Carroll To Seattle Makes No Sense

Let me start this off by saying I hate USC. As a Notre Dame fan, I'm obligated to. The Bush Push was one of the worst sports moments of my life. I would love to see the Trojans program self-destruct by losing their head coach and all of these recruiting violation allegations come to full light. But still, I can't wrap my head around this story.

Why would Pete Carroll give up one of the cushiest jobs on the planet for a gig with a middling NFL team? He has absolutely no reason to leave USC. For starters, it's in Los Angeles, where it's always beautiful. Playing at the Rose Bowl in Southern California is enough recruiting material to keep NFL prospects chugging through the system (even if they are getting paid like NFLers at SC). And even that whole situation will blow over, and if it doesn't it won't stick on Carroll. He has averaged a 10-2 season in his 9 years as Trojans head coach, which ensures job security essentially for as long he wants to stay. But why should that be only through the 2009 season?

Seattle isn't that enticing of a job. They have an aging quarterback with declining skills, a running back tandem that isn't elite, and they are stuck up in the Northwest with little national coverage and a lot of rain. Sure, they have TJ Houshmazilly, but the team has gone 4-12 and 5-11 in two years since getting destroyed by the Packers in the playoffs in January 2008.

If Carroll IS going to leave for an NFL job, at least wait till an enticing job opens up. Or maybe he could be the head coach when the Jaguars move to Los Angeles. Either way, I can't fathom a reason why Carroll would want to leave USC.