USC Football: Massington Verbal Brings a Bit of Sunshine into a Gloomy Week

Last Wednesday the USC family received a jolt when it was announced that legendary Trojan linebacker Junior Seau tragically took his own life.

Stunned former teammates and fans tributes came pouring in on a day whose overcast weather seemed so appropriate for the loss of the great player and even better person.

And so it continued, with talk radio being filled with banter of the passing of a man who still had much to give to those he loved and an even larger community who loved him.

It still continues today. And it will never leave for his family who are left to try to make sense of something that has no explanation.

When a tragedy such as this hits a community that is bound by a common cause, such as those who passionately follow USC football, there is a mourning period and small part of each fans heart remains empty to some extent.

That is how much Junior Seau meant to those who follow Trojan football.

So it was with that lingering gloom that I sat down Friday to catch up on the goings on that didn't involve reading about a life cut far too short.

And that was when the happy news of another Trojan verbal commitment crossed my screen and in doing so, offered a small escape from the realities of life itself.

Eldridge Massington, a 6'3", 205 lb blur from Mesquite, TX, accepted a scholarship offer after having received a visit by new Trojan coaches, Tee Martin and Marvin Sanders.

Massington, a Scout.com 4-star prospect who has world class speed (4.4 forty; 10.57 100 meter dash), had little in the way of reservations when it came to his decision to play for the Trojans.

"I knew," said Massington. "I knew."

Also playing a part in his decision is the fact that he has family in Bakersfield, CA as well.

Over 20 programs had offered the young receiver, including Alabama, Oklahoma and Notre Dame among many others.

The Massington verbal takes care of a couple of items on the Trojans recruiting laundry list.

First, it helps replenish a unit that suddenly finds it self short on bodies with the transfers of Brice Butler and Kyle Prater.

It also re-introduces the Trojans to a fertile recruiting area in Texas and allows the recruiting department to focus on other things.

But for people like me, it provided a much needed distraction from some very unwelcome news regarding a player whom I put on a pedestal.

So thank you Eldridge and welcome to the Trojan family.

Let's hope the future distractions you provide are worth six points each.