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In an otherwise unwatchable rivalry game between USC and UCLA, comical drama erupted in the final minute. Leading 21-7 and having gained possession on a turnover on downs, USC lined up in victory formation to end the game. UCLA inexplicably responded with a timeout with 52 seconds left, and then all hell broke loose. Next play out, USC lined up in a legitimate offensive formation and launched a play-action 48 yard touchdown pass to make the score 28-7. It was a move that mocked UCLA's insolence and almost inspired a brawl. Some banter happened thereafter and before you knew it, both sidelines had to be restrained near midfield.
The early criticism of USC's touchdown will be that it was classless while drawing comparisons to what Stanford did to USC two weeks prior in going for a two point conversion up 48-21. Whatever Pete Carroll's gripe against Stanford, UCLA's asinine timeout vindicated what followed. A football game is 60 minutes long, if one party wants to invite further play, there really shouldn't be criticism when their counterpart accepts the offer and then some.
Hated Rivals No Longer Allowed To Hate Each Other (BYU/Utah)
Deadspin.com
BYU's Max Hall led his team to an incredible overtime win against hated rival Utah, but now he's been forced to apologize for hating his rival? I thought that was the whole point.
The senior quarterback threw two touchdown passes in his final home game, including the game-winner in overtime, and when asked at a post-game press conference if that redeemed his six-turnover debacle from 2008, Hall did not mince words....
"A little bit, yeah. I don't like Utah. In fact, I hate them. I hate everything about them. I hate their program, I hate their fans, I hate everything. So it felt really good to send those guys home.
They didn't deserve it. It was our turn, and our turn to win. We deserved it. We played as hard as we could tonight. And it felt really good, again, to send them home, to get them out of here, and so it is a game I will always remember."
And then he continued, "I think the whole university, their fans and their organization is classless. They threw beer on my family and stuff last year, and they did a whole bunch of nasty things, and I don't respect them, and they deserved to lose."
Just to let you know how serious Ute fans are taking this ... they've started anti-Max Facebook groups. No foolin'. So on Sunday, Hall decided to ease the tension a little bit and offered an apology for taking a dump on half his state.
"As a result of what happened to my family last year, this rivalry became personal, and in the heat of the moment yesterday, I made comments toward the entire university that were really directed specifically at those fans in [Rice-Eccles Stadium]. It was not intended to be directed at the entire organization and all of their fans, and I apologize that it came out that way."
Hall says he was really upset because during the 2008 game at Utah, his family was physically and verbally assaulted, including getting beer dumped on them by unruly fans. So that's why the "rivalry became personal." If ask me, it isn't a rivalry until you take it personally. That's why they're called rivals.
So don't listen to those Mormons, buddy. Hold on to your rage and let it feed your soul. It's healthy for you!
Let me first get into the Max Hall/Utah verbal smackdown. This is what rivalry games are supposed to be about. Woody Hayes would rather push his car across the border than to have it worked on in Michigan.
Rivals are supposed to hate each other. That said, I would have thought a quarterback at a religious school, especially a Mormon school would have had a bit more sense to use the word hate. That said, I'm surprised at the tone of the back and forth between Utah and BYU. Maybe I'm naive for thinking that because this is the "Holy War" that the hate speech would be a bit toned down or that there wouldn't have even been beer in the stadium. I guess I just have the probably unfounded and ignorant idea that everyone at a BYU/Utah game drinks milk and cookies before they go in and shouts "tackle that trouble maker" instead of "get that cocksucker." I either give these fans too much credit or I'm just a dumbass in general.
My breakdown of USC and UCLA doesn't take as long. UCLA asked for this game not to end so it didn't. That TD pass was like the second atomic bomb. Maybe it was unnecessary but UCLA should have admitted defeat. But Pete Carroll should have remembered his little crybaby fit after the Stanford game. If you expect mercy at the hands of Jim Harbaugh and cry when you don't get it, you should have to show it to Rick Neuhesil. And I hope that's the last time I ever write "show it to Rick Neuhesil" in this blog. Clark out!
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