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If It’s Friday, It’s Time For A USC Notes Column

Isn’t it telling that the while the Lakers traded for Russell Westbrook and the Dodgers are close to acquiring Max Scherzer, USC is still putzing around with Clay Helton.

USC cannot trade for a tailback. But it can hire a big-time coach who can make the Trojans the stars of Los Angeles. Instead, it’s full-speed ahead with Helton while the L.A. glamour teams add more stars.

A fumbling fool as the face of the program in 2021? Really?

  • With UCLA selling beer and wine at the Rose Bowl, it will be interesting to see how USC holds long out. You can buy liquor in suites and private boxes at the Coliseum but it’s not for sale to the general public.

It was banned in 2005 in an attempt to make things more fan friendly. That argument is not even being vetted these days by UCLA or other schools. One would think UCLA would at least have considered that issue more. It didn’t because all that matters is money. Alcohol is being brought back to make more money following the COVID-19 financial losses. That’s why I expect USC to bring it back too: Money.

LSU is expected to bring 15,000 fans to the Rose Bowl on Sept. 4. And if they buy 4-5 beers each, UCLA will be happy.

  • Former USC wide receiver Trevon Sidney is now at San Jose State. So he can face USC on Sept. 4 at the Coliseum.
  • Guard Ryan Grande of Sierra Canyon has committed to Cal Lutheran. His father, Rich Grande, was a guard at USC in the mid-1980’s.
  • I like to wait a couple days after Pac-12 media day to hear if there were any good coaches’ stories.

So I called a Pac-12 assistant coach and asked him if he heard anything?

“Our coach had one story.

“During a meeting with all the Pac-12 coaches in Hollywood, Clay Helton made a dull comment and two coaches were sitting next each other and one said, “This guy is going to outlast all of us.’ “

  • Whatever you think about Washington State coach Nick Rolovich, these comments from athletic director Pat Chun are extremely lukewarm:

“Nick made a decision, we’re going to manage it, we’re going to go forward. . . . This is not ideal by any stretch of the imagination, but he’s made a decision and we’ll manage. We have way too much talent on this football team this upcoming year to sacrifice anything.”

And this from former Washington State QB Ryan Leaf to radio station KJR is worse: “It doesn’t seem like it’s something I would jeopardize my career on after I got a $3 million a year job coming from Hawaii to coach in the Pac-12. This is a strange hill to die on when the science points to exactly what it points to.”

Frankly, Rolovich lost me last season when he thought Jayden de Laura was the Cougars’ best QB.

  • And now for some history:

I heard a great story this week regarding Stubby Shaw, the owner of Stubby’s Trojan Barrel, which later became Julie’s Trojan Barrel.

In the early 1960’s, an underage USC student walked in Stubby’s.

“Whaddya drinking?” Stubby growled.

“I’ll . . . have . . . a . . . water,” the terrified student said.

“Water?” Stubby said incredulously. “If you want water, go to the Union 76 across the street. We drink beer in here.”

Stubby Shaw, owner of Stubby’s Trojan Barrel, in 1956-57. “He was an intimidating guy,” a USC student in the 1960’s said.
  • I’ve written about Wrigley Field in Los Angeles the past couple weeks. In 1947, USC and Cal tied for the CIBA championship with 11-4 records. The teams then played a tiebreaker at Wrigley Field. Cal won, 5-2.
  • On March 15, 1964, USC’s Dennis Ralston faced UCLA’s Arthur Ashe in the finals of the Southern California Intercollegiate Tournament in Pasadena. Ashe won, 5-7, 6-4, 8-6.
  • Ralston broke his racquet in the 13th game of the final set. He broke two strings in his only other racquet earlier in the match and had to use it the rest of the way. Earlier, Ralston and Bill Bond defeated Ashe and Charles Pasarell, 6-4, 6-4, to win the doubles title.
  • How many times has the USC-UCLA football game come down to a difference of opinion?
  • Everyone remembers in 1977 that USC kicker Frank Jordan kicked a 38-yard FG in the final two seconds to beat UCLA, 29-27.

Less remembered is a controversial pass interference penalty that kept the winning drive alive. On third-and-10 at midfield with a minute left, USC QB Rob Hertel threw a pass to WR Kevin Williams.

