Posted by unregistered user at 10/1/07 5:56 a.m.

USC's 160 yards of penalties to Washington's 195 yards of offense should give you some indication as to who was beating who Saturday night--- USC was beating themselves. Washington would have been lucky to have scored 3 points the entire game if not for all the penalties, turnovers and screw ups. So yeah, USC did do it to themselves and Washington had nothing to do with it.

Posted by NathanWare at 10/1/07 7:46 a.m.

Coach Carroll,
Thanks for taking the time to comment on the Blawg. I appreciate it.

Posted by firecharlieweis at 10/1/07 9:01 a.m.

Any Husky fan that deludes himself into thinking they have closed the gap on SC, Cal and Oregon are in for a rude awakening. The dawgs did not have a single sustained drive for a score. Everything was handed to them by SC mistakes. Locker was abysmal, couldn't throw the ball in the same zip code as wide open receivers. The single biggest factor in the game was SC losing two o-linemen on the same play. But for that the score would have reflected the statistics.

Posted by unregistered user at 10/1/07 10:20 a.m.

Football is indeed a brutal sport. It's true that if you're going to play, you're going to pay. However, there has be a line that should not be crossed. I can't accept that purposeful hits which could clearly cause neck, therefore spinal injuries, are "just part of the game" [shrug].

Tressel is as bad as Carroll. The only good thing about Saturday was that the refs didn't miss the hit. The refs did miss the vicious face mask attack on Locker when he was already down during the OSU game.

Tressel likes to pretend he doesn't condone that stuff but it's so consistant, he's simply a fool or a liar. On the other had, Carroll congratulates his players for doing it openly. What an unmitigated sleeze. Aren't his players good enough that they can avoid to resort to this? One would think so.

To suggest that our guys should follow suit is not the direction our program should go. Vicious, clean hits - fabulous. Punish the other team but do it right.

College football is being contaminated by coaches who come from the NFL and teach the kids to play to mame. There are already enough coaches like Tressel who will win at all costs anyway. Sorry, I just don't think it's appropriate at this level.

So far as I know, we have one more dirty coach to play and that's Erickson. Gee, what a surprise, another former NFL coach. Of course, there isn't enough one could say about his sleeze factor - it's off the charts in so many ways that it would take an encylopedia to chronical it all.

In the end, it's our fault though. Fans cheer it on and/or look the other way. We encourage firing coaches who don't win enough games fast enough.

It's our fault for not insisting on change. Wright should have been kicked out of the game - at minimum.

Posted by TacomaDawg at 10/1/07 11:06 a.m.

Re the late hit, intimidation, and retaliation.

Yes, it would have been nice if the Dawgs could have gotten a hit on Booty. But our D-line DID knock out two SC offensive linemen with their physical play. And Reffett got a ridiculous late hit penalty called on him for hitting Booty with both hands in the chest just after he released the ball.

Even with all the calls against SC, the officials could have called at least a dozen more holding penalties. And give credit to the Huskies Defense and the crowd for generating some of those penalties, especially the false starts. Husky Stadium was rocking, especially in the first half.

Pac 10 officials continue to make terrible calls. At least they got the Oregon last minute fumble call correct, after calling a Cal field goal no good even though it clearly went over the inside of the goal post.

Proud of the Huskies' effort. Jake just needs to calm down so he can hit those open receivers instead of overthrowing them (and release the ball BEFORE crossing the line of scrimmage). Hope they don't suffer a letdown against ASU in two weeks. It would be nice if the Cougs could beat them up a little this week before we play them, but with their LAME defense, I don't think that's possible. Maybe some of the ASU receivers will pull hammys from running so much.

Posted by Chicago Dawg at 10/1/07 11:10 a.m.

I think Wright should have been ejected from the game. The cheap shot was done with the SC's staff's knowledge with the intent of hurting Locker, and putting him out of the game. The conference needs to stand up in instances like that and that suspend the player.

