J.R. Moehringer has a very long profile of USC football coach Pete Carroll in the December 2007 issue of Los Angeles Magazine. Among the nuggets:
Carroll gave up fear long ago. He gave it up the way people give up carbs. Fear now has no part in his daily life. Fear is like an old, distant friend. They know each other well, talk once in a while, but they're not close like they used to be.
Or this quote from "longtime friend Michael Murphy":
For awhile we worked together with Russian coaches and athletes and talked about ending the Cold War... We've discussed Indian philosophy, religious mysticism, parapsychology as a scientific discipline, and various social causes. (Ellipsis original.)
This heading is a standout:
I'm Unable To Describe Carroll's Appearance Without Sounding Gay
But this paragraph is probably my favorite:
If I shut my eyes and try picture my time with Carroll, one scene comes quickly to mind. It's late. He's pacing outside his office, glancing at a game on TV, tossing a football to himself, talking to me and several assistant coaches at once. Suddenly and unaccountably he leans against a leather chair and starts doing push-ups. Slumped in a chair, eyelids heavy, I can't help wondering if he might secretly be using crystal meth.
Truly enjoyable article, and I've barely scratched the surface with these excerpts. If you have a chance, I recommend you pick up the issue. There's also an interesting article about LA's Comedy Store (picture young David Letterman picketing the club for the chance to earn $25 a set). I'd offer a weblink, but the magazine's site seems to be down.
*Update: Here's the
full article.
You can find more sports links
here.
