OT: MGoObituary - USC's Charles White passes away at 64
Shocking news... partly because 64 is too young and partly because for for Gen Xers or older, we remember Charles White getting awarded a touchdown while fumbling on the 2 yard line.
Nevertheless, White was very accomplished:
- '79 and '79 Rose Bowl MVP
- Heisman Trophy in 1979.
- Trojans’ career rushing leader with 6,245 yards.
RIP
January 11th, 2023 at 11:36 PM ^
Holy crap my editing is terrible... another 12 hour day at work.
First bullet should read '78 and '79 RB MVP
January 11th, 2023 at 11:44 PM ^
What do you do for work?
January 12th, 2023 at 12:00 AM ^
Information security.
January 12th, 2023 at 7:27 AM ^
For the FAA?
January 12th, 2023 at 10:21 AM ^
If I can ever help it, and tech is a young person's game, I will never work a gov't project or for a gov't agency ever again as long as I'm still breathing.
January 12th, 2023 at 7:45 AM ^
MGoUsername checks out... I always figured that, anyway - the name is a dead giveaway!
January 12th, 2023 at 10:21 AM ^
Ha.
I have worked a couple of gov't projects early in my career but STIG for me is the Top Gear (original) driver not DISA.
I found the buffoonery of gov't projects to suck the soul out of me. So I'm in industry now and presently working at a security startup trying to IPO in the next 12-24 months.
January 11th, 2023 at 11:40 PM ^
He didn't actually score that touchdown, but the dude was a phenomenal player. Scary good.
January 12th, 2023 at 7:52 AM ^
I was in a bar in Honolulu in '95 and recognized him. The place wasn't too busy so I went up and confirmed that it was him, told him I was an Ann Arbor native, Michigan grad and lifelong Michigan fan and that he could ease some old pain of mine if he acknowledged to me that he fumbled before reaching the end zone. He did and I appreciate it to this day. RIP Charles.
January 12th, 2023 at 12:46 PM ^
Story checks out as actually cool, bro. Eases the pain of 9 year old me who actually cried after that game.
January 12th, 2023 at 1:27 PM ^
I feel you--I was 15 when he didn't fumble and so was more angry and dismayed than tearful on the surface. Carried that pain in my back pocket until Charles relieved me of said burden.
January 12th, 2023 at 6:32 PM ^
You make the call. Either way, RIP Charles White. You died far too young.
January 11th, 2023 at 11:43 PM ^
There are no fumbles in heaven, only touchdowns.
Rest in peace, Charles.
January 11th, 2023 at 11:44 PM ^
Wholesome
January 12th, 2023 at 8:48 AM ^
my thoughts exactly. TD charles white!
i do remember him being widely recognized as the single toughest football player in the NFL.
January 11th, 2023 at 11:47 PM ^
JT was short.
RIP Charles and Jeff.
January 12th, 2023 at 1:39 AM ^
Delano lays the wood, Wormley spins the top, and the linesman and center judge lay an egg.
Epic https://mgoblog.com/diaries/resolving-parallax-error
Where was the VAR system in 2016?
January 12th, 2023 at 8:09 AM ^
Serious question. Would you ever want victory simply due to an ass patting (on the Buckeye RB earlier in the same game-video is out there) Linesman spot decision (pretty sure the same guy)?
Personally I wouldn't as anyone with an ethical bone in their body would know what really happened. If I get beat straight up then fine but too much rides in these games where a review should get it right and historically biased officials should never be involved.
You should never be penalized by what happens on the next play or on earlier uninvolved plays as they are what you and the team controlled. Separate issue and discussion with its own merits.
Curious about an equivalent in our favor as I can't think of any. Maybe that is my bias of memory. PSU/Manningham was legit leaving the second as I recall. That is the only one close I can think of.
January 12th, 2023 at 10:16 AM ^
Everyone points to this spot as the reason that game was lost. I disagree. Spots happen all the time - every time the chain comes out, hell every time the ball is spotted after a play! No, what gets me are all the other non-calls that game featured. The spot was bad, but not as bad in the big picture as the rest of that obviously corruptly called game. The most corruptly called game I can ever remember watching.
And I don't think the B1G, or NCAA, or TV, or anything else directed them to call it that way. There was no conspiracy, nor do I think any money changed hands as a result. I think it was just a couple OSU fanboys and one or two anti-Harbaugh/Michigan refs that somehow ended up on the same crew, and the B1G didn't see a problem because officials are supposed to be 'impartial'. And honestly, they mostly are - if not just bad at officiating. But that crew was anything but impartial...
January 12th, 2023 at 10:24 AM ^
Everyone points to this spot as the reason that game was lost. I disagree.
Me too.
Blowing the coverage on the next play cost Michigan the game.
What was going on in the other 59:50 of the game as well that this *one* play cost Michigan the game? Moral of the story -- play your game and never put the game in the hands of the refs.
January 12th, 2023 at 10:42 AM ^
This is the second story I've heard like this. a friend approached him at a fund raiser for addiction rehabilitation in LA. White freely admitted not carrying the football in and was both gracious and sympathetic, although he wasn't giving back the TD.
