During the 1940s, George Tirebiter was a shaggy mutt adopted by the student body of USC. He was named “Tirebiter” due to his love of chasing cars and biting their tires. He was beloved by all, taken to football games and prided as the unofficial mascot of the school. Eventually, he grew so popular that the student body decided to vote him in as the school’s first official mascot in 1947. During his time here, he was the subject of many tall tales, such as when students from UCLA kidnapped him, shaved “UCLA” into his fur, and covered him in honey and feathers. But as time droned on, the original Tirebiter was eventually retired to a farm in San Diego. Alas, his time on Earth was brought to an end after being hit by a car while biting at its tires. The subsequent Tirebiters did their best, but none could live up to the fighting Trojan spirit of the original Tirebiter, and the dogs were eventually retired for the more prestigious Traveller the Horse.

Through a bevy of shared experiences, two unlikely friends truly show the rest of the country what it means to be an American.

Becoming an integral part of both the surfing community and Newport Beach, Vanessa Yeager has tried to give back as much as the community has given to her.