The Best 2010 NFL Draft Week Debate… Carroll Does Well in First Draft

April 26, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Babe Ruthless and Bleacher Fan.

The three-day marathon called the NFL Draft is finally over. I was skeptical at first, but I must admit, going against what I argued not too long ago… the three day format was a success. I was proven wrong. I probably watched more draft coverage this year than ever before. And apparently I am not alone, as ESPN had record ratings. However, today we are going to recap the draft and debate which team had the best overall draft. How did your team fare? Babe Ruthless and Bleacher Fan are making two good choices as Babe is now a big Jimmy Clausen fan, and Bleacher Fan will join millions of others with his man crush on Tim Tebow. I, however, am going in a different direction. I am headed out West where Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks had themselves a very good draft.

Sports Geek and I are long time readers of Peter King’s Monday Morning Quarterback. And this morning, he has a fascinating review of the draft and some of the behind the scenes chatter. He and I agree that the Seahawks did a lot to improve their team. With their first pick and the sixth overall, they drafted Oklahoma State tackle Russell Okung. Now, I know the average fan can’t name the names of the offensive lineman, but this guy appears to be the real deal. He was a two-time All-American in Stillwater and is rather huge. He is 6-feet 5-inches and weighs 307 pounds. Longtime Seahawk tackle Walter Jones is expected to retire in the coming days, and Seattle expects Okung to just slide right into the tackle position manned by Jones for thirteen years.

With the thirteenth pick safety Earl Thomas out of Texas was selected. Now, some of you Big XII fans should be familiar with Thomas. While he played safety in college, the Seahawks believe he can play some corner if needed, and that’s what separated him from the other safety candidates like former USC Trojan Taylor Mays. Carroll has been under fire from Mays for somehow causing his draft stock to fall. Mays was under the assumption that Carroll may draft him. But, Taylor, you aren’t in sunny California anymore… that’s not how it works outside the fantasy known as the University of Southern California. The training wheels are off!

I really like the second round pick, and 60th overall, of Notre Dame receiver Golden Tate. Sports Geek earlier this year wrote an argument about Tate. It’s hard to argue against some of the things he did in South Bend, and under major scrutiny at that. He’s a little on the small side, but I’ve just got a feeling he could do well in Seattle. I was actually a little surprised he fell all the way to 60.

It was a great first draft for Carroll in Seattle. He filled needs with the first three picks, but he also traded away picks in order to get running backs Leon Washington and LenDale White. If those two guys can stay healthy and focused, they should succeed in the northwest. The NFC West is up for grabs, and this draft will go a long way in helping Seattle compete in the West.

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The Biggest 2010 NFL Offseason Debate – Can Pete Carroll Get It Done?

February 8, 2010

Read opposing arguments from Sports Geek and Bleacher Fan.



It is a sad day for me. I am upset because seemingly for the twentieth straight year, I did not win anything in Super Bowl Squares. I am also upset because after last night’s entertaining Super Bowl, it means we have to go MONTHS with no football! What is a single guy supposed to do during that time? Well for starters, the NFL Draft is not that far away… and if you did not know that, you do now after watching the promo for it during the Super Bowl. And to whet your appetites until then, The Sports Debates is already looking forward to the 2010 campaign and taking an in-depth look at which team has the most to fix. Obviously, many teams have things to fix, even the defending champion New Orleans Saints, but I think the team with the biggest offseason coming up is the Seattle Seahawks.

First and foremost, we all know who is in charge up in the Northwest now. Head coach Pete Carroll makes his long anticipated return to the NFL and he has decided to make that return in Seattle. Big Pete had built a dynasty at Southern Cal, and now he comes to a team not all that far from a Super Bowl appearance, with that game taking place only four years ago. A lot has changed since then, though. Former coach Mike Holmgren now works in the Cleveland front office, and the most recent coach, Jim Mora, has joined millions of Americans on the unemployment line.

One of the first things Carroll and rookie general manager John Schneider have to do is decide what to do with the offense. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is seemingly older than the 34 years he actually is, and that is because he seemingly has suffered some type of injury every year since that Super Bowl run. Will the Seahawks spend their first round pick, the sixth overall, on a quarterback? Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen could be available.

