Letter to the Editor


By
 1 Comment/in

Recuperation of Troy

Seriously? The fall of Troy? Wow. I honestly could not help but laugh at the headline in Monday’s Daily Trojan. A three-loss season at the end of a seven-year run of unprecedented success is certainly no reason to sound the alarms and call for an end to Troy’s reign. After all, it’s not like USC didn’t lose eight or nine players to the NFL, one to a freak accident in the weight room and several others to typical football-related injuries — but who’s making excuses?

Still, I can’t help but be surprised at how quickly everyone is ending the Trojans’ dynasty. Take for example LSU, a school that has won two BCS titles during USC reign. In the same span of seven years, LSU has had two seasons where they lost three games, one season where they lost four games, and even one season (2002) where they lost five games. I don’t hear anyone in Baton Rouge calling for the program to be disbanded.

In 2007, the Florida Gators went 9-4. They seem to have recovered from that, right?

So, as I sit here composing this letter, I can’t help but feel a bit comforted in knowing that many of the great college football dynasties of our time have taken their share of hits. A true dynasty endures, and I for one am anxious to see just how the Men of Troy respond to the program’s first true obstacle in almost a decade.

If you can, please remind all of those bandwagon ’SC fans (and there are many), about the history of USC’s nickname. In case you don’t remember:

Until 1912, USC students were referred to as the Fighting Methodists. During a track and field meet against Stanford (of all teams), the USC team was beaten early, much like it was on Saturday. After the first few events, it became clear that it was statistically impossible for USC to win; however, the team fought back, winning many of the later events. After this contest, sportswriter Owen Bird reported that the USC athletes “fought on like Trojans,” and the president of the university at the time, a man by the name of Bovard, approved the name officially.

I urge you to keep this in mind, my friends and fellow Trojans — the king is not dead, just a little humbled. Does anyone know what happens when you humble a king? If I was the Pac-10, I’d enjoy this moment. I think Virgil’s quote on Tommy Trojan says it best:

“Here are provided seats of meditative joy, where shall rise again the destined reign of Troy.”

Fight On (notice that it’s Fight, not Fought).

Martin Jauregui

Graduate student, education

1 reply
  1. DJ
    DJ says:

    “I don’t hear anyone in Baton Rouge calling for the program to be disbanded.”

    Oh really? Maybe you should have visited the New Orleans area during one those three-loss seasons, which you obviously did not. The conversations I heard in my aunt’s art gallery about LSU were not at all pretty.

    Also, who exactly called for Troy to be disbanded?

    The fact of the matter is USC has NEVER in its history given up 55 points. NEVER. Until Saturday. USC has NEVER in its history lost by 34 points at home. NEVER.

    That’s not a momentary dip or part of a routine ho-hum periodical ten-year cycle that all teams have. This loss was unprecedented. As in, a loss of its magnitude has never before happened in SC’s 100+ year history. No, it does not mean USC will never recover. But, yes, unfortunately it is cause for raised eyebrows and rung alarms.

Comments are closed.