FOOTBALL

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

Do you think Carol Folt would go for Lindsay Gottlieb being considered to replace Andy Enfield? I do.

But here’s where I think the plan hits an obstacle. I don’t think Jen Cohen wants to take that risk, especially as her first major hire at USC.

If Cohen had hired a football coach at USC who turned out to be as successful as Kalen DeBoer was at Washington, then I could see it as a possibility. But Cohen hasn’t accomplished anything yet as athletic director at USC, so she needs a great hire.

  • Why does the NCAA Tournament have Arizona-Clemson in Los Angeles tip off at 4:09 p.m. PT but Illinois-Iowa State tip off at 9:15 ET in Boston?
  • And here’s another thing: If women’s basketball wants to become a full-fledged major sport, then it needs to abolish home games in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. What in the world was happening last weekend when teams like LSU, UConn, Iowa, Stanford (and yes, USC) are playing home games? That’s a ridiculous advantage.

AND NOW FOR SOME HISTORY

  • Who is this USC tailback? Answer at bottom of column.

THE PROBATION BOWL

The 1980 Crosstown Rivalry game was dubbed the “Probation Bowl” as USC, UCLA and three other Pac-10 teams were ineligible.

UCLA developed an eight-man front for the game to stop USC tailback Marcus Allen and because the Trojans were playing first-time starter QB Scott Tinsley.

Everyone remembers that USC defensive back Jeff Fisher tipped a pass that was caught by UCLA tailback Freeman McNeil for a 58-yard TD and led to a 20-17 Bruins’ victory.

What is less remembered is that USC got to the UCLA 29-yard line at the end of the game and could have had Eric Hipp kick a field goal to tie the game. This was before overtime was an option, and John Robinson said he never considered the field goal.

“Hell, no. We don’t play these games to tie,” Robinson said. “If there’d have been a fifth quarter, we’d have put that baby up (for a field goal) and we’d still be playing now.”

“I thought Scott Tinsley did a fine job. Obviously, we were limited; we didn’t have a complete repertoire. But Scott brought us down and gave us a shot to score.”

But the game ended meekly as Tinsley completed a 4-yard pass to Jeff Simmons as time expired instead of taking a shot for the end zone.

A button from the Probation Bowl

BYGONE ERA

  • Did you know USC coach John Robinson had never heard of Ted Tollner when he hired him to be the Trojans’ offensive coordinator for 1982?

Former USC assistant coach Dave Levy recommended Robinson hire Tollner, who spent the previous season at BYU, and that led to Tollner becoming an assistant coach.

BASKETBALL TOWN

With a great basketball doubleheader at Staples Center (yes, Staples Center) on Thursday night, let’s point out that in 1960 the new Sports Arena hosted the L.A. Classic, and drew three straight 15,000 weekday crowds.

The championship game featured Cal and West Virginia, who had played in the NCAA Championship game the previous season. West Virginia featured Jerry West while Cal was led by All-American Darrell Imhoff of Alhambra High School.

Imhoff hit the winning basket with 17 seconds left in the 1959 title game, which Cal won, 71-70.

The 1960 Bears were ranked No. 3 and beat USC in overtime, 64-60, at the Sports Arena. The next night they routed No. 2 West Virginia, 65-45.

Less than a week later, USC beat Cal at the Sports Arena, 65-57. The teams played four times that season.

Jerry West against UCLA in the L.A. Classic at the Sports Arena in 1959.
  • The media could be merciless with each other in those days. When Los Angeles Mirror Sports Editor Sid Ziff showed up for an afternoon game, a press row observer noted: “A new tournament record — Ziff’s here.”

FOR THE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL NEWBIES

  • When USC hosted the West Regionals last weekend at the Galen Center, was there an on-campus rally during the week? No.

But when the Trojans hosted the opening games of the West Regionals in 1984, there was an on-campus rally. I mention it for people who forget how big women’s basketball was back then.

The below rally even featured Marcus Allen, who was just two months off being named Super Bowl MVP for the Raiders.

From left, Tracy Longo, Jamiia Bond, Cheryl Miller, Amy Alkek and Yolanda Fletcher were among those who joined Allen.

BETTER SPEAKERS, BIGGER STARS

I have a theory that speakers were far better at USC in the past than today. In 1984, Jerry Lewis spoke at Bovard Auditorium and took questions for an hour from students.

Lewis spent 10 years teaching a cinema course at USC starting in the late 1960’s.

“Those 10 years were the best time I ever had,” Lewis said.

A student asked, “How did you get your start?”

Lewis replied: “My father jumped on my mother. What do you mean?”

Lewis didn’t pull punches during the Q&A. Asked about comedian Steve Martin, he said, “Very funny, but he’s not dedicated enough.”

Jerry Lewis at USC in 1984
  • Also in 1984, USC opened a new cinema center. Who attended? About 1,200 people including some you heard of: George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Ray Bradbury, James Brolin, Susan Anton, Bruce Davidson and John Ferraro.

Then President Ronald Reagan taped a message for the ceremony, where he said, “I’m sure (John Wayne) would have been happy to see his old college build-
ing such a facility.”

