I mentioned Ricky Bell in my post this morning, let’s appreciate him in a color photo.
“My first organized football was flag football when I was 13 and living in Los Angeles,” Bell said. “I always wanted to be a running back and identified with all the good ones. (O.J.) Simpson, Jimmy Brown, Steve Owens, Gale Sayers, Ed Marinaro.”
InsideUSC with Scott Wolf 
Full out stud!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Ricky Bell. The original “Bell Cow” running back.
And not to take anything aware from one of the most underrated Trojans of all time, but the true studs was that O-Line. They drove people five years off the line of scrimmage play after play. Ricky Bell wasn’t even touched until he reached the second level, and by that time it wasn’t a fair fight b/c Bell was just bigger and stronger than the LBs and DBs that tried to tackle him.
LikeLike
Beautiful person —signed autographs for everybody who wanted one. And the most powerful runner USC ever had. Ran right over defenders. The only thing that ever slowed Ricky down was that damn disease.
#RIP,Ricky
LikeLiked by 3 people
Carrying the ball as much as he did and running that hard on every play, dishing out that much punishment on those trying to tackle him, if the kids today were to try that…they wouldn’t last two games. Wait, they wouldn’t last one game.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Good Lord, if Trojan RB Valerie Malapeai were to get hit the way Ricky Bell got hit on the first three carries in that video, she’d be out another year anf just have to call it a career.
AHA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
LikeLike
Cool. Agreed. [I wish you had stopped here]….
#ButTebowNeverStops[SeeBelow]….
LikeLike
…Or, as it turns out on this cocked-up page, see ABOVE…
LikeLike
By the way, something else is happening in those clips: the o-line is blocking.
#DamnYouHelton
LikeLiked by 1 person
viral myocarditis–inflammation of the heart muscle, IMSMR.
He played his final season in the NFL with the disease active.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amazing. Hope Helton remembers this great back’s courage the next time he’s tempted to say he’s taken a back outta the game for fear he’ll “get tired” after 5 carries…..
LikeLike
Ricky Bell was a beast … which is my highest compliment for a football player.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ricky Bell or Earl Campbell?
LikeLiked by 2 people
We Trojans are, of course, prejudiced — but even doing my best to be objective I’d have to say Ricky was as durable….and had sharper cuts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great football player-RICK BELL. . Kids use to look up to USC, and its players like Simpson, Garrett, Bell, AD you name it. Other than wide receivers who can a kid look up to today on the team, and what’s worse other than the Pac 12 Network you rarely see USC on national television anymore in a very critical game. We are right there with other “insignificant” Pac 12 teams, but not even close with the other conferences. The horse no longer runs around the track which use to be a spectacle on national TV as were the beautiful song girls. Bohn, can say the game has changed, and new marketing strategies are necessary, but success is based on winning football games, and the rest will take care of itself for the school, and program. Simon and Garfunkel use to say “Where have you gone Joe Dimaggio” in reference to the great Yankee Clipper. My guestion, and I am sure the same is being said by kids and young adults -“Where have you gone USC”.
Don’t give me this USC-ND national TV stuff. It has been close to 15 years since the game was significant in the polls. Remember, the Bush Push game was nearly 16 years ago, and most of our new recruits were too young of age to remember that game, and as time passes many kids will not even know who OJ, Marcus, AD, Bush, and Leinart are.
USC better get it in gear quickly because as time passes memories fade, and recruits want to know who is winning now., and why haven’t they seen USC on ESPN’s College Game Day or in the playoffs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think the Sam Darnold game was significant in 2017.
Blow-out? Yes. But both teams were highly rated with one loss between them.
LikeLike
Tell Gomer Claydo HE’ll ton to START RECRUITING OFFENSIVE LINE MAN that can BLOCK so USC can Run the Dam Football
LikeLike
nobody was better,during his last 2 seasons at sc…nobody
LikeLiked by 1 person
Most of us would agree that Ricky was robbed of the Heisman both years.
He gained epic yardage against tougher teams–at a time when Pac 10 FB was the pinnacle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reminder,
He played lber and fullback before he played tailback. he had the lber mentality. he punished you while running. I had a friend of mine who was a freshman with Washington St. and played defensive end. Ricky was running that day at the Kingdome. he ran over my friend and the defense for 354 yards rushing. He should have won the heisman. One of the best rb’s of all time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bell was fabulous
Watch these highlights from 1975
LikeLiked by 1 person
I recall reading the story in the LA Times when I was a wee high schooler how Ricky prepared for his first season as a starting TB (pretty much replacing AD):
Ricky bought some knee high army boots and ran in the deep beach sand all Summer long. By gametime, running the ball 30-40 times per game was easy. I think he passed away while I was an undergrad at USC. We (the devout fans) were all in mourning.
LikeLike
And finally, check out his brother Archie’s hit tune…
Tighten up.
Listened to it a lot growing up.
LikeLike
hi folks, the paul was on fire verus the clippers!?the kaminsky paul bench mate was standing right beside him when that fruit ball beverley shoved paul to the ground from behind !? i sirmise that the russian kaminsky is dissatisfied not playing in pheonix !? sincerely, Edward
LikeLiked by 1 person