A well-supplied game room in the team’s hotel gives players plenty of options for fun during their free time
By Ben Malcolmson
USCRipsIt
PeteCarroll.com
Whether it’s an arcade game, Wii bowling, Guitar Hero on a big screen, or ping pong, the Trojans are staying busy — and having plenty of fun — while at their Century City hotel.
One of the hotel’s ballrooms has been turned into a fun-filled game room, giving the players hours and hours of diversions every night after each day’s activities end. The game room not only gives players plenty of options to have fun in a safe environment, it also offers a great chance for the team to bond, as players get to hang out with each other outside of meetings and practice.
Hotel staffers and USC football employees such as executive assistant Morgon Fraser and director of player personnel Jared Blank coordinate the game room each bowl season, but this year’s edition appears to have topped them all, according to all players’ accounts.
Check out the game room, where players are spending nearly every waking free moment during this week before the Rose Bowl:
Tailback Allen Bradford and wideout Patrick Turner battle in a game of air hockey.
Punters Billy O’Malley (near) and Greg Woidneck (far) face off in “Guitar Hero” on a big screen.
Linebacker Brian Cushing throws a strike on Wii bowling.
Hotel workers have set up a half-court basketball arena just outside the game room in a side alley of the hotel. Players have been competing in “Horse” or “21” on the court.
Kicker David Buehler plays billiards.
Safety Will Harris returns a serve on the ping pong table.
Offensive lineman Derek Simmons and tailback C.J. Gable play one of the many classic arcade games in the game room.
Even a simple game of cards passes the time, as (clockwise from left) linebacker Uona Kaveinga, cornerback T.J. Bryant, secondary graduate assistant Kris Richard and wideout Travon Patterson play against each other.
• Ben Malcolmson is the Director of Online Media for USCRipsIt/PeteCarroll.com. You can contact him at Ben@PeteCarroll.com.
