The first cry for help occurred seven weeks ago, at USC's "Salute to Troy" banquet, when Steve Sarkisian's long-rumored alcohol problem surfaced in an ugly incident that brought his onstage appearance to an abrupt end.
USC didn't listen. How could the Trojans replace a head coach less than a week before the season? Fight on!
The second cry for help occurred four days later at a news conference during which Sarkisian openly acknowledged he might have a drinking problem while shaking, sweating and acting clearly unstable.
USC didn't listen. In fact, officials immediately trotted their two team leaders in front of the media to defend him.