Text messages from press row...

Barack Obama’s rout of John McCain on Tuesday was culturally significant, a watershed moment in U.S. history, but it was no more suspenseful than USC’s victory over Washington on Saturday at the Coliseum. . . .

Does this mean that Obama will drop in the polls too? . . .

Republicans probably wonder how history might have been altered if immensely popular former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka had not resisted party leaders who urged him to make a run for the U.S. Senate in Illinois four years ago. . . .

Obama won the seat. . . .

The argument that college football produces the best regular season in sports is a good one but should carry the caveat, “Yes, and the worst postseason.” . . .

Phillip Fulmer and Tennessee looked dead in the water on Labor Day, when the Vols were unable to take advantage of four first-half interceptions, allowing a third-string quarterback to craft an overtime UCLA victory at the Rose Bowl. . . .

Speaking of Bruins quarterbacks, wasn’t Ben Olson supposed to return at some point this season and send Kevin Craft back to the sidelines? . . .

Texas-slaying Texas Tech Coach Mike Leach, who has a law degree from Pepperdine, started his coaching career as an assistant at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and also spent a season at College of the Desert. . . .

The Dodgers probably need to sign both Manny Ramirez and CC Sabathia to turn themselves into viable championship contenders, but signing one or the other probably keeps them on top in baseball’s worst division. . . .

Why do basketball coaches and announcers, such as ESPN’s Hubie Brown, continually refer to players who can “score the ball”? . . .

What else would they score? . . .

Shaquille O’Neal tells Sports Illustrated’s Dan Patrick that ferocity sets Kobe Bryant apart and calls his former mate “by far the best player in the league.” . . .

Versatile, lanky Lamar Odom is an ideal sixth man. . . .

In their last season before joining the Clippers, Baron Davis and Marcus Camby sat out only three games between them because of injuries. . . .

In their first week with the Clippers, they sat out four. . . .

As an exasperated Ralph Lawler might say, “Oh me, oh my.” . . .

If Lance Armstrong’s comeback does not include the Tour de France, the only cycling event most Americans have ever heard of, what’s the point? . . .

USC, in its first season after Norm Chow stepped down as offensive coordinator in the spring of 2005, went unbeaten for a second season in a row before losing to Vince Young and Texas in the Bowl Championship Series title game. . . .

The Tennessee Titans, in their first season since firing Chow in January, are unbeaten and might be headed to the Super Bowl. . . .

Noting that the Oakland Raiders were trying out touchdown celebrations in practice last week, reader Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., e-mails to ask, “Isn’t that like Steven Seagal rehearsing an Oscar speech?” . . .

Reader Bernie Baima of Burbank e-mails to suggest that, instead of building a statue to honor Vin Scully, the Dodgers should rename Stadium Way Vin Scully Way so that freeway signs noting the exits would be seen by millions of drivers and because the beloved announcer has a “way” with words. . . .

Occidental and Pomona-Pitzer resume the longest-running college football rivalry in Southern California -- and the third-longest on the West Coast -- when they meet for the 112th time Saturday night at Occidental. . . .

More than 25 players from Santa Monica College’s unbeaten, Junior Rose Bowl champion 1958 football team, among them Junior Rose Bowl player of the game Lloyd Winston, are expected to attend 50-year reunion activities tonight at the Radisson Hotel in Culver City and Saturday at the college. . . .

Chase Utley, Southern California born and bred, cemented his place in Philadelphia sports lore when he took the microphone and let loose an obscenity on live television during the Phillies’ World Series victory celebration, sending the crowd into a frenzy when he declared the Phillies “World . . . champions!” . . .

Within hours, it seemed, T-shirts featuring Utley’s uncensored utterance were being hawked on the Internet, the least obscene boiling his message down to the initials “WFC” over an image of the Liberty Bell. . . .

AEG’s Tim Leiweke says he’s “not sure if the fans will be sad or happy” that the last-place Kings are not for sale, but he can probably guess.

--

jerome.crowe@latimes.com