In His Lengthy Search, Garrett Fooled Everybody

Our fault. Here we were looking at four-year colleges and professional football franchises for Mike Garrett’s “proven head coach with a winning record” to replace Paul Hackett and become USC’s new coach.

We never thought to check the unemployment lines.

That still would have complicated things, because at one point Wednesday night it appeared that both of USC’s leading candidates were out of work.

We knew that Pete Carroll, desperately seeking a job after getting canned by the New York Jets and New England Patriots, was on his way to L.A. to meet again with Garrett. About the same time, a San Diego TV station reported that San Diego Charger Coach Mike Riley was being fired.

What a windfall for the Trojans--two professional coaches with a combined record of 43-54 and available to pick up right where Hackett left off.

Considering the country’s prosperity at this time with unemployment so low, there still was no shortage of losers available to USC. Throw in an unemployed Norv Turner and I’m sure some smart-aleck would have suggested USC had narrowed its search to The Three Stooges.

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BUT A SHORT time later, after Riley’s wife called him to ask if he had been fired, he checked with Charger officials and learned that someone identifying himself as a “well-placed source” had erroneously misled the TV station and the TV guys had bought it. Imagine that. That would be like a newspaper reporting last week that well-placed sources had Riley being offered a contract by USC with the likelihood that he would accept the job that day.

I know what you’re thinking too, but I don’t care what you say. I don’t believe Garrett would ever identify himself as a “well-placed source.” That’s usually associate athletic director Daryl Gross’ job.

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WHATEVER HAPPENED, RILEY was back at work Wednesday night after never losing his job, although he refused to withdraw his name from the USC coaching search--even after being advised that Carroll was on his way to L.A. How odd.

“I’m not willing to do that at this time,” he said on his San Diego radio show.

Although Riley’s credentials for the USC job are impeccable--1-13 this year, 9-21 over the last two seasons and 17-35 as a head coach the last four years--I believe Carroll has everything that Garrett demands in a coach:

--He must have a winning record.

Check: Carroll was 34-33 with the Jets and Patriots.

--He must have visited a recruit at least once in the last 20 years.

Check: Carroll did so as an assistant coach for Pacific in 1983.

--He must be able to cope with five-game losing streaks.

Check: Carroll took the Jets from 6-5 to 6-10 in ’94.

--He must develop Carson Palmer.

Check: Carroll’s quarterback, while he coached the Jets, was Ken O’Brien, fired as Palmer’s tutor a year ago. And remember, Carroll made Drew Bledsoe what he is today.

--He must compete with the Oregon schools and recruit locally.

Check: Carroll is willing to purchase a Thomas Guide.

--He must be prepared to compete with UCLA.

Check: I’m pretty sure Carroll’s more worried about Notre Dame.

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IN THE FINAL analysis, you have to give Garrett credit. While 17 other Division I-A schools filled football coaching vacancies with tried and true candidates, Garrett fooled everyone. He went after people no one else would have ever thought to go after.

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NOW IT SEEMS Colorado State Coach Sonny Lubick lied about having an interview with Garrett, saying later he didn’t know anyone would discover the truth. Yeah, this is the kind of guy USC wants representing the school as he goes into recruits’ living rooms.

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I DON’T UNDERSTAND this NCAA fuss about Lamar Odom “taking the money” from Nevada Las Vegas before playing a minute for the university’s basketball team. I thought it was everyone’s goal to get out of Vegas with money.

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WHO SAYS CRIME doesn’t pay? My favorite line in the Lawrence “Phillips Faces Arrest Over Trial No-Show” story was the very last: “He was arrested May 27 in his Beverly Hills home. . . . “

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DID YOU NOTICE who the top three finishers were in the Associated Press coach of the year race? Two guys who could have had the USC job and one who was overlooked.

Before USC hired Paul Hackett, it ignored the AP winner, Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops, and tried to hire runner-up Lou Holtz (South Carolina). This time around, it failed to land the No. 3 finisher, Oregon State’s Dennis Erickson.

Too early to tell where Riley will finish in the NFL coach of the year balloting.

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AFTER THE BOSTON Red Sox signed Manny Ramirez, The Boston Herald reported that Ramirez had wanted the Red Sox to hire Cleveland Indian assistant clubhouse manager Frank Mancini. Mancini, however, made it clear he wanted to stay where he was.

And when Mancini says no, he’s not one to budge.

When Albert Belle signed as a free agent with the Chicago White Sox four years ago, he offered Mancini a $50,000 annual salary to join him as a personal assistant. When Mancini declined, Belle doubled his offer, and Mancini said no thanks.

Belle took the rejection hard--he hasn’t talked to Mancini since.

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APPARENTLY IT DEPENDS on your definition of power. On The Sporting News’ list of the 100 most powerful people in sports, Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones is No. 79--followed by Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler Rulon Gardner at No. 80.

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TODAY’S LAST WORD comes in an e-mail from Jennifer:

“You need to give Kevin Malone a break. I know he didn’t do himself any favors announcing ‘The Sheriff’ was in town, but he picked up Andy Ashby and signed Darren Dreifort. Stop hammering the guy. Come on, T.J., stop it.”

Arrest me.

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T.J. Simers can be reached at his e-mail address:t.j.simers@latimes.com