Brent Musburger, the cheater.

[Poli]

USC complains Musburger gave away team sign

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LOS ANGELES -- Southern California formally complained that ABC-TV's Brent Musburger revealed privileged information in play-by-play commentary during Saturday's game against Nebraska.


The university sent a letter to ESPN, which oversees sports programming on ABC, saying Musburger, with less than 10 minutes to play and the Trojans leading 21-10, began describing how USC quarterback John David Booty lets receivers know he has spotted a certain kind of coverage.


"John David told us that his signal when he finds one-on-one and they're coming, it's that 'hang loose,' that familiar sign you've seen surfers use," said Musburger, referring to the sign where the thumb and little finger are raised.


USC sports information director Tim Tessalone sent a formal complaint to ESPN/ABC game producer Bill Bonnell on Monday and sent a copy to the Pacific-10 conference office.
<!-- enps graph -->In a letter to ESPN, USC said it considered the discussion private and background-only in nature.


"We're supposed to be partners in this, but this is certainly going to make us think twice about trying to help them have as good a broadcast as possible," Tessalone said. "What he did was unconscionable."


Last Friday, announcers and producers met with coaches and star players as part of their game preparation. During the meeting, there was discussion about how a replay of the Ohio State-Texas broadcast showed Buckeyes quarterback Troy Smith tapping the top of his helmet to let receiver Ted Ginn Jr. know he's noticed one-on-one coverage.


Booty was asked if Southern California had a similar signal, and Booty told Musburger about his "hang loose" signal.


"We are very mindful of what we learn in pre-game meetings in terms in what is appropriate for broadcast and what is for our background. We're sorry this led to an unfortunate misunderstanding, which was never our intention," ESPN said in a statement released by spokesman Josh Krulewitz.
<!-- 2 enps graphs -->Musburger, through an ESPN spokesman, said: "We've explained to USC that during our pregame meeting we discussed how we used replays to illustrate a specific signal the week before in the Ohio State-Texas telecast. In that context, we asked if USC has a similar way of communicating and the specific signal was offered.
"Clearly, there is a misunderstanding of our intentions, and we regret the confusion. We look forward to working with USC on future telecasts as we continue to cover great program."

Asked about Musburger's on-air revelations, USC coach Pete Carroll said with a laugh, "Just wondering what they're going to tell us next. I'm not worried about it. There's a million signals, a million ways to do it."
[I]Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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[Poli]

Which got me thinking about the Musburger drinking game, first published here by WSU:

The Brent Musburger Drinking Game

WARNING!

Play at your own risk. It is conceivable your whole party will be passed out with 8 mins remaining in the 1st quarter.

*Note: Partner is spelled "Pardner," because that's the way Brent says it.

Rule #1: "The Pardner" A person is picked to be the Pardner at the beginning of the game. The first time Brent says "Pardner," the Pardner has to take 1 drink, and then picks someone else to be the Pardner. The next time Brent says it, the new Pardner has to take 2 drinks, and then pick a new Pardner, and so on and so on. The Pardner must wear a special "Pardner" hat.

Rule #2: "Folks" Everyone drinks 1 when Brent says "Folks." However, if Brent says "Hold on Folks", everyone must drink once but the first person to drink has to finish their drink for not holding on.

Rule #3: "It's a foot race!". Whenever Brent says "It's a foot race" everyone has to finish their drink. The first one done becomes "That Man" and gets to punch the Pardner in the arm.

Rule #4: "There's that man again". After someone becomes "That Man," they get to give away 3 drinks to someone of their choosing the next time Brent says "That Man." That person then becomes "That Man." If Brent says "That Man" before "It's a footrace," The Pardner becomes That Man. If The Pardner becomes That Man first, he gets to punch the new That Man in the arm twice after giving away the 3 drinks. There must also be a special hat for "That Man."

Rule #5: "Dr. Pepper". Every time Brent says "Dr. Pepper" everyone has to yell out "I'M A PEPPER!" and take 2 drinks. Afterwards, each person must give out a satisfied "AAAAAAAHHHHH!", as if in a Dr. Pepper commercial. Anyone who fails to do so must drink again.

Rule #6: "Jack Arute". Whenever Brent says "Our ol' buddy Jack Arute" everyone has to say "AROOOOOOT!" Last one to do it has to do a shot. If everyone does it simultaneously, the Pardner must do a shot.

Rule #7: "In the college game". Whenever Brent says this little gem, everyone must say "Shut the **** up Brent", drink 2, and punch the Pardner in the arm.

Rule #8: Mentioning a Big 10 school during a Big 12 game. Whenever Brent does this, the first person who names the Big 10 school's mascot gets to make somebody drink for 11 seconds, since there's 11 schools in the Big 10.

Rule #9: Calling a touchdown before the player actually scores. For example, during an interception return, Brent says "It's a touchdown!" before the player actually scores. In this case, everyone must start drinking and continue to drink until the player actually does score. If by some odd event, the player does NOT score, everyone must finish their drink.

