Merry Christmas!

In my annual Christmas tradition, here is my all-time favorite USC picture.
Hollywood screen legend Greta Garbo was sent to USC in 1926 to pose for some publicity photos with the track team.

Garbo initially refused until MGM deducted $25 from her salary, which convinced her to head to campus and don a USC track singlet.

20 thoughts on “Merry Christmas!

  1. Blessed Channukah, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays to all.
    A toast of fine Bourbon to all of you Trojan fans (and my detractors also!!!) tonight!
    Bourbon and Family

    Liked by 6 people

      1. Yes, Bourbon. But not mere grievances. Justifiable, completely understandable, universally recognized….grievances.
        #ReignOfFolt

        Liked by 2 people

  2. Wolf, as a sportswriter, of all the pictures, all the players, all the memories and the moments, how can this be your all-time favorite?? I think you’re basically saying it’s like a little xmas gift you give to yourself every year. Between all the cheerleader photos and now this… I just… I… IDK… Why did I come here on Christmas knowing better? And who is that guy? Garbo looks great, but he looks like Al Capone’s cellmate or something. I bet he wasn’t refusing any photo shoot and he probably put up the 25 bucks. Wow, just wow…

    Happy Holidays everyone.

    Like

    1. The gentleman in the photo is Father Terrance Flannigan —the younger brother of Father Edward Flannigan, founder of Boy’s Town — a school and dormitory for orphans and wayward children. Terrance died heroically— saving a blind boy and his puppy from a barreling locomotive. Scott was a pall bearer at his funeral and it is well known in the sports’ world that Scott has modeled his entire life and career on Terrance’s example.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. MG, you might’ve shamed me into an apology had you not included the puppy. The orphans, the blind boy and the barreling train would’ve worked, but the puppy was a bridge too far.

        Liked by 2 people

      2. …and I thought I thought I was being really disciplined by leaving out the part about Father Flannigan’s spirit typing Scott’s Christmas posts while Scott was sleeping!

        Liked by 2 people

  3. Merry Christmas Scott! If you’re one thing it’s consistent. This is the tenth year in a row that you’ve copy and pasted the exact same message for the annual Garbo Christmas post. P.S. I love that photo too.

    Liked by 2 people

  4. The picture was taken before the release of Flesh and the Devil in 1927 when she rose to fame. She had only appeared in a single or two films before that. And her true fame did not come to pass until such “talkies” as Grand Hotel, Maya Hari, and Tolstoy’s Anna Karinina.

    Like

  5. This is the tenth year in a row that you’ve copy and pasted the exact same message for the annual Garbo Christmas post. The picture was taken before the release of Flesh and the Devil in 1927 when she rose to fame. Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays to all.

    Like

  6. I think you’re basically saying it’s like a little Xmas gift you give to yourself every year. Between all the cheerleader photos and now this. This is the tenth year in a row that you’ve copy and pasted the exact same message for the annual Garbo Christmas post.

    Like

  7. This is the tenth year in a row that you’ve copy and pasted the exact same message for the annual Garbo Christmas post. The picture was taken before the release of Flesh and the Devil in 1927 when she rose to fame. Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays to all.

    Like

  8. I would love to get there one day. The variety and decoration of lebkuchen are quite astounding. Thanks for a great post. Beautiful photos! Such a festive atmosphere and the cookies. it was my pleasure to share just a little bit of our experience at Germany’s Christmas markets. I fell in love with the Christmas spirit of Germany last year and hope to return again to experience this someday.
    Sports Ornaments

    Like

  9. I think you’re basically saying it’s like a little Xmas gift you give to yourself every year. Between all the cheerleader photos and now this. This is the tenth year in a row that you’ve copy and pasted the exact same message for the annual Garbo Christmas post.

    Like

Leave a comment

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