FOOTBALL

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

What about you wondering about as USC faces heavy underdog Arizona State at the Coliseum?

I’m wondering if Lincoln Riley will give Miller Moss some real playing time or if he wants to pad Caleb Williams’ stats? I’ve felt Riley wasn’t the type to pad stats but I’m not as sure now after he kept Williams away from the media following the Oregon State game and Wednesday’s practice. Riley has his reasons but it feels a little panicky.

Williams should have a great game. And Moss needs some work.

  • USC five-star freshman center Vincent Iwuchkwu suffered cardiac arrest during an informal July workout and is sidelined indefinitely.

“This past summer I had a sudden cardiac arrest during a workout,” Iwuchukwu said in a statement CBS Sports. “Since the event, I have received optimal care from the university and my personal expert medical team. Currently, I am adhering to the standard protocol designed to ensure my health and safety. I’m feeling great and my recovery and rehabilitation remain positive.”

Iwuchkwu spent several days at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center following the incident.

  • Four-star cornerback Braxton Myers of Coppell, Texas, commited to Mississippi on Thursday. He was previously committed to USC. Score one for Lane Kiffin.
  • Here’s a line from this week’s USC press release: “P Aadyn Sleep-Dalton recorded 4 punts for 14 yards.” His name would be Aadyn-Shank Dalton if that stat were true.
  • One Las Vegas bettor at Caesars Sportsbook placed a $575,000 wager on USC ML -4500 (vs. Arizona State). Th bet would win $12,777.80 That’s like Lincoln Riley betting a paycheck.
  • USC safety Max Williams’ brother, Macen, is a redshirt sophomore defensive back at Arizona State.
  • Former USC baseball player Lars Nootbaar is thriving with the St. Louis Cardinals and has become one of their most popular players.

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK

Clock Restaurant, 6821 La Tijera Blvd., Los Angeles

This was part of a chain with the above location opening in 1951. By 1961, it was out of business. But what a beautiful sign. Here’s the list of locations.

  • And now for some history:
  • Now this is a photo. You’ve got Marv Goux (right) leading the Trojans to the field. It looks like 1981 when USC played at Oregon State. The front row features John Robinson, All-American offensive lineman Roy Foster (64), Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Allen (33), wide receiver Malcolm Moore (22) and fullback Bob McClanahan (31). Behind Goux appears to be wide receiver Timmie Ware (19).
  • And here is the USC defense circa 1974. That means three-time All-American Richard Wood (83) calling the plays. That means defensive tackle Art Riley (70), linebacker Ed Powell (87), linebacker Kevin Bruce (50), nose guard Otha Bradley (92) and cornerback Marvin Cobb (24).
  • Here’s a rare color photo of Mel Hein of the New York Giants in 1940. Hein was NFL MVP in 1938 . . . as a center! He was an eight-time first-team All Pro.

And he was a valued USC assistant coach from 1951-65. His son, Mel Hein Jr., was a star pole vaulter at USC.

  • Newspapers had all kinds of terms for sports like this 1943 headline. Can you guess the sport? Answer at bottom.
It doesn’t seem that long ago Clay Matthews was making tackles for the Trojans but it’s already been 14 years.
  • On a late June day in 2007, I was walking by Cromwell Field and unexpectedly bumped into then-USC basketball coach Tim Floyd. He introduced me to his friend, a guy you might have heard of named Peyton Manning.

Floyd spent his summers in Mississippi growing up working at the New Orleans Saints training camps. He became good friends with Saints QB Archie Manning and his family.

With Floyd’s gracious introduction, I immediately got a great interview with Manning, who had won the Super Bowl a few months earlier. He had filmed an NFL commercial at the Coliseum and Floyd brought him over to campus. This will surprise no one familiar with Manning, but he wanted to work out, so Pete Carroll rounded up some players.

The only other QB to show up was John David Booty.

“I was telling (Tim Floyd), quarterbacks need a certain degree of selfishness,” Manning said. “I’m glad it was just me and John David so I could do what I needed to do. It’s good to have one other guy throwing with you.”

Manning threw to USC wide receivers Patrick Turner, David Ausberry and Brandon Carswell along with tight ends Fred Davis and Anthony McCoy and tailback Joe McKnight.

“I didnt think I’d get to do that,” McKnight said. “I found out about (the workout) 30 minutes before.”

Manning did not just work out. He also gave Booty tips on footwork and throwing. It was immediately noticeable how different a Manning pass was and how much USC players did not want to drop his passes.

