Rose Bowl: USC’s Mark Sanchez Is College Football’s Mexi-Can

USC fans are super psyched to have Mark Sanchez, their very own Mexican-American quarter back, about to start in the 2009 Rose Bowl. So much so that the Los Angeles Times has devoted three pages to the strapping, young lad from Mission Viejo. Despite the fact that Sanchez’ freshman year was marred by some unpleasantness involving underaged drinking and a sexual assault arrest, (no charges were pressed because of lack of evidence), the 22 year-old junior has managed to turn his image around by joining every Hispanic charity he can get his hands on in the Southern California area and completing an advanced Spanish class in summer school so he can do interviews with the Spanish-language media. (He didn’t grow up speaking it at home.)

If you’re tsk, tsking at that news, you illustrate an old but endlessly fascinating point: Not only does Sanchez have to be sure and appear true blue American to non-Latinos (He received no end of hate mail when he donned a mouthpiece with a dime-sized Mexican flag at a game against Notre Dame last year despite having passed for 235 yards and four touchdowns in a 38-0 victory.), he also has to prove he’s Mexican enough to his own. Though as long as he keeps on winning–the Trojans have a record of 13-2 since last season with him as their starter–we have a feeling he’ll be forgiven most anything. Just don’t mess with the puppies, M.
USC’s Mark Sanchez has more than pads on his shoulders [LA Times]