Visit USC to learn UCLA’s caliber

Los Angeles: It’s a big city.

So big that there’s room for redundancy in athletics.

Two NBA teams. Two Major League Baseball teams (with a doubly
redundant presence in the name “Los Angeles Angels of
Anaheim”). Two NFL teams ““ a long, long time ago, at
least.

And two of the country’s top college athletics
programs.

Though that last one is debatable.

I’m not sure there’s room for two NCAA Division I
programs to exist in the giant metropolitan area that is Los
Angeles. Especially when one of the two is USC.

Or at least that’s what I’ve been required to think
since first stepping foot on this campus back in 2002.

But a trip to UCLA’s rival school Saturday made me wonder
what all of the fuss is about.

It was my first time visiting USC since I became a student
here.

While driving up to the L.A. Sports Arena ““ the
Trojans’ home court ““ everything appeared normal for a
typical intercollegiate athletic match-up. But continuing into the
complex, I guess I can say from that point on, there was little
evidence of cause for rivalry.

UCLA clearly has the superior setup and situation.

Take parking, for instance. I think my friends and I drove to
some kind of donor lot by accident. When the parking guy discovered
we had no pass, he asked for $10, saw that my friend driving had
only $5 out, took it and let us in. A little shady, if you ask
me.

Shady. That’s a good way to describe pretty much
everything that day.

From the noticeable lack of attendance overall to a home student
section filled mostly by the band, it’s no wonder USC’s
men’s basketball team is last in the Pac-10.

Last in the Pac-10, last in pretty much everything, as far as
I’m concerned.

With a facility held together by duct tape (literally, as in the
case of the safety rail in the section where I was sitting), a
lackluster fan base and a school that’s not exactly in the
West Side, USC pales in comparison to UCLA.

Sure, the Bruins’ facilities aren’t the most amazing
in the world. But on Saturday, the Sports Arena made me thankful
for what UCLA brings to the table.

For a football stadium that may be far away, but at least the
Rose Bowl isn’t the Coliseum (which I think is in about as
good of shape as its counterpart in Rome.)

For a basketball team whose fans more often than not support it,
even when its performance isn’t reminiscent of the John
Wooden era.

For a top-ranked women’s water polo team and the No. 1
men’s volleyball team.

It’s funny ““ I never realized what an away-game
experience does to make you see the best in your own team, despite
witnessing Saturday’s first half.

And it’s all because I got in a car and traveled a few
miles, something I can’t recommend enough for reaffirming
hope in your team.

Looper hopes no one notices he’s a fair-weather fan.
E-mail him at [email protected].