MORA OUT CARROLL IN; AS SEAHAWKS HEAD COACH

The Seattle Seahawks are expected to announce USC coach, Pete Carroll as the next President and head coach of the Seattle Seahawks later this afternoon. This on the heels of the somewhat shocking firing of Jim Mora Jr. over the weekend.

The Seahawks who went 5-11 in Mora's first year as head coach, all but fell apart that last part of the season, with abysmal losses to the Texans, Buccaneers, and Packers. Heads were destined to roll, but on the chopping block seemed to be the offensive and defensive coordinators, rather than Mora himself. Seattle sports fans, media, and even Mora himself were blindsided by the firing. No one expected the Seahawks to be in the Superbowl and even the playoffs for 2009 seemed a lofty task, going into the season. This after all, is a franchise in transition, with an entirely new coaching staff. To terminate Mora after only one season seems hasty to say the least.

Even more surprising is the man Paul Allen has chosen to replace him. Pete Carroll, who has been highly successful as the head coach of the USC Trojans for the past 9 years. Who had a record of 97-19 during his tenure, 10 losses of which came during his first and last years. USC has finished first in the Pac-10 7 of the 9 years with Carroll at the helm, won 2 national championships and utterly dominated its division. While there is no arguing his success and ability in coaching at the collegiate level, his previous stint in the NFL was not as prosperous.

With a head coaching record of 33-31 in his four years as a head coach in the NFL, 1 with the NY JETS and 3 with the NE PATRIOTS, Carroll only won one playoff game, and failed to impress after taking over a Super Bowl team in the PATS in 1997. His body of work and record in the NFL is similar to that of Jim Mora Jr., 31-33 in the NFL. Which leaves us to question why Seattle was so quick to act in the recent firings and hirings.

I was torn in the beginning. I thought Mora deserved another year, I don't think an accurate assessment can be made in one season as to the long term success of a coach, but one thing is very clear, the Seahawks are a dysfunctional team and it ALL begins at the top, in the front office. Mora lost his players in training camp and I am certain of that. In his attempts to assert himself as a no - nonsense coach and shake that "player's coach' image he carried with him from his time in ATL, he pushed the players too hard in training camp. When the season got started he began calling out players to the media, starting with the kicker Olindo Mare and then the entire Offensive Line, Seahawk Center Chris Spencer, on their toughness.

In any sport, such public scrutiny is looked down on by the people involved, a head coach should NEVER go on national television and point fingers at his players. You do that after the game in the locker room, or the next week in the film room. The dysfunction only grew. Which lead to a dreadful season and to the questioning of whether or not the Seahawks needed to 'clean house'. The question became " Do our players have enough TALENT to compete in the NFL?" it is for this reason I believe Pete Carroll was the best hire as the next President and Head Coach of the Seattle Seahawks.

What Carroll brings is an unrivaled ability to find, assess, and recruit players with pure football TALENT. It is my opinion that the Seahawks have some extremely talented players, that are not performing to their ability. I feel Carroll is going to be able to accurately assess the current state the team is in, starting with their talent level. There is no denying the talent coming out of USC in the last 9 years. There are currently 38 professional football players in the NFL that came out of USC. From 2001-2009 , there have been 51 USC players in the NFL draft, including 14 first round draft choices. Among those 51 players are what could easily be the offensive and defensive rookies of the year in Jets QB, Mark Sanchez, and Bengals LB, Rey Maualuga. Other high profile names, now veterans in the NFL, Bengals QB, Carson Palmer, and Steelers DB, Troy Palamalu.

For that reason alone I am optimistic about the hiring of Pete Carroll. When it comes to recognizing pure athletic ability, and talent on both the collegiate and professional level, there is no one better. The next step for the Seahawks is going to be finding a new General Manager, that can compliment Carroll's best abilities. Let Mora be a lesson for Carroll, who also carries a reputation of being a 'players coach.'

What you do in the beginning weeks and months, to assert yourself as the head coach and how you relate to your players through the media, and on the sidelines, will make all the difference in turning around the dysfunctions of the Seattle Seahawks. If Carroll can fairly assess the talent level, and the new GM can bring in the missing pieces and remove the broken ones, the Seahawks now have the best chance returning to the grace they have fallen so far from the last few years.

WELCOME PETE CARROLL!