I am no psychic, but I know the two questions that flashed
through the mind of every blue- and gold-clad fan driving home from
the Rose Bowl last Saturday afternoon.
Would it be faster to get back to Westwood if I parked my car on
the side of the freeway and walked?
And, how did UCLA lose by two touchdowns to a Colorado squad
that USC had thumped 40-3 in Boulder just one week ago?
Well, rest assured Bruin fans, because I have all the
answers.
First, as excruciating as the seemingly 86-hour journey back to
campus can be, taking the highway on foot is definitely not
advisable.
Secondly, in the zany world of Southern California collegiate
football, conventional wisdom is about as trustworthy as the list
of ten lucky numbers inside your fortune cookie.
It is that utter lack of consistency that makes following either
the Trojans or the Bruins absolutely maddening. No season could
possibly be more frustrating than last year was for Bruin fans.
When UCLA reeled off six straight wins to start the 2001
campaign, the team appeared to be BCS bound, and vendors from Santa
Barbara to San Diego were salivating at the thought of new
merchandising possibilities.
Four weeks and four losses later, the Bruins were snubbing their
noses at heading to Boise over Christmas, and some poor intern in
the Morgan Center was probably scrambling to cancel the order for
37 boxes of conference championship T-shirts.
Even this season has shown how conventional wisdom can torment a
SoCal football fan
Both the Trojans and Bruins have high-profile quarterbacks who
have seemingly been starting since the Reagan administration, a
familiar recipe for success in the pass-happy Pac-10.
Nonetheless, neither Carson Palmer nor Cory Paus appears
destined to become the type of quarterback that can captivate the
public’s attention and lead a team to a magical season.
Despite his tremendous arm strength and stature, Palmer has been
inconsistent throughout his career at USC, and has yet to lead the
Trojans to a bowl victory. He completed just 18 of 47 passes on
Saturday in the Trojans’ loss to Kansas State.
Meanwhile, Cory Paus’ oft-tumultuous relationship with the
fans in Westwood has reached new depths this season.
Instead of booing the much-maligned Bruin starting quarterback
as they have done in the past during home games, UCLA students have
begun “Drew-ing” (in hopes that backup quarterback Drew
Olson will be in the huddle on the next series).
However infuriating it may be rooting for the Bruins, there is a
silver lining for fans surrounding the uncertainty that permeates
the Southern California football scene.
For most squads, a double-digit loss to a team your rival
clobbered by 37 points could be grounds for concern, but it would
not be that shocking if the Bruins strung together another winning
streak beginning on Saturday against San Diego State.
Just like it would not surprise me if UCLA gave up 40 points to
the winless Aztecs, and did not win another game until
Halloween.
When it comes to following college football in Southern
California, there is really only one thing that is dependable: the
traffic leaving the stadium.
So sit back, and enjoy the ride because with UCLA and USC there
is no way of knowing what to expect.