Sept. 4, 2007

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Nine members of the No. 1 USC football team, head coach Pete Carroll, assistant coach Rocky Seto as well as members of the USC Spirit of Troy marching band and Song Leaders paid a visit to the USC Women's and Children's Hospital on Tuesday (Sept. 4).

The Trojan players and coaches first signed autographs and posed for pictures for patients and staff outside the hospital while the band and Song Leaders performed.

They then went up to the children's wing of the hospital for more autographs, pictures and one-on-one visits. The players gave the patients stuffed animals, shared stories, did arts and crafts, and played video games. The group finished the outing with a visit to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to say hello to the staff and families monitoring the care for the hospital's youngest patients.

Among the players who made the trip were offensive guard Jeff Byers, defensive backs Kevin Ellison and Chase McWhorter, snappers Will Collins and Christian Putnam, quarterback Mark Sanchez, offensive tackle Sam Baker, defensive end Lawrence Jackson, and tight end Dale Thompson.

"It gives you a different perspective," Jackson said. "It makes you cherish every opportunity and makes you realize that anything can happen at any time."