The L.A. Times’s T.J. Simers reports that Norm Chow and Pete Carroll are both flatly denying the reports of tension in their relationship:

[Chow] made an appearance on the Fred Roggin radio show [Monday] … For the most part he danced around Roggin’s questions, but when asked about the reports of his “strained” relationship with Carroll, Chow scoffed.

“None whatsoever,” he said. “That’s silly, absolutely silly.” …

“I’ve told Norm repeatedly that I love him and want him to stay here,” Carroll said. “But he’s so valuable, it’s inevitable he’s going to leave. And this opportunity in Tennessee is a really good one.”

But what about these newspaper reports? “I showed the Seattle story to Norm today, we talked and it’s ridiculous,” Carroll said. “There are stories, but that’s OK, because they’re not true. There is no friction whatsoever between Norm and I.”

Friction or not, it appears that Chow is about to leave Troy for greener pastures, again according to the L.A. Times:

USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow has been offered a similar job with the Tennessee Titans and could accept the offer from the NFL team as soon as today, sources close to the situation said Monday.

“He’s as gone as yesterday,” one source said. …

Chow…received an offer from [Titans Coach Jeff] Fisher that could be in the range of $1 million annually, which is at least double the salary that Chow earns as one of the highest paid assistants in college football.

As he left campus in the early afternoon Monday, Chow said his situation would be resolved in “the next day or two.”

“We’ll just have to see what happens,” Chow said.

Matt Leinart, who forewent a certain NFL Draft lottery pick to return to USC next season, is not exactly thrilled with the offseason dismantling of the Trojan coaching staff:

Trojan quarterback Matt Leinart, who was scheduled to meet with Chow Monday, said the possibility of Chow’s leaving was “definitely upsetting.” …

Leinart, who had elbow surgery two weeks ago, said the loss of quarterbacks coach Carl Smith — now the offensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars — and Chow would put him in “a tough position.”

Asked if he would have returned for his final season of eligibility if he had known that Chow might not be in the fold, Leinart said, “Obviously, it would have changed my thought process. In all honesty, I didn’t really want to play for a new guy coming in.

“If I had known he would be gone for sure, it definitely would have changed my thought process a lot. I don’t know if I would still have left or still stayed. I don’t know that and, obviously, I never will. But I know it would have [affected] my decision.”

He says he has “no regrets,” though.

P.S. The Times’s J.A. Adande makes an interesting point:

Do you like the way Tennessee Coach Jeff Fisher, loyal USC alumnus that he is, waited until after the national letter-of-intent signing day to make his play for Chow? That’s right, let the suckers think they’ll play for the offensive mastermind, then sweep him away. Oh, and if any of USC’s current players want to go somewhere else now that Chow’s gone, they’ll have to sit out a year. Really fair.

USC celebrated its national championship on campus today. Dammit, I wish I could have been there. I’m all jealous.

On a related note, this banner would look nice in Becky’s and my South Bend apartment, don’t you think? :)

The Former USC Football Coach Who Shall Not Be Named has resigned as Offensive Coordinator of the New York Jets. Chad Pennington can now look forward to better days as a quarterback. Let us again remind ourselves how lucky we are to have Pete Carroll!

In more depressing news, Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated has a damning column on the use of steroids and amphetamines in Major League Baseball.

Matt Leinart shocks the world, stays in school!

If the Trojans were going to be ranked #1 in the preseason polls anyway, what will they be ranked now? Perhaps #0 or #negative-1? Or maybe USC should still be ranked #1, but the next-highest team should be #4 or #5… :)

P.S. Oh, and USC also, like, hired a basketball coach today, or something. Can you say “overshadowed”? Heh.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame’s Justin Tuck is going pro, as predicted here earlier.

UPDATE: Getting back to Leinart, I like the way CBS Sportsline’s Dennis Dodd puts it:

Without Leinart, USC is a favorite to win its third [straight] national championship.

With him… good Lord, why even play the season?

Heh. Dodd also writes, “It’s so refreshing you want to burst. A 6-5, 225-pound god of a quarterback who could have a line of credit at Beverly Hills Rolls Royce right now chose to scrounge for lunches at McDonald’s for one more year.”

