However, Bill Plaschke apparently hasn’t quite been intellectually sober most his whole adult life. He lives in the delusion that:

A. the world is viewed through an athletic lens.
B. the world is a happy, egalitarian, and logically moral place. (or, for him- it should be?)
C. students/Joe Public, if they are organized and want change, can alter the dynamics of entrenched powers- be it owners of teams, administrators of universities, management/personnel of sports. (peacefully and through protestations. . . .how’d that work out for UC Berkeley in the 70’s, Bill? And in Little Rock, AK in the ’50’s? want more relevance? how ‘bout Miami in the ’90’s?)
D. if anyone has moral or ethical standing, they can just walk up to the drive-thru window- order it is what they want, make changes if they so please, and get EXACTLY what they want, when they want it, whenever they want it.

Now, I’m not a TOTAL pessimist, nor am I a defeatist. To that end, as “homer” as I can be about the teams and affiliations I care most about, I’d like to think that I have a grasp of history and sense of the realities we all share together in this world.

I find it almost excruciating to have to translate the USC/NCAA situation pragmatically. (he’s way older I, and he has the benefit of year’s improving the art of his vocation)

In saying all this, of course President Sample has a ton of work to do and improve upon in addressing ’SC’s athletic problems- especially in communicating it to faculty, students, alums, fans, and the sport’s public, in general. (is THAT really news, or newsworthy?). AD Mike Garrett, as well as he’s done and as awesome as some of his more recent decisions have been with regard to hiring quality coaches across all aspects of Trojan competitive sports (Chad Kreuter, notwithstanding)- he has JUST COMPLETELY BLOWN IT REGARDING all aspects of Reggie Bush and OJ Mayo. It’s happened under his watch and while he was strutting around campus telling everyone and anyone that our largesse of championships and accomplishments was mostly because he MADE IT HAPPEN. (if you’re gonna take the credit when the going is good, you gotta wholly shoulder the blame and individually suffer the eventual consequences when things go bad. otherwise, this little emperor needs a serious inquisition).

Coach Floyd, whether he was forced out, resigned on his own, or waited it out until the final determinations of the NCAA investigation came to light- NEEDED TO GO! No two ways around it. Why bother with the why? We know why. Why bother with the how? It had to be done, regardless. Why the concern for “perception” (as it applies to USC)? The damage has been done, and the foreman of the jury for the court of public opinion has already told us- “WE THINK YOU GUYS ARE CHEATERS AND LIARS” (hmmm? but didn’t y’all already push that down our throats last decade? last millenium?) Hey people, guess what. Perception hasn’t changed, and took a serious nose-dive recently. Prognosis: NOT GOOD, recovery? (see prognosis).

Listen, I for one, am happy SOMETHING was done before determinations by the NCAA was completed. Other things must take place with the athletic and compliance departments at USC. Complete and thorough internal investigations into ALL allegations stemming from Bush and Mayo, with determinations which should minimally conclude: 1. firing those whose job responsibilities covered maintaining coach/player conduct/behavior and/or team/sport compliance of NCAA mandated rules covering recruitment and eligibility. 2. presentation of new; revised; and pertinent/relevant institutional policies covering ALL THE BASES of these recent transgressions. (if that means rewriting of student/faculty code? so be it. it would be welcome and we’d all rally behind it- I’m sure) 3. a formal setting to publicly address any and all allegations, limited explanation of internal investigations and subsequent conclusions, admissions of fault/guilt, acceptance of responsibilities, asking for patience in rectifying the wrongs and showing the demeanor of an administration still having the strength, diligence, and determination to be a better institution in the future. Contrition? That’s a word that we’ve bantered around here since the Bush scandal. Or was it the Eric Wright, Rey Muaulaga, Mark Sanchez, or Winston Justice situations? I can be forgetful sometimes, oh- right! Perception.

In closing, we fellow Trojans are none too happy with the way things have transpired- both with our ex-players and our current administration addressing these fallout issues. So I ask (you in particular Bill Plaschke and other schadenfreadean-ejaculators) “Quis, quid, ubi, quibus auxiliis, cur, quomodo, quando?” – Who, what, where, with what, why, how, when?" Shall I go over to Heritage Hall and scream, “Sic volo, sic iubeo!” – I want this, I order this. What could our fanbase have done, as it applies to coaxing the USC upper-level administrators to be forthcoming and more communicative with these issues? What can we do if we (fans/public alike) believe nothing is being done to rectify and change the player/coach/team culture in ‘SC athletics? I’m not trying to be facetious here, I honestly don’t know how fan displeasure can create administrative change, even through a highly-organized revolt against those in power? Not here. Not in L.A.

To me, where Plaschke’s at with Sample- it is just “argumentum ad hominem”. An argument against the man, rather than the subject at hand.

 Even still, with regards to perception? Men gladly believe that which they wish for. The allegations have already convicted us. The unfriendly public has great notions of everything unknown. They know absolutely everything that Louis Johnson witnessed and Lloyd Lake has said, IS THE TRUTH on the matters. I’m probably not the sharpest tool in the shed, but “Scio me nihil scire.” – I know that I know nothing. Certain knowledge cannot be obtained, it’s an impossible condition. For those growing restless and want some punishment handed down already? It will come, and as slowly as it does, let us (Trojans) at least endure, between hope for the best and fear of the worst. Ultimo ratio, no! For Fate, by an impartial law, is allotted both to the conspicuous and the obscure.

Be patient Bill, Kurt, Nestor, and the impatient ones out there. Because punishment comes limping, contrition comes slowly- BUT SURELY. Let’s all try our best not to speak against the sun. In other words, let us hope we’ll not waste our time arguing the obvious. It might be better to, if the haters and naysayers are amenable?, to discuss matters of where to go henceforth.