No way, says Pete Carroll. He refused to accept such an unworthy action. If you are going to score on Coach Carroll, you had better earn the points and show some huevos. Show your team that when the chips are down, you will never give up. So USC called a time out and iced the kicker. The statement was clear. We will not accept your royally pathetic attempt to lay down and die. Our motto is “Fight On,” and that applies to you too, Stanford.

So it was Pete Carroll who called Stanford’s final play tonight, because the offense and not the kicking squad came back out onto the field. He chastized his opponent by saying “your fans and your players deserve better than that. Show some heart and go for it, even when the game is beyond hope.” And you know what? Stanford scored six points on a rocket touchdown pass. And Coach Carroll looked pleased. That’s coaching. That’s outclassing your foe. That’s why I love my Trojans.