Manning admitted he felt old because the Trojans referred to him as, “Mr. Manning.”
After his workout Manning signed autographs, took pictures and then went to Howard Jones Field, where he ran wind sprints by himself before departing with Floyd.

  • The great part is anyone could have walked by and watched the workout. In those days, USC was an open environment. Nowadays, it would be held behind a locked gate with USC social media minions filming every move.

ANSWER: The casaba squad was the basketball team. They were also known as cagers. The football team was the gridders. The track team was the spikers. And sportswriters were scribes.

PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Try to watch this 1964 episode of The Judy Garland Show without being completely drawn to dancer Bobby Banas. You might remember him from West Side Story.

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

  1. Max Williams other brother is Marcellus a 4 star corner from St. John Bosco who is being offered by 32 schools so far. I would think that we have the inside track on him.

    Liked by 4 people

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      2. Let this be a lesson for Caleb Williams, she better wise her ass up and quit crying and whining like a little bitch or she’ll end up like this

        Like

    3. I don’t know how physical a CB Marcellus is but if you watch him on tape, He is a great coverage corner who covers the receiver like a glove.

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      1. Our friend Tim is back! Btw Tim, if you need anyone to fondle your balls, I’m your guy! 😀 But don’t confuse me with steveg49, because he’s the ass eater not me. 🤥🤥

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Good looking out Michael, yes Tim it’s true. If you’re a USC fanboy, then I’ll eat your Ass. And if you know any other Fanboys that can help me come up with excuses for the Trojans poor performance on the field, let them know that I’ll eat their Ass Hole too. 😀👍🏼

        Like

      4. I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO LOG IN FOR SOME REASON, AND I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL WIFE…but thanks for the kind words…btw I was still reading while not being able to comment

        Liked by 3 people

      5. Tim—
        Scott is enforcing a New Rule: Unless you type “dick” or “ass” once a week, you’re automatically banned for a month…
        #FalseEdIsGoodForLife

        Liked by 1 person

      1. Without a doubt, he’s definitely a soft Bitch. I wonder what’s going to happen after his first loss ? Can you imagine Marcus Allen, and Charles White sitting on the bench pouting like little Sissy’s after a poor performance, even as freshman’s ? 😂. Caleb Williams really is a little BiZNatch 😂😂😂

        Like

  3. No Yellow!

    In those 1974 and 1981 photos — we see some of the all-time great USC Trojans and some ordinary guys too!

    What we don’t see are those gawd awful yellow panty hose!

    Tradition matters.

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. George:
      You didn’t need to put the ‘equipment manager’ in your name post.
      We all know how great a contribution you made to USC over the decades. Same with Phil, Bill, and the rest. I always thought it was totally cool that you had a sample helmet from the all the other schools USC had played against (and likely had trounced!) ringing the equipment room.

      Yes, you are correct. The yellow tights worn today are a horror.
      Remind yourself that at least we are not the Oregon Ducks.

      Liked by 4 people

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    2. We didn’t see artificial turf in the 80s and good old dirt underneath the grass. Some artificial turf is on a hard surface, it’s like playing on asphalt. As I said previously mr equipment manager, shoulder pads are narrower and helmets safer, knee pads are almost nonexistent and I haven’t seen hip pads for years. I don’t think players wear thigh pads anymore.
      Equipment changes. If all you see when you look at Addison is yellow tights I think you might have too much time on your hands. If the uniform had to be totally uniform, I suspect Riley would have everyone wear them to please Addison.

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  4. Great stuff on Friday as usual –but I’m glad Lincoln didn’t switch out Caleb for Miller during the last 2 minutes of the Oregon State game….

    Liked by 2 people

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      1. Is it possible Scott does stuff like that on purpose to entice corrections…which multiples hits?
        #CrazyLikeAFox
        P.S.
        Is False Steveg getting dumber each day?

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Best coaches get the most out of their players, and Riley was able to get Williams to deliver on the game-winning drive. He stuck with the guy who could get it done, and got Caleb’s head in a better place.

      Liked by 2 people

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      2. No, 67. He’s giving us a preview of the Dance Fight we’ll be seeing tomorrow between USC Song, USC Divas and the USC Dance Force!

        I hope they have a mud pit on the sidelines, so we can see some real action.

        Like

      4. Sad to see yet another Cali business leave. California ranked by CEOs as having worst business climate in the country. 11 Fortune 1000 companies have left Cali in last 5 years.

