FOOTBALL

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

What a wild week it’s been with all the controversy over the USC-Notre Dame rivalry.

If there has been a positive, it’s been the way many USC and Notre Dame fans have unified on this issue. They don’t want to hear excuses or engage in the lame trash talk. They just want a great rivalry back.

As an ex-USC player tol me this week: “The two things former players want to know when they meet players from other years. Did you beat Notre Dame and did you beat UCLA?”

That’s what you remember forever. Now half of that is gone.

  • And now for some history:
Marv Goux at USC in 1972
  • Is there any way Marv Goux can come back for a day and set Lincoln Riley and Jen Cohen straight about the USC-Notre Dame series?

The first time I ever spoke to Goux, I was a college student, hanging on every word he told me about the rivalry. It was the week of my first trip to South Bend and I wanted to hear the master offer his expertise on one of his favorite subjects.

“This is the game that makes USC and Notre Dame the great universities that they are,” Goux said. “If I could play in one more college football game, I’d want to play against Notre Dame.

“The memory of the Notre Dame game lives with every player that played at USC. There’s nothing to compare to the sight of the ‘SC and Notre Dame bands coming out of the tunnel in South Bend.

“When John McKay left USC, he said the thing he’ll miss most is playing Notre Dame and I feel the same way.”

  • I was looking for a comment that summed up Goux and this one was pretty good.

“The only thing wrong with football is that not everyone gets to play it,” Goux said in 1972. “I wish to hell that every man in the United States could put some pads on, get out at midfield, and knock the crap out of each other. And have some fun.”

Goux would be appalled today with the actions of USC. And I’d love to ask him what he thinks of Lincoln Riley’s style of football.

  • Have you ever heard of a coach being carried on the shoulders of students THREE days after the game? That happened with USC coach Jeff Cravath in 1948, after his Trojans tied undefeated Notre Dame, 14-14, at the Coliseum.

This was the campus celebration. One more reason the USC-Notre Dame rivalry was special.

  • One thing I learned the past two weeks was that in 1931, it was common for newspapers to refer to the Coliseum as the “Olympic stadium” on first reference. This article is an example.
  • USC coach John Robinson and his players celebrate a 27-25 victory over Notre Dame in 1978.

A DIFFERENT WORLD

  • It looks like it was a lot of fun to be a Rams fan in the 1950’s. There used to be restaurants all over Southern California that held “Rams parties” that included a chartered bus to the Coliseum for games.
  • Can you imagine how affordable that was compared to today?

If you bought a special $2.40 general admission ticket in 1953, you could bring 5 kids or less (14 years or younger) for free and sit in a special “free football for kids” section.

This shows what a Rams party looked like in 1952 at The Loma Lounge, which was owned by Johnny Davis (pictured with his wife Gladys) at 1507 W. Sixth Street in Los Angeles. There are at least three chartered buses for the game.

Some Rams players would stop by the Loma Lounge after games. Here’s a list of places that held “Rams parties” in 1953.

PICTURES OF THE WEEK

Linda Christian

Maria Perschy

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

This video doesn’t show the entire introduction of the AP-American team in 1971 but it’s worth watching to see USC offensive lineman John Vella help lift Bob Hope off the ground at the end.

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

      2. Fletcher Christian: “We all suffer, Mister Bly…. but it is well worth it if it puts an end to you.”

        [Substitute “Sybil” for “Mister Bly”]

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Times are a changing.

    As much as I want USC to play ND, it’s a different world.

    USC joining Big 10 was likely the last straw. Travel, multiple away games in CST or EST and the late November home game doesn’t work.

    ND insisting on not joining a conference so they don’t split their NBC contract is plain gluttony.

    ND probably will play a lower tier SEC like Kentucky, South Carolina, Mississippi State or Vanderbilt.

    Hoping compromise is in the air so they play again in 2030.

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      1. “Scott needs to stop writing about the glories of the Notre Dame rivalry and the inspiration provided to the players by people like Marv Goux ….he should probably stop running photos of beautiful women too ….it’s making a lot of my friends mad….”

        —- Carol Folt, Former Celebrity Figure

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  4. Wolfe can try to spin it any way he likes. Taking a quote from McKay’s press conference as he’s leaving means little. What coach doesn’t say nice things as they’re leaving. It’s pretty obvious that Notre Dame wants their cake and eat it too. They can have it, USC just not going to serve it to them.

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    1. “Why the Notre Dame/ UCS rivalry won’t resume in 2030” –By Michael Guarino….

      #…The University of Notre Dame won’t exist in 2030…

      #…..Cuz…..

      # ….USCKilledTheirGoldenGoose……

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      1. KAM: John Robinson, a former USC football coach, who went 7-3-1 against the Irish including a perfect 5-0 at home, expressed deep appreciation for the Notre Dame rivalry, stating, “This is the game that makes USC and Notre Dame the great universities that they are.”

        DON: He emphasized the significance of this matchup, indicating that it is a defining moment for players and a cherished tradition in college football. Robinson’s sentiments reflect the longstanding respect and competitive spirit that characterize this historic rivalry.

        Liked by 2 people

      2. In the illustrious words of Lucy VanPelt who said, “How can you say someone is great, who’s never had his picture on bubble gum cards?!”

        How can USC football ever claim to be great, when they’re afraid to play Notre Dame?!

        Liked by 2 people

      1. Further Development: “USC announces plans to only play 60% of Big Ten games until 2030….”

        #”OhioState&OregonRumoredToBeAmongTeamsBoycotted”

        Liked by 1 person

  9. John Vella attended Notre Dame HS – Sherman Oaks – class of 1968….great guy especially his photo in ‘El Rodeo’ 1971 per the abysmal football season that was 1970 leading up to the final game and when you got to the final story as one turned the page it read ‘…and then…’ the next page on the left side there was Vella huge grin on his face and on the right it said ‘….Notre Dame.’ The rain game with Theismann setting the passing record that day but the victory was indelible.

    Watch out for Petey ‘the green elf’ Bevacqua lining up W. KY and SUNY-Buf for ‘the princess’ all set for 2028-2029

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