In retrospect, we should have seen this coming.
*The Ohio State-Michigan-USC-Florida debate had held in place for the past three weeks, with USC moving up (as everyone said it would) after a victory over Notre Dame. We'd gone too long without a surprise, and were due one.
*By all apparent evidence, USC is not the number two team in the country. It may not be in the top five. Since falling behind 33-10 to Oregon State, the Trojans had played a few feet above their heads, culminating in a 20-point win over Notre Dame that, it is now clear, emotionally exhausted both the players and the fan base. A let-down was inevitable.
*Something has been up with John David Booty since the first half of the Notre Dame game, something seemingly based in his plant leg that--more important than any physical ailment--sapped his confidence. I lost count of the number of times ABC caught him in a palms-up look of incomprehension aimed toward the sideline. It is hard for me to think ill of a young man barely half my age--he is what he is, and he gave it his best.
*Finally, kudos to UCLA, whose chief advantages over USC--defensive line speed and kicking game--became the stories of the game.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
It's been an amazing run for the Trojans. If you're feeling down....and need a little pick-me-up look no further than the last 4 years. Wow!
Now 'SC fans look to the future. You have an embarassment of talent from Sr. all the way down to Freshmen. In fact the Arizona Player of the Year was just announced on Friday. A man-child at DE who just put USC as his favorite, this AFTER Charlie Weiss made an in home visit on Tuesday.
So remember, yours is a program the rest of us can only dream of being.
FIGHT ON!!!!!!
Well, I was rooting for them until the very end. But I have to agree, Booty looked out of synch much of the game. He never seemed to get comfortable. Even on the last drive, he never did give you that confident look or feel that we've all become used to.
I know it's no consolation, but I'm now hoping for a traditional PAC 10/Big 10 Rose Bowl game.
Post a Comment