Since it seemed like a popular enough question posed by USC students, I feel like I have to clarify that I did not venture through USC’s campus because I lost a bet.
Instead, fellow Daily Bruin Sports staffer Matt Joye and I decided to explore Trojan territory to figure out the answer to the question: What do Trojans do during rivalry week?
There, in his majesty was Tommy Trojan decked out in a futuristic battle armor made out of layers of duct tape. An outfit that oddly enough, still looked very form-fitting. How do you do it, Thomas?
I wandered, looking for some signs of what a Trojan does during rivalry week.
After following the booming sounds of brass that enticed me to rush over thinking it was the ‘SC marching band, I leave disappointed, realizing it’s a mariachi band – never mind.
We decide to make our way to the Pertusati Bookstore, filled with its legions of shirts that proudly display the intimidating phrase “BEAT UCLA” in a font that every college store in the country seems to have access to. I guess ‘SC students are spoiled for choice since I’ve also seen Trojans wearing these unofficial shirts with a more stylistic “fucla” on the front. Joke’s on you! That’s not how you spell UCLA. That’s why you always get stuff from the school store, people.
Up next on the agenda was interviewing actual USC students. I’m already nervous talking to new people, much less to people that already hate me for the school I go to. After being welcomed to the Trojan Family Room for the fifth time by the laser light display, I start to get a perspective of how much harder this really is.
A twist of fate finds me face-to-face with a student wearing one of those “fucla” shirts that seem popular around these parts. He tells me that wearing a navy and yellow jacket wasn’t the best idea. No wonder I didn’t get as many compliments here as I did while walking this morning at UCLA. And by “didn’t get as many” I mean I got nothing under both scenarios.
We then approach a group of girls from the USC Christian Challenge to see if they’d like to weigh in on the rivalry. A comical mix-up between Matt and I made us realize neither of us were recording this interview. I guess I kind of walked into what happens next when I asked them to give their best insult to a Bruin.
“A Trojan would remember to record the conversation,” said second-year law, history, and culture student Natalie Reyes.
Ouch.
I apologize, students of UCLA.
The topic eventually moved on from my stupidity to a more light-hearted discussion of Conquest – specifically who would be headlining this concert that I would never be allowed entry into.
As we looked for some dinner inside the Ronald Tutor Campus Center, which is pretty much their Ackerman Union, I had an epiphany. Despite the decades of hatred fostered between generations of Bruins and Trojans, our schools really aren’t that different. There was The Habit Burger Grill (their Carl’s Jr.), California Pizza Kitchen (their Sbarro), Verde (their Rubio’s), Moreton Fig (their Wolfgang Puck) and Seeds Marketplace (their Greenhouse). Matt and I, however, opted to chow down on a shared personal favorite – Panda Express (their Panda Express).
As I weaved my way around the multiple figures clad in the USC cardinal to talk to the Trojan Knights guarding Tommy Trojan, I couldn’t help but notice a huddle doing a parody of UCLA’s fight song, but with a distinct ending of “U, G, L, Y eat my shorts” to finish off their rendition of an eight clap.
I already had some Panda Express earlier, but thank you.
But after a night of walking through your objectively beautiful campus bathed in the glow from ubiquitous orange lamps, I want to say thank you to the Trojans for the hospitality and cooperation you showed us while we did our reporting.
We went in looking to detail the differences, but found out we’re a lot more similar than we initially believed.