USC Finally Responds To Steve Sarkisian Lawsuit

Here is USC’s response to the Steve Sarkisian lawsuit from general counsel  Carol Mauch Amir:

“Much of what is stated in the lawsuit filed today by Steve Sarkisian is patently untrue.  While the university does not as a matter of practice comment on personnel matters or litigation, the record will show that Mr.Sarkisian repeatedly denied to university officials that he had a problem with alcohol, never asked for time off to get help, and resisted university efforts to provide him with help. The university made clear in writing that further incidents would result in termination, as it did.  We are profoundly disappointed in how Mr. Sarkisian has mischaracterized the facts and we intend to defend these claims vigorously.”

164 thoughts on “USC Finally Responds To Steve Sarkisian Lawsuit

  1. amazing all the details released in this “no Comment” by Southern Cal. it’s clear this is heavy damage control and an attempt to poison the potential jury pool. Johnnie Cochran stuff!!

    i thinks the fact more ACCURATELY show, Southern Cal had LONG STANDING knowledge of this problem (Geez LOUISE, they literally paid his colossal bar tabs!!!)…and after he had a VERY public meltdown, they basically patted him on the head, handed him a bottle of Patron and crossed their fingers!!! they did not supervise or demand proof he got treatment, they relied on him Self-medicating, and boy, did he!!!

    this “legal expert” seems to ignore the common knowledge a person with a drinking problem is prone to relapse and this should not have been a surprise to anyone…most EXPECTED borrOcho to blow it after seeing him in action at Salute to trOY.

    #ImminentCha-CHING$$$

    • Your confusing the bar tabs with Udub bar tabs but don’t let the facts get in the way your on a roll.

    • Yeah this from the school that has yet to pay for the most corrupt unreported mens basketball program in the history of the NCAA all under the one most self-inflated con jobs of all time John Wooden.

      • YAAAAAWN!!

        just the rantings of a few bitter screwballs, no one listens to nuts!

        the fact the Award is called the WOODEN award, says it all Dummy!!

        voted the Greatest Coach EVER in ANY SPORT by SI

        10 Nattys (count ’em)

        88 in a row.

        the list is simply too long to get into!!!!

        #Sublime!!

        • Wooden – the epitome of the coward….a grandpa from he)) coward that’s all he ever was…now go put some dimes on top of the backboard…

          truly the most gutless coward and biggest fraud in the history of college athletics

          • OMG you sound so wounded!! why so furious bro?? it’s not like you aren’t USED to being humiliated!!!!

            take your whoooping like a MAN…or as close to one as a trOXan can possibly get!!!

            #CryBaby

            #Cadre’sJustWarmingUP

          • Nice! #’s and exclamation marks. Shows we really believe in this. We should keep coming back every day…

          • Corky, crank me a double will ya and step on it. Commie SUCC is shooting his mouth off again.

        • Talk about living in the past. You forgot to mention that awesome Rose Bowl win during Reagan’s first term.

          #AncientHistory

        • Good call quoting our winning streak from 45 years ago. Takes SC fans thoughts away from our current mediocrity. Thx

      • JW: 10 NCAA Basketball NC’s.

        Commie SUCC: Thousands of the same old ugly Vodka fueled rants. Jane Fonda forever.

    • Little Stevey wanted a fight, little Stevey’s gonna get a fight.
      However things go, he’s a dope if he doesn’t realize he’s killed his chances at making another penny as a head coach in college football. But, then again, I guess we can’t expect exceptional judgement from a guy who kicks the ball away when down by two scores with three minutes to go.

      • Mike I think it’s even more telling – I’ll bet Sarkisian’s agent found no one to Sarkisian’s liking to be retained as a HC and what offers he got were as an assistant.

        This is what is the genesis of this legal action by him – his anger and his unwillingness to look into the mirror and accept the fact this entire implosion in his career is due to his own volitional choices – to begin and became an alcoholic.

        Oh how the mighty have fallen and this past mighty one hasn’t even the common sense to stay out of the media’s glare.

        He truly is livid that no one wants him – this is why he filed the suit – he isn’t to blame it’s everyone and anyone else

        What a fool – truly a fool.

