Pete Carroll's Winning Coaching Style

Cameras Also Follow Him On His Late-Night Missions To Stop L.A.’s Gang Violence

(CBS)  Many of these young men have already spent years in prison for gang related crimes. It's here where Pete Carroll believes his skills as a motivator and teacher might really pay off. Just like he's taught football players from across the country to play as a team, Carroll’s trying to teach bitter rivals they can live together without violence.

"You could quiet this thing down. Wouldn't that be awesome if you did it? Think if you were the guys who did it here, ain't never been done before," he said.

While he was talking, police helicopters constantly flew overhead. "They call it the ghetto bird…a ghetto bird," one man explained.

They're used to those "ghetto birds," but they're not used to having someone like Pete Carroll give them his cell phone number. And this was all happening at 1 a.m. in the middle of football season.

Why is he doing this?

"I don't even care. The last thing I wanna do is be tryin' to get something out of it. I have no connection to that thought. None," he told Pitts.

Pete Carroll has given his own money - and raised even more cash - to fund a program where about 50 former gang members will take courses in conflict resolution and first aid. They're being trained to help stop violence in the tough neighborhoods.

The night 60 Minutes went out with Carroll, some guys from the neighborhood asked him to talk to a group of boys they were working with - boys, they said, who badly needed some coaching.

Carroll is as at home with these boys as he is with his players. They straightened right up for the coach, pants and all.

The boys gave him a chilling reminder of what they’re up against. "Everybody know we are going to die one day or we might go to jail," one boy said.

"When I go to sleep I think it I don't know why I think about myself in a casket like I don't know why like," another said.

"To just say I am going to die or I am going to jail and live with that. That’s more likely to happen the longer you keep thinking that," Carroll told Pitts. "That's why it's so important for us to go and create hope. And to help people with their vision and to help them understand what they can become."

[hawkeyes11a]

Way to go Coach Carroll. How many other division one coaches do you think gets that involved in there community without it being in their contracts. LA is a better place with him!!

[itdfactsu]

Pete Carroll''s

I''ve always been a big blue MICH fan but you won me over Pete, GO USC beat Penn State

Great job Coach, you''re not only a great coach but a great person as well

[w-jefferson]

I never cease to be amazed at the vitriolic comments expressed by some on the blogs toward USC, the Institution, its students and alumni when the subject is USC football or has any relationship to USC football. I guess in the case of Pete Carroll who, as the 60 Minute segment pointed out, is the most successful active Division 1 coach, it''s simply jealousy.

[tomtennis3]

to lovely1210 yes he is married

to byron pitts, u r onefantastic reporter and you got this story spot on! I have been a fan of Pete Carroll''s for a number of years. He is absolutely for real.

People wonder how he recruits so well: if you were a parent of a young athlete, wouldn''t you want this kid to learn from pete carroll for 4 years?

Thank you CBS!!!!!

[thehounddawg]

Your love-fest for Carroll is a disgrace. He is the highest ranking piece in the chess game of the University of Spoiled Children, running the biggest scam in college sports, flouting the rules of the impotent NCAA, and committing the most flagrant rules violations of any school in the country. sc influence has kept them from NCAA sanctions despite the single biggest scam in NCAA football annals - Reggie Bush and his family receiving more than $1/2 million in illegal benefits (free rent for more than a year in a luxury home, debt payoffs, all-expense paid trips and luxury hotels) have been well documented, and the subject of civil lawsuits, but no NCAA sanctions. Any other program and Bush would have had his Heisman taken away, sc stripped of his national championship (they only won ONE under Carroll, not two as they claim).

Combine this with the OJ Mayo''s flagrant violations in Tim Floyd''s dirty little basketball program, and sc should long ago have received the NCAA death penalty. Yet, Floyd and his thugs like Leonard Washington are allowed to continue their cheap shot assault on other players, risking serious injury to unsuspecting opponents.

CBS and 60 Minutes need to investigate the real sc sports department and not pull the wool over the eyes of the public. Take a look at the evidence, take a look at how sc has subverted the NCAA and curtailed any investigation of the NCAA violations and rampant criminal activity in the sc sports department.

[mseville]

GREAT job, Coach Carrol! May God bless you. Even BETTER job 60 minutes for this story AND for FINALLY giving an African American a shot at the Ed Bradley vacancy! Good job, Mr Pitts and I hope 60 minutes realizes we African Americans like to see ourselves represented in the media. There must be SOMEONE worthy of 60 minutes who looks like me. We watch 60 minutes also, you know.

[puentebr]

An excellent piece on your part. Coach Carroll has all the tools that coaches in this and age fail to have he can win, his players love to play for him and he pays back to the community in more ways than one. LA and USC are very lucky at a time when coaches solely care about wins and promoting themselves.I live in Louisiana, although I grew up in Los Angeles, and here coaches are Gods, but not in the fashion of Coach Pete. More power to him.

[cyberdogg1]

Pete Carroll''s humanitarian work is commendable, but I find his prowling late at night without a bodyguard and unarmed questionable at best and naive at worst.

Pete, I encourage you to learn concealed carry by taking firearm training class in carry and tactical and receive a concealed firearm license. Because you''re wealthy and connected with impeccable reputation, the process will be much easier in L.A. County. Lose anti-gun attitude because it doesn''t help prepare you for the unforeseeable. Take self-protection seriously.

Ask your friends who are law enforcement officers to give you pointers.

Sincerely, Utah residential concealed carry permit holder.

[shabba1705]

I just want to say thanks to Mr Carroll for giving back to society.Mr Carroll your story is very amazing,your story motivate me to do more for for the kids in my community.This is the most wonderful story,I read and seen in awhile.I want to say thanks to CBS,for wonderful story.Mr Carroll,I hope the Lord keep on blessing you to do his work.Shabbakc

Check out the "A Better LA" website at www.abetterla.org.

[servantof]

I would like to comment on the Coach Pete Carroll story with Byron Pitts. The Lord didn''t want Coach Carroll in the Pro football ranks so He made it so the players couldn''t understand the Coach''s ways. The Lord wanted him right where he is. Starting this night 12.14.2008, I will start praying for the Coach by name that the Lord will continue to wrap His loving arms around him and keep him safe and give him strength to continue onward. The Lord will put His workers in a situation that makes no sense to do His work so that we must lean on Him. You are a TRUE MAN. Rodney Kaufman Columbia, S.C.

[servantof]

I would like to comment on the Coach Pete Carroll story with Byron Pitts. The Lord didn''t want Coach Carroll in the Pro football ranks so He made it so the players couldn''t understand the Coach''s ways. The Lord wanted him right where he is. Starting this night 12.14.2008, I will start praying for the Coach by name that the Lord will continue to wrap His loving arms around him and keep him safe and give him strength to continue onward. The Lord will put His workers in a situation that makes no sense to do His work so that we must lean on Him. You are a TRUE MAN. Rodney Kaufman Columbia, S.C.

[jmborders3]

Byron, Byron, Byron, what a surprising story! I am jealous. There was a time the one in the rough neighborhoods late at night encouraging the people to a new life was the preacher. Now it is the winning football coach. We all need a good life coach. Coach Pete is transforming Los Angeles. I am inspired again. I was a part of transforming Boston from a very violent, gang ridden city - to one of more peace and safety. The number of violent crimes is rising again. I think I''ll take a page from Pete Carroll''s play book and head to the streets agan.

[lovely1210]

Is he married?