| Close Calls |
| Beating UCLA, Not Enough For USC |
| by Scott Tejerian |
| College Football - The USC Trojans dominate the UCLA Bruins, but where does sportsmanship come into play? |
Fourth quarter, USC 52 UCLA 6.
USC has the ball at the UCLA 36-yard line.
Matt Lienart, the starting quarterback, drops back to pass and throws deep down the field to a streaking Steve Smith, the starting wide receiver.
The pass goes incomplete, but with USC leading by 46-points I wondered, why would they go deep when holding a commanding fourth quarter lead?
ABC color commentator Dan Fouts responded by saying USC wanted to make sure players like Steve Smith got their numbers too. I nearly fell off my couch in hysterics. Really, Fouts? Well, that’s an answer, but it certainly doesn’t justify the act.
USC vs. UCLA has been a heated cross-town rivalry dividing Los Angeles for years. This season’s game marked the 75th meeting between the two schools.
USC was riding not only 33-game winning streak, but also a six-game winning streak verses UCLA. This year, however, UCLA was ranked #11 in the country and looked to have as good a shot as any in recent memory to finally knock off the Trojans.
The Trojans had nearly been stunned by a Fresno State team that scored 42 points two weeks prior, and with UCLA ranked fifth in the nation in scoring, averaging 40 points a game, this was gearing up to be an epic showdown between two teams, playing for pride and bragging rights in Los Angeles.
However, it was USC that came out with a chip on their shoulder. As USC Coach Pete Carroll said, “After the Fresno game, that’s all I heard. Everybody thought we were going to get whipped.” Imagine that. The #1 team in the country, the team that has dominated college football and this rivalry for the past few years coming into the game with an attitude like they had something to prove.
The attitude and determination of the USC Trojans is a testament to Coach Carroll. The fact that no matter who, they are playing or when they are playing, the Trojans play like they have something to prove.
In 33 straight games, the Trojans have never suffered a let down and it wasn’t about to happen this year against the UCLA Bruins. Coach Carroll was going to make sure of that, so much so, that with USC leading 31-6 in the third quarter, the ball on the Bruin 32-yard line, the Trojans would not yield and Coach Carroll elected to go for it on 4th down and 10 instead of going for the field goal. Matt Lienart scrambled 12-yards for the 1st down. Later in the third quarter with the Trojans now leading 45-6 and holding the ball on the Bruin 35-yard line they again went for it on 4th down with 8-yards to go. Matt Leinart completed a pass to running back LenDale White for 11-yards and the first down.
Both calls to go for it on 4th down happened in the 3rd quarter and though USC was leading by 25 and 39 points, Coach Carroll was still daring UCLA to stop the Trojans, essentially saying there was no way they would be able to stop them on four downs. And he was right, but as half of Los Angeles basks in the glory of the greatness of Coach Pete Carroll and the USC Trojans, I must ask, when is enough, enough? When does sportsmanship come into play? Why go for it on 4th and 8 while holding a 39-point lead, when you could’ve kicked a field goal? Why throw deep down the field to Steve Smith in the 4th quarter when you’re up 46-points? Is it really because you want to get players like Smith his numbers, as Fouts would use as an excuse? Or are you rubbing the loss into the face of your already defeated opponent? There comes a point where the greater team recognizes when their opponent is defeated and shows them mercy, but apparently it doesn’t happen with the USC Trojans. They won the game 66-19, but it wasn’t enough for them to beat UCLA, they weren’t satisfied until they embarrassed them, and in the process they shamed themselves.
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