        • Sure, this isn’t Lamar Odom-level self destruction, but it’s way, way up there on the how- deep can- I- bury- myself scale. Sark obviously needed to keep a real low profile for about a year and, then, emerge chastened and born again. Instead, he’s placed himself in the headlines and at USC’s mercy—if they want to go to the mat on this, there is no good outcome for Sark (even if he winds up making some chump change). And, worst of all, it’s too late to back out —the damage is done. Actually, about all that’s left for Sark now is squeezing Charlie Sheen off the front page of the tabloids.

          • Charlie Sheen oooohhh that;s a good one – yahoo has a link to a ‘fortune’ magazine article citing this mess from law firms in CT of all places – USC has to secure viewing of key documents – it’s a good read

          • Maybe Charlie Sheen is only the most recent but not the best comparison. Maybe what we’re seeing here is something more along the lines of Tyrone Power’s final scene in Nightmare Alley…(“Mister I was born to play this part…”).

    • Gunna be fun when Sark starts telling us the inner workings of SC. Recruit payoffs? Cars? Fixed grades? It’s all going to come out.

  2. He said on national television that he did not have a drinking problem, and he accidentally mixed medication with alcohol. Is he some type of delusional idiot ? Or is there something else to the story ?

    • No, nothing else to the story, Fred. What you’re seeing from Sark could be entitled “portrait of a man drowning.”

      • It’s really sad and embarrassing for Sark, I was hoping he can move forward with some dignity after such an ousting – seems even more slim now, definitely not his best move professionally to boot

        • Definitely not his best move —but, you know what, I’m starting to think we all had Sark wrong —he’s not a fun loving, quasi charismatic, wheeler/dealer —he’s just a punk looking to score.

          • This case actually has the potential —notice I only said “potential”— for serious embarrassment. Maybe we should stop thinking of Sark as USC’s ex-coach and start thinking of him as more like –oh, I don’t know—-Christine Keeler.

    • It’s called, I’m broke and need money and I’ll do anything I can to get it.
      Remember, this is the guy who stabbed his mentor, Chow, in the back.

      • The Man has some character issues without a doubt, and he’s coming across like the Slime Ball that he is. And yes, Norm Chow rescued the slime from a no paying coaching position at El Camino College 13 years ago. But Karma ran full circle around Slimy Sark …didn’t it ?

        • And who was the only person in the world who thought this Slime Ball was better than Petersen (besides Helen) and hired this Slime Ball even though everyone in Seattle knew about his out of control drunkenness and womanizing? That’s the real problem and he hasn’t gone away.

    • It’s called – lawyers. Unfortunately for Sark, his name is going to be drug through the mud because of his delusional lawyer. I thought the sports journalism world did a great job respecting Sark and they all stood behind him in seeking help. I can’t see them holding that position now.

      You can bet the farm USC lawyers saw this coming before the firing and are standing on firm ground when the facts come out.

      • a lot of truth to that “…USC lawyers saw this coming…”

        He’s the one that chose to do this – he’s a complete fol and boy I’ll bet he is slowly waking up to what a great piece of advice his lawyer gave him.

        The only thing that saves Steve Sarkisian at this point is to publicly drop the suit – that’s the only thing he has left to save whatever is left.

      • Dude, you can sue someone for anything, especially here in the land of OZ, but nobody seems to get where the real problem is.

          • I’ve been a bit of a Pat Haden defender —mainly because of what he’s done for the university in so many other capacities. But the real proof of how poorly he handled this situation with Sark, from beginning to end, won’t come out in a courtroom —it’ll come out in the size of the settlement (which, contrary to the explicit terms of the settlement itself, will get leaked to the press at some point or another).

    • He’s an alkie in denial who already thinks he’s all better because he had 30 days in rehab. Now, he needs money and he’ll sell is soul to get it.

        • You beat me to it. I was giving him the benefit of the doubt, actually until the UW game. I didn’t know until then that all hope was lost, whether he was a drug addict or not.

          • I said Character Character Character! ! Not addiction , his character was always questionable, way back when he stabbed his mentor in the back .

          • I hand it to you on that, Fred. You began pointing out Sark’s essentially weak character (and how it reflected itself on the field) a LONG time ago. You and our pal Scottie were way ahead of the curve on this mess.

  3. Nice both sides firing off the guns to the press. I hope USC holds strong on this one but my best guess is this will be handle behind close doors.

    • It’s unusual for a legal team to follow a “we do not comment on pending litigation” press release with damning accusations and a promise to fight to the death [in the space of a half day, no less]—it looks like little Stevey may have bit off more than he wants to chew.

