http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/site/entry/cultural_ambassador_kaj33_education_brazil/

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Apparently Petersen's young son has medical problems and his doctor may be moving to UCLA. Article from International Business Times states that "Petersen's son actually was diagnosed with cancer when he was a one-year old, but has received treatment. There have been reports that the Boise doctor that treated Petersen's son has moved on to UCLA." ESPN's Rick Reilly posted on Twitter: "My guy says UCLA is offering Chris Peterson 5 yr/$20 million and assurances his special needs kid will get great care at UCLA med center." http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/259719/20111201/head-coach-chris-petersen-ucla-boise-state.htm

I think at this point in the history of our Athletic Department we have a unique opportunity to make some meaningful demands of our administration.

Boycott all UCLA sporting activities and prohibit all donations until the administration:

1. Fires Guererro.

2. Fires Neuheisel

3. Hires a proven Head Footbal Coach using monies for the new network.

4. Hires proven assistant coaches and coordinators.

5. Upgrades the football facilities.

6. Commits to an on-campus football stadium.

Note – Years ago, UCLA was a commuter school. This is no longer the case. Most students live on or near campus. A football Stadium on campus makes a lot of financial sense. Why should we pay to use the Rose Bowl.

Bumped. GO BRUINS. -N

Reggie Bush finally admitted that USC hurt his feelings by distancing the university from the most corrupt and tarnished player in recent history:

"I think I'd be lying if I said it didn't," Bush said. "Obviously, it does, but at the end of the day it is what it is. All I can really do now is focus on the New Orleans Saints and just try to move on. It bothers me and it sucks. The whole situation is terrible and nobody feels worse about it than I do.

I would have much more respect for Reggie (and actually forgive him) if he did the following: 

(1) confessed that he took all the money and gifts;

(2) clearly stated that he should not have taken the money and gifts;

(3) confessed that Cheaty Carroll knew all along that he was getting paid; 

(4) returned his Heisman Trophy to the Heisman Trust and asked for repentence for tarnishing the award and all of college football; and

(5) returned to USC as a student to complete his degree. (hey - if Maurice Clarett can do it after getting out of jail, what the heck?).    

Bumped. GO BRUINS. -N

In the court filed complaint (PDF) against Lamey and the Trogans, the Tennessee Titans are justifying why the suit should be conducted in the State of Tennessee (page 3 section 7) by noting the following:

“USC has previously been registered with the State of Tennessee to do business within the state; USC and Kiffin have engaged in recruiting student athletes residing in Tennessee to enroll at USC and participates in its sports program by offering scholarships and other incentives…”

Question: What other incentives are being offered to the recruits from Tennessee?

Do the Titans know something we should all know? Can we look forward to some depositions and discovery?

Great article by Jay Mariotti on AOL Fanhouse (emphasis added throughout):

The running joke really was true in the end, the one that referred to USC as this city's only professional football franchise. The sins of Troy finally have emerged from the southern California haze, thanks to a relentless NCAA probe that uncovered enough transgressions -- the biggest involving two enormous names, Bush and basketball star O.J. Mayo -- to permanently taint a prestigious university and its all-defining football glory of the last decade. This is a SCANDAL, all caps, the Enron of collegiate sports. Because Bush was found to have taken improper cash and gifts from two wannabe agents who'd hoped to represent him, and because his parents lived rent-free in a home owned by one of the men, the NCAA ruled him ineligible and triggered a flurry of penalties that will cripple the program's future and bloody its past. [...]

This isn't the death penalty. But it's close, with a trail of improprieties that "strike at the heart'' of whatever purity is left in college athletics. To an endlessly growing list that has ensnared corporate America, the political world and steroids users in sports, add the University of Southern California football team. If there is justice, the national title will be vacated, as will Bush's Heisman. And Snoop Dogg will find something else to do, though we hope it has little to do with smoking every day.

