Truth of the Matter: Moving on Past the Loss

Story by By Ben Malcolmson of the THE RIPSIT BLOG

Courtesy: THE RIPSIT BLOG

EUGENE, Ore. - EUGENE, Ore. -- The truth came out on Saturday night.

The truth read a 47-20 final score, a defense that gave up 613 yards and a very humiliating defeat at Autzen Stadium. The truth showed that the Trojans got beat embarrassingly bad, worse than any USC team in Coach Pete Carroll's nine seasons.

But above all, the truth is that the game is lost, yet the season is not. The truth of this night and the truth of the future don't have to be the same.

Nor will they, if the Trojans do what they've become known to do.

The talk in the locker room just moments after the loss centered on the prospect for the future -- based on what the Trojans have done in the past.

Almost two years ago to the day, USC suffered its second loss of the 2007 season in a defeat to Oregon at Autzen Stadium, triggering outside doubts that the Trojans could bounce back and continue their streak of Pac-10 championships and BCS bowl game appearances. But USC, undeterred by its past failures, finished that regular season with four straight wins, captured the conference title and won the Rose Bowl.

Two years later, the Trojans find themselves at a similar ground zero and with the same hope for the future, knowing that if it's happened previously, it can happen again.

"We've been here before," Carroll told his players in the painfully somber visitors' locker room. "Two years ago, the guys understood that this loss doesn't mean anything for what's next. This is the truth -- what we do next, how we handle this is what's important.

"It is how you respond that matters."

The response didn't wait until next Saturday or even Monday, when players will report back for what will be a very harrowing "tell the truth" day of meetings and practice. In the locker room after the game, coaches were already coaching their players and players were already talking about the Arizona State game that was less than a week away.

1031pchalf.jpg"We can't do anything about what just happened -- I wish we could, but we can't," an emotional Carroll told his players. "It's about what's next, it's about how we bounce back, it's about how we finish. That's the truth."

The truth of the matter is that two out of the last three seasons have seen two losses but ended with Pac-10 titles and Rose Bowl championships. As humbling and lopsided as Saturday night's loss was, it still counts as one loss, with lots of football left to be played in 2009.

The Trojans have four games remaining in the regular season, and the goal remains the same as it has been all season: Win the next game. Fortunately, a third of the season is left, giving the Trojans plenty of time to accomplish that goal and see where the journey takes them.

But they can't successfully navigate that path if they hold onto the truth of the past. True success will only happen if they hold onto the truth and hope of the future.

"It's going to be hard, but suck it up and let's do something about our next opportunity," Carroll said in the locker room on Saturday night. "If it were easy, it wouldn't be worth anything.

"So let's rally, let's get back on track."

The truth shall set the Trojans free.

Special thanks to Ben Malcolmson of the THE RIPSIT BLOG

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