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Notes and observations as USC and Texas prepare for a game that can’t possibly match their 2006 encounter ... LOS ANGELES >> You might be surprised to hear which USC coach was in tears in the locker room immediately after the Trojans lost to Texas, 41-38, in the BCS title game. Was it Pete Carroll? Steve Sarkisian? Ed Orgeron? No, someone who has a less-emotional image: Lane Kiffin. Perhaps ...

ANAHEIM>> Although the Angels are finally getting the kind of starting pitching they need, they are nonetheless slipping in the wild card race. Despite a fourth consecutive game in which the Angels starter gave up two runs or fewer in at least five innings, the Angels were losing, 5-2, to the Houston Astros in the ninth inning at press time on Thursday night. The Angels were in jeopardy of f...

(Games at 7 p.m. Friday unless noted.) Poly (2-0) vs. Mission Viejo (3-0) at Veterans Memorial Stadium Two undefeated, nationally ranked teams will take the field in Long Beach tonight as the No. 10 Jackrabbits host the No. 25 Diablos (per MaxPreps’ rankings). Mission Viejo beat Poly 42-14 last year and is ranked ahead of the Jackrabbits in the CIF Southe Section’s Division 1 poll this week. “It...

LAGUNA HILLS >> Mayfair kept it close for as long as it could against Santa Margarita on Thursday night at Laguna Hills High. Eventually, the Eagles took over in the trenches and ran away for a 49-3 nonleague victory. Santa Margarita (4-0) rushed for 328 yards and six touchdowns as a team. The Eagles are ranked No. 9 in CIF Southe Section Division 1, and No. 13 in Califoia according to M...

VIDEO: Is something wrong with St. John Bosco football offense? We discuss why the St. John Bosco football offense isn’t putting up the big numbers that helped the Braves win the CIF-SS and CIF State titles last season. Advertisement Click here to subscribe to Digital & Home Delivery - 50% off About the Author JJ Fiddler is a sportswriter and videographer who has been coveri...

CLEVELAND >> The Cleveland Indians added a walk-off win to a streak that has had everything. Jay Bruce hit an RBI double in the 10th inning as the Indians rallied for their 22nd straight win to extend their AL record, beating the Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Thursday night to move within four wins of matching the 1916 New York Giants for the longest streak in major league history. After blowout...

The best reason to watch the Galaxy game in Carson this weekend (7:30 p.m. Spectrum SportsNet) is not to see L.A., plumbing new MLS depths, but to take in all-conquering, MLS-leading Toronto FC, already being talked about as the best team ever in MLS. Toronto (17-3-8) became the first MLS team to qualify for the playoffs last weekend, with U.S. inteational Jozy Altidore scoring twice in a 4-0 ro...

The Lakers appear set to retire Kobe Bryant’s jersey on Dec. 18, less than two years after he last donned it in a dazzling and dramatic 60-point sendoff. The only question will be which number hangs from the rafters: No. 8? No. 24? TMZ reported early Tuesday moing that the Lakers had informed season-ticket holders to “hold on to tickets” for the Dec. 18 game against Golden State for a “special e...

By the time Lonzo Ball begins his first training camp with the Lakers on Sept. 24 he will have already released several versions of his signature shoe, starred in a reality show chronicling the daily lives of his family and dropped a rap single. It has been, by any measure, a busy summer for the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft and the NBA Summer League MVP. “I look at it pretty simply,” Ball said Mond...

SEATTLE — If the Angels hope to get to the postseason, they are going to have to reverse this trend with their starting pitchers. Ricky Nolasco provided the latest disappointing performance, allowing four runs in 3⅔ innings in the Angels’ 4-3 loss to the Seattle Marinersxa0on Fridayxa0night. Angels starters have a 6.53 ERA in the last 20 games. The work of the bullpen and the offense has kept them fro...

