Galippo apologizes for post-game jabs at Irish
Senior linebacker Chris Galippo apologized Monday for comments made in the wake of USC’s 31-17 victory at Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., on Saturday.
“If I offended anyone with my postgame comments Saturday, I do apologize,” Galippo tweeted. “I have great respect for their players and their program.”
Galippo said the Irish had “quit” after opting not to call timeouts in the waning minutes of the game — allowing the Trojans to run out the clock.
Galippo was originally recruited by Notre Dame out of high school, along with USC.
“At the end there, when they didn’t call those timeouts, they just quit,” Galippo said in the moments following the game. “That’s what Notre Dame football is about. They’re not anything like USC.”
USC coach Lane Kiffin apologized to Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly via telephone for Galippo’s remarks.
During a conference call with the media Sunday night, Kiffin said he had spoken with Galippo about the comments and assured the media that the matter had been resolved on both sides, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“On behalf of our football program, I apologize for Chris Galippo’s statements after the game,” Kiffin told reporters during the teleconference. “I also called coach Kelly to personally apologize. As I said to the media immediately after the game, I thought Notre Dame played extremely hard throughout the game.”
Kiffin did say he was surprised at how the Fighting Irish handled the end of the game.
“Obviously, [more than] two minutes left with three timeouts, there’s a lot of football left,” Kiffin said in regard to Notre Dame not using [its] timeouts toward the end of the contest. “But I’m not complaining.”
Galippo wasn’t the only player surprised with Notre Dame’s late-game strategy Saturday.
Junior quarterback Matt Barkley expressed similar sentiments during an interview with Max Kellerman and Marcellus Wiley on 710 ESPN radio in Los Angeles on Monday.
“It seemed from our sideline and our perspective that they did give up,” Barkley said. “It seemed uncharacteristic of Notre Dame. I wouldn’t have wanted to have been on that sideline.”
I cogratulate the Trojan football team for the decisive victory over Notre Dame, but I think the comments made by many in the USC football showed an utter lack of class, and reflect poorly on your wonderful university. Did Chris Galippo really apologize, or is this a case of the athletic department writing a script that was then routed to the press via the head coach? You came to town, to our house, you dominated from the opening whistle to the final gun. Take your well-deserved victory, and simply leave for home with grace. One might say that there is a certain karma attached to the end story of this game,and it cannot be one that the nation of Troy needs after the escapades of your recent past.
The kids (Gallipo, Barkley) are just calling it as they see it. I’m not at all surprise that the Irish handled the last few minutes of the game with all time outs still available for them.
“the un-luck of the irish.”
@tommytrojan09
Kelly even told the press that his team “doesnt know how to win”. Yes they do, but their coach gave up, not the players. Kiffin’s response was politically correct, though it cant change the fact that Kelly lost his team.
SC needs to shut up and play Trojan football. These comments are low class and reflect a lack of maturity. Guess next years ND motivation? Barkley and Gallipo have not always been at their best!