USC fans and players weary of ringing in the new year in Pasadena but still hoping to land in a major bowl game just might get their wish. . . .
In a scenario with seemingly little downside for Mark Sanchez & Co., the Trojans might even be inclined to quietly root for Oregon State to win its final two games, thus landing the Beavers in the Rose Bowl. . . .
That way, if the Trojans win out against Notre Dame and UCLA, they still would earn a share of their seventh consecutive Pacific 10 Conference championship and probably would wind up in a Bowl Championship Series game -- perhaps even in New Orleans, where USC has not played since 1946. . . .
Liechtenstein: Jerry Crowe's Text Messages from Press Row column in Thursday's Sports section, in an item on USC football, misspelled Liechtenstein as Lichtenstein.
Not bad for a consolation prize. . . .
Noting that USC's BCS title hopes have been derailed repeatedly by head-scratching losses to heavy underdogs, reader Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., e-mails to say, "If Pete Carroll were president during the Cold War, I wouldn't have worried about the Soviet Union - I'd have worried about Lichtenstein." . . .
The Lichtenstein Beavers? . . .
Didn't Shaquille O'Neal, who is hinting that he might like to return to the Lakers after next season, say he was going to retire in 2010? . . .
UCLA's Darren Collison probably felt better after seeing that Derek Fisher and the Lakers also had a hard time containing Derrick Rose. . . .
The Chicago Bulls rookie from Memphis is the real deal. . . .
In a battle of one-win teams Wednesday night, Baron Davis and the Clippers were favored by one point over the Oklahoma City Thunder. . . .
Channel 5 was so excited it showed the game on tape delay. . . .
If Kurt Warner is the NFL's most valuable player this season, a possibility considering he has the Arizona Cardinals poised to win their first division title in 33 years, he would join Brett Favre as the award's only three-time winners. . . .
Warner, whose resurgence has kept Matt Leinart chained to the sideline, would be the first to win the award for more than one team. . . .
Dustin Pedroia of the Boston Red Sox is the eighth major league MVP from a Pac-10 school and the third from Arizona State, a list that includes former Sun Devils Reggie Jackson and seven-time winner Barry Bonds. . . .
