TMZ.com has video of an obviously inebriated LenDale White as he left Voyeur nightclub in Hollywood last weekend.

White, who was with former USC teammate Dominique Byrd (off-camera), apparently hasn’t gotten over being cut by his former college coach Pete Carroll when White was briefly with the Seattle Seahawks last season. After a somewhat unintelligible question by the TMZ cameraman, White said: Read more…

Exactly one week ago, the USC DAILY TROJAN student newspaper reported that former USC assistant football coach Rocky Seto had accepted an offer to become UCLA’s Defensive Coordinator.

Originally included in that report was a text message attributed to Seto that read: “[I] accepted the position tonight to coordinate at UCLA. Praise the Lord!”

The same day, on Seto’s Facebook page, he received messages from friends who congratulated him on landing the job.

The next day, Feb. 2,  Chris Foster of the LOS ANGELES TIMES reported a source saying the Seto hire was a “done deal.”

Rocky Seto is expected to be hired as UCLA defensive coordinator.

A UCLA official said Tuesday that no one had been hired, but people close to Seto who were not authorized to speak on the subject said it was a “done deal.”

Interestingly though, Foster Tweeted that when he tried to contact Seto about the UCLA job opportunity …

After a text message was fired off to Seto by LA Times, Seto’s text quote was mysteriously removed from the Daily Trojan story.

Two days later, on Feb. 4, Foster Tweeted that Seto had been offered the job.

Rocky Seto has been offered, but nothing is finalized. Randy Shannon is still in the background.

Then, on Feb. 5, Foster reported the offer from UCLA to Seto had been pulled:

Seto, an assistant coach with the Seattle Seahawks, was offered and accepted the job Tuesday night, but the offer was rescinded the following day, according to the person close to the negotiations. The person said that no reason was given other than UCLA officials decided to go “in another direction.” UCLA officials claimed Saturday that no “official” offer had been made.

This morning, Seto confirmed to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne that he’d been offered the job by UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel, accepted it, then had the offer rescinded. Seto:

“He called, and he was really gracious about it and very flattering. It just wasn’t the right time. What was flattering about it was I really believe he wanted to do it, but the circumstances just wouldn’t allow for it.”

Now let me translate exactly what Seto meant by that quote - and why things happened the way they did. Read more…

Longtime USC sports reporter Garry Paskwietz of WeAreSC.com breaks the news late Tuesday that USC is contemplating buying the L.A. Coliseum, the L.A. Sports Arena and nearby parking lots.

(Coliseum is a few miles south of downtown L.A.)

The stadium is jointly owned by the State of California, Los Angeles County, and the City of Los Angeles. (There’s a recipe for efficiency.) The Los Angeles Coliseum Commission, a collection of local government agencies, oversees the operation of the facility of which USC is the anchor tenant.

So why would USC want to buy two ancient structures on what most wouldn’t consider prime real estate?

Paskwietz: Read more…

Last night a giant melee exploded outside the Rose Bowl before the USC-UCLA football game.

Pasadena Police report up to 75 people were involved in the disturbance, with two stabbings confirmed and three men currently in custody facing serious criminal charges.

Today I was sent raw video of a the scene, and let’s just say that there was no exaggeration in the reporting of the incident. Read more…

When I wrote this week of the ugliness between USC and UCLA fans whenever the two teams tee it up each year in Los Angeles, I never fathomed what happened tonight before the game at the Rose Bowl.

(Credit)

More details continue to bleed out following a massive melee reportedly involving up to 75 people outside the Rose Bowl before the USC-UCLA game.

An unnamed Pasadena Police Officer reported to CBS 2 in Los Angeles Sunday evening that the dispute, which left one officer with a broken hand, included a man who was stabbed in the face while another man was stabbed “multiple times in the back.”
Read more…

When Pat Haden took over as USC Athletic Director on August 3, 2010, he was looked upon by Trojan faithful as a godsend. But motivation for the matchless enthusiasm for Haden hire came from two distinctly different places.

1) Haden’s unmatched qualifications for the job.
2) Outgoing AD Mike Garrett’s performance on the job the previous 17 years.

Though Haden was the absolute best candidate USC could’ve landed for the job, plenty of USC alumni, staff and students were just as happy to see Garrett depart the scene thanks to his notoriously arrogant attitude and indisputable incompetence.

The dynastic football program gave Garrett cover for many years, but once Pete Carroll’s loosely-overseen empire collapsed, the USC administration did what it had to do: Show Garrett the door. I’ve already written too much about Garrett over the years, so I won’t bog you down by once again chronicling his myriad workplace failures.

I’d rather talk about Haden, who I fully expect will do a spectacular job for his alma mater, but who also might be prone to getting a little loose with the superlatives.