My personal opinion is that running back needs to be addressed first, either through the draft or through free agency. Can you name the leading rusher for the Seahawks last year? It was Julius Jones. Is he a running back capable of handling the full load? Is Justin Forsett that answer? Carroll has brought renowned offensive-line coach Alex Gibbs and his sometimes controversial cut-blocking schemes to town. This new approach will surely improve the run game. But do the Seahawks currently have the personnel to run behind cut blocks? However it happens, the Seahawks definitely need to improve on offense, as scoring 280 points in 16 games is not going to win a lot of games in the NFL.

Fans in Seattle have high expectations for Pete Carroll and his bunch. Perhaps they are a little too high. There is a lot of work to be done to improve that team and get Qwest Field, home of the NFL’s 12th Man, rocking. Whether or not Carroll can work his magic remains to be seen. But all football fans will definitely be watching!

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The Best Decision About A Coach Debate – The Burden of Success, USC Does What It Must

January 18, 2010

Read the arguments from Loyal Homer and Bleacher Fan about which football organization/program made the best decision about its head coaching position.



It was a normal feeling morning on campus in Los Angeles. The morning winter air was brisk, but temperatures would warm some later. No worries, right? Good weather, good location, good times.

Then Southern Cal head coach Pete Carroll took a call from the Seattle Seahawks organization, an organization that wished to break promises and fire its current coach, Jim Mora. All of a sudden there was an intense need to move in a different direction, and Pete Carroll was squarely in the team’s sites.

Normally Carroll would dismiss the opportunity out of hand. But, with allegations of recruiting violations and the specter of inconsistencies surrounding the tenure of Reggie Bush, Carroll felt if there ever was a time to leave the university for another position, it was now. And in a blink of an eye, overnight, Carroll was gone. Goodbye sunshine, hello rain (perhaps a metaphor for the decision?).

Coming off a poor season, USC found itself in another strange position – coachless. The situation was so dire and uncertain that recruits were taking the initiative to hold the recruiting class together. One free safety USC commit even started a group on Facebook called “Let’s keep the 2010 USC Football recruiting class together!!”

The school was in a real lurch. All of the necessary steps were taken by the university, with no stop left unpulled. Chris Peterson was called, but unwilling to budge from Boise State. Talks with Steve Mariucci never materialized into anything serious. Jack Del Rio ultimately decided to keep his home address in Jacksonville (for some reason).

The phone system within the USC athletic department probably started smoking with the volume of phone calls made and received over the few days of uncertainty that followed the sudden departure of Pete Carroll. Then USC did something that seemed impossible. A very vocal coach who was already mixing things up in the SEC and engrained at a university with a long and storied football history agreed to speak about the head coaching position at USC. Southern Cal used its leverage made a call upon history to Lane Kiffin.

No matter what fans and media think of Lane Kiffin’s character (which I happen to think is without integrity), USC acted quickly and decisively, saving both the 2010 recruiting class, the hope of the 2010 season, and, of course, the reputation of the university’s football program. Tennessee had such a publically difficult time both retaining Kiffin and attracting new coaching talent that the program no longer appears as the elite head coaching job it once did.

USC was not done, either. Kiffin, who brings his famously successful defensive coaching dad Monte with him, nearly lured UCLA offensive coordinator Norm Chow back to Troy. USC turned a vacancy into real, believable momentum.

The quick action to get Kiffin to campus also created an environment that star running back C.J. Gable believes he can thrive in… after nearly turning professional. Southern Cal now sits poised for a competitive season in 2010 with a coach experienced at the school and a top tier recruiting class on its way. It sounds as though not much has changed in Troy… just the name of the desk in the head football coach’s office. Credit the fast-acting athletic department in creating an environment for success regardless of suddenly difficult circumstances. No matter how we feel about Lane Kiffin and his integrity – or lack thereof – and poor treatment of Tennessee, its program and its fans, USC did what was right in the near-term for its program in the face of sudden and difficult events.

