FOOTBALL

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

Do college football fans — meaning you — really want two superconferences of 20-24 teams?

How is it good for the sport to have a lot of teams on the outside looking in? Does it make college football better to have a huge number of have-nots who fall further and further behind the SEC and Big Ten teams?

Does it help the sport to marginalize Oregon State and Washington State?

Yes, all that matters is USC, USC, USC. But the sport, which has seen declining attendance across the nation for several years, needs to do more than cater to the superpowers.

  • Former USC QB Jack Sears still has a year of eligibility but chose not to play this season because he couldn’t find a suitable program. Sears transferred to Boise State after he left USC.
  • L.A. gangster Mickey Cohen has been mentioned before in this column. Did you know that he grew up in Boyle Heights?

His mother opened a small grocery store in Boyle Heights and at age 3, little Mickey earned money sitting on stacks of newspapers and preventing them from the wind and thieves. He was paid with candy and hot dogs.

By age 9, he pulled his first heist when he held up the box office of the Columbia Theatre on Spring Street in downtown L.A.

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK

LITTLE BIT O’ SWEDEN

4020 Buckingham Rd., Los Angeles

  • It was only 10 minutes from USC and for $1.75, there was an all-you-can eat buffet with skirt steak, chicken, beef hash and meat balls. The side dishes were mashed potatoes, rice, potato salad and cole slaw. There were 13 different salads and three desserts
  • And now for some history:
  • I’ve written about how USC’s homecoming was so big that star musicians like Harry James (1944) and Jo Stafford (1947) performed the week of the game. By 1968, USC could still get Deep Purple to perform at The Troy Ball, where Helen of Troy was crowned. Deep Purple was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.
  • USC could still pull a celebrity like Danny Thomas at the opening ceremony for the bookstore circa 1967.

Of course there were USC ties. Here’s my best story on that:

One night after a USC basketball game in the early 1960’s, actress Marlo Thomas came in to Julie’s restaurant with her actor father, Danny Thomas. Marlo, who was known as Margie or Margo when she attended USC in the 1950’s, was dating Trojan basketball player Jim Pugh.

A friend who had not seen Marlo Thomas recently came up to their table and said, “I didn’t recognize you with your new nose.” The comment drew a big laugh from Danny Thomas. Not sure if Marlo had a similar reaction.

John McKay and Marv Goux showed up at the bookstore ceremony too!

John McKay looks thrilled while the Trojans enjoy a victory.
  • Howard Jones won four national titles and went 5-0 in the Rose Bowl at USC. Jones won 20 straight games at Iowa from 1920-23 but his wife hated living in Iowa City. So he asked Iowa if he could live somewhere else in the offseason. Iowa said no. Jones quit and eventually ended up at USC.
  • This is a headline that needs explaining on the eve of the 1930 USC-Notre Dame game.

Knute Rockne kicked his star running back, Jumping Joe Savoldi, off the team after divorce papers had been filed and discovered by reporters.

It was against Notre Dame rules to be married, let alone be married and divorced. Not even Rockne could keep him on the team.

It didn’t affect the game as Notre Dame defeated USC, 27-0, and the 10-0 Irish were awarded the national championship as it returned to South Bend by train.

After the team returned to Chicago, a ticket-tape parade was held (pictured above).

That victory over USC turned out to be Rockne’s final game. Three months later, he was killed in a plane crash.

  • In 1968, Ruth Buzzi showed up at Tommy Trojan as her popular Laugh-In character Gladys Ormphby after the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity nominated her to be Queen of the Tournament of Roses.

“My campaign is going to be clean,” Ormphby said. “In fact, I would like all of you men to join me for a bath rally at the downtown YWCA this afternoon!”

After being drafted by the fraternity, she extended her sympathies to the campus runner-up, O.J. Simpson.

“I can only say eat your heart out, O.J. Simpson, you’re just not sexy enough!” she said.

As Ormphby stepped away from her podium, the students chanted, “We want Gladys.”

