USC mad at Musburger

[TheUnnamedSooner]

Heh -

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news;_ylt=AlS_YOcpziXiNsuckDu.q.AcvrYF?slug=ap-uscsignals&prov=ap&type=lgns



LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Southern California formally complained that ABC-TV's Brent Musburger revealed privileged information in play-by-play commentary during Saturday's game against Nebraska.

The university sent a letter to ESPN, which oversees sports programming on ABC, saying Musburger, with less than 10 minutes to play and the Trojans leading 21-10, began describing how USC quarterback John David Booty lets receivers know he has spotted a certain kind of coverage.

ADVERTISEMENT


"John David told us that his signal when he finds one-on-one and they're coming, it's that 'hang loose,' that familiar sign you've seen surfers use," said Musburger, referring to the sign where the thumb and little finger are raised.

USC sports information director Tim Tessalone sent a formal complaint to ESPN/ABC game producer Bill Bonnell on Monday and sent a copy to the Pacific-10 conference office.

"We're supposed to be partners in this, but this is certainly going to make us think twice about trying to help them have as good a broadcast as possible," Tessalone said. "What he did was unconscionable."

Last Friday, announcers and producers met with coaches and star players as part of their game preparation. During the meeting, there was discussion about how a replay of the Ohio State-Texas broadcast showed Buckeyes quarterback Troy Smith tapping the top of his helmet to let receiver Ted Ginn Jr. know he's noticed one-on-one coverage.

Booty was asked if Southern California had a similar signal, and Booty told Musburger about his "hang loose" signal.

"We are very mindful of what we learn in pre-game meetings in terms in what is appropriate for broadcast and what is for our background. We're sorry this led to an unfortunate misunderstanding, which was never our intention," ESPN said in a statement released by spokesman Josh Krulewitz.

Musburger said in a statement late Monday that the network regretted the confusion.

Asked about Musburger's on-air revelations, USC coach Pete Carroll said with a laugh, "Just wondering what they're going to tell us next. I'm not worried about it. There's a million signals, a million ways to do it."

[BOOMERBRADLEY]

(CFN) STOP CRYING!!!

[tulsaOUfan]

I bet Mushy-burger gets a DUI on his next LA trip, lol

[TrophyCollector]

Good luck with that letter to the PAC 10 office, you wasted a perfectly good piece of *** wipe and a stamp.

[sooner518]

theyre mad because their quarterback revealed a "secret" (come on now) to a, GASP, reporter, and he GASP, reported it?!?!?! How dare he?!

Get a new hand signal. big flippin deal.

[tulsaOUfan]

theyre mad because their quarterback revealed a "secret" (come on now) to a, GASP, reporter, and he GASP, reported it?!?!?! How dare he?!

Get a new hand signal. big flippin deal.
and they won the game, pretty easily too, doesn't look like it hurt a bit.

[sanantoniosooner]

There's a different hand signal Brent should be exposed to.

[Jackal]

I am sure USC won't be called whiners or babies, especially over something so stupid. It's not like that lost a game over it.

[sanantoniosooner]

no, but revealing hand signals does sound crappy to me.

Brent never has impressed me as perceptive though.

[Frozen Sooner]

Yeah, I'm sure NOBODY has noticed that on film yet anyhow.

Cripes, most people just yell "Rocket rocket rocket."

[sanantoniosooner]

Yeah, I'm sure NOBODY has noticed that on film yet anyhow.

Cripes, most people just yell "Rocket rocket rocket."
Don Rickles made that famous.

[westcoast_sooner]

Musburger was stupid. I'm glad it came out now, before he covered one of our games.

But, Rule #1 when talking to the press: Don't say anything to them you don't want to see in the opponent's locker room. Booty was stupider.

When he covers the RRS, coaches need to make sure that none of the players give up anything.

[SOONER44EVER]

I like the way Pete Carroll said over and over on espn that its no big deal and it really doesn't matter. I wonder why they submitted a formal complaint if its no big deal?

[Crimson Blonde]

I just wanted to put my two cents in on this.

