let's remember ROD DEDEAUX of USC

When Rod Dedeaux stopped coaching baseball at USC after the 1986 season to become USC's Director of Baseball, he left behind a record that may never be surpassed. He had winning seasons in 41 of his 45 years - one stretch, USC went 37 years without a losing campaign. HIs 1,332 wins (only 571 losses and 11 ties) were more than any other Division I coach in history until Texas' Clif Gustafson eclipsed the mark in 1994. Dedeaux was apart of 11 Trojan national championships (he had 10 of his own and co-coached with Barry on the other). During one stretch from 1970-1974 Dedeaux's Trojans played in the CWS final game each year, winning in '71 and '72.

He developed many future professionals. I once had the opportunity to ask Coach Dedeaux how many of his players had signed professional baseball contracts . . . . he mulled a second then gave me the "Tiger, has to be over 250".

He was the head coach of America's first Olympic baseball team that played in the finals during the LA Olympics at Dodger Stadiumin 1984.

And yet when ESPN aired their shows highlighting the 20th Century's "best of" . . . . sadly Rod Dedeaux didn't even get mentioned.