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It’s all come down to this

 
Once upon a time, there was team that ruled the baseball landscape. A team that was the envy of all. A team that was far-and-away better than any other in its division. A team that many were proclaiming a lock to make it to the World Series.

The team was the Los Angeles Dodgers, and that seems like an eternity ago.

What we have now is a team with chinks in its armor. A team losing momentum when it should be gaining steam. A team that isn't assured anything more than a wildcard berth at this point.

It's easy to point fingers and pass the blame for their meltdown. It's just as easy to point to the great play of the Colorado Rockies, who have done nothing but apply continual pressure to the Dodgers, even when it appeared like the gap was too large to overcome.

Guess what, the gap isn't so large anymore.

A two-game division lead. Three games to play. All against the Rockies. Do the math - one win and the drama is over. A couple of losses and things will be even tighter around the collar.

There is no time to panic for these Dodgers. Nothing was ever guaranteed to begin with. Yes, they built up a commanding division lead. But they also could do no wrong during that time span, setting a modern-day record by winning their first 13 home games of the season.

It was only inevitable that they came falling back to Earth a bit. Tumbling this far, however, might have seemed like a reach. The offense suddenly is lacking potency (paging Manny Ramirez), the starting pitching plagued by injuries and letdown (paging Chad Billingsley) and their confidence falling by the way side (paging Joe Torre).

But here we are. It's too late to second-guess. After all, people are forgetting that the Dodgers have still made the postseason. It's not like they lose and have to go home. The wildcard isn't as sexy as a division title, I know, but ask the Giants and Braves how excited they are these days.

So what if everyone predicted that the Dodgers would have had the division wrapped up weeks ago? So what if the Rockies are playing their brains out? So what if the Dodgers don't get secure the best record in the National League? It all doesn't matter because they still have a chance for a World Series title.

Optimism should not be lost. It certainly hasn't been lost by the Boys in Blue.

One win and all this nonsense talk can end. They have three chances to do it. The Dodgers will take those odds.

Stafon Johnson recovering following surgery

Two days after suffering a possible career-ending injury in a freak weightlifting accident, USC running back Stafon Johnson is resting comfortably. Johnson underwent seven hours of surgery to repair damages in his throat, but according to doctors is expected to make a full recovery.

As of Tuesday evening, he was alert and able to communicate nonverbally with family, friends and Coach Pete Carroll.

Johnson, who was the team's leading rusher last season and has five touchdowns this year, will not see the field again this season, but will attempt to make it back once completely healthy. Johnson is currently a fourth-year senior and eligible to enter the NFL draft, while USC officials are believed to be trying to get their running back an additional year of eligibility because of the medical setback.

Johnson was initially injured when the bar he was holding while bench-pressing 275 pounds slipped from his hand and landed on his throat, even as a spotter tried to stop the bar from crashing down. He was rushed to the hospital after blood began coming out of his mouth and nose.

The thing that saved his life, according to doctors, was the very thing he was doing when the accident occurred - working out.

"Had that been any one of us, meaning me, I would not have survived," said Dr. Gudata Hinika, trauma director at California Hospital Medical Center. "His neck was so solid and so muscular, that actually helped maintain his airway."

With Johnson out of the lineup, a majority of the workload in the backfield will fall in the hands of starter Joe McKnight, who has been splitting carries, while C.J. Gable and Allen Bradford both figure to see more prominent roles.

Meanwhile, the Trojans are continuing to prepare to host California in a big weekend tilt, in which the winner will get a leg up on the competition in the race for the Pac-10 title.

If you’re betting, take the Trojans

Heading into Saturday's meeting with Washington State, the only question for USC is not if they will win, but by how much will they win by?

Let's be clear - the Trojans WILL NOT fall on consecutive weeks in September to middle-of-the-road Pac-10 schools.

I guess people could argue that they never should have lost to Washington in the first place. But the Trojans have made a habit of dropping games they should easily have won over the past few seasons, not to mention a number of variables working against them - playing on the road and not having their starting quarterback or All-American safety.

Against the Cougars, there will be no excuse whatsoever why USC will not only be victorious, but come out on top by a hefty margin.

It's not just that Washington State isn't very good (which they aren't), it's that the Trojans are poised to bounce back in a big way.

Returning to the field are Matt Barkley, who sat out last week because of a bum shoulder, and Taylor Mays, who is still recovering from a knee sprain.

With Barkley on the sidelines against the Huskies, Aaron Corp and the rest of the offense was stuck in neutral. There were no big down-field plays or any real sense of rhythm. With Barkley back behind center, the offense opens up completely, providing opportunities to go deep in the passing game or to take advantage of their stellar run game with the Cougars unable to load the box.

Mays may not yet be 100 percent, but his presence on the field is enough for opposing offensive coordinators to alter their game plans. If he is playing, Mays will find a way to make an impact one way or another.

Also factor in that the game will be played at the Coliseum, in front of a rowdy crowd that is looking for blood following the let down in Washington. It may be just another Pac-10 game for Cougars' fans, but USC supporters don't take kindly to losing. Figure the home fans to be fired up for this one.

