FOOTBALL

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

I’m in a bad mood heading into Saturday’s USC-Notre Dame game because of some of the ignoramus’ comments about this great rivalry.

One of the dumbest remarks I’ve read is fans, including Colin Cowherd, who say “Notre Dame needs USC but the Trojans do not need the Fighting Irish.” I expect Cowherd to say this because he really has no core beliefs and merely seeks a reaction.

But we also have USC sycophants and fanboys repeating this nonsense. These are people who might not know anything about the legends, Marv Goux or John McKay, who revered the rivalry. I only wish they had to spend 10 minutes with Goux after telling him that USC didn’t need Notre Dame.

They don’t know anything about heroes like Rod Sherman or Frank Jordan.

These are people who suck up to Lincoln Riley and applaud when he cuts access to his team.

They have no idea that in 1948, when USC was a 20-point underdog and tied No. 2-ranked Notre Dame, 14-14, the USC fans, the band and students serenaded both teams’ locker rooms after the game.

When Notre Dame coach Frank Leahy emerged from the Irish locker room they hoisted him on the shoulders of three USC cheerleaders and demanded a speech.

“This is the first time in my coaching career that I have been so highly honored by the student body of an opposing school,” Leahy said.

Frank Who? These people don’t understand that former USC players are the ones most offended by attempts to cancel the series. They spilled blood and would give their souls to win the game.

They don’t know 300,000 people lined the streets of Los Angeles for a victory parade in 1931 after the Trojans upset the Irish to snap Notre Dame’s 26-game winning streak.

Instead, we have social media clowns giving opinions without an ounce of knowledge. Given Riley’s apathy toward the rivalry, I’m not surprised. He provides disgraceful leadership and disdains tradition. And they follow.

  • And now for some history:

You think any of the geniuses who don’t value the rivalry ever heard the cracking sound when Junior Seau tackled a Notre Dame player in the game below? No chance.

USC linebacker Junior Seau pursues Notre Dame QB Tony Rice in 1989.
  • Here are a couple photos of USC defensive tackle Myron Lapka, who passed away earlier this week.

The first picture shows Lapka getting his senior sendoff at the Coliseum after the Trojans’ 49-14 victory over UCLA in 1979. In those days, the seniors got saluted by the coach after the game.

The second photo shows Lapka lifting a fooseball table at the team hotel before the 1980 Rose Bowl.

MORE USC vs. NOTRE DAME MEMORIES

The year after USC’s memorable 34-31 victory over Notre Dame in 2005, the Irish came to the Coliseum.

During warm-ups, Pete Carroll went over to Charlie Weis and said, “Charlie, how bad are you going to be next season? Your whole starting lineup is seniors.”

Maybe that contributed to Weis suggesting in 2009 that Carroll was having an affair. Carroll called the remarks “irresponsible” and Weis later apologized.

  • USC fans listen to the Notre Dame game on the radio in 1929 at the downtown L.A. men’s store, Silverwoods, at the corner of 6th and Broadway.

In 1927, the USC band performed during the radio broadcast of the Notre Dame game and at halftime from the rooftop of the Packard Building, home of KFI studios.

  • I came across this accidentally but it’s a fascinating nugget from the past.

In 1958, Los Angeles Examiner columnist Melvin Durslag (a USC graduate) wrote that former Notre Dame coach Frank Leahy was willing to come to USC on a part-time basis in an “advisory capacity” to the coaching staff.

It came up while new USC coach Don Clark was putting together his coaching staff. Most people today do not realize the coaching titan that Leahy was at Notre Dame. He went undefeated six times in 11 seasons. By comparison, Notre Dame has gone undefeated five times in the 71 seasons since he retired.

Leahy also won four Associated Press national championships. It would have caused quite a splash to hire him at USC. It never happened. Perhaps the idea of the legend overshadowing a first-year coach played a role.

Notre Dame coach Frank Leahy (left) and USC coach Jeff Cravath at the 1947 USC-Notre Dame game.

PICTURE OF THE WEEK

Eva Marie Saint

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

How many actresses that have been pictured in the Friday notes column show up in this video from the 1967 film, “Casino Royale.” The correct answer is 4 although one doesn’t show her face here so it might be tough to name them all.

By the way, the film’s title theme is by USC graduate and gymnastics team member Herb Alpert.

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

  1. Can anyone tell me why USC has bent over backwards for Riley on so many issues ?

    He has a driver, PC didn’t have one and I doubt any other head coach did either.

    He got a “better” parking spot because the other one made him walk 500 feet to get into the building

    They ruined the baseball field so this clown could have his precious football offices, that still aren’t paid for

    They’re most likely going to drop ND from their schedule because Riley doesn’t want to play them. Think about that, THE best rivalry game going and SC is going to back out of it, pathetic.

    They don’t make him attend any type of function related to the alums, boosters, students, fans.