It is obvious that USC’s goals were short term preservation in order to keep the university moving forward. Who knows what the long term plans are for USC… or Lane Kiffin. Kiffin may simply be a short term fix while USC quietly seeks out a more stable long-term coach. Or perhaps Kiffin proves he is a short term fix and long term solution – he will have the chance to prove it. Regardless of what USC’s long term plans are, or the overall direction of the major college football coaching landscape (and, yes, I do agree with Jay Paterno), the athletic department did an excellent job at holding the football program together in the near term with the aggressiveness that was necessary.

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The Unsigned On The Hot Stove Debate – A Proven MLB Slugger Is Still Available

January 13, 2010

Read the arguments from Babe Ruthless and Sports Geek about which still unsigned player is the best remaining on the hot stove in major league baseball.



It has been a heavy sports news week so far, with Mark McGwire’s admission that he took steroids, Pete Carroll leaving USC, and then quickly being replaced by Lane Kiffin. Obviously, baseball is taking a back seat right now, as it usually does in January. However, The Sports Debates is going to take a look at what’s left of the free agency list. A quick look over the list leads me to believe that Jermaine Dye is the best player left on the market.

Jermaine Dye is a proven MLB slugger. His career statistics are solid, with 325 home runs. He has five consecutive seasons with 25 or more home runs. Last season was somewhat of a down one for him, as he had an awful second half (.179 average with six home runs), but he still finished hitting .251 with 27 home runs. He is, perhaps, just passed his prime, as he will be 36 years old on opening day. But that does not mean he is not a key addition to several teams out there.

Three teams appear to be a good fit for Dye, and all for different reasons. Those teams are the New York Yankees, the Atlanta Braves, and the San Francisco Giants.

Dye’s price is quickly dropping as the Spring training draws nearer (not that finances even come into the equation with the Yankees). The Yankees, despite the acquisition of Curtis Granderson, still could use another outfielder with the likely departure of Johnny Damon. Some may say Dye is awful in the outfield, but to answer that, I simply ask, “How good of an outfielder was Damon?” Dye’s bat would likely continue to have some pop in hitter friendly Yankee Stadium. Of course, he could always be a designated hitter, too.

Some of you may remember that Dye was actually drafted by the Atlanta Braves back in 1993. Unfortunately, he came up with another young Braves outfielder named Andruw Jones, and the Braves decided to go with him. He has always been kept in high regard by the Braves. Atlanta possibly has an open spot in right field, if only for a year, since hot prospect Jason Heyward is on the way up. That would give the lineup a big bat it sorely needs, but it would be a right-handed bat. As it is, the Braves lineup is already full of right-handers.

Another destination is possibly San Francisco. Dye was born in California and the people in the Bay area are quite familiar with him, with Dye having played in Oakland from 2001-2004. The Giants obviously need some punch in the lineup. They have added Mark DeRosa, but looking at the depth chart, it appears the team still needs another bat. The interest in Dye by the Giants possibly depends on what they decide to do at first base. If they put Pablo “Kung Fu Panda” Sandoval at third and not first, DeRosa likely moves to the outfield and there is possibly not a spot for Dye.

Wherever he goes, Dye will be aiming to prove that he still has something left. There’s no doubt he still has pop in his bat. It is a low risk, high reward opportunity for some lucky team, and it is a chance one team is going to be glad to take.

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The Running Up The Score Debate – Practice Good Sportsmanship

December 3, 2009

Read the debate intro and the very entertaining arguments from Bleacher Fan and Babe Ruthless.



This is the second debate between Bleacher Fan and Babe Ruthless. I had a pretty good idea this was going to be an entertaining debate. Sports Geek hinted as much throughout the day as he was editing the respective arguments. Let’s just say that the debate definitely lived up to the hype.

I read Babe Ruthless’ argument and, despite an insistence on using the Yankees as an example in the argument (even though one of the points was a strike against them), I came away impressed. It is certainly true that we are told to always give our best effort. That much is obvious. The Babe mentioned a game I had forgotten about involving the Utah Jazz. Another game that immediately comes to mind for me personally is a mid 1990’s college basketball game between LSU and Kentucky. LSU blew a 31 point lead at home in the second half against the mighty Wildcats.

