JT, I agree with you that Carr has been dumped on his can far too many times for a young Quarterback to ever really develop at a normal rate and that the Texans were still wise to retain his services. I personally think that Capers was responsible more than anyone else for that moribund O-line because he drafted or signed too many duds like Chester Pitts (instead of selecting Clinton Portis one pick later) in '02 and overpaying for Miami washout Todd Wade. And yes, YES, YES, YES....the Texans desperately need offensive line help.

But here's what you have to consider, if you get a guy like D'Brickishaw Ferguson, who in my opinion is a little over-rated having watched a mediocre Senior Bowl performance, you still only have 1 out of 5 pieces on the O-line. It's not as if they've got four studs and only one dud needing replaced. Every draft has quality offensive lineman coming out and selectable in the top half of the draft. In fact, if you look at the recent drafts since 2000, every single year has had at least 2, sometimes 4 franchise quality offensive linemen in the top half where the Texans will be drafting for a few more years no matter what they do in this year's selection meeting.

What is NOT showing up in recent draft history, is a player of Bush's caliber. I'd argue that not since Marshall Faulk in 1994 and Barry Sanders in 1989 has there been a player that has this much explosion and potential for big plays available to anyone anywhere. Bush can return kicks, punts, and can split out in the slot or even line up wide creating tons of mismatches. That doesn't even address the fact that he can be devastating on the screen pass. Oh, and did I mention that the offensive line system that he ran behind in USC is EXACTLY the same sort of "one cut zone block" scheme that Kubiak is bringing over from Denver? That scheme, with undersized and physically outmanned offensive lineman, like what Houston has on the roster, is what made 1000 yard backs common place in Denver with lowly names like Mike Anderson and Olandis Gary not to mention total unknown Terrell Davis who became a star after being tabbed in the 6th round of the '95 draft.

Of course the common response will be that if they can do that with anyone, why spend the high pick on Bush? The answer is that it would be a melding of the perfect player with the perfect system that has never had greater potential to explode with stellar results. Yes, they will still need offensive lineman and Bush will admittedly be running behind a substandard line for a few years. But the Texans will have that either with or without spending that top pick on a lineman. It will take two years of good drafting and free agency for the OL needs to be honestly addressed.

And this whole discussion completely ignores the fact that the Texans have a deplorable defense that would have a hard time stopping an old lady in a phone booth thus making a quick team turnaround highly unlikely.

So the basic argument boils down to this matter, do you:

A)Select the best player available and ride the coat-tails and ticket sales of a franchise back that will electrify a city and a team like no one else, or do you

B)attempt to find a willing suitor that will mortgage the farm, ala the Vikings and the 1989 blockbuster Herschel Walker deal, and trade down a few spots to still nab highly touted Ferguson and hopefully an extra pick or two? Lineman come along every year, guys like Bush come along every decade or two. Which is the rarer commodity and which will put fannies in the half empty cavernous stadium that is Reliant Park? Last I checked, people don't file out in droves to buy offensive tackle jerseys and fill the stadium in support of their favorite 6-7 300 lb monster.

Houston also has a special condition now that makes Bush even more attractive in the marketing department and that is the fact that their guaranteed local broadcast of all home games expired last season and now is subject to normal NFL blackout rules of selling out at least 48 prior to kickoff. Houston hasn't genuinely sold out many games since their inaugural season. Certain teams sell well but guys like Bush will move tickets against all opponents and that translates to stadium revenues AND additional TV revenues, not to mention tertiary sales like jerseys and other team paraphernalia.

Then there's another storyline to consider, who would your trade up partner be and what would it take to get the pick?

Let's deal with the second question first: According to a commonly accepted NFL ranking system, the first pick is worth 3000 trade points, 2nd pick is 2600 points, 3rd 2200, 4th 1800 and so on down the line�. (http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFLDraft/Draft+Insider/2004/TradeValue.htm#Chart).

If that�s the case, anyone trading up will need a relatively comparable amount of value points to equal the 3000 point value of the first overall pick. For the Jets to realistically move up, they would have to part with their #4 overall worth 1800 points and then need to find 1200 more points worth of value. Then consider their 2nd round and 3rd round picks will nab 540 and 250 points respectively still leaving them 1010 points shy of meeting actual value. That would also mean an extra player or two or possibly picks from next season. Another worthy deal would be this year�s first for 1800 points, next year�s pick whatever the teams would agree to project it�s worth, assuming a midlevel first round you�re talking 1000 points and still a 3rd round pick from this year�s draft.

