I don't have connections to USC, didn't grow up in SC, never played soccer and have only in the last several years have I developed an interest in soccer. My, what I consider, objective view of this thread could possibly anger some individuals. But here's how I see it. It seems that some members just don't like Mark Berson. He is criticized for only having two players from SC. Clemson has more, but it's only four players from the home state. Why then is Trevor Adair not receiving the criticism Berson receives? Coastal Carolina only has two SC players, Furman only one and College of Charleston has up to seven listed on their roster. There are also many variables involved such as; academic eligibility, whether the special talents or skills of a player are needed on the team at the time, personal characteristics of the player, and probably most important is do all of those players want to play at USC at all.
There just seems to be a lot of anger towards Berson and if he had 11 starters from SC he would probably be criticized for having the wrong 11 SC players. Just go watch their games and look at the talent that is there. It would be just as fair to criticize all SC players who desire to go play out of state instead of trying to stay at home and try out as a walk on if they aren't offered a scholarship. If recruiting information was as widely available for soccer as it is football then you could see who is being recruited by whom. It would then be a lot easier to understand why some SC players go elsewhere.
