As I normally do with our opponents, I perused the LA papers for OSU/USC related articles before yesterday's game. What I read was somewhat appalling, but, I let it go.

Then, after the Beavers beat the Trojans, I went through the sources again, specifically an LA Times article. Now, it's time to set the record straight.

This, from Chris Foster of the LA Times: (emphasis mine)

This will require scare tactics from USC Coach Tim Floyd.

Everyone knows that Oregon State is the speed bump along the Pacific 10 Conference road. The Beavers have lost 21 consecutive conference games, including a 69-46 pasting by UCLA on Friday. They are bad with a capital B.

You can imagine my initial reaction to this. For one, pasted by UCLA? The Bruins have won the Pac-10 conference three straight years. We kept pace with them in the second half. It was nothing like the 85-62, or the 84-49 losses from last year. If Foster had watched the game, perhaps he could tell that "pasting" wasn't the right word. USC is traveling to Pauley Pavilion this week... wonder what the score of that one will be. 

And, while we're at it... Bad with a capital B? Are you serious? Last year, the Beavers might have been bad. But it's unfair to put that kind of label on a team that weathers the storm of playing/coaching college basketball. But this year I don't see how anyone could call us "Bad with a capital B", even before we beat USC. It seemed disrespectful before the game, but it seems even more so now. Look at what Craig Robinson has done... he's motivating guys to play in ways they didn't last year. He's built an offense that, when executed, can defeat the best teams around. And nobody knows just how good this team could be this year, not even the players or coaches themselves. 

And then, the speed bump comment..... Well, this is what Oregon State did to USC: (Yes, the video is in a different language. But stick with it. It's worth it.)

More from Foster:

Such are the perceptions of the Beavers, and many of them are true. For example, Howard's only victory this season was against Craig Robinson's team. 

We played Howard the first game of the season, on the road, in Washington D.C. We didn't play well, and lost by two. We played Howard again, on December 21, and won by 36. Thirty- six. 

After the Howard win, here's what Craig Robinson had to say:

"We talked about [how the first game against Howard went], and knew that game wasn't really the team that we are now. We wanted to make sure that we didn't let any of that come into the thought process of [the second] game. I'm very proud of the way the guys handled themselves in the week leading up to this game."

More from Foster:

So, of course, the Trojans walk into Gill Coliseum today to collect the only road "gimme" on their schedule.

That's interesting, especially when the next two quotes in Foster's article are from Tim Floyd, and read:

"I felt [Oregon State] won the second half [against UCLA]," Floyd said. "Maybe they had pregame jitters, but they played well and won the second half."

"I've told our players [Oregon State] is going to win three or four games, minimum, at home," Floyd said. "They are going to win games in conference and you don't want it to be against you."

Dude, how do you get "Bad with a capital B", and "speed bump along the Pacific 10 Conference road" from those quotes?

If you didn't learn your lesson in football season, you should have learned it by now.

Foster knows it. This is what he wrote in his post-game article:

The Trojans blew out the Oregon Ducks on Friday, then blew a tire Sunday against the Beavers.

That's why you're supposed to look both ways before you cross the street.

--Jake (jake.buildingthedam@gmail.com)