Then, that�s assuming that the Jets even WANT a franchise back like Bush. Sure, anyone could find a place for his talent but the question the Jets face is this, do you take a stud back that will only complement an aging C-Mart but still not address a one armed Pennington? Even with former #1 Washington washout Pat Ramsey waiting in the wings, there are big questions at quarterback in New York and those questions would be answered well by a certain Matt Leinart that the Jets currently covet very strongly. They covet him so strongly that they have made inquiries into trading with the Saints because the conventional thinking is that New Orleans wants to move down now that they�ve secured the services of Drew Brees and now are looking toward the offensive or defensive lines.

This little dance of positions has heated up a few other areas too. Consider the following:

-The Saints are floating the notion that they want Leinart even though they�ve got Brees in the fold to drive up the price of a trade-up scenario for someone below who covets the USC QB like the Titans. Also weighing in this matter is that Norm Chow, the offensive coordinator in Tennessee, was Leinart�s offensive coordinator for three seasons at Southern Cal.
-The Titans who truly do covet Leinart are also playing head games with the Raiders who are believed to be in the hunt for the services of Vince Young.
-The Saints are also trying to entice the Green Bay Packers for a move up situation because of two factors: 1) the player most sought after in cheese-head land is linebacker extraordinaire AJ Hawk out of Ohio State but running a close second, despite having taken Aaron Rogers in last year�s first stanza, is again Mr. Popularity, Matt Leinart.

All this brings me back to Bush and Houston. The trade down scenario is not as realistic this year as it might be in other years. The reason of course is team need. Team needs across the league are cited as the primary reasons QB Aaron Rogers fell from a potential #1 overall pick to #24 overall in 2005. Bush would never fall that far but the teams directly below the Texans, who are usually the most likely trade partners in move-down situations, just aren�t in that great of need for a runningback. Combine that with the necessary compensation via the trade value chart, and you�ve got very prohibitive conditions for a bonanza deal dropping in Houston�s lap.

Verdict, Houston almost has to take Bush for the reasons above or would likely end up getting lesser value than they deserve for trading out of the number one spot. Plus there�s the completely selfish issue to consider, I already have my Reggie Bush jersey and live in Houston so that should trump all other arguments!!!

All good points, but isn't the common thinking within NFL cirlces now, that running backs just aren't worth the money or risk to take in the top 3, since their value in free agency has dropped like a stone, except for James, who got a sweetheart deal from Arizona because they have a new stadium they HAVE to fill. Look at Alexnader, he was pretty much forced to resign with Seattle, because no GM is willing to spend that much on a running back any more. The Buc's took Williams with the number 5 pick last season, they wouldn't have taken him at 1, 2, or 3 and look at what they got, he turned out to be the best back in the draft. The Texans need more help than a running back, they need O'linemen, and they need them fast take that number one pick and sell it to the highest bidder, get yourselves 5 picks over the first 6 rounds, and a conditional pick for next year, take D'Brick, and draft wisely on the second day and you can build a line in less than 3 seasons, Texas football fans are smart, show them you are moving in the right direction and they will pay to watch.

I agree that IF they could trade down and stockpile picks, it would be a wise move. But the problem remains, so far, NO ONE has or is likely to offer the farm to trade up to that spot. The NFL pick value chart is what it is(see above posting), and whether we agree with it or not, most teams stick to it closely. Just that factor alone makes a blockbuster trade highly unlikely given the needs of the 6 teams directly below the Texans.

Also, among some teams, there is the notion that the value of a back is less in terms of dollars and willingness to spend BUT, that rule applies much more to older backs nearing the age of 30 than to youngsters fresh out of college with little tread worn off the tire. Bush is only 21 and that's 9 years of NFL production before he turns the dreaded old age for runningbacks. Added to that, he was only used on a part-time basis for his three years of college and I believe was only a starter for 2 years back in HS.

Reggie Bush is more than "just a running back." As vikingjuice said, he's the kind of player that comes around about once a decade. He is incredible and has worked hard over the offseason to make himself NFL ready this fall. I saw him Wednesday at USC and he looks huge! In regards to Cadillac Williams, he wasn't the first back taken in the draft. Ronnie Brown was taken at number two and with Ricky Williams gone (again), Ronnie will have much more of an opportunity to show off his stuff this year. Reggie Bush undoubtedly should go at number one, but I do agree with ClashCity that the Texans have other worries than running back.