However, the more effective argument is made by Bleacher Fan, and that is why I am declaring Bleacher Fan’s argument the winner. Bleacher Fan essentially won the debate with the example of USC. It has been rather obvious that Pete Carroll has run up the score on many teams during this run of success for the Trojans. It has come back to bite him in the rear this season, with the game against Stanford being the primary example. Winning and losing comes and goes in cycles, and I have always been told to keep that in mind when facing an opponent. Your may have the better team today, but tomorrow is a different day. It is important to show a little compassion for the other team, who may be going through a down cycle.

As Babe Ruthless stated, we are told in our early recreation days that giving your best effort is very important. What we are also told at a young age is to be a good sport and always have a healthy respect for the opponent, even if you despise them. Always showcase good sportsmanship. That is why you see kids line up and give high fives after Little League games. I don’t see “running up the score” as shaving points. Granted, each coach has to make a judgment on when to call off the dogs. Being up by 27 with less than two minutes to go definitely calls for the foot to be taken off the gas.

Practice good sportsmanship in victory and defeat. You never know when the shoe may be on the other foot.

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The Running Up the Score Debate – Leave It All On The Field… Unless You’re Winning?

December 2, 2009

Read the debate intro and Bleacher Fan’s argument that it is not good to run up the score on a game well in hand.



From the time a child first starts to play sports he is indoctrinated with the mantra, “As long as you gave it your best effort that is what really matters.” I absolutely agree. That is why it is important for a team to try to score on every chance it gets. To do anything else would be giving less than your best, and that is certainly not what sports are about.

Yet society has come to accept the notion that it is somehow inappropriate to attempt to score once a comfortable lead is established. What is a comfortable lead? During a 1993 NFL playoff game the Houston Oilers thought they had established a comfortable lead over the Buffalo Bills, up by 32 points during the third quarter. But when the game ended, it was the Buffalo Bills that walked away victorious. In 1996, the Utah Jazz were booed off the court trailing the Denver Nuggets by 34 points at the end of the first half. But, again, that comfortable lead disappeared leading to the biggest NBA comeback in recorded history. In the 2004 ALCS, I suffered the greatest disappointment of my life when the New York Yankees had a comfortable lead over the Boston Red Sox up three games to none. But, I learned the hard way that there is no such thing as a comfortable lead. While I assure you none of the losing teams were trying not to run up the score, these comebacks would never have been possible if these teams held back because they were worried about hurting the feelings of the other team.

I do not even like the phrase “running up the score.” Instead how about we call it what it really is, “trying your hardest.” When teams refuse to score after building a comfortable lead (whatever that lead is) it is actually cheating. What is the difference between refusing to score and shaving points? Absolutely nothing. Do we really want to teach our children that they should shave points so that the losing team does not feel as bad about the loss? There are important life lessons in losing.

Derek Jeter is a case study in the lessons of losing. Jeter’s father used to beat him at every game they played. His father, Charles Jeter, tried to instill an important lesson “[that in life] nobody is going to let you win anything. [Life] is not going to be fair all the time.” Derek learned these lessons and was motivated to approach everything with a unique tenacity that drove him to be the best. After several All-Star game selections, Golden Gloves, Silver Sluggers, and World Series Championships, I would say few would doubt the effectiveness of this technique.

Winners try their best. They try their best when they are up big in game or trailing by a seemingly insurmountable margin because that is how the game is played. My argument is best summed up by the immortal words of former NFL head coach, Herm Edwards, “This is what the greatest thing about sports is—you play to win the game! Hello? YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME!”

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The Running Up the Score Debate – Just Because You CAN, Does Not Mean You SHOULD

December 2, 2009

Read the debate intro and Babe Ruthless’ argument that it is good to run up the score on a game well in hand.



