The ‘Best Deal’ at Notre Dame Not Too Good

When USC played Notre Dame in 1967 at South Bend, Ind., Trojan Coach John McKay was determined that his team would stay in the locker room and wouldn’t take the field until Notre Dame did so, hoping to avoid abuse from the crowd.

Eventually, the referee informed McKay that USC should be on the field in five minutes, or he would call the game.

“What does that mean?” McKay asked.

The referee said Notre Dame would win on a forfeit, 2-0.

Replied McKay: “That would be the best deal we’ve ever gotten in this stadium.”

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Add 1967: USC won, 24-7, for its first victory in South Bend since 1939.

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Update: McKay and John Robinson are the only USC coaches with winning records against Notre Dame. McKay was 8-6-2 from 1960 to 1975. Robinson is 6-2 from 1976 to 1982 and 1993.

Ted Tollner and Larry Smith were a combined 0-10 from 1983 to 1992.

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Trivia time: Who holds the record for points scored against the Irish in a football career?

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Terrifying thought: Mario Elie of the Houston Rockets after Indiana Pacer fans bombarded the court with garbage at the end of a foul-plagued loss:

“It looked like 15,258 Bobby Knights up there.”

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Happy camper: Mitch Lawrence in the New York Daily News: “Chris Webber hated Don Nelson, hated playing center for the Warriors, hated having to share the spotlight with Tim Hardaway, hated the Bay Area and hated the fact the ground sometimes shakes, rattles and rolls.

“Other than that, Webber thoroughly enjoyed his stay with the Warriors.”

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Kids’ game: George Karl, Seattle SuperSonic coach, on the effect of NBA rules changes:

“It’s softening the entire league. What they’re doing isn’t good for the game. The three-point line is so close my 11-year-old can make three straight. And they’re calling hand checking beneath the high school level.”

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Tulip time? Dan Barreiro in the Star Tribune of Minneapolis: “Putting Dominique Wilkins in (Boston) Celtics’ green is like booking Tiny Tim at the New York Metropolitan Opera.”

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Barry’s boys: Barry Switzer, Dallas Cowboy coach, on the four auto accidents in which his players have been involved:

“We’ve got to put those kids in driving school or let their mamas pick them up.”

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FYI: The largest crowd to watch a USC-Notre Dame game was an estimated 120,000 at Soldier Field in Chicago in 1927.

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Trivia answer: Anthony Davis of USC with 68: 11 touchdowns and one two-point conversion, 1972-1974.

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Quotebook: Oregon tight end Josh Wilcox on the Ducks’ earning a Rose Bowl berth: “It’s like when you’re the littlest kid and you end up with the biggest cookie. We got the big cookie.”