OT: USC adds another 5*
If I remember correctly, many didn't seem to think USC would continue to attract top rated players. I argued that it's USC and they will and would continue to attract players because USC has GRAVITAS regardless of the NCAA sanctions. Hopefully Michigan will get to the point where Hoke and his staff will be able to get 5* drooling over the opportunity to play for UM.
Right now, Hoke and his guys will have to coach up the players and make UM the stand out team in the Big 10 and put OSU, MSU, Wisky and every other Big 12 team in its place.
January 28th, 2011 at 3:40 PM ^
We are still the Big 10.
January 28th, 2011 at 3:42 PM ^
Err... We are the B1G TEN.
January 28th, 2011 at 3:42 PM ^
Sweet dude. Way to not tell us who they picked up. Just coming and posting to gloat, shut up please.
January 28th, 2011 at 3:45 PM ^
The link takes you to the article on Tom's website discussing the commitment. It was Cyrus Hobbi, the offensive lineman from AZ.
January 28th, 2011 at 3:47 PM ^
TOTALLY SWEET DUDE!
January 28th, 2011 at 3:44 PM ^
once we get 7 big ten championships in a row, and become a virtual dynasty within a decade playing in multiple championship games... then we will get 5* kids drooling over us no matter what happeneds to the program
January 28th, 2011 at 3:49 PM ^
It doesn't hurt to be in a talent rich area where you are (especially now that Harbaugh has left Stanford and UCLA has failed to turn the corner under Slick Rick) basically the undisputed top program between Austin, TX and the Pacific Ocean. Gives you a pretty big talent pool to fish in.
January 28th, 2011 at 4:06 PM ^
You're forgetting the neon-footed ducks of oregon
January 28th, 2011 at 4:14 PM ^
I guess I was drawing a line across the top of California that covered the southwest quadrant of the country. But yeah, obviously the Ducks are a legit national program at this point.
January 28th, 2011 at 4:45 PM ^
your defiantly right about the location that USC can sell, living in LA, next to the beach, hollywood baby.. not to mention as a player you have a legit shot for one of USC's song girls ...if not then im sure a nice valley girl will do just fine ha
January 28th, 2011 at 5:53 PM ^
but for some reason I got a stiffy and my mind went blank...
January 28th, 2011 at 3:46 PM ^
12 teams...count em. Big 12. If you think it's still the big 10, you musta gone to OSU cuz your counting skilz suks.
January 28th, 2011 at 5:15 PM ^
congrats. I wish I was you. Always right and never obnoxious
January 28th, 2011 at 3:48 PM ^
to any of the sites. I mean, the point still stands, but everyone's gotten really loose about describing recruits (if a guy is a 4 star to one of the 3 sites, he's a 4 star etc.). It's like the new grade inflation.
January 28th, 2011 at 3:49 PM ^
Here is what I imagine the recruiting conversation at USC is like these days:
Kiffikins: I want you to imagine your favorite porn star, sitting right in front of you, naked. Does that get you excited?
Recruit: Ummm... uhh... well yeah
Kiffikins: OK, now imagine she has herpes.
Recruit: Oh. God. No.
Kiffikins: Wait a second. What if I told you that that we could cure herpes a year from now. Would that change your mind?
Recruit: Well, uh... my favorite porn star? I guess, yeah, it would. I'd hit that.
Kiffikins: Well son, it sounds like you're USC material. Let's get your family setup and then you're good to go!
January 28th, 2011 at 3:58 PM ^
the only thing I think you missed is that during the on-campus visits, said porn star could actually BE right there in front of him...most of them are in LA anyway, right?
January 28th, 2011 at 5:04 PM ^
The 5-stars get the porn stars.
The 4- and 3-stars have to bang out a few hood rats first before they make it to the big leagues.
January 28th, 2011 at 5:53 PM ^
Porn Capitaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!
Love me some Dr. Who.
Cheers!
January 28th, 2011 at 5:59 PM ^
If you can't afford the internet, just move to the Valley and sit on your roof with a pair of binoculars. Just about any backyard you look into will be the "set" for some triple-X filming.
Or if you've got a few bucks and want a live gal with a few miles on the tires, move to Beverly Glen where apparently the former starlets who've made it big in the business go to retire and be my buddy's next-door neighbor.
January 28th, 2011 at 4:42 PM ^
I would've committed on the spot. Is that wrong?
January 28th, 2011 at 3:51 PM ^
"USC has GRAVITAS regardless of the NCAA sanctions."
This is a bullshit statement. They weren't getting anyone until they started paying guys. It's not like USC was pulling in 5* guys in 2001.
I wouldn't be surprised if the 5* guys they are getting now are ones who have been on the take since freshman year of HS.
