His play on Barkley is etched in my mind forever. Loved him as a Viking and will be rooting for him.
If he were coming out nowadays he’d be considered an edge rusher but the Vikings sparingly used him in that role. He has made 3 or 4 pro bowls and has had a pretty darn good 7 seasons or so…
Also, his little bro will be our kicker and punter it looks like.
I was at that game, and that play on Barkley was as cathartic a moment as I can remember as a Bruin fan.
It wasn't just one play, it was a release for the Bruin fans after losing 12 out of 13 and 5 in a row, including the 50-0 indignity just the year before. Barkley was running his mouth about "unfinished business" and Bruin fans still remembered his s**t-eating grin after running that late trick play on the Bruins as a freshman.
I expected Barkley to turn pro the year before. But, I was actually glad to see him come back for one final year. It meant that the Bruins would have a chance at redemption against him. Going into the season, the odds looked long, as Southern Cal was preseason #1 ranked. But, some fresh faces on the sidelines and a boost of confidence for the defense by switching to Lou Spanos' 3-4 scheme, and the Bruins suddenly looked like the real deal against a disappointing Southern Cal team. They came into the game as a slight favorite.
UCLA got off to a sizable lead in that game, but once the rain started, Southern Cal began chipping away at the Bruin lead. Before the Barr sack, the outcome of the game was still in doubt.
Once Barr delivered that big hit, it had a major impact in the stands. Fans erupted. The game wasn't quite won, but it felt like a turning point in many ways. When Barkley didn't get up, that sort of hushed the fans because even against a hated nemesis, the Bruin fans in my section at least didn't like seeing a player get hurt.
Here's the scene at the end of the game with the crowd and players exalting in the rain.
How much was it supposed to take? The Christmas ornament "One more year" to Kiff at a tree trimming spectacle while Plaschke shamelessly Pens a remake of Its a wonderful life. Karma was a stud. It had enough.
