LOS ANGELES - I believed the NCAA would do the right thing and reinstate Mike Williams so the star wide receiver could play again at USC.

Then again, I also believe in unicorns, fairy godmothers and drug-free track stars.

My cynicism toward the NCAA is understandable. The word “mercy” is not contained anywhere in its by-laws. Rarely does that august body apply leniency where money and agents are involved.

But the Williams case is even more uncommon than the one in which Maurice Clarett got himself embroiled. Clarett instigated a court case against the NFL’s rule barring underclassmen from leaving school early and making themselves available for the draft. Williams merely took advantage of an opening created when a U.S. district judge temporarily struck down the NFL’s age requirement.

What Williams did was within his rights, under the law and rules as they stood at that moment in time. The fact that the decision was later overturned and the NFL’s age standard was upheld by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals shouldn't have resulted in Williams being penalized.

Just because common sense is called for in this situation doesn’t mean the NCAA would exercise it. Still, the fervent hope was that sanity would prevail and the NCAA will meet this once-in-a-lifetime confluence of events with an equally singular ruling in favor of a student-athlete’s unconditional reinstatement.

The major sticking point — at least it should have been — was cash. Williams severed ties with his agent and paid back the money he took from him.

USC’s summer session is over. Williams took two summer classes in order to regain his academic eligibility, and since he didn't blow a final or forgets to turn in a term paper, he is back in academia’s good graces.

Meanwhile, anticipation for USC’s 2004 season is high. After earning half of last year’s national title in a controversial decision involving computer geeks and BCS gobbledygook, the Trojans enter this season ranked No. 1 in both the AP and ESPN/USA Today coaches’ polls. They probably would have been the choice without Williams. If he were to have returned, USC’s multi-faceted offense would have been even more formidable.

Williams was practicing, and he’s even brawnier, quicker and more difficult to defend than he was last year. A month spent at a pre-draft camp prepared him for the NFL. If reinstated, he would have been an NFL receiver returning to college. He’d be Randy Moss, a star rookie with the Minnesota Vikings, except he’d be going back to Marshall for another season. He’d be Jerry Rice with an extra year at Mississippi Valley State. He’d be Terrell Owens, well before he started producing Sharpies after touchdowns and ripping his own quarterback.

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There had been a concern around USC that Williams, denied entry to the NFL and forced by circumstances to try to return to school, might not bring the cheeriest attitude to a team with young, impressionable players. At the end of last season, Williams gave an interview to the college newspaper in which he questioned the commitment and dedication of some of his teammates.

Those fears appear to be unfounded. The critical remarks seemed to cause more consternation among alumni, fans and media than they did to the Trojans themselves, who welcomed Williams back warmly this summer. The junior wide receiver also was taking on a fatherly role with some of USC’s kids, most notably the supremely talented wide receiver corps.

If anything, Williams appeared to be approaching the upcoming USC season with unbridled enthusiasm. And one can’t blame him. It’s a good business move.

Certainly, he would have preferred to cash in with this most recent crop of NFL draft picks. Since it didn’t work out, it was time for Plan B. Williams would of had the opportunity to rocket up the charts for next spring. If he had a year like last season — in which he caught 95 passes for 1,314 yards and 16 TDs — he would be among the NFL’s top five selections next year, and perhaps No. 1 overall.

He knew that this upcoming USC season would be more important than the NFL combine. The latter is for players who have had impressive college careers but still need to prove they’re NFL ready. Williams had already been scrutinized by pro scouts. He’d been evaluated, measured, interviewed and vetted. Because of the unusual events that brought him to this point, he might be the most NFL-ready player in history.

But that was only if two things happen. One, he had to have another spectacular campaign. The chances looked good. USC is loaded with talent. The offensive line, which lost left tackle Jacob Rogers to the NFL and right tackle Winston Justice to the justice system (he was suspended for a year from football by a USC student review board after an on-campus altercation), in addition to center Norm Catkin and guard Leone, is the primary concern. Replacements are plentiful, but they’ll lack game experience. Quarterback Matt Leinart, along a Heisman Trophy candidate, is incredible if he has time to throw, and if the offensive line opens holes for the backs to establish the run and create balance.

Number two was in the hands of the NCAA. With Williams not reinstated, he’ll have a lot of time to prepare on his own for a career in the NFL. But he's now in danger of falling off the radar while other college receivers snag the spotlight.

That’s why there was hope on USC’s campus but a great deal of trepidation as well. When your fate was in the hands of the NCAA, sweaty palms and sleepless nights become as much a part of training camp as blocking drills and wind sprints. 

And the NCAA dropped the ball.