FOOTBALL

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

Well, look what’s coming in early March:

According to the publisher’s website, American Trojan is about “a visionary technologist who transformed the University of Southern California into one of the nation’s most prestigious private research universities.

“At a time when many universities have succumbed to ideology over truth, under (Max) Nikias’s leadership, USC retained its academic integrity in the face of high-stakes negotiations, high-rolling donors, and the profound challenges of modern leadership.”

Hmmm. It will be interesting to read how USC kept its academic integrity during the Varsity Blues scandal; the George Tyndall scandal; the medical school scandals involving two deans along with various sexual misconduct cases. All of this (and more) was during the Nikias Era.

There was also the $7.6 million exit package, which probably doesn’t quite fit into examples of “academic integrity.”

  • Lindsay Gottlieb seems to be directing an implosion as women’s basketball (10-7, 2-4) might not make the NCAA Tournament. Yes, Kennedy Smith is injured but here is the problem. Gottlieb is playing star freshman Jazzy Davidson too many minutes.

In the past three games, Davidson has played 116 out of a possible 120 minutes. She looked tired after a good first quarter Thursday night in a loss to Maryand. I hear Smith has a torn meniscus but might be back this season.

  • And now for some history:
  • Here’s another Peter Read Miller photo of USC football, this time the 1989 Crosstown Rivalry and tailback Aaron Emanuel.

The death of Miller is a good reminder of the important role photographers have played chronicling USC football.

  • One of the best was Mervyn Lew, who went to Manual Arts High School and USC in the 1950’s. For many years, he worked as a sports photographer at USC.

This might be Lew’s most famous shot, as Rod Sherman catches the game-winning TD in the final minutes of the 1964 USC-Notre Dame game,. The Trojans upset the No. 1-ranked Irish, 20-17.

  • This is another Lew classic of Mike Garrett being celebrated by fans at the final USC game of his career in 1964.
  • And this is a color shot of Garrett by Lew, also from 1964.

THEY DON’T DO THIS ANYMORE

  • Richard Saukko used to take Traveler on campus before games like in this 1966 photo of USC’s Homecoming vs. Cal. Nowadays, Traveler gets taken directly to the tunnel at the Coliseum.
  • Speaking of things that are rarer today, ads used to be more creative. Here is a 1978 ad for the Original 32nd Street Market featuring owner Morrie Notrica (right) and a Notre Dame fan on the left as the turkey. The fan looks suspiciously like Alfred E. Neuman of Mad Magazine.
  • USC student body president Taylor Hackford (left) registers to vote on campus in 1966. Hackford became a successful film director, best-known for “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982); “Against All Odds (1984); “Blood In, Blood Out” (1993); “Dolores Claiborne” (1994) and “Ray” (2004). His wife is actress Helen Mirren.

PICTURES OF THE WEEK

Catherine Shirriff

Mary Ann Mobley

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

  1. Agree on Davidson, I even bet a 6 pack that we won’t make the tournament due to her, but without those minutes you know she’ll jump right into the portal…

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  2. Ah yes, the old 32 Market. Where Morrie offered check cashing services, 25 cents to cash a $25 check. If you looked past the clerk in the window, there was a handwritten list of people who were not to be allowed check cashing privileges, due to NSF checks.

    I remember also arguing with a friend of mine about Morrie’s prices. He insisted that it was due to Morrie taking advantage of the local residents (mostly black back in those days), presumably because of some sort of irrational bigotry. I tried to patiently explain that 32 Market did not have same buying power of the huge chains, and that his insurance costs were also likely higher due to the location. Oh, and Morrie did not have the same, um, relaxed attitude toward selling liquor to underage buyers that Eddie over at Sorbonne Market did.

    Good times.

    Liked by 6 people

    Reply

    1. KAM:

      Craig Fertig threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Rod Sherman during the 1964 USC vs. Notre Dame football game, leading USC to a stunning comeback victory and ruining Notre Dame’s perfect season. This moment is considered one of the greatest in USC football history.

