Lay off, Pete Carroll

Mark Sanchez is going pro even though his coach doesn't like it.

The fourth-year junior quarterback from the University of Southern California decided Thursday that he wanted to live out his childhood dream, despite coach Pete Carroll's warning that going pro early might be a mistake.

"Mark is going against the grain on this decision and he knows that," Carroll said at Sanchez scheduled news conference yesterday at USC. "He knows that coming out early is a tremendous challenge for a quarterback and the statistics don't back up that it's easy to be successful in the way that he's going about it."

Sanchez may not be the top pick, and the odds might be against him, so says his coach. But he's banking on the fact that NFL scouts will fall in love with his physical tools and will overlook his lack of experience as a college quarterback. (And apparently that wasn't an issue for Matt Cassel, another former USC QB, who hadn't started since high school when he lead the Patriots to an impressive 11-5 season.) He'll also count on the program he came from to entice NFL teams to take him early. USC has had two quarterbacks drafted in the top ten in the last six years: the aformentioned Leinart and Carson Palmer, who was drafted 1st overall in 2002.

And Sam Bradford is returning to Oklahoma for his junior season.

He's also hoping that his excellent season will launch him up the charts. His 3,207 passing yards ranked him 20th in the FBS this past season, and he tossed 34 touchdown passes while only throwing 10 interceptions. Against the top competition in the country, Sanchez was superb, throwing 4 touchdowns against Ohio State, 4 against Penn State, and 3 in Eugene against Oregon. Granted, the offense he ran was a well-oiled machine, but Sanchez showed great skill managing the offense and making big plays when necessary.

He might not be quite ready for the NFL. Pete Carroll definitely doesn't think so. And while Carroll may say he has Sanchez best interests at heart, he has to consider what's best for his program too. Sanchez staying for his senior year would sure up Carroll's quarterback situation for next season as they try again to compete for a national championship.

But Sanchez could be the number one pick in April's draft. Scouts suggest he'll likely be one of the top two quarterbacks taken. Either Sanchez or Georgia's Matthew Stafford will likely be the first quarterback selected, according to ESPN's Todd McShay. The Lions might decide to take a quarterback with the first pick, making Sanchez a viable candidate for the top spot. How can he not go after that opportunity, even if he's not ready?

With the collective bargaining agreement likely to change soon in the NFL, players should take advantage of the defunct system currently in place. With the type of money top draft picks make in this day and age, athletes that have the chance to be top picks should go for it. So what if they don't pan out? The guaranteed money they'll make from their rookie contracts will financially support them comfortably for a long time. And unless they spend it poorly, the signing bonus could probably set them up for life. If Sanchez really has a shot at that kind of cash, he should take it, even if his NFL career won't be legendary.

It was the guy's childhood dream to play in the NFL. He didn't grow up dreaming of playing four years at USC. Take it easy there Pete.

New Years Day Sports Preview

Here's what you can/should watch on New Year's Day.  Unlike Christmas Day, which is all NBA all the time (not that that's a bad thing), this is a day you should grab a beer, (or a Chaser) a bag of chips, and plant it on the couch for a great day of sports.

11 AM (ET) Outback Bowl South Carolina vs. Iowa

Ok.  I'm not going to sit here and say this is the most compelling match up, but if you're like me, you've probably woken up to the Outback Bowl many times on New Year's Day.  That's why I usually like to check this game out each January 1st.  This year's match up pits two big name coaches, as the old ball coach, Steve Spurrier, leads his South Carolina Game Cocks against Kirk Ferentz's Iowa Hawkeyes.  SEC vs. Big Ten, two power conferences, and if history continues on its recent path, the SEC will probably dominate this again.  Both teams aren't that great, (SC was 7-5, Iowa went 8-4), but this game has some intrigue.  Iowa won five of its last six games to get to this game, and beat Penn State to eliminate them from the national title discussion.  And any Spurrier coached team is likely to put up some points.  This game serves as a solid appetizer to the rest of the day.

1 PM (ET) The Winter Classic Chicago vs. Detroit

I've been hammering on this point all week, and I'll do it again.  Even though it's hockey, this game is loaded with intrigue.  Tune into NBC at 1 and you'll see two original six hockey teams, the Blackhawks and Red Wings, battle outdoors at one of the world's most recognizable sports venues, Wrigley Field.  The Blackhawks enter the game having just lost to the Red Wings Tuesday night, which snapped the teams' franchise record nine game winning streak.  So there will be the revenge factor, including the fact that Wrigley will have a packed house in January to watch two of the league's top teams play.  This is a must-see event.  If you're not a hockey fan, and you are open minded (i.e., not Scott), I implore you to tune in.  If you don't find this entertaining, I'd be surprised.  And, it's good hockey.  The Red Wings lead the Western Conference's Central Division by just 6 points over the rival Blackhawks, and the two teams rank 2nd and 4th in the conference respectively.

1PM (ET) Gator Bowl Nebraska vs. Clemson

Meh, this is not a great game.  Nebraska is a historic and traditional college football team, but they haven't been good since the days of Eric Crouch.

1PM (ET) Capital One Bowl (16) Georgia vs. (19) Michigan State

This is a very compelling match up, as the preseason number one Bulldogs take on one of the best teams in the Big Ten.  Once again, this is a chance for the Big Ten to prove it's not terribly worse than the SEC.  Two high profile coaches meet again, as Mark Richt meets Mark D'Antonio.  Two high-profile running backs face off as MSU's Javon Ringer goes for the yardage battle against the Georgia's Knowshon Moreno.  If you can't stand hockey so much that you must have football in the afternoon, this is a good option.  If you're choosing the hockey game, you can flip to this during the period intermissions.

5PM (ET) Rose Bowl (6) Penn State vs. (5) Souther California

This is a great match-up, and it's after the hockey game is over.  Had it not been for an amazing comeback by Iowa, JoePa's Nittany Lions would have been in line for a national championship bid.  Had it not been for a big upset by Oregon State against Pete Caroll's Trojans, USC might have been in the big game January 8th.  This game has star power, as USC's great defense featuring Rey Maualuga squares off against a dynamic Penn State offense with QB Daryll Clark and RB Evan Royster.  USC's offense is no slouch either, as they have three running backs that have rushed for 600 or more yards, and a good signal caller in Mark Sanchez.  I expect a close battle between two historically great teams, and an excellent way to spend your late afternoon.

8PM (ET) Orange Bowl (12) Cincinnati vs. (21) Virginia Tech

This game is emblematic of the fact that neither the ACC nor the Big East deserve an automatic BCS bid.  This game has no intrigue, in my opinion, other than the fact that the Orange Bowl is traditionally a fun game to watch.  I'm not interested in either team, neither team boasts a fantastic offense or defense.  This is a typical bowl game being played on too large a stage.  This might as well be the Capital One Bowl or the Gator Bowl.  The difference is, these teams get A LOT more money for playing in it, and neither team is compelling or interesting to watch.  

Happy New Year everyone!  Enjoy the day.  And remember, if you make a resolution or two, at least keep them through the day.