Ireland in the mix at event

When it comes to the Newport-Mesa area surely John Ireland is relevant. But tonight among an impressive group of guests at the All-Star Lowsman Banquet, the radio and TV sports reporter might just be as irrelevant as Ryan Succop.

Still, Ireland, a Corona del Mar High alumnus, will be the emcee of the Irrelevant Week annual event and will do his best to keep the crowd entertained. Introducing the guests at the head table should get everyone’s attention.

Several of them are affiliated with the University of Southern California, or as Mr. Irrelevant founder Paul Salata likes to say, the real USC. Salata will definitely have ammunition for that claim tonight at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa. He won’t be shy to remind Succop who’s in the house. Succop, a kicker drafted dead last in the NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, played at the University of South Carolina.

He’ll get to see Southern Cal alumni Ron Yary, Don Buford, Ron Mix and Matt Willig. Succop might just get roasted from others in the Trojan family, including former football coach Dave Levy and announcer Tom Keely, who has specialized in the history of USC football.

There’ll even be Sammy Lee, a two-time Olympic gold medalist diver who graduated from the USC School of Medicine, specializing in ear, nose and throat.

Succop’s specialty is kicking. He’s the No. 2 all-time leading scorer in Gamecocks’ history. But tonight at the banquet, he’ll be considered last. He’ll be presented the Lowsman Trophy, which features a little football player fumbling the ball.

However, Succop, Mr. Irrelevant XXXIV, won’t feel totally opposed to most at the banquet. He’ll be able to identify with former Mr. Irrelevants. Last year’s underdog of the hour, David Vobora, is expected to show up, as is Jim Finn, Mr. Irrelevant XXIV. They can boast of their success. They went from being the final pick of the draft to NFL starters.

Succop will try to match that and hopefully become as revered in Kansas City as a former Chiefs player that’s expected to be at the dinner. Christian Okoye, the former two-time Pro Bowl running back known as the Nigerian Nightmare, plans to also be in Newport Beach to meet the average-joe kicker whose last name is pronounced suck-up.

Okoye, who won the NFL rushing title in 1989 with 14,80 yards and 12 touchdowns, is in the Chiefs Hall of Fame.

Also expected to be in attendance will be Dave Baker, the former UC Irvine basketball player who went on to become the commissioner of the Arena Football League. Ed Arnold, co-anchor of the show Real Orange, as well as former NFL football official Jim Tunney will be at the head table, along with former super sports agent Leigh Steinberg and Orange Coast College football assistant coach Doug Smith, a former Los Angeles Rams player.