This post is sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our discussion this past week in regards to what it means to be a part of the Trojan Family. And of course, we'd also like to thank EA Sports for sponsoring the series. Before we conclude the series, here'a s word from our sponsor.

When you go to a particular school or grow up around college football, you are more than just a fan. It's who you are. We thought we could leverage this pride in your roots and show that "where you come from" is more than just a statement about geography. By positioning NCAA Football 11 as a game that understands this pride and is authentic to these traditions, the takeaway should be that anything that is in college football is in NCAA Football 11.

And this doesn't just include game play (though that's a huge part of it). It's rivals and mascots; it's legends and stories. It's those things that are at the very fabric of the game itself. Of course the game is great this year as well. With authentic entrances, mascots and specific offenses for each team, the term "where I come from" takes on a much larger meaning. While playing NCAA Football 11 is ultimately a great sports sim, it should also give you a sense of the pride and emotion one has for being a fan of a team they will never not be a part of.

EA Sports NCAA Football 2011 is now available for purchase in retail stores across the country and online, and if you're as big of a college football video game fan as me, I'm sure you already have the game. 

This is the final post in a week-long series of posts sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011.

Well this is it. We've spent that past week discussing what it means to be a part of the Trojan Family, as well as all the memories we've all witnessed as fans of USC. Today, however, we'll stop all the reminiscing, and instead, take a quick peak at the upcoming 2010 season, which contrary to the folks across town, is still expected to take place.

Overview

It's no small secret that much of the talk surrounding USC these days has centered around the NCAA sanctions, the misdeeds of Reggie Bush, and the ineptitude of Paul Dee. In turn, the coming season should breath new life into a program that has been surrounded by a whirlwind of negativity, especially on the national level, in recent weeks. For many of us, it will be nice to see the focus shift from the compliance office to the grooming of young up and coming talents such as QB Matt Barkley and DE Nick Perry under the new regime in town. While the team will be ineligible to play in a bowl game in 2010, many coaches, players, and fans, alike are all hoping to see the group secure another Pac-10 Championship, own the Rose Bowl (beating UCLA), and possibly even earn a top 5 ranking in the Associated Press poll however unlikely in may seem. It should certainly be an exciting season, regardless of the sanctions, as year one of the Kiffin era kicks off.

But in case you forgot, 2010 is also a pivotal season in Troy for other reasons. For starters, 2009 did not go as plan, as 'SC finished with a 9-4 mark, their worst season under Pete Carroll since 2001. Even prior to the sanctions and the departure of Carroll to the NFL, many had hinted at the possibility that USC's run atop the Pac-10 was coming to a screeching halt. I've always felt that such notions were a tad bit excessive, for remember, the 2009 bunch faced an incredibly challenging road schedule (at Ohio State, at Cal, at Notre Dame, and at Oregon), started a freshman quarterback, and was replacing arguably the best linebacking core in school history. Maybe, 9 wins wasn't so bad after all. But regardless, the program needs to make it clear that it's headed in the right direction, and a statement season in 2010 amidst a 4-year probation, would do just that.

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This post is sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011.

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This post is sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011.

This is not the easiest of topic to write about. There have been so many great Trojan players that when compiling any list you are bound to leave someone off. Some of the players listed will be obvious...their place in firmly cemented in the Trojan Lore. Others may be obscure to some and will be for sentimental reasons, reminding me of the days that I went to games with my dad.

So here they are...in no particular order.

Anthony Davis - While we all know Davis' talents on the football field he was also just as talented on the baseball diamond. Davis played outfield on USC’s 1973 and 1974 College World Series champion baseball teams. Davis hit .273 with 6 home runs, 45 RBIs and 13 stolen bases for the Trojan’s 1974 National Championship Baseball team...and he did it with wood bats!

Pat Haden - Probably the best known QB in all of of SC's history. Rhodes Scholar, JD and successful businessman. Haden has continued to represent USC in the highest possible manner even as a commentator for Notre Dame football on NBC. Haden is so well respected that he has been rumored to possibly be the next AD at USC when current AD Mike Garrett departs.

O.J. Simpson - No list is complete without O.J. Simpson. His personal life and despicable crimes aside, O.J. will always be a respected athlete in the eyes of many Trojans. His performance in the 1967 UCLA game is one for the ages. His 64 yard touchdown run in the 4th quarter tied the game, with the PAT the margin of victory. This was the biggest play in what is regarded as one of the greatest football games of the 20th century.

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This post is sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011.

Luckily, as the years progressed and the team started winning, we made a habbit of getting down to campus early and partaking in a variety of tailgating experiences. Sometimes, we'd keep it simple by heading over to The Pantry downtown or La Barca over on Vermont. Either way, a plate full of pancakes or an enormous burrito would certainly satisfy any pre-game hunger. The Galen Center over by Heritage Hall, the athlete's dining hall, was also a common destination due to the number of T.V.s it had. Hey, we always had to keep tabs on how the rest of the Pac-10 was doing. Could't miss the beat-down said team was putting on the Bruins. 

Over the last few years, however, we started making a habit of befriending some fellow 'SC fans (it was about time) and tailgating just outside the peristyle end of the Coliseum near the Sports Arena. The spread didn't consist of much more than burgers, dogs, cokes, and beer. With our new tailgating group, we made frequent trips to the Rose Bowl for games against UCLA and for New Year's Day. In 2007, we made the trip to South Bend for the Notre Dame game for I was considering becoming a Domer at that point in time.

Looking back on my past tailgating experiences, excluding my first year at 'SC which I won't get into, nothing too extra special really happened. In general, tailgating was pretty nondescript for my family. We ate food in a small group, watched some of the other games, and talked football. But that's what makes tailgating special. It isn't the quantity or quality of food. The number of people. The number of drinks you have. Whether the game is against a top-25 team or not. It's about spending time with friends and family, eating, talking football, and throwing the 'ol pigskin around outside the stadium. That's what important. And growing up, I certainly had all of that.

