usc Page 40 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Tim Tebow Messiah Watch: Touching The Hem Of His Garment Edition
With apologies to Slate, the Tim Tebow Messiah Watch is our occasional look at the growing body of evidence — quotes, signs and wonders, excessively fawning prose — that the Florida quarterback is the Lamb of God....

Stafon Johnson Appreciates The Ironic T-Shirt
USC running back Stafon Johnson seems to be doing pretty well, considering he was nearly decapitated by a barbell just days ago. Well enough to pose for pictures with his matching tracheostomy tube and weightlifting t-shirt, anyway....

Lifting Weights Obsessively Helped Stafon Johnson Survive Nasty Weightlifting Accident
Dr. Gudata Hinika, trauma director at California Hospital Medical Center: "Had that been any one of us, meaning me, I would not have survived. His neck was so solid and so muscular, that actually helped maintain his airway." [LAT]...

Stafon Johnson's Prognosis Is Good
The USC tailback, hurt yesterday when a weight bar fell on his neck, underwent seven hours of throat surgery. He's in critical but stable condition. "We all feel a bit damaged today and injured," Pete Carroll said. [LA Times]...

USC Running Back In Horrific-Sounding Weight-Room Accident
"ESPN's Shell[e]y Smith is reporting USC RB Stafon Johnson has been taken to the hospital after a bar came down on his throat in the weight room. Johnson was coughing up blood." [CBS2]...

The Legend Of The Vest
Football season is upon us, which means that thousands of angry, horny, feisty pretend fans will converge upon this great nation's red cup-littered parking lots to participate in traditional tailgating revelry. These are not those stories...

We Didn't Have To Wait Long For USC's Meltdown This Year
Aaron Corp, the most hated man in University Park, shook off Saturday's abortion of a game by partying it up at a frat. Meanwhile, Pete Carroll's song of the day: "The Kids Aren't Alright." [Bleacher Report]...

Jay Mariotti Thinks USC’s Freshman QB Is Totally Cute
It's not uncommon for sportswriters to have man-crushes on athletes, but when you lead with this Freudian slip, you're bound to raise some eyebrows: "The afternoon sun was orgasmic. … Yet nothing was more radiant than Matt Barkley's smile."...

USC Song Girls Do That Thing They Do That Makes People Happy
The lively boys at TrojanWire have cobbled together a tribute video to the world's most famous white-sweatered show ponies — with musical accompaniment by the Pixies — to celebrate the advent of Trojan season. [TrojanWire]...

USC's Trophy Department Drops The Ball
Got an image you'd like to see in here first thing in the morning? Send it to [email protected]. Subject: Morning crap....

It Has Been The Most Fabulous Offseason Ever
First it was the UT Lamborghini. Then GaTech and the Transformers. Did the NCAA send out a memo requiring teams to make their preseason publicity photos as macho-in-the-Village-People-sense as possible?...

The Devil Is Still In Josh Hamilton (Update)
Josh Hamilton claims he's been sober since October 2005. Since then he's rejuvenated his career, saved his marriage, devoted himself to Jesus, and become America's flawed, homer-derby hero. Last winter, while he was alone in Tempe, Arizona, Hambone kinda slipped....

Why Your Stadium Sucks: U.S. Cellular Field
This is a weekly feature in which I (and maybe you, too, readers) detail the various reasons for hating your ballpark. This week: The Chicago White Sox's U.S. Cellular Field....

Why Your Stadium Sucks: Busch Stadium
This is a weekly feature in which I (and maybe you, too, readers) detail the various reasons for hating your ballpark. This week: The St. Louis Cardinals' Busch Stadium....

Sex Or Hockey: The Eternal Debate Rages On
German national hockey player banned for two years for refusing to take a surprise doping test for several hours. He was busy, in "a private moment" with his girlfriend. Several hours? Nice work, Sting. [AP]...

USC Knows How To Pick Coaches
Trojan athletic director Mike Garrett says he'll put his hiring record up against anybody's record, provided that record doesn't include all the coaches who turned him down before he was stuck with Pete Carroll....

USC Names O'Neill As Men's Basketball Coach
USC has hired Kevin O'Neill as their new men's basketball coach. It's not the best job in sports, but it's better than working for the Grizzlies. Just keep an eye on the petty cash. [ESPN]...

Tim Floyd Sneaks Out Of USC
Tim Floyd had a nice little thing going at USC, until everyone started accusing him of being "corrupt" and "buying players." So he packed his bags and went home to Mississippi leaving that whole mess behind....

Yahoo's Righteous Crusade To Purify College Sports
Yahoo, as noted earlier, has another story out in its long-running series on the generous redistributive polices of the USC athletic department. I hate to go all Jason Whitlock here, but, well ......

USC Athletics Not Entirely Above Board
Are you sitting down for this? It seems that USC—the Trojans!—might not be the most outstanding citizens in the world of college recruiting. Set your faces to stunned....