VIEWPOINT LETTERS

There was no better Trojan than Marv Goux, both as a player and as a coach. He put the fear of God in his players who’d rather die than come to the sidelines if they missed a tackle and face Marv.

I was privileged to hear him speak earlier this year when he received an award. He was in rare form, exhibiting both humor and courage. I am indebted to Marv for his part in all the wonderful fall Saturday afternoons.

Richard G. Wong

USC, Class of 1962

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Marv Goux was the driving spiritual force of the great Trojans teams of the 1960s and ‘70s.

He was my football father.

Goux was a football man for the ages, football was his religion and USC was where he worshiped, his cathedral.

The “Fight On” spirit of the last half-century was a direct by-product of Coach Goux’s gladiatorial approach to the game. He didn’t say “let’s win,” he demanded annihilation.

Goux created an intense modern-day mythology by convincing every player that every game was the chariot race in “Ben Hur.”

First and foremost, he was a great communicator. Goux passionately called on the ferocity of the human heart and got to the gut of the guys. And by calling so clearly, so deeply, he blended all colors, all races and all hearts into one of Cardinal and Gold.

Cardinal, he said, was our blood, what made us real--but never show it to our enemies. Gold was what every man longed for and fought for, gold made us rich.

He was the most real and valuable man USC will ever have. He is the red brick of the buildings. He is the mortar in the walls of Troy.

Hail, Marv Goux.

John Papadakis

USC, Class of 1972