Just Another Day in the Pac-10

Yep, just another day in the Pac-10.

The Pac-10 just gained another school, the University of Colorado, and probably half of the Big 12.

The Oregon Ducks lost Jermiah Masoli.

And USC has probably lost its National Championship, as well as all of its victories in 2004 and 2005 and thirty scholarships.

But other than that, nothing special.  Ho-hum.

First, let's take a look at the changing landscape of the Pac-10.  The Colorado Buffaloes have already agreed to join the conference. 

The main key here is the University of Nebraska.  Should they leave the Big 12 and work out the details of joining the Big Ten, then it is expected that Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech would more than likely come over to the Pac-10.

The Pac-10 would then become the Pac-16.  The six Big 12 schools would join Arizona and Arizona State to become the Pac-16 East.  The Pac-16 West would revert to the former Pac-8 alignment of USC, Cal, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington, Washington State, Stanford and UCLA.

Now if Nebraska's plans to join the Big Ten somehow fall through and the Big 12 doesn't break up or align with the SEC, then the Pac-10 would extend an invitation to Utah to join the conference.

Kudos to Colin Cowherd.  Cowherd on Monday responded to an email that questioned why he wasn't talking about the realignment of NCAA conferences by saying that it was just a bunch of talk.  Way to go, Colin.  I see you're right on top of things as usual.

The Jermiah Masoli saga is a sad one.  Earlier in the year, Oregon coach Chip Kelly suspended Masoli for the entire 2010 season when Masoli was convicted on burglary charges.

Just this week, however, Masoli was cited for marijuana possession and driving infractions.  That was the straw that broke the camel's—er—duck's back.  Chip Kelly has dismissed his former starting quarterback from the team, and it is unlikely that he will be reinstated.

What's next for Masoli?  Maybe transferring to a Division II school.  Maybe biding his time and working out, hoping to get a look from the NFL.

What's next for USC?

An appeal most likely.  But actually things couldn't look brighter.  The price of gold on the Comex dropped today while a football scholarship to USC just took an abrupt climb.

Now that the NCAA wants to take away 30 scholarships from the Trojans, each offer Lane Kiffin and his staff make is as good as gold.

Top high school athletes will realize that with fewer scholarships to give out the Trojans must really be high on a kid to make him an offer.  That along with the Trojans’ pipeline to the NFL will assure that only the best of the best will become Trojans.

What about the two-year bowl ban?

Forgettaboutit!   Many of the kids who are ranked in the Top 150 are looking beyond college to the NFL.  Besides, the BCS and the NCAA, by not agreeing to a playoff, have relegated the importance of every bowl game except one.

Since there isn't a playoff in Division I, the only game that counts is the National Championship game, which for the most part has become a beauty contest and not a true match-up of the two best teams in the division.

So, is a highly-rated kid likely to go to USC with an excellent chance of making it to the NFL, or to some other school with a 30-1 chance that his school will make it the National Championship game?

So, USC fans, do me a favor.  Don't lower yourselves by responding to all the haters out there who are gloating out of jealousy.  USC will still have its day, believe me.

Think of this scenario.  What if USC runs the table in 2010 or 2011?  The Associate Press doesn't have to kowtow to the dictates of the NCAA or the BCS.  The writers can still vote USC number one if they think the Trojans are deserving. 

In essence, USC could still win another split National Championship.

With coaches like the Kiffins, Ed Orgeron, James Cregg, Willie Mack Garza, Clay Helton and John Baxter, the Trojans will continue to be the best school in the nation for young men to play college football.   Count on it and fight on!

UPDATE: I just read a little of USC's formal response to the NCAA Appeals Committee, and depending on how the appeal works out, I could see this going to court eventually.  

USC does have a legal issue with the NCAA: "California has long recognized a common-law right to fair process that protects members of a private, voluntary organization from arbitrary disciplinary action by the organization when such actions affect a substantial economic interest. Fair process "includes the right to notice of the charges, to confront and crossexamine the accusers, and to examine and refute the evidence." Cason v. Glass Bottle Blowers Ass'nof U.S. and Canada,37 Cal.2dl34,143-144 (1951).

USC was not give the opportunity by the NCAA to confront and crossexamine its main accuser.  So, we shall see how all this plays out.  Apparently, it's not over until it's over.