DIRTY Diapers said:
ND didn't have injuries??? Their top receiver has been out for weeks. ....
Was ND D without their #1 and #3 DB's? (Wright and Thomas) Was ND without their #1 DT? (Wright) Was ND without their starting LB (Sartz) His backup is Cushing who also is injured! Was ND out with their #1 nickel back in D? (Ellison) These are the injuries and players missing that were suppose to be playing! It is amazing how competitive USC D is this season with all the losses they took to player leaving for NFL or graduation. Then on top of players leaving in off season and injuries during the season. The players on USC D are made up mostly of 1st time starters!
ND also blew opportunities, like Quinn overthrowing A. Swhapp when he was wide open for the first down and he was just three feet from him, or Fassano fumbling the ball when ND could have put the game away or Stovall dropping two open passes for first downs, etc... etc... Etc
I agree. Both teams didn't play a perfect game. Both teams missed opportunities. But both teams played great overall and deserved to win. I wish both teams could play each other again this year. Sucks 1 team had to lose. USC clearly made it harder on themselves especially when you consider they were the team playing in the hostile environment. Home teams can make mistakes and get away with it. Road teams CAN'T! USC almost lost!
USC dropped 5 wide open passes. USC WR's don't have history of dropping passes. (prob. due to hostile environment) USC gave up punt return. That is 7pts but special teams are part of the game but I feel you NEVER should give up punt or kickoff returns. EVER! Then USC has 1st and 10 on ND 11 and throws INT where the ball goes up in air and ND player runs right under it. BAD play by USC and lucky break for ND! But there is a photo of that play in newspaper where it shows the ND DB ramming right into the USC WR (#2 Smith) before the ball arrived. Then Leinart throws the INT where no USC player was around. Bonehead move or player didn't get the audible. But remember, Leianrt is not 100% mentally and is playing with minor consussion. This is a fact! A QB can't make quick reads with his mind not 100% sharp. ND benefitied great with the ASU player took cheap shot against Leianrt which gave him a minor concussion. Leinart has never been the same since! But he will recover and Leinart is a champion because he is still productive even if he isn't playing his "A" game.
Lienart didn't BREAK the plain for the touchdown. He was about a yard short. That is one THING you can definitely say... I'm not sure were the ball should have been placed because I haven 't seen a clear camera view... So I just ASSUME the ref's got it right. THAT was an ILLEGAL play by BUSH... He EVEN ADDMITTED to it by saying it took all of his 210 POUNDS to push him in..........................................
On the fumble play, Leinart clearly fumbled before breaking the plain. I agree! However, if Leinart DIDN'T fumble, USC clealry would have scored a TD on that play. All I said was ND was fortunate they forced the fumble on that play because Leinart would have scored.
Don't sit there and say that Carroll continues to get screwed by instant replay. If there is blantant evidence that a wrong call has occured it will be overturned. Carroll is a puss and didn't want it because there was PAC 10 officals covering the game.
:nono: :nono: :nono:
1st q USC forced Oregon to punt. They punted and the ball hit USC player in foot and everyone jumped on the ball. Officials ruled USC ball. Then comes instant replay review. Fine. But EVERY camera angle showed NO USC and NO OREGON player with possession of the ball. YOU COULDN'T EVEN SEE THE BALL! :mj07: Officials trot out and say the ball hit USC player in foot and conclusive evidence shows Oregon recovered the ball. Pac 10 commissioner said that was wrong call! Oregon gets ball inside USC territory. Easily could have cost USC the game.
Then the next week USC plays @ASU. 1q USC driving and throws huge pass play to Bush. Bush CLEARLY caught the ball with the ball not moving in his hands. Bush's hand was underneath the ball when fell to ground. Official calls replay review, fine! Ref trots out and says conclusive evidence Bush had no possesion. Pac 10 commissioner said that was the WRONG call. USC doesn't get 1st and goal, they get ball back at 40 and get nothing on the drive.

Could easily have cost USC the game.
Both examples USC had the refs make the call USC favor, and both examples the refs overturned it. To overturn a call, there MUST be conclusive evidence.
Same game against ASU, the ASU player clearly stepped out of bounds on his own. Refs looked it over in instant replay and said USC player pushed him. Completely BOGUS! USC player was running next to him but never pushed him. ASU got 20 yard pass from it and scored TD on next couple plays. BOGUS!
Against Arkansas Dwane Jarret caught the ball, put both feet down in endzone, and then dropped the ball. Refs called it TD. After replay, they said conclusive evidence Jarret did not have possession. But remember, this was in the ENDZONE not regular field of play. There is no conclusive evidence Jarret had no possession. Another example where refs overturned call against USC.
I like to throw in UCLA as well against CAL. Another example where Pac 10 refs went into instant replay and fawked up. CAL got a TD out of it. UCLA could have lost because of instant replay.
I am now starting to have the opinion INSTANT REPLAY doesn't work. I was for it 100% for it prior to the season. But now I am starting to be against it because these Refs are BONEHEADS! I know it stops the flow of the game and I am ok with it if it means getting the right call. But if you have instant replay and still make the wrong call, than it has to go! It is BULL$HIT! USC has been screwed royally from it. That is a fact and Pac 10 has stated so! BTW instant Replay would not have come into play on Bush's push to Leinart but might have come into play on the fumble. Ball might have been placed on 1 or 2 yard line.
Again, I thought the officials call a fair game giving each team a couple of breaks. Their should have been instant replay, but who cares the game is over and USC won a squeaker. All I care about now is picking winners and the Cougars this weekend. I hope USC goes undefeated so the media can't say USC is overrated just like every other team ND has played.
From the stands it looked like officials called fair game with both teams getting bad calls against them. Although I still have yet to watch the game on TV. So I reserve my opinion. I heard USC got screwed royally with that PF when USC stopped ND on their own 10. Also been told USC DE's were being held all game by ND OL. ND might have been screwed on the PF on USC 2nd to last TD drive. There was ZERO evidence of ND PF play but some think refs called the wrong # becuase of the ZERO evidence. But I have not seen it on TV yet.
ND has great coach and is headed in right direction. I'll say it again. What I saw from Pete Carroll in year 1 is what I am seeing from ND and Weis. I came onto MJ's and said Carroll is building a DYNASTY at USC and was laughed at by everyone. I got the last laugh! I see the exact same thing happening for ND. USC and ND will be costing each other National Championships as long as Weis and Carroll are the coaches. Take it to the bank!
ND will contend for NC next season. For some reason, I cheer for ND! But if USC lost on Sat. then I might have developed a hatred for them like my Dad has. Dad still is not over the ND win streak in the 80/90's.