USC Morning Buzz: Remembering The Real Senior Salutes

LAPKA

If you are a USC fan today, the Senior Salute consists of the seniors getting introduced individually before the last home game. But for a glorious period, the seniors got a sendoff after the game in front of the student section. In the above photo, USC coach John Robinson introduces defensive lineman Myron Lapka to the crowd after the Trojans defeated Notre Dame in 1979.

The tradition ended abruptly in the mid-1980’s when the crowd turned on Coach Ted Tollner after a loss. Perhaps it could be brought back today, at least when the Trojans win their final home game.

12 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: Remembering The Real Senior Salutes

  1. That was a nice tradition, to be sure, but things change, for the better and for the worse….Scott, were the families allowed on the field back then, as they are now?

  2. Mr Wolf:
    This should be a teachable moment. The crowd has turned on you.
    JW

  3. Wolfie never was a great thinker. So, we’ll introduce ’em before their final home game. Check. Then, if we win, we’ll do it all again, but if we lose, we send ’em directly to the showers. Really?

    Obviously, it’s better Wolfie just sticks to copying and pasting. His original thinking posts are all for the birds.

  4. Not that Wolfie’s ever been concerned with fact-checking but in odd numbered years, like 1979, we play Notre Dame in South Bend.

    • Yes, it was after the 49-14 drubbing of the gutties in 1979. I still can’t get over the damn Stanford game earlier that year, horrible. And the Rose Bowl damn near ended up the same way. Anyone remember who the OC of that team was ?? Yeah, Paul Hackett.

      • That Rose Bowl win marked the close of a wonderful decade of USC domination of college football that would only be equaled when Pete took over. What was your favorite team of that decade?

  5. looks like Robo is belting out a Show Tune….from his expression of hopeful promise and youthful glee I’d probably have to guess “Tonight” from West Side Story.

  6. History will repeat itself, because Steve Sarkisian is very Ted Tollner-ish, great recruiter, but Zero leadership.

    • Sark’s staff underwhelms like Tollner’s did.
      Sark doesn’t make halftime adjustments neither did Tollner.
      Sark looks confused on the sideline’s, just like Tollner did.

  7. Best just to keep it before the game. If they lose then its not such a fun moment after the game.

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