You know things are bad when you get the wacky animated Taiwanese Next Media Animation treatment.

A day after a USC student manager was fired for deflating footballs during last week’s game against Oregon, head coach Lane Kiffin and the Trojans were mocked by our friends in Taiwan.

How soon before Kiffin joins Mike Brown on the unemployment line?

When you’re a journalist working for a professional team that’s in the middle of a strike, it might be time to start thinking about your next career move.

Los Angeles Kings insider Rich Hammond did just that, accepting a position to cover USC athletics for The Orange County Register, ending his three-year run with the Stanley Cup champions.

“I had a great three-year run with LAKings.com, but sometimes making a change is the right thing to do, and I’m excited about having something challenging and rewarding in my future,” Hammond said in a statement on his Facebook page. “Thanks to Todd Harmonson, David Bean, Brian Patterson and all my friends (and new teammates) at the Register for giving me this opportunity. I’m honored to be joining such a great group of journalists. A huge thanks, also, to my many friends in the Kings organization. They were outstanding partners for three years, and I couldn’t have asked for more.”

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After banning Daily News reporter Scott Wolf last week, you would think USC football head coach Lane Kiffin would get his act together and stop jerking around the media.

Yeah, not so much.

Kiffin was up to his usual antics on Wednesday with a press conference that lasted less than 30 seconds.

He really doesn’t like talking about injuries.