Adena Andrews.com

I knew this day would come. But I must admit it caught me by surprise. USC, my alma matter, has been sanctioned by the NCAA citing major violations by our football and men’s basketball programs. 

We have been banned from the BCS postseason for 2 years, must give back all our wins in which Reggie Bush played including our Championship in the Orange Bowl in 2004. And we have been docked 30 athletic scholarships. 

The main reason that was cited for the harsh penalties was “lack of institutional control” 

Ouch. 

Yes, the students were wrong. And the athletic staff that knew about these infractions are just as guilty. I will always recognize this, no doubt. No one is above the law. Rules are rules. I’m not making excuses for USC. It’s despicable. Especially after I read things like, Reggie Bush received a car, didn’t list where he got it from and the university never checked! I know student-athletes who would not accept birthday cards with money in them for fear they may get in trouble. But Reggie can stunt with a new vehicle and no one asks questions? GTFOH! 

 

You can read the full  NCAA report here. 

I wanted to write this article not from a personal place and not use the term “We” when talking about the university. Afterall, no one at the university is paying at this moment (but they can if they like!). But I am awfully connected to my university and had the best college experience ever at a fantastic university I wouldn’t want to disconnect myself from it, even in its darkest hour. (Which by the way we have gone through way worse… O.J., L.A. Riots and I think there was a pending rape case every summer I came back from break also). And yes, thank you Mom and Dad for paying my way to be fun and carefree for four years in sunny LA. 

What I want to stop is the “USCheater” crap. Please don’t act like USC is the only school that has done this. This is the culture of collegiate athletics at a high level. It’s just a matter of who hides it the best and who gets caught first. Please believe this.  

Also who are all these newfound USC haters chasing us like an angry mob with their torches lit? Before today you couldn’t even spell USC. But today you are totally ethical and an expert on NCAA sanctions? C’mon son. Besides UCLA students who have a legitimate reason to hate us, because we steal their shine in the City of Angels, others are just bandwagon haters. It reminds me of people who hate on Kobe  just cause he is a winner. When your school is a breeding ground for the NFL and you maintain power in your conference, they all want to hate. It’s lonely at the top. If I had a dollar for every time some yelled at me while wearing a USC shirt, I could probably have purchased Reggie Bush’s plane ticket that he was sanctioned for.     

A man at a restaurant once overheard me say I went to USC and he decided to yell “USC can suck my dick!” while my mom and I ate. Stay classy SEC fans! 

 And today I decided to go on a “Why USC is Great!” rant on Twitter, and folks told me to be quiet and stop being defensive. Why is it that you have a problem with me preaching great things about my university? I’m just bringing a little light to the darkness. I’d do this even if USC wasn’t sanctioned. It’s just part of my Cardinal and Gold makeup.

 Call me brainwashed, call me the black kid who went to the “majority, white and non-traditional party school”, or an alum of the University of Spoiled Children… YAWN… it all bores me. Work on your originality and get back to me.

Fight On!