UCLA safety Johnny Lynn touched the ball but head linesman F.E. Conley ruled Lynn interfered with Williams.

“I was coming across the field and a guy was holding the back of the pads,” Williams said. “I didn’t think the referee saw it but fortunately he did. It was definitely pass interference.”

Lynn disagreed: “I didn’t think I touched him. I drove out in front of the ball and my right hand hit it. Then I hit the ground.”

USC-UCLA at the Coliseum in 1977. Those were the days.
  • And here is USC-UCLA in 1978 in basketball. The Trojans’ cardinal uniforms just stood out during this era and it’s too bad USC has gone away from this shade of cardinal.

That’s Purvis Miller, Cliff Robinson and Barry Brooks playing defense around the basket.

  • In the fall of 1963, Mike Garrett led the Trojans in rushing with 833 yards (6.5 yards per carry) and rushed the Tau Epsilon Phi fraternity.
  • In 1960, John McKay lost his debut as USC coach to Oregon State, 14-0. The Trojans fumbled five times.

What did McKay do? He made five lineup changes the following week, replacing players who were projected All-West Coast caliber but played poorly against the Beavers. Among those benched was tackle Dan Ficca, a UPI second-team All-American. Can you imagine Clay Helton doing that?

USC’s Britt Williams (64), Mike Bundra (79) and Dan Ficca chase down Oregon State tailback Don Kasso in John McKay’s debut.

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK, NO. 2

RESTAURANT NO. 3 WAS ALWAYS A GOOD CHOICE.

59 thoughts on “If It’s Friday, It’s Time For A USC Notes Column”

  1. Bring back alcohol to the coliseum … that will help fund bringing in Luke Fickell or Matt Campbell. Oh and Clay Helton is a buffoon 🤡

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  2. If money is the factor to bring back booze to the Coliseum, what is USC going to charge, $35 per beer?

    #HeyBlogger,HowAboutAnOver/UnderContestOnYourBlogOnWhatUSC’sBeerPriceIsGoingToBe?

    #AnyoneRememberFiveOrSixYearsAgoWhenUSCHadA$130BreakfastBuffetTailgateEvent?

    #WithLoserHeltonAsHC,USCShouldSellShotsToNumbEveryoneFaster

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    1. I doubt a $35.00, 8oz beer will not daunt a SUCC, fat cat alky. He or she is more likely to boast they can afford $35 beers or rationalize it as an ad hoc, Clown U FB program donation. I believe $50.00, 6-8oz beers and $75.00 Fireballs have a viable future at the crumbling mausoleum.

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  3. Obvious that Clay H. and little Nick R. are both dead men walking.

    The 9/18 game will result in one of these two non-leaders getting fired before the end of the season.

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    1. Hope it’s Clay…no, wait…hope it’s Nick….excuse me, hope it’s Clay…..
      #ICouldGoOnForHours….
      [Funnest Note Ever: Ryan Leaf saying “This is a strange hill to die on”]

      Liked by 1 person

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  4. I have received two offers for ticket sales this week. First was a package for all seven games for $250.00, the seats are not disclosed until two days before the game. Second was a mini season with your choice of three games at a discount price. My best bet to get a game past the boss is to combine the game with a weekend trip. It looks like I might see the AZ state game.
    I joked on another blog that Helton’s next contract extension would be a lifetime one. I also said he would die in ankle deep water at the beach. (Like the Rams owner) maybe that’s why people think he’ll outlast us all.

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    1. Helton would probably have trouble in ankle deep water (he can’t even chase London around the endzone without falling and going spread eagle) but Rosenbloom died (with a little help) 150 yards from shore.

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      2. Ha! [The last time I saw a man assuming the same position as Clay in the endzone was as a young prosecutor on a ride along with LAPD — one of the cops told a suspected car thief to get on the ground and spread his arms and legs]….

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Scottie, you need to write that book about USC. An indirect benefit is that it will take your mind off of Helton. And Courtland Ford is going to be huge on the O-line this year at left tackle.

