Pat Haden
Encyclopedia
Patrick Capper "Pat" Haden (born January 23, 1953) is the athletic director
at the University of Southern California
. He played quarterback
for the USC Trojans
before playing professionally in the NFL
for the Los Angeles Rams
from 1976 to 1981. He is a Rhodes Scholar, was a practicing attorney from 1982 to 1987, and was a partner at Riordan, Lewis & Haden
, a private equity
firm, from 1987 to 2010. He is also known for his work as a former sportscaster, beginning with CBS Sports
in 1982, and ending his career in that field as a color commentator for NBC Sports
Notre Dame football coverage.
As a boy, Haden had a boyhood paper route, then worked at a shoe store where he also pushed accessories in order to earn an extra commission. He had the same mentality in sports, where he used smarts and toughness he gained from keeping up with his older brothers to compensate for physical shortcomings. By high school, his parents had moved to Southern California.
in La Puente, California
, where he became starting quarterback. He became close friends with teammate J.K. McKay, son of then-USC football coach John McKay; the two were opposites: J.K. was quick-witted and easygoing, while Haden was not. Some have attributed his introverted nature in grade school as a result of being teased for his unique middle name. Haden and McKay shared the CIF Southern Section
Player of the Year award in 1970. When Haden's parents had to move again, he stayed with the McKays for his senior year of high school. He was highly sought after and was recruited by many schools, including Notre Dame
. Haden was inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame in 1995.
appearances and won two national championships. In the final game of his college career, the 1975 Rose Bowl, he was named co-MVP
. Haden also was a recipient of the Today's Top V Award
in 1975, which at the time honored five (now eight) senior student-athletes. He was put into the GTE Academic All-American Hall of Fame in 1988. He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1995. An athletic and academic stand-out, he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship
.
for the Southern California Sun
, which allowed him to attend school at Oxford University under his Rhodes Scholarship. His decision to go to the United Kingdom
for schooling hurt his NFL possibilities and he dropped to the 7th round of the NFL Draft
.
Haden made the Los Angeles Rams' roster in 1976 as the third quarterback behind James Harris and Ron Jaworski
. When both Harris and Jaworski were injured, Haden was pressed into duty in the fifth game of the season. He responded by playing mostly mistake-free football, letting running backs Lawrence McCutcheon
and John Cappelletti
shoulder the offensive load, passing only occasionally. He led the Rams to the NFC Western Division title and a 14–12 upset of the defending NFC champion Dallas Cowboys
in the opening round, but the Rams fell to the Minnesota Vikings
in the NFC Championship Game.
Even as Haden played well, the Rams wanted experience and a stronger arm at the quarterback position for the 1977 NFL season
. Harris was released and Jaworski was traded, and the Rams decided to give creaky veteran Joe Namath
a chance. Namath started the first four games, but it was evident his knees couldn't take it anymore, so the Rams went back to Haden. Haden led the Rams to eight victories in the last 10 games, winning the NFC West and making the playoffs once again. Their first-round opponent was once again the Vikings at home, but the Rams lost 14–7 in the Mud Bowl.
Haden was rewarded with the starting position from day one in 1978. The Rams started fast, going 8-0, but tailed off to 12-4, still winning their third straight NFC West Division title. Haden threw a pair of touchdown passes and led the Rams to a 34-10 victory against the Vikings in the first round of the playoffs. The Dallas Cowboys
, however, walloped the Rams 28-0 in the 1978 NFC Championship Game on their way to the Super Bowl
. Haden was voted the Washington D.C. Touchdown Club
NFC Player of the Year of the 1978 season.
Haden began the 1979 season as the starter, but a broken finger midway through the season sidelined him in favor of Vince Ferragamo
. Ferragamo ended up leading the Rams to Super Bowl XIV
.
Because of Rams' coach Ray Malavasi
's policy of giving an injured starter his job back, Haden began the 1980 season as the starter with Ferragamo as the backup. Haden was largely ineffective in the first two games and was benched while Ferragamo passed for a then Rams-record 30 touchdown passes.
