RANT

Do you ever have one of those days where you wake-up pissed off?

It’s 7:00Am and it’s 80+ fuckin’ degrees, too hot for coffee or breakfast for that matter. The God damn newspaper is late and last night’s dishes are lookin’ at me from the sink. The cat’s screaming “I want food, I want to go outside, pet me, pay attention to me”. At this point, I’m seriously considering going back to bed.

Ah!, but wait, fuck all the distractions. I’m pissed at Mike Garrett. Yeah, the USC AD. I can’t actually explain why this feeling overwhelmed me so early in the day. I don’t remember having a dream about him or even talking about him to anyone. I guess it’s kinda like eating a very spicy burrito. It sounds like a good idea at the time, but after digestion you’re haunted with your decision. (That’s a kind way of saying “Something stinks!”)

Everyone that knows me knows I’m an USC fan and also knows I’m realistic enough to take the points against them to win a bet. I’m not a homer. This thing with the NCAA sanctions against SC has been in my craw for awhile. Do they deserve them? Yes. Are the correct people taking responsibility? No. Look, this old adage “Shit rolls downhill” is bullshit. The word for today is ”Accountability”. If you want to fire someone to cover your ass so be it. But, when the smoke clears, don’t look at me and say “I had no idea this was taking place under my watch”. ‘Cause if you do, my thinking is, you have no idea what’s taking place on your watch!

Forcing your basketball coach to quit, trying to appease the NCAA was shameful. (Yes, I believe Tim) The “alleged” basketball violations were minor compared to those of the football program. The NCAA was always looking at USC for football violations, as they do with all repeat Championship teams. Ah!, but once they start diggin’ you’re open game. As they say in NASCAR, “If you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’”, and the NCAA knows that.

Now, before you get all uppity and want to start some kinda rebuttal based on how much you disagree with the severity of the penalties, let me just say “I really don’t give a fuck what you think about it”. I’m the kinda guy that works with the rules. If I decide to murder someone, I already know I will be paying a big price if I’m caught. So save your digital dexterity for a letter to Mom.

Do I think coach Carroll had any hint that there might be something going on with Reggie? Yep. Do I think he addressed it? Yep. Do I think he could have done more to protect the school? Maybe. If you’ve read the affidavit the NCAA presented, you’ll notice, coach Carroll was not implicated as a participate in any violation. An assistant coach is accused of being an intermediary and of having knowledge of the infractions, not coach Carroll.

Mike Garrett has taken an arrogant attitude during this whole ordeal. Check this quote out.

"I read between the lines and there was nothing but a lot of envy, and they wish they all were Trojans. As I told my staff, I said, 'You know, I feel invigorated by all this stuff ... with the penalty we got today I know we're bigger than life.' "
-- USC athletic director Mike Garrett, after the NCAA Committee on Infractions whacked the Trojans, according to the Los Angeles Times.

In my opinion, there are no sacred cows; it’s time for a change.