Susan Anton

Anton, a singer-actress, broke into a rendition of “I’m So Excited” with the USC marching band. After the dedication ceremony, a massive party started that lasted until the early morning hours.

That was how things were done back in the 80’s.

Spielberg was actually at USC earlier this week again, but it was an invitation only luncheon with Folt.

By the way, Lucas donated $5 million in 1980 and then donated another $175 million in 2006 for the current Cinema School buildings that opened in 2009. The great part of those buildings is Lucas wouldn’t let the university construct the buildings and personally made sure they were made with the highest-quality materials and you can tell the difference if you visit them.

George Lucas at USC in 1984.

STARS AND USC

A 1951 charity dance presented by USC’s Tau Delta Phi fraternity featured singer Lena Horne and actress Debbie Reynolds.

Lena Horne

SCHOOL SPIRIT

To kick off the 1959 football season, you had to buy a cardinal-and-gold pompon from the Chimes women’s service organization for 35 cents. Chimes member Judy Primrose (left) and president Emma Gee are flanked by USC left tackle Garry Fineran (Cathedral High School/East Los Angeles College).

Primrose married Mike McKeever.

TRIVIA ANSWER

No. 32 is Bob Levingston, who played in 1959-60. He gained nearly 400 yards in his career and was a starting outfielder on the USC baseball team. He hit .382 in 1962.

Levingston was also co-City Section Player of the Year in 1957 at Los Angeles High School. He was four years after Dustin Hoffman and George Takei attended Los Angeles High. Singer Marilyn McCoo was two years behind Levingston.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

It’s been years since I listened to Tears for Fears but after I do, I wonder why I waited so long between intervals? Here’s “Sowing The Seeds Of Love.”

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

    1. Nice. I was trying to imagine nails being hammered into my hands, but it is unimaginable until it happens. Just the cruelest form of death

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      1. You made me think of the 2010 film “Unthinkable”, with Samuel Jackson, Michael Sheen (AMAZING actor) and Carrie-Ann Moss (Trinity). It’s worth a watch and will make you wonder about what you’re willing to accept from the people who are trying to keep us safe.

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      2. I took a bible class that covered the crucifixion. Best evidence is that the nails went through the wrist, not hands, to better support the weight of the body. There is a nerve next to the entry of the nails that travels up the arm. Death by crucifixion is cause by slow asphyxiation. The crucified has to move his chest upward to get enough oxygen to breathe. Each time his body moves it causes the nerves in his ankles and wrist to rub against the nails causing excruciating pain that radiates through the limbs. The upward movement also caused Jesus’ back to rub against the wooden cross and his back had been flayed by the whipping he took at the pole as part of his punishment. A horrendous death.

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      3. I believe that the crucifiction and resurrection of Jesus Christ actually happened. I see no other reasonable and logical explanation of how a hillbilly preacher with 12 followers could have started a religion that was hated and persecuted by the romans and the greeks and the jews(and just about everyone) and yet it spread like wildfire and conquered the the Roman empire(the greatest empire the world had ever seen to that point) in just 3 centuries.

        The gospels are a record of the life of Christ. The book of Acts is the story of the early christian church just after the death of Christ. Look at all the sermons that Peter and the other christians preached in the book of Acts and they all center on the Resurrection. This is what they themselves say happened to start the christian church. I’ve heard all of the explanations of the skeptics and none of them really explain the rapid growth of the early church. The only one that makes sense to me is the resurrection.

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  2. As mentioned in this post in 1980, 50% of the football teams were on probation. A certain Assistant Executive Director of the Pac 12 observed the financial damage and as he moved on to other endeavors, was determined to do whatever was possible to ensure that any conference he was associated with in the future would never have a team on probation. His name was Mike Slive. Now you know the rest of the story.

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    1. Re Mike Slive:

      Gene Wilder [as Dr. Frankenstein] speaking to his monster [after he’s killed umpteen innocent men, women & children]: ”This is a good boy. This is a mother’s child.”

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      1. Wife is looking forward to seeing it for the first time. She really enjoys Peter Boyle as Frank Barone and knows she’ll like it a lot!

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      2. Final scene with Peter Boyle and Madeline Kahn is perfect [but Springtime For Hitler number in Producers is Brooks’ best —no audience seeing it for the first time can believe they’re actually laughing at that degree of bad taste]……

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  3. I have read where Jerry Lewis could be ruthless to work for behind that comic persona and who once said the break-up with Dean Martin was the biggest mistake he ever made (years later they reunited), but he said he was a workaholic and Dean wanted to party with the girls and play golf (silly man!)

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      1. According to a Sinatra biographer, Dean Mrtin was the only one allowed to leave early (to get some sleep before he played golf the next morning) when The Chairman was partying until dawn.

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  4. Wolfie waxes nostalgic for the more spirited SC days in the 1980s, but today’s make-up of a more diversified SC fraught with various cultures make it more difficult to create a common bond, not to mention folks of all ages aren’t as friendly or spirited as they were prior to 2000 or so

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    1. …I think we’d be remiss not to mention this was one of Scott’s best Friday columns…. it as everything Scott’s famous for [in spades] — nostalgia, implicit criticism of the modern world, photos of great players and attractive women….

