Basking in the glory of SC

LOLITA HARPER

Normally, I am a “people-pleaser.” Ask my mom, she’ll tell you that

too often I care what others think. Today, I overcame that weakness.

Call it a New Year’s resolution but I could care less that Michigan

fans Gary Burch, Ty Woodson and Kim Gierucki were left broken-hearted

Thursday.

We were all part of a semi-large crowd who had gathered to watch

the Rose Bowl at The Corner Office in Costa Mesa. But I got to walk

out the double doors with my head held high and my victory sign

waving -- with a final scoreboard showing 28 to 14, in favor of my

beloved Trojans. Fight on!

Kim and Ty were nice enough. I almost felt bad for Ty as he

glanced at the half time score and just shook his head.

“We are getting our [expletive] handed to us on a platter,” he

said.

Yeah, by that time, the Trojans had already scored two of their

final four touchdowns, proved their dominance over the Michigan

safety by napping crucial, long-yardage passes and sacked Wolverine

quarterback John Navarre five times. (There would be four more after

that, for the quarterback who had only been sacked 15 times in the

regular season.)

“We are better than this,” Kim said.

But, lo and behold, they were not.

It was the perfect way to kick off 2004. A Rose Bowl Championship

and arguably an, albeit unofficial, National Championship. But I feel

as USC coach Pete Carol said, “This sure feels like a national

championship.”

Burch on the other hand was a little more reserved -- a little

more smug, as his Wolverines headed into the locker room at the end

of the first half. He assumed the acclaimed navy and yellow defense

would emerge from the Rose Bowl locker rooms, capable of stoping SC

quarterback Matt Lienart and wide receivers Mike Williams and Keary

Colbert.

“That’s why they play two,” he said.

Really? I thought they played two halves so that the Trojans would

have more time to display their skills. I mean, it was in the second

half that Colbert made that phenomenal one-handed grab -- in which he

cradled that pigskin in his arm like a precious baby, as he crossed

the goal line for the third Trojan score of the game. And it was in

the final two quarters that the Trojans executed that devious little

play in which Lienhart had the luxury of carrying the ball into the

end zone, while celebrated wide receiver Williams lobbed the scoring

pass.

It nearly brings a tear to my eye how beautiful that trick play

was.

Burch must have known his Wolverines bark was far worse than their

bite because he refused to make a halftime wager. Although, I have to

give it to Michigan on a few well-executed plays. There was Jason

Avant’s catch in the third, in which he sacrificed his ribs and laid

his body out for a horizontal grab. And then there was a gruesome hit

by the Michigan defense that leveled Lendell White in the red zone.

(Of course White came back two downs later to score.)

Michigan managed a long drive, which consisted of 16 plays, and

finally ended in a touchdown.

But no matter what they did, it was not enough. The true national

champions -- the USC Trojans -- showed poise and talent as they

chalked up another tally in the “W” column.

I wish I could have showed as much poise as I playfully chastised

the Michigan fans at the end of the game. But, hey, 2004 is a good

year to be a Trojan and a bad year to try and be a “people-pleaser.”

* LOLITA HARPER writes columns Wednesdays and Fridays. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4275 or by e-mail at lolita.harper@latimes.com.