Emerald Bowl - USC vs. Boston College

[johngateswhiteley]

...after losing Mark Sanchez and three linebackers (all 3 of which are playing great in the NFL) amongst others, i suppose i shouldn't have been as confident about this year. but, this is certainly lower than anyone expected. i just hope USC shows up...

USC 22
BC 10

[IronMexican]

USC needs to win. I wonder how many recruits are on the fence right now after this bad season.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

have never seen such a disgusting season performance by a supposedly elite football program in ages
BC 45
USC 3

[IronMexican]

have never seen such a disgusting season performance by a supposedly elite football program in ages
BC 45
USC 3

Guess you missed OU in the same season.

[johngateswhiteley]

Guess you missed OU in the same season.

Haha, not only that. But check t.u. in the 90s. Fuck off twat...

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Guess you missed OU in the same season.

I said supposedly elite football program. Learn to read between the lines. OU sucks shit and everyone south of the red river knows it.

[IronMexican]

At least they won. Ugly though

[DMX7]

It was obvious they were going to win.

[johngateswhiteley]

At least they won. Ugly though

I'll take it...style points be damned!

USC now has more bowl wins than any other team ever...one ahead of bama and a mile ahead of t.u.

[MajorMike]

Congrats to the P10 for finally getting a win, even if it was a disguisting win with a team with Top 5 NCAA talent scraping by an awful 5th place team for a pedestrian ACC that brought about as many fans as show up for a Hole concert. Props.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

I'll take it...style points be damned!

USC now has more bowl wins than any other team ever...one ahead of bama and a mile ahead of t.u.

That's pretty cool. I'm sorry your team sucks ass for its talent level though :(

[mookie2001]

usc is a pro team, they dont rebuild they reload.

[DMX7]

Joe McKnight didn't play.

[johngateswhiteley]

Congrats to the P10 for finally getting a win, even if it was a disguisting win with a team with Top 5 NCAA talent scraping by an awful 5th place team for a pedestrian ACC that brought about as many fans as show up for a Hole concert. Props.

They lost a ton of experience and had a letdown of a year...but they are still a good team. And Boston college is far from awful...you fascist.

[DMX7]

According to Tlong, the Pac-10 is the greatest conference of all time.

[johngateswhiteley]

According to Tlong, the Pac-10 is the greatest conference of all time.

If talking about all sports and academics, yes they are. However, in discussing football, no they are not. The problem is, typically, there is a lack respect for the Pac 10. And its a hell of a lot tougher year in and year out than people give it credit. People like tlong and I wouldn't harp on this and that, if fans weren't so ignorant.

[DMX7]

If talking about all sports and academics, yes they are. However, in discussing football, no they are not. The problem is, typically, there is a lack respect for the Pac 10. And its a hell of a lot tougher year in and year out than people give it credit. People like tlong and I wouldn't harp on this and that, if fans weren't so ignorant.

Pac-10 is a great conference but it's down right now. Only point I'm trying to make.

It's not going to be a good year for Pac-10 Basketball either.

[johngateswhiteley]

Pac-10 is a great conference but it's down right now. Only point I'm trying to make.

It's not going to be a good year for Pac-10 Basketball either.

I don't think its down in football, and it will be very tough next year (even better), but it may be down in bball, yes. Although, USC seems to have really turned it around on the court.

[mookie2001]

all the talent they have, theyre a pro team, they have a 5 start allamerican ready to step in.


reload

[johngateswhiteley]

all the talent they have, theyre a pro team, they have a 5 start allamerican ready to step in.


reload

Daaaamn straight.

[The Gemini Method]

Sloppy uneven play and the D not consistent was the name of the game for the Emerald Bowl. Well, it was indicative of the '09 season for my beloved USC Trojans. I know there was a mass exodus of talent after last season, but I have never seen an USC team so ill-prepared throughout the season as I have this one. I do think, however, the loss of Lane Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian, and Nick Holt was the often "non-issue" that was rarely spotlighted. I don't think Jeremy Bates/John Morton and Rocky Seto are ready for their positions. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't see them managing and advancing the talent to where USC should be.

