Yet another scandal emerges concerning Pom Pom's shady football program. An LA Times article today blows the door open re. the concept of "Trojan student athletes." Apparently, Pom Pom's football players, along with some Trojan song girl bimbos, have been working on their degrees by taking academic shortcuts:

The stampede of student athletes up Figueroa Street from USC to Los Angeles Trade Tech College nearly two miles away drew curious attention during summer school registration at the downtown community college last June.

Among those signing up were three 300-pound Trojans linemen, including one with academic troubles at the university. There was also the beefy linebacker son of television's "Incredible Hulk" and a succession of strapping athletes, among them millionaire ex-USC receiver Keary Colbert of the Carolina Panthers.

They all wanted the same class -- a shortcut around the tough advanced foreign language courses required at USC.

Joining them was a USC song girl famous on the Internet in a photo of her appearing to cheer for the wrong side in the 2006 Rose Bowl -- along with members of the USC women's basketball, volleyball and water polo teams. And others from men's basketball, baseball and track.

Despite the time-honored tradition of athletes seeking easy classes, this one was puzzling. It wasn't basket weaving, the history of rock and roll or even ballroom dancing -- the choice of USC Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Matt Leinart a few months earlier.

Surprisingly to some, it was a hard-core academic class: Intermediate Spanish 3. And guess why these Trojan scholars are taking this "hard-core" academic class? Because it is being taught by some 73 year old grandmother - Senora Rose Mary Ross - whose idea of being "hard" on her "students' is to give out a "B" instead of an "A" when in all likelihood they'd be getting "Ds" if they took the classes in the university they are actually attending: "Those USC kids told me, 'If I took this class at USC, I'd get a D.' All of them said that," Ross said. But she is not apologetic.

"I've never given an easy grade in my life," she told The Times in a recent interview. "You come to my class and work, and I see you want to learn, I'll give you an A. I see some lazy ass, coming late all the time, acting like he doesn't care, I won't give him an A. I'll give him a B. And here is another example of what a "hard core" class this really was: One of her biggest, Matt Spanos (6-5, 305), said classes were "extremely relaxed. Every day Senora Ross had a fun little story about her life and places she'd been to. She made it easy to learn."

The offensive lineman, who sat out the 2006 season because of inadequate grades, earned an A from Ross. But at the university his fortunes did not improve. At year's end Spanos again was declared academically ineligible and barred from the 2007 Rose Bowl game against Michigan. And like the others, he must retake Spanish 3.

"What else can go wrong?" he shrugged after his class credit was revoked. "Let's add another thing to the list." ROFL. That is just too easy. So even with Senora Ross's hardcore Spanish course Trojan football players were having tough time staying eligible. To give Southern Cal's academic officials credit, the story went on to report that the University eventually investigated and disallowed the class.

But here is the troubling (but not surprising) part. Pom Pom saw nothing wrong with his football scholars taking academic shortcuts.  Neither did the Pac-10: Pacific 10 Conference spokesman Jim Muldoon said his office "is aware" of USC's trouble with the class but there are no plans to investigate further. Yeah, it's not like it's the first time Trojan football program team has been caught in some embarrassing scandal. There is no pattern here. Yeah, that's right. Move along Pac-10 officials. Why would the Pac-10 kill their money making machine? Just another reason I don't see anything coming out of the Reggie Bush scandal.

Business as usual at ole U$C. Cheat on Fight on Trojans.



She learned that in Senora Ross's class. She is no TrOJan Dummy.