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Sometimes, the wading is the hardest part.
Usually when we talk about Pete Carroll, it's more like "Hades of Glory," but today we're forced into a truce. A good cause is a good cause, so because this whole "Swim for Mike" event raised about a million bucks for physically challenged athletes (including the amputee from "The Amazing Race"), AND because the sc song girls were willing to don sylish bikinis in front of hundreds of fans and National Media coverage, we're instituting a unilateral cease-fire. When you see the modeling pictorial, you'll understand.
Besides, sc is really suffering right now, and it's no fun to kick a man when he's down. The suffering began with the 13-9 beating they took at the hands of UCLA on the Football field, and it came to a head yesterday on Dedeaux Field, where the Bruins rallied in the 9th inning, when they were trailing by two and down to their last strike, to clinch the series, and more painfully for troy, clinch the Annual Lexus Gauntlet. That's the Award for the crosstown-rivalry school that does better head-to-head across ALL SPORTS for the whole year.
So since they're in pain, and since their cheerleaders were so generous, we decided to NOT choose the shots where they looked ugly. Truth be told, when you take 1000 shots, there are a lot of ugly results, even when the subject matter isn't ugly. But in the spirit of charity, we are sharing what we think are the most flattering shots (and just a couple of kinda risque shots), and will continue do do so throughout the rest of the week.
The "Swim with Mike" event was held in the McDonald's Swim Stadium, on the Figueroa campus, where fans actually had a good view of the sc Football practice, AND the Baseball game where the Bruins won the Gauntlet. There was also a BBQ going on right there, as well as a Silent Auction, Diving Show, Belly Flop Contest, and a Raffle. The event is open to the public, and is free. Even parking is free if you mention the charity event. This was the 27th edition -- After you see the pics, you might attend #28 next year.
The comedic highlight of the day was Will Ferrell letting Pete Carroll back into a victory. Ferrell had a big lead on Pete, when he suddenly switched to Butterfly or Breast stroke, letting Freestyle Pete blow past him to the finish line.
Will said that he got complacent with the lead, looked up at the crowd, and just stopped. Any way you look at it, the fix was in. Ferrell didn't want to show up the Coach in front of all the trojans. If only Ferrell could have taken mercy on the SPECTATORS... by sparing us all the sight of HIM IN A SPEEDO!
Before the duo appeared at the Pool, the trojans scrimmaged (on the adjacent Football practice field). Not surprisingly, every time we pointed the camera over there, all we saw was a bunch of blatant Holding (you'll see).
And after the Ferrell-Carroll Match Race came the real highlight of the day. The sc song girls changed into bathing suits, took part in an intertube relay, then modeled bikinis designed by Pete Carroll's niece.
Hey Mollie -- Are you listening?? Does Karl Dorrell have a niece in the fashion swimwear industry? Would it matter? If the Undie Run is a no go, then this probably wouldn't fly in Westwood either.
But it worked in South Central. It was amost like they had a bunch of supermodels that they used as ringers. The girls in the bikinis were head and shoulders above the SAME girls in sc song girl outfits, and we're not talking about shampoo. Maybe it was the stylish designs of Pom Pom's niece, but whatever it was, it was hard to hate trojans... at least until AFTER the Charity and Modeling Event was over.
By the way, we weren't the only Bruins in attendance: The Lifeguards were all from UCLA, donating their time to the cause. And surprisingly, no one booed when the announcement was made (by a guy who sounded exactly like Chris Roberts). The lack of booing is the final straw in our decision to support this cease-fire. Even their band, which was NOT in uniform, was on their best behavior.
Bottom line: Cooperating for Charity is BAD for the Rivalry!
Below are the first 30 or so photos from the McPool, with lots more to come in the near future.
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