There are rules of etiquette in competition. In poker, for example, you shake the hand of the person that knocked you out of the game. In a boxing or an MMA fight, no matter how ugly the pre-fight trash talking may get, you always “hug it out” after a bout. Likewise, you should NEVER run up the score on an opponent who is clearly beaten. Reasons for this type of good sportsmanship abound. Whether you subscribe to karma, believe in respecting the honor of a gentleman’s game, or simply prefer not to be an a-hole, it is important to remember those rules of etiquette.

Football games are played to determine a winner. They are not about demoralizing an opponent, showboating, or proving who has the bigger, umm, let’s just say ego. You get no brownie-points for making the other team cry, you just look like a bully… and nobody likes a bully.

America LOVES the Underdog

Despite all of the wrongs that Babe Ruthless stands for, those of us who live in a CIVILIZED society will always have a soft-spot in our hearts for the underdog. We are a nation built by underdogs, and we humbly welcome the world’s tired, poor, and huddled masses with open arms. Our heroes are thusly appointed because they help and defend those who cannot help themselves, and the “bad guy” is always the person who seeks to exploit others for their own personal gain.

In sports, just as in all aspects of our lives, we appreciate the joy of victory, and we understand survival of the fittest. But, we have no tolerance for kicking the little-guy when he is down.

You Reap What You Sow

Pete Carroll is learning a very difficult lesson right now.

For the past seven years, Carroll and the USC Trojans have enjoyed seemingly uncontested success within the Pac-10 Conference. Since 2002, the Trojans have been at least co-champion of the Pac-10 every single season. During that time, Carroll has not shown much consideration for his colleagues within the conference.

There have been many instances where Carroll has run the score up against his opponents. Last season, for example, Carroll and the Trojans had no qualms about crushing Virginia (52-7), Oregon (44-10), Washington State (69-0), or Washington (56-0). It was during the Oregon game of that season, however, when Carroll committed his most blatant and transparent attempt to run the score up. With 1:50 remaining in the game and a 37-10 lead over the Ducks, most coaches would simply work to run out the clock, but not Pete Carroll. On a third down from his own 41 yard line, Carroll decided to take a time out. That’s right, rather than simply try to run for the first down, allowing time to tick off the clock and end the game, Carroll actually STOPPED THE CLOCK. Following the time out, USC took the field, and quarterback Mitch Mustain threw a 59 yard bomb that was caught for a touchdown, unnecessarily inflating the score by a meaningless seven points.

The only thing that Carroll gained as a result of that play was the animosity of the players, coaches and fans around the country. That touchdown had no bearing on USC’s national ranking, and it was not the difference-maker in whether or not USC would win the game. Instead, it just made Pete Carroll look like a pompous jerk who was trying to rub salt in Oregon’s wound.

This season, however, Carroll’s arrogance is beginning to catch up with him. And, not surprisingly, he doesn’t like it. Like all good things, USC’s reign at the top of the Pac-10 came to an end in 2009, and after all those years of torturing and humiliating his opponents on the field, a couple have actually gotten the chance for a little payback. Stanford’s head coach, Jim Harbaugh, was more than happy to take a shot at piling on during their 55-21 drubbing of Carroll’s Trojans three weeks ago. Harbaugh, after scoring a touchdown that gave the Cardinal a 48-21 lead with only six minutes remaining in the game, decided he wanted to go for two points instead of settling for one. At the close of the game, Carroll approached Harbaugh and pointedly asked him, “What’s your deal?” to challenge Harbaugh’s decision to try for two points. It seems that Carroll was not satisfied with how his own medicine tasted.

The reason you should show mercy to your opponent, rather than run up the score against them, is because you will most likely find yourself in a position one day where it is you who are begging for mercy. People will always remember how you treated them, and will almost always repay that treatment in kind. If you show no regard for the dignity of others, do not expect them to show regard for you. Pete Carroll is learning this lesson the hard way.

Compassion and respect in victory are far more admirable than humility in defeat. True dominance is not destroying your opponent. Instead, it is knowing that you COULD destroy your opponent, but choosing not to.