I didn't say Williams was the first back picked, I said they picked him at 5, but probably would not have picked him nor Brown if they had a lower pick. Backs though usually the fastest to pay dividends are also the fastest to breakdown, running back is an instinct position, find hole, run thru hole, avoid tackles, the hard part is learnig to pick up the blitz, and realizing you are no longer the best athlete on the field anymore, usually a shock to a roookie's system. Point being, if the Texans can't block for Rhodes or Carr what makes you think they can block for Bush? A crappy o-line costs you in all phases, your first responsiblity is to ensure time to pass, time to run, neither of which the Texas sponge-bob like o-line can deliver. Bottom line, build the line, then add the talent.

ClashCity I couldn't agree with you more when you say "If the Texans can't block for Carr what makes you think they can block for Bush?" This isn't NCAA football anymore, and the defensive players are faster in the NFL. Bush won't make it to the outside all the time like he did in college, so without good blocking he will have trouble gaining as many yards.

Reggie is a great player, no doubt. However, you're going to spend your top pick on a guy that won't touch the ball more than 15 times a game? Also, you say he'll return kicks/punts, etc. so he'll be extremely valuable. If he is doing all that I guarantee you he doesn't survive 10 games into the season. Reggie has always played on a stacked team in a college conference full of high school caliber football teams. So, while he was able to dazzle and jump his way to winning a Heisman, he'll have a bit more trouble doing it against REAL defenses. Oh yeah, his O-Line will be horrid, forgot that part.

If the Texans wanted to put butts in the seats they'd do the smart thing and draft Vince. You'd sell that place out every game and make a retarded amount on merchandise as well. Whatever they do, drafting Bush is the worst possible decision for them. Davis is a hoss (1000+ yrds behind THAT O-Line??!?) and while the IDEA of Reggie being this strategic, game-breaker back is nice, it just isn't logical. Also, this will be a horrible move on the Texans' parts because Reggie is about to be dumped into a huge scandal. I'm sure "USCPN" will try and downplay it and not give it much coverage, but Bush's family has been living in a million dollar pad ever since the end of his junior year. Who bought the house for them? Whoops. . .a marketing agent. It'll reflect real well on the Texans when their #1 star pick ends up getting USC's 2004 National Championship campaign erased.

Bush needs to go to a team that could actually use him. . .like the Jets. Curtis "Old Man" Martin is just about done. Trade down, let the Jets get Reggie "Push" and then they can draft Vince or D'Brick or Mario a few slots down plus some extra picks to fix that O-Line and their defense. Oh well, Casserly has made some WONDERFUL choices so far, so I'm sure he'll make the right call here.

Will, I couldn't take any of your points seriously because you clealy have no respect for Reggie Bush, nor the college program for which he dominated college football. You've clearly never seen Reggie play in person, he is the game breaker everyone says he is. He also has bulked up and is in the condition he needs to be to be the number one draft pick. To call the Pac 10 a "high school caliber conference" immediately discredits anything else you said. The Pac 10 sent half of its teams to bowl games this year and finished 3-2 (one of those losses being in the National Championship). Furthermore to suggest that Vince Young be taken by the Texans at number 1 is illogical. Young will not improve his team immediately, as he is not a pro-ready quarterback, and needs time to develop. If the Texans needed a QB, they'd take Matt Leinart, but they don't because David Carr has been locked down for three more years and has the potential to succeed with a decent offensive line blocking for him.

Yeah, I have no respect for Reggie because he deserves none. Not that the NCAA will actually do anything about it, but if they did the right thing all of USC 2004 campaign would be wiped clean. Why? Reggie is a cheat and a fraud. And Matt Leinart? He is still spouting off about how the Trojans "lost the Rose Bowl" and that they're "still the better team".

Anyway, I suppose what I should have said is that the DEFENSES in the Pac-10 are high-school caliber. No, it isn't because the Pac-10 offenses are better. Name me one kid going in the first round on defense coming out of the Pac-10. Only one name springs to mind, the DT from Oregon, Ngata. So. . .Reggie Bush. . .a guy that routinely didn't even manage 100 yrds a game (hes a decoy wink wink) consistently against Pac-10 defenses is gonna tear it up on a bad team against NFL level D's? Sure. Oh no! I just saw a pig with wings fly past my window!

Also, to expand upon your statement about how good the Pac-10 is. Chokelahoma beat the Ducks, the clear cut second best team in the conference in the Holiday Bowl. Oklahoma got beat by TCU, almost lost to Tulsa. . .you see where I'm going with this? Reminds me a lot of the year before when Cal "deserved" to go to the Rose Bowl instead of Texas and then the Red Raiders took them out behind the woodshed.

