Southern Cali Sports

Pete Carroll said yesterday that he would probably wait until Friday or Saturday to make a decision on who will start at quarterback for the USC Trojans this Saturday against Notre Dame.

Based on what I saw this last week from Mark Sanchez against Arizona, I think you start John David Booty.

I, like all USC Football fans, wanted to see what Mark Sanchez had and based on Saturday’s performance I would venture to say that Mark Sanchez is what John David Booty is and they’re both what the USC football team has become - ordinary.

Contrary to all the hype that both Sanchez and Booty have received neither of these quarterbacks is “special” and everything I’ve heard from the USC coaching staff leads me to believe that they don’t think and they’re not confident about turning the football over to Mark Sanchez.

John David Booty hasn’t performed particularly well this season and the fact that he’s a senior and that the USC coaching staff has been reluctant to hand over the reigns to Sophomore QB Mark Sanchez tells me something about Sanchez… it tells me he’s not the future at QB for the USC Trojans or at the very least it tells me that he’s not ready right now (his 3rd year with the program)…

What else are we supposed to think when we all know that the USC offensive line is decimated with injuries and Mark Sanchez is the more mobile QB?

Booty is an ordinary QB but unfortunately that’s what the Trojans need right now… the Trojans need someone to manage the game for them. They need someone to get the ball to the explosive players they have on offense - Joe McKnight, Stafon Johnson and Fred Davis.

What does it tell you about the USC football team when one of the most explosive players on offense is a tight end (Fred Davis)?

John David Booty or Mark Sanchez?

I don’t think it matters…

Stick someone in there who’s not going to turn the ball over, who can manage the game and who can get the ball to the explosive players on offense.

And Pete Carroll, don’t be afraid to bench an ineffective QB because neither of these guys is worth losing a game over.

Apparently Kobe Bryant has cleaned out his locker amidst rumors that he is about to be traded…

According to Phil Jackson in an interview with reporters today Kobe had only “partially” cleaned out his locker…

When asked if Kobe Bryant had played his last game as a Los Angeles Laker, Jackson replied by answering:

“I can’t answer that, nobody can answer that… can you answer that?”

Speculation has it that the Dallas Mavericks and Chicago Bulls are the biggest players in the Kobe stakes right now…

Stay tuned… I have a feeling this drama is just getting started.

Today the Los Angeles Kings decided to demote the best goalie on their roster…

Apparently management decided that giving up 16 goals in 4 games isn’t good for the psyche of an up and coming 19 year old goalie…

Listen I get that you don’t want to ruin the career of a 19 year old phenom before it even gets going but the thing that gets me is that Jonathan Bernier is the best goalie on this team.

What the Los Angeles Kings are saying is that this team isn’t good enough to protect this goalie… this team isn’t good enough to clear the puck out of it’s own zone… this team is not good enough to prevent breakaways… and basically this team isn’t good enough to compete this season.

Jonathan Bernier is the future of the Los Angeles Kings and apparently that future isn’t now…

As beloved as Bill Stoneman is as the Los Angeles Angels GM, I think this is the right move for Arte Moreno and the Angels…

The Angels haven’t been back to the World Series since 2002 and quite frankly, they haven’t been able to beat anyone in the playoffs other then the New York Yankees…

It’s time for a change and all Arte Moreno is saying is that expectations are high and that he expects the Angels to compete for the World Series every year and not just squeak into the playoffs.

As a fan, you have to love that.

Let’s hope the new GM is able to bring the kind of bat to Los Angeles that will give Vladimir Guerrero the kind of protection he needs in the lineup and take this team back to the World Series.

What say you?

Will Stoneman’s replacement do a better job as GM of the LA Angels?

Prior to their game against FC Dallas (last Thursday) I was thinking that the Chivas USA was, in their 3rd season, on their way to becoming the same dominant franchise in MLS that their sister club, the Chivas of the Mexican Soccer League is.

That game against FC Dallas may have been the turning point of the season for Chivas USA…

That’s the game Ante Razov sprained a knee ligament and now he’s out for 4-6 weeks.

Now Chivas USA is faced with the prospect of starting John Cunliffe or Laurent Marlin alongside Maykel Galindo at the other forward position.

Obviously you can’t replace Ante Razov but Cunliffe and Marlin are a steep drop off in talent.

Don’t expect Galindo to perform the way he has been (throughout the season) now that Ante Razov is out of the lineup either.

A lot of the break away opportunities that Galindo has taken advantage of this season were created by Razov and the attention he demands when he has the ball.

You can kiss that space good bye now for Maykel Galindo…

He will now be the primary focus of the defense and he won’t get the same chances to utilize his breakaway speed.

I imagine the majority of the playing time (Ante Razov’s forward spot) will go to John Cunliffe who was this years 1st round selection in the SuperDraft (7th pick).

It’s time too find out if John Cunliffe can be a good alternative for Coach Preki and Chivas USA at the forward spot…

With Galindo and Razov you have arguably two of the best forwards in MLS and if Chivas USA wants to be a consistent competitor for the MLS championship then they’re going to need a good, quality backup forward.

It’s time to find out if John Cunliffe is that guy.

