Circling The Drain

I woke up this morning overpowered by a tremendously offensive odor.

Did some checking around the Official Apartment of Pitchfork Nation and was surprised to not find the ASU offense. I could have sworn that it was the offender.

In a season full of fleeting cameos under center, receivers who could use a Costco-sized barrel of Stickum, running backs who have the words “off-tackle left” tattooed on the inside of their eyeballs and a head coach who shouldn’t be doubling as an offensive coordinator…*catches breath*…yesterday’s 23-13 loss to UCLA was by far the worst of the worst.

When I opened up my 2009 ASU Media Guide to do some research this morning, I ironically opened it to a page entitled “Bowl Memories.” It has got pictures of the scoreboard from the 2007 Holiday Bowl, Rudy Carpenter and Jamar Williams being interviewed after the win over Rutgers in the 2005 Insight Bowl, Derek Hagan scoring a touchdown against Purdue in the 2004 Sun Bowl and an overhead shot of a packed Rose Bowl from January 1, 1997; a day that most ASU fans would long to block out of their memories.

In the same stadium where Maroon & Gold faithful had their hearts broken by David Boston 12 years ago, I guarantee you that Sun Devil fans would do horrible things to just see their team in contention to get back to The Granddaddy of them All.

Instead, these Devils are mired in a 4-7 debacle, their first back-to-back losing seasons in over 60 years.

Meanwhile, in the long history of Arizona State football, this program has never suffered six-game losing streaks in consecutive seasons. That dubious distinction lies well within the realm of possibility with the Arizona Wildcats coming to town next Saturday.

Danny Sullivan’s dramatic Hail Mary pass to Chris McGaha couldn’t feel further away, let alone a warm night in October 2007 when the Sun Devils moved to 8-0 with a comeback win over California.

Remember how good that felt?

Since that win, the Sun Devils are 11-17.

We’re in the midst of how bad that feels.

And in the interest of full disclosure, and I can’t believe I would ever say this in the face of our rivalry game and the team I follow so fervently, I’m ready for this all to be over.

I want to beat Arizona more than anything else, but I can’t even force passion at this point. It’s just not there.

I’ve got better stuff to do with my time. We’ve got Herb Sendek taking his guys to Madison Square Garden to take on the Duke Blue Devils on national TV. We’re in the midst of the most baffling resignation of Pat Murphy and the repercussions that will emerge as time goes on. Charli Turner-Thorne’s got her ladies fired up and ready for another run to March.

Kind of makes the Territorial Cup seem moot.

When people like us spend four hours of our valuable Saturday watching a team bumble and stumble around the field, turn the ball over six times for the 2nd time this season and lose an atrociously-played game of football by both Arizona State and UCLA, you come to two conclusions:

1) We must really, really love our Sun Devils, and
2) We must all be giant gluttons for punishment

That love will drive us all to watch the annual Arizona/Arizona State game next week, no matter how the potential for a 2nd consecutive loss to the Wildcats, this time on our home field, a sixth straight loss and the end of a 4-8 season hurts.

At least it will be over and we can move on.

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