LenDale White is holding his ground.
The former USC tailback, who was escorted out of the Coliseum by game security personnel and Los Angeles Police Dept. officers after the Trojans’ victory over Colorado, said Monday that Athletic Director Pat Haden or another school administrator kicked him out.
White’s exit was captured on video by The Times and other outlets.
“My problem is not with USC,” White said in a telephone interview. “To me it’s just a little fishy, and I was always taught the fish stinks at the head.”
“I’m just being honest.”
White had been critical of the Trojans’ coaching staff on Twitter during USC’s victory at Arizona. But he was on the sideline during the Colorado game and engaged with fans in the stands, even taking photographs.
A USC athletic department spokesman said White was “loud and disrespectful,” during a sideline conversation with Haden, and that Haden did not see White after the game or order his removal from the Coliseum.
“LenDale was a great player and will always be respected for his great play here at USC,” the spokesman said.
White denied that he was disrespectful toward Haden.
“Pat told me we were clearly good and I was welcome to come to the university any time,” White said.
White said he spoke briefly with USC players Cody Kessler and Su’a Cravens after the game and then started to walk up the Coliseum tunnel.
“And that’s when it started getting a little weird,” he said.
White said he was followed by security personnel.
“I said, ‘What’s the problem?’ and they said, ‘They don’t want you here,’” White said. “I said, ‘Who said that?’ But they wouldn’t tell me.”
“Obviously, that had to come from someone with power.”
White was standing outside the Trojans’ locker room before he was removed. He said he did not try to enter the locker room.
As he was leaving, he told The Times, “You can win championships for this program, but you can’t voice your opinion.”
Later he wrote on Twitter: “I can’t believe @ADHadenUSC kicked me out of #thecoli shook my hand then had me escorted out. I’m still at a loss for words!!!”
“I stood [outside] at the top of the locker room and said, ‘Pat just told me I was welcome here at any time. Can someone get Pat?’” White said Monday.
White said it was “hurtful” to be treated that way.
“Everybody saw what happened,” he said. “I love my USC Trojans.”
White said no one from USC had reached out to him since the incident.
“Nobody has reached out, but that’s all right,” he said. “I’m just the all-time leading scorer at the university.”
White said he would probably return to the Coliseum for the Trojans’ Nov. 29 season finale against Notre Dame.
He said that as USC recruits new players, it should be mindful of how it treats former players.
“I’m pretty sure if recruits find out they treat their alumni like that, they’re not going to come,” he said.
Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
