I like to think that after two decades of covering sports, I am hard to shock. But when the University of Southern California (USC) head football coach announced he was moving to the NFL's Seattle Seahawks I was caught off guard.
Pete Carroll had become USC football. When he arrived there in 2000, he instantly turned the programme from mediocre to dominant.
During his tenure USC won two national titles, had two Heisman Trophy winners and had 14 players selected in the first round of the NFL draft.
He became a household name as the coach of the best college football programme in the west of the United States.
"We've had a marvellous run of players who made this thing happen," Carroll said of his success at USC.
"These have been the most cherished times of my life. I don't expect to ever top this."
Carroll was last an NFL head coach in 1994 with the New York Jets. He failed.
It had always been rumoured that even with all his success at USC, Carroll had unfinished business with the NFL.
"It hurts to separate right now, but it can't keep on going because I can't pass up this opportunity." Carroll said.
"This is the challenge of a lifetime and it's too difficult to pass up. It's not about money or any tangible issues. It's about the challenge."
I see his point. This is an area in coaching that he has yet to tackle successfully, but I still have two questions?
Why Seattle? I am not saying Seattle is not a nice city or that their football team are second rate, but to leave one of the premier jobs in college football for an NFL franchise who are not media favourites seems an odd move.
He will be paid a ton of money and have total control of the Seahawks, but on the food chain of American sports, being Seattle coach is not a premier position.
So maybe the reason is that USC football tailed off a bit this year. They neither dominated nor played for the national title. Maybe big-time NFL teams stopped calling Carroll and maybe Seattle were his only option.
Why now? Beyond the fact that USC football had an off year, there are two ongoing National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) investigations into the programme and possible rule infractions by USC players for taking improper benefits from the boosters who fund the team.
It is not out of the realm of possibility that Carroll saw NCAA punishment on the horizon and bailed out for the first offer that came his way.
We will not know if that is true until the NCAA finish their investigation.
When I see Carroll jump back into the NFL coaching fraternity, I wonder what the attraction is that makes successful college coaches leave secure jobs for the uncertainty of the NFL ranks.
Steve Spurrier was on top of the world at the University of Florida in 2001 when he left to coach the Washington Redskins. He flamed out in two seasons.
Nick Saban did the same when he left Louisiana State University in 2004 for the Miami Dolphins. He too lasted just two years.
Is it just that the NFL is the pinnacle of American football coaching? Is it tougher to deal with naïve 18-year-old college football players or 25-year-old millionaires?
It seems to me I would prefer coaching at college level, but time after time top college coaches leave the comfort of a successful programme for the challenge of the NFL.
So in two years will Carroll be another Spurrier or Saban?
Will he be kicking himself for leaving USC when he was on top? He probably answered this the day he left USC.
"I never thought this would happen," Carroll said. "I thought I'd be here forever."
@Email:ppabst@thenational.ae
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Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
The specs: Aston Martin DB11 V8 vs Ferrari GTC4Lusso T
Price, base: Dh840,000; Dh120,000
Engine: 4.0L V8 twin-turbo; 3.9L V8 turbo
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic; seven-speed automatic
Power: 509hp @ 6,000rpm; 601hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 695Nm @ 2,000rpm; 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.9L / 100km; 11.6L / 100km
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Ain Issa camp:
- Established in 2016
- Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
- Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
- Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
- 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
- NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
- One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets