Trojans receive a championship ring for the sixth consecutive season
By Ben Malcolmson
USCRipsIt
PeteCarroll.com
In what’s become an annual tradition at USC, the Trojans received their championship rings Thursday after practice.
No ceremony, no parade, no pageantry — but wow, what a ring.
The personalized rings commemorating the team’s 2007 Pac-10 and Rose Bowl championships each feature 74 diamonds, six rubies and an elaborate design up, down and all around the masterpieces.
“We wanted to do something that was not only different from the previous five rings, but also new and different from what any other school has done it,” said director of football operations Dennis Slutak, who was the chief designer of the ring.
This year’s edition is by far the largest and most ornate of the Trojans’ six straight championship rings. Last year’s ring, for example, included “only” 42 diamonds.
The ring also features the player’s name, number, “six straight” for the consecutive conference titles and one of the team’s slogans, “Own the Rose Bowl,” with the stadium’s famous façade placed below “Own the” on one side of the ring.
As a special touch, the inside of the band is inscribed with “#54 Trojans Forever #19,” memorializing Drean Rucker and Mario Danelo, two fallen Trojans who would’ve been seniors in 2007.
“We want to always remember them,” Slutak said.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the ring’s features:
Top: “USC,” “Rose Bowl Champions,” six rubies (signifying the consecutive Pac-10 titles) and 74 diamonds
Left side: The player or coach’s name, “6 straight” inside a banner, the Pac-10 logo surrounded by the last six title-winning years and the player’s number inside a football
Right side: “Own the” above the famous Rose Bowl stadium façade, “SC 49 I 17” (representing the score of the Rose Bowl), “Back 2 Back” (symbolizing the consecutive Rose Bowl titles), two Rose Bowl trophies and “2008” (for the latest Rose Bowl victory)
Inscribed inside the band: “#54 Trojans Forever #19” (to honor Drean Rucker and Mario Danelo, two fallen Trojans who would’ve been seniors during the 2007 season)
Check out some close-up photos of the Trojans’ latest ring:
From the top, the ring has “Rose Bowl Champions” surrounding 74 diamonds, six rubies and a lavish “USC.”
The player’s name is inscribed into one side of the ring.
“Champions” circles one side of the top of the ring.
A corner view of the ring, showing one side of the ring with “Own the Rose Bowl.”
One side of the ring features the player’s name, “6 straight,” the Pac-10 logo surrounded by the last six title-winning years and the player’s number inside a football.
The other side of the ring includes “Own the Rose Bowl,” the score of the game, “Back 2 Back” to represent the consecutive Rose Bowl titles, two Rose Bowl trophies and the year 2008.
The top of the ring features 74 diamonds and six rubies.
A view from the top corner of the ring.
Inside the ring, “#54 Trojans Forever #19” is inscribed to honor Drean Rucker and Mario Danelo, two fallen teammates who would have been seniors last season.
• Ben Malcolmson is the Director of Online Media for USCRipsIt/PeteCarroll.com. You can contact him at Ben@PeteCarroll.com.