The right time to bench John David Booty was at halftime against Stanford when Pete Carroll discovered he had a broken finger (or at least after the 2nd pick; but c’mon 4 and he’s still playin’!)…

4 interceptions in the second half and Pete Carroll couldn’t pull the trigger on a Quarterback that was ineffective and injured?

Pete Carroll needs a little more Steve Spurrier in him if you ask me.

You have one of the most touted quarterbacks in the country sitting on the bench in Mark Sanchez and you don’t get the hint that John David booty isn’t right after 1-2-3-4 interceptions? Why not give Sanchez a shot?

Booty should’ve been on the bench after the 2nd pick… nothing personal but you’re hurt kid and we need to put this team in the best position to win.

Personally, I’m very interested in seeing what the highly touted Mark Sanchez can do against Arizona…

This USC football team needs a spark and what better position then at Quarterback.

If you’re Mark Sanchez this is the opportunity of a lifetime because I would say John David Booty stock is at an all time low right now…

Jerry Buss says he hasn’t ruled out trading Kobe Bryant…

Says “he isn’t off the table.”

I think the Los Angeles Lakers have just thrown in the towel!

This entire season is a going to be a complete throw away!

I think the Lakers have decided that Kobe Bryant is going to opt out after next year and they’re basically going to trot him out and audition him all year.

Ol Doc Bus has come out of the wood-works and he’s going to try and get as much as he can for Kobe Bryant…

You’re not going to get equal value for Kobe Bryant but if you let all the teams know that there’s a chance they can have a Kobe Bryant don’t you think they’ll at least put together an offer for you?

How else can you explain Jerry Buss coming out and saying that Kobe’s “not off the table?”

No it wasn’t formally announced anywhere but if you ask me, both Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne will be coming back this season…

Last night the Ducks hung up their banner for the 2007 NHL Stanley Cup Championship and in listening to how Selanne and Niedermayer responded to questions regarding  retirement… I get the feelings that these guys are coming back.

I get the feeling that these are a couple of older guys  that aren’t terribly motivated to go through an entire NHL season again but will be plenty motivated to play a few months down the road.

Let’s face it the Hockey season is long as hell! It just started in October and it won’t end until friggin’ June so you’re looking at 9 months!

Hell I’d want to take a few months off also and I think Niedermayer and Selanne have both earned that.

Clemens does it in Baseball. Shaq does it in Basketball.

And after this year, Selanne and Niedermayer will have done it in Hockey.

Extend their careers by playing shorter seasons as their careers come to a close…

See you in what, January guys?

What say you?

The Los Angeles Angels ended their 2007 baseball season with Reggie Willits hitting in the cleanup spot…

The Los Angeles Angels trotted out a small-ball-baseball lineup capable of typically scoring 2 or 3 runs a night and they ran into a buzz saw that held them to 3 runs in the American League Division series…

You can’t trot your small ball lineup out against the likes of the Boston Red Sox who are charging towards their 2nd World Series Ring this century…

Curt Schilling pitched 7 innings of shut out baseball (to send the Angels home for the season) and many saw it coming since he’s basically been a post-season pitcher his entire career and the scary thing is that Josh Beckett looks even better then him!

The Boston Red Sox have set the standard…

2 or 3 big bats in the lineup and 2 or 3 pitchers that would probably be aces on any other team in the major leagues…

Like it or not, this is who you’re competing with for baseball dominance.

The only team in the American League playoffs the Angels might’ve beaten is the New York Yankees and they’re lucky they didn’t get swept themselves yesterday and they may be going home after today.

Anyway you look at it, the New York Yankees will NOT beat the Cleveland Indians…

Where am I going with all of this?

The LA Angels need to make some changes…

Vlad Guerrero needs some protection in the lineup and the likes of Garret Anderson, Juan Rivera or anyone else on the Angels roster is not likely to provide it. Don’t choke on your Kool-Aid if you think Gary Matthews is the answer.

Let’s face it, the LA Angels are a good team but they’re not a great team and next year the Angels need to add a bat.

Enough with the friggin’ small ball!

Yahoo Sports

This whole feud between Anaheim Ducks GM Brian Burke and Edmonton Oilers GM Kevin Lowe just will not go away…

The question at stake is basically:

Can you justify taking a second year, unproven player from a salary of $400K to $4.25 Million?

I think in Kevin Lowe’s situation you can. Let me explain.

When you’ve whiffed on the other major free agents of that off season and your team is expecting you to bring in some offensive fire power then yeah I can see him taking that gamble.

And please Lowe doesn’t need anybody telling him that he’s taking a gamble on Penner.

But that’s also what backers of Burke are overseeing… what if Dustin Penner can continue his offensive production?

Lowe’s a genius right?

Credit Kevin Lowe for having the balls to pay Dustin Penner $4.25 million a year… he obviously thinks he’s worth it.

And it’ll be his ass if he’s not!

But please no more whining from Brian Burke…

You didn’t have the money to match the offer and someone slipped a player out from underneath you. Happens sometimes in business, you know.

But be a grown up a bout will you, Burke?

Lowe will have to take his medicine or be proclaimed a genius soon enough…