-yard drive. On third-and-10 from the USC 38, Jarrett simply sprinted past Hall and safety Willis Barringer. He caught a strike from Booty near the Michigan 25, slipped out of a diving Hall's desperate grasp and glided into the end zone for a 62-yard touchdown.

Barringer, speaking on behalf of frustrated Wolverines everywhere, laid a hit on Jarrett three or four steps into the end zone, earning a dead-ball personal foul.

"That was the backbreaker of the game," Jarrett said. "It started to open up more."

On the next possession, Booty needed four plays to take the Trojans 80 yards: a 26-yard fade to Steve Smith; a 29-yard jump ball on which Jarrett beat Trent and Barringer again; a 23-yard perfectly placed pass that tight end Fred Davis caught with his left hand; and a 7-yard scoring pass to Smith. The Trojans led 32-11 with 6:52 to play.

How big was the lead?

When USC got the ball back, it ran on first down.

"I felt like Texas Tech," Kiffin said. "It was kind of fun. [Michigan was] the No. 1 rush defense in the country for a reason. I was hoping it wouldn't come to that point."

In retrospect, should USC have abandoned the run sooner?

"I don't know that," Kiffin said. "They still are thinking we're trying to run the ball. We had play-action that was working because they were still honoring the run."

The Trojans, even without Jarrett, might be the preseason No. 1 next fall. Ten starters return on defense, as well as Booty and three starters on the offensive line. On the day that the Arizona Cardinals fired coach Dennis Green, it's noteworthy that Carroll said he would be back, too. He has made calls to friends in the NFL over the last month sounding them out about the Arizona job.

"No, there's no question" of his return, Carroll said. "I have no question."

On this New Year's Day, USC had only answers.

Ivan Maisel is a senior writer for ESPN.com. Send your questions and comments to Ivan at ivan.maisel@espn3.com.

... the Rose Bowl, T-shirts, more money! This is one of my favorite chants from the Spirit of Troy, the USC Trojan Marching Band (aka the Greatest Marching Band in the History of the Universe).

And now that the Rose Bowl has ended with a Trojan Victory, I will proceed to the Bookstore and purchase a Rose Bowl Champions T-shirt and sweatshirt.

Note that USC is now 3-0 in Rose Bowl Games that I have attended. 1996 against Northwestern, 2004 and 2007 against Michigan.

The Ticket Office should have made sure that I won the ticket lottery last year.