"According to sources who did not wish to be identified within the athletic dept. administration, Sarkisian drank alcohol in the USC locker room after games last season at the Coliseum and on the road.
Former USC coach Lane Kiffin also consumed alcohol after games but interim coach Ed Orgeron said he banned it from the locker room when he took over in 2013. Sarkisian brought back alcohol last season and several sources said there was a culture of drinking that existed."
ByScott Wolf, Los Angeles Daily News
POSTED:08/23/15, 12:01 PM PDT|UPDATED: 5 HRS AGO
6 COMMENTS
A passionate coach Steve Sarkisian gets his players motivated at the start of practice. The USC football team held practice in full game uniform on Saturday during fall training camp at the Howard Jones Field at USC in Los Angeles.
USC coach Steve Sarkisian apologized Sunday morning for his actions at the annual Salute to Troy football dinner, where he used profanity and appeared to be drunk before a crowd of several thousand fans.
Sarkisian stunned the crowd by saying, “Get ready to (bleep) fight on, baby,” from the stage. He also spoke about USC’s road games at Arizona State, Notre Dame and Oregon and said, “They all suck.” But his demeanor also was an issue and at least one group of fans claimed he told a lewd joke at their table.
“I sincerely apologize to my players and staff and to our fans for my behavior and my inappropriate language at our kickoff event Saturday night,” Sarkisian said in a statement. “I have a responsibility to all of them and I let them down. (Athletic director) Pat Haden talked to me after the event about my actions and I assured him this will not happen again.”
Witnesses said Sarkisian was pulled away from the microphone by Haden and senior associate athletic director J.K. McKay. Haden reportedly lectured Sarkisian behind the stage about his behavior.
“I met with Coach Sarkisian and I expressed my disappointment in the way he represented himself and the University at our Salute To Troy event,” Haden said in a statement. “While the details of our conversation will remain between us, I am confident he heard my message loud and clear.”
This is the second time Haden’s dealt with a coach appearing to be drunk in public. In 2011, he suspended USC basketball coach Kevin O’Neill for a minimum of one game after pictures emerged of him drinking at a bar in L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles. O’Neill reportedly also argued with an Arizona fan. O’Neill was not required to seek any treatment for the incident.
Despite the statements from Sarkisian and Haden, there are many questions ahead, including whether the university believes this was a one-time incident or more serious problems. According to sources who did not wish to be identified within the athletic dept. administration, Sarkisian drank alcohol in the USC locker room after games last season at the Coliseum and on the road.
Former USC coach Lane Kiffin also consumed alcohol after games but interim coach Ed Orgeron said he banned it from the locker room when he took over in 2013. Sarkisian brought back alcohol last season and several sources said there was a culture of drinking that existed.
Former USC coach Lane Kiffin also consumed alcohol after games but interim coach Ed Orgeron said he banned it from the locker room when he took over in 2013. Sarkisian brought back alcohol last season and several sources said there was a culture of drinking that existed."
ByScott Wolf, Los Angeles Daily News
POSTED:08/23/15, 12:01 PM PDT|UPDATED: 5 HRS AGO
6 COMMENTS
A passionate coach Steve Sarkisian gets his players motivated at the start of practice. The USC football team held practice in full game uniform on Saturday during fall training camp at the Howard Jones Field at USC in Los Angeles.
USC coach Steve Sarkisian apologized Sunday morning for his actions at the annual Salute to Troy football dinner, where he used profanity and appeared to be drunk before a crowd of several thousand fans.
Sarkisian stunned the crowd by saying, “Get ready to (bleep) fight on, baby,” from the stage. He also spoke about USC’s road games at Arizona State, Notre Dame and Oregon and said, “They all suck.” But his demeanor also was an issue and at least one group of fans claimed he told a lewd joke at their table.
“I sincerely apologize to my players and staff and to our fans for my behavior and my inappropriate language at our kickoff event Saturday night,” Sarkisian said in a statement. “I have a responsibility to all of them and I let them down. (Athletic director) Pat Haden talked to me after the event about my actions and I assured him this will not happen again.”
Witnesses said Sarkisian was pulled away from the microphone by Haden and senior associate athletic director J.K. McKay. Haden reportedly lectured Sarkisian behind the stage about his behavior.
“I met with Coach Sarkisian and I expressed my disappointment in the way he represented himself and the University at our Salute To Troy event,” Haden said in a statement. “While the details of our conversation will remain between us, I am confident he heard my message loud and clear.”
This is the second time Haden’s dealt with a coach appearing to be drunk in public. In 2011, he suspended USC basketball coach Kevin O’Neill for a minimum of one game after pictures emerged of him drinking at a bar in L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles. O’Neill reportedly also argued with an Arizona fan. O’Neill was not required to seek any treatment for the incident.
Despite the statements from Sarkisian and Haden, there are many questions ahead, including whether the university believes this was a one-time incident or more serious problems. According to sources who did not wish to be identified within the athletic dept. administration, Sarkisian drank alcohol in the USC locker room after games last season at the Coliseum and on the road.
Former USC coach Lane Kiffin also consumed alcohol after games but interim coach Ed Orgeron said he banned it from the locker room when he took over in 2013. Sarkisian brought back alcohol last season and several sources said there was a culture of drinking that existed.
