BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL

Saturday Buzz: A History Lesson For USC

I’m not sure who decides at USC what players to highlight from the past.

But this is a dubious social media post.

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That’s Taylor Mays, Ronnie Lott, Tim McDonald, Mark Carrier and Troy Polamalu.

Why is this dubious?

Because I would say two-time All-American Dennis Thurman (pictured) is ignored. He intercepted passes in seven straight games. And 13 overall in his career. He was a consensus All-American in 1976 and unanimous All-American in 1977.

Where is Charles Phillips? He intercepted 13 passes in his career and was an All-American in 1974.

Where is Artimus Parker? He intercepted a school-record 20 passes and was an All-American in 1973.

And for that matter, where is Dennis Smith? He wasn’t an All-American (somehow) but had 16 career interceptions.

I wouldn’t be surprised if whoever did the social media post above never heard of the players I just mentioned.

  • Remember when UCLA vs. Gonzaga in November was the Game of the Century? Turned out to be two teams knocked out in the Sweet 16.
  • If Miami had not played USC in the first round, would it be in the Elite Eight today? How many of you thought they would beat the Trojans?

Miami is well-coached. It must be nice. The Canes were 4 for 29 on 3-point shots their first two games and still won.

Coach Jim Larranaga is the first head coach in NCAA Tournament history to lead two different programs to the Elite 8 as double-digit seeds. Larranaga led 11-seeded George Mason to the Final Four in 2006.

I have plenty of time to watch these type of videos, where the players love their coach.

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73 thoughts on “Saturday Buzz: A History Lesson For USC”

  1. Miami got lucky. That was a terrible call that sent that guy to the free throw line to win the game. Terrible call. You just don’t make that call in that situation, especially in a playoff game where free throws will end the season for the fouling team. It was a judgement call. You let them play.

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    4. In my world it was according to the script. When the court is tipped towards the winning team, you know it’s rigged.
      Take the super bowl game why did the refs suddenly notice all those interference calls in the fourth quarter? How could the refs not notice the quarterback’s knee down before the pitch so many years ago? It’s as rigged as pro wrestling.

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      1. A phony illegal block call on the opening kickoff return…. letting a fighter hold behind the neck when the other guy goes into a crouch…. penalizing a server for a phony foot foul in tennis —- this is the kinda shit that happens every day in sports…and results in changes in outcome [and John is right — a biased judge can screw up a year long trial by giving an instruction that amounts to a directed verdict for the wrong side]….

        Liked by 2 people

      2. Nobody Scott,

        Whoa Nellie, don’t you ever call wrasstlin’ rigged. It is a professional event. They get paid to do that. LOLOLOLO. Speaking of fake, the nba is rigged and fake. The refs make calls just to appease the nba’s favoirte team. I won’t watch anymore nba games.

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    1. THE DRESDEN ROOM WAS IN THAT SWINGERS MOVIE. THE DRESDEN WAS OWNED BY CARL FERRARO A GREAT GUY. HE WOULD TAKE OUT ADS FOR THE DRESDEN ROOM IN PIGSKIN REVIEW. THE PROGRAM FOR THE SC GAMES. HE WAS A BIG TROJANS FAN. THAT WAS A GREAT RESTAURANT AND I ATE THERE A LOT. THE ESCARGOTS WERE TERRIFIC

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    2. we always told the team ‘you have to beat both the other team and their refs’…and how do you forget Willie Wood…great q/b and ‘d’back

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  3. Dennis Smith was the hardest hitting safety at USC over the last four decades, not Ronnie Lott, and if you’re a true Trojans fan you know this.

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  4. I trace the genesis of my loving to see sucla get beat to the 1980s when at Pauley Pavilion SC was getting killed by 30-something points and some loud-mouth bruin (Is there any other kind?) was screaming, “We want 40, we want 40.”– I felt like telling her to shut up and sit down, but I held my peace for a change. However, I never again liked sucla sports’ teams.

    And so last night I let out the biggest screams of 2022 when the North Carolina kid, Luck, hit a ‘3’ to take the lead, and then another ‘3’ to ice it.

    But the game of the tournament was St. Peter’s downing Purdue. My wife, who is a nominal sports fan, had a brother who went to St. Peter’s, so I advised her to watch the game, that I had a hunch history would be made–

    Best game she ever saw!– “I was nervous all the way to the end”

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    1. HAHA. THIS TIME YOU STOLE MY POST LJ. I LOVED THE BRUIN GAME LAST NIGHT. I WAS SO HAPPY. DID YOU HEAR. SISTER JEAN ENTERED THE TRANSFER PORTAL LAST NIGHT AND IS NOW AT ST PETERS !!!

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      2. Just Rent,

        Welcome back. I guess you were able to move back into your two story cardboard box after you got caught up on your payments.

        As far as fans are concerned, I guess you wear the otty blue and yellow diapers, fans from ugly are the worst. They cuss, curse, flip off hit and kick SC fans. They even pull knives out on them. Don’t ever day uugly and their fans are classy. Just likme Johnny cheetin’ Wooden who cussed the refs inside the rolled up toilet paper he carried as a sheet, ugly fans are just like him.