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    2. Okay, so McKay benched the whole O-Line for a bad performance.
      Big deal. Remember what Clay did when his o-line sucked against Cal?
      He immediately promised he wouldn’t make ANY changes…..[except for giving out more “luv hugs”]…..
      #NowTHAT’SCoachingGenius..
      #…AndItServedUsWellAgainstUCLA

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    2. Sartorially brutal, Mobley is off to Cleveland in his electric, aqua-marine, Haitian/Jamaica style, Disco Duck suit. Especially love the ugly, two-tone B&W shoes, Columbian drug dealer no socks thing; but, Mobley’s finger-pointing to the contrasting SUCC advert won’t a erase Mobley’s last game humiliation: the 19 point Elite Eight defeat at the hands of Gonzaga.

      This hilarious Pix ladies and gentleman, illustrates the culmination of Mobley’s 1 year WIP in Andyain’twinning’s BB program – Yikes!

      Cue Ray Charles’ “Hit the Road Jack”

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      1. And yet as weak as you make him out to be, he’s 2-0 vs the mini mick… let me see, that would make sow 0-2 vs he and Andy, wouldn’t it.

        Scoreboard. Scoreboard. Scoreboard. 🖕🏽

        💥✌🏾💥✌️💥✌🏾💥

        Liked by 2 people

      2. Well at least he didn’t get caught stealing sunglasses and try and set up his coach to take the fall.

        Hey ‘67, I ordered a bunch of those glass frames w/o lenses so we could pass them out and have all our friends look c😎😎l…. Hahahahaha

        What is it about glasses and ruins?

        Liked by 2 people

      3. I hate to see My friend Owns so publicly falling out of love with UCLA in favor of Gonzaga…
        #Gonzaga,Gonzaga,Gonzaga….Oh,MyGonzaga
        #Next:PhotosOfOwnsPuttinSuntanLotionOnGonzaga’sButt?

        Liked by 2 people

    2. We’ll need a better thread for this breaking news, but…
      1. The SEC at 16 teams looks fantastic.
      2. Put ND in the ACC and you have a stellar 15 team conference
      3. That leaves the PAC 12….
      I would add Baylor and TCU to the Pac, as they are both high calibre academic schools
      (the recent Title IX fiasco at Baylor notwithstanding) with good FB history and Baylor with great BB history.

      Reluctantly I add BYU to finish off the Pac 15.

      The Big 12 -4 is non-existent. Most need to join CUSA.

      The Power 5 becomes the Power 4 and splits the money accordingly.

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      1. Unfortunately, Carol Folt is going in the opposite direction: “We need to drop Oregon and Washington. That way we’ll end up with the Lucky Number –TEN.”
        #”IConsultedWithDetectiveAdrianMonkOnThis”

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  9. Damn Pisley, you thalidomide defect, Andyain’twinning is, as you’re wont to scream, 4 – 0 vs Cronin. But remind me, did that record earn Andyain’twinning a contract extension from the Boner?

    After the NCAA Tournament Pisley, which BB Coach, Andyain’twinning or Cronin received a contract extension?

    I think it’s fair to say it wasn’t the Coach that lost an Elite Eight game by a stupefying 19 points – a game Colin Cowherd had the bozos winning.

    The Cleveland Cavs were 22- 50 last year; Cleveland a pro-BB junk/scrap heap. The Cavs shoes will fit Mobley perfectly.

    Lastly Pisley, it seem fair to say that Westbrook did his job, ’cause you admit you bought lensesless glasses pitched by Westbrook. No wonder you’re Trump boot lick.

    UCLA: 11 BB, NC’s

    SUCC: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOferever

    #Is it true Osa Masina is selling autographed Pepsi bottles?

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      1. Please MG, based on the de-emphasis of sports at SUCC, what exactly spurs your BB optimism that in, say, the next 200 years SUCC will win a BB NC?

        #Just asking for a friend.

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      2. Tolkien said “no one knows for sure what will happen one second into the future…”
        #”ThereIsAlwaysHope”

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Also Pudly is not one of the thousands of innocents that suffered from the effects of the UCLA produced wonder drug, thalidomide… but even if he were, that remark is unworthy of you….

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      1. Shame on you MG, premeditated lying is unworthy of you.