What are your tailgating stories?

This post is sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011.

It would be easy to point to the 2003-2005 USC teams as the greatest ever. With all of the talent, all of the expectation and all of the hype it is an easy choice. It is also the freshest in our memories. Regardless of the controversy no surrounding that era it is hard to argue just how great those years were. 

But that "Team" wasn't the best...

Eight years ago, ESPN's Page 2 ranked the 1972 USC Trojans as the second best colleg e football team of all-time, just behind Nebraska's 1971 Cornhuskers. Here is what they said...

USC, coached by John McKay, finished the season 12-0 after blowing out Ohio State 42-17 in the Rose Bowl. In the process, the Trojans became the first team to be named No. 1 on every ballot of both the coaches and media polls. Keith Jackson, who's forgotten more about college football than we'll ever know, said the '72 Trojans were the best ever. He might be right, but we're giving Nebraska just a slight edge.

Hard not to argue that 'SC was blistering that year. Of course, this was written before USC's "Leave No Doubt Tour" of 2004, but we know Keith Jackson is right!

There is no question that Nebraska was right there during this era, they were dominant as well but '72 USC team was arguably the greatest college football team ever, so we will simply leave that as a toss up and to be discussed for another day.

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This post is sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011.

I am a true fan...not an alum of USC. I couldn't possibly understand the rigors of getting in and going through the tough academic standards that makes USC such a prestigious university as it has become.

The only reason I root for SC is my dad.

He is a man who accepted me into his life when he married my mom.

He is a man who I could never pay enough tribute to.

He is a man who through out the years has shown patience with me when I've made bone-headed moves but who has been one of my staunchest supporters. He taught me to be patient and to try and not get emotional.

We've always spoken a couple times a week and no matter what we talk about we always end up talking about SC and that continues today.

Even though my immediate as well as my extended family is divided with both USC and UCLA alums, I have never wavered...USC was and is my team. Rooting UCLA was never an option...

We've all got stories about our dads and sports. Each one holds something special for each of us who share our stories.  No matter what allegiances we choose as we start our own lives we will always hold our childhood teams and experiences in a special place.  Pro teams come and go but because of my dad 'SC will always be #1 to me.

My dad went to 'SC and played baseball under Rod Dedeaux. I remember all of his stories about playing in the CWS. I grew up going to 'SC football games and I saw some doozies.  'SC v. ND in 74'- Anthony Davis goes crazy in the 2nd half in the game dubbed "That California Earthquake".

John McKay was my hero. As he walked the sideline I always wondered what it would be like to play a game on the field the storied Coliseum. The games in my head were always against ND or UCLA with me always throwing or scoring the winning TD.

I was there in 75' when Coach Vermeil beat Coach McKay in his last regular season game before going to the pros. They were many great games against UCLA, some coming down to the final seconds.

Coach Robinson came in, the first time, and did a decent job of holding to the high 'SC standard of winning.

Then there were the lean years of Tollner, Robinson-2nd time around, Smith and Hackett. The 11 straight years of losses to ND and Lou Holtz and the 8 straight losses to UCLA for which 'SC has now turned the tables.  

During the time that I was growing up in LA there were many teams to root for. Outside of 'SC for me there was the Dodgers. Vin Scully's voice will always be my favorite. Once the Dodgers started trading the players that I identified with I then began to lose interest. Once the O'Malley's sold the team all interest was lost.

I have never felt that way about USC!

I have lived in Chicago, San Diego, D.C. and now NYC. With each city that I have lived I have followed the local teams that caught my interest. In Chicago it was the Cubs, in S.D. it was the Padres, in DC it was the 'Skins and 'Terps hoops and of course my sentimental favorite Navy. Here in NYC my wife's family are Jets and Yankees fans so I root for them for the sake of peace.

Regardless of that fair-whether fandom, USC is always the team I root for first an foremost...it is automatic!

No matter where I am in the world or where I am in life USC will always be the first team I think of when it comes to sports!

This is the first of a week-long series of posts sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011. 

An old literary critic and Yale professor Richard Gilman once told of group of his students that "Being a sports fan is a complex matter, in part irrational but not unworthy a relief from the seriousness of the real world."

The more I grow older, by older I mean almost 20 (I'm now shaving), the more Gilman's remarks make sense. When we finally stop complaining about another loss to one of the Oregon schools or celebrating New Year's on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, we can sit back, take emotion out of the equation, and come to the realization that sports is really inconsequential in the big picture. But that's why it's also so important.

When it comes down to it, sports is simply a form of entertainment. It's a diversion. It's something we do for "fun." We watch sports with family, friends, old college buddies, the colleagues at work who you've never even spoken to before, or random fellows who just happen to sit right next to you at the 90. If Matt Barkley just throws a touchdown pass, that random stranger decked out in cardinal and gold is your best friend. And isn't it fun, really?

At the end of the day, sports have little bearing on how we go about living our lives. The fact that Pete Carroll has left for the Seahawks will not change your job status, your family life, or the personal satisfaction you get out of waking up each morning.

All of this fandom stuff is really supposed to be an enjoyable process when it's all said and done. It's not like filling out a tax return. It's a pause, a break from the things we have to do before heading off to bead.

Growing up in the northern Los Angeles suburb of Burbank, I realized this. As a kid with demanding parents who pushed me to perform well in the classroom, dedicate a significant part of after-school time on the field or on the court playing sports (unfortunately, I think I peeked at t-ball), and striving to achieve a lofty set of goals, following the USC Trojans was my escape.

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