It's the Day After at Heritage Hall, and whether you like it or not, life is going on.
Less than 24 hours after Pete Carroll's heartfelt farewell in the team meeting and press conference, the USC football program takes its next steps into the future. And, oddly, those steps are being helped along by what happened Monday.
Monday's events -- Carroll's goodbye staff meeting, team meeting and presser -- acted as a therapeutic culmination of a gut-wrenching 72 hours for the players, coaches and staff members associated with the program. It's a bit morose, but the surprise news over the weekend about Carroll's interest in the Seattle job was like dealing with a death to someone close. Shock and sadness came along with the suddenness of the whole ordeal, and the Trojans were left to grieve and grapple with those draining emotions from Friday through Monday.
But then Carroll's mini farewell tour through Heritage Hall on Monday afternoon served as a funeral of sorts, providing a time for the players, coaches, staffers and fans to mourn and move on. A weight was lifted and the sadness evaporated, both being replaced by an excitement for what the future holds, whatever that may mean for all inside and outside of the program.
Less than 24 hours after Pete Carroll's heartfelt farewell in the team meeting and press conference, the USC football program takes its next steps into the future. And, oddly, those steps are being helped along by what happened Monday.
Monday's events -- Carroll's goodbye staff meeting, team meeting and presser -- acted as a therapeutic culmination of a gut-wrenching 72 hours for the players, coaches and staff members associated with the program. It's a bit morose, but the surprise news over the weekend about Carroll's interest in the Seattle job was like dealing with a death to someone close. Shock and sadness came along with the suddenness of the whole ordeal, and the Trojans were left to grieve and grapple with those draining emotions from Friday through Monday.
But then Carroll's mini farewell tour through Heritage Hall on Monday afternoon served as a funeral of sorts, providing a time for the players, coaches, staffers and fans to mourn and move on. A weight was lifted and the sadness evaporated, both being replaced by an excitement for what the future holds, whatever that may mean for all inside and outside of the program.
Such emotionality expressed in all prior comments from past posts, appearing mostly black and white: either wishing Pete well and thanking him for what he has done for SC football, or castigating him for what he has done to SC football. How about some grey? I have a duality of feelings and agree with so much of what has been said, positive and negative. We had an excellent run under his watch, and have been brought back to prominence. Trojan fans again have high expectations from our team, and are flummoxed when we lose. I am grateful to Pete Carroll - for restoring Trojan football and personally, for supporting Rod Sherman's decision to allow me to be the lone female participant in USC's first Flashback Football Camp in 2004. And I am sad and angry for him leaving when the “chips are down” (sort of), for taking Coaches Ruel, Norton and Franklin with him (Bates, I am glad to see go – terrible play calling) which basically decimates us considering last year’s departure of Coaches Sark and Holt, and the awful timing of his departure as it impacts recruitment. Ugh, those 2 things hurt. On the one hand, it is understandable….his conditions were met ($, coastal team, challenge), and the timing for him is perfect: before his “NFL stock” potentially goes down if SC doesn’t have a great 2010 season and/or any possible NCAA sanctions rendered. And I cannot help to wonder: what about his past statements regarding being recruited by the NFL (e.g. he was having the time of his life at USC with no reason to leave)? No longer true? I guess not. Or, his conditions were not met in past offers? It matters not at this point. USC football will move on and up (in time). Coaches come and go…their allegiances changes with their job opportunities. They have to; that is their career path. They are not like alumni and other team fans whose loyalty is forever. Goodbye Coach Carroll; you have rocked our world in more ways than one. I do indeed wish you well….and damn you for bidding us farewell.
This is sobering news, indeed.