LenDale White Doesn't Like Pat Haden Now, Either...

((HT: Larry Brown Sports))

Former USC running back LenDale White has made no secret through his very vocal Twitter feed that he is not a fan of the administration at his alma mater and some of their coaching in the past few games...

White wanted to have USC fire defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox after the near melt-down in the close win last week against Arizona (28-26).

That anger was reinforced and amplified after yesterday's incident when he was escorted out of the locker room after the 56-28 win over Colorado.
((HT: USCFootball.com))


Now, he wants AD Pat Haden fired and went on another Twitter rant...

I can't believe @ADHadenUSC kicked me out of #thecoli shook my hand then had me escorted out. I'm still at a loss for words!!!

And then, there's this (redaction from LBS)

LenDale White may now be a must-read on the Twitters just because of entries like these...

USC AD Pat Haden Fined $25K for Sideline Incident

((ht: cbssports.com))

So maybe someone will act against USC Athletic Director Pat Haden after he inexplicably showed up on the sideline of the USC/Stanford game Saturday and began arguing with the referees.

The incident was apparently prompted by his coach Steve Sarkasian who had Haden "texted" to come down to the field. Which is to say the least a bit odd.

Monday afternoon, Pac-12 Commisioner Larry Scott announced Haden (USC) will be fined $25K for the issue. Haden also "voluntarily" banned himself from the sidelines for at least 2-games.

Huh?

Anyway, all parties say this will have no impact on Haden's standing with the CFB Playoff committee nor should it. We, for now will have to buy the story given that Haden was responding to his coach's request. And the coach says he shouldn't have done it.

But it begs the question: Why would you (Sarkasian) need an AD to fight a fight that you picked and should fight yourself?

Just wondering'...

Cupcake Saturday: CFB World Flips Out Over Pat Haden on USC Sidelines

One of the few alleged controversies in Saturday's slate of crappy college football games came from the USC vs. Stanford game, a game eventually won by the Trojans 13-10.

The debate, and it is a loud one, began when Haden came down from his box at the end of the 3rd quarter.

The reason for the alleged controversy: A segment of the sportswriting public have raised the question of Haden's objectivity as a member of "College Football Playoff Committee".

To which we say: You just noticed this now?

Haden told ESPN he came down to the field after receiving a text from someone on his compliance staff stating the Trojans coach Steve Sarkasian wanted to speak to him.

Why Sarkasian had to talk to Haden late in a close game is a bit of a mystery, but that's the story.

Cameras showed Haden come down and start appear to start questioning the referees about a unsportsmanlike conduct call against the coach.

Which again begs the question, why would Sarkasian need his Athletic Director to defend his honor?

Anyway, the holier than thou voices of concern are now popping up through sportswriters who say Haden can't be neutral when in his committee role. The Playoff Committee is comprised of 13 people who will be the final voice in deciding which 4-teams make this years College Football playoff.



Haden's on-field involvement wasn't illegal. Though technically the text message is. However, per the NCAA, there's no real penalty that can be levied. Haden's appearance was just plain weird.

But the whole implication about objectivity is laughable. Very laughable. Yeah, sure the "Playoff Committee" members who have a vested interested in a potential playoff team have to recuse themselves. But anyone who believes there aren't biases brought into that room is completely ignorant.

While the whole "Committee" system isn't perfect, it's a heck of a lot better than the alleged "Computers" that decided things previously. And it's 1,000 times more effective than the idiotic sportswriters voting ever was.

We offer this final word on Haden's goofiness. Deal with it. Stop whining Sportswriters, this is the system and world we now live in. It's far from perfect, it will NEVER be perfect. But claiming an Athletic Director would be totally biased against everyone but his team because he came down to argue with refs at a game....is just plain idiotic...

Haden explains himself to ESPN:

What Is The Latest With USC's Josh Shaw, Anyway...???

((HT: MyFoxLA))

The University of Southern California is now investigating the story that senior co-captain Josh Shaw stuck by on Sunday and Monday claiming that he got his high ankle sprains from springing out a window to rescue his nephew from a possible drowning.

