Steve Sarkisian apologized Sunday for his behavior at a USC football event on Saturday night where he was drunk and reportedly had to be pulled off stage after embarrassing himself.
The incident occurred at a Salute to Troy event, which is the annual school-sponsored event marking the beginning of the Trojans’ football season. It’s attended by big donors and it’s an event where the coaching staff is introduced. But Sark didn’t exactly comport himself like a professional at the event.
Pacific Takes gives a rundown of Sark’s behavior, which culminated with him being pulled off stage by AD Pat Haden and John McKay Jr.
– Sarkisian was definitely drunk at the event and slurring his words during the speech. That’s been confirmed by multiple sources at the party.
– Sarkisian dropped an F-Bomb while introducing his team to the donors.
– Sarkisian said that Oregon, Arizona State and Notre Dame all suck. Sark is 0-9 against Oregon and Arizona State and has always lost to the Ducks by three scores or more.
Haden, who has developed a reputation for demanding standup behavior from his coaches, issued a statement Sunday.
“I met with Coach Sarkisian and I expressed my disappointment in the way he represented himself and the University at our Salute To Troy event. While the details of our conversation will remain between us, I am confident he heard my message loud and clear.”
Sark must have, because the coach apologized.
“I sincerely apologize to my players and staff and to our fans for my behavior and my inappropriate language at our kickoff event Saturday night,” Sark said in the statement. “I have a responsibility to all of them and I let them down. Pat Haden talked to me after the event about my actions and I assured him this will not happen again.”
This is not the first time Haden has had to deal with a drunken USC head coach, and we know how the last one turned out. While Sark is in no danger of getting the ax any time soon, he just learned a valuable lesson about acting much more professionally while representing the Trojans.
We’re just hoping that getting drunk and embarrassing himself is not at all related to what’s going on in his persona life.
