*The University of Southern California Football Trojans have a huge history that started in the 1930’s with the Howard Jones “Thundering Herd” who battled the great Notre Dame Coach Knute Rockne and “The Gipper” and won. Jess Hill came along in the 1950’s and later became the Athletic Director. Then came the iconic John McKay…….who set the mark for greatness that was never eclipsed by John Robinson or anyone else until Pete Carroll came along.
The day the NCAA and BCS Committee met in a small General Store in Lawrence, Kansas and determined in their wisdom that Pete Carroll, after eight years of winning, could be on track to win for another ten years went after USC, Reggie Bush and a ball boy….for egregious NCAA Rule Violations. This is the same group that have given numerous other schools including the Texas A & M this year a pass for Johnny “Football” Manzeil…..for signing four figure autographs and other rule violations and gave him one half of one game suspension.
Fast Forward to the replacement of longtime Athletic Director and Heisman Trophy recipient Mike Garrett with the so-called adopted son of Coach McKay. Haden said he came to clean up the program. Haden is the one that is dirty. Haden is the one that made the back door deals with the NCAA and the BCS Committee to keep the USC Trojans under-achievers for the next 10 years. Pat Haden brought in Lane Kiffin, “Mr. Disconnect”! Kiffin had already a terrible track record of rule breaking, stupid moves and ridiculous behavior at the LA Raiders and the Tennessee Volunteers. When the seats at the LA Coliseum started collecting dust……..Haden made his move two years too late and finally had to fire Kiffin in the middle of the night. Thinking that he could find an appropriate dupe to fill Kiffin’s shoes…..he mistakenly allowed Coach Ed Oregron to take over as “Interim Coach”…while they were supposed to do a National search for a USC, NFL, Winning Coach to come on board in 2014. Do we have knowledge or evidence to support our conclusions? Certainly not. But we do have eyes and a mind to think with!
Little could Pat Haden grasp how the tremendous leadership qualities of Coach O could suddenly energize this totally unemotional team. Suddenly, the same listless team or underachievers became world beaters and full of unexpected character and success on the field. Pat Haden was embarrassed. Somehow, the true character of the USC Trojan football team became exposed to the general public and the fans began to return to the seats in the stands. The players all loved Coach O, but the rumor was that on Novemeber 1st, Haden had met with Denver Bronco Defensive Coach and former USC player Jack Del Rio. Two weeks later USC had beaten the number 4 rated team in the BCS Standings – Stanford University. Pat Haden had egg on his face. His back door deals were started to look transparent and now what would the “Famous in his own mind” Haden do? First off, just disregard anyone’s input that did not agree with his. Secondly, break the hearts of USC Football players, the USC Alumni, the USC Fan Base and the entire Los Angeles – Orange County – San Diego – Santa Barbara – Riverside – San Bernardino communities. Hire Steve Sarkisian right out from under the University of Washington Huskies?
Who is Steve Sarkisian? Steve is another Lane Kiffin, whose only claim to fame was that he worked for Pete Carroll during the glory comeback years. Steve has never been to the big show, never won a PAC-10 or PAC-12 Title, never gone to the Rose Bowl and is basically as disconnected and distant from reality as Lane Kiffin was. This is a very bad choice, not because Steve is a bad guy…..just that he is not the right guy. Wouldn’t it have made sense to choose someone that “could be considered” superior to Coach O, in any regard? Sarkisian will have to work very hard to alter his current image of cold, uncaring and disconnected.
As Coach O resigned and said good-by to his team, the tears streamed down his eyes and the eyes of the players. The fans, the sports writers, the families and the friends of Trojan Football – all cried. Coach O could have lost every game next year and would still be loved. Sarkisian can beat both Notre Dame and UCLA next year and still wind up 7 and 5 and out of the Championship hunt. This is despicable. Pat Haden is a major turn-coat to the University of Southern California. Maybe all those years being the commentator for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame – finally got to him? Maybe, those corrupt NCAA and BCS Officials made him an offer – he couldn’t refuse. There is little doubt however, that he has broken the hearts of Trojan fans everywhere in the world.
