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

USC announced Thursday that it hold its graduation ceremonies at the Coliseum.

This is a terrible idea, which is why it is no surprise.

“In recent years, commencement has consistently attracted more than 60,000 guests and has outgrown all venues on our campus,” the university said it a statement.

Do you believe that? A more likely explanation is the administration, which is paranoid about protestors, likes the idea of holding it at the fully gated Coliseum.

As usual, the public loses. For starters, Alumni Park is a perfect setting for commencement ceremonies.

Also, there are a lot of trees and shade in case of a hot day. Remember, a lot of grandparents attend commencement.

Which brings up another reason going to the Coliseum is a lousy idea. Everyone will need to go to the Coliseum for the main ceremony and then head back to the campus for a satellite ceremony for the individual schools. That’s a lot more inconvenient than if you already on campus for the main ceremony.

But the administration is so scared of any bad publicity that it will do anything to avoid it. So it’s off to the Coliseum. Don’t forget some people passed out at last month’s convocation ceremonies, which were moved to the Coliseum for the first time (to limit protests).

  • And now for some history:
Willie Brown runs upfield in the Rose Bowl. USC offensive lineman Pete Lubisich is on the ground and QB Pete Beathard is far right.

USC plays Wisconsin on Saturday and this is the most famous meeting: The 1963 Rose Bowl. Both teams were undefeated. USC was ranked No. 1. Wisconsin No. 2.

The Trojans led, 42-14, in the fourth quarter but Wisconsin scored 23 straight points. After the victory, John McKay was so mad that he chewed out the Trojans for nearly an hour despite the fact they won the national title.

A USC official had spent the fourth quarter in the locker room and didn’t see the comeback. When McKay entered, he said, “what happened?” and McKay yelled, “get out of my way.”

USC All-American Damon Bame returns an interception in the 1963 Rose Bowl.
USC QB Pete Beathard scores a TD while being tackled by Wisconsin’s Ron Frain.
The 1963 Rose Bowl was the second meeting between USC and Wisconsin on New Year’s Day. They also played in the 1953 Rose Bowl.
  • If you were a USC manager for three straight years and became head manager, you would receive a life pass to all USC athletic events. USC also used to give life passes to varsity athletes and the pass was made of gold.
  • They stopped honoring the passes for football games in the past couple decades because they wanted to sell the seats.
  • Actor John Agar (far left) had a starring role in “Revenge of the Creature,” the sequel to the “The Creature of the Black Lagoon.” It opened on March 23, 1955.

But on May 20, 1955, Agar had a bigger job as he crowned the queen of the USC senior prom, which was held at Riviera Country Club. Side note: He was married to Shirley Temple from 1945-50.

  • That same day, William Randolph Hearst Jr. of Hearst Newspapers, delivered a talk at Bovard Auditorium on his recent interviews with top Russian leaders.
  • That night, Dore Schary, the head of MGM Studios, was on campus for a banquet honoring the 35 new members of Phi Beta Kappa.

PICTURE OF THE WEEK

So in the month of May, you had Anita Ekberg, John Agar, Dore Schary and William Randolph Hearst Jr. doing USC events.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

I don’t want to cause any strokes but it’s time to introduce some of you to K-pop music. Here’s NewJeans performing their hit single, “Bubble Gum.”

VIDEO OF THE WEEK, II

If you recovered from Video No. 1, this should relax you. It’s the post-game concert from the Michigan and USC bands following last week’s game.

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK

Since Michigan Stadium has Big Boy at its concession stands, here’s a menu from 1956.

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

      1. “Only in a Blue One Party DemoRat State like Hawaii would prosecutors arrest an armed homeowner who stopped a violent neighbor who had just rammed several cars with a front-end loader, shot and killed three women, wounded two others, and posed an immediate threat to shoot more.”

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Scottie, thanks for the memories. The $1.65 “top quality” steak dinner at the Big Boy. Not to mention a side of a buttered roll. Those were the days.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Not to complain or anything….but the malts tasted like plain old chocolate ice cream……

      #StickWithTheBurgers….

      #[ButRemoveThatExtraBunInTheMiddleIfYou’reOnADiet]…

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. You dumb—-a s s ……………. players are tested for performnace enhancing drugs

        BAAAAAMM CROTCH KICK!!!!!!!!!!!

        There you have it folks, the dumpest freak on the internet……the guy keeps putting his foot in his mouth…..HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!

        Like

      3.  Cushing was suspended for four games in 2009 because he “TESTED” positive for a banned substance

        BAAAAAAAAMMM CROTCH KICK

        what the f u c k is wrong with your brain……you keep getting slapped around like a pinate…… show some self-dignity…….FREAK!

