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BUSTI
09-13-2005, 09:50 AM
Found this on ESPN. How true it is!
By Erica Lucero
Special to Page 2
EDITOR'S NOTE: Erica Lucero, a sophomore at Southern Cal, will provide Page 2 with periodic updates from campus this season as the Trojans attempt to win their third consecutive national championship.
Let's face it. Here in Los Angeles, we're known for our threepeats. All right, so only the Lakers have won three championships in a row. But if we Trojans have anything to say about it, we're going to do it, too -- starting Saturday, when the team plays its first game of the season at Hawaii.
USC fans ... and most everyone else it seems ... will be surprised if this scene isn't repeated come January.
Why? Because at USC, we students expect to get what we want. And we are conditioned to expect only the best.
The other day, I walked into the guidance office to resolve a minor scheduling conflict. Flouncing out was an unhappy-looking brunette sporting a shirt that proclaimed, "California: Only the tan survive."
"Don't even bother," she informed me. "There's a 15-minute wait."
Our university constantly strives to get an A-plus in Perfection 101. I heard one intimidated mom, who was taking a tour, say, "This place is like Disneyland." On a campus where gardeners rip up perfectly good plants just to replace them with newer, prettier ones, we students are encouraged to add creative-writing minors to our neuroscience majors, to become active participants in every club under the sun, and to make lifelong social connections while we live it up in our Greek system's old ambassadors' mansions.
Foreign cars are a must. Cafeterias offer unwaxed apples. And chefs in spotless white garb serve us dishes with a sprig of mint or parsley on the plate. Since school started, I've seen more Gucci messenger bags than you'd spot walking through the Beverly Center Mall on a Saturday afternoon.
The other day, I failed at one of my daily attempts to balance a chai tea, sunglasses and wallet; and just as my iPod was going down, a freshman caught it. Bless her. I asked her what she thought of USC, and she answered, wide-eyed, "Everyone's so beautiful here." Between obsessing over working out and lying out on McCarthy quad most of the school year, everyone here is as pretty as the Princeton College Review says they are.
Visitors must walk away as intimidated as visiting teams do after they engage in futile competition against any of our many championship-caliber teams.
So it's no surprise -- especially considering our astronomical tuition -- that we expect nothing less than perfection from our two-time defending NCAA champion football team.
Yesterday, as I walked out of an American Studies class, I was confronted by a beautiful sight: the football team decked out in its grubbiest clothes, practicing in the middle of our newly remodeled track. Pausing for a moment to take in this breathtaking collection of athletic talent, I immediately realized my mistake: I was a lone obstacle that beach cruisers were swerving to avoid.
Is it any wonder that, surrounded by perfection every day, we don't waste time worrying about the perfection of our football team? The moral of this story: We don't think our team is good; we know our team is good.
In a rare moment of doubt the other night, I asked my roommate if she thinks we'll threepeat.
"Umm, I don't think we will; I know we will," she said, obviously annoyed with my momentary loss of Trojan faith. Suddenly, I was a stranger in my own room.
In other words, tactlessness to a Trojan is simply discussing the chances of winning another title, because, in the minds of most, that third championship is already won. A friend of mine is already deep into planning his post-Rose Bowl celebration. As he announced his elaborate party plans, I found his exuberance entirely too tempting.
"What if we don't win?" I asked. "Then what?"
I got the kind of condescending answer I deserved: "What are you, from UCLA or something?"
He was right. What's my problem?
This is USC, where we are taught to think we're on our way to perfection from the moment we're dropped off at the dorms, holding a laptop in one hand and a pillow in the other.
After all, who's going to beat us? Oklahoma?
Erica Lucero is a 19-year-old USC student from Upland, Calif., working on an English major and an American Studies minor. Her activities on campus include writing for the college newspaper, serving as an officer of her sorority, representing the Trojan Alumni Association as a Pepster and acting as a peer mediator.
FIGHT ON! And If fucla and or the domers expect to beat us this year they better get more help for their respective football teams, maybe Brad Pitt can help! I DON'T THINK SO!
3PEAT HERE WE COME!

