Pete Carroll, David Stern, Alan Iverson & Matt Leinart

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December 15, 2006

Even though the Arizona Cardinals have risen a little like the Phoenix, don't expect them to change their minds about replacing embattled Dennis Green following the season. Cardinals' management has decided that no matter how the team finishes, Green isn't the guy to lead Arizona out of its decades-long miseries. At least on a permanent basis.

And as we reported here, Steve Mariucci is the leading candidate to replace Green. And now USC coach Pete Carroll has been mentioned as a possible candidate should they be unable to reach an agreement with Mooch. Carroll is certainly intriguing because of his amazing success with the Trojans, reviving the program and making it a legitimate national title contender every year. But unlike most collegiate coaches, Carroll isn't in any hurry to go to – or in his case, get back to – the pros. He's been there and didn't exactly remind anyone of Vince Lombardi with the Patriots and Jets. And he's most likely the highest paid coach in the NCAA, pulling down an estimated $5 million when you total up his base salary and all the perks, as well as alumni contributions. Also, with no pro football teams in Los Angeles, Carroll is literally the pigskin king of the city. Even with a bitter defeat at the hands of cross-town rival UCLA that kept SC out of the National Championship game on January 8, 2007 in Glendale, Arizona--ironically the home of the Cardinals.

Joe knows that when Denny Green goes, Matt Leinart will stay.

For Carroll, like Mariucci, coming back to the NFL will probably have less to do with money and opportunity than it does with control. Mooch has already made it known that he wants player personnel control if he's to leave the broadcasting world for another run at the diamond ring. After working for a Matt Millen-type GM as he did in Detroit, he's not about to let someone else bring in the players he's going to coach. Like Bill Parcells told Patriot owner Bob Kraft: "If you want me to cook the dinner, let me buy the groceries." (What else but a food analogy from a guy nicknamed Tuna?)

It's a feeling becoming more commonplace among top-tier coaches when asked to take lousy teams. And you know Carroll would have the same demands if he were to leave USC for any job, not just Arizona. And he's earned it with his performance during the last five years. The next few weeks will be extremely interesting in Arizona, as the Cardinals show signs of life, the NCAA title game will be played there, while the Bidwills will have a huge choice to make. And hopefully for Cardinal fans the Bidwills reverse the one thing that has plagued the franchise since bow tie Bill took over--their horrendous decision making.

I guess Cardinal QB Matt Leinart won't be going to Green's house for a Christmas party next week. When asked about the possibility of Carroll coming to coach the team, Leinart said he'd love to play for Carroll again and that he'd be a great hire. That sound you heard is Denny pulling the knife out of his back.

Any team that has a chance to grab Allen Iverson from the Sixers should do so. He's one player who could prove to be the key factor in winning a championship. Teams like the Clippers, Timberwolves, Nuggets and possibly the Lakers could be turned into legitimate title threats with the addition of AI. All of those clubs already have a superstar, and The Answer would give any of them a one-two punch unmatched in the NBA. Imagine Iverson paired with Elton Brand, Kevin Garnett, Carmelo Anthony or Kobe Bryant. And since Philadelphia publicly committed to trading, he probably won't come with a steep price tag. If AI ands up with any of the above mentioned teams, don't be surprised to see them make a serious run at a ring.

I e-mailed Mark Cuban about coming on my radio show this week, and I was very surprised – even shocked – by his response. I've always had a great relationship with the Dallas Mavericks owner – turns out that he was regular listener of my show when he lived in LA – and he's always come on when I asked. This time, though, he declined, saying he's no longer doing interviews outside of Dallas. Translation: He's sick of David Stern and isn't going to speak one word to help him. And I don't blame him. Stern was once the finest commissioner in all of sports. Now it appears he aspires to be the most inflexible dictator in the sports world. First the dress code. I mean, who is he to tell grown men what to wear? Then, telling players who have permits that they shouldn't carry guns for self-protection. What business is it of his? If a player has a lawful permit, why shouldn't he carry? Not everyone is Steven Jackson. His no-tolerance policy about players complaining to a referee is ludicrous. All of a sudden a ref doesn't know how much guff he should take from a player before he T's him up? He needs Stern to tell him? And then there's the ball fiasco, when he tried to force a new composite basketball on the players instead of the traditional leather basketball. The crescendo of complaints was deafening, and Stern finally relented, ordering the NBA to go back to the old leather ball after the first of the year. Finally, he alienated the game's most colorful – and progressive – owner to the point where he won't even talk to the media, formerly one of his favorite pastimes. Maybe the game is starting to pass Stern by, and he feels his only way of holding on is to use his authority. I don't know, but it sure doesn't seem like the same David Stern who was the first commissioner to lead his league to global recognition.