I just got back from a double header at Dodger stadium with over 14,000 fans. This weekend USC which was ranked 25th went 3-0 with victories over number one Vandy Commodores, TCU, and UCLA. TCU was ranked 7th and UCLA 6th. UCLA lost three games with TCU winning two. USC is now 15-1. No errors in both games of the double header today. It was fun to talk to one of the Yankee scouts that also is the head coach of the Santa Barbara Foresters where many Owls have player summer wooden bat baseball. He apparently was in Houston for the Texas Rice series as well. College baseball normally does not draw well in Southern California.

Thanks for the update. USC had a remarkable weekend

Sorry to be a grouch, but why do we possibly give a s@&$ about usc?

(03-08-2015 11:29 PM)RiceDad Wrote:  Sorry to be a grouch, but why do we possibly give a s@&$ about usc?

I dunno, maybe because they're the best college baseball program of all time and they happened to have a great weekend where they beat three different top-10 teams, possibly signaling a resurgence in their program? Sounds like a weekend we should aspire to have.

(03-08-2015 11:52 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(03-08-2015 11:29 PM)RiceDad Wrote:  Sorry to be a grouch, but why do we possibly give a s@&$ about usc?

I dunno, maybe because they're the best college baseball program of all time and they happened to have a great weekend where they beat three different top-10 teams, possibly signaling a resurgence in their program? Sounds like a weekend we should aspire to have.

I should have emphasized the Santa Barbara Foresters manager Bill Pintard. Many of Rice's better players have played summer ball for Bill including in the last three years: Blake Fox, Ford Stainback, John Williamson, Jon Duplantier, Michael Aquino, Shane Hoelscher, Jordan Stephens, Hunter Kopycinski, Michael Ratteree, and Austin Kubitza. The Foresters hitting and assistant coach Gary Woods passed away on Feb. 19 of a heart attack.

How often does a team get a chance to play three different top ten opponents in three days, and win all 3?

Even in the CWS, the rest days usually preclude that unless you're coming back up through the losers bracket.

Go ahead and move them up to #1!

(03-08-2015 11:29 PM)RiceDad Wrote:  Sorry to be a grouch, but why do we possibly give a s@&$ about usc?

Don't read the thread/post.

Wasn't like this was a bait-and-switch. pretty clear from the title that this was about USC.

Anyone else find it strange USC played UCLA, both PAC-12 members, in a pre-conference tournament?

Can you imagine A&M playing LSU at the Astros College Classic?

This was unusual news, even if it was not about our Rice Owls. In my old age I have gotten to the point where I don't mind celebrating great performances, even if they are by a potential competitor.

Bear in mind that ebarnum, aka Altadena Ed, is one of our most loyal road tripper fans, out of L.A. Walt and Almaden Mike can both vouch for him. Before he came to Rice, ere these long years ago, he was born an "SC" fan -- never call them "USC" and especially not "Southern Cal." On baseball trips, whenever we stay at the team hotel, Ed is always up at 6 a.m to have breakfast and a one on one with Coach Graham. We need more alum/fans like him.

We ought to keep of our potential competitors since we might face them later in the NCAAs.

(03-09-2015 08:09 PM)WeatherfordOwl Wrote:  This was unusual news, even if it was not about our Rice Owls. In my old age I have gotten to the point where I don't mind celebrating great performances, even if they are by a potential competitor.

(03-09-2015 08:08 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  Anyone else find it strange USC played UCLA, both PAC-12 members, in a pre-conference tournament?

Can you imagine A&M playing LSU at the Astros College Classic?

It was just a few years ago that another cross-town rivalry between in-conference foes in one of the nations largest cities tacked on a couple extra dates out of conference play.

Was just chatting with a buddy of mine out here who is a big SC baseball fan (his brother played for them back in the day), and we were discussing how their game tonight at UCI was a big trap/letdown spot.

UCI is up 5-0 in the 3rd.

Anteaters win, 6-2. Both teams got 8 hits, but the Trojans left runners on base in all but two innings.

Not too much of an SC sports fan even though I did get a degree from there. Yesterday I did however buy a USC baseball cap from their store when visiting the campus with my family.