Hlas: My Orange Bowl encounter with O.J. Simpson

It's O.J. Simpson Week on ESPN with the continuation of the brilliant 'OJ: Made in America' film.

Where does the footage come from? And, are there are any moments of celebrities' lives that aren't filmed or recorded. Even 20, 30 years ago before phones were cameras and tape recorders.

Anyway, I went to a USC practice in the days leading up to the Trojans' Orange Bowl game against Iowa grasping at straws for a column angle. Then we in the media who were waiting had learned Simpson was a welcomed guest at his alma mater's practice.

It was like Miami was covered in manna from heaven for me. This was too bizarre to be true. Standing near Simpson, hearing him rant about USC football, seeing some odd fellow get miniature Buffalo Bills helmets signed by Simpson, and hearing then-coach Pete Carroll say it was great to have Simpson there was just too strange.

As a columnist I had the license to treat this for what I thought it was. A priest left me a phone message ripping me for giving publicity to Simpson. The words he chose were not at all kind.

Believe me, I wish I could change the tone or approach to so many things I've written. And maybe I shouldn't have been so flippant about this. But the scene seemed so ludicrous. Here's the column from that day:

DAVIE, Fla. — Attention, Iowa Hawkeye fans: There is no statute of limitations on annoying University of Southern California supporters by invoking O.J. Simpson's name.

Judging by the scene at USC's Orange Bowl practice Saturday at Nova Southeastern University, Simpson is still very much a member of the Trojans' extended football family, whether USC fans like it or not.

'There's a lot of great names in the SC tradition that show up and come to our practice, and are proud of what we're doing right now,' USC Coach Pete Carroll said.

'It's great to see O.J. come out.'

'The Juice' moved to south Florida from the Los Angeles area not long after he was acquitted of charges he murdered ex-wife Nicole Simpson and her companion, Ronald Goldman. He clearly enjoyed the welcome he got from his alma mater's football successors, as well as the chance to see them go through a lively practice in full pads in preparation for a game against the Hawkeyes on Thursday night.

That was after O.J. played golf in the morning. Hey, he can't spend every waking minute trying to track down the real killer.

Then a USC running back, Simpson won the Heisman Trophy in 1968. He went on to a Hall of Fame career in the NFL, became an actor, a football television commentator, and the accused in one of the most-famous murder trials in the history of the court system.

(All right, readers, I have to stop for a moment and get something off my chest. If you had told me that one day I would be standing next to O.J. Simpson and asking him questions about a USC-Iowa football matchup in Miami, I would have said you're crazier than him.)

Simpson said he probably won't attend the Orange Bowl.

'I don't really go to many football games,' he said. 'I have a tough time during the course of a game, being in a crowd like that. Too many people. I like people. But it's normally work for me at a game with autographs and pictures.'

Everybody loves O.J . Everybody except many of those who, you know, think he's a double-murderer who slid off the hook. But you can't please everyone.

Simpson looked relaxed and upbeat Saturday, reveling in seeing his team back among the nation's elite.

'It's so great,' he said. 'The way they're playing, beating up teams, taking over games in the fourth quarter, getting physical with teams — it's the way we used to play and it just disappeared for the last 15, 20 years.

'That's what I like the most. Win or lose, I just like to see us go after people.'

(Pardon the interruption, readers, but if every O.J. quote sounds like a set-up for a punch line, it's not my fault. I have his comments on tape as proof.)

What Simpson said he really enjoyed this season were the Trojans' season-ending whompings of their two top rivals, UCLA and Notre Dame.

'It would have been no season no matter what they did if they didn't win those two games,' he said, 'and by winning those games it really proved that we're back.'

He then laughed and boasted, 'I've never lost to either one of those two teams.'

Get this: O.J. has gotten a lot of ribbing in recent years.

'I've taken so much stuff over the years from ... all these guys that are Notre Damers,' he said.

'In the past we'd make a bet on the (Notre Dame-USC game), and the loser would have to make a financial contribution to the other school's alumni fund.'

USC ended its three-game losing streak to Notre Dame last month with a 44-13 rout.

'We are SC!' Simpson roared when he relived the memory of that game.

(OK, I may have jumped back in fear when he gave that sudden shout. As if you wouldn't have.)