| The USC Trojans: College Football's All-Time Greatest Dynasty | 
 enlarge | Author: Steven Travers
Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing
Category: Book
List Price: $27.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:   (6 reviews)
Sales Rank: 563836
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 280
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 10.1 x 7.5 x 1.2
ISBN: 1589793560
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.332630979494
EAN: 9781589793569
ASIN: 1589793560
Publication Date: September 25, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In 2000, the University of Southern California Trojans were named Collegiate Athletic Department of the 20th Century, Baseball Program of the Century, while coach Rod Dedeaux was the Baseball Coach of the Century. However, it was still felt that the greatest historical football program was USC's biggest rival, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. In this lively history of Southern California football, Steven Travers makes the case that under the guidance of coach Pete Carroll (54-10), the Trojans have overtaken Notre Dame as the greatest ever collegiate tradition. USC has produced such legendary gridiron coaches and stars as Howard Jones, Frank Gifford, John McKay, O.J. Simpson, Anthony Davis, Lynn Swann, Ronnie Lott, Anthony Munoz, and Marcus Allen. They have tied Notre Dame for the most national championships (11) and Heisman Trophy winners (seven); have the best bowl record, the most Rose Bowl victories, the most All-Americans, the most pro players, the most first round draft picks, the most number one draft picks, the most Pro Bowlers, the most Super Bowlers, and the most Hall of Famers. In the years to come, the Trojan-Irish rivalry promises to be a titanic battle for continued supremacy. Their most recent stars, back-to-back Heisman Trophy winners Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush, are giants standing on the shoulders of giants. Illustrated with both historic and contemporary photos, this book celebrates college football's best, providing a blow-by-blow account of the greatest game ever played: the 2006 USC-Texas Rose Bowl.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
 This is Correct! September 24, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Trojans rule, and there is no other book that tells it like it is. All USC fans need this one.
 Not worth it January 9, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I am a huge USC fan and alum and was excited to read this book. However, I was very disappointed in it. It does have some interesting information, but it feels like it was poorly written (and edited). The narrative seems jumpy, name references sometimes only include last names (when the first name hasn't been mentioned since previous chapters), and small spelling and grammar errors (including spelling Bronko Nagurski's name "Bronco"). I know that might seem picky, but it adds up. I also did not like the author infusing his own politics in the book. It is supposed to be a book about USC football. Instead, he takes jabs at Michael Moore and the "liberals" of Cal and Stanford, references that the Democrats of the mid 1900s were against integration (even though it was the Dixiecrat part of the party, who transitioned into Republicans, including future Republican senator Strom Thurmond, due to the Democrat party supporting integration) and hypes Lynn Swann as a Republican candidate for governor of Pennsylvania. These themes repeat themselves throughout the book and are not needed. Of course there are some moments that do need to be discussed in regards to changing the world, like the game against Alabama in 1970.
Instead of reading this book, pick up "Fight On! The Colorful Story of USC Football" and "The History of USC Football" DVD set. They keep it to USC football and leave the political opinions on the sideline.
A Big Disappointment July 5, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm a huge USC football fan but I couldn't get past the introduction. It was about four pages in when Mr. Travers had to refer to "anti-American filmmaker Michael Moore". All I could think was "what a jackass".
Mr. Travers is welcome to his politics, but his assumption that all football fans share the same political point of view is just stupid. It's the mark of a bad writer. I put the book down and may never go back to it.
 Subjective January 2, 2007
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
Like every other American, I'm obsessed with college football, but not like Steven Travers. Travers goes overboard flinging down every adjective and the opinion of every sportswriter or fan he ever heard say anything good about the Trojans. He just doesn't seem objective. It is the book of a fervent alumnus of a particular college with a particular crush on Matt Leinart, so get out of the way if you don't care for Leinart, for you will be overwhelmed by the Augaean stables worth of Leinart flattery. If you don't think he is "the greatest college football player of all time," then this is not the book for you. Leinart's triumphs in 2004 and 2005 (and those of his "Vice President" Reggie Bush) lead Travers to think back retrospectively and to claim dynasty status for USC.
It's just all wrong from beginning to end. Plus, what's so great about the dynastic anyhow? There's the suggestion of royalty, I guess, attached to the word "dynasty," and also the glamorous, sometimes tawdry taint of scandal, thanks to the longrunning Aaron Spelling TV soap that starred Linda Evans and John Forsythe. In the case of USC, Travers has to run backwards and forwards just to keep in place when discussing the historical import of former Trojan O.J. Simpson. Good man, or bad? I'm drawing a blank here, but Travers isn't much help. For him, Simpson is just one more figure in this amazing longlived USC dynasty, the "greatest college running back of all time." Maybe how you like this book depends on whether or not you think the merit of a man is how well he does in college or what he does with his life afterwards. That said, Travers knows how to make games that were played decades ago come to life with some snappy play by play reporting. His account of Anthony Davis from the legendary 1972 Trojans squad becoming the "Notre Dame killer" is outstanding, and it's backed up by interviews with many of the key participants.
As Travers finally is forced to admit, his extolled dynasty has never been very consistent, and there have been many wilderness years. Before the hiring of "Saint" Pete Carroll, when people thought of USC, what floated into their minds was the pleasant, amiable, Jeff Spicoli lookalike Todd Marijuanovich. "Todd Marinovich," writes Travers briefly, "was a symbol of lost potential." The one time in the whole book where Travers uses any understatement.
A must have for college football fans September 22, 2006
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Travers' latest book is a must have for every college football fan, especially USC Trojans. He did serious research and was able to capture the events as they happened. It made me feel like I was back at USC. I could not put this book down. It backs up in every way how USC football is THE dynasty. I highly recommend this excellent book.
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