Stadium Stompin’: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

USC has always been, in my eyes, one of those shiny, marquee programs in college football.  With the multiple championships*, Heismans*, and location in Tinseltown, there is always a spotlight shining on the Trojans.  I was excited to finally have the opportunity to visit one of the college football powerhouses.  Football tour stop #3 was Oregon at USC on October 30, 2010.

Luckily for me, my visit to USC coincided with a stop of my favorite show, ESPN College Gameday.  Kismet!  However, the 9 am Eastern start time of the show meant a 6 am Pacific start time in Cali.  Oy vey.  It was quite the early morning, but we made it.

I have to say, even factoring in the early start time, I was disappointed in the Gameday turnout at USC.  The crowd was definitely not as big as other times I’ve gone to the broadcast.  Even when Gameday was at Oregon there was a big turnout.  I think the Gameday folks might have seen this coming.

The USC campus is pretty pedestrian-friendly, as cars are generally not allowed through the main areas.  As a result the center of campus becomes one massive tailgate.  It’s a pretty festive atmosphere.  Although, I was told this particular weekend was bigger because it was homecoming.

The Spirit of Troy is USC’s marching band.  I was very impressed with them.  Having performed in color guard in high school, I have a soft spot in my heart for marching bands.  I hate to see a band that falls flat and doesn’t live up to expectations.  The Trojans did not let me down.  Check out the band’s YouTube channel.

The Song Girls have been one of USC’s most visible symbols over the years.  I never really knew what they actually did aside from stand on the sidelines and look pretty.  But I found out that they dance.  Good to know.  They dance on the sidelines and perform with the Spirit of Troy during the halftime show.

Watching USC games I had often wondered if they had cheerleaders in addition to the Song Girls.  They do not.  What the Trojans do have is Spirit Leaders.  Unlike cheerleading squads at most schools the Spirit Leaders don’t do stunts.  However, they do cheer-lead.  They try to get the crowd organized into doing designated cheers.  One of the male Spirit Leaders usually has a microphone to indicate to the crowd which cheer is coming next.  The Spirit Leaders are a fairly new addition to USC.

The torch at the Coliseum is traditionally lit before the start of the fourth quarter.  I’m glad someone told me this because I initially thought they were having technical difficulties with the flame.

If you go…

• Eat a bacon-wrapped hot dog.  Trust me.  You can find one at any of the dozens of carts around the USC campus, the Coliseum, and elsewhere in LA.  They’re served up with bell peppers, onions, and jalapenos, if you so choose.
• Try not to get tickets in sections 1-3, 26-29, or 33.  You’ll be awkwardly positioned a good distance behind the actual field.  It’s not like you can’t see anything, but you’re definitely farther from the action.  Here’s the view from Section 1.
• The area around USC isn’t like campus areas in most college towns.  There’s not a whole lot that caters to the school.  So if you’re looking for a good selection of Trojans gear your best bet is the on campus bookstore or looking online.  My favorite website is FootballFantatics.com.

*Actual number depends on who you ask.