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  5. this is probaly wut hapins wen u use loop holes to git ur playurs,good thing im caling the ncca to day or to marow to axe them to put an end to the loop holes john,i gotta do some things a rownd the huose that i didnt get to this weak cuz i was bizzy with the lidle poeple and then lookin fir a job,but onse i do the choars missus ed has me do im gonna call them ncca poeple and axe them to stop all the loop holes from hapining,and i havint talk with them in a wile so thay probaly wundurin how ol’ed is doing,it wuold be a good idee for me to send them a giffed or some thing cuz thay seam like such nice poeple,

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  6. those are great players Scott Wolf mentioned, but too old school. Dennis Smith, Joey Browner, and Mark Carrier should be NFL HOF (since John Lynch is). Wouldn’t quibble if Adoree Jackson was included in the graphic.

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    1. Probably could name dozens and dozens worthwhile Trojans deserving of the recognition, but you can only get so many faces in to one picture.

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      1. Good point, John…. but you’ll have room for one more if you take Taylor Mays out…
        #NeverSawHimGuessRightOnZoneRead….
        #…AlwaysOuttaPosition…
        #…[WhichIsWhyPeteDidn’tWantHimAtSeattle]

        Liked by 3 people

      2. WAS TAYLOR MAYS THE GUY THAT LET RICHARD SHERMAN GET THE LONG FIRST DOWN NEAR THE END OF THE UNMENTIONABLE GAME. ??? HORRIBLE. HORRIBLE UPSET BY THE INDIANS. YEAH I STILL CALL EM THAT

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Taylor was also the guy that almost singlehandedly blew the rematch with Ohio State for Pete Carroll — Barkley & McKnight had to save it in “The Drive.”

        Liked by 1 person

  7. UCLA really blew a great opportunity this year with a bunch of veteran players. They are going to lose alot next season to the NBA, and D- League so Mick will have to rebuild. If Tiger Campbell, and Jules Bernard go also it’s a total rebuilding process.

    USC lost to a very hot Miami team with guards that are 5th or 6th year seniors. Miami is winning games with guard quickness, experience and a very low turnover rate on offense which is a key to the NCAA tournament. Let’s hope Enfield can recruit an explosive point guard with great leadership ability like former ASU guard Remy Martin who is now at Kansas, and just might put the Kansas team on his back and carry them to a national title.

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  8. Scott Wolf is totally correct on the missing Trojans legends at the safety position. T -Parker, Dennis Smith, and Dennis Thurman were 3 of the best way ahead of Taylor Mays, and Tim McDonald.

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  9. And what about Mike Battle?

    There is a reason that all the social media people, no matter what organization, are under the age of 30. This is for recruiting, not for us old fellas, and 16 and 17-year olds, aren’t going to know about guys who played back in the day. If the graphic was for running backs, Jon Arnett wouldn’t be included, though he would certainly merit it.

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    2. Goo call ’67. I remember crazy Mike Battle hurtling a Clemson player on a return for a TD. It was beautiful. I think we beat Clemson 30-0 or something like that.
      Jon Arnett might not sell tickets anymore —but he’s a top Trojan forever.

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    3. AND EVEN WORSE. WHO REMEMBERS OUR GREAT RUNNING BACKS FROM1925–1934 —- they’ve ALL BEEN FORGOTTEN NOW. DRUDY. SANDERS. DUFFIELD. MOHLER. AND SO MANY MORE.

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      3. YES. IRV MOHLER. LOSING 14-0 going into the fourth quarter. Won 16-14 and were declared natl champs by all !! Johnny Baker kicked the winning field goal By the way I misspelled Morley Drury. Sorry. He was The noblest Trojan of them all. That was his nickname.

        Liked by 1 person

      5. To Trojan 1967. It was ORV MOHLER. NOT IRV. I ALMOST FORGOT. ORV WAS SHORT FOR ORVILLE. HAHA. BUT ITS TRUE. HE AND GUS WILLIAMS. NOT THE BASKETBALL PLAYER. WERE-THE STARS ALONG WITH JOHNNY BAKER. GUS REAL NAME WAS GAIUS. NO WONDER IT WAS CHANGED TO GUS. MAYBE ORV CHANCED HIS TO IRV TOO HAHA

        Liked by 1 person

  11. And all you guys think you are such great Trojan historians, and yet you forgot one of the most notable SC defensive backs of all time. Hint– he also was one of the greatest wideouts.

    2-way Willie Brown, who could give Reggie Bush a run for his money, and who in the national championship game for the 1962 team, had the losing Wisconsin players say Willie was the difference in the game.

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    2. I agree…he was really something else in high school at LB Poly…watched him avg about 15 yds/carry…when he got around the end,he was gone.

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  12. Darnell Bing and the mighty Ting brothers did more at and for USC. All Taylor Mayes ever did was jump on the pile after a tackle had already been made.

    Liked by 1 person

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