“USC and its athletic department spent much of the past few years embroiled in various stupid scandals... USC was one focus of the Justice Department’s men’s basketball corruption case that went public in 2017, and the program finally got hit with NCAA probation earlier this year as a result. In 2019, USC was on the front page of the New York Times (and not the sports section) for its central role in the Varsity Blues scandal, wherein rich parents fabricated and bribed their kids’ way into elite schools. [USC] administrators [have been] dealing with racketeering and corruption cases and NCAA investigations… [O]utside legal disputes stemming from USC’s 2000s NCAA problems weren’t entirely wrapped up until the end of July. This July.”
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“USC had to fire back-to-back coaches in the middle of the season. Find another major program so badly directed that it’s had to do that.
And then USC had to do it again this year, something no other major program has even had to contemplate. Think of the degree of mismanagement that requires. From an incredibly immature Lane Kiffin to an incredibly intemperate Steve Sarkisian to an incredibly incompetent Clay Helton, they turned the keys of one of college football’s historic top three programs to an over-their-head trio of not-ready-for-prime-time players.”
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The second writer, who calls USC’s program “dead,” doesn’t even mention the very special Sarkisian/Puliafito/Nikias magic, about which UD wrote a few years ago. Surely he doesn’t mean to leave out of his autopsy the very top of USC’s leadership!
October 11th, 2021 at 3:56PM
Well, hey! If USC hadn’t fired Sarkisian, the University of Texas wouldn’t have been able to hire him.
He proved his worth this past weekend against Oklahoma, when the Longhorns blew a 28-7 First Quarter lead (!), continuing Texas’ losing tradition in what’s annually marketed as the Red River Showdown — but really should return to its previous incarnation as the Red River Shootout.
We were promised that Sarkisian would take Texas football to the next level, and indeed he has — the next level down.
October 11th, 2021 at 7:30PM
JND: LOL. I’ll never understand how these miscreants and fools get up from their last debauchery/humiliation and immediately get another great job. I will say that it sure makes places like U Texas look a bit dim.
October 17th, 2021 at 5:42PM
Well, the hits just keep on coming!
Yesterday, Texas blew a 14 point lead to lose by 8. The next level, indeed. Sarkisian has the magic touch.
I have no personal beef with any University of Texas fan, graduate, student, player, or employee. I do have a beef with the institutional arrogance so routinely displayed. Winning it all is apparently a divine birthright at UT.
October 18th, 2021 at 1:33PM
JND: The Sarkisian saga plays into a long-held confusion/incomprehension of mine. Like a lot of coaches who seem to be personal and professional wrecks, he just keeps on keeping on.