AIR-BORNE SUPREMACY

Goin’ to the Matt to exorcise the Damons from some unfortunate kids’ lives.

Good Will Hunting:  Rivalry?  What Rivalry?  Go trojans!

“Swim with Mike” charity soars to new heights and so do the new-identity Song Girls, as a Conspiracy is Born to send an Ultimatum to the UCLA Spirit Squad:  The Chase is On — If you slow down, you’ll get caught

Forget the celebrated Oregon Duck Cheerleaders — USC’s re-vamped song girls are the ones who are closing the gap.  The song girls donned bikinis for charity on Saturday, and showed that they have really turned the corner from the group that was getting in trouble with dong-bongs and incurring widespread fan displeasure not that long ago.

Whether the personnel has turned over, or just enjoyed make-overs, there are now several top-notch Cheerleaders on the sc squad who could easily fit in, looks-wise, in Westwood.  You just couldn’t say that as recently as two years ago.  Their choreography execution was also sharper, and their bodies, as revealed by their matching two-piece swimsuits, seemed firmer and healthier than just last year.

In Football and Basketball, some Bruin fans like it when sc is good, and raises the level of the Rivalry….Not me — I like it when the trojan teams lose all of their games.  And I used to feel the same way about the Cheerleaders.  But it wasn’t fun making fun of Cheerleaders who were getting called fugly by their own fans already.  It was just sad.  So it’s a GOOD thing that the current song girls represent an upward trend — Their quality should keep the pressure on UCLA to keep expending the substantial effort that they do, to pursue the best of the best in their selection process.

So — Are you wondering:  Is it April Fool’s Day?  Why is a self-proclaimed trojan-hater kissing trojan ass so blatantly all of a sudden?

Well, when the trojans are raising money for a really worthy cause, I tend to lay off a little.  And when they do it by wearing little bathing suits and letting fans take thousands of photos, then I’m really not in a hating mood.  So, for the next few days, while I share over 100 worthy photos from the event, I will not tolerate (or even publish) any negative or disrespectful comments about the song girls.   You can say that UCLA is still #1, but anything South of that will be deleted.

And I’d be pretty surprised if you actually had negative things to say.  I am selecting the BEST, most flattering shots, and there were plenty of good ones from which to choose.  I think that if you are not impressed, you need to take off your Rivalry-tinted Glasses.  And hopefully, none of the song girls will object to any of the shots, since this whole endeavor is for charity.  If you like these photos, please go to swimwithmike.org to donate.  The event is over, but they never stop accepting much-needed help.  This charity helps young people with serious injuries (i.e amputation and paralysis) attend college and lead productive lives.

Of the two recipients who spoke on Saturday, one got paralyzed in a Plane Crash, and the other, by doing a belly flop into a pile of leaves.  Very different circumstances, but both just rip your heart out.  If one dollar makes it to a needy victim like them BECAUSE of the photos I post, then those photos would be the BEST photos I’ve ever posted. 

So… Below are 36 of the best Kodak moments from the event.  If you want to enlarge the photos, click on them, and they will fill your screen.  If you want them twice as big as that, you’ll have to e-mail me, since my website can’t handle files that big.  The photos also have mouse-over hidden pop-up captions, but today, most of them are just mushy compliments, as I was truly impressed by the trojans and their new and improved efforts, as the unit’s overall quality is finally starting to be reminiscent of the squads from their 1970’s Heyday.

***Speaking of heydays, I wanted to slip in a mention about Jackie Robinson Day.  Last week, to commemorate probably the Greatest Bruin of All, every single Major League Baseball Player wore Jackie’s #42, with no names on the backs of their jerseys.  It’s a great and deserved honor, but I was just wondering:  What if Chris Roberts had to call a Baseball game on that day?*** 

Barefoot song girl, the only one in the traditional sweater-dress, gets ready to compete in the Belly Flop contest.

Is it ironic that a guy paralyzed by a belly flop is being helped by a belly flop contest?

This young lady and her drip-dry dress (no shrinkage) took 2nd place in the belly flop contest.

Banana Man didn’t win, despite his mass appeal.

Kudos to Kiffin:  I would have torched him if he failed to continue this worthy tradition that Pete Carroll always honored.

They are trying to turn QB Matt Barkley into a Rock Star — That’s him on the tote board as it rolls over $900K.

The song girls weren’t the only ones who looked good:  The “Dance Force” is on the upswing too.

If it weren’t for the song girls’ bikinis, you’d see more of the dance force girls.

I know how everyone here loves Katie, Brianna, and Elise — I see this song girl in the proximity of THAT League (at least in the way that her face photographs).

And this young lady is an exotic beauty.  I’d prefer a slightly different hairstyle (like bangs), but her face, and especially her smile, are hard not to like.

