Court Rules for USC in Cobb Discrimination Suit

A state appellate court has upheld a lower court ruling that USC did not breach the contract of or racially discriminate against former assistant athletic director Marvin Cobb when it failed to promote him more than eight years ago.

Cobb said in a suit filed in November 1990 that he was denied a promised promotion in retaliation by then athletic director Mike McGee for his complaints about the school’s treatment of black athletes.

USC contended that Cobb, hired in 1986 and transferred out of the athletic department in 1991, was not promoted because his job performance did not warrant it.

In June 1994, a jury awarded Cobb a $2.1-million judgment on the breach-of-contract suit, but USC, represented by attorney Johnnie Cochran, challenged that ruling and the judge overturned the award a few months later.

The 2nd District Court of Appeals issued its ruling last week.

“The university is ecstatic about the court’s decision,” USC attorney Todd Dickey said. “It’s long waited for. We hope this puts an end to this very lengthy litigation.”

Cobb, a football and baseball player in the mid-1970s for USC, has been a vocal critic of the schools’ athletic department in recent years.

Cobb declined to comment Tuesday, but his attorney, Samuel Reece, said: “Although I disagree with the rulings so far, I must respect [the court’s] opinions about this case. This battle is not over.”

Reece said that Cobb could request a review from the state Supreme Court but declined to say whether he would.