Ferragamo, however, bolted the Rams for the Canadian Football League
. Haden once again went into the 1981 season as starter, but was injured midway through the season. After the season, while recovering from knee surgery and contemplating retirement, he got a call from CBS
about a broadcast job and decided to take the job.
for NBC Sports
' coverage of Notre Dame
college football
, and held similar duties for their Arena Football coverage from 2003 through 2006 and Fox Sports
' Bowl Championship Series
coverage in 2008. His position as the Notre Dame color commentator is ironic in that he, as USC's quarterback in 1974, helped orchestrate one of Notre Dame's greatest losses (and, conversely, one of USC's greatest wins, known as "The Comeback"). The Trojans won 55–24 despite trailing 24–0 at one point and 24–6 at halftime. Haden admits that his mother wanted him to go to Notre Dame and always lights a candle in her memory at the grotto whenever he is on campus. Haden is also a member of the USC Board of Trustees.
Haden also previously was a color man for CBS Sports
' college football coverage (being one of a three-man booth with former Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian
and play-by-play man Brent Musburger
, and later working with Jim Nantz
), and provided color commentary for TNT's Sunday night football coverage and Westwood One
's radiocasts, primarily working the Sunday night schedule which immediately followed his TV commitments (at the time, TNT and ESPN
split the Sunday night games between them, with TNT broadcasting the first half of the season and ESPN the second half).
, a private equity
firm based in Los Angeles that focuses on making investments in growing, profitable businesses with $20 – 200 million in revenue. He has served as a director of a number of RLH portfolio companies including TetraTech, Systems Management Specialists, Data Processing Resources Corporation (formerly NASDAQ: DPRC), The Apothecary Shops, and Adohr Farms. Haden remained a partner at RLH until assuming the position of Athletic Director for the University of Southern California.
as the USC Trojans athletic director on Aug. 3, 2010.
, a J.D.
from Loyola Law School
and a B.A. in economics from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar.
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. He played quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the USC Trojans
USC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the Trojans, the women's athletic teams are referred to as either the Trojans or Women of Troy...
before playing professionally in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
from 1976 to 1981. He is a Rhodes Scholar, was a practicing attorney from 1982 to 1987, and was a partner at Riordan, Lewis & Haden
Riordan, Lewis & Haden
Riordan, Lewis & Haden is a private equity firm based in Los Angeles that focuses on making investments in growing, profitable businesses with $20–200 million in revenue. The firm, which was founded in 1982, currently manages over $400 million in committed capital...
, a private equity
Private equity
Private equity, in finance, is an asset class consisting of equity securities in operating companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange....
firm, from 1987 to 2010. He is also known for his work as a former sportscaster, beginning with CBS Sports
CBS Sports
CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
in 1982, and ending his career in that field as a color commentator for NBC Sports
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
Notre Dame football coverage.
Early years
Haden was born in New York to working-class Irish parents, the fourth of five children. He had a close relationship with his mother, Helen Haden, who told her children to "Live your life so that you have standing room only at your funeral."As a boy, Haden had a boyhood paper route, then worked at a shoe store where he also pushed accessories in order to earn an extra commission. He had the same mentality in sports, where he used smarts and toughness he gained from keeping up with his older brothers to compensate for physical shortcomings. By high school, his parents had moved to Southern California.
High school career
Haden played high school football at Bishop Amat Memorial High SchoolBishop Amat Memorial High School
Bishop Amat Memorial High School is a co-ed Catholic high school serving the San Gabriel Valley in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and was founded in 1957. The campus is located in La Puente, California, approximately 20 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in Los Angeles County...
in La Puente, California
La Puente, California
La Puente is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 39,816 at the 2010 census.* City flower: The Golden Hibiscus* City colors: Green and White.-History:...
, where he became starting quarterback. He became close friends with teammate J.K. McKay, son of then-USC football coach John McKay; the two were opposites: J.K. was quick-witted and easygoing, while Haden was not. Some have attributed his introverted nature in grade school as a result of being teased for his unique middle name. Haden and McKay shared the CIF Southern Section
CIF Southern Section
C.I.F. Southern Section is the largest of the ten sections that comprise the California Interscholastic Federation . Its membership includes most public and private high schools in Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Mono and Inyo counties, as...
Player of the Year award in 1970. When Haden's parents had to move again, he stayed with the McKays for his senior year of high school. He was highly sought after and was recruited by many schools, including Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. Haden was inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame in 1995.
College career
Both Haden and J.K. McKay joined the highly regarded USC Trojans under head coach John McKay; the two joined a group of friends in living at an apartment building just off campus. At USC, he made it to three Rose BowlRose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
appearances and won two national championships. In the final game of his college career, the 1975 Rose Bowl, he was named co-MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
. Haden also was a recipient of the Today's Top V Award
Today's Top VIII Award
The Today's Top VIII Award is given each year by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to honor eight outstanding senior student-athletes of the preceding calendar year. From 1973 through 1985, this award was known as the Today's Top V Award or the Top Five Award and was given to honor five...
in 1975, which at the time honored five (now eight) senior student-athletes. He was put into the GTE Academic All-American Hall of Fame in 1988. He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1995. An athletic and academic stand-out, he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
.