Will Bates and Morton harness the undeniable talent that Matt Barkley has? Are they veteran enough to sharpen his football I.Q.? Will this season play in the minds of the now notorious what-have-you-done-lately-and-can-you-get-me-to-the-NFL mindset of today's high school football standouts? These and a million other questions need to be answered in the offseason for next year to be any where near improved. I really do hope Carroll takes a sharp wit with both offensive coordinators and defensive staff as well and perhaps reassess his coaching as well.

[johngateswhiteley]

Sloppy uneven play and the D not consistent was the name of the game for the Emerald Bowl. Well, it was indicative of the '09 season for my beloved USC Trojans. I know there was a mass exodus of talent after last season, but I have never seen an USC team so ill-prepared throughout the season as I have this one. I do think, however, the loss of Lane Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian, and Nick Holt was the often "non-issue" that was rarely spotlighted. I don't think Jeremy Bates/John Morton and Rocky Seto are ready for their positions. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't see them managing and advancing the talent to where USC should be.

Will Bates and Morton harness the undeniable talent that Matt Barkley has? Are they veteran enough to sharpen his football I.Q.? Will this season play in the minds of the now notorious what-have-you-done-lately-and-can-you-get-me-to-the-NFL mindset of today's high school football standouts? These and a million other questions need to be answered in the offseason for next year to be any where near improved. I really do hope Carroll takes a sharp wit with both offensive coordinators and defensive staff as well and perhaps reassess his coaching as well.

The raid on assistant coaches cannot be overlooked. I doubt any other top program in the country has the same turnover.

[The Gemini Method]

The raid on assistant coaches cannot be overlooked. I doubt any other top program in the country has the same turnover.

Indeed. You don't turn over the castle to the squires so to speak, and that's what Carroll and the USC football program did. Instead of vigorously trying to hold onto the likes of Sarkisian and Holt, they allowed them to walk and even to in-conference rivals. I know they wouldn't have been able to keep the coordinators, but to not at least try to influence where they ended up should've been looked into.

I don't know if you saw what I saw, JGW, but I could see how inexplicable the offense was at times this year. running on 3rd down in games where the USC offense couldn't run more than 1 or 2 yards? Being way ultra-conservative for the talent level they had. I believe that is what made USC so hated in the '00s is their maverick style of play. The wheel route, the bootleg deep roues, and the fly routes that were so aggressive, so much a part of USC's swagger, were not there this year.

Yeah, I know there was a true freshman starting, but if you're going to have him play badly down the stretch, mind as well have him going all out and not play scared like he did post-ND.

At this point, I don't feel any security in knowing the new pieces know what to do.

[johngateswhiteley]

I don't know if you saw what I saw, JGW, but I could see how inexplicable the offense was at times this year. running on 3rd down in games where the USC offense couldn't run more than 1 or 2 yards? Being way ultra-conservative for the talent level they had. I believe that is what made USC so hated in the '00s is their maverick style of play. The wheel route, the bootleg deep roues, and the fly routes that were so aggressive, so much a part of USC's swagger, were not there this year.

I can't even begin to describe my frustrations. I don't know if you noticed, but I was pretty vocal about it in threads. It appeared USC was running an offense designed for 6 year olds. Obviously, they were trying to simplify things for barkley...but fuck. If we are to remain an elite, we've got to keep pushing.

I expect USC to be wide open next season. Perhaps, I have a little more confidence in the staff than you, but I feel where you're coming from. Carroll is a smart guy.

[The Gemini Method]

Yeah, I'm a little skeptical about keeping everything "in-house" when it comes to USC. I know its nice to reward people with new jobs when they improve, but man, our defense was really ultra-competitive at the beginning and it later showed the deficiencies midway through the season. I know there was tons of turnover on that side of the ball, but it is the co-ordinator's job to shore that up if he's going to be worth his salt.

Don't get me started on the decision to give Bates/Morton the keys to the offense. Both these guys have never been the head of a major program before. I am hoping they'll get better next year, but I don't know. I see a team that is going to be really young...