Posted by unregistered user at 10/1/07 2:24 p.m.

I went to the game and yeah, I was disappointed in the outcome. Locker could have settled down and maybe completed some of those passes and the dawgs might have prevailed but...

Anyone look at the difference in rushing yards? It's hard to for a young quarterback to carry a team when he has no running game to take the pressure off him. Hey Ty, if you're going to play a redshirt freshman QB you better find a running game to help him. What's going to happen next year when the seniors are gone? Let's give the young RBs a chance too. Maybe they'd be a little hungrier than Rankin.

Posted by randyjb54 at 10/1/07 3:09 p.m.

Notre Dame is 0-5, and each week reaches new depths for woe. At least for the ND faithful. And with that thought, I turn to an epiphany that rivals Saul's conversion on the road to Damascus.

Notre Dame has long been renowned by its uncanny ability to win when it shouldn't have. Luck-o-the-Irish? God? Those of us who count ourselves among the unwashed masses of ND haters - and who take unmitigated glee in their current misfortune - can rattle off numerous instances where fortune, if not divine providence, seemed to smile upon ND. Locals recall Notre Dame's win when last they visited Husky Stadium. Captain Husky may have taken enormous flak for dressing up like the Pope that day (his finest moment ever, in my opinion), but his message wasn't far off.

This year, the big guy in the sky with the white beard seems to have deserted South Bend. The reason for God's disappearance is a mystery. Perhaps it was the Ty Willingham - Urban Meyer affair three years ago. Maybe Charlie Weis is an godless heathen. Maybe God's taken a holiday. Who knows for sure. But if God was still with the Irish, they would have somehow, some way, pulled out a win over Purdue this weekend.

All the heavenly signs pointed in that direction. Their starting quarterback, Jimmy Klausen, got injured and was out of the game. Their second stringer, Demetrius Jones, was transferring from the school. That left third stringer, Evan Sharpley. Sharpley promptly rallied the Irish and brought them within a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Sounds like a movie (and you'd be right: check out Heaven Can Wait, starring Warren Beatty). You couldn't have asked for a better script. Had ND finally had enough of playing the role of the biblical long-suffering Job? Were they now poised to reassert their divine (if not Hollywood) grace? Celebrate! Dancing in the streets! Kill the fatted calf!

But no, Purdue slaps on a clock-eating sustained drive to close out the win. Game over, never mind, don't-forget-to-turn-out-the-lights-and-lock-the-door-when -you-leave.

Now, let's turn to the Dawggies. Those who attended last Saturday night's game v. USC could not help but recognize an immediate resemblance between the Huskies' 1960 throwback uniforms and ND's navy blue and gold. Only the rounded style of the numbers on Husky uniforms provided any real distinction.

And what happened in that game? USC - the consensus football powerhouse of the land - did everything they possibly could do to hand that game to UW on a silver platter. Penalties? A whopping sixteen for over 160 yards. That's a flag every fifth play! Turnovers? Three. Blocked punt? Been there, done that. Dropped passes on sure big gains or even TDs? Too numerous to count.

The votes are in and the conclusion is as unanimous as it is self-evident.

God got a shave, donned a fleece vest, slipped into his Birkenstocks and took the last train for the coast. He's in Seattle, kickin' back at Husky Stadium with his feet soaking in Lake Washington. Even if the Dawgs are too inept to benefit from the gift. (Note to self, consider attending church before the next home game). If Notre Dame fans want to pull their team out of the doldrums, they had better stop blaming Tyrone Willingham's recruiting four or five years ago and find out what's up with God... and beg him to return to South Bend.

And Tyrone? You keep those uniforms, buddy. They're gonna come in handy.

Posted by unregistered user at 10/1/07 3:23 p.m.

Randy, that was a rather self-indulgent, abstruse post!

Posted by purplepaws at 10/1/07 4:52 p.m.

