Patterico's Pontifications

11/29/2009

USC-UCLA Football Controversy

Filed under: Sports — DRJ @ 1:55 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

Last night’s UCLA-USC football game ended in controversy when UCLA, trailing by 14 points with under a minute to go, called a time-out and USC responded with a long bomb for a touchdown:

“Both teams’ competitive fires were fully stoked by the sequence that began when USC stopped the Bruins near midfield on downs with 54 seconds left, preserving a 21-7 lead after Allen Bradford’s second TD run a few moments earlier. Barkley then kneeled on the ball—but Neuheisel called the first of his three timeouts, drawing lusty boos from the USC crowd.

“I was trying to make them punt, and maybe if they run, we cause a fumble,” [UCLA Coach Rick] Neuheisel said. “They have their take on it, but I was trying to get the ball back. People can make their own conclusions. … I don’t blame them for doing it.”

USC play-caller Jeremy Bates suggested a long pass, and Carroll eagerly agreed. Damian Williams got loose down the middle, and Barkley hit him for a score.

“There’s still a lot of time on the game clock,” Bates said of his reasoning. “They were going to try to stop our running play, so we called a play-action pass.”

The TD and following celebration led to a tense, unsportsmanlike episode that was in stark contrast to the sportsmanship of last year’s game:

“And to think, a timeout in last year’s USC-UCLA game was a shining symbol of good sportsmanship. When both teams decided to revive the long-dormant tradition of wearing home jerseys in the rivalry game, officials were forced to take away a timeout from USC, thanks to a since-changed NCAA rule—and UCLA immediately called its own timeout, drawing cheers from the Rose Bowl crowd.

Almost everybody agreed the taunting and posturing that followed Williams’ TD catch and the extra point [in last night’s game] was in poor taste. The Trojans appeared to start it, although both teams insisted there was no chance of a real fight going down.”

Enough description. Let’s watch it and decide for ourselves:

— DRJ

33 Responses to “USC-UCLA Football Controversy”

  1. The UCLA player who shook off a ref at 3:17 may well be in trouble tomorrow, but the USC players who were taunting looked just as stupid.

    DRJ (dee47d)

  2. what controversy?

    USC won, UCLA lost, all is right in the world.

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  3. UCLA tried to preserve time on the clock by using their time-outs thinking they could stop USC’s ground game, USC said “OK, they want to stop the ground game, try and stop this”. Excellent play calling.
    Both teams used strategies that we see every Sunday in the NFL, including poor sportsmanship.
    At least Carroll was able to keep his squad to within five yards of the sideline, Neuheisel needs to think how he can maintain some discipline on his squad (if he’s back next year).

    AD - RtR/OS! (27348e)

  4. I think Carroll’s kind of a douche, and his players reflected that quite well. Reminds me of the Patriots celebration at SD during a playoff game a few years ago, which cemented Bellicheck’s rep as a douche. No doubt these guys are great coaches, but too much success breeds crap like that happening.

    Dmac (a964d5)

  5. My Trojan Daughter is smiling for the first time this week. She left me a note this morning saying Bruin Hiney was well kicked this morning.

    PCD (74f8a9)

  6. Oh, PS, Brent, His Farveness, is a douche, too.

    PCD (74f8a9)

  7. The biggest sports douche on the planet, PCD.

    Dmac (a964d5)

  8. This could easily be attributed to the world of political correctness, where playing to win has been replaced with being nice to what “YOU” think is a vanquished opponent. Yes, there is a fine line, but, if UCLA is still playing to win, then why is USC criticized for playing to make it impossible for UCLA to win, or doing just what UCLA is trying to do, play to win???

    Now, could they have done this without scoring again? Yes, probably, but, what difference does it make if they throw a pass and don’t score, other than in the final score? If they play not to give the ball back to UCLA, or if they play to give the ball back with a bigger lead?

    Why is is wrong to play to win if you are winning???

    Oh, and, as an LSU fan, I have no use for the “you’ve don’t have back-to-back national championships” Pete Carroll….and as a former football coach, I have always subscribed to the theory that I have enough trouble coaching my own team to worry about yours….

    reff (502473)

  9. I can’t fault USC, and I’m a University of California kind of guy. SC scored and celebrated, you can say it was excessive, but that’s a call for the officials, not the UCLA players. It’s also inadequate cause for Bruin players to leave the sideline and threaten to start a ruckus. They’re lucky they didn’t get ejected en mass.

