I wrote that Matt Grootegoed was the best linebacker I ever saw since I started covering USC outside of Chris Claiborne.
Here’s a story on the respect he had from fellow players: When Grootegoed was graduating, Mark Sanchez, who was an incoming freshman, called him and asked about wearing No. 6.
When you ask a former player if it’s OK, that’s r-e-s-p-e-c-t.
I heard Mark wore # 6 to honor his dad who is/was a fireman. The station where he worked was station #6.
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Don’t let the truth get in the way of scotties agenda.
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Yes, respect. But also could have worked had both played at the same time. Groots was a damn beast.
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I had always thught he was too small to play lber and I still think that way. Thank God I am wrong. LOLOL. Good baller
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Mark Sanchez was something different coming into USC. When meeting fans he introduced himself with “Hi, I’m Mark Sanchez” and a handshake. He was also the ASB President at his High School. If he could play ball well, you could tell the head on his shoulders was going to get him places. (Yes, we all remember he messed up drinking at the 9-0 one night. I think most of us had that one moment in young adulthood where we screwed up and immediately recognized that first step down a path was a bad one)
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