Monday eye-opener: Has Pete Carroll made the right career choice?
Good morning.
Football coaches are supposed to be great history buffs so (former) USC coach Pete Carroll should be familiar with his hoary cliche:
“Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it.”
Carroll, who reportedly resigned from USC, so he could become the Seattle Seahawks head coach might want to remember the difference between rosy and Rose Bowl.
Carroll spent 13 years in the NFL as one of the most respected defensive minds in the game. But his one shot at being the head man ended up as a single season of 6-10 with the Jets and then three seasons with the Patriots with decent success but not overwhelming success. Then he was gone.
And were there not profile after profile describing how perfect Carroll’s personality was for the college game and how that gung-ho attitude didn’t always win over pro players?
He’s also going to a team that didn’t exactly show great patience with Jim Mora, firing him after one season.
Jimmy Johnson aside, the college to pro move hasn’t historically been a great success. Nick Saban. Steve Spurrier. Dennis Erickson. Just to name a few.
USAToday.com
1/11/10