…and a classic profile as well.  And have you noticed that the make-up is nicer (less gaudy) this year?

Doesn’t she look sweet and natural?  Not the arrogant, vapid and plastic old Barbie sterotype that used to inundate the squad.

This may be the truce talking, but I think this girl has features like a young Scarlett Johansson or Charlize Theron.  Am I going overboard with the praise?

Now this is the type of classic countenance that made the song girls famous.  And I love the curling-ironed hair, too.

They made the most of very limited space, and didn’t shy away from the plethora of cameras.

The routines seemed less predictable than in the past, and more graceful.

Of course it’s possible that the routines are exactly the same, and I’m just too dumb to tell.

I like the way they hold the poses at the end of routines — like gymnasts — It’s good for still photography.

They do these cute little rolls — Again, thinking gymnastically, using a floor exercise maneuver to shake up a routine.

That angled cardinal stripe on the top half of the new uni’s looks good when they all spin like that.

I know a lot of people hate kick shots (and/or nylons), but check out the TIMING:  Besides being totally limber, they are totally in sync, and that was not always the case in the past.

As Dick Enberg would say, “OOOOO my.”

… and as Jim Ladd would say, “Lord have mercy.”

As John Wooden would say, “Goodness gracious, sakes alive.”  (Believe it or not, sc’s silent auction included a signed and framed Pyramid of Success.)

It was a blessed miracle how long they posed like this for photographers.  I hope it raises lots of money for the cause.

I don’t want to hear that they are too thin.  I don’t like anorexic Supermodels, but these girls are just sort of inhaling as they pose, but I’m telling you, they all have healthy, fit physiques.

Is the innertube-holding girl a cross between BH90210’s Donna Martin and Blair Warner from “Facts of Life?”

Seriously — I think this girl is SO cute (in this shot, at least).  And did I mention the LACK of the plastic look?  Case in point.

She has a movie star glance.  They did not get this girl from any cookie cutter I ever saw.

Again:  Very NATURAL looking, no garish make-up, and a dimple that wasn’t placed there by Heidi Montag’s Plastic Surgeon.

Another sweet, non-arrogant smile.  Maybe they are insecure because of the bikinis, but they have no reason to be.

The heart and sole of the event:  The Song Girl/Football Player Innertube Relay.

No pain, no gain.

If these trojans play ball with this much passion, the Bruins are in trouble… Who am I kidding?  — The Bruins are in trouble anyway.

This spread has been brought to you in the spirit of Peace.

Last one for today, but many, many more coming at you very, very soon.

Comments

10 responses to “AIR-BORNE SUPREMACY”

  1. Wyatt Avatar
    Wyatt

    Great camera work; if you have more pictures, please post them!

    [T-H’s Note: Yeah, I have more… about 100 more good ones already set to go, and then probably another 200 that I still have yet to edit, which aren’t too shabby either. I will be posting more batches (that’s “batches,” not “bi-atches”) all week long, and then some. Thank you for writing in.]

  2. Jake Avatar
    Jake

    I don’t think my favorite SG from years past is in any of your pictures, but the one who took the dive off the board looks like an excellent replacement. Good work.

  3. SCopper Avatar
    SCopper

    Dude, what is wrong with kick shots? 😀

  4. JP Avatar
    JP

    Definitely a marked improvement from the past few years. USC fans have the UCLA Dance Squad to thank for forcing the Song Girls to raise their game. I know their fans have been BRUTAL at the decline of their squad and much of the ire came because of the rise of the UCLA Dance Team.

    The UCLA Dance Squad try-outs are next month…time to reload!

  5. SVCATOSCMO Avatar
    SVCATOSCMO

    Yeah, but what will they do when the other team scores a touchdown???????

  6. Robert C. Avatar
    Robert C.

    I think it is safe to say that the USC Song girls have overtaken our UCLA Dance team in terms of physical talent – dance talent remains to be seen. It’s my opinion, and I have been a big supporter of our dance team for years.

  7. Nathan Avatar
    Nathan

    I made about $5000 betting against the trojans in the football spreads and $6000 betting on them… I wonder if you provide inside info to [my source]…coz they always get the USC football games right!!!

  8. Brew In Avatar
    Brew In

    The SC girls are coming around, but not yet up to par with our dance squad. But the university “forcing” these girls out of their boring mannequin knee bending, V raised f*ck me pump is a welcome change from such a stuck up traditional appearance. Kudos

  9. Richard Avatar
    Richard

    Actually I think I would RATHER see alot more of the Dance Force girls.PLEASE! 🙂

  10. gotomeetingtrial Avatar

    And I used to feel the same way about the Cheerleaders. USC fans have the UCLA Dance Squad to thank for forcing the Song Girls to raise their game. I know their fans have been BRUTAL at the decline of their squad and much of the ire came because of the rise of the UCLA Dance Team.