What’s the big deal here?
Maybe I am showing my age but in reading some of thoughts over on Wolf’s blog about the Brennan Carroll video it becomes apparent to me that there are more than just Rick Neuheisel who don’t like this video and I have no idea why.
Q: Was the walk-on football tape that prominently featured Carroll's son sponsored by USC and, if so, why...when it reflects so poorly on the walk-on process at USC?
A: Because there is no editor or safety net to judge the content that gets thrown up on the petecarroll.com website. Everything is viewed as a self-promotion aimed at recruits, parents and lastly, fans. A lot of the content can be interesting but sometimes you need an editor to step in and say, ``this is not worthy of the program.'' And let me add it's not just Rick Neuheisel doing the criticizing. People I respect at USC also criticized it this week not to mention quite a few coaches at other schools across the country.
Q: Can you go back to your sources and get a little more context for "Walk-ongate"? Frankly, I'm puzzled. I've watched the video now probably three or four times and I'm not seeing it. What exactly is Neuheisel telling recruits about SC based on the tape that he thinks will be effective in swaying them to UCLA (or at least away from USC)? He can't possibly think they'll choose UCLA because a USC coach drops a few F-bombs on the practice field. And what do your sources indicate the recruits' response to the video has been? Are they swayed at all? Or do they think Neuheisel's a fool for even bringing it up?
A: Let's say this. A former USC player from the 90's told me today he finally watched the video and was pretty disappointed. And that's also the reaction I'm getting from people who coach for a living. Not fans. Not students. But coaches. Neuheisel is pushing it because college coaches are always looking for ammunition. It's not going to change a recruit's mind. It's more a question about what good was ultimately served by placing this video on the Internet?
I am simply uninterested in having the school police Petecarroll.com to see what’s appropriate and what isn’t. Pete Carroll’s record stands for itself and in my opinion that record affords him luxuries that other coaches don’t have.
Frankly this is minor; sure, some of the clowns from across town will be up in arms as their delicate sensibilities are bruised. The fact is, if I’m a rival coach I would use the Reggie Bush angle or the NFL angle to recruit against Pete Carroll. This just shows how desperate Slick Rick is to try and gain any advantage he can as he tries to put the pieces back together in Westwood.
With all due respect to the unnamed former player from the 90’s maybe if the coaching staff back then had a little more energy and dropped a few more F-bombs SC wouldn’t have been off the map in regards to football. Wolf is right in saying that there isn’t a single player that wouldn’t choose SC over this and if a player did then he never would have made it at SC and we are better of without said player.
As for weather or not there is any good being served by letting this video out I guess it depends on where you stand. I just don’t see it as a big deal. I mean if it properly motivates players to perform than the mission was accomplished right? Those who do think its bad have never seen this:
That is an absolute realistic performance of boot camp and having lived through it myself I can tell you that it will properly motivate someone to get it right the first time and keep doing it right as the consequences are far too dire.
People need to stop being so sensitive and let the chips fall where they may. You do what works until it doesn't work any more. That is exactly what this is. SC's image is fine and I hardly doubt that this will hurt it.
What's the big debate about already...