OT: Other LA Sports: LA Galaxy, Dodgers, Lakers, Clippers, Rams, Chargers, Angels. USC, UCLA etc

[KINGS17]

Yeah but USC does, and USC and UCLA were a package deal from what I gather.

I personally don’t see any value in any more PAC-12 schools. SC was the crown jewel.

UCLA will be a Purdue caliber program on the Big Ten.

...and it is arguable regarding how big a deal USC really is in the B1G. I think they are going to be Wisconsin-esque.

It's going to be interesting to see how favorable the B1G tries to make their schedule when they start playing in the B1G conference.

 

[Schrute farms]

i know football is king, but UCLA adds a TON outside of the football world sports wise.....moreso than USC. Not to mention academically. Even ignoring that, have two schools in one spot helps in team travel (outside of football). For example, basketball teams travel for two game each week. It also greatly helps B1G recruiting the west coast -- which SEC is taken over the past 10 years.

Football wise, the Purdue comparison for UCLA is spot on. They should be higher (like Mich State or more), but the UCLA admin just does not care about football.

USC i can see being Wisc level. Maybe Michigan or Penn State. Outside of Petey, the USC program just has not been elite since the first John Robinson era. TBD is Riley can recapture that.

 

[Herby]

I think SC can be on par with Michigan in the Big Ten. Wisconsin just has a ceiling they have never been able to break through and SC will be capable of winning the Big Ten any given year . Wisconsin doesn't have very much in-state talent and the closest area with decent talent (Chicagoland) is dominated by the Midwest’s big 3 of Notre Dame, OSU and Michigan. They do a great job getting corn-fed midwest lineman and lower rated skilled guys from Florida and Texas that fit their system, but SC can be so much more.

They don't know what they are going to do with the scheduling, but they are going to eliminate the divisions. If they really wanted to prop up SC they would have kept the divisions and put SC and UCLA in the west which would have put SC in the Big 10 title game most years. They didn't bring in SC and get that huge TV contract for SC vs. Rutgers or SC vs. Northwestern. SC playing at the Big House or Ohio State playing at the Coliseum are going to be the games of the week every time they happen.

Biggest concern I think for SC is the travel, in both the NFL and NCAA when west coast teams travel east the results have not been very good. Also the fact that CA produces very few quality offensive lineman, SC is going to be exposed if they can't recruit more quality players on the offensive and defensive lines. But I think Riley is a good coach.

People mention the weather, but I think it's overblown. Places like Madison and Ann Arbor are some of the most beautiful places in the country in September and October. November gets a bit more dicey, but SC/UCLA will probably be scheduled vs each other in the finale every year, so that leaves only a couple of November dates, and most November weekends in the midwest aren't going to result in snow.

It will be an adjustment though, going from the Pac-12 to the Big 10 is going to result in a significantly more difficult schedule yearly for SC. But still, it's SC they will be fine.

 

[cyclones22]

UCLA speaks for itself in every other sport, but has gone through a stretch of bad football coaching hires and equally poor Athletic Directors. That's what happens to most programs from time to time. That being said, historically UCLA is the top 20 football program that's not fiction that's fact. They're also in the top 20 college programs in producing NFL players all time. Who UCLA replaces Chip Kelly with prior to joining the B1G officially is going to go a long way in determining how competitive they are in the conference.

 

[kingsholygrail]

I think SC can be on par with Michigan in the Big Ten. Wisconsin just has a ceiling they have never been able to break through and SC will be capable of winning the Big Ten any given year . Wisconsin doesn't have very much in-state talent and the closest area with decent talent (Chicagoland) is dominated by the Midwest’s big 3 of Notre Dame, OSU and Michigan. They do a great job getting corn-fed midwest lineman and lower rated skilled guys from Florida and Texas that fit their system, but SC can be so much more.

They don't know what they are going to do with the scheduling, but they are going to eliminate the divisions. If they really wanted to prop up SC they would have kept the divisions and put SC and UCLA in the west which would have put SC in the Big 10 title game most years. They didn't bring in SC and get that huge TV contract for SC vs. Rutgers or SC vs. Northwestern. SC playing at the Big House or Ohio State playing at the Coliseum are going to be the games of the week every time they happen.

Biggest concern I think for SC is the travel, in both the NFL and NCAA when west coast teams travel east the results have not been very good. Also the fact that CA produces very few quality offensive lineman, SC is going to be exposed if they can't recruit more quality players on the offensive and defensive lines. But I think Riley is a good coach.

People mention the weather, but I think it's overblown. Places like Madison and Ann Arbor are some of the most beautiful places in the country in September and October. November gets a bit more dicey, but SC/UCLA will probably be scheduled vs each other in the finale every year, so that leaves only a couple of November dates, and most November weekends in the midwest aren't going to result in snow.

