Why Pete Carroll Still Deserves Respect

I am not a USC fan or even a big Pete Carroll fan in fact whenever USC plays I always wish for them to lose. 

What I am here to point out is that the greatest coach this decade deserves respect whether you despise him or love him. Come on the guy twitters, has his on facebook page, website, and brings some pretty cool people to talk to his players (Will Ferrell). 

I have seen a lot of articles questioning Carroll and his coaching especially defensively which is his best aspect. But lets get serious don't question him with what he has achieved regardless of what has happened this year. 

Carroll is not Charlie Weis, Rich Rodriquez or any other coach that is on the hot seat, Carrolls seat is pretty frozen. And most schools would love the opportunity to snatch him if he ever decided to leave USC. 

Consider this year an "off" year plagued with injuries or inexperience what ever the reason or excuse may be. 

So far this year USC has suffered its second worst season with Pete Carroll at the helm since he took over. 

They have lost to Washington, Oregon, and Stanford by a combined score of 118-54. And for the first time in seven years won't be headed to the Rose Bowl or a National Championship.  

But lets look past this one season and those two 20+ point losses. 

So far Carroll has won seven consecutive Pac-10 titles and has not lost a Rose Bowl (They lost to Texas at the Rose Bowl but that was the National Championship game) when they have gone. 

Carrolls only blemishes, Bowl wise, were his first season in the Las Vegas bowl when they lost to Utah and in the National Championship game against Texas. 

Also he has brought USC to seven BCS games which no other team has done except Oklahoma since the BCS's inception. USC has gone 6-1 to Oklahoma's 2-5. 

He has over the past nine seasons (thats including this year) gone 95-18 and has won two National Championships. 

Don't expect USC to be in a slump for to long they'll be back whether it is next year or the year after. 

Sadly with those three conference losses I think USC makes it to either the Sun Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl, or Emerald Bowl depending on how things pan out. 

For those of you that like to read I suggest you get this book Always Compete: An Inside Look at Pete Carroll and the USC Football Juggernaut. It completely changed my view of Carroll and made me respect the man as well as the coach.