Throw in the fact that Pete Carroll will make damn sure that his kids are firing on all cylinders from the get-go. I'm guessing that practices this past week weren't very pleasant and that the players are chomping at the bit to get back on the field to make a statement.

The betting line for this game has been as high as -46 points in favor of the Trojans. If I were a betting man, I'd take that bet. If anyone thinks that the Trojans are planning on letting up at any point during the game, they are mistaken. Expect a lot of points for USC and not so many for Washington State.

Prediction: USC 56, WSU 6

Upon further inspection, Trojans' loss not a total shocker

USC was taken down by an undermanned Washington football team on Saturday, but really, is it all that shocking?

Surprising in the fact that the Huskies were heavy underdogs and coming off the Pac-10's first 0-12 season a year ago. Not surprising, though, when you consider that the Trojans have made a trend of winning the big games, but inexplicably losing the ones in which nothing besides utter dominance is expected.

Last year it was a loss to Oregon State. A year prior, it was a defeat at the hands of Stanford. This go-around it was former disciple Steve Sarkisian working his magic against the guy who tutored him for the better part of this decade.

What gives?

Do the Trojans simply get too pumped up for the Ohio State's and Penn State's and overlook their mediocre conference counterparts? Is Pete Carroll not the almighty savior he is cracked up to be? Or, is this all just really overblown?

I say it's the latter.

The problem with USC, or Florida, or any other prominent big-time college football program is that fans, alumni and national media all have visions of them going undefeated. When the time comes that one of these teams does in fact lose a game, it's as if the world is crashing down.

The parity in college football would appear to be as close nowadays than it has ever before. Anymore there isn't a program like the Notre Dame's of the forties, the Oklahoma's of the fifties, or the Miami's of the late eighties. Instead, the landscape of college football is one of relative equality.

So, when USC travels up to North to take on a hungry Washington team, coached by a former assistant, in a soggy environment that couldn't be less like sunny days seen in Southern California, it shouldn't be all that shocking to see the top dogs get knocked off by the dawgs.

The Trojans were, and still are, a very good football team. They will more than likely challenge for the Pac-10 title and a trip to yet another Rose Bowl. They could also drop another game in the process.

If we have learned anything, it is that the underdog can have its day. USC knows this lesson all too well, having had dreams of a national title erased away for three consecutive seasons.

But when you understand that only two teams make it to the BCS title game, and only one gets to call itself a champion, 100-plus schools will be feeling the same disappointment that the Trojans will be come January.

If sympathy is what USC is looking for, they aren't going to get it. They must press on, prepare for the next battle and take care of business. Because the Trojans have suffered a loss doesn't mean that the whole campaign is lost.

Steve Perry would like the Dodgers to stop believin'

Harmlessly enough, this season the Dodgers have taken to playing Journey's "Don't Stop Believin' " prior to the bottom of the eighth inning as a sort of rally cry.

It seems that everyone enjoys the little ditty. Everyone, that is, except former Journey lead singer Steve Perry.

You see, Perry is a San Francisco Giants fan and would prefer his favorite team use the tune, not the Giants' biggest rivals. Perry told the San Francisco Chronicle:

"It tweaks me to know they're using the song as a rally song. I really wish we'd have hijacked it first. I think the song is about hope and power, and it's working for them, damn it."

Apparently Perry hates to hear the song used at Dodger Stadium so much that he leaves prior to it being played. Isn't a little strange that a proclaimed diehard Giants fan is at so many Dodgers games in the first place?

Considering Perry jumped on the White Sox bandwagon during their 2005 World Series run, maybe he is secretly thinking about jumping ship to the Boys in Blue for 2009.

In the meantime, perhaps the Giants could instead go with another Perry original, such as "Any Way You Want It," "Lights" or "Wheel in the Sky."

Corp’s chance may have arrived

With USC signal-caller Matt Barkley on the mend, it is appearing more likely that Aaron Corp will get his chance to start for the Trojans when they travel to face Washington this weekend.

Corp, you'll recall, was the odds-on favorite to be named starter after practicing with the first-team offense during spring ball. He went on to suffer a leg injury that kept him off the practice field for a few days, but long enough for Barkley to step up and grab hold of the position.

With Barkley calling the plays the Trojans are 2-0, including last week's come-from-behind victory over Ohio State. In getting that win though, Barkley suffered a bruised throwing shoulder which has kept him from being able to throw in practice this past week.

Unless Barkley can make a full recovery quickly, all signs point to Corp being the No.1 guy.

It's a pretty nice problem to have when your starting quarterback goes out with an injury and is replaced by a guy who most suspected would be starting in the first place.

Corp should be more than capable of handling the job, especially against a Washington team that seems to be in continual rebuilding mode. If there were ever a Pac-10 game that the Trojans could afford to be without their starting QB, it would be this one.

Regardless of how Corp does, you would imagine that there won't be a quarterback controversy. Most coaches don't believe in injuries costing guys their jobs once they are fully healed and I don't expect Pete Carroll to be any different.

Corp will fill in as need be, and most likely do an admirable job, but once Barkley is prepared to take the field again, it is his team. Until then, Corp might as well enjoy the life of a starting USC quarterback.