By Sourena VasseghiWith Rich Finley
USCRipsIt Guest Bloggers
Where to begin? First off, I must say, that Oregon played a great game. They did everything right. I do not want to reflect on what happened on Saturday. However, I would like to talk about how USC reacted to the game and where they go from here.
In his press conference yesterday, Coach Carroll took total responsibility for the loss. It is not an easy thing to do. Every time something goes wrong in our life, the natural reaction is to blame something or someone else. If we are not doing well at the company, it must be the economy. I know for myself, every time I start blaming things that go wrong in my life on my handicap, I lose control.
But there are bright sides to hitting a low point and accepting responsibility. It forces people to reprioritize what they want and how to get it. In this situation, it forces USC to get back to the fundamentals. Let's face it, nobody does any hardcore soul searching when you've just drubbed somebody 55-3. There are countless tales of programs who had long histories of success, only to lose their way by complacency and conceit. Remember the way Miami used to be a powerhouse? Or Florida State? Even Notre Dame. It happens in places where you would once never suspect it. The challenge is to not blame others, like bullying over NCAA rules violations at Miami, or an aging and unsettled coaching future with Florida State, or with strict academic guidelines at Notre Dame. All of these are excuses for why these once storied juggernauts fell out of the elite. And they all have one common missing ingredient: responsibility.
A loss like Saturday's gives everyone in the Trojan program an opportunity to tweak, to improve and to refocus. Pete has built such a wonderful legacy, yet also has created a wonderful culture for class, for competitiveness, for accountability and yes, for winning. Sometimes, we all need a wake-up call. True greatness is not shown when everything is going your way. True greatness is shown after a rough patch, or even just a rough moment. I am looking forward to Saturday, because I know that USC will pull out all the stops and beat Arizona State. You have to remember, since the last time USC lost a game by more than 7 points, eight years, seven Pac 10 titles, three Heisman Trophy winners, and two National Championships followed.
So, it should be a fun next eight years, right? I'm In, are you?
• Sourena Vasseghi, a motivational speaker and writer, has addressed the USC football team on several occasions over the years. His book, "Love your life and it will love you back," is available here.
