COLLEGE FOOTBALL O.J. Simpson pays visit to USC practice

The former Trojan running back won the Heisman in 1968.
MIAMI (AP) -- For the first time in more than eight years, O.J. Simpson attended a USC football practice Saturday, mingling and chatting with players, giving some of them autographs and posing for pictures with others.
"I never thought I would be watching SC practice here on New Year's. Never, never," said Simpson, who was a star for the Trojans in the 1960s and won the 1968 Heisman Trophy.
Simpson, 55, now lives in Miami, and he's had little contact with the school since a Los Angeles jury acquitted him in 1995 of murder charges in the deaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman.
A civil jury later held Simpson liable for the killings and ordered him to pay the victims' survivors $33.5 million. His Heisman was sold to meet part of the obligation.
He has always maintained his innocence.
Simpson seemed in high spirits at the USC practice, pumping coach Pete Carroll's hand and smiling. He hugged many of the coaches and players, including this year's Heisman winner, quarterback Carson Palmer.
Simpson congratulated Palmer, saying, "It's great to finally have another Heisman winner at SC."
He chuckled and added, "But a quarterback?"
Palmer said, "Yeah, I know, it's strange. This has always been 'Tailback U.' " The Trojans' other Heisman winners were tailbacks Mike Garrett (1965), Charles White (1979) and Marcus Allen (1981).
Carroll seemed pleased to have Simpson visit the team.
"It's a little different out here today," Carroll said, grinning. "It's his school, and the guys were excited to see him. He's a legend. At SC, our guys hold a Heisman Trophy winner in high regard."
Tailback Justin Fargas was especially happy to talk with Simpson, a Hall of Famer who set a then-record of 2,003 yards rushing with the Buffalo Bills in 1973.
"I've always admired his running style," Fargas said. "The first time I got a football uniform, I wanted No. 32 to be like 'The Juice.' I feel great just being part of the tailback tradition here."