Boi From Troy

Once USC Trojan football games got bearable after a twenty-year drought, University President Steve Sample abruptly made a “last call” at the Coliseum. No more (wine) margaritas and no more beer for Trojan Fans! Even the big-ticket donor pre-game picnics were limited to three drinks per person.

However, it seems the University is well aware that in order to get people into the new Galen Center to watch USC Basketball this season, they’re going to have to be liquored up.

Catering Giant ARAMARK has won the contract to serve the new Galen Center and has filed an application to transfer the liquor license from the now-defunct Los Feliz nightspot VIDA to the Galen Center. They’ve applied to California’s ABC for a Type 47 license, which we’re told means they can serve everything from Molson’s to Apple Martinis.

Cheers to Victory!

UPDATE: This *could* be just for special events, I am told. Were I, you know, a “journalist” I’d call Heritage Hall…

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On Sunday the Los Angeles Times warned that another round of bad polling could sink the ship of real estate developer Phil Angelides. His polpulist pandering over “middle class” tax cuts would at least pick him up a few points…right? Maybe not.

Schwarzenegger holds a commanding 13-point lead over his Democratic challenger, Treasurer Phil Angelides. Schwarzenegger’s job approval rating has climbed up to 50%. Despite very active campaigning and millions in TV advertising on his behalf by the California Democratic Party, Angelides has gained no ground on Schwarzenegger over the past month in the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) poll. Schwarzenegger leads Angelides, 45% to 32%.

What’s more, the PPIC numbers on the proposed bonds for the November ballot are higher than in any other survey–which makes that 13% lead look even better for Schwarazenegger and that 32% support look even worse for his rival.

Schwarzenegger’s Big Day, And Big Lead [NWN]

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I get frustrated whenever people tell me that Governor Schwarzenegger has not been the kind of Governor they expected. He said he would be pro-business, pro-environment, pro-Gays and shake up the bureaucracy in Sacramento. Which is why the latest news should come as no surprise.

California will become the first state in the country to require industries to lower greenhouse gas emissions under a deal struck Wednesday by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democrats that could dramatically reshape the state’s economy.

After weeks of intense negotiations between the administration and legislative leaders, and just a few hours after Schwarzenegger threatened to veto the bill, Democrats and the governor announced an agreement on legislation that sends the state on a markedly different environmental path from the federal government.

By 2020, when industries would have to lower carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by 25 percent, solar panels, alternative fuels and electric cars could be commonplace, according to advocates of the legislation.

That’s great news and I am glad to see the Governor sticking to his guns–despite opposition from what would traditionally be his base. It’s that same backbone which has allowed him to stand up to the Religious Right and advance gay rights, too.

State’s historic deal on warming [SFGate]

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Well today marks the happiest day of the year–despite what the San Francisco Chronicle may say–it’s the start of the 2006 College Football Season!

Our beloved USC Trojans kick off Saturday night against Arkansas and we’re going to celebrate the new season West Hollywood style. That’s right… I’m not going to the game. A year ago, I was willing to travel to Hawaii… But Fayetteville just doesn’t have the same allure.

Instead, I will be hosting a game-watching party at Hamburger Mary’s in West Hollywood. Kickoff is at 5:45 PM. Please join us!

(And thanks to Scott for the image!)

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Having heard rumors on the internets of the early release of When the Stars Come Out, I wandered into my local gay bookstore tonight after sushi, margaritas and chardonnay to see if they were true.

And voila, staked high upon the New Releases table was the latest tome of Rob Byrnes–author of The Night We Met.

I had totally forgotten that Rob had asked me for some driving directions from LAX to Burbank but was pleasantly surprised to see my name mentioned in the credits!

LOL. lol.

I guess I am going to have to go to the party after all, so watch out New York City!

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Not so long ago, I was a football newbie. Learning the different calls and plays, penalties and knowing what the hell a reverse triple option was used for left me a little confused, so here I offer a nice (rather blandly designed) spot for those who are just getting into the love of College Football. It’s pretty much text, and if you’ve never watched the game before, it may confuse you. But, by the end, you’ll know exactly what Clipping is and why it’s implimented…along with every other penalty.

Granted, it is written by a student from UW Madison, but we can’t hold that against them. This very brief, yet highly informative list may help a lad whose boyfriend doesn’t understand the game to understand it more. (Granted, nothing a google search can’t fix!) That way, when every wonderful Saturday comes around for a joyous (or heartbreaking, depending on your team) football event, you and your lad can watch together.

Introduction to American College Football Rules [WISC.EDU]

Some Great Other Information as well [WISC.EDU]

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After the rousing success of last year’s Gay Viewers’ Guide to the College Football Season, we thought we’d do it again…but take it to the next level. For your consideration is the following “Watch List” of players to look for in the 2006 Season.

