TROY CAN’T SURVIVE 55

Baby you can Drive my Car.

Burning Rubbers:  While UCLA cruises up North 43-7, sc is roadkill, getting run over by the Trees 55-21, with those double-nickels (skid-)marking the worst Defensive crash and burn in trojan history

Cinco-cinco, or sink-o, sink-o?  The usc season was just sunk, as Pete Carroll’s formerly-vaunted Defense was dusted for 55 points, by…  Florida?  Texas?  NOPE — Would you believe, Stanford?  The mighty Cardinal has done it again, dropping usc to 3-3 in the Pac-10 with a 55-21 spanking.  This time, Stanford was only expected to lose by 10, not 41, like when they upset sc previously, in what some consider the Biggest Upset (i.e. Biggest Choke) in College Football History.  The betting public should have known that Stanford has recently turned into a much better team than usc (just ask Oregon), but no one could have predicted that Taylor “The Headhunter” Mays and the rest of the trojan Defense would give up MORE POINTS than any trojan team has EVER allowed before.  That’s not just in the Pete Carroll Era, that’s EVER, in the history of the so-called school.

The trojans got booed off the field by their own fans at Halftime, trailing 21-7 at the time.  After starting the game with one three-and-out, the sc Defense just could not stop Stanford, who moved the ball on the ground in big chunks.  The Cardinal had more gears, and more heart, and more Gerhart.  Heisman candidate Toby Gerhart ran for 178 yards and 3 Touchdowns.  The Cardinal controlled the line of scrimmage, and the trojans’ tackling was sloppy, as it has been for 3 of the last 4 games.  But in this game, the trojans really QUIT on Carroll — They lost the 4th Quarter 27-0.  It would have been 28-0, but Stanford Head Coach Jim Harbaugh had his team needlessly go for two with the score 48-21.  Harbaugh apparently wanted to reach 50 (which they did anyway) but possibly, Harbaugh wanted to stick it to Pete, for years of Carroll being a particularly bad winner.  Pom Pom is infamous for pouring it on, leaving his starters in during blowouts, and going for it on 4th downs when up by 5 scores.   So hearing Carroll complain about it afterwards, saying he just doesn’t understand, is classic, and probably completes the perfect day for Harbaugh, even though they failed (barely) on the attempt.

Harbaugh is a RUMORED candidate for the potential opening at Notre Dame, as the Irish lost again Saturday night.  Although ND already tried and failed with a Stanford Coach (Ty Willingham), the way Harbaugh has totally FIXED that program, without the benefit of low, trojan-like academic standards, in such a short time, Notre Dame would be wise to take another crack at a Cardinal.  It would certainly be nice to get him out of the Pac-10 — for UCLA’s sake — but his Pom Pom-Humblers would definitely be missed.

Has anyone else noticed that as Matt Barkley has gotten worse, Kevin Prince has gotten better?  Is there only so much Freshman QB MOJO in this town?  The trojans WERE able to move the ball pretty efficiently against Stanford’s Defense, improving on their horrendous 3rd Down conversion rate by converting 6 of 12.  But when it came to Ball Security, you’d have to say:  BARKLEY was TURR-i-ble.  His first drive was looking great, until he lost a fumble on a Sack.  He went on to add to that Turnover, with THREE Interceptions.  He threw only 1 TD, and he didn’t even break 200 yards passing, against a lowly-rated Stanford Secondary.  The loss was NOT Barkley’s fault — The trojans’ swiss cheese Defense was more the issue — but Mitch Mustain (who actually got into the game late — That’s how much of a blowout it was) probably couldn’t have done any worse.  But even Marc Sanchez couldn’t have saved THIS game.