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The Best Game of THIS Weekend Debate – Ducks Seek Redemption Against the Men of Troy

October 30, 2009

Read Loyal Homer’s argument and Bleacher Fan’s argument for which games they believe are the best of the upcoming weekend.



The best game of THIS weekend happens when #4 Southern Cal visits #10 Oregon in Eugene this Saturday night.

In the modern era of college football, where large scale stadium expansions are happening with increasing frequency, it is a combination of refreshing and surprising that Oregon’s Autzen Stadium is such a feared place to play. It is difficult to comprehend how a crowd of just 54,000 (small by today’s standards) – a crowd that includes some fans who actually valet park their bicycles – was listed as one of ESPN’s Top 10 Intimidating Stadiums.

The small but spirited stadium “welcomes” Southern Cal Saturday night with, hopefully, something less than a punch in the face.

Oregon, at times this season, appears to have as many personalities as it does jersey combinations. The team has improved after the opening season loss to Boise State on the road. The losing team’s personality appears to have been exchanged for a renewed, confident bunch led by a dynamic and talented Jeremiah Masoli under center. Masoli’s passing numbers are understated thus far in 2009 having thrown just five touchdowns against two interceptions. Fortunately Oregon is now a run first team with running back LaMichael James taking over for the displaced and suspended LaGarrette Blount. James has six touchdowns on the season and averages nearly seven yards per carry. Masoli does a healthy share of damage on the ground, too, with seven touchdowns.

Another strange personality trait Oregon has adopted this season is an uncharacteristically stout defense. Most of the prognosticators and predictors pay a great deal of attention to the offense of Oregon. But, it is the team’s defense this season that sets it apart from the other contenders in the PAC-10. While USC is usually atop the league in team defense, and the team is again this season, Oregon is a rarified second. And, Oregon actually leads the PAC-10 in pass defense thanks in large part to ten team interceptions – including two that were returned for scores.

But, that Southern Cal team is always tough. The team is well-coached and is fighting for a potential shot at the BCS national title game. Alabama and Florida will eliminate each other from contention, and Texas could lose this weekend to Oklahoma State. If USC wins, the team has a legitimate hold on a potential championship spot.

But, it is easy to get carried away when it comes to USC. Remember Mark Sanchez? Before he was an underwear model (and I think he is also the New York Jets quarterback), he was a wide-eyed sophomore quarterback at Southern Cal about to make his third start at Oregon. He threw two passes to the ugly green shirts and the Trojans lost the game 24-17.

A different year but similar circumstance exists now. Matt Barkley, the young but improving true freshman quarterback for the Trojans, has the opportunity to do what his very talented predecessors could not at his age and stage – beat Oregon on the road.

Southern Cal is capable of winning this game, but Oregon needs it. Oregon is a team still desperate to prove it belongs in the national conversation after a disappointing start to the season. USC is a team desperate to show it deserves an opportunity to play for the national title game. The matched talent and desperation makes USC-Oregon the best game of THIS weekend.

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The Best Game of the THIS Weekend Debate – Could Lightning Strike Twice?

September 18, 2009

Read Loyal Homer and Bleacher Fan’s argument for what they believe is the best game of the upcoming weekend.

It was a brisk September day in the upper Northwest. Southern Cal was preparing for a game they were all too happy to be playing. Their confidence was riding high after just defeating top ten ranked Ohio State the week before. All of the college football experts around the country were handing them a spot in the BCS national title game. The running game was clicking and the defense looked as solid as it ever had since Pete Carroll first took the coaching reigns.

Sounds like 2009, right? Wrong. That is a description of the week after USC beat Ohio State in 2008. You know, the week of game preparation leading up to their surprising defeat at the hands of the Oregon State Beavers.

The Trojans were confident after dismantling what was believed to be the best team in the country early in the 2008 season in Ohio State. But, they were surprised in Corvallis, Oregon by a well coached, fast team led by a little (he is 5’7”) and little known running back named Jacquizz Rodgers. Rodgers slashed and dashed his way to 186 yards against the Trojans and a pair of scores en route to a 27-21 victory on the strength of a big first half.