Professional career
Haden played one season in the World Football LeagueWorld Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
for the Southern California Sun
Southern California Sun
The Southern California Sun were an American football team based out of Anaheim, California that played in the World Football League in 1974 and 1975. Their records were 13-7 in 1974 and 7-5 in 1975. Their home stadium was Anaheim Stadium...
, which allowed him to attend school at Oxford University under his Rhodes Scholarship. His decision to go to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for schooling hurt his NFL possibilities and he dropped to the 7th round of the NFL Draft
1975 NFL Draft
The 1975 National Football League Draft was held on January 28–29, 1975.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
.
Haden made the Los Angeles Rams' roster in 1976 as the third quarterback behind James Harris and Ron Jaworski
Ron Jaworski
Ronald Vincent "Ron" Jaworski is a former American football quarterback and currently an NFL analyst on ESPN. He is also CEO of Ron Jaworski Golf Management, Inc., based out of Blackwood, New Jersey, and manages golf courses in southern New Jersey, northeast Pennsylvania, and West Virginia...
. When both Harris and Jaworski were injured, Haden was pressed into duty in the fifth game of the season. He responded by playing mostly mistake-free football, letting running backs Lawrence McCutcheon
Lawrence McCutcheon
Lawrence McCutcheon is a former American football running back for the Los Angeles Rams from 1972–1980, the Denver Broncos & Seattle Seahawks in 1980 and finished his playing career in 1981 with the Buffalo Bills, reuniting with his former Rams coach Chuck Knox.-Professional Career:McCutcheon was...
and John Cappelletti
John Cappelletti
John Cappelletti is a former professional American football running back for the NFL's Los Angeles Rams and the San Diego Chargers. Prior to his professional career, he attended the Pennsylvania State University, where he won the Heisman Trophy in 1973. He was inducted into the College Football...
shoulder the offensive load, passing only occasionally. He led the Rams to the NFC Western Division title and a 14–12 upset of the defending NFC champion Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in the opening round, but the Rams fell to the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
in the NFC Championship Game.
Even as Haden played well, the Rams wanted experience and a stronger arm at the quarterback position for the 1977 NFL season
1977 NFL season
The 1977 NFL season was the 58th regular season of the National Football League. The Seattle Seahawks were placed in the AFC West while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were slotted in the NFC Central....
. Harris was released and Jaworski was traded, and the Rams decided to give creaky veteran Joe Namath
Joe Namath
Joseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
a chance. Namath started the first four games, but it was evident his knees couldn't take it anymore, so the Rams went back to Haden. Haden led the Rams to eight victories in the last 10 games, winning the NFC West and making the playoffs once again. Their first-round opponent was once again the Vikings at home, but the Rams lost 14–7 in the Mud Bowl.
Haden was rewarded with the starting position from day one in 1978. The Rams started fast, going 8-0, but tailed off to 12-4, still winning their third straight NFC West Division title. Haden threw a pair of touchdown passes and led the Rams to a 34-10 victory against the Vikings in the first round of the playoffs. The Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, however, walloped the Rams 28-0 in the 1978 NFC Championship Game on their way to the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
. Haden was voted the Washington D.C. Touchdown Club
Washington D.C. Touchdown Club
The Washington D.C. Touchdown Club was started in 1935 with a passion for charity and sports. In the ensuing years the Club has benefited many local charities as well as providing scholarships to deserving student/athletes....
NFC Player of the Year of the 1978 season.
Haden began the 1979 season as the starter, but a broken finger midway through the season sidelined him in favor of Vince Ferragamo
Vince Ferragamo
Vince Anthony Ferragamo is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the National Football League and Canadian Football League.-College career:...
. Ferragamo ended up leading the Rams to Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
.
Because of Rams' coach Ray Malavasi
Ray Malavasi
Ray Malavasi was a former football coach who served as head coach of two National Football League teams: the Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Rams....
's policy of giving an injured starter his job back, Haden began the 1980 season as the starter with Ferragamo as the backup. Haden was largely ineffective in the first two games and was benched while Ferragamo passed for a then Rams-record 30 touchdown passes.
