Trojans Get Worse Before They Get Better
By Matt Miller
For the Los Angeles fan craving basketball, a stroll down Figueroa avenue would have thoroughly satiated that craving last night. Who are we kidding, no one walks in LA. So if you drove down Figueroa, and had an unfeasible transferable ticket accepted all venues, you could have watched the Clippers win an ugly game against the Grizzlies, and further south seen the Trojans get routed by Colorado, or only one block further south and seen UCLA dismantle a Utah team without any mantle anyway. Its unreasonable to go to all the games certainly. But standing on the corner of Figueroa and W 28th street, you would bisect the 2 and a half miles between Staples Center and the Sports Arena. This strategy wouldn’t help you watch any of the action; but in the event you wanted to show your support for all 3 teams equally you unselfish LA fan you, I would recommend sitting down for an evening breakfast at the Grinder–to root for all three teams fairly.
This would also be a good solution if in theory you wanted the Trojans to do well, but did not want to find yourself inside the torture chamber, more officially known as the Galen Center. With a spattering of USC fans watching Trojan basketball, the still winless team in conference play (0-7) was outplayed in every facet of the game by the superior Pac 12 newcomer, Colorado Buffaloes. usctrojans.com blandly stated that the current 9 game losing streak is the team’s longest losing streak of the season—I hope they haven’t had a longer streak than that.
Forward Dewayne Dedmon went down with a knee injury in the first half and didn’t return, and coach O’Neill said that really dazed the Trojans. The game was out of reach just like that. Dedmon’s injury, however serious, comes on the same day frontcourt partner, leading rebounder, and second leading scorer Aaron Fuller underwent season ending surgery in his shoulder to repair a labral tear. That’s four season ending injuries for the Trojans, not counting Dedmon’s unknown injury status.
The Trojans who remained had no sense of what they were trying to accomplish on either end of the floor. They were incapable of keeping the Buffs away from the rim, and in the second half it looked like it was USC who was trying to run the clock out, running their motion offense for the whole shot clock to end the misery. “I feel sorry for the guys” coach O’Neill said after the game on ESPN radio 710; referring to all the injuries the team has endured, the walk-ons that now figure to be starters. Referring to the angst in the stands of the SC fans that remained, all those who left, and the indifference of those who didn’t show up.
This game was not a winnable game—the mounting injuries and Colorado being a superior team. But the most disconcerting part was the absolute lack of confidence displayed by every member of the Trojans. There was no swagger on display, but then again why would there be? It was an embarrassing game to be a part of for players, coaches, and fans.
The most excited the Galen Center got was in the last minute of the game. When the PA announcer declared one minute remaining, the USC fans gave a grateful cheer in support of the ending shortly misery. To make matters worse for the players, with 30 seconds remaining though, the Galen Center rained chants of “Let’s-go-Buff-a-loes,” drowning out the silence of any remaining friends and families of Trojan players.
But if a different team does not appear on Saturday evening to face the 2 win and fellow hapless team Utah, then the USC fans were right to start and now continue their trend of not acknowledging the existence of the Trojan basketball program. If only Maurice Jones and company could make some stops on defense they could get some baskets in transition. But they need to come out with some confidence plan of attack, and not just shoot at the end of the shot clock because they have to. This is the only game Coach O’Neill’s team can reasonably hope to win. And if they don’t, continue as you were: ignoring Trojan basketball. And make sure that your football 2012 schedule remains in a prominent position on the fridge.