SB Nation User Blog: Joe Trojan

Sanchez passes on N.Y. invite for draft

Joe Trojan — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 21:25:51 -0000

USC's Sanchez passes on N.Y. invite for draft The player's brother says Trojan QB has turned down an offer to join other prospects at Radio City Music Hall in favor of remaining in Southland with family and friends.

Nine pro prospects will be heading to New York for the NFL draft, but USC quarterback Mark Sanchez will not be among them.

Sanchez was invited to attend, his brother said today, but decided against it because he wants to be with family and friends for the April 25-26 draft. He is expected to be among the first 10 players selected; The Times' latest mock draft has him going eighth to Jacksonville.

Tommy Trojan painted blue.

Joe Trojan — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:13:55 -0000

Taken from the LAT blogs:

Tommy Trojan feeling blue -- victim of classic prank

While the cat's away the mice will play.

With thousands of USC students on their annual Bay Area pilgrimage (the football team is playing Stanford this weekend), pranksters doused the school's iconic Tommy Trojan in blue paint.

Formally known as the Trojan Shrine, the lifesize bronze statue has previously fallen victim to paint (and worse) during the week prior to the football game against crosstown rival UCLA. In response, Tommy is traditionally wrapped in duct tape several days prior to that game and an organization called Trojan Knights stands vigil.

There was no 24-hour guard this weekend. Tommy was pretty lonely, but he wasn't blue util he had an unexpected visitor.

Few details are known at this time. It appears the incident occurred late Friday night or early Saturday morning. Considering the colors, suspicion will immediately point to Westwood. USC plays UCLA in the Rose Bowl on December 6.

School officials rushed to have Tommy cleaned up on Saturday morning. They can't be too pleased, but a good prank can always help keep the rivalry spirited. At least once in a blue moon.

-- Adam Rose
Photo by Lauren

On the webcam, from 4:00 to 4:03 am you can see someone run up and douse Tommy.

USC and UCLA to play with home jerseys

Joe Trojan — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 02:42:44 -0000

Bumped...this is what I meant about the rivalry being fun again. - Paragon

Coaches Neuheisel and Carroll have agreed to have each team wear home uniforms when the two rivals meet on Dec. 6 at the Rose Bowl.

Prowling around on the interwebs, I come across this.

If this is the real deal, THIS IS GOING TO BE GREAT!

We'll be going back to the good old days of fierce rivalries and great games, like so:

According to Yahoo! Sports, Neuheisel and Trojan coach Pete Carroll have agreed to have each team wear home uniforms when the two rivals meet on Dec. 6 at the Rose Bowl.

Before 1982, the teams had a tradition: Both teams would wear their home uniforms. UCLA would don its home blue jerseys and USC would wear its home red. But in that year, the NCAA ruled that the visiting team must wear away uniforms. Since then, the visiting team has worn white to avoid a penalty and a forfeited time-out in the first half.

Neuheisel and Carroll have reportedly agreed that the home team will take a time-out to offset the one the visitors must forfeit. The penalty will be declined. The agreement is said to be set to last as long as Neuheisel and Carroll remain coaches of the respective schools.

link here

Only in a perfect world

Joe Trojan — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 19:39:21 -0000

USC over Gators in the NC? It could happen if the playoffs existed.

Any can go ahead and try ESPN's playoff simulation system to see who wins out.

I gave it a whirl and these are my results:

Post your thoughts or your own results.

UCLA's Dorrell has been fired.

Joe Trojan — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:56:49 -0000

Bumped...We will obviously be interested in who ucla picks as their next head coach. In the grand scheme of things it really doesn't matter as SC needs to stay on message and focus on their own thing. I may have some thoughts in a few days as I already have a post in the can ready to go but I will more interested in some of the fall out. Dorrell is only part of the story, recruits other coaches and the like will all be in play as things progress. It will be fun to watch. - Paragon

UCLA told head coach Karl Dorrell on Monday that he has been fired, a source close to the coach told ESPN's Joe Schad. Dorrell's buyout will pay just over $2 million.

This taken from the LA times with a statement from athletics director Dan Guerrero:

Dorrell out as UCLA coach

By Chris Foster, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
11:41 AM PST, December 3, 2007

Karl Dorrell's tenure as UCLA's football coach came to an end today with the announcement that ended weeks of speculation about the coach's future.

"This was a very difficult decision for me," UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero said in a statement. "Karl has represented this program with dignity and class. He is a true Bruin and I respect what he has accomplished in his five years as our head coach, particularly off the field. But, at the end of the day, the focus has to be on results and I felt that a change was in the best interest for the future of our program."

A news conference at UCLA was called for early this afternoon.

Boise State's Chris Petersen, Texas Tech's Mike Leach and former NFL coach Steve Mariucci have already been contacted by representatives on behalf of the athletic department. DeWayne Walker will be the Bruins' interim coach for the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 22.

Petersen, sources said, is Guerrero's top choice, but Mariucci and Leach are equally strong candidates. Mariucci also comes with less red tape, as both Petersen and Leach are under hefty, multiyear contracts that would have to be bought out. Walker, whom Washington State has contacted for its head coach opening, will also get some consideration. A source familiar with the athletic department said that Bruins officials will try to retain Walker, the lynchpin in recruiting efforts, no matter who is hired as head coach.

Edited for length.

UPDATE: From Dohn’s Blog

Let the games begin…

(Emphasis mine)

Head coaching experience a must?

Karl Dorrell didn't have any head coaching experience when UCLA hired him five years ago. Defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker would be a candidate, but he doesn't have head coaching experience either. In Dan Guerrero's press conference today, he said head coaching experience was ''pretty important''.

But he also said: ``You never say never.'' Certainly doesn't sound good for Walker, who's a candidate for the Washington State opening.

What do you think? Does UCLA need a coach with head coaching experience?

By the way, Boise State's Chris Petersen said today that he's not interested in the UCLA opening.

He’s interested, don’t be fooled.

Update II: here is a link to Peterson saying he is not interested in the ucla job. Reading a transcript is one thing seeing him say it is quite another. We’ll see…

Poll

Who do you think will be the next coach for UCLA?

Chris Petersen, Boise State

11 votes

Mike Leach, Texas Tech

5 votes

Steve Mariucci, former NFL coach

10 votes

DeWayne Walker

3 votes

Who Cares!!

3 votes

32 votes | Poll has closed