GAME TIME
09-13-2005, 11:12 AM
Damn, what ever happend to taking one game at a time. Kind of re-assures the acronym of University of Spoiled Children. I admire USC's back to back championships and their talent. But nothing is ever for sure (except taxes and death). The good ol Fighting Irish sure put a surprise on Michigan and are looking forward to taking on SC. And don't forget the Mighty Bruins who put up 107 points in two games. I'm sure they would love to put an end to this current SC streak. F-USC (but they are good). :devil:

GAME TIME
09-13-2005, 11:22 AM
Michigan and Pitt ain't USC. Pitt lost to Ohio this weekend. It was Ohio's first nationally televised game ever.
You're right they aren't. I simply stated SC biggest rivalries (sp) are not that weak this year. And with rivalries, anything can happen. Bottom line, don't expect a three peat...earn it.

Havasu_Dreamin
09-13-2005, 11:59 AM
The $c campus looks like disneyland!?!?!?!?! WTF was that person smoking!?!?!?!?!

koolbreeze
09-13-2005, 01:51 PM
aint that a rubber? i guess they have their ups and downs..err.....maybe thats ins and outs. anyway to each their own.

THOR
09-13-2005, 01:54 PM
about 2 steps slower than the Pac-10 and about 3 steps slower than USC.
Too bad the Pac 10 is 3 steps slower than the Big 10, Big 12, Sec, and ACC. Cal is even horrible this year.

Up 4 River
09-13-2005, 01:59 PM
UCLA looks good, but Rice is still Rice. I went to Rice, it's not a good sports school because the average SAT score is like 1500. :D
ND looks good too, very well coached. They will do well in the Big Ten. Unfortunately, their team speed, as with the entire Big Ten, is about 2 steps slower than the Pac-10 and about 3 steps slower than USC.
Notre Dame is an independent and is not in a conference. They do however play Michigan, Purdue, and Michigan St who are all members of the Big 10.

THOR
09-13-2005, 07:22 PM
Through the grace of God and a horrible kicking game, LSU barely held off ASU. That game, and I watched the entire thing, was a slaughter. The PAC-10 has three teams in the AP and USA Today top 25, including Cal, for as horrible as they are, they are still 2-0, unlike #14 Michigan and #9 Ohio State. The ASU passing attack made LSU look like they were standing still.
We all saw what the holy Big 12 did against USC last year, OU was lucky Carroll called off the dogs and they didn't lose by 60.
Just because they are ranked doesnt mean they are good. ASU played great, but the other 8 teams in the PAC 10 are sorry. Anyone who follows football or bets the lines knows this. Very simple.

THOR
09-13-2005, 07:29 PM
Tell this to the people that consistently fill the preseason polls with overrated Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC teams.
You're saying you want to bet sometime? Let me know. ;)
I bet every week Bob. Nothing but winning seasons. Multiple offshore accounts along with phone accounts at the casinos. You set the lines and I'll take your money.
SEC, Big 10 and Big 12 are all better than the PAC 10. Everyone knows this. I wish the west was better, but they just arent. Its too bad. But, an unranked South Carolina will beat every team in the Pac 10 except for USC and maybe ASU. Maybe. Tennesse, Ohio State, Texas, will all kill every team in the Pac 10 except for USC. Simple fact.

THOR
09-13-2005, 07:46 PM
I respectfully disagree. We see it time and time again. What happened last season when a woeful Oregon team went INTO LSU and lost by a point when the FG kicker missed, what, 3 FGs and an extra point? Most of these teams don't ever face the speed of the West Coast teams and their pro style offenses. They're used to defending run oriented teams with lollipop armed, running QBs and, maybe, one good WR who gets double and triple teamed the whole game. Again, not that EVERY team from those conferences is overrated, but the majority start overrated and stay there. I remember going to the Holiday Bowl a couple years ago and watching an unranked WSU team just flat out manhandle Texas.
And, I don't get your point about South Carolina. That's a good football team. Their QB is very obviously a Steve Spurrier coached QB. They should probably be ranked.
No biggie though, there's obviously a lot of disagreement on this subject, due to the nature of college football. CF is erractic and nonsensical, otherwise could you possibly explain TCU beating OU and losing to SMU? :D
I disagree too. It was Oregon State the lost by one point. :cool: