USC improved to 18-3 last night after it beat Arizona State and as the athletic dept. noted after the game, the last time the Trojans were 18-3 was the 1973-74 season.
I hate the comparison because this year’s team will make its own legacy, especially at the NCAA Tournament and probably win the Pac-12 title.
I also hate the comparison because that 1973-74 USC team wasn’t regularly playing teams that were missing 3-4 players/starters.
Let’s roll the tape: USC played non-conference games vs. Arizona, Utah, Illinois, Santa Clara, Ohio, Arizona State, Houston, Rutgers, Oral Roberts, Seton Hall and Fordham.
- Arizona had Bob Elliott (18.6 ppg career average) and Eric Money (18.1 ppg in 73-74).
- Utah featured Luther “Ticky” Burden, who averaged 20.1 ppg for the USA at the 1974 World Championships. That scoring average stood until Kevin Durant broke it in 2010.
- Ohio had Walter Luckett. Who? He was the MAC Player of the Year, on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a freshman and averaged 22.8 points in 1973-74. The Bobcats won the MAC and were not a pushover.
- Arizona State had Lionel Hollins, who was the sixth pick of the 1975 NBA Draft and won a title with the Portland Trail Blazers.
- Houston had Otis Birdsong, the No. 2 pick of the 1977 NBA Draft, who averaged more than 20 points four different seasons in the NBA.
- Rutgers had Phil Sellers (the school’s all-time leading scorer, All-American) and “Fast Eddie” Jordan.
- Seton Hall was coached by CBS legend Bill Raftery.
- I haven’t even gotten to the Pac-8 schedule. UCLA was ranked No. 1 and led by Bill Walton when it handed USC one of its three losses in that first 21 games. Oregon was in the heart of its Kamikaze Kids era with Ron Lee and Greg Ballard.
- Arizona, Utah, Rutgers and Arizona State all won 18-19 games that season. Oral Roberts went 23-6 and lost to Kansas, 93-90, in the Elite Eight.
What’s my point? These were real teams with star players. USC starting out 18-3 was pretty good. And — at the risk of angering some homer fans — not the same as beating an Arizona State team so short-handed this week that Coach Bobby Hurley is practicing on the scout team. Or Stanford without three starters.
That’s not a criticism of USC’s current record. It’s a criticism of why stats can be misleading and why I can’t stand comparisons.
InsideUSC with Scott Wolf 
If you hate comparisons so much start with yourself…this article is a comparison…this is an effort to cover up your hatred for anything SC.
It is ok to hate SC ,through the years you have shown disgust with every hire,either labled it SC related, or lately not SC related.
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You’ve been writing the last year, or so, suggesting it’s time to quit ole USC, yet you crawl back time and time again, like you didn’t mean it.
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On November 17, 2020, you wrote, “and, as usual, so cal has led the way the past few years in mediocre is the new standard for all peon lemmings.” Huh? Lol.
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On December 20, 2020, you wrote:: “SC should be sued for fraud.”
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Why you making these up? Or are you taking these out of context? Or both?
WTF does his opinion on one topic have to do with his opinion on this topic?
Oh yeah, forgot…you’re the holier than thou Pharisee jerk off.
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I will block you from now on. Then your idiotic defenses won’t turn my stomach any longer.
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These are his writings.
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All you do is report what people post all day long, Pudly76. I simply rebutted Leftwich with his own posts.
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You blocking anybody is laughable.
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WHERE IS THE ‘WORD’ QUIT? I didn’t use that word so no wonder I don’t mean it. I also agree with those who with hold their dollars to protest this Admin. this pseudo coaching and they lie all the time about getting tough in practice like the old days.
QUIT is what I have never suggested…maybe throw up,etc…I have been all sc, all the time since late 1940’s. I understand some people don’t get it ,like you. That is ok with me ,I remember the old sc sports programs and national titles in ALL of sports, I went to those events. In mens sports they are unequaled. The ladies? probably stanford.
