Caesar On Losing
Pete Carroll talked to Dan Patrick about whether you learn more from a loss than a win.
``Sometimes. I hate to get better by losing. I like the other guys to do that but in that situation sometimes you do until you get hit right in the forehead and it shocks you a little bit. Unfortunately, we have learned that. I wish I never knew that lesson.''
It's funny that this gets to the heart of people's criticisms about Pete. They say he doesn't learn from the Stanford loss or the Oregon State loss, etc. But this is where the critics don't see the forest through the trees. If Pete were conventional and took those opportunities to learn, he would be 10-3 every year. He would be learning a lot. Instead, he is defiant against the whole silly idea of learning experiences and his teams go 12-1 or 11-2 at the worst. Pick your poison.
I think you learn from acknowledging mistakes more so than losing. Losing builds perspective and character, but doesn't necessarily bring more knowledge than winning. Winning is about leadership, preparation, strategy, and execution. If you achieve as much success as Carroll has, you are probably better off sticking with your formula, rather than making fundamental changes because of a loss. What is often perceived as arrogance in Carroll is more so his confidence that he knows how to win football games.
Carroll has not mastered the skill of getting his players to play their best football every weekend. Everyone seems to think that there is something to be gained from a loss that will solve this challenge, and that Carroll is refusing to see it. I don't think the answer is as simple as that. In fact, it may be inherant to the nature of competitive sport that such a goal is not attainable.
get ready to learn some more this year, Chetey Petey.
in fact, later this year, UCLA is going to take you back to school, Bruin-style.
Charlie,
That's the funniest thing I've seen in a while. Amazing that you can type that with a straight face. Keep up the good work.
ucla will NOT beat SC, not even with coach EGO calling the plays for McBarkley
Hey look!
a semi-positive comment from FSC...
who, by the way, never answered the question from last week...
Beat the Irish.
People who complain about Pete losing a game or two are delusional and have no frame of reference. Undefeated seasons are rare - extremely rare. USC has only had a handful or so of them. Florida has never had one. Yes that Florida - NEVER.
Because of his success Pete's apparently set up the expectation that USC will go undefeated every year and now a lot of fans get really depressed and irrationally angry when the team doesn't. It's the nature of the sport. What would these boards look like if USC ever lost 4 games and a bowl game to Michigan like UF did two years ago under the great Urban Meyer? Talk about meltdown...
C'mon Tyler, you know there is no room for perspective on this blog...
CB-
You are delusional. Even you know that fUCLA sucks this year...again.