It's only fitting the first NFL game of the regular season would go into overtime. And while both the Steelers and Titans offense struggled to dust off that off-season rust (Tennessee had two turnovers, Pittsburgh three) both teams' defenses played like they never missed a beat. On top of it all was our man, Troy Polamalu. Polamalu was third on the team with 6 tackles, one for a loss with two passes deflected. And with just over a minute left in the first quarter, Polamalu elevated over Titans WR Kenny Brit for a beastly one handed pick ala Vidal Hazelton. Oh, did I mention that was all before the first half ended.

That's because Polamalu was out for the entire second half, injured. It seems the Man of Steel found his kryptonite. And it's not tackling by his hair, although it's been tried. No, it's having his knee rolled on by 257-pound tight ends named Alge Crumpler. Polamalu went down trying to recover a blocked field goal just before halftime. Prognosis is a sprained MCL and he could be out 3-6 weeks. The final score was 13-10, won on a 33 yard field goal by Steelers' Jeff Reed.

If Florida whips Oklahoma tonight, as most expect, how many of you will be annoyed that the best team in college football will be watching the game in Hollywood?  

• More on the unique -- and uncomfortable -- staff changes going on at Oregon. 
• Still not clear if Montana coach Bobby Hauck is a candidate to become UCLA's defensive coordinator.
• Transferring USC receiver Vidal Hazelton has limited options. Is this good news for Trojans fans hoping Mark Sanchez will return for his senior seasons?
• How will the Pac-10 finish in the final polls? Four teams should make the top-25, the question is how many No. 1 votes does USC get and does Oregon slip into the top-10?
• With the big names hired, Washington is now filling in spots on its coaching staff.

Receiver Brandon Carswell:

(on whether Hazelton ever talked about leaving) “Not about leaving. Sometimes he would be like, ‘Man, I just need to work harder. Something’s going on to where I’m not playing.’ It’s just really surprising, though.”

(on whether he’s sad to see Hazleton go) “Oh yeah, definitely. We’re all brothers. It’s going to be really hard to replace a guy like that. He was really a playmaker. He came out here and worked hard.”

Defensive end Kyle Moore:

(on what he said to Hazelton on Tuesday) “I just told him I’m going to miss him.”

(on whether this signifies a trend in the program after Broderick Green also left) “No. People transfer from everywhere. … I hate to see him go, but you gotta do what you gotta do.”

Offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian:

(on why Hazelton lost playing time) “Everything on this field is based on competition. We try to play the guys that have competed and are doing things right on a consistent basis. That’s where the chips fell.”

(on how injuries affected Hazleton) “None of those things helped. When you’re healthy and you’re feeling good, it’s a lot easier to come out and battle. When you’ve got a nick here, a nick there, an illness here, a something there, it hinders your ability to compete on a daily basis, on a consistent basis.”

Quarterback Mark Sanchez:

(on whether anything was different about Hazelton this season) “He was injured early, with the ankle injury. That didn’t really help. In the end it was his decision. He’s taken off, and we wish him the best. It’s too bad. He’s a good player. He’s going to be good wherever he goes.”

(on whether it’s disheartening to lose another player) “It happens. Guys compete so much … if they can’t do it anymore, then maybe this isn’t the right spot for them. There’s always going to be good guys here.”

WR coach John Morton:

(on whether he was suprised Hazelton left) “A little bit. We’ve been working on some things. We thought he was improving.”

(on how Hazelton handled falling down the depth chart) “He was a No. 1 guy. When you lose your starting spot, obviously you struggle with it. It’s my job to help him through that, help him fight through adversity, help him along, just to keep fighting. He was a competitor. Competitors fight. It’s just that he was fighting, and other guys were making plays. We’ve got to play the guys who are playing the best.”

(on Hazelton’s frustratio level because of the injuries) “Vidal was a physical player, so there was always something he was getting. That’s hard for a player. You’ve got to fight through it. … Not only do you lose your starting role, you’re getting injured, there’s a lot of things you’ve got to fight through. … It was my job to help him through certain things. It’s how he responds to it. He struggled in the beginning, but then he came along and started fighting.”

(on how hard it is to see Hazelton leave after investing so much time in him) “We did invest a lot of time. You put all that hard work into it, and you want to see a kid succeed. You don’t want to see anybody let go. That was one of the frustrating things. When you work hard, you want to see some results. Again, when the guys in front of him are making plays, when you get an opportunity you have to take advantage of it. And if you don’t, you stay status quo.”

Coach Pete Carroll:

(on whether Hazelton’s decision surprised him) “Just timing-wise maybe a little bit. But it’s best at this point, with all that’s going on here, that he isn’t with us now. It could have gone the other way. It’s hard on him. I noticed also with Broderick when his deal came up, it’s hard for the guys to stay in it and stay focused (when they’re not playing). They think they can, but it’s difficult. … Hopefully it’ll turn out well. He’s a very good football player. He’s a tough kid, and a great, competitive kid.”

(on whether Morton pushed for Hazleton to play more) “Yeah, he was always fighting. These guys fight for all their guys. They want all the play time they can get. They know the competitive kids need to be out there. We tried the best we could. But sometimes other guys take spots away. That’s part of the competition of this program. It’s tough to be here. It’s a challenge to be here. Sometimes it might be better for somebody to go somewhere else, particularly when they have other issues, too, that coincide.”