It will be an adjustment though, going from the Pac-12 to the Big 10 is going to result in a significantly more difficult schedule yearly for SC. But still, it's SC they will be fine.

I won't miss SC blowing the Stanford game every year.

 

[kingsfan28]

Not up on my pac 10 news, why did USC and UCLA leave again?

 

[Rick Knickleback]

Not up on my pac 10 news, why did USC and UCLA leave again?

The first bit of Pac 10 news would be that it's been the Pac 12 for 10 years.

As for your question, there's really three answers:

1) Money

2) "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

3) The PAC 12 has done a terrible job at marketing itself and remaining competitive in the BCS era, as anyone who's tried to find the Pac 12 network can tell you. UCLA and USC are flagship universities with all time athletic programs and access to the 2nd largest media market in the country. They got poached by the Big 10, a conference who is clearly doubling down on its attempt to challenge SEC hegemony in the nascent Name, Image, and Likeness era.

I actually think UCLA and USC will finish atop the Pac 12 south this year in football and either one will beat Oregon or Washington for the title. It would be ironic if that happened (maybe sadly or cruelly or hilariously so, depending on one's perspective).

 

[kingsfan28]

The first bit of Pac 10 news would be that it's been the Pac 12 for 10 years.

As for your question, there's really three answers:

1) Money

2) "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

3) The PAC 12 has done a terrible job at marketing itself and remaining competitive in the BCS era, as anyone who's tried to find the Pac 12 network can tell you. UCLA and USC are flagship universities with all time athletic programs and access to the 2nd largest media market in the country. They got poached by the Big 10, a conference who is clearly doubling down on its attempt to challenge SEC hegemony in the nascent Name, Image, and Likeness era.

I actually think UCLA and USC will finish atop the Pac 12 south this year in football and either one will beat Oregon or Washington for the title. It would be ironic if that happened (maybe sadly or cruelly or hilariously so, depending on one's perspective).

So the days of watching both teams weekly on ABC/or KCAL9 are done? Shows how long its been since I've followed those two.

 

[Reaper45]

I long for the days of a competitive UCLA program again.

 

[Lt Dan]

I long for the days of a competitive UCLA program again.

The Bruins haven't been good since the days of Bob Toledo. They were especially awesome when Toledo had Borges.
It's been crap since. There have been moments but nothing sustained

 

[Reaper45]

The Bruins haven't been good since the days of Bob Toledo. They were especially awesome when Toledo had Borges.
It's been crap since. There have been moments but nothing sustained

Give me a decent QB for once. An Aikman clone would be a godsend but I’d settle for a modern day Cade McNown.

 

[cyclones22]

Give me a decent QB for once. An Aikman clone would be a godsend but I’d settle for a modern day Cade McNown.

What have you got against Patrick Cowan and Kevin Prince quality QBs?!

 

[KINGS17]

Give me a decent QB for once. An Aikman clone would be a godsend but I’d settle for a modern day Cade McNown.

First you have to change the demographics of the Pacific coast states (not enough good HS linemen on the west coast), and then you have to get university presidents who give a damn about college football.

 

[KINGS17]

Also, outside of the "Cheaty Petey" era, USC has been not so great. I think they will struggle in the B1G more than some might suspect.

 

[Herby]

Also, outside of the "Cheaty Petey" era, USC has been not so great. I think they will struggle in the B1G more than some might suspect.

Did you see what Mike Leach said about the Pac12? That they can compete with other conferences with athletes but are just so far behind in the trenches.

One of my good friends dads is a HS coach in SoCal and he says the popularity of basketball in CA is to blame for that. He says you can turn a good athlete who played basketball into a WR or DB very easily but you just can’t do it along the lines.

I still have faith in SC long term, but it can’t be denied the caliber of competition is going to ramp up significantly basically overnight. If SC struggles to win at Utah and Stanford (which has been the case the last little while) what is it going to be like traveling across the country to play in more hostile environments with better players.

 

[KINGS17]

Did you see what Mike Leach said about the Pac12? That they can compete with other conferences with athletes but are just so far behind in the trenches.

One of my good friends dads is a HS coach in SoCal and he says the popularity of basketball in CA is to blame for that. He says you can turn a good athlete who played basketball into a WR or DB very easily but you just can’t do it along the lines.

I still have faith in SC long term, but it can’t be denied the caliber of competition is going to ramp up significantly basically overnight. If SC struggles to win at Utah and Stanford (which has been the case the last little while) what is it going to be like traveling across the country to play in more hostile environments with better players.

