With the NFL draft behind us, we have entered that vast, unforgiving landscape of the offseason. Sustained by only the slightest trickle of legitimate football news, we have entered the heart of silly season, where we must live off wild rumors and rampant speculation. Let's take a look at this week's "lolwut news of the week": speculation that Sandy Barbour has Pete Carroll on speed dial and ready to replace Tedford.
Looking at Seattle’s schedule, I foresee a third straight 7-9 season under Carroll. While that could buy him a fourth season because of his massive contract and the fact the Seahawks made the 2010 playoffs, another seven-win season would mean the Seahawks have improved by just two wins since Carroll took over three years ago.
If Jim L. Mora got fired for one 5-11 season, how can you justify getting a fourth season after three losing campaigns?
And if Carroll is fired, there’s no likelier and better landing place than Berkeley, CA, as head coach of the Cal Bears.
Should the Seabears decide that they've had enough improvement and excitement under Carroll, Cal is obviously a natural home.
You better believe that Cal AD Sandy Barbour already has her eye on Carroll after years of mediocrity on the gridiron. Barbour is overseeing the finish of a $321 million renovation of Memorial Stadium and spearheaded the controversial Student-Athlete High Performance Center, also known as a training facility, that cost $136 million and angered a lot of people by removing oak trees in the process.
Spending something around $4 million a year to lure Pete Carroll back to the Bay Area will be the best investment Barbour has made on the football program yet, and Cal will have plenty of money to work with off the conference’s $3 billion television contract with ESPN and FOX.
Yes, the Reggie Bush scandal isn’t a good look for Carroll but he was never directly implicated in it. Kentucky looked the other way on John Calipari’s two vacated Final Four appearances and just won a national title in his third season. While Carroll might not be able to replicate that success, he could win big quickly by stealing recruits from Southern California because of his recruiting ties there and sealing off talented and plentiful Northern California recruits from flocking to places like Oregon.
Can anything top this story? We'll see after the jump as golf brings home a pair of conference titles and softball continues to annihilate everything in its path.
Football
- Ted Miller recaps the NFL Draft. With six picks, the Bears led the Pac-12.
- The Bears wrapped up the weekend with a sweep of UCLA. With 45 wins and six games left, the 50-win mark is well within reach.
- Jolene Henderson was named Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week for the fifth time this season.
- CalBears.com continues to interview each of the team's seniors. The latest interviewee is Elia Reid.
- Valerie Arioto and Lindsey Zeigenhirt went to Sheldon High School in the Sacramento Valley to collect toiletries to donate to a local women's shelter.
- With a 7-1 loss on Sunday, the Bears left Eugene without a win.
- For the second time in school history, the women's team won the conference title. They fought off a USC rally late in the third round and clinched the title on the 18th hole. Next up is the NCAA West Regional beginning on May 10th, where the Bears will compete as a 5-seed.
- The men's team rallied from five shots back over the last three holes to force a playoff against Oregon. Cal won the playoff on the second hole to capture the first conference title in school history.
- Both teams shared this week's Muscle Milk Student Athlete of the Week award.
Loading comments...