        Liked by 1 person

  8. As posted in a previous thread, prayers for Vince Iwuchuckwu.

    When I read about this, I got a weird Hank Gathers feeling in my soul.
    Vince will get great medical care and a great education at USC.
    MBB? I really don’t care at this stage.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  9. Great story about Peyton Manning and USC. Thanks.
    …back when USC Football was relevant and the players were all (for the most part) NFL bound.

    Tim Floyd? Institutional control? I guess I’ve forgotten.

    Lars slash line for the Cards this season:
    14 HR 40RBI .228ave .344obp .799ops

    He’s hitting .333 with 2 hr in the last 7 games.

    Liked by 2 people

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      2. Best thing Manning ever did —- way better than any of his over-rehearsed commercials — threw his whole heart & soul into telling those kids to get fucked —
        #WishHeltonWatchedThat&LearnedSomething…

        Liked by 1 person

  10. Mel Hein doesn’t look intimidating. I know he played a long time ago but wasn’t he from the same general era as John Wayne and Wayne/Morrison at 6’4″ and 225 pounds barely made the SC freshman team. It looks like Wayne could body slam this guy.

    Liked by 1 person

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  12. It’s interesting that Wolf’s contempt/hatred for SC only seems to go back about 20 years. If you go back farther than that he’s actually like a fairly normal sports writer. All the scorned 12 year old girl pissyness goes away.

    Liked by 1 person

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      1. That estimate seems about right —but being freed from the Daily News combined with having to look at Haden, Swann and Bohn has a lot to do with Scott’s slant on USC…..
        …Plus: Snark has become Scott’s Brand…

        Liked by 1 person

  13. The sign at the Clock Restaurant WAS indeed the coolest.
    Mid Century Modern Los Angeles…must have been a cool time to be alive. By the time I was “aware,” LA had descended into a tawdry smoggy 70’s hippie funk. Faded glory.

    Liked by 2 people

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  14. Friday is always the best column. The trolls are taking over and legitimate bloggers are leaving. If all of us took a week off and left the blog to the trolls maybe Scott would get the message. Maybe drop an email telling him you’ll be back when he tightens his rules. I’ll see you all in 3 weeks

    Liked by 3 people

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    1. Ghost —I DID tell Scott I was leaving if he didn’t clean the board up….
      #…HeToldMeHe’dKillMeIfIEverThreatenedHimAgain…
      #…[ITellYouThisForYourOwnGood]

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    2. Ghost of Me I agree because that makes me don’t want to contribute so I just take a little break. I like your opinions, don’t let those imposters take away your contributions from blogger’s who enjoy giving different analysis or content that keeps this blog going despite what Wolfe writes. I like people who back up what they say with facts or stats to backup their point. But our moderator doesn’t want us to give those points because if it’s too on point he won’t let u post. But he let’s other crap that doesn’t belong on this blog.

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  15. Scooter,

    LMAO, ugly is so irrelveant, that you did not even mention that they were having a game tonight at 7:30 PM. Fan count will be around 20,000. I did not add the securtity, janitor, reports, or vendors tot he count. It is their first legue game agaisnt Washington. Go Husky’s.

    Liked by 3 people

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      2. I’ve heard some of the college football rating services aren’t including UCLA because they don’t consider it a place of learning…
        #[EvenIfTruePoorGuysShouldBeConsidered]..
        #[That’sEquity]

        Liked by 1 person

    2. PasadenaTrojan
      If you don’t start proofreading your posts then I’m afraid I’ll have to report you.
      #AndYouKnowIDontWantToDoThat
      #11OnFridayIsTooEarlyForTheHooch

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      2. Cal75,

        I don’t get paid to write on this blog, so I am too lazy to proofread. However for work, I pruuff reed evrethng i writ. It beee moooore funner not pruffreedin’. I make nu wrds an phrzs. see i lernd english reeeeeel guuuuuuud from St. Elizabeth an Loyola. Next clas I tak will be Ebonics. Then I can rite to Newsom and hee will reed what i right an thn he will du as i saaaaa.

        Liked by 1 person

  20. Ghost of Me I agree because that makes me don’t want to contribute so I just take a little break. I like your opinions, don’t let those imposters take away your contributions from blogger’s who enjoy giving different analysis or content that keeps this blog going despite what Wolfe writes. I like people who back up what they say with facts or stats to backup their point. But our moderator doesn’t want us to give those points because if it’s too on point he won’t let u post. But he let’s other crap that doesn’t belong on this blog.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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