Why Ed Orgeron should be USC's next coach

(Sorry for the quiet here on the Report. As you may have seen from Twitter, the Daily Breeze is keeping me quite busy and I couldn't be happier. 5 stories in 5 days and more to come this week with high school playoffs. But I'm back and I'm making a bold statement to boot.)

Ed Orgeron leaving Oregon State on the shoulders of his players.

As reports come out that USC spoke to Jack Del Rio about being their permanent coach, my mind keeps going back to the images I saw leaving the volleyball match I covered Saturday night.

A sea of fans flooding the Coliseum. Interim coach Ed Orgeron hugging players and USC personnel. Colleagues of mine struggling to get through the crowd and just snapping pictures of a scene I have never seen at Troy.

That USC win over Stanford was perhaps the biggest game I've seen the Coliseum host since the 2008 Ohio State-USC game. It's easily the biggest win in who knows how long and considering where the Trojans were six weeks ago, it could rank up there with the biggest in school history.

Leading it all has been Orgeron, who came back to save and restore the program he helped build with Pete Carroll, the man who almost never lost in November. At this point, Coach O is the new "Mr. November" who's riding the promise and leading this Kill Bill revenge/redemption story I wrote about over at Bro Jackson.

Andrew Wiggins: Hype and Patience

The story of college basketball this year? A kid who has yet to play his first game. The latest in the line of freshmen blessed to have the spotlight on him and given all the praise. Andrew Wiggins. The Golden Child who makes his debut tonight for Kansas.

He's also set up to be the latest in the Hype Machine. You know that machine right? Where 24/7 media can amplify the noise and shape the conversation whether it's fair or not. Where legend transcends fact and facts become enhanced like plastic surgery. Where patience is sacrificed for the right now.

I knew about Wiggins last year but you know who I knew about more? Jabari Parker. In case you forgot, Parker was the SI cover boy about 18 months ago as the clear cut best basketball player in his class. He was the latest Chicago product following the line of greats like Derrick Rose, Nick Anderson, Ronnie Fields, Ben Wilson and others.

All a sudden, he became an afterthought due to him getting hurt his senior year. But to me, he's every bit as good as Wiggins. I've also spoken to colleagues who also say Julius Randle, the best freshman in Kentucky's new stable, is just as good as both too. And don't sleep on Arizona's Aaron Gordon either, who I've seen tear up Cali since he was a sophomore. Case in point, we have a very good freshman class where Wiggins is the star.

Nick Foles and The Weekend Links

So what to make of Nick Foles? Was yesterday's performance a sign of things to come or was it the 2013 edition of Matt Flynn. You remember him. The backup with the greatest passing day in Packers history who got heavily paid and has only started one game since.

Foles ran a spread offense in Arizona so Chip Kelly's offense is perfect for his talents. He's as good a fit as Michael Vick is and that's why you have capable backups. Keep the machine going. Yet Foles perhaps did that better than anybody in basically 3 quarters of work.

Long story short, this isn't a quarterback controversy yet. Although Vick is 33 and injury prone. Foles did what he was supposed to do so the question isn't if Vick has lost his job. It's can Foles be consistent if given the same opportunity again? Til we know that answer, I'll paraphrase Mack 10 - let's give him his props and that's where it stops.

On to the links of what I've done lately.

My 2nd feature for the Daily Breeze was on Carson High School's secondary sparking the team to a 4-game (now 5-game) winning streak.

And here's my game story from Friday on West Torrance winning behind their running game. (Daily Breeze)

Your weekly Pac-12 review is sprinkled with a dose of LCD Soundsystem and a pinch of 2 Live Crew (Bro Jackson)

Optimistic? These Are Your 2013-14 Lakers (NBA Preview)

You can try the best you can

If you try the best you can

The best you can is good enough.....

Well here we are. Another NBA season. As happy as I am for various reasons (Return of D-Rose, Miami’s 3-peat bid, Dwight Howard in H-Town - yes, I want to see him do well), I’m also staring dead at a Lakers team with the lowest expectations I’ve seen in 10 years.

Steve Nash is pushing 40. Pau Gasol is still at a high level but hurting. And of course, Kobe Bryant won’t be starting the season opener for the first time in ages. And this is what the starting lineup looks like tonight.

D'Antoni confirms starters as Nash, Blake, Young, Williams and Gasol against the Clippers
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 29, 2013

Yeah, this is what they are. A decent lineup that doesn't strike much fear. It’s a reminder that this team has to prove what they are. Not just to the doubters but to the fans who want to know what the Mad Doctor Mike D’Antoni will cook up. Year 2 of his tenure scares me because he’s still the coach and unless he magically decides to commit to defense, everything’s a tossup.

That’s why I feel like Radiohead’s Kid A. Coming to a new world that looks familiar but is radically different and unpredictable. Yet, I’m trying to stay optimistic with Thom Yorke’s sad, bleak voice encouraging me.

Weekend Wrapup (Links!)

A busy weekend for me leads to good writing. I might be having another feature coming up this week so stay tuned. That might take the edge off what was a rough weekend for my teams (UCLA got boatraced after 3 tight quarters, Dallas let Calvin Johnson go off and Matt Stafford win the game in the last minute).

Here's your brief links.

Recapping Week 9 in the Pac-12 over at Bro Jackson - let the countdown begin for Oregon vs. Stanford!

I covered Mira Costa High School's big win over Peninsula HS where they ruined homecoming and surprisingly passed the ball efficiently for a being a run-oriented team. As always, check those videos on the side, shot by yours truly. (Daily Breeze)

Tomorrow, I'll be posting my thoughts on the Lakers' season. My feelings are a little more optimistic - not in a Sounds of Blackness way, but more Radiohead. Trying to make the best of a bleak situation and I'm taking a glass half full approach without being ignorant of what's around or missing.

