L.T.

So what does a 30-year-old running back in the NFL do to gain a little attention right before the postseason after he only had a 3.3 yard per carry average and a discouraging 730 yards? It’s easy, he glides…

Pete’s Replacement

Jack del Rio officially said he’s not interested in the USC job today. He was my first choice to restore the Trojan image and minimize the recruiting losses. Think about it. He’s a former Trojan linebacker who understands what it takes to win in the Coliseum and would add toughness to the soft play the Trojans were so accustomed to this year. He’s just a rugged, hard-nosed type of guy that has integrity and character. Even if USC was sanctioned by the NCAA, who better than del Rio to bring the Trojans back to prominence? He can instill that toughness and character into his recruits letting them know USC will be USC again very shortly. He’s also a superb defensive mind and disciplinarian, which the Trojans are in great need of. The guy won seven games this season with Jacksonville, a team who is probably a three or four win team on paper. I don’t understand why he wouldn’t come back to SC, but now, the worst A.D. in America, has to look elsewhere. Here are some of the candidates.

FIRE MIKE GARRETT NOW

I will speak for everyone on behalf of USC in saying that I’m NOT happy with Mike Garrett showing no leadership whatsoever, he needs to go. He’s absolutely clueless and the most pathetic excuse for an Athletic Director. The “Don’t Blame Me” approach is getting very old. He’s already ruined two programs: baseball by firing Hall Of Fame Coach Mike Gillespie, who led the freaking Anteaters to the College World Series shortly after, and basketball by allowing Rodney Guillory to deliver Mayo on a silver platter after he already had burnt SC in the past. If Garrett had any respect for the program, if he had any balls, he would have stopped Tim Floyd in his tracks. Now Kevin O’Neill and his seniors have to suffer for the pathetic leadership Garrett provided. You would think he would know what to do after the football team was the focus of recruiting violations, or that he would have learned the first time Guillory burnt SC, but he didn’t. That’s unacceptable. The least this inadequate AD could do is learn from his mistakes. Not to mention the ridiculous self-imposed sanction he made on the basketball team to protect the football team. No wonder why Jack del Rio turned this chance down – he’s a man of integrity and character – two words Garrett can’t even comprehend. His only credentials that even remotely qualify him for this position is his Heisman Trophy, which has nothing to do with managing an athletic program. Sure, he brought in Pete Carroll, originally, but let’s not forget that Carroll was his fifth choice too. He had Carroll literally fall into his lap and that gave him this super long, undeserved leash from USC.

2009 – the year that was

JAN 1… At a game largely unseen on the west coast because of that harsh 8 a.m. start time and the whole need for that special New Year’s Eve recovery rest, the Outback Bowl produces the lone Little 11 winner of the bowl season – Iowa. Iowa defeats Spurrier and his visor, which UGA boy would threaten later in the year.

Later that day… USC smokes another undeserving Little 11 team. What else is new? For the third straight year, the season ends for the Trojans with all the experts proclaiming them the most dangerous and best team without the hardware to show it. If only there were some kind of system where we could match up the top eight teams in a bracket and play the games out to determine a champion, rather than allowing biased coaches, writers and weird computers to determine a champion…

JAN 8… Florida dominates Oklahoma in the BCS Championship a full week after New Year’s Day. The once revered “Big Game” Bob has been reduced to a new name “Bitty Game” Bob, for his little bitty performances in his BCS games. Stoops loses his fifth straight.

FEB 1… Superbowl XLIII mesmerizes the nation. It seems like a given that it will be a great Superbowl if Kurt Warner is involved. The game goes down to the wire for the third time in Warner’s career with Santonio Holmes making a ridiculous toe-tipping catch.

MAR 19… The Madness begins. Siena takes out Ohio State in 2OT.

MAR 29… Villanova beats Big East rival Pittsburgh in an unbelievable Elite Eight match up. Fellow Big East team Connecticut joins Villanova in the Final Four along with North Carolina and Michigan State.

APR 6… North Carolina and Roy Williams win their second championship against Michigan State in Detroit. Sparty looked to be a team of destiny after the crowd willed them to victory against UConn.

APR 7… UConn women complete an historic 39-0 season. They finish the decade the way they started it – with a national championship.

June 14… Lakers do their best UConn women imitation by winning the NBA title in 2000 and 2009.

JULY 5… Roger Federer breaks Pete Sampras’ grand slam record in five sets against Andy Roddick. Roddick earns many fans due to his hard fought loss, yet loses to Federer for a third time in the Wimbledon final.

JULY 23… Mark Buehrle tosses a perfect game against the Rays – the 18th in the history of MLB.

AUG 16… Y.E. Yang thwarts Tiger’s attempt at a 15th major. Tiger had previously been 14-0 when leading after three rounds only to crumple to the unheralded Yang.

OCT 24… Iowa State upsets Nebraska and Head Coach Paul Rhoads goes nuts. It’s a real genuine feeling and you have to hope this guy is going to stay a Cyclone for years to come.

NOV 4… Yankees finish the decade the way they began it… with a World Series victory. New York fans can forget about those eight catastrophic years in between, but are back on top of the world by literally buying their 27th championship. They become the third team to finish the year the way they began it.

NOV 6… Normally women’s soccer would never make moments of 09, but Elizabeth Lambert gave us the exception. I’m still wondering what the referees were looking at it. They should be fired if they weren’t…

NOV 27… The demise of Tiger Woods in the form of an accident at his house. More than 10 women would go on record saying they cheated with him and one even said she did ecstasy with him. Tiger keeps quiet. Tiger’s reputation is obliterated.

DEC 31… The decade closes with a very entertaining Sun Bowl won by Oklahoma and a victory for Air Force which clinches a Mountain West Bowl Challenge victory for the third time in the past six years. The MWC is still not a BCS conference though.