    • No, let’s hope KU does the usual and makes every mistake it can possibly make and the case goes to trial. Think of the dirty KU laundry that could be exposed. Fight on KU.

  4. By the way Wole Betiku was on campus today and things went extremely well. UCLA folks might remember him. Mora fumbled that one. This would be a HUGE get for Helton.
    #mendontlikefacehugs

    • All the Bruins said I was crazy when i said Betiku was gonna eventually decommit from UCLA and then SC would be right there for him. They laughed and bragged, like they always do. They KNOW who they are. But WOLE IS A BEAST! And his story and background is crazy, he said he’s had machine guns pointed to his head as kid regularly while growing up, and said he won’t return to his family in Nigeria until he’s a “king” (NFL/millilionaire).

          • Even after we thrashed the bruins into the foster farms chicken bowl? Why would he want to join such mediocrity?

          • Sorry bro, I forgot to mention that Juarez was at the SC-Bruin game and the word is he was cheering for UCLA, and Juarez says SC’s depth at LB is working against us. I say forget him!

          • Lots to look forward to in this off season, we got lucky with the holiday bowl after mcaffery walked all over us – need serious linebacker depth to stop that guy next year, and juarez would compete right away based on this season, and with sua most likely gone – he would be crazy to choose the ruins! He will play, promise him! Haha

      • Yes sas, Betiku’s agent introduced him to the remaining KU FB staff.

        Betiku’s agent is Reggie Bust’s former associate.

        • Is he allowed to have an agent? And what happened with his arrangement with Lavarr Arrington and/or Tom Bradley?

  5. USCK is terribly pathetic. They besmirched this humble drunk in public and now they want to play the “I didn’t do anything” game. Garbage!!! Thankfully, this worthless school will be exposed, yet again.

  6. Remember that post by SW last Friday showing Sarkisian in the parking lot when a TMZ crew filmed him and spoke to him briefly?

    His smarmy grin and words of encouragement for the team knowing full well this mess was about to be sprung on the team – on Haden who gave this clown his job and most of all the school that went out of its way to keep this fool after his profanity laced pratfall in late August.

    Sarkisian is about to enter that ugly lonely realm of ‘The Man Without A County.”

    He will regret this the rest of his life

    • Your last two lines read like the setup for a great Twilight Zone episode introduced by Rod Serling —one of the rare ones without the happy ending.

      • Hey you never answered the quiz – “When you come right down to it the performance that really matters that really goes all the way is the one that achieves total madness!” – name director, film and lead

        • Okay, okay, Alv. Frank Capra, Jimmy Stewart and It’s A Wonderful Life— or maybe it was Nicolas Roeg, Mick Jagger and Performance —one of the two.

          • Yeah, Alv, the great Nicolas Roeg —who started out as a camera operator on Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure and graduated to directing films like Walkabout and Don’t look Now. Is there a Helton angle to this story?

          • No more Sarkisian i.e. “The Man Who Fell To Earth” BTW a gem rarely seen is ‘Eureka’ with Gene Hackamn, Theresa Russeell (who later married Roeg) and Rutger Hauer – if you’ve never seen it do so….

          • Ok, Alv —-but, I’m warning you, if I don’t like it, I’m suing for $30,000,000…
            #copycatlawsuit

          • I can not believe USC is going through with this mess – this should have been done smart but Haden has a real hard on about how he’s been humiliated hiring this clown – I don’t think this is going to end well.

          • I’ve been going back and forth on whether it’s smart to go to war with Sark over this. After careful consideration, I’ve come to the conclusion that, yes, it is —and Sark is gonna get crushed.

          • That is the hope but any lawyer will state there is no guarantee as to which way a verdict flies regardless of evidence.

            Always better to settle than litigate.

          • Alvy, I’ve done enough trial work to know that preparation invites victory, but over the top, insane commitment AND preparation guarantees it. There is no right or wrong in litigation —it’s all a matter of sheer will. If USC decides to go all the way, 24 hours a day on this —Sark is toast.

  7. USC General Counsel poured gas on the fire by responding so quickly. The term “Ready Shoot Aim” comes to mind. Stupid should leave a mark and both sides seem to be racing to to give themselves the bigger mark. This circus sideshow is an unnecessary distraction.

  8. Yahoo has an article from Fortune – good read – bluntly Haden is approaching a quick exit as AD as this mess goes forward.