I about puked when it happened.
And yes, I was drinking heavily, more so after.
Helluva play by Ron Simpkins there.
January 12th, 2023 at 10:26 AM ^
I love how the reference that game was that two of the officials were from Michigan, so it was even some how, while ignoring that one or either of them could be a supporter of the the spittle dripping, kick-line contingent.
January 11th, 2023 at 11:59 PM ^
I was watching the replay of that game the other day ---- OJ was a color commentator! He was absurdly biased too (towards USC, of course).
I know some folk think Kirk is slightly biased (I don't fully agree), but yeesh nothing today is ridiculous as that.
RIP to Charles White --- he was a great at the collegiate level.
January 12th, 2023 at 12:02 AM ^
Kirk plays it straight down the middle on ESPN/ABC.
When he had his radio show in ohio, before they ran him out of the state, it was a completely different story.
Which is okay.
Michigan had Ufer... who is the poster child for being a homer.
January 12th, 2023 at 12:23 AM ^
Herbstreit is far from impartial. Plenty of OSU losses he goes silent near the end of the broadcast and looks like he’s going to cry during the wrap up.
Ufer wasn’t a national broadcaster. I want my local broadcaster to be a homer.
January 12th, 2023 at 1:12 AM ^
January 12th, 2023 at 7:33 AM ^
The Juice sounded very impartial to me there.
January 12th, 2023 at 9:07 AM ^
Yeah, he actually said he thought it was a fumble and that the ball hadn't crossed the goal line.
January 12th, 2023 at 7:38 AM ^
It really was such an epically bad call.
January 12th, 2023 at 3:06 AM ^
OJ probably killed it as an announcer.
January 12th, 2023 at 8:35 AM ^
He's still looking for his calls.
January 12th, 2023 at 7:42 AM ^
That play haunted me for years - will never forget, don't even have to watch it. I wanted the game so badly for Bo.
January 12th, 2023 at 10:00 AM ^
OJ was a color commentator! He was absurdly biased too (towards USC, of course)
He actually wasn't. He said right when the play happened that he thought it was a fumble. And then he reiterated that again during the replays. He was also trying to be fair throughout the game.
January 12th, 2023 at 12:36 AM ^
RIP Charles. You were a fantastic athlete. All my rage at your sleight of hand, or should I say Ron Simpkins', had nothing to do with your amazing ability.
Life is short. We don't need anymore reminders, but they keep coming.
January 12th, 2023 at 12:58 AM ^
Wow, way too young. I was in the 10th grade when the phantom TD occurred in the Rose Bowl against Michigan. RIP Charles.
January 12th, 2023 at 2:58 AM ^
I love how people complain about speculative posts about JH, but random obits are just fine.
January 12th, 2023 at 4:13 AM ^
Random? Charles White and UM are inextricably linked, like JT Barrett and UM always will be. I would argue this doesn't even need an OT.
January 12th, 2023 at 7:52 AM ^
This is a blog about college football, primarily Michigan, but college football nonetheless. Why wouldn't a Heisman Trophy winner with a legendary, iconic play against Michigan be not worthy of a post here?
Do you even college football?
January 12th, 2023 at 7:55 AM ^
I tend to agree with you. This isn't the obit section of the Post, this is a sports blog. I don't particularly enjoy seeing "RIP: Random name I've never heard of" once or twice a week. It's depressing.
At least this one is an athlete with some connection to Michigan and not some random musician or B list actor.
January 12th, 2023 at 9:42 AM ^
If you’re referring to Jeff Beck, there was nothing random about him.
January 12th, 2023 at 7:56 AM ^
There used to be a picture clearly showing the fumble in one of the Crisler concourse trophy cases. It was from the goal line and the ball was circled in white, free falling between the 1-2 yard line markers. Not sure if it's still there - that memory comes from the early 80' - but it should be prominently displayed to this day.
January 12th, 2023 at 8:27 AM ^
It was still there in 1990 when I was working at Crisler.
January 12th, 2023 at 8:28 AM ^
TBH I thought White had died 25 years ago from his drug use.
*Upon reflection, I think I was conflating him with UCLA's Don Rogers, another PAC 10 player who made Michigan's life miserable in a Rose Bowl.
January 12th, 2023 at 8:44 AM ^
White did have a drug abuse problem. Ricky Bell died at age 29. Could you have been thinking of him?
January 12th, 2023 at 12:24 PM ^
No, I think it was Rogers who I was confusing White with. I know that White had drug issues, but so did Rogers, who died of a cocaine-induced heart attack in 1986.
Bell's death was due to heart failure caused by dermatomyositis.
January 12th, 2023 at 8:49 AM ^
RIP. Great player, and according to guys who played at the time, a great person as well who overcame addiction and helped others.
I know he only made it to 64 but they should credit him for 65.
January 12th, 2023 at 10:26 AM ^
I know he only made it to 64 but they should credit him for 65
Brilliant!