An Open Letter to Matt Barkley

Dear Matt -I want to start this letter by just simply congratulating you on what has been (already) a remarkable career at USC. From your second game ever when you went into the Horseshoe and led a dramatic scoring drive to beat Ohio State, to your recent heroics at Notre Dame to beat our archival yet again, the last three years with you have been incredible. And with all of the 2009 critics of Carroll for playing a true freshman who threw a few too many picks, I can honestly say that watching you progress and improve has been the embodiment of "fight on". You are a Trojan's Trojan.And this leads me to the point of my letter: An unbiased and friendly plea for you to return to USC to close out your time at this university in triumphant and dramatic flare.First, a caveat. You are free to do whatever you and your family deem best, and far be it for me to think that it is any of my business what you and your family prayerfully decide. You and I share the same faith, Matt, and I have no doubt you will seek the only counsel that matters before making your decision. I also know that there is no such thing as a wrong decision here. The NFL is a place for heroes, and people have no right to tell you that taking millions of dollars is ever wrong, period. So I will absolutely not criticize you or lambast you if the UCLA game this year becomes your last game as a Trojan. Rather, I will absolutely cheer my head off for you no matter where you end up in the NFL (unless it is with that big tool, Jim Harbaugh, in which case I will hope you go 0-16).But with that said, I believe that you coming back to USC gives you a chance to do something EVEN BETTER than making millions of dollars. And I only say something so silly because I know you are going to make millions of dollars the next year anyways. Contrary to popular belief, there are a lot of millionaires out there - a ton of them. They aren't that big of a deal any more. I actually think ANYONE can become a millionaire if they would change their perspective and work ethic a little bit. But be that as it may, there are a lot more millionaires in the world than there are Trojan Heroes Who Led USC to the Rose Bowl After Two Years of a Brutally Immoral Persecution from the NCAA. Put differently, if you come back, you can lead USC to the promised land, and forever etch your name in stone with the all-time Trojan greats. And I believe you will do exactly that if you come back!I know you will be a Heisman front-runner if you come back next year, and even if you do not win it, which I think you will, you will be invited to New York for the greatest individual sports award in the universe. You will be returning to an even better offensive line, older, stronger, more experienced, etc. Ask Carson how that 2002 line or Leinart how that 2005 line enhanced their ability to play big-time college football. And more importantly, you will return to the greatest corps of wide receivers in college football. You may not ever throw to receivers in the NFL as good as the ones you will throw to your senior year at USC. Can you believe that? It is true!Matt, you have suffered through one of the darkest periods in USC history, when a corrupt institution gave a felonious punishment to a group of innocent kids for the misdemeanor offenses of a former player's step-dad. It is just not right. But you have the chance to exit the stage of victim, and enter the stage of vindicator. You will become the vindicated. USC's return to the top in the 2012 football season will be the ultimate vindication of these middle two years of your college football experience. Think of the drama that awaits you if you can return to USC for one more year, win a Heisman, win a Rose Bowl, and most importantly, vindicate USC and declare both literally and symbolically that we are the institution of "Fight on". I would practically PAY a million dollars to do that! And the good news for you: You will get to have your cake and eat it too ...I do not want to go on too long here, Matt. You are a remarkable young man. My son is in first grade at MCS, and plans to attend Mater Dei after that. Needless to say, he also will be attending the same college you attend. Yes, three-for-three in the educational institutions selected by Matt Barkley. =) But my son will not be leading USC to its greatest season ever. He can barely throw a ball three feet and it doesn't go straight when he does. You, on the other hand, may leave USC as the greatest Trojan we have ever had. I hope it at least warrants some consideration.And no matter what, we will always love you. Fight on, and go Trojans!