Denies Affair with Grad Student! Pete Carroll

Denies Affair with Grad Student! Pete Carroll In an interview, just-fired Notre Dame football Charlie Weis appeared to suggest that his USC, counterpart, Pete Carroll was living with a grad student.

Weis says his remarks were taken out of context, but after the Tiger Woods scandal, the married Carroll was promptly put under a media microscope.

Here's how it went down. In a Q & A with Rivals.com, Weis was asked to compare the way he was portrayed in the news media to the way Carroll is.

There is no more beloved figure in Southern California than Carroll, whereas Charlie felt he could do no right with the press and scrutiny in South Bend.

Weis was asked how he felt about the way the media treats him at Notre Dame compared to how a coach like Carroll is treated. His response was:
"Let me ask you this: You guys know about things that go on in different places. Was I living with a grad student in Malibu, or was I living with my wife in my house? You could bet that if I were living with a grad student here in South Bend, it would be national news. [Carroll] doing it in Malibu and it’s not national news. What’s the difference? I don’t understand. Why is it okay for one guy to do things like that, but for me, I’m scrutinized when I swear. I’m sorry for swearing; absolve my sins."

Carroll, a married father of three, strongly denied Weis' allegation.

“It’s untrue, it’s irresponsible, and it’s incredible he’d be talking about me like that,” a far-from-pleased Carroll said, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Weis later said he was being "totally subjective" in a conversation with several reporters that was an aside to the formal interview he was conducting.

He said he was speaking about rumors and how they adversely affect lives of coaches and families, and merely meant that if Pete Carroll were secretly dating a graduate student, he wouldn't be as scrutinized for it because of his success.

Weis says he has left a message for Carroll and will do anything to "run Pete down and apologize" if the quote caused any offense to the USC coach.