Confucius Say | by Jay

Like I said, it's not Chinese New Year yet, but here's a fortune cookie message for you. Who uttered it?

On Southern Cal: "We have to get where they are as a football program. We understand that. That's our goal, and they're a measuring stick for us. They're a constant measuring stick. We're going to play them this year, and we're going to play them 20 years from now, and we have to get to where we're consistently winning this game."

Answer: Jack Swarbrick, on his radio show podcast, about six weeks ago. In all the years Kevin White ran the department, I don't recall him ever articulating such a specific and decisive goal for our football team. Sure, I heard we needed to be "better on Saturday" and how we'd like to get more competitive, in a general sort of way. But I never heard him put it so bluntly as, "Beat SC."

I like the bluntness. I'm tired of being fortune's fool. Here's to a happy, healthy, and competitive 2009. Beat SC.