Starting this week, and until the end of the Bowl Games, we’ll bring you the Gay Viewers’ Games of the Week–highlighting the hottest players in the sport of College Football in the most relevant games you’re likely to get on your television…

Brady Quinn, Quarterback, University of Notre Dame

Named one of “Out Magazine’s 10 Athletes We Wished Played for Our Team”, Quinn tops just about every Heisman Trophy Watch list. And that’s not the only thing we wished he topped. That alone gets Brady on our list of players to watch this season! Plus being #10 doesn’t hurt either…it’s such a popular number these days.

Tom Zbikowski, Defensive Back, University of Notre Dame

The Irish topped our College Football Preseason poll, so it is only natural that two Notre Dame players lead off this feature as well. A badass by nature, Tommy Zbikowski has a boxing credit to his name in addition to a punt return for a touchdown against USC in 2005…but we still forgive him.

Brian Brohm, Quarterback, Louisville University

The Cardinals’ 6′4″ blonde quarterback is on the Maxwell Award Watch list…or is it Walter Camp…we look into his dreamy eyes and forget. Thank whomever you worship to for giving us at least one reason to watch Big East football! Brohm will have to step up to the plate against Miami and West Virginia this season.

Dallas Sartz, Linebacker, USC

If we didn’t know that Dallas Sartz already had a girlfriend and that even if he were a Gay we couldn’t compete with her, we’d be trying to find something that rhymes with “Dallas” to replace our “Crushing for Cushing” theme… Alas, #42 is back in the starting lineup, relegating Brian Cushing to the second string.

Colt McCoy, Quarterback, University of Texas at Austin

With a name like that, even the “doe-eyed, pimply-faced,” Colt McCoy makes our list. By September 9, Texas fans will find out if Colt is the real McCoy, or just another one-trick pony trying to keep pace with the shadow of Vince Young.

(more…)

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Thanks to our friends at Every Day Should be Saturday, on this last day without College Football until January 8, 2007, we present to you the following fan-made videos from our favorite team and our favorite team to hate (sorry, Texas!)…

The Trojans bring you a highlight reel of John David Booty’s career so far (minus the interceptions, tipped balls and injuries, natch)…

Meanwhile for the Bruins, well, let’s just say this is about what we’d expect from a Son of Westwood. Oy.

Enjoy!

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Social networking sites are all the rage these day, you know, with the kids. But the University of California at Berkeley has a warning for its students.

Roughly 6,000 new freshmen and transfer students living in university housing have been required to watch an educational video before being issued credentials for a quick campus computer hookup.

The student-made video covers the perils of drawing unwanted attention through file sharing, instant messaging and participation in popular online social directories like Facebook and MySpace.

“People are just realizing this is an issue,” said Vanessa DeGuzman, a Cal residential technology support manager.

The university says 45 percent of Cal undergraduates, and 60 percent of freshmen, use Facebook every day. Only 6 percent of freshmen say they’ve never used the Facebook Web site, which has grown to more than 8 million members since it started in 2004.

Indeed one USC basketball player got “punked” on Facebook by some enterprising Cal students last year…and I find the site very useful for researching this blog (though unless something can be confirmed externally, I respect people’s privacy on the site…but it does give me story ideas to research!)

Freshmen told not to reveal too much on social Web sites [SFGate]

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Anyone familiar with California law governing the initiative process could have seen this one coming when the Los Angeles City Council placed a term limits-cum-ethics reform measure on the November ballot.

West Los Angeles resident Neil Donner filed a lawsuit Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to remove the measure - which would give council members a third four-year term - from the Nov. 7 ballot.

The suit says the measure violates the California Constitution because it combines two issues - a term-limit extension and ethics reform - in a single ballot measure.

City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo had warned the council that the measure would leave the city vulnerable to legal challenges, and the suit would have put him in the position of defending the city against the very sort of action he had warned of.

But City Attorney’s Office spokesman Nick Velasquez said Delgadillo is considering hiring outside counsel to defend the measure because specialized help is needed.

“The city attorney shared his office’s thoughts on this matter. At this juncture, following the council’s and mayor’s approval of the measure, the city attorney is now charged with defending the city in court and that’s what he intends to do,” Velasquez said.

Of course, hiring outside counsel may be expensive, but it may be necessary to defend Delgadillo from charges that he’ll defend the City’s interests as poorly in this case as he did when Mayor Villaraigosa asked him to go to court to keep the Engineers and Architects’ union from walking out. Sources tell us that the incompetency of Delgadillo’s office almost led to the City’s case being thrown out the morning before the strike began.

Term-limits suit may cost L.A. big bucks [Daily News]

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Take a good look, boyz, because that may be the last you see of Jeremy Bloom for awhile.