The school started getting phone calls that conflicted with the story Shaw has been relaying to the media.

Instead of what Shaw initially said being the only version, police are telling an additional story about someone that could be Shaw and a sticky situation with a girlfriend:

From the LA Times article from Gary Klein...

Meantime, the Los Angeles Police Department said Shaw's name came up in a report filed by officers who responded to a call about a woman heard screaming at the Orsini Apartments at 505 N. Figueroa St. on Saturday night.

Lt. Andrew Neiman, a department spokesman, said officers forced entry into one apartment but found no one inside. They then interviewed witnesses at the apartments who reported seeing a man scampering across third-floor balconies and provided a general description of the individual. Later, as officers were talking to a woman, “She responded to a description with words to the effect, 'That sounds like my boyfriend, Josh Shaw,' ” Neiman said.

Another police source said the woman added that Shaw was out to dinner with friends.

Here's Gigi Graciette on campus with sound from head coach Steve Sarkisian
Los Angeles News | FOX 11 LA KTTV

Southern Cal is treating Shaw's story as solid at present, but they are investigating on their own.

So, Sark Goes Back To USC...Perhaps...Now With Updates

And it looks like he did interview after all...

From Joe Schad and his Twitter, looks like he took the job...

But, there are others who are saying that a contract has been delivered, but not signed and sealed... (@InsideUSC gets the tip for that one...)

Sarkisian was the USC QB coach in two stints- 2001-03 and 2005-06- and was Assistant Head Coach and OC from 2007-08.

He does get the culture...

Now, the Silly Season leads itself to U-Dub...and poo-poo's the story earlier this morning on ESPN.com speculating that Vandy's James Franklin and Boise State's Chris Peterson were the USC leaders in the clubhouse.

Anyone calling Chris Petersen...??? Paging Chris Peterson. A call from Seattle on Line 2.

RealDawg247 is reporting that there is a 2PM meeting on the U-Dub campus to tell the team "something..."

Perhaps, that they can get a better head coach than the one that they're letting go...

More when we know more...

Sarkisian's not stopping presses, but USC obviously couldn't do any better. They tried. They got stoned. This is who they are now.
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) December 2, 2013

It's not apples-to-apples, but should USC fans be concerned that Lane Kiffin had a better Pac-12 winning pct than his replacement?
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) December 2, 2013

Note--Reports say interim USC coach Ed Orgeron has turned down an offer to become Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator.

Confirmed: Despite being offered more money and an Assistant HC position, Coach Ed Orgeron has sent in his resignation to #USC.
— Heather Brittany (@HeatherBrit) December 2, 2013

here's how the news is being viewed in Seattle...
((HT: KING5))

Lane Kiffin Canned As USC Head Coach--UPDATED WITH DETAILS

USC athletic director Pat Haden has seen enough of Lane Kiffin as the head coach of the Trojans.

USC athletics sent out this tweet:

Breaking news: Lane Kiffin has been relieved of his duties as USC's head football coach per AD Pat Haden.
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) September 29, 2013

 Haden broke the news to Kiffin when the charter arrived back to Los Angeles after USC was pummeled by Arizona State 62-41. The Trojans are 3-2 this season.

Kiffin's overall record in 4 seasons was 28-15. He got a lot of flack at the end of the 2012 season when he essentially fired his father, defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.

((Update--Per @InsideUSC, writer Scott Wolf of the Los Angeles Daily News, it appears the firing happened when the team plane landed early Sunday morning at LAX. He was pulled off the team bus and notified--

Pat Haden, J.K. McKay, Steve Lopes, Mark Jackson (#USC administrators) met with Lane Kiffin at LAX parking lot to dismiss him
— InsideUSC (@InsideUSC) September 29, 2013

USC announced that athletic director Pat Haden will hold a Sunday afternoon press conference where it's expected he'll announce an interim coach and the school's plans moving forward.

((UPDATE 11:45am---ESPN reports former Ole Miss coach and current USC assistant Ed Orgeron will take over the team for the rest of the 2013 season))

Haden had supported Kiffin the past few weeks when others were calling for his head.  While Southern California was off to a 3-1 start heading into Saturday nights game against Arizona State those wins were very uninspiring.