[stretch]

Haha, not only that. But check t.u. in the 90s. Fuck off twat...


USC now has more bowl wins than any other team ever...one ahead of bama and a mile ahead of t.u.

lol obsessed with UT

[The Gemini Method]

lol obsessed with UT

Well to be quite frank, there are a number of Longhorn fans still obsessed with USC, so it goes both ways.

[johngateswhiteley]

Well to be quite frank, there are a number of Longhorn fans still obsessed with USC, so it goes both ways.

more so than anything, i just like to keep t.u. fan in check. they see the titles, Heisman trophies and bowl wins...then they feel inadequate and lash out. its nothing new.

[The Gemini Method]

more so than anything, i just like to keep t.u. fan in check. they see the titles, Heisman trophies and bowl wins...then they feel inadequate and lash out. its nothing new.

Kind've parallels the Laker-Spur dynamic, too. Both are historical programs--there is no need to disparage USC for this long...worry about Alabama...

[leemajors]

Kind've parallels the Laker-Spur dynamic, too. Both are historical programs--there is no need to disparage USC for this long...worry about Alabama...

There's a bit more to it. When jgw's teams lose they invariably lost despite more talent or nebulously defined unintangibles than whomever they played. Him keeping UT fan "in check" is hilarious for many reasons. Needless to say, he never acknowledged the better team won the 05 title. USC was somehow vindicated when A&M beat UT the following year. This makes sense to him.

[The Gemini Method]

I must say I don't know the past between UT fans and JGW, but truth be told that '05 BCS title game was played by two really good teams and UT won fair and square and had a superhuman effort put in by Vince Young. It goes to say that I've seen many post that Texas smoked USC and that is by far just as bad as what you're describing. The game could've gone USC's way--it was that close and that great. Props to UT for winning the title and to both teams for putting on a goddamn show! I had already graduated from USC in 2004, so I left the NC year...and missed the gloom that inevitably followed in '05.

[leemajors]

I must say I don't know the past between UT fans and JGW, but truth be told that '05 BCS title game was played by two really good teams and UT won fair and square and had a superhuman effort put in by Vince Young. It goes to say that I've seen many post that Texas smoked USC and that is by far just as bad as what you're describing. The game could've gone USC's way--it was that close and that great. Props to UT for winning the title and to both teams for putting on a goddamn show! I had already graduated from USC in 2004, so I left the NC year...and missed the gloom that inevitably followed in '05.

The history is pretty funny, but a lot of it consists of jgw using nothing but "greatness" to describe the Carroll era at USC.

[johngateswhiteley]

There's a bit more to it. When jgw's teams lose they invariably lost despite more talent or nebulously defined unintangibles than whomever they played. Him keeping UT fan "in check" is hilarious for many reasons. Needless to say, he never acknowledged the better team won the 05 title. USC was somehow vindicated when A&M beat UT the following year. This makes sense to him.

most of that is inaccurate.

1) USC was better than t.u. in 2005, and the majority of people who follow college ball across the nation would agree. how do i know this?...from talking to fans across the country or fans that i met from different parts. everyone's reaction, and they are strikingly similar, is always along the lines of, "man USC blew that game, but vince young did play great."

2) A&M lost to teams that had more talent than them this year (t.u., ou), to teams that had similar talent to them (osu, arkansas) and to teams that had less talent (cu, ug, kstate). ironically, recruiting rankings would probably fall right in line with that...even though, thats not the be all end all

3) A&M whipping t.u. in 2006 & 2007 has nothing to do with USC and never did

4) you are an infant

[johngateswhiteley]

The history is pretty funny, but a lot of it consists of jgw using nothing but "greatness" to describe the Carroll era at USC.

Greatness (its pretty damn accurate when you think about it, not to mention USC was named the top program of the last 10 years by about everyone. isn't that Greatness?)

[samikeyp]

USC didn't blow anything, on that night Texas was better..and JGW, you have even said as much. USC, IMO, had the better team just not that night.

And no, I have never been held "in check" by you or anyone else on this board.