  • Fans and students were encouraged to greet the football team on their return from the Oregon game in 1968. Imagine. USC barely even let the football team interact with the public at the Salute to Troy in June.
  • The 32nd Street Market had its special ad ready for the week of the USC-UCLA game in 1968.
USC defensive tackle Tim Ryan and Oklahoma QB Jamelle Holieway in 1988.

Here’s another photo from the 1982 USC-Notre Dame game courtesy of the Tom LaBonge collection. No. 48 is USC inside linebacker Tim Sullivan. The Notre Dame QB is Blair Kiel. The tailback is Phil Carter.

  • Remember how the Dodgers held a parade in 1958 down Broadway Street en route to their first game in Los Angeles, a 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants before 78,672 fans at the Coliseum?

I thought that was unusual but it turns out in the Giants did the same thing before their first game in San Francisco in 1958, which just happened to be against the Dodgers. Parades the day of the game!

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

  1. USC should award Mickey Cohen a posthumous Honorary Doctorate. He excelled at what he did. It gave one to Karmala.

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  2. Expand the playoffs and there will be teams there from the other conferences. These other schools will continue to get $30+ million per year in media rights.

    Liked by 1 person

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  4. In the race to be first, we have a 4:30am winner. Also winning the award for three disjointed consecutive posts with no relative content.

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      1. I wouldn’t say a knucklehead. But I, too, was going to write that at least they were all related to USC or sports.

        8 days to go!!

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Read between the lines on that one, So Cal [actually, I’m sure you already have]. Zuckerberg knows he’s fucked in January when investigations begin —he’s taking the calculated risk that it’s better to piss off the FBI now than get indicted for conspiracy later.
        #ConspiringToFixElectionsWon’tBeCoolInRoughly5Months

        Liked by 2 people

      1. Chicago Bear fan here. What you talking about Gabby? I thought you were smarter than that. Like your seemingly liberal position on most
        subjects.

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  5. So Rockne wins the national championship for Neuter Dame and 3-months later is killed in a plane crash. With that kind of resume I am surprised the Irish don’t remember the guy…

    And Gladys was pretty cool in character. They just don’t make comics like they used to

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    2. LJ, Michael, GT,

      I remember when Laughin In was on. That show was hilarious. What is so funny is, when it was on, my mom would not allow us to watch it. They had said a joke agains the pope or the church and she took offense to it. But I would sneek to watch. if you were to watch it today, it would be harmless. They had great stars show up like John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart.

      I bet your bippy. Beautiful down town Burbank, And that’s the truth,
      Veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerry Interesting, but stupid.
      Those were some of the remarks from the show.

      Liked by 1 person

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    2. ogm john,bestist collum evr,i had to stop reeding it cuz it wuz so good that I had too jerk off, and thare wuz to menny wirds,smdh. mi peenus was soo hard that missus eye look like this -> 👀

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    2. speaking of “good call”. ….A Federal Judge(umpire), who was appointed by Trump, said there was no proof of substantial voter fraud! Trump replied under his breath-“good call”….. his moral compass finally spoke!

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    3. Actually John, very few of these batters argue the call.

      Many look up into the sky and the body language says, “He got me!”

      Some just walk away immediately knowing it was a strike.

      Liked by 2 people

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      1. Instead of spending good daylight hours trolling the blog, go finish the outhouse remodel. Mrs. slo cal is tired of digging holes in the backyard.

        #LOST!

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      2. Still sad that my lovely women is still around. Awwwww.

        Divorced and alone in the desert. So sad.

        Get off your fat ass, quit eating Cheetos all night while sitting naked on the sofa (ala Ron White) and maybe you’ll find someone dumb enough to hang out with you.

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      3. Did your 10-year-old great-great grandaughter construct that rebuttal for you?,,,, I THINK SO!

        My wife is sure his cock is bigger than yours!

        But hey, I’m sure you feel no shame with the mushroom cap….trump-esque

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      4. I’m sure your “wife’s” cock is bigger than mine, too. ROTFLMAO

        Thanks for finally admitting you take up the @$$.

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      5. speaking of ” finally admitting you take up the @$$.”