Despite Joe McKnight’s success on the ground  — 16 carries for 142 yards — sc was STILL outgained 469 to 334.  How can your star Tailback gain over 8 yards a carry, but your Offense still can’t muster up 1 single point in the 4th Quarter, at Home, against a weak Defense?  It’s not like they were down by SO much that they HAD to pass.  After Halftime, the game was still within their reach, until Carroll’s soldiers threw down their arms in the 4th Quarter.  The White Flag came out early, as the L.A. Mausoleum was virtually EMPTY with about 5 minutes still remaining in the game, and the trojan players just watching the clock, dying to get inside the locker rooms — Out of the showers of boos, into the showers of brownish, South Central running water.  It’s well-known (now) that fifty-five was the most points they’ve ever given up, but it is likely that 27-0 is also the Worst 4th Quarter that the trojans have ever experienced, at least, the Worst in the Mausoleum.

This last 4 games for usc, which include 2 wins, has exposed usc as possessing a Matador Defense, more interested in a big HIT than a good play, and a very ordinary and beatable team overall.  They have given up 111 points in the last three games, the most EVER in sc History. 

Opposing Defensive Coordinators who watched sc on Saturday SHOULD be game-planning to KEY on Joe McKnight.  Make someone else beat you.  Then, blitz and rattle Barkley, who has been struggling under pressure.

Even UCLA can’t feel hopeless about that match-up, at least compared to how they did a couple of weeks ago.  As Barkley and the trojans RE-gress, Kevin Prince and the Bruins PRO-gress.  On Saturday, the Bruins played in icy Cougartown, and beat the worst team that you’ve ever seen on Television, 43-7.  Even so, it is still not easy to excel against anyone in conditions like those.  30 degrees, freezing fingers, ice and snow on the sidelines… against a team that is USED to this climate.  Pullman has been a trap game for UCLA for years, even when they suck like this year… but NOT this year.

Kevin Prince took advantage of the last-place Cougars’ last-ranked Defense right from the outset, throwing a Touchdown Pass to Taylor Embree on the Bruins’ FIRST snap.  With the Defense continuously STEALING the ball from WSU (3 INT’s 1 Fumble recovery) and handing it to Prince in good position, Prince was able to amass 314 yards Passing, going 27 of 40 with the 1 TD and 0 Interceptions.  Prince put the icing on a fine performance with a 68-yard Touchdown RUN.  The game was such a blowout Richard Brehaut and even Nick Crissman got in at QB for UCLA and each threw a couple of passes.  But Prince looked so good, smooth, and in rhythm at times, it’s a wonder than anyone could have been wanting Kevin Craft to remain the Starter.  Of course, it was always an absurd notion, but as a  healthy Prince continues to grow, now it’s becoming evident to almost everyone.  Another thing to note, but not obsess on, or take too seriously — When Prince missed on passes, they were usually, down, and away, outside of the danger zone of the defender’s reach.  He did have ONE horrible read where not one but TWO different Cougars SHOULD have picked it off, but otherwise, almost all of his off-target throws were still relatively “safe,” and that trait is most reminiscent of… TROY AIKMAN.  Don’t get excited — It’s not time to compare Prince to The King.  But if he manages to beat SC, that will put him one up on Troy (as well as one up on troy).

It’s usually pretty pessimistic around here, especially for the last several years, and it should NOT be inferred that a victory against sc is now EXPECTED.  It will still take a miracle, and Prince’s best game ever.  But if you look at the final scores of the games that the Bruins and trojans have played against common opponents, like Stanford, Washington, and Oregon, the Bruins stack up quite favorably with the hated ones.  “Hated,” so much that it was broadcast that even CAL fans were cheering rival Stanford’s victory over sc. 

Now sc has a bye, before playing UCLA and Arizona (who got beat by Cal on Saturday night, but is still alive in the Pac-10 race).  They will be able to stew for two weeks over how badly they played against Stanford.  They should be especially fired up — and healed up — for UCLA.  A few key banged-up guys should be back, and the trojans are playing to determine how crappy of a Bowl they have to accept (or decline).

