Updates from August 29th, 2007

In response to this morning’s LA Times article, Ben Malcolmson of USCRipsIt.com spoke to USC running backs coach Todd McNair about his convictions in the 90’s for cruelty to animals. McNair responded that both charges revolved around his dog breeding business (a side business during his NFL days), the improper housing of his dogs during […]

In a piece so dripping with hyperbole that you might think it was written by a Trojan booster, Eric Prisbell of The Washington Post profiles the USC linebackers unit, focusing on the big three starting group - Cushing, Maualuga, and Rivers - and their outspoken coach Ken Norton, Jr., who wants his linebackers to instill […]

Next to quarterback J.D. Booty, the one player that the Trojans desperately need to remain injury-free in 2007 is redshirt freshman fullback Stanley Havili, who is profiled by Gary Klein in today’s Los Angeles Times. Smart pundits draw a causal connection between the early-season losses of FBs Brandon Hancock, Ryan Powdrell, and Stanley Havili to the […]

As reported earlier today, Patrick Turner took what Pete Carroll called a “vicious hit” from Rey Maualuga during what the team calls “Competition Tuesday” practices, resulting in what Turner thinks is a “stinger” (pending X-rays). Mauauluga apologized but indicated to the LA Times that the collision was predictable after some pre-practice, apparently good-spirited trash […]

According to reports from the Philadelphia Daily News and The Rocky Mountain News (and compiled by Gary Klein of the LA Times), USC running backs coach Todd McNair was found guilty of animal neglect in 1993 (and fined $500) and convicted of cruelty to animals and neglect in 1996 (resulting in $25,000 in fines and 8 […]

Though it’s not necessarily groundbreaking news, Ben Bloch of the Los Angeles Times is reporting that O.J. Mayo intends to return for a second year with USC unless he is guaranteed to be a lottery pick in the NBA draft, which just about everyone thinks he will be. As he’s stated previously, coach Tim Floyd […]

The Chicago Tribune’s Teddy Greenstein profiles J.D. Booty before the first game of his would-be Heisman campaign. He highlights Booty’s huge second half performance in the Rose Bowl as the turning point in the quarterback’s Trojan career. Offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, who compares Booty’s delivery to that of the hyper-accurate Greg Maddux rather than that […]