    Riley wants no part of ex players, especially the greats, coming anywhere near the team

    It makes no sense why he’s treated like a God when he’s won NOTHING at any place he’s ever been

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    1. More eloquence and passion from Scott and karma than I’ve seen for a bit of time.

      When all is said and done, this is a game in which USC has to start fast & strong…and build from there. This is gonna be the game we thought we were gonna have last week.

      btw, great fricking Casino Royale clip, Scott. If only the movie were as fun as the clip.

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    2. Budda,

      you converted me to not being a Riley fan. I thank you for that. If you could, who would you hire as the head coach? I would want someone SC ties and who played or knows the heritage of SC. There are former SC players that either coach in the nfl or in college like Kris Ricard, but I do not know if they are ready. Let us know. Thank you

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      1. The guy I would hire has no connections to USC, looks like a bum but has turned every program he’s coached around.

        Jason Eck

        Here’s a question for you PT, would you have hired a guy who was the head coach at

        Indiana University of Pennsylvania

        Elon

        James Madison

        The guy who coached at those schools is named Curt Cignetti and he’s got Indiana ranked # 3 right now

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  2. Before tv intervened by televising practically every game, you once had only radio to describe the game, and SC’s honey-voiced Tom Kelly was the best

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    1. Loved how partisan Tom was calling the 1974 Notre Dame game —he actually laughed when, after the 55th USC point, he said “USC is tearing Notre Dame apart.”

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  3. KAM: Imagine how in 1931 there were 300,000 L.A. people together greeting and celebrating a great SC victory over ND

    DON: Of course the Trojans at that time were the only show in town

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      1. We won’t be. I already posted the link of the people who Hate America and the tantrum they’re going to be throwing in South Bend tomorrow.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. People hate trump not America

        another post that just shows what a total dumb<<<ass you are.

        feel special, you earned it

        BARSTOW?????

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      3. Don’t you get tired on continually showing everyone on this board how low IQ you are ? I’d guess your anger comes from never getting laid and having a micro penis, the only tit you’ve ever sucked was your mother’s and she had 4 legs

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      1. Michael,

        I belong to the Red Cross. I have O+ blood. Babies need it. For Red Cross alone, I have donated 80 pints of blood and three times I have been hooked up to the plasma machine. 80 pints equals to 10 gallons of blood. I have also donated to other organizations so I have probably donated over 90 pints.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Re Red Cross blood contributions, Pasadena: As the Irish Priests at Saint Monica’s used to say to us when we did the right thing, “Good man!”

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    2. Fake gabbby,

      You are a disgusting piece of whale feces. You are a very loathsome piece of dung. Michael runs circles around you in intellegence and being a decent human being. he won’t say the things that i am saying because he is above it. so am I until I read your grabage. You are despised on this board.

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  5. KAM: Hopefully the rain will be delayed so SC can unleash its entire offensive attack on ND and have a chance

    DON: If it is raining ND has runners in Love and Price that will win the game in a trench warfare. I’m still not sure about the Trojans’ King

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    1. If we rely on what we did last week with King…we’re in trouble. But Riley will find different ways to use Lemon, King, Lake and Lane if we play in the rain.

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      1. “KING?!! No Kings!! Waaah!! We said to let democracy decide! And once it didn’t go our way, we decided to cry & cry for 4 straight years!!!”

        Liked by 1 person

      4. So Cal —hate to do this to you…but… how would you like to wake up looking at that each morning?

        [I’m teeing this up for an anti-Sybil reply—something like “this is what the folks on Mission Street Downtown L. A. see …and hear….every dawn”]…..

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  6. Nice to see Scott Wolf so upset over the possible demise of the SC-Notre Dame game that he writes “I’m in a bad mood.” Me too over your continuing censorship

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    1. Sometimes censorship is a very fine thing. I’ve been censored by Scott many times for making un-nice [very un-nice] remarks about Sybil. Each time it happens I eventually come to realize Scott was doing the right and wise thing. We must all come to respect the fact Scott Knows Best….

      #NeverQuestionHim…….

      #HeSeesEverythingFromAHigherVantagePoint….

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    1. PT, they are both still there. The Michigan report card is just under the 5 most recent posts and the Lapka one is down quite a bit, not where you might expect it for having been posted only 2 days ago. But they are both there.

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  10. KAM Some see this as a Notre Dame wipeout

    DON: I have witnessed too many times the famed Fighting Irish rushing attack punishing SC defenses

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  11. We shall fight the Irish with growing strength and growing confidence in the air and on the ground as the game goes on. And we shall defend against the run and the pass as we did against Michigan last week. We shall never surrender.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Agreed, trojanation— if ever there were a team that doesn’t like to be called —or play —‘weak & soft’ it’s this bunch [unless they’ve been poisoned before the game].

      Notre Dame is tough…. but so are we. And that’s the way this thing will get played ….may the better team win [meaning, us]….

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