Friday, November 17, 2006

Contra Costa Times: Revisiting a series watershed

2004 MEETING IN L.A. `PRETTY WILD SCENE'

By Jay Heater

Although USC's 23-17 victory over visiting Cal in 2004 was arguably its toughest escape during a national championship season, Trojans Coach Pete Carroll remembers the game for another reason.  Carroll said that game was a turning point in terms of crowd participation at the Los Angeles Coliseum. ``Since then, it has been an incredible arena for us to play in,'' Carroll said. ``It's been really special. It's like that Cal game every game now. ``I remember my first game (as head coach) there in 2001 against San Jose State. There were about 40,000 people there (actually 45,568). I remember thinking, `This doesn't feel like college football.' '' The atmosphere before the USC-Cal game in 2004, a game that matched the top-ranked Trojans against the No. 7 Golden Bears, was magical. The crowd of 90,008 arrived early and was at full roar 30 minutes before kickoff. ``The last time we played there, it was a pretty wild scene,'' Cal Coach Jeff Tedford said. Current Bears quarterback Nate Longshore was redshirted as a freshman in 2004 but made the trip to Los Angeles. He saw firsthand what he will be dealing with Saturday when the two teams meet at the Coliseum again. Longshore said he already has played in a tougher setting this season, noting that Tennessee's environment was the most hostile he had seen. ``Tennessee was a new loud,'' he said.

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