      …. “Carol Folt has private meal with Steven Spielberg” —

        —Carol Folt: Friend of the Common People

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      2. Everything I’m seeing is looking like SC football is on its way back to the glory days. The last time that happened(in 2002), the NCAA elites kicked into gear to make sure they put a stop to it. True, the NCAA is not as powerful today as it once was. Let’s see what happens.

        Liked by 2 people

      3. Why would you say that when SC lost their top offensive stars, had a mediocre recruiting year and now is going into a much more difficult conference?

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  5. I have often wondered what drove the 12 disciples after Jesus’ death, and as mentioned above it seems as if the driving force was that he appeared to his men after his earthly death confirming that there was an afterlife and that life on earth was worthwhile in its anticipation of further life (or something like that)

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      1. After Christs death the disciples emotionally wiped out and ready to return to their original occupations. They had totally invested in one stock and the stock crashed. They had given everything up to follow one man who turned out to be a false prophet. Then all of a sudden(within days) this small group of disciples(about 120 of them at that time) went out and conquered the Roman Empire within 3 centuries and became some of the most courageous men who ever lived. Everyone has to ask….what caused that?

        Don’t forget. These disciples not only conquered the Roman empire in 3 centuries, they conquered much of the rest of that part of the world. They conquered the barbarians that the romans tried to avoid. Later in about 450 AD(or there abouts) when the barbarians finally breached the gates of Rome and took the city, the only people they killed were the Roman soldiers during the fight to take the city. Once they won the battle, they entered the city and didn’t hurt the Roman citizens who still looked at them like barbarians. Why? Because both the barbarians and the roman citizens were at that time christians so they had that in common.

        The Goths, the Ostragoths, the Visagoths, the Vandals, the Gauls, the Franks, all of the german tribes, the celts, the Vikings and many others were all christians or were soon to become christian at that time. The Encyclopedia Brittanica says “The emperor(Theodosius) was both heir to the Hellenistic basileus (absolute king) and the anointed of the deity. Pagans and Christians alike considered him “emperor by the grace of God”. That’s because even the barbarians whom many christians considered pagans were also christian.

        The early disciples went from being devastated to going out to conquer much of the ancient world in matter of days. What caused that change shortly after the crucifiction. The only thing that makes sense to me is what they themselves said caused the change……..The resurrection!!! Without the resurrection, you have no christian church. It would have never gotten off of the ground.

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  6. Wolf mentioned the great games at Staples Center Thursday night but missed a USC connection. Alabama’s Grant Nelson who starred last night has a brother named Leif who is a Javelin Thrower at USC. Both transferred from various North Dakota schools this past year. Leif is already #4 on the All-Time USC Javelin list after only his first meet with the Trojans last Saturday.

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    1. By “Sometimes” do you mean “always”, Left Wing Nut Job Board Skunk, Cowardly Gabby aka TebowObama aka Charlie Bucket the Bruin Fan The Guy who posts as So Cal’s Wife & LawyerJohn & Pudly & Plow Horse & steveg49 & DOJ & Scott Wolf and Frank Young? You have the tone deafness of your Dictator the sexual harasser Senile Joe

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      1. The real freak show isn’t Lizzo at all —it’s the amount of evil per square inch when our 3 worst presidents, Clinton, Obama and Biden, share the same floorboards….

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      1. If Joe really wants to sell out Isreal for Michigan he may have to go from a devout Catholic to a devout muslim

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  9. Much to be thankful for Lucas’ great largesse……wouldst he did the same with his cinematography directorial career….. THX1138, American Graffiti, 1st 3 Star War films and – nothing absolutely nothing save that ‘on its’ side’ flashlight down Vermont from Expo to MLK

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  11. Grabby

    Why would I say it? But I think LR can get things done when his philosophy of coaching football is correct. It wasn’t for a long time. He thought he could win a NC without defense. Obviously, he’s had a paradyme shift in his thinking and he’s moving the program in a different direction. He’s bringing in the right coaches and the right players to have an explosive defense and LR has always been skilled a creating an explosive offense. Nothing is for certain but right now things look good.

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      1. Obviously, LR made an almost career destroying decision to keep Grinch but he’s daily convincing me that he is an outstanding coach who can overcome that mistake. Imagine what last year would have been if he had never brought Grinch with him in the first place and went out and gotten a really outstanding DC when he first came to USC. Last year would have been the players 2nd year under the new DC. They would not have had to learn the system and they had good players last year. They may have not won the NC but they would not have been 8-5.

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    2. Parcleman007,

      To answer your quesiton about how the apostles went from being scared and timid to being ass kickers, it was when they were in the room and the Holy Spirit descended upon them with the Blessed Virgin Mary. Peter went from wimp to taking no prisioners. The Holy Spirit breathed upon them and they received Christ and his strength.

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  12. Plowhorse,

    I read about how you explained the crucifiction and it is true what you said. Also, there is a prayer where Christ says that his worst wound was his shoulder due to crarrying the cross, scourging, and rubbing up the cross to breath. 

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