Students and Fans Seem to Understand

Alumnus or student, most folks associated with USC can appreciate a sound business decision.

So it took only a few hours after learning that Trojan receiver Mike Williams was taking the money and running to the NFL for feelings of betrayal to give way to healthy respect.

By the time USC fans had filed into the Sports Arena to watch their team face UCLA in basketball Wednesday night, Williams had become just another Richie Rich clone who got a jump start at the corner of Exposition and Figueroa.

“So he loses a few million by not staying another year, it’s a good move,” said Gary Vaughan, an alumnus, bank manager and season-ticket holder in football and basketball.

“I’m disappointed he’s leaving, but he’s got to go get the money.”

Mark Brown, a junior business major, dreams of making a similar choice some day. Not in football, but a corporate takeover, perhaps?

“I totally recognize where he is coming from,” he said. “He’s financially set for the rest of his life. I can’t blame him at all.”

Few fault Coach Pete Carroll for aggressively trying to talk Williams into staying, either. Everybody has an angle, and Carroll’s is winning games. That’s his job. That’s how he is gaining his own financial security.

“Stay and your stock goes up, that’s what he told Mike,” said Derrick Neal, a USC fan of 28 years and a season-ticket holder.

“He might not have talked too much about the injury risk next season, but Pete is the USC football coach.”

Added Vaughan: “As a manager in business myself, I try to keep all-star talent. But eventually people recognize opportunity.”

More difficult to understand are some of the comments Williams made over the weekend, questioning his teammates’ commitment to winning even though USC won a share of the national championship in 2003.

This had been the good ship lollipop for so long, and Williams rocked the boat as he dived off.

“Why bash your team and university on your way out?” Vaughan said. “He had nothing to gain by making those comments.”

Others, especially those close to Williams’ age, were more understanding: He’s an impetuous kid. So he hurt a few people. They’ll get over it.

“Usually he’s classy,” said Manuel Perez, a senior majoring in architecture. “He was under emotional stress and just said what comes to mind. He doesn’t harbor ill will toward his teammates or anyone else.”

As for the Trojans, they’ll survive too. The USC family can be as smug about its football fortunes as it can about the cash kind.

“We’re going to miss him, but at the same time we have great receivers coming up and we have the best recruiting class in the nation coming in,” sophomore Amber Degn said.

Several fans mentioned that losing Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer after the 2002 season did not cause USC to falter. The program is on a roll.

Williams was special -- nobody is likely to repeat the unforgettable one-handed touchdown catch he made -- but the program oozes talent like a Fortune 500 company.

“Winning is a healing tool,” Neal said.

“We still have the talent. We’ll be OK without Mike Williams. We wish him well.”