Pat Haden has single-handedly put a lump of coal in the USC Trojan Football stocking. Pat Haden ……the early Christmas Grinch!
*Steve Sarkisian should be felt sorry for: (1) He left the University of Washington Huskies and didn’t even bother to say thank you – NO Loyalty. (2) Sarkisian had the will to fail – he has never won the big game from anyone. (3) Sarkisian thinks this move was all about him – no Steve, it is all about the players and the fans dude!
Seriously, don’t you think that UCLA’s 35-14 victory last Saturday could have had something to do with the decision?
*Seriously……NO. It had to do with Pat Haden’s ego and his controlling nature. This is a guy that loves himself and only listens to those to pander to his ways.
Sarkisian is supposedly coming to ramp up the offense. Make it more like Oregon and Arizona State. Meanwhile, what about the Defense? No, we will lose some very exciting games next year. Haden will stand behind his choice and tell us all how we need to give the boy a chance. Sark has had five years to prove his prowess with an Offensive Juggernaut. He was 8 and 4 this year. So much for his Offensive Juggernaut mentality.
The dude lost to ND & UCLA.
Game over.
*With Sarkisian and Haden – “You ain’t seen nothin yet!”
*The Press Conference was interesting….eh? Haden had to bring in the President of the University for added swagger. Then Sarkisian comes out with “his grand plan” to achieve a National Championship. “We are going to use essentially the Lane Kiffin approach!” said Sark. Hmmm. What? Watching “The Sark” on the sideline with the Offense Play Card covering his face for three hours? That’s exciting football …huh? Coach O and Pete Carroll don’t do that. Andy Reid and Bilichik don’t do that.
What next? Bending every NCAA rule to hit people out of bounds, injure as many of the opposing players as you can and play good old fashioned Oregon Duck football?
And who is going to be the great answer to the USC Quarterback controversy? Untried and untested Max Brown? No doubt Max is good, but the problem wasn’t Cody Kessler. Cody was an Eli Manning without pass protection against a UCLA Team that needs a sound thrashing…and if Coach O would have been allowed to use his Defense …it would have been so. USC Blitzed three times in the UCLA game. Each time taking
Hundley down for a sack. Odd, the Defense didn’t do more of that….eh? When UCLA took out our two most effective Offensive lineman and protection for Kessler……you could kind of tell what was going to be the result.
No folks, we will never been Sarkisian or Haden supporters. We are USC Supporters, always and forever…….but as we used to say about Larry Smith (When are you leaving….lame brain?)
Actually I think that these developments are fine.
Signed, a UCLA fan.
Pat Haden didn’t hire Lane Kiffin; Mike Garrett did.
*In math….they call this a “Simultaneous Equation”. As Haden was coming on…..in case anything went wrong……..he wanted Garrett to take credit. The self-serving Haden is a Rhodes Scholar….Garrett was a simple Heisman Trophy Winner. Hardly drinking pals at the club.
“in case anything went wrong……..he wanted Garrett to take credit.” And you know this how? (And you’re still using all those periods between words. Tres tackay.)
*The latest “Sark-chasm” is that he is bringing in several coaches from U of W and plans on having “a committee” determine the offensive plays….to include himself of course. This picture starts off like bad graffetti and seems to bode worse as each day goes by. Wouldn’t it have been better to have Coach O – coach the Bowl Game…..then after the season……name a new coach…oh no, that might have affected our recruiting ….as if Coach O might have been bad for recruiting?
Pat Haden meanwhile refuses to talk to the press. Oh yeah!
*Pat Haden is being pilloried on the comment section of the LA Times Sports today.
The best one: The Pat Haden quote: “I hope Coach O makes me look like a complete
idiot……..” Too late…….That already happened!”
Anyway, just one stupid remark about how Coach O should not have resigned, even with spinach in his face.
The other quote we liked: “Just goes to show how the University rewards, honesty, loyalty, character and greatness!:
Finally, Chris Petersen the winning Coach from Boise State will be taking over the U of W Huskies. Our guess he will be the next big thing in the PAC-12…….the best thing that could have happened to them…..maybe Coach O will go there as an Assistant or go to Boise State.