USC Will Play the Tourist Before Playing Penn State

The ultimate compliment paid to a college football player is, “He’s good enough to play on Sunday.” . . .

Well, this Sunday, a considerable number of USC Trojans and Penn State Nittany Lions will be good enough to play at Giants Stadium, which is located in New Jersey, but is home to two New York pro teams. . . .

All 77,716 seats have been sold for the Kickoff Classic, and most of the fans will be rooting for the Nittany Lions from relatively close Happy Valley. . . .

Penn State’s ticket office sold 23,000 and USC’s 5,500. . . .

“We’re looking at it as a road game,” Trojan Coach John Robinson said. “It should be a great experience. We’re leaving on Thursday and taking the team to the New York Stock Exchange and the Statue of Liberty Friday afternoon. Lunch will be at the Heisman Trophy room at the New York Athletic Club. At night, we’ll attend a Giants’ preseason game at the Meadowlands.” . . .

Said Robinson, “We ought to see the sights wherever we play.” . . .

Wonder where they will visit before the Illinois game at Champaign on Sept. 7. Urbana? . . .

USC and Penn State are being paid $675,000 each. . . .

The Trojans are 0-1 on Sundays, having been defeated by North Carolina, 31-9, in the 1993 Pigskin Classic at Anaheim Stadium. . . .

That was the first game of Robinson’s second tenure at USC. . . .

However, he has fared better on Saturdays and this year’s team is a heavy favorite to reach the Rose Bowl for the second consecutive time. . . .

The biggest question mark early in the season might be the talented but inexperienced offensive line. . . .

Among the new starters is freshman guard Travis Claridge, who is listed at 300 pounds. . . .

“We timed Claridge in 4.85 for the 40,” Robinson said. “Tony Boselli ran 5.0 for the pro scouts and they all went nuts.” . . .

Robinson calls redshirt freshman cornerback Chad Morton, brother of former Trojan All-American wide receiver Johnnie Morton, “one of the fastest players I’ve ever been around.” . . .

Other Pac-10 openers--Aug. 31: Texas El Paso at Arizona, Oregon at Fresno State, Washington State at Colorado. Sept. 7: UCLA at Tennessee, Washington at Arizona State, California at San Jose State, Montana at Oregon State, Utah at Stanford. . . .

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Least surprising injury of the exhibition season is the sore knee that will keep Jeff Hostetler out of the Oakland Raiders’ final exhibition game against the New York Jets. . . .

Rookie left tackle John Michels from USC has replaced another former Trojan, the injured Ken Ruettgers, as Green Bay Packer quarterback Brett Favre’s most important blocker. . . .

Mark McGwire is having a much better summer than his brother Dan, the former San Diego State quarterback who was waived by the Miami Dolphins. . . .

The St. Louis Rams’ new practice facility includes an 80-yard indoor field. Of course, if they had stayed in Anaheim, they wouldn’t have needed an indoor field. . . .

Young Dana Rosenblatt should handle old Vinny Pazienza in their pay-per-view, super-middleweight bout that is scheduled for 12 rounds Friday at Atlantic City, N.J. . . .

If he doesn’t, I’m going to have to renounce my membership, No. 1,119, in the Dangerous Dana Rosenblatt Fan Club. . . .

Rosenblatt, who is a knowledgeable boxing fan, says Oscar De La Hoya should be considered the best fighter pound-for-pound after his victory over Julio Cesar Chavez. . . .

“I’d love to fight Oscar in about five years if we’re the same weight,” Rosenblatt said. . . .

After Hector Camacho’s dismal performance on the USA network Tuesday night, a Camacho-Sugar Ray Leonard match can’t be far off. . . .

King defenseman Rob Blake, in his first game after knee surgery, was credited with one of the fiercest checks of the night for Canada during its 3-1 exhibition victory over the United States on Tuesday night at Vancouver. . . .

With all those former Kings signing with the Sharks, it’s apparent that the way to San Jose is through Los Angeles. . . .

All proceeds from the Campanella Golf Classic on Nov. 11 at Riviera Country Club will benefit the Roy and Roxie Campanella Physical Therapy Scholarship Foundation. For information, call (818) 344-6195. . . .

The newest gem in the California League, San Bernardino Stadium, will be dedicated in ceremonies Monday at 6 p.m. before the Stampede-Lake Elsinore game. . . .

Vin Scully, watching happy people dance between innings on Diamond Vision at Dodger Stadium: “It sure beats the local news, doesn’t it?”