        I have this massive black dildo, which I named tiny, that takes me to climax. If you play nice, I’ll let you have a taste.

        Mine is much better than Mrs. slo cal’s ….. proof is in the pudding(ouch!)

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      6. Ya know, I should have known you were far too sensitive to play for our team. I am dead serious when I say “not that there’s anything wrong with that”.

        Now knowing that little tidbit, I really need to go easy on you. You have yourself a great weekend!

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    4. Once again showing that he’s guilty of what he accuses others of. John didn’t mention Trump at all and yet she had to bring him up.

      She’s got DTS badly and refuses to admit it. Living rent free in her head. LMAO

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  9. Scotty,

    I searched google for Jack Sears but his trail dries up after leaving Boise at the beginning of this year. Do you know if he enrolled in a college? I take it this is the end of the line for our trojan Jack if he doesn’t play this fall?

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      6. ……not because of supply and demand, OPEC, workforce shortage, covid. But because of Biden. What a moron

        #stalker!

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    2. Well, Gabby, I spent the entire summer of 1967 surfing Waikiki, and eating at Perry’s All-You-Can-Eat for a dollar and 4-cents tax. I even wrote a silly poem about the experience:

      Back at Perry”s All-You-Can-Eat for a dollar-four
      I keep going back for more, more, and more
      As I pour meat and drink into me I let out a roar
      And watch the size of my stomach grow and soar
      Fat now I am, I can barely fit through Perry’s door

      Liked by 2 people

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      2. “I’m not trying to honor you. I’m trying to get you to run my kingdom while I eat, drink, and whore my way to an early grave.”

        ―King Robert Baratheon to Eddard Stark

        #GoT

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    2. THANK YOU CHARLES
      I WAS NINETEEN IN 1947
      I REALLY LOVED THAT LITTLE DOG
      IT WAS A REALLY BAD DAY FOR ME WHEN HE GOT RUN OVER BY A CAR
      HE WAS ALWAYS CHASING THEM
      NOW HE IS STILL CHASING THEM IN DOGGIE HEAVEN !!

      Liked by 2 people

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    3. HI CHARLES GABBY AND MICHAEL

      DRAGGING MYSELF OUT OF BED THIS AFTERNOON A LITTLE LATE

      GABBY
      YEAH IM 94
      THE SECRET TO A LONG LIFE IS LOTS OF HARD LIVING
      AND

      ALWAYS VOTE DEMOCRAT

      HAHA

      JUST TOSSED THAT IN FOR SO CAL AND MICHAEL

      IM REGISTERED INDEPENDENT
      BUT CANT STAND TRUMP
      EVEN SO CAL SAID TRUMP IS A BULLY AND AN ASS
      BUT
      HES NOT THAT GOOD

      HAHA
      JUST TORTURING YOU SO CAL

      I REALLY ENJOY THE LIVELY BANTER BETWEEN GABBY AND SO CAL
      IT MAKES MYDAY
      SO
      THANX TO YOU BOTH
      YOU BOTH ARE GOOD DEBATERS AND SCORE YOUR POINTS
      LOVE IT

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      1. Thank you for the compliment, GT!. I take great pleasure in slapping slo cal around like a pinata. I should probably handicap myself in some form to help even the playing field.

        Slo cal is slow in comprehending the underlining context with the majority of stuff I sling at him.

        I wish no ill-will on him., he’s a brother of the blog. He takes a punch and comes back for more, many would label that stupidity….. But hey, I don’t discriminate

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      2. Thanks, GT.

        It’ is funny seeing someone who thought an 80 year old with dementia was a good idea actually knock someone else’s intelligence. They don’t come any dumber.

        Oh wait! They do. The ones who claim they had no choice, because they always vote Dimocrap! Typical Lib…don’t take responsibility for your own decisions. Try to blame someone else.

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      3. Here’s a really really really simple question for you……Why did you vote for trump in 2020? ….I need context and details. Answer the question or you prove to be the blog dunce.

        What happened to the “red wave”?….. That question is way beyond your mentality, sorry!