    If anything the display of pique delighted SC players and fans. UC expects a little more poise than was on display last night.

    ropelight (b7b321)

  10. Its a Trojan World and the Bruins are just living in it.

    Lou (39cebe)

  11. LA Times writer put it well: (I am going from memory because I don’t subscribe, but I do scavenge the sports page at the local breakfast places)

    Coach Carroll offers an olive branch.

    Coach Neuheisel takes the olive branch and pokes Coach Carroll with it.

    Coach Carroll takes olive branch and whacks Coach Neuheisel.

    Coach Neuheisel whines like a spoiled brat

    SteveG (ece883)

  12. Carroll is a jerk. Always has been. He has run up the score, for years, because he could. UCLA was out of line going on the field.

    JD (61e494)

  13. It’s part of the espn stat culture that forces teams to run up scores. I really would love it if second and third string players could play more often against inferior teams.

    I do not want another NFL, and I didn’t like seeing UCLA act like a bunch of thugs, nor USC. You’re scholars, remember? You represent two of the best schools in the world. Or maybe you are just paying your dues to get a good gig on the Michael Vick / Rush bashing NFL. If so, screw ’em.

    Dustin (cf255c)

  14. Neuheisel was trying to save some face and was trying to teach his players a lesson on never giving up. They failed to get the message (what a shock given that undisciplined bunch) and da Poodle gored them.

    This is no different than the Alamo, or any other engagement in history where the conqueror has given the vanquished an out. If the loser doesn’t want to surrender or declare an open city? The volleys commence. Bombs away.

    Ed from SFV (1333b1)

  15. He has run up the score, for years, because he could.

    Yep – and he reminds me a lot of Hayden Fry, that jackass football coach from U of Iowa about two decades ago. He scheduled schools like Moorehouse State and ran up scores around 68 – 3, all in order to get the bid makers to somehow ignore the fact that his team got it’s butt kicked for years by schools on the same level.

    It’s part of the espn stat culture

    I wish that were true – but it’s been going on before ESPN started showing programming other than Australian Rules Football.

    Dmac (a964d5)

  16. No, we must blame this on ESPN. BECAUSE.

    Dustin (cf255c)

  17. The Football Monopoly in LA won’t be over until PETE says it is over.

    PCD (8beddb)

  18. I’m a UCLA grad from ’87. UCLA calling the time-out was fine. USC throwing deep was fine. I thought it was a great call. USC players have always acted like jackasses. I don’t expect better from them. I expect more from the UCLA players. Where was that fighting spirit during the previous four quarters? I don’t recall Neuheisel acting like a spoiled brat.

    Viktor Nehring (80832d)

  19. The bigger question still is, why won’t the NCAA man up and slap the Trojan football program with the penalties is deserves for its Bush-era (Reggie, of course, not GW) infractions? It never seems to have a problem with lowering the boom on lesser programs and players, and for lesser infractions.

    Dagwood (9ede2a)

  20. Nieuheisel started it so USC was fine throwing the post route. The excess celebration is an unfortunate USC tradition (and I’m a lifelong Trojan fan). They were just extra happy because a Pac-10 team was not bitch-slapping them again. But the Bruins coming out en masse to midfield was an absolute low.

    When it was going down I thought no way a brawl would be avoided, glad I was wrong.

    This is USC-UCLA, not Miami-FIU

    harkin (ee0bc4)

  21. I’ve never quite understood the concept that at some nebulous point in a game competition is supposed to stop. It’s a disservice to the paying audience, among other things. And who is to say where the stopping point should be drawn?

    Regardless of my opinion on that, Coach Carroll did what many think is the “right” thing in attempting to take a knee. UCLA’s coach made it clear he was still playing the game and so USC responded appropriately. End of story.

    I thought the TV commentators and others who said Coach Carroll would have to “answer” for the touchdown and that he marred the game are trying to stir nonexistent controversy and seem to have forgotten that the point is competition and victory, not making the other side feel better. That’s part of the touchy-feely mentality that has invaded so much in American life these days.

    No one likes whiners. One can say the USC celebration on the sidelines was excessive, but methinks that if the situation were reversed UCLA would have reacted with just as much excitement. Let’s face it, it was a *heck* of a play, putting the cap on a big rivalry. UCLA should never have crossed midfield as they did, and it’s a concern that the Bruins coaching staff was unable to control their team.

