Senior Trojan collegiate football players are experienced. Their experience comes from their emotions. Their emotions come from their hearts. Their hearts come from their lives. Their lives come from underneath the middle of their jerseys; underneath their skins.
The question is, how does heart relate to football? Is this an easy question? Maybe. Heart relates to being teammates and being part of the Trojan family.
Take a look back at when Hershel Dennis scored his final touchdown as a Trojan in the Rose Bowl game against Illinois and when the whole team mobbed him. Take a look back at when Matt Leinart left the field with watery eyes against UCLA in ’05, as teammates and the crowd applauded and cheered for him. Take a look back at John David Booty, leaving high-school a year early to be a part of the Trojan family, and following the footsteps of Matt Leinart by quarterbacking the Trojans and earning the team a spot back at the Rose Bowl. Take a look back at Fred Davis with his niceties to Trojan children when they stop to meet him.
And take a look back at Pete Carroll with his ongoing generosity to the University of Southern California, as well as his ongoing generosity with helping 18-year-old Ricky Rosas by adding him into the Trojan football family. (Ricky Rosas is a young man who as a child had bone cancer. Pete Carroll and the USC football team let him help out with the team, and everyday, Ricky comes home with a filled heart thanks to the Trojan football team and staff.) Rosas stated that “all I wanted for my coming birthday in January is a win in the Rose Bowl.” Carroll gave him his most wanted wish.
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In his last appearance in a College Football game for the Trojans, John David Booty had an outstanding performance completing 25 of 37 passes for 255 yards, and also throwing for 3 touchdowns and only one interception. It is not just Booty’s leadership during this game and the season that showed his heart, but I saw it personally when he took the time to talk with me following the Arizona game, (which was the first time Booty was not a starter this season due to his injury). And though Mark Sanchez was the key player in that game, Booty was still on the field cheering him on – and, a true team player when he spoke to me.
Also during his last appearance in College Football for the Trojans, senior Sedrik Ellis quoted that, "I would love to play one more," USC defensive tackle Sedrik Ellis said. "I don't think any team in the NCAA could beat us right now. Not Ohio State, not LSU."
Ask Illinois whether any team is playing better than the Trojans right now. The Illini went 9-3 in the regular season and beat the Buckeyes 28-21 in Columbus, Ohio, on Nov. 10., but they couldn't stay within four touchdowns of USC.
This is a game that brought back heart to the more than 93,000 fans at the Rose Bowl (both Trojan and Illini fans) and even more watching on TV -- because it brought back the traditional Pac-10 vs. Big-10 match up that college football fans wait for during the postseason. And more importantly, our hearts are now ready as we wait for the 2008 season to begin.
By Jacob Pollack
Loyal Trojan Fan
We Are Sc Writer
Youngest Analyst on 710 ESPN Radio
Analyst for CSTV Television
11-years-old