"Name me one kid going in the first round on defense coming out of the Pac-10."

Winston Justice

It's even money now between Mario Williams and Bush as first pick. Williams immediatly makes the Texans' defense better, Bush does not make that kind of impact on an offense that can't block. Build your front 7's and the rest falls into place.

Here's a hint bro. . .Winston Justice is an OFFENSIVE LINEMAN. No, you do not get to pass GO, no you do not get to collect $200.

However, I agree that Mario would be a much better pick for the Texans than Bush. If they want to win games that is.

Pac 10 defensive first round pick: Darnell Bing.

Are you seriously arguing that Bush isn't that good because he doesn't gain a lot of yards? A) He rushed for 1740 yds (3rd in all D-1A ball) at an average of 8.7 yds/carry. B) He played on the same team as LenDale White who carried for 1302 yds. Judging by your comments, I don't think you've ever seen the Trojans play. You did, however, reference the Notre Dame push, so how did you manage to overlook his 160 yds, 10.7 yds/carry, and 3 TDs against the Irish (not a Pac 10 defense)? I agree Bush should go somewhere other than Houston, but he, undoubtedly, has the talent to go at number one.

I might have overlooked the fact that the Irish weren't a Pac-10 team because they had one of the lowest ranked defenses in the entire NCAA in 2005 at 75th in total defense.

Also, sorry to burst your bubble but Darnell isn't going in the first round. There's a kid out of a D-3 school in a town right close to my hometown (Abilene Christian Wildcats) that is rated higher than Darnell. A D3 kid! Seriously, not to be rude, but do any of you know what you're talking about?

Also, I think I've seen the Trojans play considering that ESPN loves them to death and shows their games relentlessly and also because I'm a senior at the University of Texas and I was at the Rose Bowl. Maybe Reggie needs to work on his laterals for the NFL.

WOW!!! You were at the Rose Bowl! Obviously that makes your an authority on Reggie Bush. I mean neglect the fact that I was at the Arkansas, UW, WSU, California, UCLA, and Texas game (yes, that same Rose Bowl) and saw the rest on TV, I think I know what I'm talking about when I talk about Reggie Bush. Clearly your bitter that he was so much more incredible (Rose Bowl excepted) than Vince Young last season and deserved to win the Heisman. Don't get me wrong, Vince Young single handedly won a National Championship last season and I have the utmost respect for him after the way he tore the Trojans apart in the Rose Bowl, but that does not mean he was more dazzling than Reggie last season or more deserving of the Heisman. Just for the record, USC didn't play a single game on ESPN last season (they did play one on ESPN2): ABC 6, FSN 3, NBC 1, TBS 1, ESPN2 1.

Yeah. I suppose you're right. Send me a card when VY gets to decide whether he'll accept the Heisman as the TRUE winner or if he just decides to say "keep it, it's only a paper weight".

Did you see the ESPN interview with Reggie today? He sounded REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAL convincing.

Oh yeah, in this day and age, you don't actually have to BE at a game to have an in depth and full understanding of someone's playing skills. It's called video.

True and I'd recommend you watch that video.

My bad, I totally brain farted on the PCA-10 defense post, oh well...The Texans' still don't need Bush and when USC is forced to forfiet it's '05 games and Leinert's records are wiped out, at least he can blame Bush and his family for being as DUMB AS YOU CAN BE, didn't anyone explain to these people, YOU DO NOT ACCEPT GIFTS,HOUSES,CARS,MONEY,FOOD,CLOTHING,SOD,SAND, AIR or anything else from and "AGENT" while your meal ticket is still in school.

Yep. I loved his ESPN interviews. I'd really like to ask Trey Wingo how it feels to obviously have someone lie straight to your face like that on national TV.

"So. . .Reggie, who actually paid the rent?"

"Uh. . .well. . .er. . .I don't really want to get into all those details right now." (AKA, whoops, my lawyer forgot to tell me what to say there)

The sad thing is, Reggie isn't going to lose out on this whole scandal in the least. I do believe the idiot Texans will end up drafting him #1 and he'll be a multi-millionaire on Saturday. Then, so what if they found out he took a bunch of stuff from agents and let his family stay in that posh pad? The most they could do would be to take his Heisman away, but I doubt they'll even do that. ESPN loaded up a long time ago on the Reggie Bush bandwagon so they're doing everything possible to say that Reggie didn't know and if Reggie didn't do anything why should he be punished? Uh. . .maybe because those are the rules. If you don't like the NCAA's rules you don't have to play football for a college team that is in the NCAA. However, if you want to become famous and then go on to the NFL to make a retarded amount of money you do.

