| Baker is humble Leader for USC |
Sam Baker
Sam Baker is a two-time All-American at offensive tackle. Because he anchors a USC line that will be scrutinized in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day, needing to redeem itself after an unsteady, if not downright confused, performance in the recent loss to UCLA.
"Oh," he said. "Yeah."
Standing a massive 6 feet 5, with close-cropped hair and a wisp of a beard, Baker wants to help. He is good-natured and thoughtful. It’s just that he doesn’t talk much around strangers.
His actions, it seems, speak louder than words.
Such as the time he showed up on his father’s doorstep at 3 a.m., distraught after last season’s loss to Texas in the national championship game.
Or the afternoon at Washington State this fall when he came off the field after getting beat by a pass rusher, his coach hurrying over to calm him.
Or the gloomy hours after the UCLA game, when he approached the guys who play beside him, especially the seniors, and apologized.
"He’ll always be the first guy to blame himself," center Ryan Kalil said. "Even if it’s not his fault."
This is what you get with Baker. A pleasant young man — "Probably the funniest guy you’d ever be around," Kalil said — who nonetheless harbors a vein of angst. A nationally acclaimed player who is not satisfied.
Go back to 2003 when he arrived at USC as a prep All-American but barely made it through the first practice. His high school team had emphasized power-lifting and the Trojans were all about agility and endurance.
Coach Pete Carroll recalls it as one of the worst training-camp starts in his six years at USC.
| " | My Childhood dream was to wear a USC Jersey every Saturday |
