Carroll Didn’t Want Williams to Leave?

I am very disappointed in the behavior of Pete Carroll with respect to Mike Williams. Mike Williams’ future is in pro football, he will be a top-10 pick and he is certainly physically ready. Given these facts, there would have been absolutely no benefit to Williams in staying at USC for another year as an unpaid “intern.”

Of course, there would have been a huge benefit to Pete Carroll, and that is why he was so selfishly and shamelessly hard-selling Williams to stay at USC for another year. In doing so, he risked losing credibility with other players who will face similar decisions in the future. These players know that Williams is ready, and if Carroll was trying to persuade him to stay, then how can they rely upon Carroll for sound advice?

Pete Carroll’s first priority should be to do what is best for each individual player on the team, and his second priority should be to win football games. He obviously has his priorities confused.

Dan Hebert

Irvine

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Mike, take the money and run. You’re ready and you did the right thing, just ask Willis McGahee. You’re a top-10 pick and every general manager in the NFL knows it.

Pete’s crying, I’m crying, USC alumni are crying, and the gritty little Bruins and everyone else in the Pac-10 are high-fiving till their hands hurt.

Dan Jensen

San Clemente