Why the hell would you pay him $7 million when he was a proven loser NFL coach the first time around?
Mike Riley is somewhat ironic, being that they wanted him over Carroll in the first place. Carroll has enjoyed an historic run at USC despite being the school’s fourth, and unpopular, choice when Paul Hackett was fired after the 2000 season. USC administrators pursued Dennis Erickson, Mike Riley and Mike Bellotti before offering the job to Carroll -Los Angeles Times
I think the theory is that Carroll wasn't successful as an NFL head coach because he wasn't able to call all the shots, whereas at Seattle, they will let him call all the shots, like the Redskins decided to do with Shanahan. Of course, part of it is just that Seattle is getting desperate... [Seattle's] pursuit of [Carroll] intensified after two of their top four general manager candidates on Monday pulled out of the running without being interviewed -- Baltimore's director of player personnel Eric DeCosta and Eagles general manager Tom Heckert Jr. At that point, Leiweke and Seattle owner Paul Allen stepped up their recruitment of Carroll, the two-time former NFL head coach who has led the Southern Cal program since 2000, indicating that Seattle is willing to hire someone who would be vested with almost complete autonomy in regards to football decision-making power. Pete Carroll-Seahawks courtship going on for two weeks - NFL - SI.com
For example, this is what Jimmy Johnson said: "One advantage that I had," he says, "was that I was very instrumental in personnel. I pretty much ran our recruiting everywhere I had been in college and I transferred that to the NFL and had total control of the personnel at Dallas and Miami (with the Dolphins). If you don't have the right personnel, you're not going to win." http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2004-11-30-cons-for-pros_x.htm One reason Johnson succeeded is that he...took over a Dallas team that had been 3-13 in 1988 and his adjustment period was compounded because of fan resentment at Jerry Jones, who had just bought the team and fired Tom Landry, the only coach the Cowboys had ever had. Johnson ran a revolving-door tryout camp during the 1989 season, bringing in new players weekly and disposing of all but a handful of Landry's players. ...With anyone other than college buddy Jones as the owner, who knows how long Johnson might have lasted College coaches rarely succeed in NFL - USATODAY.com
The first two times around, actually. I can only think of one coach who was terrible in the NFL, got another shot, and then succeeded. Belichick - who sucked in his first gig at Cleveland. (Jury still out on Norval Turner).
