When Did College Fans Decide to Go Crazy?

Like you, I wish only the best for USC.

That is why I’d like to remind excited fans Saturday night in the Coliseum, many of whom will probably be running on the field to celebrate and some going so far as to make a move on the goal posts after Notre Dame has won, to act as if you’ve been in the end zone before celebrating an Irish victory, and to behave appropriately.

I would also caution Trojan fans that appropriate behavior does not include stringing up a sportswriter to the goal post left standing just because he chooses to remain objective at all times.

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THERE IS something ugly happening in college sports, and I’m not referring to the Trojan fan who is rushing right now to his computer to angrily demand in the most misspelled obscene language imaginable that a particularly handsome sportswriter be fired or harmed for even joking Notre Dame might beat USC.

All hell is breaking loose on the field, but in most cases after the game is over: At Clemson a 67-year-old sheriff’s deputy was run over by fans rushing the field Saturday; three fans were injured and police used pepper spray on others at a North Carolina State game; Ohio State fans threw chunks of sod at the police, who responded with pepper spray; fans bombarded visiting players at Washington State with thrown bottles; scores of fans were led off in handcuffs after rushing the field at Cal. At Cal!!!

We’re getting to the point where we won’t only be recapping the scoring in a big game, but the number of casualties and arrests that follow.

Hawaii and Cincinnati met in the middle of the field after Saturday’s game, but instead of shaking hands, a brawl broke out. Hawaii and Cincinnati!!!

Add up the arrests and injuries -- and whether it’s just a number of disasters falling all over themselves on one college weekend to make it seem worse than what it really is, or something larger like a societal ill speaking to more complicated frustrations among people needing an outlet -- we’re not far away from someone dying because they went to a game over the weekend.

“We have parents complaining and wanting to know why our security guards are chasing their kids and tackling them on the field, and I’d like to ask those parents: ‘Why are your kids drunk and running around crazy on the field?’ ” said Pat Lynch, general manager of the Coliseum. “People have died because of falling goal posts, and our mission is not to have anyone get hurt.

“It’s a very dangerous situation when people charge the field. It’s not anybody’s right to enter the field. It’s our right to protect the field. When you have people coming down on the field you won’t believe the sexual harassment that takes place, especially when the band is also on the field. Some kids think that it’s cool to grope and molest female band members.”

A year ago a large number of fans ran onto the Coliseum field after USC had defeated UCLA and made a move on the goalposts. Coliseum security and Los Angeles police officers, however, surrounded the goal posts at each end of the field, leaving the fans to run around like fools.

“We’ll try to get the message out not to come on the field,” Lynch said.

“But if it happens, we’ll be prepared to protect the goalposts and maintain public safety.”

Given an ugly e-mail taste of just how angry and mean Trojan fans can get when teased or spurned by someone who couldn’t care less who wins or loses, I’m not surprised public safety is an issue at sporting events, just bothered by the prospect of watching someone carried off on a stretcher because they thought it would be fun to go to a game. Or because they write about sports in the newspaper.

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THE NEW York Times took an editorial position on whether a rich woman is entitled to admittance to a private golf club somewhere in Georgia by calling on Tiger Woods to boycott the Masters.

Since the Los Angeles Times seems concerned only about editorializing on “Argentine Children’s Plight” and other worldly things like “North Korea’s Foolish Gamble,” I would call on Mr. Woods to get married, contending that his wife then would be the first woman to gain admittance to the Augusta National Golf Club, thereby ending this controversy.

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DETROIT FREE Press sports columnist Drew Sharp on Coach Marty Mornhinweg’s decision not to take the ball after winning the coin flip in overtime: “This is a team devoid of talent and smarts. And they’ve become the spitting image of their coach.”

Although Mornhinweg is expected to be replaced at season’s end, this is probably not a good time to bring up Bob Toledo’s name.

For much of this season I gave him high marks for surviving without Cory Paus at quarterback, but his decision to insert freshman Matt Moore into the USC game right after Drew Olson had led the Bruins down the field to score was Mornhinweg-ish. And his explanation was just as ridiculous, suggesting he was only following the plan he had set for the game, which should have been tossed away as soon as UCLA fell behind 21-0.

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WASHINGTON STATE quarterback Jason Gesser, while walking on crutches after spraining an ankle, said he will be in the Rose Bowl on Dec. 7 to play UCLA. We’re still awaiting word to see if the Bruins will show up.

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TODAY’S LAST word comes in an e-mail from Chace808:

“Why are you such a SC hater? Does your editor finally realize that everyone hates you ... ? You will be fired soon. Trust me, the writing is on the wall.”

That’s news to me, but don’t fret; maybe we just haven’t used the same stall.

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T.J. Simers can be reached at t.j.simers@latimes.com.