Rule #10: "Gary, my man". Whenever Brent says "Gary, my man", the Pardner gets to choose someone to be Gary. From that point on, that person must be referred to as "Gary, my man" until the game is over. "Gary, my man" gets to give away 5 drinks the rest of the game any time Brent says "Gary, my man". If someone talks to "Gary, my man" without calling him that, they have to do a shot. If there is someone playing the game actually named Gary, that person is automatically "Gary, my man".

Rule #11: "The Major". If Brent has a pet nickname for one of the players during the game, for example calling Major Applewhite "The Major", everyone must drink 5 anytime Brent uses this nickname. However, "Gary, my man" does not drink but gets to give away 5 drinks since this person already has a nickname of their own.

Rule #12: "John Saunders". The first time Brent quips with John Saunders, everyone must drink 1. The next time, everyone must drink 2, and so on and so on.

Rule #13: In the booth. Whenever there's a camera shot of Brent in the booth, the Pardner must make a toast to Brent. After the toast, everyone must drink 1.

Rule #14: "My Friend" Every Pardner gets to choose a "Friend." The friend must always get up to get the Pardner another drink (since the Pardner will be doing quite a bit of that). However, when Brent utters "My Friend" the friend gets to punch the Pardner in the arm for making him get up so much.

[HomerSimpson]

I do not understand why there is a story here?


So you are not supposed to tell reports your team's secret plays and signals?:eek:

[miami_fan]

This just means more fluff pieces as opposed to insight from interviews during the week with coaches. No that we get a whole lot of that(insight) anyways.

[Poli]

Screw it. I'd just start making stuff up.

"Look, Ainge is tapping his helmet. That means the okie doke is in effect."


Signals are really hard to change as well.

[wade moore]

I do not understand why there is a story here?


So you are not supposed to tell reports your team's secret plays and signals?:eek:


I heard Cowherd talking about this and totally agree with him and you.

The solution here is - don't freakin' give away hand signals to announcers. It's bound to slip eventually. I mean, have some freakin' sense.

[Poli]

Don't tell anyone our code word for interception is "Osky". :)


Now that I think of it, I wonder who started that?

[Butter]

Hey, guys, we totally gave away Ohio State's hand signals last week... got any you'd like to share?

2 days later

Hey, you weren't supposed to share those!

Fucking morons.

[Ksyrup]

I guess I didn't play enough football beyond junior high to ever understand this, but how can teams NOT pick up on hand signals during a game? Do teams change the signals at halftime, or are they consistent throughout a game? I just have a hard time understanding how a D (or someone on the sideline, or in the box, or a coach freaking watching TV!) can't figure out a signal after it's used once or twice.

From this story, it sounds like they use the same signal every game. Opponents don't have enough film to put 2-and-2 together in their game plans, or even during games? Or is this like stealing signs from the catcher...you may be able to see what they're going to do, but you're on the honor system?

I just remember that Miami/New England playoff game from years ago during one of Marino's last years, where they played NE the last week of the season, then faced them the next week in the wild card game, and NE knew every audible and hand signal Marino was giving because they didn't change them from the game before. And I remember wondering back then why teams can't pick up on that stuff more often.

Having never played the game at that level, I've never experienced it first-hand and don't know the answer.

[rkmsuf]

John David Booty

give me a break with that name already

[Passacaglia]

Besides, doesn't the defense already know they're in one-on-one coverage? :P

[Pumpy Tudors]

"Temple's quarterback is crying and curling up into the fetal position. I spoke with him on Friday, and he told us that this signal means that the coach is about to send him and the offense into the game."

[cschex]

John David Booty

give me a break with that name already

No, no, no, didn't you listen to Brent on Saturday? It's just "John David", with no last name. One of my all-time pet peeves is Brent incessantly referring to his favorites by only their first names.

[Pumpy Tudors]

"I just heard Colorado's QB say 'hut!' We learned before the game that this sound means that somewhere in Boulder, an NCAA rules violation is being committed."

[Toddzilla]

1 <3 Pumpy Tooters

[Pumpy Tudors]

"Larry Coker just tapped his strong safety on the helmet as he came off the field. Judging from the game film we saw from last week, I think this signal means 'Don't bother sitting down, because the offense is about to go three-and-out again.'"

[DanGarion]

Asked about Musburger's on-air revelations, USC coach Pete Carroll said with a laugh, "Just wondering what they're going to tell us next. I'm not worried about it. There's a million signals, a million ways to do it."

[Toddzilla]

"Larry Coker just tapped his strong safety on the helmet as he came off the field."WHOA! Getting a litte familiar there, coach?

[Pumpy Tudors]

WHOA! Getting a litte familiar there, coach?
Doh! :)

[PackerFanatic]

ardent, that sounds like a fun game...but too damn in-depth for a drinking game! :-P