A lesson on courage

As I watched USC's annual victory over Notre Dame last weekend, something was bothering me. And by something, I mean someone. And by someone, I mean Brent Musburger.

For some reason Musburger keeps getting assigned to all the big-time college football and basketball games, even though he's approaching senility and offers about as much insight to a broadcast as Dennis Miller.

But what bugs me most about the guy is his undying loyalty to America's big name teams.

During Miami's run of success a few years back, Musberger appeared visibly aroused while calling the Hurricane's games, reaching new heights of excitement every time Ken Dorsey threw a touchdown against someone like Florida International.

As Ohio State was beating up on Texas early on in the season, Musburger and his crew were telling a story about Texas quarterback Colt McCoy saving the life of one of his neighbor's or something.

Naturally, Musberger called McCoy a "true American hero."

A hero? I thought only firefighters and policemen in New York were heroes now. Just because his name is Colt McCoy doesn't mean that he wrangles cattle and empties out taverns full of people merely with his presence, then gets the girl and rides off into the sunset. (Or does it?)

Anyway, while the Trojans were beating up on the Irish the week before their assured domination over UCLA, Musberger frantically began to talk up Brady Quinn's "courage." In fact, I counted at least four different times that some form of "courage" was used to describe Quinn.

Quinn was 22-of-45 passing for 270 yards and three touchdowns, one of them a cheap one late in the game.

So why was he so courageous, Brent? Because he didn't quit? John David Booty didn't quit either, but nothing was mentioned about his courage. Do you have to be losing the game to be considered courageous? Or do you just have to be a white good ol' boy named Brady or Colt?

The point is, just because a quarterback plays his way through a tough game doesn't mean that he's "courageous." If that were the case, that would make Casey Paus the most courageous signal-caller in Washington history. His four-interception effort in the UW's loss at Oregon in '04? Quite possibly the very definition of pure, unadulterated Brent Musburger courage.

Could you imagine Husky play-by-play man Bob Rondeau dishing out such undeserved praise?

"Gee Chuck, Bonnell has only completed two passes and he's thrown seven picks, but you just can't say enough about this kid's courage. What a hero!"

I can think of many words to describe the starting quarterback who loses a game 44-24 (such as "overrated"), but none of them involve courage.

As for real courage, I think the only way a quarterback who loses a game by 20 points can be courageous is if he's playing with a flesh wound or something.

Get stabbed in the parking lot before the game and still toss three touchdown passes? OK, that's legit. That's just as courageous as any soldier.

Except for Kellen Winslow.

Columnist Christian Caple: christiancaple@thedaily.washington.edu