Washington State was SO bad, that it’s almost inviting false confidence by celebrating the Bruins’ achievements from this weekend.  But, throwing caution to the wind, and with the disclaimer that it was “only WSU,” hats off to Chane Moline, who carried the ball three times, and got into the end zone all three times, including one 16-yarder.  Moline also caught 7 passes for 60 yards.  Norm Chow has always loved using a Fullback.  Tight Ends, too — Logan Paulsen and Ryan Moya each had two big receptions.  Obviously, lots of players contributed, and Prince, does not deserve ALL the credit.  Taylor Embree, for instance, caught 6 passes for 73 yards, including the early TD. 

Starting Tailback Derrick Coleman looked pretty good, gaining 50 yards on 12 carries, but he seemed like he was just one step away from breaking one all day, but he never did.  His longest run was 8 yards.  Fumble-prone Jonathan Franklin came in out of the dog house long enough to fumble again, although the hand0ff might not have been properly-placed.  Finally, Milton Knox got a chance (after the game was already decided), and he broke off a 22-yard run, the longest of the day by any Bruin Running Back.  Milton averaged 4.9 yards a carry, more than half a yard more than Coleman.  Next week, the Bruins face ASU and the Pac 10’s #1-ranked  Defense — They will NEED Knox’ shiftiness to complement Coleman and Moline’s power, in order to move the chains on the ground against the Sun Devils.  And they can’t afford any fumbles, if they want to take a 3-game winning streak into the Mausoleum.

And of course, they will need big plays from the Defense.  Against WSU, Akeem Ayres came up with two INT’s, and Rahim Moore added his Country-leading 9th Pick, while the D held WSU to 1-for-11 on 3rd downs, and looked a step ahead, mentally, of WSU throughout the game.  THAT, is the edge that the Bruins will need, to keep on winning.

Here are 22 more brand new UCLA Spirit photos taken last week.  In honor of the “Double-Nicki” (5-5) that Stanford put on sc, most of the 23 pics today feature the Bruins’ 1st-year Dance Team member “Nikki.”  Don’t forget you can click on the pics to ENLARGE them, and mouse over them for pop-up captions, which today will concern, in honor of Stanford’s Driving 55 on sc, Rock Songs about Cars.

Can’t drive 55?  Stanford can!  And just a final note:  What is it with the number 55 today?  Not only did Stanford set the All-Time Record for Points Scored against sc with 55, but in a game with BCS Title implications, TCU put up 55 against Utah, and in the NBA, Brandon Jennings scored 55 Points for the Milwaukee Bucks, breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Rookie Record.  Too bad for usc that they couldn’t do with the Cardinal what Al Cowlings did with the Bronco:  Keep it UNDER 55.

She’s a Highway Star.

I’m in Love With My Car… Tell my Girl I’ll have to forget her; Rather buy me a new carburetor.

Fun, fun, fun, ’til her Daddy took her T-bird away.

Just What I Needed (BY The Cars).

Nothing can catch her, nothing can touch my 409.

“I reach down between my legs, and ease the seat back…   Ain’t no stoppin’ now.  Panama!”

“Papa said: ‘Son you’re gonna drive me to drinkin’ if you don’t stop driving that Hot Rod Lincoln.’”

“Hey Buddy, how do I get this car out of second gear?”  Beep, beep.

“It’s a Girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford, slowin’ down to take a look at me.  Take it easy, take it easy…”

“My Maserati does 185.  I lost my license, now I don’t drive.  I have a Limo, ride in the back.  I lock the doors in case I’m attacked.”  [Especially if he’s on or near usc’s campus.]

Terrible Ted:  “Maserati, Maserati, Maserati, Maserati… and it’s a fast one too, baby.”

“It was a beautiful day, the sun beat down, had the radio on, I was drivin’.”  [Tom Petty plays “Lucky” on “King of the Hill,” and Stanford’s QB is named “Luck.”  Coincidence, the day after Friday the 13th?]

