USC-UCLA live blog: Pregame
The best way to get geeked up for a USC-UCLA game is attend one of the many alumni clubs or service group meetings during the week that feature a former player or coach to talk about their experience.
I found myself Friday at the South Bay Athletic Club for its weekly meeting at the South Bay Grill in Torrance. John Papadakis, the former USC linebacker who runs the Pakadakis Taverna with his brother (and may be more famous these days for being the father of Petros Papadakis), showed up to speak and brought along with him former Trojan great fullback Sam "Bam" Cunningham.
Papadakis' first-hand introduction to the USC-UCLA rivaly is tough to beat: He was recruited by both schools coming out of Rolling Hills High and had a sideline pass for both teams during a recruiting trip to watch the 1967 game -- where No. 1 in the country, a trip to the Rose Bowl and the Heisman Trophy were on the line. O.J. Simpson's 64-yard run was as fresh in his mind today as it was 40 years ago.
"It was the most momentus game in college football history," he said.
Papadakis punctuated his discussion about his love of USC and UCLA by discussion team colors and uniforms.
"Their uniforms looked like turn-of-the-century Salvation Army (bleep)," he said of the UCLA garb he first saw back in the late '50s.
"As opposed to the Cardinal and Gold. The Cardinal signifies a man's blood, where we're all equal inside. Where we're real. It's the deepest part of us. Gold is what every man will fight for and die for. Gold makes us rich. I knew what our colors stood for but I couldn't figure out what the (bleep) powder blue stood for."
Petros Papadakis, by the way, was sporting one of the best looking tan rimmed hats during the FSN Prime Ticket hour-long pregame show. Hope he keeps it ...
Opening kickoff after Va Tech finishes off Boston College for the whatever conference they're in title...