Fox Goes Out a Winner in More Ways Than One

The game ended, the music started, and a picture of John Fox and his girlfriend, Nicole Barros, flashed on the scoreboard video screen at the Coliseum.

Then another.

And another.

“They were just all of me and him,” Barros said. “I thought they were going to show pictures of everybody. Then after I kept seeing one after another after another, I knew.”

Then came the message on the screen.

“Nicole, will you marry me? Love, John.”

Fox, on one knee on the field, put the ring on her finger that trainer emeritus Jack Ward had held during the game, and the hugs and congratulations started.

“It just made my dream come true,” Fox said. “I can’t explain it. I just know she’s the one for me, through all the ups and downs. She’s the one I want to stick with.”

When Fox started making plans for the proposal 12 weeks ago, he was a backup linebacker and third-string quarterback.

By the time he popped the question, he was the starting quarterback with a three-game winning streak.

“It wouldn’t have mattered if I played or not,” he said.

In victory or defeat?

“Most definitely,” he said.

Fox and Barros have been dating five years, since they were high school students in Corona.

“To have my whole team behind me and congratulating me, it was incredible,” said Fox, who chose longtime trainer Ward to hold the ring. “He means so much to this university and that’s the man I wanted to hold the ring.”

Fox’s elaborate plans included making sure USC’s cooperation wouldn’t be a violation of NCAA rules, and arranging for family to be on the field too.

Barros had no idea what was coming.

“Not at all. It was such a shock,” she said.

When’s the date? Hey, she had only been engaged about three minutes.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” she said.