        Like

      4. And did he ever test positive for steroids at USC, you brainless loathsome nitwit? Cushing declared himself a victim of a previously unknown medical condition: Overtrained athlete syndrome.

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      5. And how would I know if he test positive for steroids at USC, you brainless loathsome nitwit, result are confidential. Cushing declared himself a victim of a previously unknown medical condition: Overtrained athlete syndrome, trying to avoid a postive test and a suspension

        Like

      8. Fake Gabby was trying to compare Curtis Conway, who last played 32 years ago, with Branch regarding kickoff returns. No disrespect to Conway, but here are his numbers…..72 returns, one TD, and an average of 23 yards per return over his entire career. He claims the guy was a dangerous returner. (toooo funnny)

        How was he a dangerous returner averaging 23 yards a return when 23 yards a return would have placed him outside the top 30 last season

        It’s so fun destroying you, fake Gabby. Game, set, match!

        Like

      9. Gabby

        AUGUST 30, 2023 AT 3:07 AM
        Fake gabby: USC Fan would know that teams intentionally kicked away from Trojan star kick returner and WR Curtis Conway.

        you stupid senile troll…..a kick returner returns kickoffs, and a punt returner returns punts…..Conway never returned a kickoff in his entire USC career.

        Like

  4. Scott: “But the administration is so scared of any bad publicity that it will do anything to avoid it. So it’s off to the Coliseum.”

    Scott thrives on “bad publicity” related to USC. The announcement was very disapointing for him to the point he had to post about it.

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    Reply

  8. USC lost the football game but definitely won the “battle” of the bands. Man, lighten up, Wolverines! At least have the cheer squad perform with the band, geez!! It looked like USC won the game considering how hyped the Spirit of Troy performed and how low energy Michigan’s fans showed.

    Liked by 2 people

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  9. I was able to take in both the ’53 and ’63 Rose Bowls, one a defensive battle and the other offensive.Both ’52 and ’62 seasons were memorable and had some really great players.

    Bobs Big Boy restaurants were always one of my favorite places to frequent.

    thanks for the memories wolfie

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

      1. I didn’t see the ’53 version…. but I still remember the yells coming from outside the Rose Bowl as we arrived 7 minutes late and USC had already scored….

        Liked by 1 person

      3. thanks for asking,the ’53 game is my favorite Rose Bowl …I was 9 yrs old and it was my first,I actually watch it now and then I have a tape of it. The ’63 was interesting as fog rolled in at the end , I did especially like watching Willie Brown play,he was from LB Poly and they played my High School in Moore Lg …I was at Lakewood.He was an incredible high school athlete.

        Liked by 3 people

  10. If it’s true that Coach McKay was chewing out his team for relinquishing a 42-14 lead into a 42-37 nailbiter, one thing McKay missed was turning a wipeout game into a close encounter made the contest unforgettable and added to McKay’s legacy

    Liked by 2 people

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  12. Dore Schary was a hack for the progressive left and closet ‘reds’. If employees and actors/actresses refused to contribute to FDR’s re-election he’d personally made sure they never worked at MGM again. The Lillian Hellmann seal of appproval for him.

    Liked by 1 person

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      1. Your figures average out to about a 1% conviction rate for illegals. The conviction rate for a male US citizen is 9% and females is 2%, with a 5% average. OK!

        So it looks like a US citizen is 500% more likely to be convicted of a crime

        BAAAAAAAMMM CROTC KICKDUMP-A S S GETS DEBUNKED AGAIN.

        LIKE TAKE CANDY FROM A BABY

        Like

      3. These individuals are not in custody—they are roaming free in communities across the country, thanks to the Senile Joe/Willie Brown’s Bimbo administration’s so-called “catch and release” policy. The jaw-dropper here, too, is that all these numbers don’t even account for the 2+ million got-aways who have crossed our border under the Biden/Harris administration. Those almost 2 million got-aways were never encountered by DHS so we don’t know how many more illegal alien murderers came in and are living next door to us. Think how many criminals are living next to Cowardly Gabby’s dumpster of 6th and Grand Avenue tonight!

        Liked by 2 people

      4. Quit moving the goal post, and making s h i t up. 500% more get convicted, so quit trying to deflect with more random stupidity……………..you look like a total dumb—a s s ……

        go service your dumpster and quit being a pest

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      5. That’s all you do is move the goal post, make statements with no proof and call balls and strikes and then accuse others of doing what you do. With the Biden-Harris administration’s open-door policies, America is becoming a dumping ground for violent criminals. Communities are living in fear, and law-abiding citizens are left to bear the brunt of this regime’s utter disregard for public safety.

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