In his first statement to USC alumni, students and staff, Haden wrote in an official letter:

Mike Garrett was a sensational athletic director. His 17-year body of work is about as good as it gets. Read more…

I’ve lived in Los Angeles for 11 years, but it doesn’t take that long to see what comes closest to uniting this sprawling megalopolis.

That’s it folks. One game, one day. (Clippers-Lakers? Child pleez.)

As school rivalries go, this ancient college football aficionado places SC vs. UCLA at the very top of the list when it comes the utter, personal repugnance one side assigns the other. On the field and, perhaps moreso, in the seats.

Those of you in Big Ten and SEC country may chuckle when you hear that, but I’m far from a provincial observer.

(Last year Bruin Bear was sabotaged by SC)

I grew up in Kansas City, in the crosshairs of KU and Mizzou. Mom is a Sooner, so I was immersed in OU-Nebraska hate back in the day. Same with Arky vs. Bevo in the ’70s and ’80s thanks to my grandpappy - a proud Hawg.

I graduated from the Univ. of Georgia, where Thanksgiving mean taunting Tech and cocktails are garnished with, “it’s great, to be, a Gator hater!”

First job out of college, I worked Univ. of South Carolina football broadcasts for three seasons, and was blown away by Cocky vs. CLEMP-sun.

(SC defeated this Bruin defense to defile Bruin Bear)

I was a credential-carrying media member in Columbus for nearly five years and hosted local Ohio State football broadcasts during that time. (See a little thing I like to call “that team up north.“)

And after moving to L.A. I worked USC football broadcasts for three seasons.

Through it all, my early allegiance was most tied to Notre Dame. My father, brother and cousin all graduated from the school and I spent my childhood bunking several times a year in the ND dorms the night before Irish home games.

(USC electric tapes Tommy Trojan week of UCLA game to stop vandals)

I was a gape-mouthed 10-year-old at a single-deck Notre Dame Stadium for the ‘77 ND-SC game when the Irish broke out the green jerseys for the first time in 14 years. Before the unis became a tired novelty act signifying more Champs clearance than actual inspiration.

Former USC student manager Brad Green remembers the ‘77 SC-Notre Dame pregame: Read more…

Friday USC running back Dillon Baxter was deemed ineligible by the school after USC’s compliance office found he had committed an NCAA violation by accepting a ride in a golf cart on campus from USC student Teague Egan on Thursday.

(USC players at Egan company’s party - pic posted by Jordan Campbell)

Egan is no ordinary student. He’s also a registered agent with the NFL Players Association and CEO of 1st Round Enterprises - an entertainment agency fronting what appears to be a glorified party planning company. (For now.)

(U of L’s Campbell is listed as “partner” on NFL agent’s official website)

While Baxter’s eligibilty is reportedly expected to be reinstated by the NCAA in short order, his brush with Egan has set off alarm bells as to how many other USC players may have improper relationships with the registered NFL player agent.

If photos from First Round’s official Facebook page are any indication, it appears those concerns may be justified. Read more…

No one is suggesting USC could’ve outlasted Oregon in the track meet masquerading as a football game at the L.A. Coliseum Saturday. But in at least one instance, Trojan Coach Lane Kiffin cost his team a precious possession during USC’s 53-32 loss to the Ducks.

(Amateur video: You can hear Kiffin whistle that distracted Barkley)

With the Trojans leading 17-15 midway through the second quarter and quarterback Matt Barkley lined up in shotgun formation at midfield, USC center Kris O’Dowd snapped the ball past Barkley, allowing Oregon to recover the miscue.

Josh Jovanelly of the DAILY TROJAN described the play as it happened on the DT’s live blog:

The Trojans had momentum on their side when Barkley lined up in the shotgun. He lifted his foot to signal the snap, but was distracted by a whistle (apparently from a coach) coming from the USC sideline. He turned his head and the ball was snapped. 

Jovanelly nailed it. The distraction came when Kiffin, in trying to get Barkley’s attention during the snap count, whistled loudly in the direction of the QB. When Barkley turned his head to the sideline, the ball was snapped passed him.

Moments later Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas turned the USC turnover into six points with a 45-yard touchdown strike to Jeff Maehl, immediately erasing the Ducks’ deficit. Oregon scored again before halftime, taking a 29-17 lead to the break en route to its eventual three touchdown victory.

But was that Kiffin-wrought change of possession really crucial to the outcome of the game?

According to USC running Marc Tyler, yes.

Read more…

Last we broke out the Oregon uniform porn, it was these sick, carbon-dipped helmets.

Today Oregon linebacker Casey Matthews added to the stash, linking a photo from his Twitter account of some previously unseen, gleam-screaming cleats. Read more…