September 2nd, 2010 at 6:31 PM ^
Timing seems a bit strange, with the Pac10 expansion and sanctions. I never really got the feeling when living on the West Coast that USC has the fan base to pull this off. A lot of people enjoyed watching them while they were good, but I don't know if they have the nation wide fan base to pull it off though.
September 2nd, 2010 at 6:32 PM ^
MEGA conferences to everyone wants to be independent in 6 months.
crazy
September 2nd, 2010 at 6:33 PM ^
and create an Independent Conference of 20 teams, thereby becoming the biggest, egotistical conference of them all!
September 2nd, 2010 at 6:46 PM ^
Would want an exception for its football program.
September 2nd, 2010 at 6:37 PM ^
I follow the Trojans pretty closely and have heard zero about this. My guess is somebody framed some ridiculous hypothetical where Cal, UCLA, Stanford, etc. are vaporized by aliens and Haden agreed that in such a scenario USC might possibly consider going independent.
I don't see this ever happening nor have I heard anyone remotely associated with SC even mention the possibility.
September 2nd, 2010 at 6:37 PM ^
USC athletic director Pat Haden tells the OC Register that he doesn’t have “any plans to advance the ball” but that “you have to consider every alternative.”
September 2nd, 2010 at 6:43 PM ^
No. It'd be stupid. They can win the Pac 10 more often than not and then at least play in the Rose Bowl.
September 2nd, 2010 at 6:59 PM ^
The reason it's not viable is because the Pac 10 has seen what the BTN has done and is going to start raking in money in the near future.
If USC could negotiate its own TV deal a la Notre Dame it would make some sense for the short term. But long term consistent revenues from a conference Cable network are going to out-earn what USC will get by being an independent in my eyes until I see (amazingly unlikely) paperwork saying otherwise.
September 2nd, 2010 at 6:59 PM ^
I think that's what it amounts to (if they are in fact considering it).
September 2nd, 2010 at 7:00 PM ^
I wish I was a Trojan.
Wait, scratch that... I think that feeling is more "schadenfreude hilarity" than envy.
September 2nd, 2010 at 7:02 PM ^
September 2nd, 2010 at 7:15 PM ^
Not a chance they'd do this. This more like a stature move on USC's part.
By saying they are "considering" independence, they're trying to make a power statement to both the NCAA and the rest of the conferences. Also it's seemingly big time idea so it'll get national attention (not the bad kind) thereby keeping them relevant over the next couple seasons.
September 2nd, 2010 at 7:32 PM ^
Some reporter asked Haden about BYU going independent and if SC would ever consider it. He basically said, "We aren't looking into it or planning to pursue it at all, but you have to consider everything nowadays." OC paper and PTI then run with the non-story.
+1 for Tyrone Biggums sig.
September 2nd, 2010 at 7:38 PM ^
professional, not independent. They're thinking of continuing to pay their players, but to avoid the hassle with the NCAA, they're going to start their own pro league. Kind of like the XFL, but prettier cheerleaders.
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:06 PM ^
Leverage. Pac-10 division deliberations.
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:28 PM ^
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:28 PM ^
And the Pac 10 said, "We're considering switching USC to idependent status."