At the same time, I have some positives to look at. It won't be a lost season but it'll be close.

Friday Wrap! (Weekend Links and Thinks)

Saw the Lakers' recent preseason game against Utah and I realized this team might actually be alright. For the first time in a while, they have youth and guys who can score on their own. If Steve Nash stays healthy, he might actually feel like he's in Phoenix again with Xavier Henry, Nick Young and Jordan Farmar splitting some backup duties with Steve Blake.
Alas, that tough opening schedule makes it also easy to realize it's going to be every bit a struggle as I thought. But I'm glad Kobe is taking his time because it's not how the season starts but how it ends.

The Grambling situation has been far too complicated for me to address here. As someone whose parents and sister went to HBCUs and personally had to overcome my anti-HBCU bias in college, I'm saddened by what the administration and the Louisiana government have done here and I'm glad the players took an eloquent stand for their rights and safety.

Check out the excellent Monday edition of His & Hers Podcast with Jemele Hill, Michael Smith and HBCU product Bomani Jones speaking on it all.

Tell me which sounds better? The Boston Red Sox saw their nine-game World Series streak ended or they lost their first game in 27 years? Which is more accurate when you add that Boston has only been in three World Series since 1986 and had completely different teams in 2004, 2007 and this year. You decide but as I always say, context is so critical and we as the media need to do better with numbers to make it sound cool AND accurate

That said, on to the links of what I've done this week.

Weekend Wrap (Pac-12 Roundup + More Links)

It was a busy sports weekend for me and while the Chargers and Cowboys handled their business, it wasn't pretty seeing my UCLA Bruins get punched in the mouth. At least USC lost to Notre Dame. Here's what I was up to.

Narbonne-San Pedro has become the most competitive high school football rivalry in the LA City Section since 2008. I covered their latest chapter, a 12-11 Narbonne win, and also contributed some postgame notes (Daily Breeze)

I also covered a lil JUCO football action at El Camino College. Tough loss for the Warriors but I ran into former Dorsey HS/USC standout Stafon Johnson, who was working with the running backs. (Daily Breeze)

My UCLA Report Card: With a nod to my tutoring roots, I graded UCLA as harsh as I possibly could because they deserved it. (UCLA 24/7)

Recapping the Pac-12 was a lot of fun this week and it just shows that there's Oregon/Stanford and everybody else. After the Top 5 teams, it's a mess. (Bro Jackson)

Also I threw in a little extra today on the first BCS poll coming out Sunday. The beginning of an American past time for the last time - hating the BCS before it goes away for the college football "playoff". (Bro Jackson)

Weekend Links!! (It's Friiiiday, Throw Your Neighborhood in the Air)

Some things for the road as we enjoy today. As usual, I'll be out on Friday Night Lights hanging at Narbonne vs. San Pedro. I've seen three absolute thrillers with both teams (twice in 08 - including the infamous tied City Final, once in 2009) so I'm excited except for the prospect of being cold out there.

Here's some last minute things to throw at you.

UCLA vs. Stanford. Biggest game for the Bruins all year and they have a much better chance of winning that I thought two weeks ago. I got your preview, breakdowns and predictions for how tomorrow will go.  (UCLA 24/7)

For the rest of the Pac-12 this weekend, visit Bro Jackson and see my preview. You might learn some things about why the conference is stronger than anybody not named the SEC.

I spread my wings a bit with the Daily Breeze this week. I covered my first water polo match and Thursday, I covered my 2nd cross country match. Check out those videos on the side cause those were shot by yours truly.

And if you missed that piece I wrote here on Steve Bartman and how we wrongfully label folks goat and chokers, here you go. Enjoy the weekend.

Steve Bartman, 10 Years Later (On "Goats" and "Chokes")

Apologies for the quiet over here. My other obligations have been keeping me busy but my mind is still racing with ideas to write about. This week has given me the chance to finally get something off my mind.

10 years ago Monday was the Steve Bartman game. Game 6 of the NLCS. I remembered it vividly because I was out on campus at school and came back to hearing folks go crazy in my dorm. Five outs from the World Series, the Cubs blew a lead and instantly all the blame went to one fan who interfered with Moises Alou.

The 2nd thing I remember is posting something on my AIM profile saying Cubs fans shouldn't blame Bartman because a bigger goat was Alex Gonzalez who promptly bobbled a routine ball that should've been a double play. Last I checked, no matter how if Bartman should've left it alone, Gonzalez' play was far more egregious. Plus, one play doesn't blow a 3-0 lead.

If anything, maybe it exposed me to how hardcore fan bases are firsthand instead of just reading about it. I always grew up a rational sports fan but seeing the irrationality of hate directed towards Bartman was terrible. Few people talked about how a Gold Glove caliber shortstop made a crucial mistake or how the Cubs lost Game 7 despite Kerry Wood on the mound or how Josh Beckett was nails in Game 5 (and in relief in Game 7) to save the Marlins from being eliminated.

Rising to the NLCS (The Dodgers and Me)

The only thing standing between the Dodgers and the World Series is the St. Louis Cardinals. The team that’s as good postseason money as anybody with 3 straight NLCS appearances.

But for some reason, I’m pretty confident this Dodgers team’s magical ride won’t end. I feel like it’s 2008 all over again when this was the first trip in 20 years. I wasn’t confident about the 2009 NLCS because I felt like Philly already had our number. This year, I’m feeling much different.

It hit me when Juan Uribe hit that home run in Game 4. I was wearing my Kershaw replica jersey that I kept on from my tutoring gig and I jumped around my living room like I jumped during the two walk-off wins at Dodger Stadium I attended this year. Once again, the excitement around this team is like nothing I’ve seen since 2008.