USC players look like morons on TMZ

My wife loves TMZ. I love her for loving TMZ. That's because if it wasn't for her, I would have missed this gem tonight on the Hollywood tabloid show. Sorry I didn't have it posted sooner. I was covering a basketball game.

The USC players at the Lawry's Rib Bowl were asked about Vice-President Elect Joe Biden, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich among other things. A bunch of them didn't know about Blagojevich. Understandable enough, since that's a little more political-junky stuff. But come on, Rey Maualuga, not even Joe freakin' Biden?

"Damn, that name sounds familiar, but, uh..." Rey so eloquently said. He had to be told who he is, only to reply, "I only know who Obama is."

Then fellow linebacker (and a kid who grew up around me in Bergen County, NJ), Brian Cushing was asked about the same vice-president elect. He didn't know either, so TMZ asked his teammate (I couldn't tell who it was) about Blagojavich. Then Cushing realized it was a bunch of political, current events questions.

"Oh, political shit?" Cushing called out from his long blonde locks. Nice. Way to represent your team and school. They must be very proud right now.

I will give one Trojan credit. Mark Sanchez did know who Joe Biden was, and even knew about Blagojavich. But even though he didn't have any opinions on them, he did the smart thing and just said "I'm just worried about the Rose Bowl right now."

In a town where you can't do anything without a camera crew in your face, you'd think the rest of the team would be as camera-savvy as Sanchez.

From TMZ.com:

"If you wanna get into the prestigious University of Southern California, you're going to have to compete for admission spots with some of the brightest people in the country -- and a bunch of dumbass football players.

The Men of Troy hit Lawry's for the annual pre-Rose Bowl prime rib dinner last night -- but when we asked about VP-elect Joe Biden, disgraced governor Rod Blagojevich and euthanasia, well ... the world-class athletes looked more like world-class tackling dummies."

TMZ still had to throw in this quip:

"Fun Fact: They're still going to beat the crap out of Penn State."

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Should this count in the Fulmer Cup?

Universities must love when these morons wear their school shirts. How can we forget this winner, too:

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Why THON Sucks

OH MY GOD! HE WANTS THE CANCER KIDS TO DIE!

No, that's not what I said. I think THON is a great and noble idea, in the beginning. Now, it's become more of a social event, instead of keeping it on task. I understand that the majority of participants and volunteers associated with THON are doing it for the right reasons, but far to many are doing it for the wrong reasons.

How many after-THON parties have we gone to? How many during-THON parties have we gone to? How many pre-THON parties have we gone to? Personally, none. In fact, I've never actually been in the room with the dancers, or at the parties before, during and after. My point is that one of the last true and honest things done by Penn State students has been taken down by the mighty Milwaukee's Best.

Shit, it's not even like these "THON Parties" are being held to raise money for the children. Would it kill people to charge a dollar to get in to their apartment party, with that money going right to THON? It may not be perfect--they wouldn't even have to say it was raised through underage drinking--but at least it would give those parties purpose, other than to say, "Hey, my place after THON!"

It's become more important for people to be seen at THON, rather than to just know they did something to help others. If you don't take a kabillion pictures of you and your friends--and of course the standard "Me with so-and-so, who has cancer" pic--at THON, then make it your first priority the next day (after you've thrown up twice to clear your head) to slap them all over Facebook.com, you apparently haven't done your job on THON weekend.

I've just gotten so frustrated with the event since I got to Penn State in 2002. At first, I thought it was cool like everyone else, but never ended up going. Then, I realized that unless you're an actual dancer--who really do work hard and can barely walk the next week--you're not doing a whole lot to help those kids with cancer. Sure the volunteers coordinate everything and work hard too, but people who show up for 20 minutes, scream across Rec Hall (Sorry, now I sound really dated, it's now in the BJC) at their friends, snap some pics and leave are no better than the people who just don't go. If they really want to help, without working for THON, go volunteer at a hospital's children's unit. Oh yeah, but that would take too long to get back in time for the parties.

So to all of you out there who are dancing or directly volunteering with THON, we love you. But to the rest of you, and you know who you are, just go get wasted and throw up behind the Phyrst, you're not doing anything "For the Kids." You're actually counteracting everything THON stands for. I hope you get liver cancer.



Sorry to be a downer today, but it's icing/snowing out and very gloomy. Plus, I really need some Penn State football. Looks like I've got a long wait ahead of me.

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