Let the fighting on begin in ‘South Troy’

Thanks to the kindness of some friends in the mid-1970s, I was able to attend a few Rose Bowls. The seats were good, but it wouldn’t have mattered. Any seat in any weather at the Rose Bowl is a good seat.

I have been trying to get tickets for today’s game for several weeks, both through eBay and by dropping hints with anyone who may be even remotely connected to someone who knows someone who knows someone who could get me some.

The eBay plan was a flop. Ever since the bowl lineup was announced, ticket prices were high and got higher. I gave up looking for an opportunity when I saw end zone seats high up selling for $1,000.

Then I thought about approaching Daily Pilot editor S.J. Cahn with a pitch to cover the game for the paper, since there are so many USC fans in Orange County and particularly in Newport Beach.

I’m not really sure why we have so many SC alums and fans here, but it’s a fact. At Crown Hardware, which has been selling USC and UCLA items head-to-head for more than a year now, my source tells me that the USC bottle openers, pillows, Santa hats and other items sell “three or four to one” over the Bruin stuff.

I did not argue with the source since it was my wife, and as every husband and father knows, “If mom ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”

So the question remains: Why, when both schools are right up in Los Angeles, are there so many more USC fans than UCLA fans in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa? Could it be that the SC fans are smarter and they’ve chosen a better place to live, better than, say, Agoura or Hawaiian Gardens?

Newport Beach Mayor Don Webb understands the attraction. “Newport Beach is a successful community that produces successful people and they tend to congregate here. One of my hobbies is to walk around the city, and when I do, I see USC things like flags ten to one over any other school.”

Webb, who rode in the city’s bicentennial float in the Rose Parade on Monday, let me know that we should not expect another float next year.

“Not unless it’s 100% privately funded,” Webb said.

Whatever the reason, there are USC connections here. At UCI, there is a USC Center for the Study of Democracy.

Trojans are everywhere.

“Everywhere I go and at every meeting I participate in, it seems like there is an SC person there,” Webb said.

At South Coast Plaza, there is a retail store that sells only USC items, things such as shirts, hats, mugs, pictures, footballs and just about anything else that can fit a USC logo. I believe that over Christmas, I even saw a USC shot glass, though I wouldn’t bet on it. Ah, betting.

I have raised a few eyebrows over the years by my threat to bet against the Trojans. Those who complain are usually those who do not share a superstitious nature. Everyone else understands that the worst thing any fan can do before a big game is talk trash.

The best thing to do is talk about how tough the other team is and how they are going to make it a great game.

This year, it’s no joke. Texas is a very good, very tough team, and I do expect this game to be high scoring and close. I’ve warned my SC friends about Texas but they don’t seem to care, and they certainly don’t seem to care that they are jinxing the outcome by putting down Texas.

There are a lot of things about Texas to criticize but this football team is not one of them. These guys mean business.

Interestingly, my UCLA friends are rooting for SC today. With their 50-38 victory over Northwestern in the Sun Bowl last week, the Bruins’ season is officially over. Proper cheering etiquette dictates that since UCLA is no longer playing, Bruin fans should be rooting for the closest hometown team.

Yes, there are a few mean-spirited Bruins who would never root for USC (and I’m sure there are a number of SC fans who’d never cheer for UCLA), but those who understand competitive sports and its place in our lives will be pulling for the Trojans today, just as I was hoping the Bruins would beat Northwestern.

Win or lose, this should be a very good game. Owing to a touch of the flu or something to be determined, I would not be going to the Rose Bowl even if Cahn did call me and give me the assignment.

Well, let me think about that for a minute ...

* STEVE SMITH is a Costa Mesa resident and a freelance writer. Readers may leave a message for him on the Daily Pilot hotline at (714) 966-4664 or send story ideas to dailypilot@latimes.com.

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