USC Football: Should The Trojans Go Independent? Haden Says Maybe...
Amidst the fervor of the upcoming college football season, and the Trojan outrage over the punishment handed down to them by the NCAA in the Reggie Bush scandal, comes a new dynamic.
Should the Trojans leave the Pac-10 and declare themselves independent?
On the heels of BYU claiming their independence yesterday, the Orange County Register approached new USC athletic director, Pat Haden, and asked him to comment on the possibility of the Trojans cutting ties with the conference that is tied to so much of their history.
Surprisingly, Haden said he would consider it.
Saying, “I think you always have to look at every opportunity," Haden went on, “But would we ever consider it? I think you have to. As an athletic director in today’s environment, you have to consider every alternative.”
In that same piece, Haden elaborated, “We’re a happy member of the Pac-10. I don’t have any ulterior motives or plans to advance the ball on this. I think the Pac-10 with a new commissioner and new opportunities has some growth built in already."
As a new athletic director at a major institution who is facing hurdles imposed by the NCAA sanctions, Haden is obligated to peruse any avenue that would benefit both the athletic program and the university.
But leaving the Pac-10?
Casting aside the tradition and history of an association with a conference that is so closely identified with the men of Troy?
Of course, this may just be a deflection of the unwanted attention that came with the punishment handed down by the NCAA.
However, on the eve of the Trojans opener with Hawaii, the timing for this kind of speculation, beyond the BYU decision to cut ties with the Mountain West Conference, would have been better served as a deflection a couple of weeks earlier.
After all, its time for football now and news on the gridiron will supplant off the field banter in the news cycle.
So should the Trojans leave the Pac-10 conference?
If a more lucrative television deal is the sole motivation, then perhaps they should.
But Haden should be careful of casting Trojan history aside simply for monetary gain.
After all, you can't buy tradition.
