Video games now a Trojan staple

Can the latest video games help you with ‘game’? Some might argue that it in fact can and does…

It only takes about two hours of practice per day for USC to be the nation’s No. 1-ranked football team, which is fortunate for a large group of Trojans, who require eight hours a day to hone their favorite activity: Playing video games.

It’s a nightly ritual for many USC players, united by their addiction to the XBox and PlayStation 2. Once a solitary or living-room activity among friends, hard-core gamers now rely on the Internet to play anyone, anywhere. Or in this case, teammates.

“We get home from practice and get on the sticks at 8 p.m. till around 4 a.m., Monday through Thursday,” wide receiver Chris McFoy said. “Afterward, you’re like, `Oh, dang.’ ”

Thanks to technology, players can face off against each other or join forces as teams without leaving their apartments. All they need is a video-game console and high-speed Internet connection to play anyone, anywhere. [Read the rest]