        “Thalidomide is a drug that was developed in the 1950s by the West German pharmaceutical company Chemie Grünenthal GmbH. It was originally intended as a sedative or tranquiliser, but was soon used for treating a wide range of other conditions, including colds, flu, nausea and morning sickness in pregnant women.”

        #Defense rests.

        Liked by 1 person

    4. What does Andy’s contract extension have to do with us destroying you the past few seasons?
      Not a damn thing. You’re irrelevant. Not worthy of extending. As Elaine would put it..”you’re not sponge worthy”. Bupkis. On the other hand sow is willing to spend heavily on their loser coaches (chippie $1M+/win) because “what’s a few more million in the red matter anyway.

      You guys suck. You have sucked and will always continue to suck. So there’s always consistency for you to brag on.

      Mud, dumb as dirt only wetter 🎯👅🍆

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. Well Pisley, you transgender cockroach, I guess the Boner doesn’t think “destroying”(LOL), UCLA BB in 4 straight games or the fact Andyain’twinning only has a less than .500 winning pct. in conf. is worth a contract extension.

        Andyain’twinning is still 9 – 10 vs UCLA.

        And I bet Andy’s Old Lady had to worry about “shrinkage” after Andyain’twinning came crawling back home after his humiliating 19 point defeat by Gonzaga.

        Truth hurts Pisley, and it’s clear the Boner has no intention of extending a 19 point tournament loser’s contract.

        Cue “I’m a Loser”

        #Pisley: Kramerica Industries newest intern.

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      2. All I know is Andy doesn’t suffer from shrinkage nearly as much as the mini mick. But then you know about losing and shrinkage eh turtle boy…
        Only thing clear around here is 4-0 vs 0-4. Period. Hahahahaha

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      3. Who finished higher in conference last season? You are the biggest loser around. Extend that coach again until he makes as much per win as chippie.

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      1. Pisley, you pathetic moron, it’s ‘your’, not “…you’re…”

        Do yourself a favor AH, finish grade school.

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      2. Don’t give a fukk my stupid friend, you make so many mistakes nobody takes the time to correct them.

        Is it true osa had to file a restraining order to get your mom to stop sexting him?

        Hoochie coochie baboochie.

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  10. “You can buy liquor in suites and private boxes at the Coliseum but it’s not for sale to the general public”? But tell me something new. Isn’t that the way it always is……The restrictions that they put on John Q. (peon) Public never apply to the rich. They make the laws but laws are not for them. They are above the laws

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    1. “Laws should be like clothes —they should serve the people they’re made for”…
      —Hillary Clinton (in private conversation with Satan)

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      1. I assume you’re being facetious but whether she actually said it or not, it really does represent the way she thinks. Of course, all the people that the laws were made for are all her far left rich liberal friends.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. It really happened, parcelman. I have a photo of them talking…
        #SatanOnlyShowsUpAsAnOutline

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    2. Michael Guarino
      you have to reveal that photo to the world. You could make millions off of that photo. If nothing else, the satanists of the world would pay you millions to get a photo of their leader talking to one of his closest followers.

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  12. Gotta get ready to go back to teaching next week, so I will practice my acrostic skills.
    Clueless
    Lazy
    Asinine
    Yahoo
    Hedonistic
    Ever
    Lumbering
    Totally
    Out
    Nuanced.
    So I hope I can post this in my classroom

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      1. Conjugal
        Armpit
        Retentive
        Old
        Lady
        Funky
        Oblong
        Lost
        Turnip
        Remember it’s middle school I don’t want to explain too many words.

        Liked by 1 person

  14. Memo to: Dear Pisley, Momma Pisley’s little Mongoloid

    Hard to do since my mother has been dead for 25 years. But if she were alive, she’d have to get in line behind ‘YOUR’ momma. Osa calls ‘YOUR’ momma his “best SUCC’ing machine.”

    And why not AH, it’s well known ‘YOUR’ momma can SUCC start a Harley. A video is available for $3.99 + tx @ the bozo bookstore.

    #Momma Pisley foreplay, “Osa, can I have a Pepsi.”
    #Osa: “Oh yeah! But you gotta swallow this time.”
    #Momma Pisley: “Oh yeah!!”

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  15. Pingback: USC Plans To Sell Beer To All At Coliseum – InsideUSC with Scott Wolf

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