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.

Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Tim Tebow.....

I don't have a DVR at my house.  Otherwise I'd go back and count the number of times FOX broadcasters Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis and Chris Myers mentioned Tim Tebow in the three hours they called the BCS national championship game.

Honestly, I'd guess his name was mentioned a few hundred times.  And not just when he dropped back to pass or took off to run.

They mentioned him literally every play of the game.  They showed him on the sideline after every play.  It was almost as bad as the camera devoted to Derek Jeter's every move on national telecasts of Yankee games.

This was the best comment of the night:  when Tebow was given an unsportsman-like conduct penalty in the waning moments of the game, Thom Brennaman remarked, "That was the worst thing Tim Tebow has ever done in his life."

My friends and I watching the game together broke into laughter.  What about the two interceptions he threw in this game?  Weren't those worse?  I'm just going to go out on a limb here and suggest Tebow has gotten into trouble worse than an unsportsman-like penalty at some point in his perfect life.  It's not like he's an angel from heaven.  Although I felt like the FOX BCS crew was trying to convince me otherwise.

Listen, I understand Tim Tebow is a great player.  He won the Heisman Trophy a year ago and he has now won two national titles with the Florida Gators.  He's an outstanding runner and a decent passer, and he's got a lot of heart.  But he's not a saint.  Let's relax.

They made this speech seem like the Gettysburg Address:

It was a theatrical speech that showed a lot of passion.  That's something you have to like about Tebow.  He does play with tremendous passion that makes him a likable player in college football.  He's so religiously devout, he's not getting into trouble like other college athletes.   But still, let's take it easy with the Tim Tebow love.

After all, if he decides to go pro, ESPN's Todd McShay says he probably wouldn't be drafted in the first couple of rounds, or maybe even the first day.  He's a nice story of a good looking guy who has a squeaky clean image and has had great success playing college football.

But how is his story that different from other great college quarterbacks of the past?

FOX had a football game that lacked tremendous intrigue, so they used Tebow as their lead story throughout the broadcast.  But at some point, you have to call the game and stop making love to a player on the air.  

We get it.  He's good.  Call the action.

At least the college football season is over.  Now I can stop hearing about Tim Tebow.