Why Carroll left USC

[cardpa]

http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_15266494?nclick_check=1

Wow! All the ugly reasons why Pete Carroll hightailed it out of USC for Seattle.

 

[Reddog]

And it is no surprise to Carroll even as he announced yesterday that he would be surprised if there were any sanctions handed down. Meaning he knew and wanted a preemptive PR strike to counter thoughts that he knew and bolted the scene of the crime. What a joke.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Such a slimy guy, I am sure it's pure coincidence that he finally decided that now was a perfect time to get back to the NFL.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Such a slimy guy, I am sure it's pure coincidence that he finally decided that now was a perfect time to get back to the NFL.

Exactly why in the face of adversity his NFL team will crumble.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Exactly why in the face of adversity his NFL team will crumble.

Yeah, it's been pretty clear why his schtick works in college, but not in the NFL. It also helps in college when you have top players at every position. Ol Pete being in Seattle doesn't scare me.

 

[SuperSpck]

Belichick was largely viewed as a bad coach in Cleveland.
He used the opportunity as a learning experience (I'd once read that he learned how to do everything right, by doing everything wrong, in Cleveland).
It sounds like he's a miserable human being to be around by any standard and there probably isn't anything redeemable in his moral or social value, but we can't say definitively the ways that Carroll failed in the NFL or that his departure from USC won't provide a catapult for his third run in the league.

It is worth noting that both men have been largely successful in exploiting unfair competitive practices during the height of their status as coaches.

Just sayin'.

 

[devilfan02]

I'm not sure why people are surprised by this. Of course he left SC due to the impending sanctions... It was clear as day.

 

[Buckybird]

I'm not sure why people are surprised by this. Of course he left SC due to the impending sanctions... It was clear as day.

...and people act like other big schools don't do the same things on some level. College football is big $$$ to the schools, their coaches & boosters. College football probably pays for many kids scholarships who dont even play sports & pretty much every other thing that the big schools can afford. Anyone thinking Bama, OU, Florida, Texas, etc are totally clean programs are very naive.

I still think Carroll will be a solid HC in Seattle despite what many here think. He was a very good coordinator in the league for years & wasn't all to bad as HC for the J-e-t-s. He should have learned a few lessons from his 1st time around.

 

[devilfan02]

...and people act like other big schools don't do the same things on some level. College football is big $$$ to the schools, their coaches & boosters. College football probably pays for many kids scholarships who dont even play sports & pretty much every other thing that the big schools can afford. Anyone thinking Bama, OU, Florida, Texas, etc are totally clean programs are very naive.

I still think Carroll will be a solid HC in Seattle despite what many here think. He was a very good coordinator in the league for years & wasn't all to bad as HC for the J-e-t-s. He should have learned a few lessons from his 1st time around.

You definitely have a point and I agree. Hell, the Texas football program brought in $90 million dollars last year which fully funds their entire AD. College football is a major, major revenue producer for programs in BCS conferences and their financial health depends on football success.

However, the SC case is quite unique. Bush's family was living in a mansion for years which was paid for by agents. You don't hear about that happening a lot and the Bush's made no attempt to deny it. It's shocking that Reggie's parents are that stupid... Is this an isolated incident? Absolutely not but this case was butchered and USC deserved their punishment. Carroll knew the hammer was coming down which made his move to Seattle a no brainer.

 

[Catfish]

I hate a cheater !!!!! THis guy is one of the best, and just like a politician, he stright-faced looks you in the eye and claims no knowlege of the trouble the "We" have at SC, and how busy he is at 'helping out'. What a snake !!!!!

 

[Buckybird]

However, the SC case is quite unique. Bush's family was living in a mansion for years which was paid for by agents. You don't hear about that happening a lot and the Bush's made no attempt to deny it.

As I said devil, thinking the SC case is unique is naive in my mind. Many of college football coaches might say they don't know about agents or boosters that "hang around" big time players, "taking care" of them, but reality says most of the guys know whats going on. Great players bring in lots of cash to all programs. I would almost bet my life that many, many big-time college football players are getting cars, houses & cash for themselves & their families that people never find out about.
BTW Bush denied all the accusations many, many times.

 

[devilfan02]

As I said devil, thinking the SC case is unique is naive in my mind. Many of college football coaches might say they don't know about agents or boosters that "hang around" big time players, "taking care" of them, but reality says most of the guys know whats going on. Great players bring in lots of cash to all programs.

BTW Bush denied all the accusations many, many times.

It's one thing to hang around agents (Dez Bryant), take gifts and money (OJ Mayo) from agents, drive around in agents/boosters cars (Joe McKnight), that stuff happens A LOT. But to have your family live in an agents house is totally different. I don't think that happens as often as you think which is why I think it was a unique case.

The Bush family adamantly denied it early in the investigation but they "declined comment" routinely over the past year. They knew they were toast.

 

[lobo]

http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_15266494?nclick_check=1

Wow! All the ugly reasons why Pete Carroll hightailed it out of USC for Seattle.

short answer: Duh!!

long answer: Duhhhhhh!!