Southern Cal’s trip up to the Pacific Northwest must feel familiar to Carroll, even though most of the defense and his young freshman quarterback Matt Barkley do not remember last season. The Trojans are taking on a Washington Huskies team in Seattle on Saturday that has put up 65 points in its first two games this season. The Huskies bear some resemblance to last season’s Beavers, too. The Beavers scored 59 points in their final two games before taking on the Trojans last season.

The Huskies are led by the multi-talented/rarely healthy Jake Locker under center. Locker has already throw five touchdown passes in two games and is completing 60 percent of his passes. What makes Locker such a difficult player to handle is that he is also the team’s second leading rusher with 69 yards and a touchdown in two games.

Like Rodgers last season, Washington has a small (5’11”) and speedy running back that could catch the Trojans off guard. Freshman tailback Chris Polk has already rushed for 170 years and a touchdown on the young season, and has the skills to do some damage against the Trojans.

Washington is also coached by former Trojan offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian. Sarkisian knows the Trojan’s tendencies and their offense inside and out.

The best game of THIS weekend is Southern Cal visiting the Washington Huskies not because of the great history or the high rankings. It is because the third ranked Trojans are a good possibility to get defeated on Saturday by a smart coach with an edge and a group of highly motivated players. Sounds like the ingredients for a delicious upset, and a great football game.

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The Best Team Not To Win It All Debate, College Football Edition – Dominance Did Not Dominate For One Day

September 1, 2009

Read Bleacher Fan’s argument that the 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes were the best team not to win a championship this decade. Read Sports Geek’s argument that the 2004 Auburn Tigers were the best team not to win a championship this decade.



Winning means everything, right? The realistic goal for most teams in college football is to win enough games to reach one of the numerous bowl games on the docket. However, for some teams, the ultimate goal for the season is to not only win the conference, but also compete in and win the BCS national championship game. One team that did not reach the top of the mountain this decade was the 2005 USC Trojans.

The Trojans came into the 2005 season absolutely loaded. They returned reigning Heisman trophy winner and quarterback Matt Leinart along with running back Reggie Bush, who would win the Heisman trophy at the end of 2005. The Trojans won the national title the previous season, and they returned 14 starters from the 2004 team including running back LenDale White, wide receivers Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith, and linebacker Darnell Bing. They came into the season on a 22 game winning streak. It should also be noted that while they had no impact on the team that year, the recruiting class for that season featured future NFL draft picks quarterback Mark Sanchez, and linebackers Brian Cushing and Ray Maualuga.

The coaching staff, in addition to head coach Pete Carroll, featured future college football head coaches in current Tennessee Volunteers head coach Lane Kiffin and current Washington Huskies head coach Steve Sarkisian.

Southern Cal totally dominated the regular season. Before playing Texas in the national championship game, there was talk that USC belonged in the discussion of the greatest college football teams of all time. Why wouldn’t they be? USC won nine games by at least 17 points. They scored over 50 points an eye-popping seven times during the regular season.

The 2006 Rose Bowl promised to be one of the best college football games we would ever see. The Texas Longhorns had a fine season in their own right. Led by Heisman trophy runner-up and quarterback Vince Young, the Longhorns had run through their schedule with relative ease as they also scored over 50 points on seven different occasions. That included an absolute 70-3 annihilation of Colorado in the Big 12 championship game.

Most pundits, though taking nothing away from Texas, expected the Trojans to cap off an undefeated season with a victory over the ‘Horns. But Young had other plans, essentially putting his team on his back and willing them to a 41-38 victory. He accounted for 467 total yards in the game. I vividly remember watching the game in my living room with buddies and thinking during the game that we were watching something special. As a fan of high scoring games, it is, without a doubt, the best college football game I have ever watched.

Looking back, I still am not sure how that USC team lost. It was loaded. So many stars on one team. They just happened to play against Texas when Young had the game of his life. It seems impossible to not name the 2005 USC Trojans as the greatest college football team of the decade not to win a title.

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Posted by Loyal Homer

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