I guess the Trojans will self-claim another national championship because Sports Illustrated claimed them winners after defeating Oklahoma in the ultimate playoff championship game. See the link at: (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/ncaa/12/13/ultimateplayoff.champion/index.html Thank goodness there was a year or 2 between their other 3 national championships or they would be claiming 4 or 5 in a row!
Tell me please, just what did USC have to do with the whole silly thing? See how easy it is for the media to fire up a mythical rivalry?
About as much as any MNC in the history of college football has done. Sat around while waiting for the votes to come in.
1. Random USC player looking at the Rose Bowl Champions trophy immediately after winning the game in 2003 when LSU was BCS champ: "See it say right here, Na- - , uh Natio - - - [looking on the trophy inscription] . . . uh, see it says "Champions" right here [third word on line reading "Rose Bowl Champions."} 2. Matt Lienert, in 2005, the year Texas won the BCS title by beating USC: "We were the best team in the country last year." A statement he repeated often. Also, by many "we are a dynasty. . . . . we are the best team in the history of college football." (off of ONE crystal ball). 3. 2006, last year, USC player: "We really were the National Champions, on the field, if you don't look at that UCLA game." 4. Pete Carrol, this year, 2007. "[Now that we are healthy (as if other schools went injury-free, see Oregon, LSU, OU, et al)] We believe we are the best team in the country right now and I would like our chances of winning the title." So please, do not say USC is an innocent bystander that is merely the victim of some "drive-by championships."
I guess you missed the part in the OP's post about it being a simulated 16 team playoff, hence my comments about USC's lack of responsibility in the outcome. On point 2, if Matt Leinart proclaimed in 2005 that USC was the best team the previous year, he was correct. That would have been 2004. We went undefeated and capped Oklahoma in the NC game. Now if you're referring to his post game comments in 2006, what he said was the best team did not win. I can understand people taking issue with that and also understand how emotion can be king when you've just left your heart on the field and lost the NC game. I don't suppose you've ever said anything regrettable? "Many" claim a dynasty? What many? I saw and read the media using that term but very few USC fans made that claim. And now of course, you can find just as many headlines proclaiming the dynasty over so big deal. Do players make some silly comments? Sure. Does that make them a deserving target of hate? You decide. Nothing wrong with PC's comments. Nothing. We were beset with injuries early and in key positions, most notably on the OLine. Starting Center, Corner, Will LB were all out by the first game. 2 more starting Olineman out and on the same play up in Washington. JDB with a broken finger during the loss to Furd and then out for 2 more games including the one we lost to Oregon when Dixon was still healthy. 2nd RB out with broken foot for 3 games mid season and 3rd RB out before the season started. Injuries were a huge factor for USC this season. Do you have the link for PC's comments? I saw him during the BCS Bowl selection show and recall something similar but I don't remember him saying, "we believe we are the best team in the country".