Funny thing is, Reggie came out just the other day and said he thinks athletes should be paid in college and that they should be paid based on performance. In other words, I was the superstar there at USC and I should have been making my money and to hell with my team or anyone else. ESPN always talks about how Reggie is a class act, but if you listen to the guy for 5 seconds you can tell how much of an a$$ he is. If for some reason he doesn't go at the #1 spot in the draft he'll probably have an anurism and his brain, along with his huge ego, will explode.

At least he's literate with an ego, unlike Vince Young.

Again, the Trojans expose themselves for the real $hitbags they are.

Half the guys in the NFL can't even read. Doesn't stop them from making the bucks. Sure didn't stop Vince from making your Condoms look like a PeeWee football team in the Rose Bowl. Hurts, I know. . .try and get over it.

On reflection however, I have decided that I should stop being selfish and wishing for Vince to go to the Texans. The Texans have proven time and again they have no clue as to how to make their team better and I'd rather not see Vince have to put that whole franchise on his back. Let him go to the Titans or the Raiders where he can get some good coaching and then I'll get to watch him in the Superbowl that much sooner.

It's really not so shocking, considering during the National Champ. game they asked Bush's family if he was going to come out this year? his Mama's answer said it all "WE GONNA GET PAID" not "Yes, Reggie is going to declare, and HE is going to get what he deserves", "WE GONNA GET PAID", and how many yards did you gain this year Mama Bush?

Will, you prove once again that the Longhorn is the perfect mascot for UT since its intelligence is equivalent with the generic student enrolled at UT. I think you, and not I, need to get over it. The Trojans lost the Rose Bowl, you win some, you lose some, you move on and give it another shot next season. I've commended Vince Young for his Rose Bowl performance, which was second to none in sports performances this year, and acknowledged that he has potential to succeed in the NFL. I see a lot of differences, however, between the style of football at UT and the NFL, but I'm not saying Young will fail. Simply that he is more of a risk, than, say Leinart, whos stats, as you pointed out are consistent each year. Obviously the upside of Young is another Micheal Vick, but you can't be so near sighted that you don't acknowledge that Young has some developement to turn into that type of quarterback:
He needs to prove he can take snaps under center and read a defense from there.
His throwing motion is more sidearmed and for better ball control he will need to come over the top more.
He needs to show that with faster defenders he can still out run them on opiton plays.
He CAN do this because he is a talented athlete, but it's gonna take some adjustment. Again, please don't be confused. I'm not blatantly disrespecting one of the NCAA's best football players, like yourself with Bush and Leinart (both two time National Champions, both Heisman Trophy winners), I'm simply saying that while Young is very athletic, he'll need to tweak his game to succeed in the NFL.

First of all, I responded a bit harshly, and for that I apologize. It gets tough when uscPN never gives your team any love and then after they pull off the win in the RB. Then the very next day the media forgets about them for, guess who, the guys they just beat down. Then, to add insult to injury, they go out of their way to try and pick at Vince. The whole Wonderlic score nonsense was unbelievable to me. First of all, no one in the NFL really thinks the Wonderlic proves jack from what I understand, and Vince never did as bad as people said. Yet uscPN jumped all over that story and since then they've been nit-picking everything they can about him and projecting him as horribly as possible. In my opinion, they are trying to save face. Vince made uscPN look foolish after they proclaimed USC the "greatest team ever" and so now they have to stick with their #2 media market horses in Matt and Reggie. I mean seriously, Matt has cameramen following him around and he has a diary on ESPN.com. Reggie never gets a negative word said about him from ESPN. Seriously, not one.

Ok, now that my rant is over I'll respond to your comments about Vince. Yes, Vince is not the brightest crayon in the box. Yes, Vince has a sidearm delivery that MIGHT be a hindrance in the NFL. Yes, Vince didn't play a lot under center and he will need to work on reading NFL defenses.

However, regardless of Vince's intelligence he was able to improve his passing IMMENSELY from his Sophomore to his Junior year in college. He still put the beat down on every single team he came across and was able to walk out of college with the best QB rating, bar none. That sidearm delivery let him complete over 65% of his passes last year. Vince's main problem will be learning to read complex defenses and adapt to what they're doing. I personally believe that if you sit him a year before throwing him in, he can do this. The kid doesn't have all the book smarts in the world, but when it comes to instincts and on the field smarts he really has no peer.