    My gosh is Sarkisian forever going to regret this mess – 9 weeks and you file suit for wrongful termination?

    For the rest of his life this is him – a bitter loser and a lousy coach.

    • well KIFF sure landed on his feet DINT he????

      i expect borrOcho to do the same!!! people like repentant drunks more than a has-been Universities!!

      #ComebackKid

    • I don’t think Sarkisian knows the battle he is going to face when he tries to find employment in the future. That guy could be on food stamps 10 years from now!

        • Knowing sark he will probably marry a rich gal, and live off her for the rest of his life!

          • Sark is the ultimate underachiever! He is the complete opposite of those people who grew up poor, and had to pay their way through school working 3 jobs, in order to pay the bills.

  9. Quick Thought: X-mas is here EARLY for the Cadre!!! after a BRIEF setback, the BRUINS are right back on top of the trOXans neck!!!

    taking the second straight Natty from the lil’ trOXans water polo boys and watching the trOXans get slaughtered by the Trees!!! and now the coaching staff is in shambles, HH is in panic mode and borrOcho is pickin’ and grinnin’!!!!!

    i feel SO ALIVE!!!!!!!

    i really…DOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! (spinning with arms outstretched, looking up at sky)

    #SheerBliss

  10. What I have noticed with Pat for so long is that he is a total “scaredy cat” in my opinion! Sarkisian knows this, and he probably knows that pat haden is too scared to go to court. Translation: Sarkisian knows that usc will write him a check as a result of this.

  11. Silly rah rah lawyers and their “expert” analysis.. .

    #Sarkiswinning and the donors will be paying for it, lol.. .

    #Winning

  12. When Steve Sarkisian was the coach at Washington he was seen around town in a drunken state several times, and there were also rumors of infidelity .So fast forward to his hiring at USC, then his wife kicked him to the curb, and he eventually proves to everybody that he really is a DRUNK. So you can now add Slime Ball/Back stabber to his resume.

  13. BTW the OC Register is running a story about the McNair law suit. A court ruled the suit can proceed. My problem is they also said the NCAA didn’t prevent him from getting work. I guess the court doesn’t understand the show cause penalty thrown on McNair

  14. December 3, 2013

    “We are delighted to welcome Steve Sarkisian back to the Trojan Family,” Haden said in a statement. “We conducted a very exhaustive and thorough search, pinpointing about 20 candidates and interviewing five of them. We kept coming back to Sark. He is the only one who was offered the job. I believe in my gut that he is the right coach for USC at this time.”

    well done, Pat….

  15. Bottom line is that law protects people with disabilities and Sark, if he is an alcoholic has a disability as defined by CA law.
    He will get a check or he will get his day in court. As a veteran of the days of Reggie Bush, Sark knows where all of the skeletons are and St. Pat never wants that storyline out. Sark will get his check and it will be a very, very big one. It’s OK though, you guys are used to overpaying for education and poor A.D. management. Just get out the checkbooks.

    • Are you so dense you don’t recognize this will be paid by insurance? You routinely say dumb things here. And if you think Sark would testify against USC in the McNair case, you’re even dumber than I ever imagined. That would suddenly set him up with huge credibility problems for his own case which is just beginning. Real smart. You Trolls are funny. Keep trying.

      • Maybe not Stinky. An Insurance co. won’t accept responsibility for a Sark payoff if KU can be proven to have ignored Sark’s problem and worse, KU actually facilitated Sark’s disability. Fireball on.

        • There is also usually a pretty large deductible on those policies. Sometimes the insurance company will negotiate something with their client (ISC). I think SC was just countering the public narrative for today and from now on this goes underground with an undisclosed settlement.

          • If this goes the way that I hope it does – yes a settlement and put the swords back in their scabbards to cease the rattling.

          • I think this goes very quiet from now on. It doesn’t suit either party to air their respective grievances.

          • Back at you – yes! You’re absolutely right – this may have been the ‘suits’ tactic to bring the matter to a close by going public – what does not sound smart was USC’s counsel coming back with an equal counter gauntlet —- better settle before discoveries are initiated.

  16. It’s $30 million left on his contract. He’s filing to try and force some kind of settlement beyond the one year buyout he was offered. Understandable to go for the money, but USC shouldn’t give him another penny. He’s definitely burning any possible path to rehabbing his image at another school with this little number.

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