    Best wishes,
    Laura (full disclosure: parent of a Trojan senior)

    Laura (d47fd9)

  22. Laura, it was a great play, you’re right. Well worth coming to the game to watch.

    I don’t even think this is a good example of when coaches should relax their teams, but games that are ridiculously unmatched are great opportunities for all those players who rarely get field time to get out there and play. It’s good for both teams to do this a bit, in the second half, once the score has become lopsided. Just be opinion, but that also makes for a better show for the fans. It’s sporting.

    Dustin (cf255c)

  23. . He scheduled schools like Moorehouse State and ran up scores around 68 – 3, all in order to get the bid makers to somehow ignore the fact that his team got it’s butt kicked for years by schools on the same level

    I have to call BS here. SC has consistently one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country and the Pac 10 happens to be extra tough this year. U of Miami, on the other hand, played U of south Florida after having played U of central Florida. Now, there is a tough schedule.

    Mike K (2cf494)

  24. Check out Cdr. Salamander’s site. His Friday post is of a high school game from 1994. I won’t spoil the story by including details.

    Have Blue (854a6e)

  25. 1) USC consistently schedules one of the toughest non-conference schedules every year.

    2) Carroll consistently plays second and third string players when he has a big lead, often as early as the third quarter.

    gahrie (9d1bb3)

  26. I think the Bruins would have a beef if Pete brought in Brent, “His Favreness”, to run the team next year.

    PCD (1d8b6d)

  27. I don’t know what USC has to be happy about, after getting their faces kicked by just about every difficult opponent on their schedule (and Washington… oh my, that was funny). Hey, good job, chumps – you beat UCLA. And they suck. But I guess a lowered bar is really the best thing for USC, right about now. So, more power to ’em.

    Leviticus (30ac20)

  28. Carroll is a jerk. Always has been. He has run up the score, for years, because he could.

    Good for him. It isn’t his job to keep his players from scoring.

    Amazingly, that’s the other coach’s job.

    And I say that as a KSU fan, who has long endured other teams running up the score “just because they could”.

    Scott Jacobs (445f98)

  29. Carroll has had few chances to play reserves this year. They have one more game with Arizona and that will not be easy. In the usual years, the conference games are a step below the non-conference but not this year. The conference doesn’t look as tough because everybody has a couple of losses but there are no Central Florida schools in the conference. Or East Texas or Central Michigan or the other chumps the big eastern conferences play.

    Mike K (2cf494)

  30. “Carroll’s postgame explanation for pulling a Jim Harbaugh and trying to run up the score with a bomb in the final seconds rings hollow, of course given his irritation with the Stanford coach two weeks ago” – T.J. Simers (aka the LA Times #1 ‘sc fan)

    MOG (7d2a2c)

  31. Mike K, exactly. This is part of USC’s fundamental weakness.

    Scott’s quite wrong about the coach’s job. It’s not solely to get the highest score in the immeadiate game. Running up the score is a bad long term strategy when you need to rebuild your collapsed and weak team back into a national title contender. It’s unsporting, too. This is a sport, btw.

    Dustin (cf255c)

  32. I don’t think he was running up the score. He called a play that could just as easily resulted in an interception or a sack. If Barkley had been throwing those bombs all game, they wouldn’t have been in that situation. The Harbaugh thing was different because they were far ahead and it was a two point conversion. WTF ?

    Carroll does have a serious problem because he has to rebuild a coaching staff. SC has a history of great recruits having subpar performances due to weak coaching. I’ve been going to games since 1956 and am an expert on crappy SC teams. Carroll made a huge difference with his famous half time adjustment. This year, the other team, like Oregon State, made the adjustment.

    He lost a whole staff last year and the year before. It’s a compliment when other schools and the NFL want to recruit your assistants but that doesn’t mean you just wish them godspeed. Why are so many Carroll assistants leaving ? Ed Orgeron left to coach Mississippi. How’d that work out ? He’s the highest paid assistant coach in America at Tennessee after being fired from Ole Miss. Why did he leave ? Maybe the lure of a head coaching job but a lot of guys have left and have not been replaced.

    Carroll needs to focus on that this winter.

    Mike K (2cf494)

  33. Are you kidding me? Neuheisel calls a timeout when SC wants to take a knee. What is SC supposed to do? Hand the ball over to UCLA and wish them well? If someone did that to my team, I’d tell my players, “OK, our opponents think they can still win. Let’s correct their thinking.” As far as the post-TD celebration, I am reminded of Landry’s words, (paraphrased) “When you score a TD, don’t act like it’s the first time you’ve ever done it.”

    FrankN (eac50e)


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