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16 June 2010
It wasn't long ago that USC seemed to be on the verge of dominating the college football world. They had it all – high-powered offenses, Heisman Trophies, an endless stream of high school All-Americans and a high-energy coach who was rarely seen without a smile on his face. Completing the Hollywood aura that encompassed the program were the celebrities on the sidelines, sunny weather and gorgeous girls in the stands. Depending on who you ask, they visited three straight national title games, winning two of them, and there seemed to be no end in sight to their dominance.
Now? Let's just say things have changed a bit.
Sure, they still have the sunny weather and beaches. I'm sure the girls in the crowd are just as beautiful as ever, and being in Los Angeles, it's a safe bet there will still be some famous faces on their sidelines for games this fall. But beyond that, the current USC football bears little resemblance to that fun loving, care-free bunch that ran roughshod through opponents in the early 2000s.
Now, this program that was once the envy of the college football world is now quickly becoming the punchline of jokes. The confidence they once had has been replaced by whimpering and whining. A once-proud attitude has given way to a defensive mindset, the kind of irrational logic that shows when the bully becomes the bullied.
It's one thing to be handed a severe punishment by the NCAA - more than one program has felt their heavy hand, and USC certainly won't be the last program to be sentenced. So the announcement that USC will be banned from postseason play for two years and have to forfeit scholarships for three years due to “lack of institutional control” relating to benefits received by ex-player Reggie Bush was definitely news-worthy, but not entirely shocking.
No, what's shocking has been the arrogance displayed by the program after the punishment was announced. Instead of accepting the punishment and moving on, USC has behaved like a petulant child who sticks out his tongue at his parents after having his hand caught in the cookie jar.
For instance, Athletic Director Mike Garrett dropped the following gem the day after the punishment was handed down.
“As I read the decision by the NCAA...I read between the lines and there was nothing but a lot of envy,” he said. “They all wish they were Trojans.”
Wow. You expect that kind of delusional, lopsided thinking from message board fans. But from the AD? Guess professionalism and class are not the strong suit of the USC Athletic Department. I'm still not entirely clear how the NCAA, the governing body of schools like USC, is actually jealous of USC, but who am I to argue with a guy who got his job based solely on the merits of being a Heisman Trophy winner?
But wait – there's more. Determined not to be outdone in the illogical comments contest, former coach Pete Carroll also decided to weigh in on the NCAA findings.
“One person can do this, go after a university and a kid, and nothing has to be true,” he said. “I've said this all along – there is no information that backs the claims. There's nothing there.”
Hmm – that's odd. If there was nothing there, then what was written on all those pages in the NCAA report? Seems to me there had to at least be a little something there. Or did the NCAA find that USC was completely in compliance with the rules and totally cooperative with the investigation...and then just decide to punish them for the heck of it? That certainly seems more likely than a star player receiving illegal benefits, doesn't it?
Of course, Carroll won't feel the wrath of any punishment. He managed to jump ship just before this came down, taking “an opportunity too good to pass up” with the Seattle Seahawks. Yes – the same Seahawks with seven playoff wins and a.482 winning percentage in 33 years of existence. So good luck convincing anyone your leap to the NFL was anything more than an escape from the NCAA. At least you won't have to worry about the big, bad NCAA unfairly picking on your poor, innocent student-athletes anymore, right Pete?
Instead, the Trojans will now look to a Lane Kiffin to guide them now, and even the most ignorant Trojan fan can’t be 100 percent thrilled with that prospect. After all, Kiffin has spent only one season as a college head coach, and in that season, he racked up as many secondary NCAA violations as he did victories. Kiffin’s biggest asset at this point is the recruiting ability of his staff, and even that will be tested over the next few seasons, as opponents will be sure to use the Trojans’ lack of postseason play and limited scholarships against them. Think Seantrel Henderson, knowing now he won’t see a bowl game until at least his junior year, would like to have another shot at Signing Day?
So this is what USC has come to. A once proud school that was widely respected and admired is now a mockery, spewing forth the same tired defenses of jealousy and victimization that do nothing but embarrass the image of the program. A coach who was arguably the best in the game for a few years is now doing his best to separate himself from the mess he allowed to form. An athletic director who used to sit on the throne of the best program in college football is now left to taking cheap shots in order to get a round of applause from boosters. And the future of the program, facing a giant crossroads, is in the hands of an obnoxious, unproven coach whose resume as a head coach is, at best, laughable.
And that decade of dominance? Well looks like USC may only be left with one-half of a national title to show for it – the 2003 split with LSU. They may not officially have to forfeit their title from 2004, but it certainly will be marked with an asterisk in the record books, considering they’re going to have to forfeit other victories from that season. Reggie Bush may get to keep the Heisman Trophy from that year, but in much the same way that Barry Bonds is still officially baseball’s all-time home run leader, the perception of cheating and violations will taint that accomplishment in the court of public opinion.
So as we watch the Trojans this season, keep in mind this was once the pinnacle of college football. This was a place that rose above all the other powers in the game, and they definitely didn’t mind telling you how good they were. The players were rock stars, the coach was a legend, and everyone was having the time of their lives.
They enjoyed every step of their journey to the top.
Now everyone else gets to enjoy their fall.
