Apparently, USC hockey games are now pants-optional

USC hockey goalie Mickey Meyer has proved to the world he has a successful future awaiting him ““ as a cowboy.

Against BYU two weeks ago in North Logan, Utah, while the refs were busy dishing out some third period penalties, Meyer decided it was time for a protest. The refs had already sent five Trojans to the penalty box. Somebody had to act.

Meyer did this by dropping his pants, riding his stick like it was Traveler and slapping his bare buttocks ““ all in the Mormon capital of the world.

All that was missing was a couple of six-shooters and some “yee-haws.”

Following his Wild West act, Meyer was ejected and ticketed for lewdness by a police officer working security.

Meyer’s antics were the culmination of a sloppy game of which the refs had seemingly lost control well before his pants-less dance around the rink.

“My gosh, what a circus this is turning into,” said USC broadcaster Andrew Samel seconds before the mooning, according to the Daily News. (USC’s online archived audio broadcast of the game was not working as of 5 p.m. Wednesday. Coincidence?)

Then Meyer decided to pull out the final stop, drawing cheers from other players who were there for the American Collegiate Hockey Association West Regional Tournament.

“Mickey Meyer has just mooned the crowd, ladies and gentlemen,” Samel said. “He pulled his hockey pants down and mooned the crowd. The Oregon players (in the stands) are loving it. They’re going nuts. That was absolutely hilarious.”

Even USC coach Mark Wilbur couldn’t hold down a chuckle.

“Mark Wilbur is laughing on the bench,” Samel said. “Oh, and now Mickey Meyer is getting kicked out of the game. He’s getting a huge ovation from the crowd as he’s coming off the ice.”

Maybe the ovation was just because of the sheer feat of the spontaneous mooning. Evidently, quickly dropping trou while wearing pads is quite an accomplishment.

But that’s neither here nor there.

Meyer’s replacement at goalie? Matt Buttweiler. Despite his name, Buttweiler was able to finish the remaining nine minutes of the game with his pants on.

Although the season is over for the Trojans, Meyer might be making a trip back to Utah ““ alone. The penalty for lewdness in Utah is up to 180 days in jail.

After the game, Wilbur was anything but jovial about Mickey’s misdemeanor. He pointed to the fact that the game was essentially moot after the Trojans’ season-ending loss the night before and, at least publicly, thought the act was inappropriate.

“I sure as hell don’t condone it on any level,” Wilbur told The Associated Press.

Mickey the Mooner had no explanation for his stunt, which has garnered the support of many of those with a sense of humor across the country.

“I just kind of had my fill of these refs,” Meyer said.

You could say rink manager Floyd Naegle had had his fill of Mickey by the time the game was over.

“We don’t treat this as a funny incident,” Naegle told The Associated Press. “We’re a family-oriented business.”

Yeah, come on, Mickey. Because of your actions, kids are probably mooning refs for bad calls all over the country right now.

Pretty soon, our jails will be packed with juvenile hockey delinquents and it’ll be all Mickey’s fault.

So from now on, for the sake of our court system and preventing below-the-belt hypothermia, just keep your pants on, Mick.

E-mail Feder at jfeder@media.ucla.edu if you think that instead of throwing a red challenge flag, NFL coaches should moon the refs.

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