(on how Hazelton handled his fall down the depth chart) “He battled. He fought and battled. Then he encountered one issue after another injury-wise and couldn’t get back out here on a steady basis. … He didn’t have a good, constant run at getting back out there. He kept having to take a step backward to heal, and other guys kept rolling. It’s just competition. A lot of factors enter in. You get banged up and you lose your turn, other guys fill in. … That’s how it goes. I love that aspect of our program. We continue to promote the competitive side of it. Guys continue to battle for what they get. Everything counts. Our guys are into it. Our guys understand it. It’s why we have such good practices and we hold can hold such a level of performance. To me, practice is everything. There’s much more time spent out here, showing where you fit in, who you are and what you’re all about.”

More from the USC blog:

• USC football: Carroll glad to have timeout back
• USC football: Injuries kick Shoemate to fullback
• USC football: Injury updates, other tidbits
• USC football: Why Vidal Hazelton is leaving USC
• USC football: Vidal Hazelton transfers
• USC football: Jersey switch to cost just one timeout
• USC football: In Carroll’s words (with commentary)
• Sanchez, Matthews make Pac-10 All-Academic team
• USC football: Seniors say Rose Bowl is bittersweet

Receiver Vidal Hazelton seemed like a logical candidate. Not only has his playing time dropped precipitously after he ranked second on the team in catches last season, but the coaches declined his request to seek a medical redshirt. In addition, Hazelton’s father has asserted that his son has not received the proper treatment for various injuries while at USC.

I talked to Hazelton on Monday night and asked him whether he was happy. His response? “Yes.”

I then asked whether he had any plans to transfer. His response? “No.”

I also asked about the end of the Stanford game. While the rest of his teammates gathered in front of USC’s section to participate in the postgame “Conquest” ritual, Hazelton walked the other way, toward the locker room. He said it wasn’t an act of frustration, and, in his defense, the coaches had to corral a handful of other players who were headed in that direction.

Regarding his reduced role — Hazelton is again part of the receiver rotation but has caught just one pass, against the Cardinal, since the season opener — the junior from New York said: “It’s definitely not what I’m used to. It’s the coaches’ call. I’ve just got to deal with it. … They see I do a good job blocking, so they want me to be a big part of the running game. I’m just out there doing what they ask of me.”

And regarding the influence and advice of his father, who wanted his son to attend an East Coast school, Hazelton said: “I always wanted to come here. As far as right now, he’s just telling me to keep my head up, practice hard and worry about the things you can control.”

More from the USC blog:

• USC football: Jeff Byers hopes NCAA acts fast
• USC football: Corp gaining ground on Mustain
• USC football: Sanchez braces for something new
• USC football: Injury updates as Notre Dame prep begins
• USC football: Maualuga, Mays among awards finalists
• USC football: LenDale White still can’t get it right
• USC football: This time it’s personal for Carroll
• Bowl poll: If not BCS title game, then where?
• USC football: Jinxing Oregon State
• USC football: Latest BCS standings crack up Carroll

"A bunch of guys returned to the practice field," he said. "I don't know if you could tell, but it was like a busload of guys came in today! It was kinda' fun and it feels different -- the energy about it. Those guys were all excited to get back out ... that should help us keep the week competitive."

Here's who practiced after being injured and/or missing at least part of last week's practice:

• Jordon Cameron
• Butch Lewis
• Zack Heberer
• Jimmy Miller
• Joe McKnight
• Vidal Hazelton
• Everson Griffen
• Brian Cushing
• Kaluka Maiava
• Chris Pousson

After listing out all the names, Carroll mused, "It feels like there are some more guys popping out!"

No word on when Gerald Washington will be back (he was out with an ankle injury).

-- Adam Rose

Despite the ankle injury, recent concussion, and complete lack of playing time since his dad wrote Pete Carroll a letter characterized with excessive question marks, we talked to Vidal, and he said he feels grrrreat today.

To illustrate such marked emotion and to blazon this site with the world's weirdest commercials, watch today's off-topic video and feel great today.

Dear Coach Carroll:

I am writing this letter to you on Monday, September 1, 2008 at 3:30 pm
(ET).

I am at a complete loss for words because my son, Vidal, has not received
treatment on his ankle and quadriceps since the team's return to Los Angeles
on Saturday evening. As you know, Vidal suffered a contusion to his
quadriceps muscle and sprained his ankle during the UVA game. To date (for
over 36 hours), (1) his ankle has not been X-rayed and (2) he has received
no treatment to either injury, other than having a boot placed on his ankle.

I must admit that I am completely perplexed by the lack of attention your
training staff is giving to Vidal's injuries. When I asked Vidal if he
received treatment today, he told me that the training room is closed today.
In all of my years of associating with athletes, and corresponding with
athletic trainers, I have never heard of a training room being closed on a
holiday during the sport's season. This includes Labor Day, Thanksgiving,
Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, etc.

You and I have discussed my dissatisfaction with the manner in which Vidal
has received treatment for injuries in the past. Most notably, the double
hernia that he played with for all of the 2007 season, and possibly the 2006
season - an injury that went misdiagnosed for the entirety of the season(s).
Given our discussions, I trusted that corrective action would be taken.
However, this is clearly a policy issue that has not been addressed, and the
results are intolerable.

In consulting with doctors and athletic trainers on the east coast, I have
been told that Vidal should be receiving at least three treatments a day.
Additionally, his ankle should have been X-rayed upon the team's return to
Los Angeles, and no later than the early morning hours of Sunday, August 31,
2008. However, it appears as though your training staff has no "sense of
urgency" to get him back to 100%.

The clock is ticking and Ohio State will be in town next week. What is
being done to ensure that my son is being cared for in a proper manner???
When is the USC training staff going to meet his medical needs??? It makes
me wonder if the trust that I have extended is misplaced.

Sincerely,
Dexter Hazelton

NOTE: Dexter Hazelton said Thursday he didn't know how letter surfaced on an Internet message board. He also said Carroll called him that day and his son received treatment on his ankle later that day.
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