 

[Russ Smith]

It's one thing to hang around agents (Dez Bryant), take gifts and money (OJ Mayo) from agents, drive around in agents/boosters cars (Joe McKnight), that stuff happens A LOT. But to have your family live in an agents house is totally different. I don't think that happens as often as you think which is why I think it was a unique case.

The Bush family adamantly denied it early in the investigation but they "declined comment" routinely over the past year. They knew they were toast.

Beyond that to allow access to agents and others that freely was the problem. Supposedly Snoop Dogg is one of the boosters that was at fault here. The 3 banned are Bush, Mayo and Guillory.

In the report not only did USC approve letting Bush work as an intern for an agent, Carroll personally called the guy to ask him to hire Bush. HE denied it but then admitted he was friends with the guy. That agent said the idea was to hire USC athletes, and ONLY USC athletes as interns. Clear violation, and the head coach was involved.

They had agents on the practice field.

The assistant coach McNair denies knowing someone in the investigation, then the NCAA literally pulls out a picture of him, Bush, and the guy he says he doesn't know. The level of denial and subterfuge was stunning.

They spent 30K on Bush' car from buying it to fixing it up, he registered the car with USC they have a list of cars for security purposes. Prior to that his car was a beat up pickup truck, suddenly he's got a tricked out car and they don't question that at all?

And they're still going to appeal, it's just arrogant, you can't punish us we're USC.

 

[LarryStalling]

Do you remember who Reggie's roomie was?

 

[cardpa]

I would like to hear what Matt got for his years at USC

 

[JeffGollin]

I'm guessing that what went on at USC probably goes on at well more than 50% of other major college football programs, with the HC given max cover by alumni booster clubs who do most of the heavy lifting. Plenty of gray shades here (from slipping a kid a few bucks to pay for laundary all the way up to the brand new Corvette or a nice job for Daddy).

That doesn't make it right. (In fact, it elevates those coaches who run clean programs to a status close-to sainthood).

The Bush story is pretty much "old news" and not especially shocking (the prevailing words of caution continuing to be "Don't get caught").

No doubt the USC sanctions probably factored into Carroll's decision to move back to the pros, but to make this the sole reason for the career-change may be somewhat of an overstatement. (He probably weighed a number of factors - location, team-ownership, compensation package etc. - along with getting out of Dodge).

 

[john h]

http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_15266494?nclick_check=1

Wow! All the ugly reasons why Pete Carroll hightailed it out of USC for Seattle.

I would much agree that Carroll knew what was coming down the pipe. Would a real man stay and try and right the ship or is this man partially responsible for what happened? Losing 10 scholarships a year for several years and not TV appearances are going to send the good. All those good players at UCLA who had nothing to do with this are now at risk of not making the NFL. No playfoffs. No TV. New coach. Lost scholarships. I would think we will see a lot of transfers. With all that has happened would players transferring have to sit out a year before playing for a new college?

We had a real super high school QB star from Arkansas and a super receiver named Williams. Our U. of Arkansas star freshman QB chose to transfer to USC with great hopes of going to the NFL. Bad move for the dude. No TV and he has been a backup. He would have started for Arkansas and been there with our two great RB's Felix Jones and Darren McFadden. Williams the receiver for USC has been a star from the get go and will likely be an NFL player if he has not only ready been drafted. The QB's parents might as well have been his agent as they were bothering the coaches all the time and finally had him transfer where he has not been able to showcase his talents. When mom and dad control the every move of a young high school star it often turns into bad news.

 

[moklerman]

Part of the reason this whole thing got started was because Reggie stiffed the boosters who took care of him. The writer for Yahoo who started the investigation said that he would have never even known about it if Reggie had just cut "them" a check like he had promised to do. The writer said it was at most $300,000 and Reggie stiffed them. Said it was at a time when he already had his money from the Saints so it shouldn't have been a money issue and that he has subsequently spent much more than that "settling" with people and paying for lawyers to protect and cover up.

Basically, Bush is a total creep. I hope they take his Heisman away. I'm sure Vince Young would agree with me.

 

[Russ Smith]

I would like to hear what Matt got for his years at USC

Matt's family was quite wealthy I doubt he really needed it.

For anybody who doubts the level of denial at USC read the LA Times story today about a USC booster event in San Francisco yesterday. Garrett was one of the speakers and he told the Times reporter that as he read the NCAA report he could read between the lines and clearly see jealousy. He said it was obvious that they(the NCAA committee) really wanted to be Trojans. That's his opinion on why USC got hit, the NCAA committee was jealous of USC.

One of the funnier parts of the report is where sports announcer and ex USC player Petros Papadakis is cited because his dads restaurant was being improperly used for recruiting visits and such. The dad is an ex USC player too so both of them are considered boosters and thus it's against the rules. Petros said on radio yesterday he didn't know the rule, neither did anybody at USC, and it shouldn't be held against them. Nevermind that in 2006 reporters for the local CBS affiliate in LA did an on air story where they said they'd pointed out to USC officials that using that restaurant was a recruiting violation. That's 4 years ago and we're supposed to believe they still don't know the rule?