My problem with Matt is not his playing skills, but rather his personality. The kid is hanging out with celebrities and it has obviously gone to his head. Every time he gets popped hard in a game he makes sure and tells the media how unfair it was. He purposely hung around an extra year at USC to get more accolades and to be THE guy on campus. He gets drunk at parties and has had a tendency to run his mouth in the media. All that being said. . .yes, he is the guy you could stick in the quickest and get production out of. However, his arm is lacking which will hinder him in the NFL. Also, he's slower than Christmas and has shown that he can't really take a hit. . .both very bad things for the NFL.

Now, yes I suppose I have disrespected Bush and Leinart. Why? They aren't class acts like Vince and they've gone out of their way to disrespect my University (like you) and football in general. Matt just the other day AGAIN reiterated how he felt like the Trojans were the better team in the Rose Bowl and how they "lost the game, UT didn't win it". I forgave him for these statements right after the Rose Bowl because he was obviously in shock and I understand how bad that has to hurt. However, he needs to get over it and get over himself and give UT the respect they deserve. USC was beaten fair and square as they say, and both of USC's Heisman winners were outplayed by a guy who everyone said couldn't throw the ball. You can't dispute that, yet Matt tries to every chance he gets.

Reggie, on the other hand, has disrespected all of college football with this latest house scandal. He obviously knew what was going on with the house and he obviously didn't care. He knew that he was the Golden Boy that no one was going to mess with and he knew that he and his family could get away with it. You don't scratch "The Griffens '05" into the cement if you are "renting" the house. You also don't move out the day after reporters show up if you've been living there legit. Reggie also made it clear to uscPN that he thinks players should be paid. . .and that they should be paid based on performance. I.E. I should have been making my cash in college and screw everyone else. Excluding the fact that Reggie wasn't truly eligible for '05, he didn't deserve the Heisman anyway. It was fairly obvious that he won it because he got 500+ yrds on a TERRIBLE football team and then Vince had an off game against AT&M. Of course after the Rose Bowl every one of those voters said that they had seen the light and would have changed their vote to Vince. Whatever. . .the Heisman is a joke and I hope when they strip it from Reggie and offer it to Vince he turns it down.

It seems USC folks have a really big ego problem and I say this in all sincerity. Their players think they can get away with whatever they want and their fans refuse to see the obvious. Like you saying Reggie and Matt are TWO TIME National Champs. Uh, wrong. LSU won in '03 because in our day and age the BCS is all that matters. However much the AP would like to think they count, they don't. So it is very disrespectful to LSU for you and your Trojans to be claiming victory in '03 when there was none. Now we find out that Winston Justice may have been involved in this whole house scandal and also that Sanchez, the guy who should be the starter for the Trojans '06 campaign because Booty got hurt, is now under arrest. Under arrest for sexual assault/rape charges. Do you ever hear any of this stuff about Vince? No, because he truly is a class act and a wonderful guy on AND off the field. He's a gifted athlete and a born leader and that's why in the end he's going to succeed in the NFL.

Will, whether or not I agree those are all respectable opinions and well written too.

My only dispute comes at the end when you argue that USC didn't win the 2003 National Championship. Let's face the facts, USC was ranked #1 in both the AP and Coaches' Poll going into the start of the 2003 bowl season. They were deserving of a spot in the National Championship, especially considering Oklahoma had their pass to the NC until getting embarrased by Kansas State in the Big 12 final, 35-7! However, SC was kept out of the National Championship based on a mathematical system that has since been altered. I don't mean any disrespect to LSU, because they did everything they needed to win also. My honest opinion is that, because Oklahoma blew their opportunity, USC and LSU should have played for that National Championship (and would have in this year's BCS formula) and the winner would have been the undisputed National Champion. Unfortunately this didn't happen, so let LSU say they won, and let USC say they won, and you know what, they're both right because they both have hardware to prove it.

Well that's the problem. You have to go by the system you've got. Obviously USCV shouldn't have been left out, but that's how it went. Of course folks were upset about it and so the BCS changed (yet again) to try and fix itself.

We obviously need a playoff type of system, but until that happens we're stuck with the ever changing BCS. Also, I don't ever hear the Trojans call themselves the "2003 Co-Nat'l Champs". Especially after the '04 win they say it like LSU was never there. Give the Tigers their props and laugh at OU like us good people down here in Texas do.