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.