Jeremy Bloom was placed on the injured reserve today, meaning he will not play for the Eagles this season. Bloom, who was an Olympic skier, was somewhat of a risky pick in the fifth round. The Eagles had hoped he could give a spark to their return game, which has been lacking over the past few seasons. He was banged up in training camp and never really impressed the coaching staff or the fans.

Sounds alot like the recent career of another BoiFromTroy fave, David Beckham, eh?

Jeremy Bloom Won’t Be Returning [NFL FanHouse]

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After ending his streak of signing every pro-gay bill to come across his desk last fall, Governor Schwarzenegger is back on track, signing SB 1441 (Kuehl).

The EQCA-sponsored measure, authored by Senator Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica), bans discrimination in state operated or funded programs on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

“We greatly appreciate the governor signing this EQCA-sponsored legislation authored by Senator Kuehl prohibiting sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in government programs and services. This bill will help to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Californians are treated equally by our government and is an important step towards our goal of ending discrimination in the Golden State,” said Geoff Kors, EQCA executive director.

The right wing is going apoplectic–as if they hadn’t heard the Governor profess his “love” for Log Cabin and endorse principles of, “the values of tolerance, understanding, respect, equality, and inclusion.”

GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION IN CALIFORNIA STATE PROGRAMS [EqCA]

UPDATE: Let the Governor and his right wing critics know you support him on signing this bill!

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The “Original BoiFromTroy” gives us an early scrimage of things to expect on Saturday’s USC nationally-televised (ESPN, 8:45 PM ET) season opener against the University of Arkansas. But, before I answer the big “what if everything went wrong” question, here are some changes I would like to see:

Picture Tommy Trojan, atop the legendary Traveler, leading the USC Marching band, spirits high and glaring sword piercing the eyes of the gaping crowd. Conquest is picking up momentum. Tommy Trojan dismounts, points left and then right, looks up in the sky and with a gush of pride kneels down and pierces the land of Troy. The crowd goes ballistic as traveller gallops away confident and proud.

Overbearing confidence? You bet. Based on the DT story today, I expect USC opener against Arkansas to start on shaky grounds. Then, momentum will pick up as the players adjust to their environments and fight to a victorious 7-40 something, final. Here’s a summary that will leave the critics with something to think about:

1. Ryan Powdrell:
Most importantly, Powdrell fills the LenDale White role of demoralizing defenses.

2. Greg Woidneck
In an inevitable close battle with the Fighting Irish, an extra 10 yards on a late punt could mean the difference between Leinart-esque heroics for Brady Quinn or a more pleasant Thanksgiving celebration across USC….Woidneck, a redshirt sophomore, has been kicking the snot out of the ball every day in fall camp.

3. Travon Patterson
Patterson gives offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Lane Kiffin and quarterbacks coach Steve Sarkisian a brand-new look on offense. He’s like the kid in “The Incredibles,” skidding across bodies of water because his feet are moving so fast.

4. Nick Holt
…it will be Holt’s responsibility to lure the potential out, to unleash the rabid dog on suspecting offenses. If he can’t, USC is in for a lot of uncomfortably close games, but Carroll’s vote of confidence says a lot.

5. Murderers’ Row
Want to abuse a team less fortunate in recruiting? The trio of Keith Rivers, Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing will provide too much speed and physical freakishness for lesser football players to handle. [Long Pause] …Need a little more experience to face a more disciplined offense capable of burning overpursuing linebackers? Throw out Dallas Sartz, Oscar Lua and Thomas Williams and watch mind conquer matter - with a little bit of matter-on-matter collision involved, too.

Beer or no beer and with or without yell-leaders, USC Trojans seem to have the potential to catapult them into another BCS…plus, all that jazz.

Under The Radar [DT]

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Although he was kicked off of the Oklahoma squad just a month ago, quarterback Rhett Bomar has foind a new home: Division I-AA Sam Houston State.

Because he is dropping from Division 1A to Division 1-AA, Bomar will be able to play for Sam Houston State as soon as he is cleared by the NCAA.

For the former Texan, this means he will still get a shot at the Longhorns…just a week earlier than previously scheduled.

Ex-Oklahoma Quarterback Finds New School [AOL Sports]

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Just two days after the Los Angeles Times’ Michael Finnegan wrote that, “Strategists of both parties say a failure to show any advance among Democrats in the next wave of independent polls could push Angelides into a downward spiral,” a new poll is out that could presage the nail in Real Estate Developer Phil Angelides’ coffin.

The latest SurveyUSA poll, released yesterday, shows Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger sitting on a 14 point lead and, for the first time in any poll this election cycle, the Governator has more than 50% support–leading rival Angelides 52-38 with 8% undecided.

And speaking of spiraling out of control, Angelides advisor Bob Mulholland has abruptly left the campaign. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Boy does schadenfreude feel good in the morning!

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