Fight arrogantly. Fight recklessly. Fight wrong.
As suspected, the only thing that could truly stop Los Angeles' most powerful football program was its own heady belief in that power. It was no surprise, then, that the USC football dynasty has been whittled to dust by the only opponent equally big and just as bold.
They were whacked by their ego. They were steamrolled by their self-importance. They were sanctioned by themselves.
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The NCAA didn't barge through the Heritage Hall doors Thursday, it was invited inside by a Trojans football program that cultivated a daringly headstrong culture permeating everything from the Coliseum field to the coaches' offices.
The two-year bowl suspension, the 30 lost scholarships, the 14 vacated wins, the possibly forfeited national championship and Heisman Trophy, this giant of defeats was created by the same Trojans attitude that once caused them to lose in little places like Corvallis and Eugene.
We don't care if you know what we're doing. You still can't stop us.
Pete Carroll thought nobody could stop him, and it will cost him a legacy. Mike Garrett was certain nobody could stop them, and it will cost him a graceful retirement. Many of the school's powerful alumni lived vicariously through this attitude ? you should have seen my e-mail every time I questioned Carroll's swagger ? and it will cost them several years of meaningful Saturdays.
For most of the last decade, this mind-set worked on the field, certainly, creating some of the greatest football memories in this city's history, the Trojans collecting two national titles, three Heisman Trophy winners, seven consecutive Pac-10 championships and seven consecutive BCS bowl appearances.
But today Trojans fans must ask themselves whether nine years of greatness will be worth the upcoming four or five years of struggle. Today Trojans fans must take account not only of the 97 wins and 19 losses, but the state of their program's soul.
A player was paid and nobody stopped it. An illegal coach was hired and nobody cared. Reports of all this surfaced, time and again, website investigations and newspaper headlines, for months and months, and yet nobody at USC did anything to fix it.
Well, now, the NCAA has fixed it, but good, and the prevailing thought is, this did not have to happen. The Trojans could have stopped this at every stealthy step. They could have rid themselves of Reggie Bush the moment running backs coach Todd McNair learned of his financial involvement with agents. They could have fired special teams advisor Pete Rodriguez the moment it was discovered Carroll had foolishly broken the rules by hiring him.
