Taking Ken Norton and USC to task rattles some cages
T.J. SIMERS
Readers comment on column about the accusations by the Trojans against UCLA concerning recruiting tactics.
Pete Carroll, who started it, has now declared the Ken Norton rhubarb "over."
But not so fast there, Uncle Pete, because as you know, these people live among you:
Unnamed High School Coach: "I can't comment on the accusations made by Norton. But I will say that having been a high school coach at some of the biggest schools in AZ I can tell you without a doubt USC does NOT recruit '100% pure' as the assumed satire in your article suggests.
"I was a coach at a high school in Phoenix and we had Zach Miller (currently with the Raiders). He was the No. 1 TE in the country at the time. Pete Carroll came to our practice to look at him. Huge news . . . anyway, it was clearly a non-contact period for coaches . . . he disappeared from practice and I remember all of us thinking, 'where did he go?' Anyway, I remember kind of giving him a wink and saying did he want to meet Zach and he made a big thing out of saying he couldn't at the time.
"As our practice concluded, players started to walk off toward the locker room . . . I was with the boys walking in. As I walked into the locker room who did I see? There was Pete in there glad handing players and pulling Zach into a corner to get in a few quick words.
"I could see that Pete eventually noticed me . . . he was just below a sprint out the door. How that guy got into our locker room ahead of a key to open the doors is beyond me . . . perhaps he coaxed a janitor into letting him get in or said he had to use the restroom, but I'll never forget that . . . you can mention the story but because I do have to deal with coaches I wouldn't want my full name used."
As Rick Neuheisel might tell you, it's just amazing the things unnamed people have to say about recruiting.
FOR THE RECORD: I forwarded the e-mail to USC and, through a spokesman, Carroll said he recalled the spring recruiting visit, which was legal, he said, while noting a UCLA coach was also there.
He said he left practice to go to the bathroom and while leaving the locker room several members of the team came in. He said he shook hands with them and kept going, which is known as a "bump" and does not violate NCAA rules, he said.
Miller signed with Arizona State.
Steve Briseno: "Sounds like Pete doesn't like being pushed now that the Bruins have a new Sheriff in town."
