The Story of Pete Carroll's Connection To Inner City LA

welcome to hood War Stories in this episode I'll be discussing P Carol's connection to the streets of LA Pete Carol is undoubtedly a USC football legend it's hard to believe when he was hired it was made with widespread criticism after he started two and five in his first season some sports writers label USC a dying football program he quieted the critics quickly leading the children to the most dominant era not only in USC history but perhaps even all of college football history he brought a passion and joys to the football program that won over players from all kinds of backgrounds his impact spre beyond what happened on the field as well in 2003 P Carol founded a better La a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending inter city violence what got it all started was a spat of gang violence in the city in 2002 a year into P USC tenure he was driving to USC one morning and overheard on the radio that five kids got killed over the weekend on Tuesday there's retaliation two more dead by Thursday a total of 11 kids had died across the city a promising High School football player gunned down last month there son was killed by an 18th Street gang member a gang drive by shooting a teen girl murdered while driving home from work on the freeway this is the fifth roadway shooting in Southern California in recent weeks dozens of police officers combing a neighborhood in boil Heights looking for the gunman Who police say is a teenager a 17-year-old high school student here in California is dead fighting gangs LA's mayor says it's one of his top priorities but the violence continues to escalate Pete Carol was sickened by the time he got in the office he picked up the phone and called call Lou TI an old friend in Seattle Pete's called to Lou Who was a mentor and motivational expert led to more phone calls then invitations in April of 2003 Pete Carol hosted a town hall style meeting with the Inner City Community leaders police officers pastors teenagers and anyone else who wanted a voice he held it at USC football headquarters which the NCAA did not enjoy as P didn't go through the proper channels to conduct the meeting a better La came as a result at first he struggled to gain traction But Then Pete met both Taylor a former gang member who long dedicated his life to go down a straighter path P Carol and Bo grew close and Bo told Pete that if he wanted to be truly effective he had to get out in the streets to connect with the people on a grassroot concrete level so P car got right to it a few times a month P car will leave his comfort zone at USC and hop in the back of a Camry driven by boat and head to the worst neighborhoods in South Central most often he would arrive near Midnight at the gang's hotpots through a mutual friend P Carol was able to connect with bwow a respected OG member from the Grave Street Crips he was able to Grant Pete Carol entry access into his Turf so Pete would regularly Venture into watts and hang out in Jordan down housing projects there in the courtyard he emphasizes listened encouraged and laughed with them he'd shake hands listen to their stories and offer help to anyone who needed it they're used to those ghetto Birds they're not used to having someone like Pete Carol give them his cell phone number I'd be happy to do that you know get pH out get phone out sure it's motivational I mean I me p and he said he he would offer his services to me he gave you a cell number yeah me come on man Pete Carol stood in the heart of the projects with no fear during this time in 2008 the atmosphere in the Jordan Downs was tense it was during the height of the Grave Street East Coast [ __ ] War and the East Coast Crips were Bliss in grap street at the time over that last four weeks four grap Street members have been killed near Jordan DS including the killing of Brandon Bullard whose murder sparked off the war Brandon was a key member from Grave Street he had been something of a larger than life figure for having survived a shot to the face 3 years prior in retaliation for the wounding of a bounty hunter watch member that 2005 event sparked 6 weeks of Tiff for tack Carnage that left Nine Dead 26 wounded and the whole watch paralyzed as the battle played out in the public space for a long stretch in the 2000s it was a black cloud hanging over the Jordan downs but coach Carol assured them that he wanted to be at the Jordan Downs especially at that time he invited everyone to the children scrimmage as his guest he wanted them to get a breather from the projects and to feel a little bit less stressed for an afterno P Carol was allowed a free pass to go wherever he wanted because he put his money where his mouth was pulling up to compon for the day and stopping by the Nickerson Gardens on the way back he did a lot of work in areas that most coaches wouldn't even go to it didn't hurt that while doing it P Carol was able to cultivate from a potentially untapped recruiting mind of talented hardened athletes with a chip on their shoulders to get those players he had to be able to relate to and be respected by them it's similar to how coach shellenberger went to Miami's roughest hoods in the 80s to recruit players that built a championship program at the city's college football team coach Carol tapped in with key members from the black PE stones and would visit the jungles on various occasions at all hours of the day the jungles is one of the more Infamous sections in LA county Denzel Washington depicted the neighborhood as a crooked cop immersed in his Tre drug trade in the movie Training Day Pete car will show up at noon on a Tuesday and midnight on a Friday visiting with the gang members hanging out along King off LaBrea he reached out to the kids and saved a few lives he was always trying to get young black youth involved in athletics as an alternative if the OG's would assist with getting the kids in football they'd get paid his return Pete Carol helped people of all ages long before Damon klie returned his life around he was walking down a dangerous path he was a single dad who spent seven years in prison and after he was released in 2007 he returned to his old gang life a mentor connected him with Pete Carol and Coach Carol would visit Damon in his house it was a meeting that would change his life Pete told him that if he could meet him at USC at 6:00 in the morning he'd have a job Damon will work for Carol at USC and take the opportunity to soak in everything now Damon is a filmmaker and is trying to help others the same way Pete Carol helped him each individual player better and he makes them believe so much in themselves to where they perform their duties in that area so good that it makes the team better inspired me to believe in myself to believe and be bigger than my environment to change my mindset Damon started his own organization called pride and unity in August of 2024 14 years after he left USC to coach in the NFL P Carol announced that he's returning to USC this time in a much different capacity he'll be teaching during the University spring semester and share his knowledge and experience with the students P Carol knows the source of connection he'll always have with Los Angeles it comes from caring it was that deep enough experience there with the fans the school and the community I'd like to thank you guys for watching please like comment and subscribe