TORRANCE >> In a showdown of nationally-ranked programs, St. John Bosco wore down Chaminade in the second half for a 31-17 victory over the Eagles. “They’re a good football team, that was a quarterfinalist last year,” said Bosco coach Jason Negro. “I didn’t think we’d play so poorly offensively; we should’ve been up by more at halftime.” The first half was all about the defenses, though, as ...

LONG BEACH >> Deshaun Harvey was the spark St. Anthony needed on Friday against Wilson, with the quarterback picking up a crucial third down in the fourth quarter before throwing the winning touchdown in a 14-6 victory at Clark Field. The Saints (2-0) have won 13 consecutive games at home, and this is their first victory over the Bruins (1-2) in more than 25 years. The local rivalry wasn’t p...

LOS ANGELES >> Scott Quessenberry’s phone blew up with congratulatory messages after UCLA pulled off the second-biggest comeback in NCAA history on Sunday night. It took the better part of two days for the UCLA center to respond to every text and tweet. He didn’t finish until Tuesday. When he finally did, it was just in time for practice. The Bruins (1-0) are trying to move past the euphoria...

OAKLAND >> This time, Garrett Richards walked off the mound alone, perhaps only disappointed at the hanging slider he’d just thrown. It was better than the last time he’d walked off the mound at the Oakland Coliseum, that time accompanied by trainer Eric Munson. Although no one knew it at the time, it would be the start of a five-month hiatus for the Angels’ ace because of biceps nerve irrit...

PASADENA — Former UCLA quarterback Cade McNown, former Texas coach Mack Brown and 1997 Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson will be among four men inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame, the Touament of Roses announced. The fourth member of the hall’s Class of 2017 is the late Charles West, the first black quarterback to play in the Rose Bowl Game. McNownxa0had a record 538 yards of total offen...

Rancho Dominguez Prep looked ready to redeem itself from a loss to Legacy early last season in its season opener on Thursday. But that was not the case as the Lobos fell to the Tigers 35-28. The Lobos (0-1) took an early 7-0 lead when senior Tumac Summerville intercepted a pass by Legacy’s quarterback and took it all the way back for a 41-yard touchdown with 8:24 remaining in the first quarter. Bu...

Dog Haus, a Pasadena-based restaurant chain known for its gourmet hot dogs and sausages, is about to unveil a new eatery in the Rose Bowl. Dog Haus and the stadium’s management announced a multiyear partnership Wednesday, making Dog Haus the first restaurant to have a permanent location at the iconic venue. The new location by Tunnel 6 on the stadium’s east side will be up and running Sunday, just...

Ranked No. 4 in the CIF Southe Section’s Division 4 poll, the Downey High football team expected a better start to the season than what it got against Santa Margarita. The Vikings were totally overmatched against a Trinity League opponent in a 56-0 loss last Friday night. Particularly uncharacteristic for the Vikings was an offensive line that struggled to slow down the Eagles’ pass rushers. “Th...

A’S at ANGELS When: Monday 7 p.m. TV: Fox Sports West Where: Angel Stadium THE PITCHERS ANGELS LHP ANDREW HEANEY (0-0, 8.10) vs. A’s: 1-1, 4.85 At Angel Stadium: 3-3, 4.29 Hates to face: None Loves to face: None A’S RHP DANIEL GOSSETT (3-6, 5.49) vs. Angels: First game At Angel Stadium: First game Hates to face: None Loves to face: None UPCOMING matchups Tuesday: Angels (RHP Troy Scribner, 2-1, 4....

Ranking the top 10 sports events Aug. 28 to Sept. 3 you won’t want to miss: NO. 1: COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON OPENERS USC vs. WESTERN MICHIGAN Details/TV: At the Coliseum, Saturday at 2:15 p.m., Pac-12 Network UCLA vs. TEXAS A&M Details/TV: At the Rose Bowl, Sunday at 4:30 p.m., Channel 11 Admire Sam Daold while he’s still in got some Coliseum eligibility and a Heisman campaign. Also keep in mi...