FOOTBALL

The Ultimare Clay Helton Whopper?

I pointed out yesterday how Clay Helton made it seem in December like USC’s recruiting class would substantially improve in February . . . and it did not.

But here’s the whopper of Helton statements worth exploring again.

“I can’t wait for people to see this team come November, because I believe in where they’re going, I see where they’re going.”

This came in October after a sloppy victory over Arizona. The guy is something else at producing optimism that never materializes.

Where was USC going? Down the drain, of course.

  • USC Pro Day is scheduled for March 20 at 7:30 a.m.

Expect a smaller contingent of NFL coaches and scouts without many pro prospects and no Sam Darnold like last year.

31 thoughts on “The Ultimare Clay Helton Whopper?”

  1. Wolfie revisiting one of my personal favorites…this is the Twilight Zone “On Thursday We Leave For Home” caper where Clay plays the part of Captain Benteen…

    At least the circus has funny clowns…even “It” had an interesting clown…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      2. Yes, need that twist in the remake – one person does stay to keep the Captain company…and hope that Sloane is the most ****hot pilot going…

        Liked by 1 person

      3. James —I hope everyone sees the humor in the fact that we’re now reduced to relying on Rod Serling screenplays when discussing the present trajectory of USC football….

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Michael:

        I hope so too…since the day of the Aaron Corp game in Seattle, has been largely a matter of finding ways to keep it all in perspective…which for me includes trying to find interesting and unusual ways of viewing the state of affairs…when I start to think seriously about it (e.g. the relative merits of the air raid, an incompetent head shed, et al), it stops being enjoyable! Would rather think of Clay as Benteen…and look at old videos on YouTube or old copies of SI (e.g. “Rolling Back The Tide” Charles White)…

        Liked by 1 person

      5. James —-Sports Illustrated Cover, January 10, 2005: “55-19! USC Hammers Oklahoma to Win The National Championship.”
        #”MattLeinartThrowsRecordFiveTDPasses”
        #When,IfEver,DoWeSeeACoverLikeThatAgain?

        Like

      6. MG

        Got that one too (and the DVD of the game)…not going to be parting with those any time soon! That one is “controlled circulation” along with the Charles White ’78 (Bama), Anthony Davis ’74 (55-24 “California Earthquake” crying Irish cheerleaders foldout), and Marcus Allen ’81 (“Rolling Thunder” Oklahoma 1 vs 2).

        Liked by 1 person

      7. James —-Yes! “California Earthquake!” Classic. [Have you ever noticed that, as he’s calling the last USC TD in that 1974 game, polished veteran Tom Kelly actually can’t control his laughter as he says “USC is tearing Notre Dame apart!”]?

        Liked by 1 person

      8. MG-I’ll have to look that up (I’ve only listened to the call on the national broadcast, the one where Woody Hayes is in the booth and according to a writer became increasingly agitated watching his upcoming/long-time Rose Bowl dance partner thrashing a defending national champion Irish squad)…sounds like it should be enjoyable to listen to (I bought the ‘USC sideline’ audiobook several years ago that featured Tom Kelly recollections)…those two games (74 ND/OSU) I always suspected gave McKay more satisfaction than any others (I’m sure it was pretty close with the 62 ND/RB, 64 ND, 67 UCLA, 72 RB)…one drove Ara into retirement, the other was the beginning of a long descent into the same for Woody…

        Liked by 1 person

      9. James –The “Tom Kelly edition” of the 1974 Notre Dame game is on Youtube and I think it’s called The 1974 Comeback or something like that. It’s about 15 minutes long and it’s really a joy to watch. My special moments, in order, are USC Special Teams crushing the Irish on Kick Offs, Ara yelling at his assistants as the score REALLY starts to get out of hand and the final handshake (where it’s fun to imagine McKay saying “nice game, coach” to A. P. as he literally trips on his way back to the locker).
        As to your comment about how much that victory meant to McKay he commented himself that it was the “most fun I’ve ever had with my clothes on!”
        The bittersweet thing about watching that legendary victory is watching Pat Haden’s heroics. He played a perfect second half against the number one defense in the county. You couldn’t ask for a braver, more skilled performance. I sure as hell wish he hadn’t tainted his legacy by accepting the A.D. job.
        #SometimesIt’sBestJustToSayNo&WalkAway

        Like

      10. Michael:

        I will definitely find it…the quote you provided from McKay rings a bell (think it might have been included in the SI writeup…along with some classic McKay sarcasm to the effect of “blocking hasn’t been made illegal”)…your assessment of Haden (in that game and the Rose Bowl comeback against the Woodys) couldn’t be more true – McKay was quoted as saying something about that in regard to Haden and (this is consistent with the tarnished legacy theme) and his son (to the effect o seldom have two players so slight in physical stature contributed so much to a program)…

        Liked by 1 person

      11. James —Amen to that. [And, in a way, nothing will ever really taint their achievements on the field — I just wish they could have resisted the temptation to come back].

        Liked by 1 person

      12. MG

        Had to look it up, but the sentiment you are conveying is sort of an offshoot of Thomas Wolfe’s “you can’t go home”? I defend Garrett on this site (not because of Pete, because that was entirely a windfall/luck after much time mucking around), but because I believe the facts demonstrate the hiring of Kiffin was actually astute and largely served its purpose…but the point remains, that, other than that, a quarter century or so of this approach (Garrett, Haden, JK, Kiff, Sark, Swann) has not panned out…and it’s always sad to have to reconcile the former with latter days…

        Liked by 1 person

      13. James –Wow. Your last sentence is a killer…..
        #..PerfectSummaryOfEverythingEverSaidOnThisSite..
        #…TheRestIsSuperfluous….
        #…ButIGuessI’llKeepBlabbingAnyway

        Liked by 1 person

    3. Oh yeah, that was that show where Capt. Benteen (James Whitmore) acted like a cross between a cult leader and some nutso commandant from some socialist work camp….it was last time the ‘left’ was ever shown for what they have planned for all of us.

      Like

      Reply

      1. As with all shows (then and now) there is usually some underlying agenda animating the story telling…I invoke this not for that reason though…it’s because of the way Benteen constantly resorts to the “Close your eyes, just imagine, can you see it, if you believe it, it will happen…some day…I promise…” which reminds me so much of Helton, and never more so than when he pulled the “can’t wait to see this team in November” rabbit out of his (not so) magic hat…

        Liked by 1 person

  2. “I can’t wait for people to see this team come November, because I believe in where they’re going, I see where they’re going.”

    – Clay “Second Rate Coach At Best” Helton

    The only place USC Football is going under Helton is middle of the PAC…and that’s if he’s lucky.

    The Trojans deserve so much better, but no one at USC seems to care, least of all that idiot Lynn Swann.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

      3. Oh, don’t worry, tebow —he’ll feel it. Whether anybody actually gives him any love or not, he’ll feel it….
        #…He’sThatKindOfGuy….
        #”IKnowAllThoseGuysThatTransferredLoveMe&ILoveThemBack”

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Budda,
    Quote from you, “No team in the PAC 12 has a chance to win the NC, NONE”.

    Every year I think of SC winning the Rose Bowl, Heisman, and National Championship because I have seen it be done before and I have always believed SC Is the 800 pound GORILLA ON THE NATIONAL SCENE. I am a sick man and I know, but I will think this way until we lose two games. Once that happens, then I want Helton fired.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.