Carroll and Floyd join together to become a comedic pair during the seven-stop Coaches Tour
By Ben Malcolmson
USCRipsIt
PeteCarroll.com
Watch out, Abbott and Costello, you have some stiff competition.
Move over, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, there’s a new comedic duo in town.
Here come Pete Carroll and Tim Floyd, USC’s head football and men’s basketball coaches, who combine to form the most dynamic and hilarious of pairings during the USC athletic department’s Coaches Tour each summer.
Showcasing a unique and captivating chemistry, Carroll and Floyd play off each other in remarkable fashion to provide the roughly 500 guests at each of the seven Coaches Tour events an unforgettable night of Trojan sports talk — and a million laughs — during the dog days of the off-season.
The charismatic, jocular Carroll and the easy-going, amiable Floyd work so well together that you’d think they are long-lost twin brothers. The duo constantly offer jokes at each other’s expense while balancing that out with pinpointed questions and analysis, providing an all-around entertaining and educational evening for the fans.
“It’s fun because it’s working, the crowd really likes it,” Carroll said. “And we’re just goofing off up there, so it couldn’t be easier to do.”
The event is moderated by FSN’s Lindsay Soto, an Emmy Award winner who often serves as a spectator more than a moderator during the event since Carroll and Floyd frequently talk their way into their own world.
“They could do it without me,” Soto said with a smile and shrug. “It’s hard to get questions in because they’re always asking their own questions. They’re definitely out of control.”
After Monday’s event in Pasadena, the seven-stop Coaches Tour, which also features a Q&A session, a silent auction, highlight videos and performances by the Song Girls and the Trojan Marching Band, has neared the halfway point of the 2008 schedule, with remaining stops in San Diego, San Francisco, Manhattan Beach and Westlake Village.
The Coaches Tour is masterfully orchestrated by assistant athletic director Jen Noriega and her staff, including Teresa Verbeck, Kathleen DeCristo, Sam Tulin and Kate Berger.
“Jen and her team have done such a great job through the years,” Carroll said. “They definitely know how to put on a first-class event, and they add new wrinkles each year to make it better every summer.”
FSN’s Lindsay Soto moderates the discussion between men’s basketball coach Tim Floyd and Coach Pete Carroll.
• Ben Malcolmson is the Director of Online Media for USCRipsIt/PeteCarroll.com. You can contact him at Ben@PeteCarroll.com.