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  14. College football is run by incompetent, greedy shortsighted men who sacrifice little for the inherited greatness bestowed on them by the public who adores football. Pro football stays popular or grows. College football is shrinking in popularity. They can’t overcome their corruption to be proper custodians of the game. Hopefully they can do the right thing.

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  15. Scooter,

    Once again , you just blew the doors off in the blog.

    History lesson: Back in the ol’ days around 1870’s – 1890’s, Boyle Heights was the Beverly Hills before the present Beverly Hills was started. A lot of Jewish families lived there. There is a Jewish Synagogue and cemetary there presently. Cantor’s on Fairfax was originally from Boyle Heights.

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      1. HI
        I JUST POSTED UNDER THE TIREBITER PIX AGAIN

        SO CAL GONNA GET MAD CUZ I CANT STAND TRUMP

        EVRN MICHAEL SUPPORTS TRUMP

        MAYBE WE CAN CONVERT THEM GABBY ???

        VOTE FOR THE DOG IN2024 !!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. GT, you need to read a little better. MG & I (maybe some others) think he’s an ass. But we base our support on results, not his personality.

        We knew that an 80 year old WITH DEMENTIA was not going to be an improvement and we were right!! The results speak for themelves. Hell, only a year & a half in and his own party is turning on him in droves!!

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      3. And once again…I don’t want him in 2024. But I will support him if he’s the GOP nominee, unless the Dims nominate a GOOD, truly moderate candidate.

        Not someone such as Dementia Joe who campaigned as a moderate, but governs like a dictator, (cough, cough)….oops, I mean a radical progressive.

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      4. Slo cal….. You do realize, you just threw me some shade regarding my vote for Biden…. I hope you comprehend.

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      5. You claim any of us who knew Biden wasn’t a good choice are cult members. Of which cult I have no idea, since we’ve stated pretty clearly we aren’t huge fans of Trump.

        At the same time, you said you voted for Biden because he had a D next to his name. That is more cult like than anything I’ve expressed about DT. Hell, I’ve even stated I’d support a truly moderate Dim candidate!

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      6. You senile sack of shit, here is what you typed.

        slo cal: “since we’ve stated pretty clearly we aren’t huge fans of Trump”.

        But you still voted for him in 2020 because he had an “R” next to his name. The country was a fucking disaster in Nov 2020. So what good had he done to earn your vote….. name one bill/legislation that he passed that actually aided struggling Americans, like yourself details?

        Dude, you’re fucking talking in circles….do you put any fucking thought into what you type? You should be embarrassed!

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    1. OLD DOGS NEVER DIE
      THEY JUST FADE AWAY

      BACK TO POLITICS

      IN 2008 AND 2012 WEHAD TWO DECENT CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT

      BUT THAT WAS THE LAST TIME WE EVENHAD ANY

      I WOULD WRITE IN GABBY OR SO CAL BEFORE I WOULD EVERVOTE FOR HILLARY JOE OR DONALD

      SUPPORT THE DOG IN 2024 !!!

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      1. HEY SO CAL

        I KNOW YOU DONT LIKE TRUMP

        AN ASS AND A BULLY YOU SAID

        SO

        CAN YOU THINK OF A MODERATE DEM YOU WOULD SUPPORT AGAINST TRUMP

        AND

        DID YOU CATCH
        LAST NIGHT INSOHO
        YET

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      2. Not yet. (SoHo)

        I don’t like him, but other world leaders knew better than to mess with him. I didn’t want the blood of others on my hands. Biden voters don’t mind having that blood on their hands.

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      3. Idiot……Taliban, Xi, Kim, MBS, and Putin played him like a fiddle, while many others mocked him….. Do you put any thought into the crap you post?…. you definitely have some cognitive issues

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      4. Dim voters won’t nominate a moderate.

        Tulsi would be great, but they won’t nominate her nor anyone close.

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      5. TOOOOO FUNNNNY…..another comical reply from the blog dunce!

        Tulsi is a DINO…..Dem in name only……get educated, I can’t do it for you!

        Like

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