Notre Dame's Brian Kelly won't miss Pete Carroll at USC

SEAN O'SHEA,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Sunday, January 10, 2010, 9:27 AM

Updated Sunday, January 10, 2010, 9:45 AM

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Pete Carroll is leaving USC.

The sigh of relief you hear that Pete Carroll is finally vacating the USC coaching job and apparently heading to Seattle is from Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly at South Bend, Indiana about 2000 miles away.

That's because Pete Carroll has Notre Dame's number like no head coach before him, or, I believe, after.

The 7-0 record against the Irish was a source of constant humiliation and desperation for Irish followers who had become like abused fans waiting for the next insult. When it came to USC we were the Detroit Lions, LA Clippers and Washington Nationals all rolled into one.

It didn't matter whether it was last second heroics in the case of the Bush Push in 2007 or the ultimate indignity of the 38-0 hammering in 2008 or the heart breaking incomplete pass in the end zone in 2009. Pete Carroll always found a way to beat us.

Now he is on his way out, just ahead of the posse chasing him for alleged recruitment violations, including allegations that Reggie Bush was compensated and a star player last year had a car bought for his girlfriend.

It doesn't really matter. Carroll, who was only fourth choice for the job originally will go down as one of the great USC coaches of all time, right up there with John Robinson.

As for Brian Kelly, he's sleeping easier tonight.

Nster.com

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NDirishSuck | Jan 10, 2010, 10:13 PM EST

wow buddy not much of a notre dame fan i see because the bush push did not happen in 2007! in fact reggie bush was already in the nfl in 2007! the play your referring to happened in 2005 charlie weis' first year as head coach and they almost upset #1 usc but it was 2005! not 2007! next time think before you open your mouth, till then keep it shut you hack!

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michaelOgCollin | Jan 10, 2010, 12:19 PM EST

Oh Mr. O" SHEA, what is this "WE" crap as in "When it came to USC we were the Detroit Lions, LA Clippers and Washington Nationals all rolled into one". If you are in fact a "Domer", please identify your year of graduation and residence hall (we don't permit "frats" at ND) to establish your bona fides permiting you to use "WE" as opposed to "the Irish". I doubt you are "A Domer" because if you were, you would know that the ND-USC rivalry has long been marked by alternating stretches of domination by both schools since 1966. After the 51-0 defeat of USC that sealed the national championship for ND, they didn't defeat USC till the 1973 (another national title year). After they beat ND in 1982, USC did not win a game in the series till 1996. If you are not a Domer as I suspect, a little research might be in order: See the following from Wikipedia: "However, the winless streaks of 13 years (1983–1995, including the 1993 17–17 tie) to intersectional rival Notre Dame" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USC_Trojans_football#1980s.E2.80.931990s) The high "journalistic" of the Irish Voice have obviously migrated to this website as well. Readers may want to view NDNation.com for reliale and accurate news on ND.

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