USC gets set for their appeal hearings tomorrow in Indianapolis. Looking to get their scholarships returned, also the relevance, or lack thereof, of USC's compliance efforts & the Cam Newton/Auburn and Ohio State cases. They have a great chance of winning the appeal, however time will tell.
The NCAA can't afford for USC to be out of the big money picture any longer, lets be honest. Oregon was nice and a breathe of fresh air for the PAC10 (soon to be PAC12), and helped to bring light and attention to other schools like Arizona, Stanford, and up & coming Washington. Oregon became a rock band of sorts, everyone wondering what uniforms they were going to wear for the week, it was amazing. Lets not forget, under the Pete Carroll era, USC were like the Beatles (sorry Lebron), it was a craze that was sweeping America, whether you loved them or hated them, they were winning, they were exciting & getting better every year. Oregon and many other school used that blueprint and tailored it to fit their programs.
I see they're {USC's} prominent return in about a year or so, of course with them winning the appeal. Its to much television revenue, along with mass media press not focusing on the Trojans & the Pac12 as a result of these sanctions. Always look at the economics of the situation, if you don't believe me, study the NCAA and how they "handled" the Cam Newton case, by allowing him to play in the National Championship game. It was too much at hand for Newton not to play, once again it goes back to the economics.
The sanctions for USC as harsh as they are, may have been a blessing in disguise, and how its given light to other schools & a conference that was sorely overlooked. Yes the SEC is the top conference, but make no mistake about it, the PAC12 is the second best conference, with powerhouses like Oregon, USC, and inclining teams such as Stanford, Arizona, and possibly Washington & Utah, the PAC12 is making bold moves to sway the public on their side with great marketing & fantastic play. PAC12 Commissioner Larry Scott has done an outstanding job turning this conference around in the right direction & making it relevant.
Don't be surprised in a few years down the road, that schools such as Texas (even though they received a huge ESPN deal), Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Texas A&M joining the PAC12 Conference. Call me crazy now, but in the words of the artist Drake, you can thank me later.
Stay tuned as the USC story develops, they'll be some interesting turns, and look for a timely decision in this case.