This makes me so mad! Their dumba$$ qb tells a freaking REPORTER his top secret Hardy Boys hand signal, and the REPORTER reports it!? Good god, what has the world come to?

I would love to see just one of the reporters who've been ripping OU's reaction write a story about what a bunch of crybabies USC are and tell them to get over it!

Okay, I feel better now........ :rolleyes:

[jeremy885]

I watching that game when it happened and thought "That's something you shouldn't have said Bret".

BUT really, how long would it take, given the USC TV coverage, for any team they're going to play not to figure out their signals. One game, two at the max.

[PAW]

Any team could/should pick up that signal after 2-3 times. By the 3rd-4th quarter, they would have that down. Anyone watching a game can pick up that signal and like Carroll said, its no big deal . . . they got a thousand signals that will work. So, what's really going on?

<adjusting my aluminum hat> I think there's a little more to this story coming from the Pac-10 re. ABC right now. A shot across the bow, perhaps, regarding their relationship? ESPN (ABC) is supposedly working on story about the officiating in the Pac-10, specifically the OU-UO game. <adjusting my aluminum hat>

:pop:

[flopshotjoe99]

kinda BS that he let everyone know, but then again why tell a REPORTER of all people about your secret.

[David Earl]

Any team could/should pick up that signal after 2-3 times. By the 3rd-4th quarter, they would have that down. Anyone watching a game can pick up that signal and like Carroll said, its no big deal . . . they got a thousand signals that will work. So, what's really going on?

<adjusting my aluminum hat> I think there's a little more to this story coming from the Pac-10 re. ABC right now. A shot across the bow, perhaps, regarding their relationship? ESPN (ABC) is supposedly working on story about the officiating in the Pac-10, specifically the OU-UO game. <adjusting my aluminum hat>


First, I gotta give it up to you for turning this into a deal about the UO game. Dude, you are a genius!

Second, you may actually be onto something here.

[PAW]

First, I gotta give it up to you for turning this into a deal about the UO game. Dude, you are a genius!

Second, you may actually be onto something here.

Thanks, :)

That's the only thing that makes sense. Like Carroll said, it was meaningless. So why is the Pac-10 publically complaining about ABC? I think there's more going on behind the scenes than we may realize. The Pac-10 desperately wants the whole situation with the OU-UO game to disappear.

[ousoonerfan]

Thanks, :)

That's the only thing that makes sense. Like Carroll said, it was meaningless. So why is the Pac-10 publically complaining about ABC? I think there's more going on behind the scenes than we may realize. The Pac-10 desperately wants the whole situation with the OU-UO game to disappear.


It's funny how nothing is mentioned at all on the Pac-10 website about Saturday's events, other than the Ducks won.

[Nate Johnson]

Good luck with that letter to the PAC 10 office, you wasted a perfectly good piece of *** wipe and a stamp.

Not if he "uses" it first, then sends it!

[BetterSoonerThanLater]

Musburger was stupid. I'm glad it came out now, before he covered one of our games.

But, Rule #1 when talking to the press: Don't say anything to them you don't want to see in the opponent's locker room. Booty was stupider.

When he covers the RRS, coaches need to make sure that none of the players give up anything.


agreed. we all know musburger is retarded, but how stupid do you have to be to tell the media what your" secret signal" is?

thats like leaning over to fart.......it makes it pretty obvious to everyone what you're doing, but is it their fault they know?

[SteelClip49]

Southern California and their hissy fits. They can never seem to be pleased. I have nothing against their fans but they complain more our fans do.

In the summer of 2004, Mike Garrett and staff recognized its 1939 team (8-0-2) as a national champion, as if 10 is not enough. How the hell do you go 65 years back and all of a sudden do that? They pulled an Alabama (1941). Hell, Oklahoma could easily do that and recognize themselves as 49, 54, 73, 78 national champions.

How can Mike Garrett (one person) recognize USC as a "national" champion???

All in All, USC just needs to grow up and move on. Sheesh, what's next, Jenks is using their logo and they want them to change?

[stoopified]

The on supider thing Booty could have done was told a female reporter.The secret signal would have beeen coast to coast via the beauty shop gossip network well before kick-off.Now that would have been monumentally stupid.