Pete Carroll-Rick Neuheisel Fallout: Quoting Sports Legends To Prove Your Point

It's a common element of writing a sports article. The writer finds a quote from someone, such as legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, and uses it to prove his or her point.

As if Wooden's definition of competitive greatness applies to the high school basketball coach who does not get his starting center until the end of the football playoffs.

Los Angeles Times college football beat writer Chris Dufresne is just the latest to employ this technique in Monday's sports page.

Before I criticize Dufresne, let me say this. His articles are very thorough, informative, and entertaining. I read every single one of his articles. I do not always agree with him, but he is a tremendous resource of college football news and opinion.

That being said, Dufresne thought it necessary to quote Joe Paterno and John Wooden to prove his point that both UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel and USC coach Pete Carroll were showing poor sportsmanship in their respective decisions in the USC-UCLA football game last Saturday night. (If you have been locked in a closet since before the game, Neuheisel called a timeout after USC took a knee and Carroll responded by calling for a play-action pass resulting in a Trojan touchdown and a 28-7 USC lead in the final minute.)

Dufresne first quoted Paterno. "Success without honor is an unseasoned dish. It will satisfy your hunger, but it won't taste good."

First, I do not know what this quote has to do with a late touchdown, especially coming from someone who has no problem pouring it on to teams like Coastal Carolina to the tune of 66-10. Second, if Joe Pa really believes this, how about scheduling some real non-conference opponents? I know Akron and Temple have their loyal followers, but come on.

Dufresne then quoted John Wooden. In Los Angeles, of course, you are not allowed to criticize the Wizard of Westwood. Wooden was a great coach whose coaching is only exceeded by his intellect. When he writes, however, that "Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there," he certainly could not have meant it in the context of sticking it to a rival. Why, you ask?

The 1968 college basketball season was known for the Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Elvin Hayes rivalry. In what was billed as the "Game of the Century," Houston ended a UCLA winning streak and Hayes outplayed Alcindor, scoring 39 points to Alcindor's 15. (Alcindor and Wooden both claim this was due to Alcindor having a scratched eyeball. Nevermind Alcindor was 7-of-8 from the foul line.)

When the two teams met in the Final Four, UCLA blew out Houston by a 101-69 score. Obviously, since it was a one-sided game, it made sense to take Alcindor out in the final minutes to protect him from injury before the national championship game. Wooden, however, left Alcindor in the game for 39 minutes, and three other Bruin starters played 35-plus minutes in a game virtually decided by halftime. Was this "character [keeping him] there?"

I am sure Wooden had his logical reasons for his substitution pattern (or lack thereof) in that game. Maybe, just maybe, Neuheisel and Carroll have logical reasons for their strategy and do not deserve to have their character attacked in comparison to two legends of coaching.

Taking the quotes from Paterno and Wooden alone, I would whole-heartedly agree with them. While it might be entertaining to juxtapose these quotes against Neuheisel's "timeout" or Carroll's virtual "throw it deep," this writing technique only denigrates two coaches who are totally committed to their universities and the players on their respective squads.

My random thoughts on the sports world can be followed on Twitter at @plh55.