Come what may you're still our Trojans...

Pardon this aside but I know some of you "worry" about me when USC loses a game. Caution...some heavy philosophy ahead. Skip this entry if you don't think you can stomach it!

Fellow Trojans will know my headline contains the words of one of USC's many school songs..."Carry On". "Come what may, you are still our Trojans...come what may you'll always be..."

Those of you following me know that I am extremely passionate about my USC Trojans. (Quite an understatement isn't it?) While I couldn't get the game here, I did get updates on my laptop as the game was being played. Since my freshman year some 38 season ago, I have never done well with a USC loss. And today's loss was our worst in 12 years! Argh!

The game was played at 6:00 AM here. I knew the result before I left on my tour (next blog entry after this). But three things helped me still have an enjoyable day (you worriers may be shocked to hear this.)

1) As I sat in my room in disappointment, I looked around me. I'm staying in a beautiful hotel overlooking the Arabian Sea. I'm a very lucky man. Below me in the city of Mumbai there is much poverty and illness. And, the day after USC's other loss of the season I learned that a good friend of mine left us way too early. That event helped me put a lot of things into perspective about how insignificant the loss of a football game is to the scheme of life. (Don't get me wrong I LOVE to see the Trojans win and HATE to see them lose.)

2) When the season began I told some friends...I have a feeling that this may be a year when the Trojans lose 2 or even 3 games. Sanchez left early, we have a true (and extremely talented) freshman. Some of our stars are out for the season and many of the stars of last year were drafted. But imagine how good these "youngsters" will be in years 2, 3 and 4. I'm all for the Trojans winning 8 or 9 of the last 10 PAC-10 Championships as we reach 2012. Go Trojans...Come what may you'll always be!

3) At the site I visited in India today, there was an ancient sculpture. My guide explained that it was one of the gods and his wife playing chess. The wife was losing and was facing away from her husband. The meaning of the sculpture was to teach us that we all will lose and we will all win. The secret of life is knowing how to be gracious in both. (OK...I'm paraphrasing...but it was a nice thing for me to hear at the time.)

Congratulations Ducks!

(Photo: No, Pete Carroll is not in India..but I bet he wishes he was here right now...this photo was on my computer so I thought I'd put it in this blog entry. )