My husband Jim came with me to the Coliseum to see the 2021 USC Spring Football Showcase. Unfortunately, we arrived a little late to our seats, and we just missed the first touchdown that was scored by the Gold Team.
FIGHT ON, Julien! FIGHT ON, Kyron! FIGHT ON, Michael III! FIGHT ON Michael! FIGHT ON, Miller! FIGHT ON, Prophet!
Near the end of the second quarter, Trojan Candy took the next picture of a Cardinal player on the south side line. Guess who this is?! FIGHT ON, Drake!
The final score of the USC Spring Football Showcase was the Cardinal Team 27 and the Gold Team 7.
Trojan Candy can't wait until our 2021 football season!
Trojan Force invited Trojan Candy to join a Zoom presentation sponsored by "In Pursuit of Dreams and ABIS Advance of Blacks in Sports." The hostess was Coach Bev Kearney who was the Head Coach of the Texas Longhorn Woman's Track and Field and Cross Country team.
There were three remarkable guest speakers on the Zoom presentation. They were Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Gwen Torrence, and Caryl Smith Gilbert.
Coach Kearney spoke first with three time Olympian Gwen Torrence. Gwen won five Olympic Medals, of which three were Gold. She told us that at first all she wanted to be was a hair stylist, but her coach convinced her to compete in track. At her first Olympics in Barcelona in 1992, Gwen made the finals in the 100 and 200 meters. In her twelve years of "greatness" Gwen stayed focused on what she wanted to have. Gwen became an entrepreneur after she retired from the Olympics. Her salon "Bangz & Tanglez" is located in Lithonia, Georgia. She is now living her dream as a Celebrity beautician.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee spoke with Coach Kearney next. Before college, Jackie told Coach Kearney that she wanted to be one of the best, but she really didn't know what that meant. However, Jackie said that she has tried to be consistent with everything she does. At UCLA, Jackie said that she played basketball first, but that track was her heart and soul. She really wanted to be a jumper. Competing in the Heptathlon allowed her to compete in events that she loved. Coach Kearney said, "that before Jackie no one paid attention to the Heptathlon. Jackie put the Heptathlon on the map." Jackie competed in four Olympics. Amazingly, she won two Gold Medals in the 1988 Seoul Olympics in the Heptathlon and in the Long Jump. What an athlete! Also in 1988 she established the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation, which sought to help at-risk children, especially those living in her hometown of East St. Louis, Illinois. Later, Jackie in 2007 cofounded Athletes for Hope, which encouraged professional athletes to become active in charitable causes. Then in 2016 she became involved in an initiative backed by Comcast to provide Internet access to low income families. What a caring, charitable person!
Last, but not least, Coach Kearney spoke with USC's Track and Field Head Coach, Caryl Smith Gilbert. Coach Gilbert was a freshman at UCLA when Jackie Joyner-Kersee was a senior. She was a three-time All-American at UCLA and a Pac-10 champion in the 100-meter dash, 4x100-meter relay and 4x400-meter relay. Coach Gilbert has been at USC since July 2013. She says that she has kept in touch with Jackie and phones her for advice. Jackie gave her more advice tonight and stated that sometimes the coach has to step outside of herself. The trust comes in there. Gwen even offered her advice. Gwen said, "You have to be strong enough for the ride....you just need to be ready." Coach Gilbert told us that "It is hard. I want to win a Men's Championship." Trojan Candy wants her to win one also! Keep Fighting On, Coach Gilbert!
All three lady guests showed us why they are Champions!
Trojan Candy found out during half time of our USC Men's basketball game versus Utah today that Trojan Great Paul Westphal had passed away. The Pac-12 telecast showed a picture of my favorite USC basketball player Paul Westphal with the dates 1950-2021. I knew then that Paul Westphal had passed away from brain cancer. What a heart-breaking moment.
I was fortunate to have watched Paul Westphal play for our alma mater USC in the Sports Arena. He was an outstanding guard. His shots were just "swish." He entered USC as a freshman for the 1968-1969 season. Back then, collegiate freshmen could compete in basketball only on a freshman team. Then they could play varsity basketball for three years. My fondest memory of Paul was when USC was losing to Stanford by one point. Then Paul was fouled with no time left on the clock. With no players but Paul on the court at the free throw line, he shot and made the first free throw. Then, with the score tied, Paul made the second free throw that won the game!
On February 1, 2014, when my husband Jim and I attended the grand reopening of Heritage Hall and the Celebration of USC Hall of Fame Athletes from 1994 to 2014, I was able to meet and interview Paul and meet his wife Cindy. Jim and I gave him his Heritage Hall Medallion that had been located on the staircase in Heritage Hall before the renovation. I took this picture of Paul Westphal holding his medallion. Click on his picture to read his interview.
FIGHT ON FOREVER, Paul!