Your link worked just fine, fatty, and I read it through (thank goodness for our alternate Friday off). Two points particularly interested me. First, I had heard of Carroll's sorties through the ghettos of Los Angeles, but I had thought they were for recruiting purposes. While that may be so in a larger sense (image, perhaps), he is not likely to gain too many recruits among the crap shooters or dopers. Thus, I'll ascribe better motives to his visits. The second point is, I think, the most revealing about his desire to once again coach in the NFL. If you look at the last 3 paragraphs of Reason 13, the writer perceives that Carroll has not abandoned the idea despite his success at USC. I think that Carroll might have the same compulsion that drives some people to run for President (or for that matter to try any seemingly impossible task). That is, the task is there, and I'll try it just because it is there, and I want to prove that I am capable of doing it.
Ok cjets, I think you are a bit sensitive to your USC team. To say they are two time national champs, that is inaccurate. LSU was the BCS champs the year that the AP voted USC #1. Years ago when Colorado and Georgia Tech were "Co-National Champs", they made reference that they would both lay claim and it was like a split championship - thus the reference. So, I will recant my statement and give them their accolades. Co-national champs for the one year and outright champs for the other. And, ok if you use Jeff Sagarins ratings. You can find many to support what you wish. I believe you are too biased in this discussion to be objective. I have said nothing negative about USC except maybe the Reggie Bush issues. AS for the Pac 10, I don't think it is as strong as the other conferences and I have a right to my opinion. They have about 3 really good teams and that is it. I do believe that Carroll is a premiere coach and the issue is whether or not he should go to the NFL. I stated my opinion and it has nothing to do with USC. I think they are as good as any team around. I even went as far as to say that they had a GREAT chance if they would have been matched with LSU. I also never said he wasn't doing all he could with his talent. I said he is routinely in the top in recruiting (heck, who wouldn't want to go to SC?), but he hasn't got but the one sole championship to show for it = plus a co-national championship (better?). Also, I was comparing the Pac 10 to the SEC. You are the one making the comparrisons of USC vs. the SEC. I never said that. I realize you said they (USC) were 5-1 in the BCS games and that's great. But, it doesn't make the conference any better. Even by your own rating, you have SEC above the Pac 10. Now, back to the issues of the blog - do I think Pete Carroll will leave USC for the NFL = yes. I don't know that he will take the Falcons job and I would question his sanity to leave USC for that team. But, I do see him leaving for the NFL in 1-2 years. If the NCAA continues to dig (as does the PAC 10) into the Reggie Bush thing, they would have to forfeit their games, their national title and bowl victories while Reggie was playing. They did so to OU and Coach Stoops and his star QB only took about $7-8,000. In the case of Bush, we are talking about nearly 300,000. They even have taped conversations and if you don't think they will bury USC and Bush, look at what they did to OU, took away their victories that Bomar played in and their victories from the coach and team. And as for coaches that are as good, Right under Pete in winning percentage is Bob Stoops and Urban Meyer. Stoops has been there for 9 years though and Urban for 5-6. You have some very good points, but you seemed to have gotten your feathers ruffled by mentioning USC. If that is your team (seems to be), great. They are a great team and I give them the respect they have earned. I believe they could have beaten LSU this year. But, the issue is if the coach leaves for the NFL and given the surrounding investigations and offers from rich NFL owners - he just might.
To say they are two time national champs, that is inaccurate. So, I will recant my statement and give them their accolades. Co-national champs for the one year and outright champs for the other. You seem to want to have it both ways. They are two time national champs and one of the championships was shared with LSU. To say they are not two-time national champs is inaccurate. I think you are a bit sensitive to your USC team. That's just a weak argument. If you want to come on this blog and make comments about Pete Carroll, be prepared to back them up or recant them. You've done neither. Here's your first quote which was what I responded to. He continuously lands the top talent, but only one championship so far. I guess we'll see. After I responded to that, you came back with the usual crap about the Pac-10 and this argument about them not being two-time champs. So stop with my sensitivity or ruffled feathers, that's just lame. USC has been one of the best college football programs (If not the best) over the last six years. Pete Carroll is the main reason for that. If you want to disagree with me, fine. Back it up. I'm happy to have that discussion. But save the ruffled feathers and sensitivity crap for your therapist. And as far as the Bush issue, they've been talking about this for three years. The guy who wrote the book is an ex-gangster, an ex-con, and not credible. As well as trying to promote his book. Even if they prove Bush was taking money, they still need to prove that USC should have known about it.
Mickster, even if the Bush thing unrolls as you state, how does that change Pete Carroll's success? Sure, the win/loss record would change and the BCS Trophy would go elsewhere (though where is interesting) but Carroll is not the one guilty of any violations nor did Bush's actions matter on the field except, perhaps, in that he had better peace of mind and was a better player for it. These are not point-shaving, recruiting or drug violations. If anything, I think should this calamity (as a USC alum) come to pass that Carroll will be more likely to stay just to win a BCS trophy that isn't tainted.
You have some very good points, but you seemed to have gotten your feathers ruffled by mentioning USC. If that is your team (seems to be), great. They are a great team and I give them the respect they have earned. I believe they could have beaten LSU this year. I'll give you props for saying this, Mickster. And I'm not looking to start a battle with you. But when your answer to my post is to claim that I'm too sensitive, too biased and have gotten my feathers ruffled, then you're discrediting me and the points I'm making. And that pisses me off.
Which I believe you've already pointed out. There really isn't a need to say it twice. Without Carroll there is no absolutely dominant USC football program. They may have been good but I don't think they achieve the same success without him at the helm. They have been the most consistantly dominant team of these past few years, and while cases can be made for teams from one specific year that were better than USC (Texas is an obvious example) there isn't a single FBS program that has been more successful over these past few years than USC.
Which I believe you've already pointed out. There really isn't a need to say it twice. Believe it or not, it was actually an attempt at a truce. It just kinda got away from me there in the end.
Is the grind that much different of a pro coach versus the college coach? There is recruiting at the college level but there is less games (well not that many less).
