SB Nation User Blog: Barnes2JJ

UCLA (Football) to play Rutgers in 2016 and 2017

Barnes2JJ — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 20:02:38 -0000

UCLA (Football) to play Rutgers in 2016 and 2017

You've got to scroll about halfway down for the short blurb.

Nice to see us branching out and playing some different (football) programs. I'd like to see us continue the Notre Dame series at some point, and maybe Boston College, but that's just a couple of teams on my long wish list.

Happy 4th everyone!

Coach Neu in Iraq (today's LAT)

Barnes2JJ — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:58:59 -0000

Coach Neu in Iraq (today's LAT)

I believe BN has previously mentioned Neu's visit to Iraq but this is a new column out today in the LAT about his trip. No snarkiness, no nastiness about Neu or UCLA, just a good story and a good read.

And the rats keep jumping ship

Barnes2JJ — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:35:02 -0000

And the rats keep jumping ship

Quality playing time next year for Lil Romeo will no longer be a fantasy or a joke (well, it will still be a joke). It is now a necessity with virtually the entire recruiting class gone.

Good luck with your gap-closing team next year, SC*. See you at Pauley East.

And the hits keep coming for SC*

Barnes2JJ — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:30:40 -0000

And the hits keep coming for SC*

This is from this morning's paper. The LAT has finally taken notice of Timmeh's increasing troubles across town. In fact, Timmeh may actually be forced to use Lil Romeo as a player next year. He was recruited for his playing skills, right?

Good times.

The Times Sorta Kinda Follows Up on OJ Payogate

Barnes2JJ — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:05:51 -0000

The Times Sorta Kinda Follows Up on OJ Payogate

I'm not too impressed by the hard hitting journalists doing all the digging with shovels at the Times.

I think the shovels are being mainly used to bury something or to shovel something usually left in the yard.

The LAT Finally Jumps Back Into OJ Payogate

Barnes2JJ — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:25:02 -0000

Yeah, right. You bought that one?

As you know, after Yahoo! Sports scooped everyone (including the LAT) on the OJ Payo story, the Times wrote a short summary of the story on Wednesday.

There was nothing in the paper, including no mention from Slimers, Crowe or Timmeh's biggest fan, Chrissy Dufresne, Thursday about the story, even while it was exploding across the net.

It's Friday and the LAT actually mentioned the story (and Bruinsnation--yeah!) in the generally unfunny Morning Briefing column today.

On BruinsNation.com: "Yahoo! Sports: Tim Floyd Gave Cash to OJ Mayo."
On ConquestChronicles.com: "Yahoo Sports Continues Their Vendetta Against USC."

Partisan politics are alive and well in Los Angeles.

That's the extent of LAT's follow-up to its brief mention of the story on Wednesday.

By the way, exactly how stupid are the writers at the LAT? The BruinsNation headline is not "partisan" or biased. It simply states what the Yahoo! Sports story reported. The Trojan headline is clearly biased, not to mention whiny ("Vendetta against USC*"). Oh, those poor victims over at South Central. They have it so rough as they commute to their walled-in fortress, er, campus in their luxury mobiles.

Anyway, bashing the Times for its bias is like shooting fish in a barrel. At least BN got a mention.

Trouble Brewing at SC

Barnes2JJ — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:12:11 -0000

Apparently, the NCAA (yeah, I know) is possibly taking a harder look at the numerous alleged violations over at South Central.

Here's the link and excerpt from my favorite paper, the Incredibly Shrinking LA Times:

NCAA investigations into former USC stars in football and basketball have been combined into one probe of the Trojans' athletic program, sources connected to one of the cases said Wednesday.

Investigators have been examining allegations involving Heisman Trophy-winning running back Reggie Bush and NBA lottery pick O.J. Mayo. Bush is accused of accepting thousands in cash and his family for failing to pay rent on a home owned by a fledgling marketer while he was playing for USC in 2004 and 2005. Mayo is accused of accepting cash and other benefits from a middleman representing a sports agency before and during the one season he played for the Trojans in 2007-08.

What's the key thing the NCAA looks for in these situations, sportsfans? That's right: Lack of instituional control. That is apparently why the NCAA's probes (plural) have now been combined into one investigation.

You can read the rest of the short article for yourself. In the interest of fairness, I thought it was proper to also include (from the article) the following strong denial from SC, Floyd and Pete Carroll, who is never at a loss for words:

USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett referred questions to the university's legal counsel, who did not return messages. Trojans football Coach Pete Carroll could not be reached for comment.

USC basketball Coach Tim Floyd said he hasn't had any dialogue with the NCAA since May and has "never, ever heard" that the investigations were being combined.

Yeah, I know. SC's "official" policy is not to comment on NCAA investigations. I just think it is amusing that the school has to actually have such a policy.

I know none of you are going to hold your breath waiting for someone actually to crack down on SC. But hey, I'm just reporting the news.

