Goodbye to the Victory Bell (USC v UCLA)

After having had possession of the Victory Bell for seven years, the time came tonight for it to be returned to UCLA. It had to happen sooner or later. I don't think many expected it to come tonight. I should've known. UCLA people were jinxing me all week: "We all know who'll win. I mean UCLA isn't even ranked"; "We have a 2% chance of winning"; "etc". I hate college football rivalry games. None of the regular rules ever apply. The best teams are so easily and ridiculously intimidated. There is so much emotion involved. Bragging rights are very easily transformed to fighting rights. It was a rough afternoon. I couldn't watch the last 5 minutes, but I couldn't not watch either. So I was constantly sitting down (in a crowd of students all standing) and then getting back on the bleachers to look over everyone's heads. And then sitting back down. The last minute was all sitting. With my hat covering my face. Staring at my shoes. With hands clasped. I figured I didn't need to look up because I would know it was over by the thunderous sound of the UCLA fans celebrating their victory. But there was no thunder. They were loud, but not too much. No rushing of the field. No bringing down the goal posts. Instead I knew it was over by the deafening silence of our student section. Much more painful. It's alright. Good for UCLA fans. But not really. That's not what college rivalry is about. I'm not happy for them. The hell with them. I live in UCLA territory. They're nasty. They've vandalized my car because of my USC plate. I've been threatened and yelled at while crossing the street and I've been cussed at while driving my car (in the last two weeks). It's alright because there's always next year. There's always another chance. In the words of the All American Rejects, whose song has been stuck in my head since my dreams last night, my new anthem for our losses:

"When all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through

(Move along)
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
Right back what is wrong
We move along".