I've taken some lighthearted heat for the "fluff" for my recent Exit Interview: Song Girl Natalie in the ongoing Exit Interview series (a series that I actually created with the first articles written on QB Brandon Hance, K Ryan Killeen, and FS Greg Farr). While I take the criticism with a smile on my face (Thanks, The Displaced Trojan! haha), it's funny because the "nice job" in conducting previous interviews is also indirected given to me (credited as "WeAreSC Staff" because of my previous employment with the USC Football team), the target of this recent blogging criticism.

I might occasionally write fluff, but I hope I've earned that right w/USC Football-related stories.
(Ok, some people had just asked me to show them what the Pac-10 Ring from 2005-2006 looks like, so I thought this was a good excuse to show it. It's the one on the left)

Regardless , I hope WeAreSC readers understand that I was under different content constraints for this article because of the Song Girls' ongoing relationship with the university and some behind the scenes news that hasn't hit the "Google Circuit" as of tonight. For instance, traditionally, Song Girls always are published with only their first names when writing about them as Song Girls, for which I was criticized for treating Natalie as a "reality TV character." Haha, love it. There was a lot going on behind the scenes on this story, so I apologize to the readers if it wasn't tabloid material. Fluff or no fluff, I hope most people enjoyed the article. In the end, the interview resulted in Natalie donating an autographed Song Girl poster that I hope will go a long way toward supporting the Mario Danelo Fund.

I have to admit that I have always had a preference toward fluff over controversy. In my last semester with the Daily Trojan, I was awarded the "Little Miss Sunshine" Opinions Columnist of the Semester award by now-Editor in Chief Jeremy Beecher, for having "the only positive column in the Opinions section." Jeremy said he didn't understand how that worked, but that somehow, a lot of people liked it. I like sappy movies, seen more romantic comedies than people would expect, and some of my favorite movies are 8 Mile, Drumline, and You Got Served - I'm fluff by nature and I'll embrace that. After 3 years of being beaten down by being at the bottom of a football hierarchical structure, you need some positives in your life! haha.

Really, it's not that bad. I also found that some random sports fan reposted this article, that I wrote about a year back in regards to a billboard that was going up in Los Angeles by LSU and Texas fans criticizing USC Football (USC Football was supposed to be my life and yet I still managed to have one outside of it). In the article, I wrote that "Some sports fans are huge dorks." This person's response? To repost my article on a message forum, entitle the post "I am a faggot" and register themselves with "David Chung" as a user name, hahahah. That could be the worst I've seen so far, so a little lighthearted criticism is nothing. Much respect to my former columnist peer and friend Patrick McFawn for taking some of the internet libel head on by responding to person after person who objected to his comments and columns. Most of the criticism directed toward McFawn happens to be related to sports, USC Football specifically, which makes me like basketball more and more everyday.

Ah the Internet, it's not just for porn anymore. There are endless reasons why I am so happy that I didn't write for the Sports section at the Daily Trojan, despite all the exclusives I could have gotten with ease. I enjoy sports, but it doesn't end my life when my team loses, nor do I think sports are worth fighting about. In the end, it's a game. In the professional ranks, they're rich. We're not. In college football, most people can't even begin to understand everything that goes on behind the scenes of a college program and love to think that their school's players follow all the rules, while thinking every other team is somehow filled with rapists, cheaters, and ex-convicts. It's just a game. We're not actually playing. If we play basketball together and my team loses, I won't be excited about it. But if the Celtics are playing and happen to lose (90% chance nowadays), my day will go on. Doesn't that just make more sense?

I was bored and decided to Google myself and it happened to come up. Google yourself one day and see what comes up! It's great fun. If you have too many results from a common name, Google your name + your hometown or university to find out just what's out there on you when employers "Google you" (and they do) before making a final hiring decision.

Had a great weekend otherwise, logged a lot of time with some good friends and took in the USC basketball game on Thursday. Happy birthday, Jenna. Drive home safe, Arlene and Mike! Have a safe flight home, Rob! See all you guys soon.

I'm going to chime in on this American Idol Antonella Barba controversy, along with the undeserved booting of Paul Kim later this week. The Bonzai Tree is still alive, threatening to take over the world with its exponential growth. Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.