January 28th, 2011 at 4:09 PM ^
The "everyone who succeeds in college football is cheating but Michigan isn't and never has" line of reasoning. Reggie Bush took money from a guy who wanted to be his agent after he left school, not a guy who wanted him to come to USC. Just like Marcus Ray did at Michigan (I'm sure he was suspended in 1998 for doing just that). Just like Woodson very likely did (his future agent, a guy known to have paid other players while they were in college, was at the Heisman ceremony).
Carson Palmer was a pretty well thought of (like, you know, a high school All American) recruit who signed with the Trojans in 1998. Not to mention all of those NFL Hall of Famers who signed on long before that (USC has produced more of them than any other school).
January 28th, 2011 at 4:09 PM ^
January 28th, 2011 at 3:52 PM ^
I feel like the quality of the USC "Song Girls" has greatly decreased in the last few years.
January 28th, 2011 at 3:57 PM ^
The falling standards have created quite a tempest-in-a-teapot controversy at USC in recent years.
January 28th, 2011 at 5:18 PM ^
do they go to high school football games and recruit players? Do they host players?
January 28th, 2011 at 5:49 PM ^
Me and a buddy of mine (he's a Trojan but we keep it civil) have talked about this at length. He mentioned that they go through these cycles where the girls who show up for tryouts are rejects from "The Business". Apparently, it can became 'non-passe' to be a Song Girl. Go figure huh! The women in this town never cease to amaze me with their thought processes. Ahem, as well as other things. =]
January 29th, 2011 at 9:04 AM ^
That's Julie Henderson from the SI Swimsuit edition a few years back, FWIW.
January 28th, 2011 at 4:03 PM ^
They're still going to be coached by Lane Kiffin.
January 28th, 2011 at 4:07 PM ^
What happened to losing 30 scholarships over three years? They're at 26 commits now, am I missing something?
January 28th, 2011 at 4:11 PM ^
The sanctions don't hit until this recruiting cycle. Any early enrollers (they have a bunch of them) are allowed to count toward last year's pre-sanction class totals so long as the overall count (75, I think) isn't exceeded.
January 28th, 2011 at 4:24 PM ^
They also had a few transfers that opened up some spots.
January 28th, 2011 at 4:08 PM ^
Stewy Mandel covered USC recruiting recently in SI. Sounds like they are trying to touch as many kids as possible while appealing their NCAA sanctions. The other shoe will fall eventually.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/stewart_mandel/01/24/usc…
(If this link doesn't work give me a break, first post eva)
January 28th, 2011 at 4:25 PM ^
What was that you were saying about the falling standards of the song girls?
January 28th, 2011 at 4:39 PM ^
USC can bring in as many EE as they want (there's some limit, but I don't think they hit it) plus 15 new kids. They haven't exceeded that limit, have they?
January 28th, 2011 at 4:51 PM ^
As of this moment they are at 18 non-EE commits according to Rivals. This includes a second kicker in the class though and I think a longsnapper who will probably get the walk-on/greyshirt treatment if push comes to shove. I know Haden and Co. think they have a good shot to get the scholarship reductions halved based on prior NCAA precedent but it will be a close call whether or not the appeals committee decides before signing day.
January 28th, 2011 at 5:20 PM ^
As was noted above, because they're appealing, the scholarship limits haven't taken effect yet.
January 28th, 2011 at 5:08 PM ^
Although they are both in Los Angeles, I think that UCLA actually has the better location than USC. I'm kind of surprised that the Bruins haven't gotten closer to the Trojans in recruiting during all of the scandal of the recent years.
January 28th, 2011 at 5:57 PM ^
Yes, UCLA is vastly better than USC as far as location goes. But UCLA really has done pretty well recruiting in recent years relative to performance.
Also, although it sounds cool to play in the Rose Bowl every week, I think it would be a huge pain to be an hour or more drive (given gameday traffic) from campus to the stadium. I'm only guessing but I think this would severely detract from the autumn football atmosphere on campus.
January 28th, 2011 at 8:09 PM ^
UCLA is in westwood, and the Rose Bowl is waaay out in Pasadena. Thats a hike of over an hour. So lot of fans are put off by that.
Furthermore, UCLA is considered to be the snooty, uptight school, while USC is considered to be the common man's school ( yes, i know the irony of private vs public is quite apparent).
January 28th, 2011 at 5:11 PM ^
They sing to the men of Troy whose Helmets have Trojans.
January 28th, 2011 at 5:27 PM ^
I thought you meant that USC added another 5 asterisks to their record books.
January 28th, 2011 at 5:38 PM ^
lolol. +5
January 29th, 2011 at 1:01 AM ^
A bunch!
January 28th, 2011 at 8:24 PM ^
SC has good location, fantastic alumni base, and connections higher up. Plus its warm.
Oh, and the fans may be bandwagoners, but these guys know how to tailgate.
IMO (very very biased) The Big House has the best game day atmosphere - but USC has the best tailgates, hands down