Store

2007 Rose Bowl Gear: USC vs Michigan

Rory MacDonald, TrojanWire

Place and reserve your order now for a "Granddaddy of Them All" Sweatshirt, T-Shirt or Longsleeve and it will ship on December 14th.

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Join the 'Send Plaschke to Pasadena' Campaign

Kyle Bunch, TrojanWire

Exciting new product announcement today over at BoiFromTroy:

Los Angeles Times humorist TJ Simers is hoping to get a trip with the UCLA Bruins to the Hawaii Bowl, should they become eligible. To make that happen, they most likely have to beat the USC Trojans--sending them and Times' columnist Bill Plaschke to the Sun Bowl.

In response to Simers' proposal to create "Let's Send Plaschke to El Paso" tee-shirts, I've made something that is more likely...and likeable. Let's "Send Plaschke to Pasadena!"

Send Plaschke to Pasadena t-shirt [Zazzle]
Send Plaschke to Pasadena! [BoiFromTroy]
After bidding adios, he is hoping to say aloha [L.A. Times]

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T-Wire's Rose Bowl Gift Guide '06

Kyle Bunch, TrojanWire

Headed to Pasadena on January 4 to support the Trojans? Or maybe just your local sports bar?

Now is the time to place your orders for Trojan merchandise, to make sure you're fully decked out for the big game. And because we know that SC gear is flying off the shelves, and that perfect shirt or hat may be tough to find, TrojanWire has combed the Web to find the very best available options for your Rose Bowl 2006 attire.

So without further ado, we're proud to give you our Rose Bowl Gift Guide '06.

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Last Minute Gift Ideas

Kyle Bunch, TrojanWire

OK--the Christmas train has probably sailed; but to make sure you get all your Trojan gear for the Rose Bowl, we're going to start rolling out some of our favorite Trojan items for 2005.

Starting things off, say hello to this groovy shirt, commemorating the Trojans 1967 championship victory over Indiana. It's totally far out.

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BCS Bust

Rory MacDonald, TrojanWire

Unfortunately we can't sell this any more. Considering I agreed to a litany of terms and downloaded assets to create this from the USC Graphic Identity Program, I see why lawyers representing USC came after us with cease and desist notices. But banning all of our TrojanWire designs based on the use of a single red or yellow color seems quite outrageous. Almost as much as the BCS.

So we're attempting to go legit -- submitting to the USC Trademarks and Licensing Services ("TLS").

Very curious to see what is and what isn't deemed appropriate and in keeping with the mission of the institution (even though these seem well outside their jurisdiciton).

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Three-Pete Bites the Dust?

Rory MacDonald, TrojanWire

The law firm SHAUB, WILLIAMS & NUNZIATO LLP, representing Riles & Co., threatened us with a lawsuit for infringing on Trademark Registration numbers 1,552,980, 1,878,680 & 1,522,980 for the word "Three-Peat".

This is former Los Angeles Lakers coach Pat Riley, who obtained a trademark for the term "Three-Peat" when the Lakers were hoping to beat the Detroit Pistons in the 1989 NBA Finals, but didnt. Yet when the Chicago Bulls three-peated twice, and when Kobe and Shaq finally pulled it off for the Lakers in 2002, Riley was the only one allowed to put the word "Three-Peat" on a t-shirt.

TrojanWire is not even using the exact term "Three-Peat" (which is public vernacular anyways the same way "You're Fired" or "That's Hot" is).

Apparently Pat Riley, Donald Trump and Paris Hilton believe it is their right to own common words.

We do not, but there is little recourse for small or even larger operations when faced with the threat of intellectual property infringements. Penalties for copyright infringement can potentially reach $150,000 per work.

We are working on designing our way around the issue, but as of right now, there is no way to buy a "Three-Pete" shirt to show your support for Pete Carroll's 2005 Trojans accomplishing what Pat Riley's 1989 Lakers couldn't.

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