Matt Leinart will announce his decision — USC or NFL — tomorrow at 2:30 PM PST (5:30 PM EST), according to BoiFromTroy. Reading the tea leaves, Boi thinks Leinart may be staying. Of course, that could just be wishful thinking, and/or the Fog of Football. Stay tuned.

Matt Leinart to-go-pro-or-not-to-go-pro decision is expected today (Thursday). MSNBC’s Michael Ventre urges him to go, and offers the following money quote:

If he returns for another season at USC, he’ll risk suffering an injury that might hurt his NFL earning power. He will be insured, but no policy would cover him for the amount he can earn in his pro career if a catastrophe should occur. Why do that? To prove you can pick apart the secondary of Notre Dame again? Judging by the Irish last season, Leinart could probably do that right-handed.

Ouch.

USC quarterback, Heisman Trophy winner and Orange Bowl MVP Matt Leinart has two big decisions coming up: whether to stay in college or enter the NFL Draft, and whether to keep blogging!

I don’t know about the latter, but the former decision will be announced tomorrow, according to the AP. (Hat tip: BoiFromTroy.)

Despite Pete Carroll’s firm statements to the contrary, the 49ers rumors persist. But Mike Garrett says he’s not worried.

In the ridiculously early 2005-06 preseason rankings, guess who’s #1? Surprise, surprise.

Watching USC earn the first-ever AP championship three-peat by winning the BCS national title at the Rose Bowl? During my honeymoon, no less? I could deal with that… :)

Here’s the latest on the USC-Tim Floyd negotiations.

Arash outlines the Trojans’ doomsday scenario:

As good as things look for USC right now, they have the potential of turning very bad, very fast. If San Francisco gives its native son — and former defensive coordinator — Carroll a lucrative offer to make him its next head coach and general manager, Carroll could be gone. Leinart may also end up joining his coach in the Bay Area as the first overall pick after he officially announces he will enter the NFL Draft next week. If Carroll were to leave the Trojans he would likely try to bring along many of his assistants, including Chow.

Man, that would suck.

On a lighter note, he relates this wonderful anecodate from the sidelines in Miami:

With two minutes remaining in an Orange Bowl game that was decided in the first half, Pete Carroll…couldn’t help but hear the bellowing sound of defensive line coach and soon-to-be Ole Miss head coach Ed Orgeron barking orders near the team bench.

As Orgeron looked down at a grease board, All-American defensive linemen Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson looked at each other, shook their heads and smiled. Carroll then put his arms around Cody and Patterson and watched Orgeron plead with his men to stay in the game as they held a precarious 55-19 lead.

“What are you doing,” Carroll yelled. “Writing down your [bleeping] address so they can keep in touch with you?”

Orgeron didn’t look up.

“Look at this guy coaching every second,” Carroll shouted.

Carroll grabbed “Coach O,” who proceeded to bear hug Carroll, pick him up and bring him down to the ground.

Heh.

More photos here.

You can buy national-championship gear here. I already ordered a locker-room cap, hoping it’ll arrive by Monday so I can wear it to the first day of class at Notre Dame. :)

P.S. BoiFromTroy has a great first-hand report from Miami.

WE’RE #1!!!

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, BABY!!!

UNDEFEATED, UNDISPUTED NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!

FIGHT ON, TROJANS!!!

…na-na-na-na
Hey, hey, hey
Goodbye!

48-10 USC, 14:43 left.

P.S. When the band plays “Conquest,” can we stop saying “Beat the Sooners” and start saying “Beat the Warriors“?

Can it really be this easy? Is USC really going to blow out Oklahoma? It’s 38-10 at halftime!!!

This is definitely the best I’ve seen USC play all year. They’re certainly peaking at the right time! The offense has been clicking on all cylinders, the defense has done a great job too, and the Trojans have made the Sooners pay for each and every mistake they’ve made. In a word: Wow.

Sasha says, “Go ‘SC!” :)

UPDATE: 45-10!