Ferragamo, however, bolted the Rams for the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. Haden once again went into the 1981 season as starter, but was injured midway through the season. After the season, while recovering from knee surgery and contemplating retirement, he got a call from CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
about a broadcast job and decided to take the job.
Broadcasting career
After spending a few years at CBS, Haden was hired to do color commentatorColor commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
for NBC Sports
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
' coverage of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
, and held similar duties for their Arena Football coverage from 2003 through 2006 and Fox Sports
Fox Sports (USA)
Fox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
' Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
coverage in 2008. His position as the Notre Dame color commentator is ironic in that he, as USC's quarterback in 1974, helped orchestrate one of Notre Dame's greatest losses (and, conversely, one of USC's greatest wins, known as "The Comeback"). The Trojans won 55–24 despite trailing 24–0 at one point and 24–6 at halftime. Haden admits that his mother wanted him to go to Notre Dame and always lights a candle in her memory at the grotto whenever he is on campus. Haden is also a member of the USC Board of Trustees.
Haden also previously was a color man for CBS Sports
CBS Sports
CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
' college football coverage (being one of a three-man booth with former Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian
Ara Parseghian
Ara Raoul Parseghian is a former American football player and coach of Armenian descent. He served as the head football coach at Miami University , Northwestern University , and the University of Notre Dame , compiling a career college football record of 170–58–6...
and play-by-play man Brent Musburger
Brent Musburger
Brent Woody Musburger is an American sportscaster for the ESPN and ABC television networks. Formerly with CBS Sports and one of the original members of their legendary program The NFL Today, Musburger has covered NASCAR, NBA, MLB, NCAA football and basketball games. Musburger has also served as a...
, and later working with Jim Nantz
Jim Nantz
James William Nantz, III is an American sportscaster, known primarily for his work with CBS Sports television.-Early life:...
), and provided color commentary for TNT's Sunday night football coverage and Westwood One
NFL on Westwood One
The NFL on Westwood One is the brand name given to weekly National Football League games carried on the radio over the Dial Global Radio Network...
's radiocasts, primarily working the Sunday night schedule which immediately followed his TV commitments (at the time, TNT and ESPN
ESPN Sunday Night Football
ESPN Sunday Night Football is the ESPN cable network's weekly television broadcasts of Sunday evening National Football League games. The first ESPN Sunday night broadcast occurred on November 8, 1987, while the last one aired on January 1, 2006....
split the Sunday night games between them, with TNT broadcasting the first half of the season and ESPN the second half).
Private equity career
In 1987, he joined Riordan, Lewis & HadenRiordan, Lewis & Haden
Riordan, Lewis & Haden is a private equity firm based in Los Angeles that focuses on making investments in growing, profitable businesses with $20–200 million in revenue. The firm, which was founded in 1982, currently manages over $400 million in committed capital...
, a private equity
Private equity
Private equity, in finance, is an asset class consisting of equity securities in operating companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange....
firm based in Los Angeles that focuses on making investments in growing, profitable businesses with $20 – 200 million in revenue. He has served as a director of a number of RLH portfolio companies including TetraTech, Systems Management Specialists, Data Processing Resources Corporation (formerly NASDAQ: DPRC), The Apothecary Shops, and Adohr Farms. Haden remained a partner at RLH until assuming the position of Athletic Director for the University of Southern California.
Athletic director
Haden replaced Mike GarrettMike Garrett
Michael Lockett Garrett is a former American collegiate and professional football player who won the 1965 Heisman Trophy as a tailback for the University of Southern California Trojans. Garrett also played professional football for eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers...
as the USC Trojans athletic director on Aug. 3, 2010.
Education
Haden received a B.A., magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Loyola Law School
Loyola Law School
Loyola Law School is the law school of Loyola Marymount University, a private Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions, in Los Angeles, California. Loyola was established in 1920. Like Loyola University Chicago School of Law and Loyola University New Orleans College of Law , it...
and a B.A. in economics from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar.
Community activities
Haden has served on numerous nonprofit boards. He sits on the boards of the Rose Hills Foundation and the Fletcher Jones Foundation, and has also served on the boards of non-profit organizations including the University of Southern California, the Good Samaritan Hospital, Boys Town of Southern California, the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Los Angeles, and the Crippled Children's Society of Los Angeles. He is former chair of the March of Dimes Reading Olympics in Los Angeles and the Boys Life National Illiteracy Campaign.External links
- Pat Haden Profile at USC Legends