Losing to Washington State in the L.A. Coliseum 10-7 in the second week of the season was inexcusable to Trojan fans.  Barely defeating Utah State 17-14 at home drove those fans crazy.

Haden stuck with Kiffin.

Then Saturday night during USC's first road game in hostile territory the Trojans rolled over and died.



USC's defense, which was one of the nations best, gave up 612 yards of total offense to Arizona State.  To add insult to injury the Sun Devils put up 62 points on the Trojans.

At times the Trojans looked uninterested and showed no enthusiasm.  Lane Kiffin looked like he was staring into space, almost totally lost.

Haden had seen enough.  The USC brand is way too important to college football.  It's the gold standard on the west coast.

God forbid that school in the powder blue, UCLA, should over take USC in L.A.

The move was made.  Lane Kiffin is unemployed before the season ended.

Now the question is what kind of rebuilding job is at stake for USC to maintain their brand in college football and out west.

Some heavy lifting is needed.

USC fires head coach Kevin O'Neill

Kevin O'Neill (photo courtesy USC)

LOS ANGELES - Even defeating Utah couldn't save Kevin O'Neill's basketball coaching job.

University of Southern California athletic director Pat Haden apparently had had enough, firing O'Neill after going 1-14 on the road - the one victory came on a 76-59 victory at Utah on Saturday. O'Neill started this season 7-10, and assistant coach Bob Cantu will serve as head coach in the interim.

O'Neill had a 48-65 overall record in four years at USC, and went 6-26 during the 2012 campaign. USC has lost 9 of its last 13 games, including a losing streak of 5 games during that stretch.

Haden said the following in a release posted on USC's website:

"I would like to thank Kevin O'Neill for his four years of service to USC. He took over a program under difficult circumstances because of our NCAA issues and, despite that, he was able to do some good things. It was hard for me to evaluate him as a head coach until this year when he had enough players and veterans to compete.  As the season progressed, it became evident to me that we needed new leadership in our men's basketball program.  Despite a nice road win in our last game, I felt it was best to make a change now, with most of the Pac-12 season still ahead of us, in order to re-energize our team. I feel confident that Bob Cantu will capably guide our team on an interim basis while we search for a new coach."

The university reached out to O'Neill for a statement, and he said the following:

"I enjoyed my four years at USC.  It is a special place.  I enjoyed the people I worked with, the players I coached and our fans.  I thank USC for allowing me to guide their program.  I couldn't be more proud to work anywhere. I would encourage all of our recruits to honor their commitment to USC and help build the Trojan program in the right direction."

USC is coming off of several NCAA sanctions, going back to O.J. Mayo and Mike Garrett, and the Trojans are working hard to improve their image. Haden thinks Cantu will do just that.

We'll see. It's still Pac-12 basketball.

New Allegations At USC...???

((HT: MyFoxLA/KTTV))

According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, a former employee in the LA County assesor's office has been linked to possible improper benefits to former USC football player Joe McKnight and basketball player Davon Jefferson.

McKnight could have received close to $30,000 worth of benefits from Scott Schenter and some people linked to Schenter. He has a business associate named Joe Galliani and the tax documents linked to Galliani have line items listed as payments to McKnight.

McKnight was allegedly given two cars- one registered to Schenter.

McKnight was held out of the Trojans' 2009 Emerald Bowl when allegations arose about a Land Rover registered to Schenter that McKnight was driving. He never played for USC ever again...

Here's Pablo Pereira
Los Angeles Local News, Weather, and Traffic

Prosecutors have been investigating whether Schenter, a former appraiser already charged with 60 felonies in the investigation involving LA County Assessor John Noguez, is the centerpiece to the new USC allegations.

Schenter allegedly was illegally lowering property values for tax purposes before Noguez's election in two pricey neighborhoods in order to try and get high-profile donors to hook up Noguez's campaign. Schenter is also linked by others to doing the same thing in the assessor's office for the last decade totalling $170-million in reorganization.

Schenter has pleaded not guilty...
Naturally...

More when we know more...