      DON: Thanks to Riley Coyote here will be no more moments like this.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      1. I was fortunate to be seated in the west end zone where Sherman made the catch. The seats were in rows that were close to the field so the view was not the best for seeing the other side of the field. Luckily the catch was made almost right in front of me and my Dad who I brought to that game. Scott, every once in awhile you do good. Thanks for the memory. Dan, Class of 1962

        Liked by 4 people

  6. TO HAVE BEEN THERE IN 1964 AND SEEN THAT CATCH TO BEAT NO. 1 ND IS TO NEVER FORGET THE MOMENT, RIGHT TIREBITER?

    AND THEN AFTER THE CATCH ALONG COMES HEISMAN GARRETT

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  7. Unfortunately, I was also at the 1965 home game against UCLA where UCLA scored two fourth quarter TD’s to beat us. But, Garrett did win the Heisman that year. He had one of the great three year careers for that time period, and Scott could correct me but I think that he was the first college runner to run for over 3000 yards in his career. Freshmen were not allowed to play on the varsity until a few years later. Dan, Class of 1962

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    1. Although it was shocking to have that 1965 “victory” snatched away by Beban’s 2 long td passes, it was another SC football moment that will never be forgotten

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. UCLA Coach Tommy Prothro voted USC ahead of UCLA in the Coach’s Poll after his team beat us… “I still think USC is one of the top teams in the country”….

        #ClassAct

        Liked by 1 person

  9. This comment is directed at Jazzy, who i understand is an avid reader of wolfman’s blog: Listen, kid, you got to transfer to UCLA next season. you are throwing your career away at the weirdly draped Gayylen Center! UCLA has the coach and they are improving every year! the portal is open till Jan 18th i believe so perhaps a mid-season transfer is possible with SC’s acquiescence. we justy got in a boatload of cash to spice up the deal, if you know what i mean!

    #RearrangingChairsOnDeckOfUSSTrOXan

    Like

    Reply

  10. Mark Twain sagely observed that you can never trust someone who can only spell a word one way. Whoever made the sign in the photo of the ‘66 homecoming must have been very trustworthy. (Travler)

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    1. HELLO GEORGE! [I WOULDA SAID HI EALIER BUT I WAS HELPING A NEIGHBOR WHO GOT SCAMMED ON A PAYPAL ‘FAMILY AND FRIENDS’ TRANSACTION]…

      #OUR D-BACKS BACK IN ’66 LOOKED AS BAD AS THE GUYS WE GOT NOW

      Like

      Reply

  12. Mike Garrett’s last games and final season for USC was in 1965. Not 1964 as the Blogger states.

    #MikeGarrett-1965HeismanTrophyWinner

    #TheBloggerFumblesFactsAboutUSCFootballAllTheTimeButIsSpotOnAccurateWhenItComesToDiscussingHollywoodStarlets-SMH

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. If Scott were a painter he’d belong to the Impressionist School –you don’t expect literalism from an Impressionist–[btw, you have to admire a guy who doesn’t Google dates and scores… anybody can do that….Scott’s writing on impulse—which is always more from the heart].

      I was at all 3 final games at the Coliseum in ’65. When we were creaming Pitt, their cheerleaders were chanting “save some of those TD’s for UCLA!” Turns out we coulda used one of them. After the heartbreak loss to UCLA nobody came to the Wyoming game — we crushed them anyway [it was the first time I saw a running back, Mike Garrett actually, get stopped at the the goal lone but extend his arm out with the football to cross the line and get the 6 points].

      Like

      Reply

  13. Didn’t Nikias also hire both Pat Haden and Lynn Swann as Athletic Director? His ignominy knows no bounds. I noticed the misspelling of Traveler on the sign in the picture with Richard Saukko. The signmaker went on to gain fame in Minneapolis for his signs at Somali owned Children’s Learing Centers.

    Like

    Reply

Leave a reply to Michael Guarino Cancel reply