“I’m Heading out to the Highway, I’ve got nothing to lose at all…”

Go Speed Racer, Go Speed Racer, Go Speed Racer Go.

“You’d have me down on my knees… Barracuda.”

“Drive to my Baby every day.  Too much, Magic Bus.  I want it.  I want it.  I want it….”

[Take off that] Little Red Corvette[!]  [The Bruins should party like it’s 1999 tonight.]

“Saw a Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac.”  [Or a Black Flag sticker]

“Lord won’t you buy me a Mercedes-Benz?  My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.”

“Come on and catch me if you can, in my Trans Am!”  [I E-A-T Z28]

Last one for today — “Goin’ fast, doin’ 95… gotta laugh, cuz I know I’m gonna die, why?”  What a shame that the trojan horse just exploded, just like the end of “Detroit Rock City.”

Comments

8 responses to “TROY CAN’T SURVIVE 55”

  1. UCLADal Avatar
    UCLADal

    “Burning rubbers” LOL T-H!

    Great pics as usual! Keep ’em coming!

  2. SCopper Avatar
    SCopper

    Beautiful pictures. And I was glad to see USC crashing and burning. Now if only OSU would do the same thing in the Big Ten. Maybe next season.

  3. Anthony Avatar
    Anthony

    I love it!! I am surrounded by STUPID Trojans. Finally a year when i can laugh in all their faces. Keep up the wonderful work SC, and fight on! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  4. Rick Avatar
    Rick

    “Trouble-free transmission, helps your oil’s flow
    Mama let me pump your gas, mama let me do it all
    Talkin’ ’bout love, talkin’ ’bout love…”
    Talkin’ bout 55, how about the Bruins themselves (5-5)!
    (Not that it’s cause for celebration, just mild relief…)
    P.S. Doesn’t that attempted 2-pt conversion (vs. $C) almost make Harbaugh an honorary Bruin?!

  5. tswenson Avatar
    tswenson

    Yes, how sad to see Cheatey Petey practically crying at the end of the game instead of his usual arrogant smile and jig. I think I overheard Cheatey say to Harbaugh at the end of the game, “I didn’t appreciate that”, when the coaches were talking. Too bad, Petey – you got exactly what you deserve. Let’s hope our BRUINS DO THE SAME THING AGAINST the trOJies!!! Even Petros said that Cheatey was glaring at Harbaugh from across the field on the 2 point conversion try. Too bad they didn’t make it.

  6. Kacey Avatar
    Kacey

    Go Stanford! Kick some SC butt! Way to stump them!

    Go Bruins!

  7. Rick Avatar
    Rick

    Carroll is actually known for NOT running up the score, thus it has cost USC many BCS points. Going for it on fourth down is a test to a team’s conversion success. Going for it (for two) when up by so much was just a slap in the face.

    [T-H’s Note: I disagree. Carroll has a well-known reputation for leaving his starters in too long, passing the ball while up by four TD’s, and refusing to punt in obvious punting situations when games are well in hand. Completely classless. Harbaugh wanted to hang 50 on Carroll, to make the final score more impressive, and because he is well-aware of Carroll’s low-class reputation. Please go to bruinzone.com and read the Football Forum (no cost, no sign up to read), and you will see a plethora of posts agreeing with my comment.]

  8. Phil Avatar
    Phil

    the solo photos of the cheerleaders come off as very creepy

    [T-H’s Note: Why? They are all taken WHILE the Girls are “working,” in front of crowds with unlimited cameras. They are not taken in locker rooms or while they are unaware that they are being photographed. They see me, they know me, and they trust me, because they know that I don’t use shots that I don’t consider completely flattering, and I don’t add (or allow) comments that are negative or demeaning. Quite to the contrary, in fact. They have even used some of these very “close-ups” in photo albums that they have put together. I hope this explanation about these photos makes you change your choice of adjective from “creepy” to “gorgeous,” like I think most other readers would choose.]