USC Football: What the Trojans Can Learn from Notre Dame

Sometimes as I watch the second hand tick on my Rolex, I ponder the questions life presents me.  One of those questions is why does everyone still respect Notre Dame football even though they are in a terrible time in their history?  What 3-9 football team gets every game covered on national television, including meaningless games such as Duke? 

Some other questions are: why does everyone hate USC, and do they really deserve all this hatred?  Then I ask what college football team is hated by some and loved by others, but most importantly respected by all?  The answer is Notre Dame football, and certainly not USC football.

Notre Dame football has gone about things the right way for centuries.  USC and Pete Carroll just well, don't.  Lou Holtz once said, "I ask our players to follow three basic rules. Do what is right. Do your very best. Treat others like you'd like to be treated...[these rules answer the questions] Can I trust you? Are you committed? Do you care about me?"  If only USC learned a thing or two from the Domers over there in South Bend.

"Do what is right."  In February 2008, numerous football players (Buehler, Cushing, Deckas, Sartz) joined a Facebook group created by Clay Matthews called "White Nation" that advocated arresting black babies before they were able to commit crimes.  Neither Carroll nor the school punished the players because Carroll said, "It’s not a controversy, it’s a mistake."

"Do your very best."  Need I remind everyone of the little upset in the Coliseum on October 6, 2007 where the lowly Stanford Cardinal upset the Trojans 24-23.  After the game, USC's All-American Sedrick Ellis offered the following comment: "...I do think we overlooked Stanford, looking ahead. That obviously hurt us because everybody's gonna bring their A game when they play the Trojans."  If USC's All-American thinks they overlooked Stanford and didn't play their best game, it is obviously the opinion of the team as well.

"Treat others like you'd like to be treated."  This one's pretty easy.  There have been numerous accounts of USC players under Carroll's watch that have mistreated women.  Sanchez was placed on interim suspension after being arrested for assault.  Rucker was charged with misdemeanor for spousal battery.  Eric "I'll Sex You" Wright and Hershel Dennis were charged with sexual assault.  I'm sure the list goes on, I just don't want to overwhelm you.  If there is one duty you have in this world, it is you need to treat ladies with respect.

"Can I trust you?"  Incidences such as Lendale White's prank that he was quitting the team lead me to question just how honest the USC "family" really is.  Pete leading his coaches to believe that White quit the team does not foster a positive learning atmosphere, it is full of lies and cheap jokes at other people's expense.

"Are you committed?"  USC superstars leave early for the NFL.  That's a given fact.  The reason Notre Dame players generally stay for their four years (Brady Quinn, Tommy Zbikowski) is that they actually feel a commitment to the team, instead of being an NFL factory.  You would never see a Notre Dame player do what Mike Williams did to that national title contender by just signing off on them after his RS sophomore season.

"Do you care about me?"  In August of 2005, ten USC football players were involved with the shaving of Sanchez's head in a hazing ritual.  Earlier that year in April, Steve Smith broke Dominique Byrd's jaw in a fight and nothing happened to disipline either player.  I was unaware that two loving teammates broke each other's jaws.

As you can see, the "family" atmosphere at USC clearly does not compare to the Notre Dame tradition.  If you searched for hours and hours you could not find any of the character issues that spring up with USC players in the matter of seconds on Google. 

Lou Holtz decribed the Notre Dame head coaching job as: "My job is not to win the national championship. My mandate is to run the football program within the rules and parameters set forth by Notre Dame and the NCAA and to be as good a football team as we can be under those parameters."  As we all know, USC is far from perfect in terms of following the rules set by the NCAA. 

At the end of 2005, Matt Leinart had his eligibility taken away for doing an advertisement on ESPN.  In January 2006, USC was accused of recruiting violations by attending a local restaurant.  Later that month, Leinart was disciplined by the Pac-10 for working with an outside trainer in the USC weight room.  Finally, we all know about the Reggie Bush story about him living in a house that he did not even buy.  Clearly, Carroll does not adopt the same philosophy as Holtz and Notre Dame do in terms of following NCAA regulations.

The only reason the NCAA continue looks over the USC violations is because they know the L.A. market would implode without USC football.  They know that they want to continue to get those great T.V. ratings with all you USC alumni who claim to love your team so much.  Why did the NCAA take away every Oklahoma victory in the year of Bomar?  Because its Oklahoma.  USC must have some strong connections within the NCAA for them to continually overlook all the crooked activity within the athletic programs.

There's a reason why everyone hates you, USC.  It's not because your the envy of the world or because we jealous you have great careers becoming CEO's and doctors (even though I know most of you work as analysts and secretaries) and you guys claim you have a great education, "nipping at the heels of Stanford," as I was told (yeah right, in your wildest dreams).  It's time to look in the mirror at the monster you've become.  No one likes you because you cheat and you lie and you rob, not because we're jealous of your success.  Maybe learn to do things the right was like Notre Dame, the Great Envy of the World, and maybe learn to accept a losing season every once in a while, just so someone besides a USC alum will cheer for you one day.