I didn't see what Leach said, but it is quite obvious that there is a dearth of talented HS linemen on the west coast. USC is going to have to work hard to recruit linemen out of places like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio. I doubt they will make an immediate dent in that area as it takes time to develop linemen. When it comes to the skill positions USC still gets some good ones, but the top four or five schools in the B1G have just as many talented players, or better, at the skill positions.

 

[KINGS17]

So, the Rams crapped the bed just like the Kings did in their first regular season game after winning a championship.

 

[Herby]

The Rams have weapons issues beyond Kupp. Allen Robinson was running in cement all last year in Chicago. (PFF #66 WR). Rarely do sports contracts shock me, but him getting 3/$45m shocked me. The fact that they traded Robert Woods basically to free up that money shocked me too.

I was a huge Akers fan coming out but rbs never recover from Achilles injuries and sadly I wonder if that is the case here. A talent like Akers should have been able to beat out Darrell Henderson who is just a guy type player.

I don’t know what the single season targets record is but I’m guessing Kupp challenges it.

 

[Schrute farms]

So, the Rams crapped the bed just like the Kings did in their first regular season game after winning a championship.

This is exactly what i was thinking while watching the game last night -- that ugly, disappointing (seemingly uninterested) first game in 2013.

 

[Schrute farms]

The Rams have weapons issues beyond Kupp. Allen Robinson was running in cement all last year in Chicago. (PFF #66 WR). Rarely do sports contracts shock me, but him getting 3/$45m shocked me. The fact that they traded Robert Woods basically to free up that money shocked me too.

I was a huge Akers fan coming out but rbs never recover from Achilles injuries and sadly I wonder if that is the case here. A talent like Akers should have been able to beat out Darrell Henderson who is just a guy type player.

I don’t know what the single season targets record is but I’m guessing Kupp challenges it.

Robinson was open all night. Stafford was just locked into Kupp -- probably because of the lack of pocket time and his familiarity with Kupp. The OL stunk and Staff had no time. But Robinson had an average of 3.4 yards of separation for the game and the league average like 1.6 yards. Not his fault the OL and Staff sucked last night.

 

[Herby]

Robinson was open all night. Stafford was just locked into Kupp -- probably because of the lack of pocket time and his familiarity with Kupp. The OL stunk and Staff had no time. But Robinson had an average of 3.4 yards of separation for the game and the league average like 1.6 yards. Not his fault the OL and Staff sucked last night.

We will see as we go forward.

I don't know if that info is true though, I did see it shared on social media but NextGen website only lists players with a minimum of 3 targets. I am guessing the info is false though because NextGen's website shows Kupp having over 3 yards of separation last night.

Robinson's PFF grade last night was 54, it was the lowest grade of any of the 9 WR's to be targeted in the game and lower than any of his grades last season, where again he was graded as the #66 WR in the NFL. And even in his prime Robinson was more of a contested catch guy, not really known as a separator. Just seems like the Rams had a good thing with Kupp/Woods and it seems strange to move on from Woods to bring in a guy who was so bad last year. I thought they'd have stuck with those 2 and then brought Odell back when he was healthy.

But yeah, could just be an ugly game against a team that is at this point clearly the best roster in the league. 7 sacks none off the blitz, Ramsey gave up a perfect passer rating while being targeted.

Buffalo is completely loaded though, they really have no holes.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I guess it was just conversation w my other folks rather than in this forum, but I knew the Bills would crush the spread last night. Hangover, bangup injuries, lack of familiarity vs a great roster with hunger/things to prove and fantastic continuity?

I figured Buffalo would be a force all year but I knew they'd roar out of the gate while teams with more substantial makeovers were gonna suffer. Rams still have some roster tuning and health issues to tend to.

 

[johnjm22]

I heard a stat today that Buffalo hasn't punted in 4 of their last 6 games.

 

[kingsfan28]

I guess it was just conversation w my other folks rather than in this forum, but I knew the Bills would crush the spread last night. Hangover, bangup injuries, lack of familiarity vs a great roster with hunger/things to prove and fantastic continuity?

I figured Buffalo would be a force all year but I knew they'd roar out of the gate while teams with more substantial makeovers were gonna suffer. Rams still have some roster tuning and health issues to tend to.

they played that game like it was their 1st preseason game.So much rust. Most games when the opponent turns it over 4 times you win. The Rams lost by 21. Vonn Miller was great last night... for the Bills.

 

[Herby]

I heard a stat today that Buffalo hasn't punted in 4 of their last 6 games.

Josh Allen is like the guy at pickup basketball who is just so much more physically gifted than anyone else, he dominates and it looks like he isn’t trying or is even toying with his opponents.

Except instead of playing against accountants who just worked a 9-5 he is doing it against NFL players.

I think they want him to be the MVP and are going to let him just cook through the air and on the ground. It wouldn’t shock me if he has north of 50 total touchdowns this year.