Preseason Is Over, Bring On The Huskies!

Well, it was still far from a flawless game, but USC sems to be moving in the right direction. The two interceptions (and should have been at least 3), are a bit disconcerting, but hopefully each game brings more wisdom to Matt Barkley and his receivers because they will need it in October.

Special teams is going to win the Trojans a game or two. What a difference having a full time ST coach has done! Kickoffs for TDs, punts for TDs, blocking PAT's and FG's. Good punt coverage and kickoffs into the endzone. These are hidden things that will help USC in the future.

Sure, the schedule was set up for a 4-0 start, but Lane Kiffen becomes the first USC coach since Jess Hill did it in 1951 to win his first 4 games as the Trojan's head man. Of course, I'd love to see him win the rest, but that is too tall an order to fill this season with a depleted roster, and a strong looking conference, especially since the folks in Powder Blue & Gold beat up on highly ranked Texas, in Austin over the weekend.

Of course, Oregon, Stanford, Arizona and Oregon State all look very tough, and if the Beavs took an SEC schedule approach and played Idaho and Willamette College, they'd be undefeated and not potenially rob a Pac-10 team, a shot at the BCS Chjampionship like they did in 2008 when the 1 loss debate between USC and Florida hinged on the loss to the opponent. In that case, Oregon State lost at Utah (undefeated) and at Penn State (1 Loss), whereas Mississippi State had played a bunch of nobodies and basically "bought" their non-conference wins. The voters failed to recognize this, and considered Florida's loss at home "better" than USC's loss in Corvallis, even though OSU and MSU had the same records.

This week, it is payback time for Sark, Locker and Company.

Just WIN Baby!

First, it is GREAT to get the first win on the season! Matt Barkley and Ronald Johnson had career days, Barkley threw 5 TD's with no interceptions, and Johnson was on the receiving end of 3 of those, and added an 89 yard punt return for a TD.

Second, the D needs to step up, and fast! Monte Kiffen's D gave up 588 yards of offense and did not record a single turnover. If USC is going to be successful, that needs to improve...now.

Third, there were no injuries of note, and with USC's depleted roster, that is a good thing. Depth is going to be an issue as they players seemed tired, not having the customary backups that can rotate in and out of the game, keeping players fresh. That may take a heavy toll later on in the season.

Here is ESPN's recap of the game:

http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=302450062

Next up, the rematch with Virginia at the Coliseum.

8 More Years, 8 More Years!!!

"So this man and his dog walks into a bar..."

Some of you may have remembered that joke told by Notre Dame fans when they were in the midst of their 11 game winning streak (14 game unbeaten) against the Trojans. Well, the times they are a changing! To paraphrase a great line in the movie "Inglorious Basterds"

"In case you didn't know, we in the IRISH killing bidness, and brother, bidness has been good!" (Cue the NEXT Hitler video, this time, for Notre Dame)

8 magnificent years. Pete Carroll now goes down as the USC coach with the most wins in South Bend, and by the way things have been going with recruiting, I don't see that streak ending soon.

Matt Barkley...what more can be said, 380 yards, 2 TDs, and one INT. He was masterful in this epic rivalry and will now become the "Tim Tebow" as nauseum for the next 4 years...get used to it.

We had a GREAT turnout at R | E | F | S Sports Bar and Grill in Greensboro, and in case you haven't been, it is starting to pick up some serious steam. The food was good there and the drink prices are reasonable.

I'll post some piocs soon, but for now, I am just enjoying another USC battle victory in the Great Irish/Trojan War.

Still, there is a LOT of unfinished business. If you look at the Pac-1o standings right now, we are only heading into the most difficult part of our schedule, with only UCLA left as a "dog."

Next step, REVENGE vs. Oregon State.

WOW, What A Victory!!!

WOW, what a game! Matt Barkley wrote his own Hollywood script Ohio and drove the Trojans an impressive 85 yards (95 if you consider a penalty pushed the Trojans back to their own 5 yard line) in a little over 6 minutes with the game on the line. Fighting off a previous injury, and with victory-minded Joe McKnight determined to take the team on his legs, Pete Carroll's squad snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in front of 101,000 silent Buckeye fans. The other 5,000 in attendance were of course the boisterous Trojan fans. Definitely a game for the ages.

Of course, after such a BIG victory, comes the annual Pac-10 conference road opener, a.k.a. USC's annual trap game because this is traditionally where the Trojans lose their focus and gag. The Men of Troy will hardly have any time to unpack their bags before making the journey up to the Emerald City an face former Trojan coaches Steve Sarkisian and Nick Holt and their up and coming scrappy Husky team. UW is improving, they gave LSU all it could handle and if there is anyone who knows what USC looks like behind the lines, its Sark and Holt. Its a classic Master vs. Student match-up and the Trojans need to be razor sharp to avoid another letdown.

Game time is 3:30 PM, Greensboro location is TBD.

It's GAME DAY!!!

Months of waiting have come to an end as "the most wonderful time of the year" (for me at least) is here!

The Matt Barkley era begins and this season should be a very exciting and interesting one to say the least. Hope to see y'all at JP Looney's on the NW corner of Hwy 150/Hwy 68.

Fight On and BEAT the Spartans!

Final Countdown! T-Minus 7 Days!!

WOW...

The season is knocking at the doorstep, and in case you haven't heard, the "Golden Boy" era of über-phenom frosh QB Matt Barkley has started. Matt was able to secure the position in my opinion, because Aaron Corp has not fully recovered from his cracked leg bone.

I also believe Coach Pete Carroll is giving Aaron time to rest and heal before the Ohio State game, which will be a very difficult one for MB to play in.

This reminds me a lot of the 2003 season with Matt Leinart, unproven QB, experienced OL and WR, good defense, and difficult road schedule (the same one Matt faced in 03, albeit he started on the road vs. Auburn, whereas barkley gets the luxury of a home game before venturing to the "Shoe to face the Buckeyes.

We will be gathering at "Refs," a new sports bar behind Village Tavern at the intersection of Battleground Avenue and Westridge JP Looney's in Oak Ridge, on the NW corner of Hwy 68 & Hwy 150.. If you need more information, email me at GSOTrojan@aol.com.

Finally, I am half way home to raising enough money to build Geroge Tirebiter's House for the Garden of Life for Pets Animal Sanctuary. I appreciate any donation, and no donation is too small.

Fight On!