Nathan, I have also looked at the game films several times and was very upset, each time, with the hits on Jake by Wright and Malauga(in the back). I had a problem with the High Fives by the SC players and coaches and the laughing by Ellis after Garcia went down. However, this is the game. These things happen. I do want to suggest that in a couple of years, I don't want to hear any whining from Carrol when some of his players are carried out on stretchers and the Dawgs are laughing. These things also happen.

Posted by NathanWare at 10/1/07 5:26 p.m.

"I don't want to hear any whining from Carrol when some of his players are carried out on stretchers and the Dawgs are laughing. These things also happen."

Amen.

Posted by unregistered user at 10/1/07 5:55 p.m.

I think intention is important & it should be noted that Wrights hit on Locker was made by Wright intentionally standing with 1 foot out of bounds & the other close to it & waiting for Locker to run to himbe fore Wright then made his hit.

It was not like Wright was running after Jake & tried to puch him out of bounds & made the push too hard, no he waited Out of Bounds for Locker, & then took his cheap shot, with Locker trying to swerve as not to hit him & hurt him.

The PAC10 sghould review, the Ref should have ejected him it was meant to hurt someone afer they had run out of bounds

Posted by unregistered user at 10/1/07 9:28 p.m.

So when the USC coaches congradulated Wright for the hit out of bound....is this something you'd want your kids to think is OK? Irregardless of the team that smacks of poor sportmanship...winning regardless of the rules. Does sit with me very well. This is what college sports has come too? How sad.

Posted by NathanWare at 10/1/07 11:23 p.m.

"winning regardless of the rules......This is what college sports has come too?"

Cheating in college football is older than death and taxes.

Plus, just like committing a crime in real life, you get a penalty (15 yards instead of 15 years), you pay your pennance, and you move on and are fully absolved. That's what happened in the game on Saturday. In Pete Carroll's case, the 15-yard penalty was a suitable trade-off and I think, if you look at it objectively, you'd see the jaded wisdom in the strategy.

Posted by unregistered user at 10/2/07 9:36 a.m.

Nathan, you continue to be flat wrong. Parents and kids should not have an expectation - albeit an outside one � that hits of this nature � especially while out of bounds - is OK and part of the game. Its nonsense and crap.

If someone did that outside of the game, it would be assault and battery.

There are lines that have to be established and maintained. It's sad you have this perspective. Unfortunately many do - that's why it's the fans fault these things are allowed.

There are too many that think as you do.

Where are Todd Turner and his peers on this? I find it odd that the UW administration stopped the cheerleader acrobatics for fear of an unintentional injury. We are lucky Locker wasn't seriously/permanently injured and its part of the game - 15 yards fits the crime?

Weird.

Posted by ronnielee3 at 10/2/07 11:16 a.m.

Posted by Chicago Dawg at 10/1/07 11:10 a.m.

I think Wright should have been ejected from the game. The cheap shot was done with the SC's staff's knowledge with the intent of hurting Locker, and putting him out of the game. The conference needs to stand up in instances like that and that suspend the player.
________

Are you kidding me? The kid was pursuing Locker (who's speedy as hell) and committed to the hit as Locker continued to tiptoe down the line and try to gain more yardage (someone, please for the sake of Husky football down the road tell that kid to not stick his head out there all the time). He was already lowering his shoulder and was committed to the hit. I think it was dealt with in a proper manner... by the referees. The fact that $C coaches were celebrating the hit was wrong and they should be dealt with accordingly. They should have been grabbing the guy's facemask and yelling at him for committing a possible late hit.

Sadly, I don't think you'll get that from U$C, regardless of who the quarterback is.

Posted by unregistered user at 10/2/07 5:11 p.m.

("Nathan, you continue to be flat wrong. Parents and kids should not have an expectation - albeit an outside one �Ethat hits of this nature �Eespecially while out of bounds - is OK and part of the game. Its nonsense and crap.")

