There was a lot to go through this week in the Netglow File but there is one common thread that couldn't be denied. USC Fans are bitter, even in victory. Talk of how corrupt the NCAA is as an organization and how USC got "screwed" by them. How the entire world is against USC succeeding and looking to destroy "The Program". How even in blowouts, the refs are out there to take USC down as hitmen from Larry Scott. Even in winning against Oregon, there is an undenible feeling across the Interwebs.
USC fans have forgotten how to win.
A win against a team like Oregon only just a few years ago would have been met with almost indifference. A win against a good team, expected to do it, fight on Trojans, etc etc. What is it now? USC players scream "We're back!", fans taking swipes at their opponents fans, and what do Oregon fans do?
Collective sigh, "bummer we lost the game. Oh well, didn't matter ultimately. Still control our destiny for a Rose Bowl berth"
My how roles have reversed.
Oregon is now at the top of the hill where a loss against a team like USC doesn't ultimately matter for a Rose Bowl berth and a USC reaction to a win against Oregon is met with hostility, bitterness and jealousy. Oh don't get me wrong. The talent for USC is there and there will be wins a plenty in coming years. The biggest thing USC has lost? The tradition of "acting like you've been there". For a program with the history of USC, losing that tradition is worse than any NCAA sanction. Confidence has been replaced with bitterness and that's how you know that the USC program has fallen from the elite in the conference.
Onto the Netglow File
"Great crowd to you = classless fans who don't respect opposing fans to me. I know this first hand." - @DisplacedTrojan commenting on a reflective post from the ATQ twitter feed about the nature of the crowd and the turnout of the game
These kinds of comments crack me up. Internet fans are always the first to call out other fanbases as classless. Let me break it down for you. Your opponent fanbases are all arrogant, classless pricks that push down old ladies, steal their lunch money and spit on them as they run away laughing. Your fans, by contrast, are virtuous, pious do-gooders that give money to the poor, donate kidneys on a weekly basis and never ever do anything negative. George Carlin said it best. My stuff is stuff and your stuff is shit! Every fanbase has classless fans and the sooner people realize that their own poop doesn't smell like perfume all the time, the better off we'll all be.
"still no national championships for your quackers! Go ahead make that symbol with your hands:'0'" - @tlamb29 commenting on USC's victory over Oregon on Saturday
Mr. Lambert seems to be very excited about the hand motion that Oregon fans make when supporting the team. He must not have seen the recent New York Time article regarding the players studying American Sign Language else he would have an even more appropriate slam. Opportunity lost. Let's see if he continues on to recover from this gaffe.
"you and all your fellow quackers know that that PAC 12 championship you win will have a big fat * next to it." - @tlamb29 commenting on the UO prospects for winning their 3rd conference title in a row
Now that's an encouraging post! Not only did Mr. Lambert endorse the Oregon Ducks in winning the inaugural Pac-12 Championship, he even talked about having a giant star next to it! I assume he meant a graphic like this one. In all fairness, the irony of a fan of a team currently on probation, a team currently banned from post-season play, a team who had a national championship removed from their history... the irony is just delicious.
"Oregon has NBA players on its sideline and recruits in Phil Knight's luxury box and isn't trying to get on probation? LOL" - @trjons commenting on NBA Stars LeBron James, Kobe Bryant among others attending the game on Saturday
So let me get this straight. A USC fan is lecturing us about having celebrities at our game? Really? Really. USC Fan? Even Will Ferrell finds this comment laughable and qutie frankly I do too. Have USC fans fallen so far that they are bashing other schools in bringing celebrities to their games? Look, I know this may seem hard to believe but celebrities don't really give a crap about being fans of certain schools. They care about one thing and one thing only. Their brand. Oregon is a brand that's on the rise and is "new and hip". Celebrities want to associate to that because it helps them and their brand. When USC was winning championships, celebrities were all over the place because that was the "cool" thing to do. Trust me when I say this. If Colorado was enjoying the success and brand recognition that Oregon is enjoying, Boulder would be crawling with celebs trying to get piece (insert Kobe Bryant joke here).
The other part of this quote had to do with a take on recruits being in Phil Knight's luxary box. I'll address this in a second.
"r u there to play football or to sell shoes? USC=NFL factory Oregon=Shoe Factory easy call" - @trojanhead714 talking to potential football recruit Arik Armstead after he mentioned being in the Phil Knight suite at Autzen
Nothing like having fans trying to lobby between one school and another through insults. As fans, we don't really understand what a potential recruit is looking for when it comes to a school. Could it be NFL related? Certainly but it also could be other factors. Comments like this just make me smile because even though there is an insult towards Oregon, it keeps us in the conversation and we're seen as such a threat to this USC poster. Also, to think a recruit cares what some random internet fan says is just plain silly.
That's it for the Netglow File. See you next week for our Thanksgiving Edition
-- Dominic