:toast

[The Gemini Method]

It is greatness compared to say the Paul Hackett/John Robinson ver. 2.0 days. Anyone who denies that is a homer beyond description. Pete Carroll resurrected a team that I remember when I was in H.S. deciding on colleges to attend back in the late 90's, they gave us free tickets to the Coliseum and even though I went to games before that, it had just become a sad state of affairs for the Trojans. So, to go to that to being unable to find a ticket for face value is greatness. L.A. is not always about glitz and fairweather fandom; there are some die-hard loyal people out here and we demand a product worthy of trying...

JGW is tame compared to some of my fellow USC posters...there are those who just are insanely pompous, so he's cool by me. (not that my opinion is the definite end-all)

[leemajors]

It is greatness compared to say the Paul Hackett/John Robinson ver. 2.0 days. Anyone who denies that is a homer beyond description. Pete Carroll resurrected a team that I remember when I was in H.S. deciding on colleges to attend back in the late 90's, they gave us free tickets to the Coliseum and even though I went to games before that, it had just become a sad state of affairs for the Trojans. So, to go to that to being unable to find a ticket for face value is greatness. L.A. is not always about glitz and fairweather fandom; there are some die-hard loyal people out here and we demand a product worthy of trying...

JGW is tame compared to some of my fellow USC posters...there are those who just are insanely pompous, so he's cool by me. (not that my opinion is the definite end-all)

no I mean that was his one word reply to questions about USC for a while - greatness. it was awesome. Stuff like:
(mookie)"jgw, what was going on with the tings, and the bush lateral??"
(jgw)"greatness"
My infantile nature may have caused me to misremember this or similar exchanges.

[samikeyp]

It is greatness compared to say the Paul Hackett/John Robinson ver. 2.0 days.

Very true.

[johngateswhiteley]

no I mean that was his one word reply to questions about USC for a while - greatness. it was awesome. Stuff like:
(mookie)"jgw, what was going on with the tings, and the bush lateral??"
(jgw)"greatness"
My infantile nature may have caused me to misremember this or similar exchanges.

greatness

[leemajors]

greatness

:toast

[The Gemini Method]

no I mean that was his one word reply to questions about USC for a while - greatness. it was awesome. Stuff like:
(mookie)"jgw, what was going on with the tings, and the bush lateral??"
(jgw)"greatness"
My infantile nature may have caused me to misremember this or similar exchanges.

The Bush lateral had me pissed. It was arrogance on Reggie Bush's part and I am willing to bet he wouldn't do that ever again if given the chance, or at least wouldn't toss it to a 4th string WR who never played much that season.

I was on campus during the Tings' early part and didn't really know of them. I heard things like they liked to party, but didn't really hear much in the way of 'roids.

[johngateswhiteley]

The Bush lateral had me pissed. It was arrogance on Reggie Bush's part and I am willing to bet he wouldn't do that ever again if given the chance, or at least wouldn't toss it to a 4th string WR who never played much that season.

I was on campus during the Tings' early part and didn't really know of them. I heard things like they liked to party, but didn't really hear much in the way of 'roids.

i hold the tings partly responsible for the rose bowl outcome. course, they never would have been on the field if not for injuries, don't know if t.u. fan understands that. but their incredible ability to overrun plays, miss tackles and take poor poor angles on vyoung killed us! but, USC had their chances...many of them, outside of that.

[The Gemini Method]

i hold the tings partly responsible for the rose bowl outcome. course, they never would have been on the field if not for injuries, don't know if t.u. fan understands that. but their incredible ability to overrun plays, miss tackles and take poor poor angles on vyoung killed us! but, USC had their chances...many of them, outside of that.

Yeah, our starting secondary was almost completely injured...but the D overall was not strong as it was in 2004 when Shaun Cody was anchoring the line...That one near-interception should've been caught, but again, there are too many should'ves and there's nothing anyone can do about it. Oh well, hopefully soon USC will be back in contention.

[johngateswhiteley]

Second highest rating (or highest) in espn history. Interesante...

[Blake]

Second highest rating (or highest) in espn history. Interesante...

at 5.3

The Alamo Bowl wasn't far off with a 5.2