Tom Kelly's Tales from the USC Trojans

always enjoyed Tom Kelly on KTLA in LA....great to have read his nostalgic perspective of events

Tom Kelly is a true legend, and Los Angeles sportswriter Tom Hoffarth is a man whose kindness, generosity of spirit, and sense for sharing his great knowledge of Trojan football history shines forth like water irrigating a barren valley! The book has great quotes throughout it. I finally got a chance to fully read it, and I must say that I give it an A-plus for research, because that's how it reads. The interviews are fabulous. Every quote seems to be a gold mine of information and Trojan lore. The battle for collegiate foootball supremacy between Southern California, Notre Dame, Alabama, Oklahoma, Miami, Texas and the other fabulous traditions will continue to thrill their fans and loyal alumni supporters throughout the twenty-first century, and this book is a major reason why USC heads the list of the supreme teams. Tom Kelly was the essence of What it Means to Be a Trojan (Pete Arbogast has done a great job following in his footsteps). I read every word of this scintillating work. Since Pete Carroll took over the program, it has passed Notre Dame as "the greatest ever collegiate tradition." They both have 11 national titles and seven Heisman winners. They have the best bowl record, the most Rose Bowl victories, among the most All-Americans, the most pro players, the most first-round draft picks, the most No. 1 draft picks, the most Pro Bowlers, the most Super Bowlers, and the most Hall of Famers. Hmmm. USC fans will surely use this as ammunition in an argument against an Irish fan. It is great firepower for chest thumping. Honestly, I'm highly impressed with both author's credentials. It's not surprising that they have put this great work together in such a straightforward way. Both have great bios, which makes sense. My rating: A wild Reggie Bush run to criss-cross the field for a TD against Fresno State! May God bless America, and may the Trojans continue ... to 'Fight On!'"