 

[Russ Smith]

I'm guessing that what went on at USC probably goes on at well more than 50% of other major college football programs, with the HC given max cover by alumni booster clubs who do most of the heavy lifting. Plenty of gray shades here (from slipping a kid a few bucks to pay for laundary all the way up to the brand new Corvette or a nice job for Daddy).

That doesn't make it right. (In fact, it elevates those coaches who run clean programs to a status close-to sainthood).

The Bush story is pretty much "old news" and not especially shocking (the prevailing words of caution continuing to be "Don't get caught").

No doubt the USC sanctions probably factored into Carroll's decision to move back to the pros, but to make this the sole reason for the career-change may be somewhat of an overstatement. (He probably weighed a number of factors - location, team-ownership, compensation package etc. - along with getting out of Dodge).

Yes and no, most schools don't literally allow agents onto the practice field. And I can't imagine another college coach literally arranging an internship for a star player with a "marketing rep" who he knew worked with professional athletes. Most coaches simply aren't that arrogant.

 

[moklerman]

Matt's family was quite wealthy I doubt he really needed it.

For anybody who doubts the level of denial at USC read the LA Times story today about a USC booster event in San Francisco yesterday. Garrett was one of the speakers and he told the Times reporter that as he read the NCAA report he could read between the lines and clearly see jealousy. He said it was obvious that they(the NCAA committee) really wanted to be Trojans. That's his opinion on why USC got hit, the NCAA committee was jealous of USC.

One of the funnier parts of the report is where sports announcer and ex USC player Petros Papadakis is cited because his dads restaurant was being improperly used for recruiting visits and such. The dad is an ex USC player too so both of them are considered boosters and thus it's against the rules. Petros said on radio yesterday he didn't know the rule, neither did anybody at USC, and it shouldn't be held against them. Nevermind that in 2006 reporters for the local CBS affiliate in LA did an on air story where they said they'd pointed out to USC officials that using that restaurant was a recruiting violation. That's 4 years ago and we're supposed to believe they still don't know the rule?

I listen to Petros and Money almost every day and the Laker game pre-empted the show yesterday before Petros called in from Hawaii so I missed his response.

You sound like a listener so let me ask you this: do you think it's just a coincidence that Petros' younger brother went to UCLA last year rather than USC where Petros and their dad both played?

I think the restaurant thing is pretty minor in the big picture. I really doubt that potential recruits were swayed one way or the other by being taken to dinner. Technically, a violation but were they only wining and dining recruits and big-named players or were USC guys invited because of the family's connection to the team as well as Petros being a media member.

I'm working with a lack of information on this point but it seems feasible to me that having USC guys as guests of the restaurant isn't anything that was meant to be underhanded.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

We had a real super high school QB star from Arkansas and a super receiver named Williams. Our U. of Arkansas star freshman QB chose to transfer to USC with great hopes of going to the NFL. Bad move for the dude. No TV and he has been a backup. He would have started for Arkansas and been there with our two great RB's Felix Jones and Darren McFadden. Williams the receiver for USC has been a star from the get go and will likely be an NFL player if he has not only ready been drafted. The QB's parents might as well have been his agent as they were bothering the coaches all the time and finally had him transfer where he has not been able to showcase his talents. When mom and dad control the every move of a young high school star it often turns into bad news.

I have zero sympathy for mustain or any of his springdale HS posse - I hope he continues to rot as 3rd string

also that situation gets back to another tactic that happens a lot in college sports which isn't necessarily great .......... nutt hired his HS coach to essentially land 4 recruits - 3 of which were big time prospects - and then about lost control of the program because of it

 

[Buckybird]

Yes and no, most schools don't literally allow agents onto the practice field. And I can't imagine another college coach literally arranging an internship for a star player with a "marketing rep" who he knew worked with professional athletes. Most coaches simply aren't that arrogant.

Russ, I respect your opinion but I think its naive to think the same things that happened at SC doesn't happen at OU, Texas, Georgia, Bama, Florida, LSU and many other "big time" football programs.

 

[Renz]

Carroll is such a jackass. It was never anything USC did, it's that damn "agenda" that everyone has to "get" the Trojans.

Here's Pete Carroll's response --- says he's "absolutely shocked''

Posted by Bob Condotta

Instead of sending out a press release, or meeting with reporters, former USC coach Pete Carroll has instead issued a video statement to today's ruling of penalties on his former school. Carroll is now coach of the Seattle Seahawks.

Here is that response.

Carroll says he is "absolutely shocked and disappointed'' in the ruling and that he never thought it could come to this.

He said he "never thought there were any facts'' that would support the allegations and that "we were not aware of any of these findings.''

He says that "the agenda took them beyond the facts'' of the case and that the "facts don't match the sanctions.''

He says this is a "clear-cut case'' of external elements outside the university "disrupting the process'' and that he supports USC's decision to appeal.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/huskyfootballblog/2012084020_heres_pete_carrolls_response.html