Pete Carroll Deal "Going Down"?!?!

ESPN's reporting that a deal to make Pete Carroll the coach of the Seattle Seahawks is "going down" according to a USC source. Carroll is supposedly gathering a coaching staff that includes Jeremey Bates, the former Broncos QB coach who's also been linked to the Bears offensive coordinator vacancy. Since Pete Carroll always seems to pop up as a coach this time of year (see, e.g. Dolphins), here's some reasons it could be for real this time:

1- That's a pretty quick hook for Jim Mora, Jr (not to be confused with his "Playoffs?! PLAYOFFS" father), who was tapped as Mike Holmgren's sucessor in February 2008 and signed a five-year deal that would make him the head coach. How do you not give this guy a year as head coach unless you have somebody lined up ready to go? Given how fast Carroll popped up as a name, and the general surprise over Mora's firing, it seems possible Carroll is in fact ready to go. In fact, it's being reported that Carroll was stealth interviewed by the Seahawks under the guise of a trip to LA as part of the Seahawk's GM search earlier this week. Sounds fishy to me.

2- If there's a time to leave USC this is it. No BCS bowl appearance, no top 10 finish, Reggie Bush can't keep the alleged recruiting violations surrounding him at USC under wraps through mediation much longer....seems like a good time if there was one. If Carroll leaves, I guarantee a big SC football scandal is to follow, why else leave being on top of the college football world and the warm Southern California weather? Unless...

3- Carroll still wants to prove himself in the pros, and Seattle will give him what he wants, which is total control. Seattle doesn't have a GM currently, so why not let Pete run the show and have final say on personell decisions. Also people talk about Carroll like he was a bum in the NFL with the Jets and Patriots, but he has a winning record (33-31) and made two playoff appearances. He can shut up all the naysayers and doesn't even have to leave the West Coast to do it. Plus you could do worse than start with a Seattle team that still has Matt Hasselbeck (although over the hill), TJ Housh, John Carlson, a fiesty Justin Forsett, and some playmakers on defense like Lofa Tutupu and Aaron Curry.

Plus, getting Pete out of the way will help Aaron Rodgers' former team, the great California Golden Bears. I say Pete's gone, and happy trails.