What Makes a Trojan Fan (and Do I Count)?

I didn't graduate from USC. I didn't even attend USC. I started watching the Trojans in 2005 (post Orange Bowl victory over The Sooners). By that account, I probably fall under the category of "bandwagoner" in every sense of the term.

While serving in the Marines, I was lucky enough to befriend a die-hard Trojan fan and alumni named Lacy. Following the NFL growing up, we had a discussion about football in which I used words to describe college football such as "amateur" and "minor league".

Oh man, I couldn't have been more wrong.

Lacy, who graduated with her Masters from USC at the earlier part of this decade, invited me to the annual brawl between UCLA and USC (to be hosted in the L.A. Coliseum). And so my fanaticism began.

Being stationed in Monterey, L.A. was a short five hour drive for us. After spending gameday walking around campus, touring Heritage Hall, following the band as they marched through campus, kicking the flagpole before crossing the street to the legendary Coliseum, (host to the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics) and singing "UCLA sucks" to the theme of Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk"...I fell hard for USC.

That game changed my view of the world. There was this hidden universe of intense people who would show up by the ten of thousands to support their cause. Crazy fanatics the likes of which I had only seen rivaled by the fans of my NFL team, the Oakland Raiders.

Suddenly everything I did was USC. I still had feelings for my Raiders, but I got a brand new girlfriend. USC opened the door to the rest of College Football for me. I now had football almost every day of the week (there are even those rare Tuesday games on occasion between Northeast Smalltown State vs. I-AA Southern).

Since that day I have stuck to all of my local sports teams, but being the football fanatic I am, have put the Raiders and USC in the forefront. Serving in the Marines straight out of High School, I didn't have the luxury of attend a college right away. The college I attend now doesn't even have a football program.

I have bought all the gear (shirts, hats, sweaters, dog collars, you name it). I try to attend at least one SC game a year (which as you can imagine is more difficult while in the military). This year my wife and I traveled to the Oregon State game and then my friend and I stood faithfully by in the pouring San Francisco rain on the 50 yard line bleachers of the Emerald Bowl victory over Boston College.

Every Trojan I come in contact with says "Heck, as long as you're supporting SC, you're a Trojan in my book." Lacy says I'm an honorary Trojan, but is that good enough?

Of course it's easy to be a Trojan fan when you're winning. I would like to say this year was proving ground for true fans, but being a Raiders fan, I know it can get a lot worse than this. Somebody once told if you're still a fan after your team has two losing seasons, then you're a true fan...is that right?

ESPN.com wrote an article 2 years ago placing rules on being a college football fan . Technically I've picked one school and stuck with it (with the exception of my small fanhood for San Jose State, which is my wife's Alma mater...which also follows ESPN's rules). Are these the commandments to live by?

I would love to attend USC someday, perhaps for a Masters or Doctorate program, but with my wife being in the military no, it is not in the cards for the foreseeable future. I am destined to attend school at a location decided by the almighty Military.

I know I will always support USC. I feel as strong, if not stronger, for the Cardinal and Gold as I do the Silver and Black. I know many of you suffered through Paul Hackett, and others through John Robinson II (No. 2s are never as good as the original).

I feel your pain...just on a different level. I feel your joy with the success we've had over the past decade as well.

Oh no, am I allowed to use that term? The proverbial "we" when referring to "our" school's football team?

With your gracious help, I would like this question answered. What makes a true Trojan fan?...and do I count?

And please, be gentle.

Bradley Lord has just signed up and started writing with Bleacher Report. He hopes someday to be important enough to get one of those little medal things that seems to be all the rage on this site. Fight On!