News

NCAA Cracking Down: It's About Time

Aug 9, 2010 - 12:30 AM

LOS ANGELES -- How refreshing to discover that the enforcement arm of the NCAA, once about as aggressive as Paul Blart the mall cop, is launching investigations of potentially dirty programs at the...

Lane Kiffin Won't Last Long at Scrubbed-Up USC

Jul 27, 2010 - 12:43 AM

LOS ANGELES -- The Bart Simpson analogy works. Or if you're older than 50, try Eddie Haskell, the smart ass from "Leave it to Beaver." As the most loathed person in football, Lane Kiffin is the sort...

Conference Swaps a Pathetic Money Grab

Jun 11, 2010 - 10:55 PM

It's the college sports equivalent of trading up for a trophy wife or moving to a haughtier zip code, the difference being that American universities are supposed to prioritize academia over...

Cost of USC Scandal: Lose Title, Heisman

Jun 10, 2010 - 9:07 PM

LOS ANGELES -- Wasn't it so amazing, so crazy? There was Will Ferrell, hanging out at practice. And Snoop Dogg, chatting up Reggie Bush on the Coliseum sideline during a game. And was Matt Leinart...

Super Bowl No Place for Tebow's Views

Jan 27, 2010 - 1:30 AM

Super Bowl Sunday is a chance for America to unite around football, parties and, better still, those ambitious and occasionally hilarious 30-second ads. This year, we'll see such creative...

Latest Lane Violation: Skip Class, Kids

Jan 13, 2010 - 8:15 PM

Why were they burning mattresses, scrawling derogatory comments on rocks, screaming "F*** you!'' and creating an angry mob scene? If anything, Tennessee folks should be thrilled that a smug,...

USC Stays in the Gutter by Hiring Kiffin

Jan 13, 2010 - 12:00 AM

A certain layer of smog always hangs over Los Angeles. But after the events of Tuesday night, a toxic cloud might hover permanently over a school that seems to have no scruples. Isn't USC dealing...

Pete Carroll Flees as Troy Burns

Jan 9, 2010 - 9:05 PM

LOS ANGELES -- You've seen Pete Carroll race down the Coliseum sideline like a lunatic, a blur in his cardinal-red jacket and silver-fox hair. Well, this time, he just kept running, through the...

How Sad Not to See the Real McCoy

Jan 8, 2010 - 1:50 AM

PASADENA, Calif. -- He thought all the scary rides were over. You know, California Scream, Tower of Terror, Indiana Jones and the others he tried at Disneyland. Colt McCoy was so petrified during one...

ESPN Must Push BCS to Adopt Playoffs

Jan 6, 2010 - 9:41 PM

PASADENA, Calif. -- The most important press conference wasn't for Texas coach Mack Brown, who just received a raise to an inane $5.1 million -- about 50 times more than your average tenured...

As Tebow Leaves in Style, Meyer Is Coming Back

Jan 2, 2010 - 1:12 AM

NEW ORLEANS - This wasn't a bowl game. It was a religious revival, an inspirational sendoff in a domed stadium that spiritually was transformed into the Temple of Tebow. You knew the scene would be...

Tressel Plays It Too Close to the (Sweater) Vest

Dec 31, 2009 - 9:30 PM

LOS ANGELES -- In a Hollywood context, it's the equivalent of carving out one of the biggest budgets in show business, only to crash every time. Ohio State playing in a major bowl game approximates...