There once was a proud and powerful Football program in Los Angeles. It twisted and turned with success in every move it made. Then it didn’t. Then a dark cloud arose over the sprawling campus and right became wrong and choices turned bad versus good. It seemed like an endless spiral down the rabbit hole trying to find a rabbit that was leading it deeper in to an abysss. So why chase the rabbit? Chasing the rabbit was to the leadership not to face the real problem. The real problem was a rush to sweep away the past of the NCAA Sanctions the Lane experiment then the debacle of Sark. Just make it go away and get an ethical good person to rule the program and guide it back to the light at the top of the rabbit hole. Well I for one am not seeing the light. The program is loaded with talent. It can compete. There are decisions being made that are staff related that if left untouched will become a more lasting challenge. No one can deny that this program is at a difficult crossroad.
Crossroads can be choices that lead a program to a new path and a direction that doesn’t just rely on hope but builds on knowledge and history from those who have been there. Coaches and leaders who have traveled through the maze of time and shown great success. There are two choices today. Go with a young up and coming coach in a Tier 2 Power 5 school or go after the the brass ring. Reach for the top of the list and don’t take no for an answer. Let go of your concerns and show them a long term commitment to restore this once proud football school. Anyone that believes that the pride of USC is not at stake well we just disagree. Pride is on the table and pride recruits deeply in the living rooms of parents and high school athletes.
Last night was no real surprise. Everyone who watched that game felt uneasy. One mistake away as they say from waking up the Bear or in this case The Duck. We did exactly that. There were player mistakes. But players don’t kickoff deep with under 20 seconds to go in a half or game and allow a sprinter to have a shot at their end zone and destroy what could have been a very good halftime speech. We did that. Helton allowed that. It’s always on the head coach. They have the burden of success and failure on their role and chose it willingly. No feeling bad here. That game ended on a coaches decision not on mistakes by any player or players. There were many issues. The PAC-12 Ref’s and their flag happy philosophy was on full display. Hope they don’t get a JAN 1 important bowl game. They should go back to D-1 High School and learn their craft over the off season. Lots to work on their.
There are three games left. At the start of the season and pre injury I thought this team would go 7-5. I think that is in jeopardy now as we lack the leadership to rise above the pummeling of Saturday nights loss to Oregon to turn this around.
Happy Sunday and Fight On
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