Nathan..I hole heartedly agree with the above comment. Saying that it is OK sends the WRONG message. I know you would not condone cheating. Why would you accept bad sportsmanship?

UW grad and longtime Husky fan

Posted by unregistered user at 10/3/07 11:49 a.m.

Two things to say about the Seattle Times excerpt below:

1) I'm with Willingham - glad to have hits reviewed by the conference. However, for a more important reason, I hope some debate and changes come from this. I hope several influential individuals at UW take an active interest. Of course, it would behoove parents and other school officials/coaches to take an interest. This isn't about USC and UW.

2) Pete Carroll's ego is astounding. I hope this implodes on the jerk. If not now, then soon. He and his coaching staff stand for all the wrong things.

"Late hit debate

USC coach Pete Carroll was quoted in the Los Angeles Daily News on Monday as saying he wanted the Pac-10 to review a late-hit penalty on USC cornerback Shareece Wright when he nailed UW quarterback Jake Locker in front of the Trojans bench on the first series of the game.

"The quarterback was not out of bounds," Carroll said, adding he wanted the Pac-10 to review several calls from the game.

Asked about that comment Monday, Willingham seemed incredulous.

"Which one is he talking about?"

When told which one, he said, "I think we'll all welcome the conference looking at that hit."

Willingham said he would also ask the Pac-10 to review several calls from the game."

Posted by unregistered user at 10/5/07 7:06 p.m.

"The cheap shot was done with the SC's staff's knowledge with the intent of hurting Locker, and putting him out of the game."

Please. Posts like this smack of the worst kind of homerism, as if you have any possible idea what is in the heads of the USC staff.

Shareece Wright was quoted this week as saying they had noticed on game film that Locker likes to work the edge of the sideline to gain extra footage whenever possible (as he should, since he's trying to advance his team's position). Wright's goal with the hit was not to "injure" Locker; it was to put Locker on notice that they weren't going to let him milk yardage that easily. For the remainder of the game, Locker opted to slide into tackles or run out of bounds, so I guess it worked.

Sorry, calling it a cheap shot is just sour grapes.

Posted by snocoguy at 10/9/07 11:47 a.m.

First, for the "unregistered user" clone who posted #56175 - you're dead wrong. That hit was a cheap shot and anyone who tries to state otherwise either wasn't paying attention or is fooling himself or is an outright liar. If a Husky had done that to John David Booty I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be saying that it was just to "put JDB on notice" about trying to gain yards on the sideline.

Second - to Nathan: I'm sorry but I have to agree with all the people who've been stating that the Dawgs should NOT resort to the kind of play that the Trojans engaged in the other day. It's funny 'cause that kind of play is one of the reasons why I "hated" the Trojans for so long, but is something that I hadn't noticed out of them so much under Pete Carroll. Matter of fact I thought the Trojans had become a more-or-less "clean" (though still hard-hitting and tough) team since Pete Carroll became coach so I was surprised at the way his players played against the Huskies. It is entirely possible to hit hard in football without resorting to cheap shots and dirty play the way the Trojans did so often on September 29th. I think back to one of the few Husky football victories over the Bruins over the last decade: in 2000, when "the great" Freddie Mitchell came to town with the "Pastel Pansies" and was absolutely LAID OUT on a hit by one of the then-Husky safeties. It was one of those passes where a guy catches the ball and the INSTANT he turns to run upfield he gets ABSOLUTELY LEVELED by a defender. A perfectly-timed hit, in bounds and fully within the rules. But a HARD hit that let Freddie Mitchell know that catching balls against the Huskies that day was NOT going to be a pain-free experience!! As I recall Mr. Mitchell had little impact on the game that day and the Dawgs won. But the hit that had put Freddie Mitchell "on notice" was perfectly legal. The Dawgs didn't resort to dirty play that day and I maintain that football players don't have to resort to dirty play to get the point across that playing against them will be no easy task.