I have been an USC Football, season ticket holder for many years now. As-a-matter-of-fact – I split 6 tickets with my partners Susan and Patrick. Patrick and I have-suffered-through-many-a-piss-poor season (Larry Smith, John Robinson, Paul Hackett); but, we did revel in the Pete Carroll years (though Pete did manage to piss-me-off with his hasty departure: See my Open Letter to Uncle Pete).
I can’t say that I’m much of a Lane Kiffin fan (or his father for-that-matter), and, I don’t know if Lane’s shenanigans in Oakland and at Tennessee played into what transpired during the USC/Utah game on September 10th; but-more-likely-than-not — somebody (probably someone very powerful and influential) put the fix in – cuz this was the most bizarre football game I-have-ever-seen-in-my-life.
Every time ‘SC looked like they were going to blow-the-game-wide open with a big play (and this happened on 3 occasions) – the play was called back on a penalty that no one seemed able to discern. USC even had a 47-yard field goal called back on some phantom penalty.
Not so Utah…they seemed to get away with some seemingly blatant pass interferences and USC turnovers also helped Utah keep the score close.
The Vegas betting line (as it was reported to me) was USC by “8-and-a- 1/2.”
It boiled down to this: USC was leading 17-14 and Utah was driving and had used the last of its timeouts on this drive (or perhaps even earlier…I can’t quite remember). Anyways, Utah had a fourth down pass play that they needed to convert for a first down to keep the drive alive — which came up short according to the linesman and referee: in fact, a measurement was called for – which determined a change of possession in favor of USC.
So the chains were moved and USC got ready to most probably run-out-the-clock, when suddenly, the Utah coach (recall they had no more timeouts) challenges the spot of the ball for the previous fourth down play. Announcers and analysts around the country suggested that this was unprecedented: particularly since the chains had been moved.
At-this-point, Utah had covered the line; so Utah bets were good (anyone betting on USC to-beat-the-spread was out-of-luck, however).
After a review of the spot on Utah’s fourth down play, the ball was re-spotted and the chains (which had been moved already) now reflected a first down for Utah. The crowd howled! Something was very, very rotten in Denmark. Utah then attempted a play, and then lined up for a field goal to tie the score and potentially send the game into overtime (which I don’t think would have changed the betting money – as Utah would have won by 3-or-6).
But USC blocked the field goal and ran the ball back for a touchdown. With no time left on the clock, however, the ‘SC players ran out on the field before the touchdown was scored (and who can blame them – after the refereeing craziness they had endured on-the-field for-most-of-the-game?) – incurring an unsportsmanlike flag by a referee.
Then the referee declared a “no touchdown” and “game over” at USC: 17 – Utah: 14.
So the Utah bets were paid out…
…but 2 hours later, after a review of this final play – someone determined that the USC touchdown counted, and, that the final score was REALLY: USC: 23 – Utah: 14 – a 9-point spread that saw bettors on the game winning both ways.
I was thoroughly confused – not knowing what was REALLY going on – much like my sentiments on the following day which was the 10th anniversary of 9/11. There was still something very fishy with the events of that day…but I’m pretty sure someone collected on 9/11 as well…