[UPDATE: Petey Gets Exposed As An Ungrateful/Ungracious Jerk] Sanchez turning Pro

Barnes2JJ — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:39:24 -0000

Bumped. The world finding out what we already knew about Pom Pom. GO BRUINS. -N

I was tempted to entitle this post, "Dirty" Sanchez, but I just couldn't do it.

Here's the blubbering QB giving his goodbye speech:

"It has been my dream since I was just a little kid to play in the NFL and thanks to this great academic institution and football program, I have the opportunity to realize that dream," said Sanchez, dapperly dressed in a business suit.

"It was with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to this university. But I can't tell you how excited I am for this dream to come true," he said.

This is good news for us. I never thought Sanchez was all that great, but now SUC has to start with a new guy next year.

With Tebow and Bradford staying around next year, it made sense for Sanchez to leave now.

UPDATE I (N): The bigger story out of this development is about Petey emerging as a total pompous, conceited and ungracious jerk. This is from Scott Wolf of all sources (HT to silverlakebruin):

USC coach Pete Carroll was extremely ungracious during the Mark Sanchez press conference. He stormed out of the room and did not even sit at the table before Sanchez addressed the media. Something he never did when Matt Leinart, etc., announced their decisions.
Carroll never sat down at the table but stood with his palms on the table. His anger was clear if you spend time around him.
Not a great moment.

UPDATE II (N): Here is the priceless shot from the LA Times making Petey look like disgraceful, classless individual that we all know he is:

Photo Credit: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

I am sure this will not be lost upon recruits. You can caption the photo for yourself in the comment threads. GO BRUINS.

UPDATE III (N): Ajax points out how Pom Pom is ripping Sanchez ... wait for it ... on "USCRipsit.com":

"The facts are so strong against this decision," Carroll said. "After analyzing all the information, the truth is there — he should’ve stayed for another year."

Carroll cited a study that shows 62 percent of underclassmen quarterbacks who declare early for the Draft eventually don’t pan out in the NFL. He also pointed to Sanchez’s NFL Draft evaluation, which projected Sanchez as a second-round selection.

"Mark’s chance to increase his value and become the top player in college football next year would have been worth $10-$20 million or more — likely more," Carroll said. "One more year of running a team is almost priceless, so he lost the chance to fully prepare himself and become the very best he could be before going to the NFL.

"That’s why there’s a 62 percent failure rate for underclassmen quarterbacks."

During the press conference, Sanchez repeatedly referred to achieving a lifelong dream as to one of the reasons he made this decision.

"We have always been in full support of Mark pursuing his dream," Carroll said, "he just should have postponed realizing his dream another 12 months."

Petey also went out of his way to diminish Sanchez's prospects:

“He also pointed to Sanchez’s NFL Draft evaluation, which projected Sanchez as a second-round selection.”

Grab some popcorn on draft night. Imagine what a liar Petey will be exposed as if he goes in the first. GO BRUINS.

UPDATE IV (N): Even Trojie homer Bill Plaschke slams Pom Pom for acting like a "jilted lover" and discovers there is no "U" infront of SC:

It's a shame that, on this day, the message from nation's premier college football program was all about football, and not the least bit about college.

I wonder when exactly Bill thought the message from the program of "Senora Ross" and ball room dancing courses was all about "college"?

GO BRUINS

SUC Runs it Up

Barnes2JJ — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:51:02 -0000

Pat Forde of ESPN wrote a good column the other day as to how and why running up the score (although, supposedly, not a factor in the BCS computer mishmash) pays off. Here is the link.

The entire column is good and is worth reading but this excerpt caught my eye (emphasis added):

Of the teams that finished the regular season in The Associated Press top five, only Alabama scored a smaller percentage of its points in the fourth quarter than Oklahoma -- the Crimson Tide scored 12.9 percent of their points in the final 15 minutes, Oklahoma 13.3 percent. Texas, whose fans were maddest at the Sooners because of their down-to-the-wire battle for a BCS berth, scored 21.8 percent of its points in the fourth quarter. Florida: 22.8 percent. And USC was the team most likely to pad its margin late at 23.6 percent.

The above except has nothing to do with SUC's defense (which was, admittedly, excellent). This has to do with padding the score when the game is nearly over and when it serves no purpose with respect to winning the game. Read the column and check out the examples of other teams which do this.

Running up the score shows a lack of class. Period.

The morons who worship at the altar of The Humanitarian won't let these or other facts confuse them. But this does say something as to the character of Petey and of the mindset across town.

Norton and Recruiting Questions

Barnes2JJ — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:04:37 -0000

Ken Norton, Jr. claims that CRN is telling prospective recruits that if Walker leaves, Norton will be the new DC. Much as a I hate to link to the Toejam Times, here is the story. Norton is apparently very upset with CRN over these alleged representations.

More information need to come out about this. Where is Ken Norton, Jr. getting his information? I'd also like to see a flat denial from CRN.

Finally, note this (ironic) little dig from Cheatie Petey at the end of the story:

I've found over the years what you say in recruiting kind of tells who you are," Carroll said. "The truth always comes out in the end."

Sure, Pete. I am sure you and your program are all about the truth.