Southern Cal is now Southern Con, more than deserving of the largest hammer thrown this decade at a college football program. It's almost shocking that the NCAA ignored USC's prominence, money base and popularity as a national TV attraction, which makes this decision all the more dynamic and impressive. Maybe there's hope yet that the governing body of college sports will keep cracking down hard on sleazy programs -- Connecticut, Kentucky and Oklahoma among the basketball suspects -- after the Committee on Infractions went soft during the reign of the late NCAA president, Myles Brand.

And about Trogans refusing to take responsibility:

Of course, the Trojans refused to take their lumps like men. The focus inside the gated campus -- yes, gated, in part because the area is dangerous but also because the student body is generally privileged -- should be on athletic director Mike Garrett and school president Steven Sample. As in, didn't these hires and problems happen on their watch? Sample, often seen on the sideline during games, announced last November that he will step down in August. Garrett, I suspect, will be a scapegoat who eventually loses his job.

But from Carroll to university officials to Kiffin to Bush himself, the response Thursday was to throw a pity party for USC, declare the penalties as excessive and unfair and announce their intent to appeal the ruling. They want to blame the agents, conveniently forgetting that those in charge made a travesty of institutional control.

Read rest of it here.

From tWWL:

You don't get much information out of NCAA folks during an infractions hearing, but David Price, the NCAA's vice president of enforcement, did enlighten reporters as to where USC's case stands, at least in terms of the time commitment this weekend.

He called the hearings "the longest in my 11 years" as an NCAA enforcement officer.

After two days inside a conference room, it's possible the hearings will extend into the night of Day 3, which means many participants will miss their outgoing flights. And it's possible not all business will be completed.

Perhaps, the NCAA is taking $c's despicable cheating seriously.  Or maybe it's just a smoke screen to provide cover for the NCAA when they slap $c's wrists.

UPDATE (N): Interesting nugget from the NYT's coverage on the hearing:

The only indication of the severity and breadth of the hearings was the number of boxes being hauled out on an industrial luggage cart by a bellhop at The Buttes, a resort where the hearing took place. One of the bellhops’ carts carried seven boxes of materials related to the case. Among them were two binders, at least six inches thick, that were labeled U.S.C. Response Volume 1. There was also a Volume 2.

Of course the Trogan Times is working OT to bring their team's side of the story:

"Glad it's over," USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett said as he walked toward an elevator. [...]

"We do want to thank the committee and the NCAA staff and everyone involved for these proceedings," USC spokesman James Grant said. "And [we're] pleased that we were able to present our side of the events and look forward to an outcome and to moving on."

As a hotel employee wheeled out seven boxes of documents and two thick binders labeled as USC's response to allegations, university President Steven Sample said, "I can't even say no comment on no comment."

I think we can expect the line how the Trojies are doing everything what the NCAA is asking of them in coming days, while behind the doors they unleash their docu. dump to blunt the process. GO BRUINS.

I won’t be at the game, but I would like to give fellow Bruins some advice regarding attending a football game in very cold weather.

Having seen quite a few football games in freezing or near freezing weather and having lived in Chicago for 10 years, this is what I recommend.

Dress much warmer that you think you would need to because its not how you feel when you first go outside but how you will feel in 2 to 3 hours.

Most Californians don’t understand that you can lose a lot of body heat over a couple of hours outdoors, even though when you first go out you feel quite warm.

Wear lots of layers (e.g., turtle neck shirts and sweaters) and cover your head, ears, and neck (e.g., ski caps and scarf). Cover yourself with a very warm coat, preferable down.

Also, make sure to have a very warm set of gloves and warm boots. If you don’t have boots, double up on the socks and loosen your shoes. Tight shoes in the cold weather constricts blood flow and will make your feet very cold.

I also strongly recommend long johns. Pajamas pants worn under jeans will do if you can’t find a pair of long johns.

In addition, I recommend using a seating pad. You can lose a lot of heat sitting on a cold bench or stadium seat.

Last, take one or two blankets to cover your legs or sit on.

Have fun. Wish I was going.

GO BRUINS!!