WE disagree… probably about everything.
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You’ve flat out said maybe it’s time to stop paying attention to USC because of all the problems, : “real coach”, “real President “, “real athletic director”, “ real players,”, then you write to Scott about hating on USC. In fact, Pudly76, called you, “a hater” and “prejudice against JT” on November 22, 2020, to which you replied on November 23 2020 that Pudly76 is a “typical irrelevant comment” lol lol lmao!
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Using the term article for anything Scott writes is a huge stretch. Nothing ruins Scott’s day more than anything positive happening at USC. Thanks Enfield.
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This Year, in the Pac – 12, bozo BB is maybe the only team not to lose a critical player or players. Andyain’twinning always does well against cupcake BB competition.
To date, this year, with the exception of the weakened UCLA team victory, Clown U hasn’t played a game vs a top 25 opponent. Correct me If I’m wrong, but isn’t Andyain’twinning bozos like 4 – 23 vs top 25 opponents all-time.
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They whipped ya….pure and simple. If the ruins were leading, and when they were, you never mentioned how poor the SOW schedule was. Low brow jerk changing the the narrative to suit him..hahahahaha ‼️
Who else has 18 wins? Not sow, not now!! If the schedule is so weak, what’s up with that you little wienie??
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No question the basketball program is in the best shape it has been in for quite some time. SC, has more players in the NBA currently on NBA rosters then it has had in a long time if ever. Top 100 basketball recruits are now considering USC because the program is better where in the past we were the last choice for most of the top talent. The program is moving in the right direction, and USC should do everything possible to keep Coach Enfield, and Assistant Jason Hart. Imagine where we would be if we still had Kevin ONeil…..what a loser he was.
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Pointing out that this accomplishment hasn’t been done since the 1973-74 season doesn’t make it a comparison of the 2 teams. We get it, you don’t like Enfield. I don’t expect USC Basketball to be an elite program like I do with our football team, but IMHO the program is going in the right direction,
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Schedule adjustments for the Pac12 BB teams are revealed…
https://pac-12.com/article/2021/02/17/pac-12-announces-mens-basketball-schedule-adjustments
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Scooter,
I have been watching SC basketball since the very early 70’s. I have seen the 24-2 team that was ranked 5th in the nation along with Long Beach St ranked around 13th. I have seen O’Neil teams that could barely score 20 points per half. I saw Bibby’s teams that overachieved and played very well. However, I don’t think i have ever seen a team like this with the height inside and the shooters on the outside unless you talk about ugly with Lew Alcindor and his bunch of professionals. This team can put the ball in the hoop in the paint or shoot 3 pointers. Pederson is very good, so is White, and the kid I think number 5 that is always frowing, but plays hard and he is good. Let us see how far this team goes before you make comparisions. This team MIGHT make it to the final fours if they play the way that they can. If they do, then they will be better than the players you had mentioned. Let’s see what happens.
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Shut the fuck up you stupid piece of shit!
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U idiot,
You prove my point, you are an idiot and a maroon, per Bugs Bunny. The evidence to your stupidity is, who are you referring to when you said shut up? Is that for everyone, Michael, GoTroy 22, or me? We see that you need to go back to school. Let us say, you can start with the thrid grade, idiot.
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It’s been a weird 12 months, but both Enfield and HC CH deserve some props for keeping their respective programs relatively “covid-free,” and generally light on the serious injury front. We all would have liked to see how the 2019-20 Trojan’s MBB team would have done in the Tourney. Looks like we’ll get our wish this March.
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Dear Pisley, po’ po’ baby. Truth hurts doesn’t it. SUCC has not played ONE top 25 team (except the depleted #22 UCLA team) this year. Pisley, you stinking cretin, didn’t you mumble “FACTS MATTER”?
#BTW Pisley, F**K YOU douche bag.
Andyain’twinning is 4 – 24 vs top 25 teams during his incredibly unSUCCessful Clown U BB career – choka, choka, choka, choka, choke!
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