Pete Carroll: A Hard Guy To Hate

Peter Clay Carroll is regarded as a gift to college football. Many who follow the game know Pete Carroll as the head coach of the University of Southern California.  Outside of the sport, he is known as someone totally different.

Pete Carroll is in his ninth year as the coach of USC and his accomplishments are unparalleled.  Here is a summary of his program highlights:

-  Two BCS Championship Game appearances.

-  Two national championships, including the AP 2003 and the undisputed in 2004.

-  Seven consecutive AP Top Four finishes.

-  A record seven consecutive, BCS bowl appearances.

-  A national record 33 consecutive weeks as AP's no. 1-ranked team.

-  A NCAA record of 63 straight 20-point (or higher) games.

-  Seven consecutive years as PAC 10's Champion or Co-Champion.

-  A record six BCS bowl victories.

-  Only team in history to win three consecutive Rose Bowl Games.

-  In 2007, USC became the first NCAA Football team to achieve six consecutive 11-win seasons.  In 2008, USC added an unprecedented seventh consecutive 11-win season.

-  Under Pete Carroll, USC is 28-0 in the month of November.

-  Three Heisman Trophy winners in four years. 

The above is only a portion of what Pete Carroll has accomplished as a coach.  I find what he has done as a citizen no less remarkable.

Pete Carroll was not the type of man who would sit in front of his television set and watch the gang problems on the news.  It just wasn't in his nature.  

Pete Carroll had what is referred to as "street cred."  In other words, he not only "talked the talk, he walked the walk."  Pete saw the problem and created, what is now known in California, as A BETTER LA. 

A BETTER LA is an organization which brings Inner-City citizens, troubled youth and law enforcement together in a way never seen before.   The Los Angeles County Sheriff and the City's Chief of Police have congratulated Pete Carroll on making gang members into former gang members.  

Nightly, Pete Carroll meets with dozens of gang members.  He meets them on their turf late at night.  He has gained the respect of gang members and law enforcement alike. 

I worked the gang detail on the Los Angeles Police Department.  I've been to the same places Pete Carroll visits.  The difference is, I had two handguns, one hundred rounds of ammunition, a shotgun, a police radio and a partner who had everything I had.

The main difference between us and Pete Carroll was that we were there to enforce, while he was there to help.   Looking back, it becomes clear.  We got respect out of fear.  Pete Carroll gets respect out of love. 

Pete Carroll is one of the most requested speakers in California.  He's philosophies of COMPETE TO SUCCEED and WIN FOREVER  have caused him to be requested to speak to many groups who are far from the football field.

Recently Pete Carroll gave the keynote address to more than 600 members of the Orange County Business Council. This is especially impressive, since past speakers were President Ronald Reagan, Steve Forbes and numerous politicians.

Pete Carroll not only speaks to the business world, but also to gatherings of university professors.  Then, Pete really went national.  In fact, what he said factors into world events.

The Pentagon asked for Carroll's help in their training.  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Joint Forces Command recently had a three-day conference.  High ranking members of the military joined top civilian Pentagon acdemicians to improve and maintain military success.

Pete Carroll's participation in the conference was a first.  Never before had a sports figure been invited to, let alone been given the task of teaching and speaking at such an event.  Afterwards, Pete was praised by the leaders of the conference and the attendees as well.

"The recommendations will be taken to the military committees and to Congress.  They will be on Barack Obama's desk before you know it," said the Harrison, the conference consultant.  Harrison went on to say, "Pete is the nuclear power behind this." 

Pete is truly a guy who is hard to hate.