The Sleep Time and Rise "n" Shine Thread for 9/25-26/08, Part 2: A Jaw Dropper of Epic Propotions (A Special Sports Thread)

If there is any sports news that could even remotely replace the calamity going on in both the financial and political world in this country right now, it is a blind-sided shocker of a result.

Photo:Don Ryan of AP

That happened last night. Now to be honest, I so didn't see this coming, that I didn't release it until I woke up and turned to not even ESPN this morning, but MSNBC. After their usually mediocre at best sports segment, I had to second check ESPNews just in case I actually saw what my eyes showed me.

This year's USC team, dubbed by some to be the greatest assembled by near-jerk publications looking to get or keep their magazines up, already has blown it in three games. Even more peculiar than this loss (the second consecutive lost in Corvalis)is the fact Pete Caroll's team somehow had two "byes" in the first five weeks.

The second one definitely hurt this time.

Now it was well thought out by all the pundits going into the year that if USC lost, it would be because of Matt Sanchez not being able to live up to the level of Matt Leinart, or even John David Booty. Sanchez had a decent to good night in his Pac 10 opener, especially a second half with three touchdowns strikes. Unfortunately, Sanchez was also apart of the costly moment of the game, as it sealed USC's chance to complete the comeback:
USC quarterback Mark Sanchez's pass was intercepted by safety Greg Laybourn on the 30 with less than 3 minutes to play. Laybourn ran the ball back 28 yards to put Oregon State on the 2, and (Jacques) Rodgers ran 2 yards to make it 27-14.


Photo from Don Banks of the AP: It was a long night for Joe McKnight and the Trojans

Despite Sanchez' worst delivery of his career at that critical stage, the real reason why USC loss though was their perceived general weakness, if any, going into the season: And that was their offensive line. Joe McKnight had a measely 10 yards rushing, and the Trojans just couldn't keep the ball in the first half, failing behind 21-0 and never being able to come back.

Oregon State clearly won the battle of the lines, and that is why they were able to pull probably the stunner of the season. Beavers' freshman Jacques Rodgers raised his legacy in his incipient days on campus with 186 yards and two touchdowns aganist that vaunted USC defense. Even more stunning was the fact that the Beavers pulled off the upset without a big performance from star receiver Sammie Stroughter (just three receptions for 42 yards).

But nothing caused your eyes to almost fall out (for the sports fans that is reading this)more than either watching that game, or realzing the result was not a mistake made by the networks, the papers, and online websites.

Unless the financial and political stuff did that already for you

Photo from Don Banks:Southern California's Butch Lewis (68) congratulates Oregon State's Patrick Henderson (3) in a classy move here

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