[NU Sports] Back from Tampa . . . and still in pain

[Jim Bendat]

I'm back in L.A. after having attended the game. It was great meeting with so many list members at the pregame tailgate, and I wish we could have had more time to chat.

I keep replaying the game over and over in my mind. I've now attended four of our close bowl losses, and it's hard to see which game has been the post painful. Each time, I've been mesmerized by the game action and have wound up so totally exhausted by game's end that I've almost felt like I played in the game. I'm sure many of you have felt the same.

I'm very tired of saying how proud I am of our team after a loss. Sure, I'm proud that in each of the bowl games I've attended, we have nearly won. Sure, I'm proud that our team never quits. But I'm also getting very tired of running into fans of the opposition after the game and then making sure they will see me do a good job of playing the role of a gracious loser.

One day, maybe very soon, we will get that elusive bowl win. But oh how I wanted that day to be in a New Year's Day bowl game -- and we had our chance this year. 

That being said, I heard Fitz on the radio today. He already sounded fired up about next year. I guess I might as well get fired up, too!

Jim B.