Misery Enhanced by Forced Silence : USC: A malfunctioning microphone results in a delay of Robinson’s send-off to seniors.

John Robinson looked like a man in need of a trap door.

His team had lost the game for the Rose Bowl:

--In front of nearly 94,000 fans and a national television audience in his home Coliseum.

--To hated rival UCLA.

--On a last-minute play that he concentrated on in practice, for this very situation, and called for his team to run at this very crucial moment, that went awry and resulted in an interception. The play was called, ironically, “Bruin pass.”

--With the thrower of the ill-fated pass a young man named Rob Johnson who had, in the course of the game, become the first Trojan to throw for 3,000 yards or more in a single season.

--And with a 10-game streak going for USC against UCLA in games where a trip to the Rose Bowl was on the line for both teams.

All this, and the damned microphone wouldn’t work.

It was the last home game for the Trojans, and as is tradition at USC, no matter the outcome of the game and no matter the roller coaster of emotion present in the aftermath, the departing seniors are honored.

And so the man who took the Trojans to such glory in years past, and returned this season for more of the same after a less-than-wonderful experience as coach of the Rams, waited impatiently along the sideline, pacing in front of the USC band, his life currently being made miserable by a missing plug or a loose screw.

Behind him were a collection of Cardinal jerseys and blank faces. There were some eyes redder than the jerseys, some stares so distant that there was no telling where the minds were. Could they be thinking of Fresno State and the Freedom Bowl again? Could these young minds handle a thought so cruel at this terrible moment?

As Robinson paced and the band in the stands in front of him waited to play “Conquest” one more time, the drums of the blue and gold across the way thumped on in celebration, and in tempo with the chants: U-C-L-A . . . thump thump thump. U-C-L-A . . . thump thump thump.

A hundred yards away, at the west end, No. 22, Marvin Goodwin, strutted and moonwalked and waved to the sea of blue-clad fans in front of him. In his hand was a single rose, a simple symbol. Goodwin had stolen the pass intended for USC Tyler’s Cashman, had sealed the victory that earned the celebration, had turned “Bruin pass” into Trojan tragedy.

And still Robinson had no microphone, no way to properly send off his senior players, to recognize their efforts, no matter what the scoreboard said and his stomach felt. And so the man the radio talk show hosts sarcastically call Robo-Coach paced and grimaced and battled to keep his composure.

Finally, when he was able to speak to the crowd, he called the seniors up, one by one. Jason Sehorn was first, and Robinson lavishly praised the defensive back who has driven him to distraction all season with inconsistent practice habits. On he went, player after player, praising one and all. It was a time for healing, a time for getting through this.

There was Mike Salmon, brother of the Angels’ rookie of the year: “He is one of the most competitive guys I’ve ever had.” And Johnnie Morton: “An All-American and one of the best receivers ever.” The last was linebacker Willie McGinest: “He has been a hell of a Trojan.”

And they played “Conquest,” one more time, but almost with a sigh of relief that the final ceremony was over and the escape could be made by each into their personal corners of privacy.