After a while, Carroll snaps back to reality

The game is about to start, the Trojans running onto the field, the crowd yelling, the music cranked up, and Plaschke is sitting in the press box singing, “Lose Yourself” along with M&M;:

“Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity

To seize everything you ever wanted -- one moment

Would you capture it or just let it slip?”

Then, a short time later, Pete Carroll sent out the field-goal team on fourth and goal from the two.

CARROLL HAS always taken the position that he pays no attention to the Bowl Championship Series or anything that has to do with the way they rank teams in the BCS.

That’s the way he orchestrated Saturday night’s game in the Coliseum against California -- like a coach who had no idea what happened between Ohio State and Michigan a few hours earlier.

The Nos. 1 and 2 teams in the BCS combined for 81 points in the hyped game of the season, Michigan staying within a touchdown on the road against the Buckeyes -- the loser doing just what it had to do to make a case to still finish No. 2 in the final BCS rankings. Let the argument begin.

The Trojans made their case with a 3-0 lead, shunning the chance to boldly go for a touchdown, while knowing they had 90,000 screamers behind them, prime field position and an improving defense if they failed.

Carroll opted for the field goal, which is the NFL way of doing things in that situation, and what folks in Arizona would expect if looking for someone to replace Dennis Green. But it’s not what folks attending the BCS title game in Arizona will expect to see in a worthy foe for Ohio State.

“His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy

There’s vomit on his sweater already, mom’s spaghetti

He’s nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready

To drop bombs, but he keeps on forgettin”

Now isn’t that the M&M; truth, the Trojans stuck on their own two-yard line, and forgetting to go all out and letting John David Booty go for the bomb -- USC running instead and getting stuffed for a safety. It’s 3-2 USC; better start warming up Eric Gagne.

If Woody Hayes is matched against Bo Schembechler, 3-2 is considered a traditional thriller, but this is Pacific 10 Conference football, the top two quarterbacks in the passing league matched against each other, and the rest of the nation is now probably on snooze control.

It’s 9-6 Cal at the half, and while USC still has a chance to win, has it already lost the East Coast voters -- or do three straight wins by any score over Cal, Notre Dame and UCLA trump Michigan’s 11-1 season and a heart-pumping loss to Ohio State? Let the argument begin.

First things first, and USC had to win, or at least tie it. They did that in the third quarter, making it 9-9, and what a letdown after the earlier fireworks in Columbus, Ohio.

Florida had already won, 62-0, against Western something or other, and here USC needed to hit double figures just to have the chance to win the game. Ignore it if you like, but showmanship and lopsided scores mean something to the folks who contribute to the final BCS standings via the polls.

“He opens his mouth, but the words won’t come out

He’s chokin, how everybody’s jokin now

The clock’s run out, time’s up over, bloah!

Snap back to reality ...”

Plaschke is rocking back and forth. “M&M; is a poet, man,” he says, and in addition to announcing before every game, “there is no cheering in the press box,” now “no singing” will have to be added.

WHEN IT came time to snap back to reality with a big-time throw and catch, Booty and Dwayne Jarrett scored the Trojans’ first touchdown -- four quarters deep into the night, but in time to put USC up, 16-9.

A few minutes later, the Carroll that has dominated college football decided it was time to bury Cal. Fourth and two from the Cal 37, and the Bears had to figure USC wanted to control the clock and bully its way forward for a first down. But instead, the rambling/gambling Trojans of old made an appearance, Booty throwing to an uncovered Steve Smith for a 23-9 exclamation point.

In South Bend, Ind., it was time to turn off the TV and get ready for next week’s whopper, the winner getting the chance to continue the argument with Michigan’s supporters.

“You better lose yourself in the music, the moment

You own it, you better never let it go

You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow

This opportunity comes once in a lifetime yo”

Or to wrap things up, as M&M; put it and Karl Dorrell might want to mention in two weeks, “You can do anything you set your mind to, man.”

TOM LASORDA has already given Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA $1,000 to buy toys for the Christmas party Dec. 12. He’s also agreed to play the role of Santa Claus, I presume, because the event will be hosted by Alyssa Milano and she’ll undoubtedly want to sit on Santa’s lap.

One problem: We need to find Lasorda a Santa outfit. If anyone has one to donate -- picture Mt. Rushmore being tented for termites -- it’d make for a better event. No need to worry about the padding; Lasorda will provide that.

TODAY’S LAST word comes in e-mail from Sean Korb:

“Just in case someone forgot to remind you today, you are a worthless moron. That is not intended as an epithet, but as a bit of information you should seriously consider. IT IS A FACT. You are worthless.”

Thanks for the info; you know how much I value your opinion.

T.J. Simers can be reached at

t.j.simers@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Simers, go to latimes.com/simers.