Much has been written about the sad state and rapid decline of the football program at Notre Dame. What was once a program with national prominence has become something of an after-thought. Not even a MASSIVE television and internetoutput contract with NBC can save them from mediocrity, from fading into nothingness, about as relevant in college football as, say, any team from the state of Washington.
They're nothing but a blip on the radar these days.And there are two words you can use, two simple words, to explain the suddenfall from grace and relevance of a storied university: Charlie Weis.
I remember the Super Bowl Media Day, the one where Charlie Weis wanted totalk more about his brand-new contract with Notre Dame University than whathis New England Patriot offense was going to do to combat the Jim Johnson-inspired Philadelphia Eagles defense in the upcoming NFL decider. You honestly could have believed that you were watching some sort of Notre Dame love-in, notthe presser for the biggest and best football event in North America.
Flat-out, Weis hijacked the day. Instead of making it about Brady, Bruschi and Belichick, it was all about Charlie and what he was going to do at Notre Dame. He boasted of a "pro-style offense" that no college team in the landcould possibly stand up to. I guess that much is true, one truth among plenty of lies; no one?s stood up to the Irish offense. They've all rolled rightover the top. He brazenly predicted an avalanche of wins. He told anyone who would listen that he was going to revolutionise college football. He hasn't done any of that. He hasn't even come close.
To be honest, the first season went okay. With Brady Quinn under centre, the Irish nearlybeat a USC team ranked #1 in the nation and taking all before it with starslike Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush. Following that close four-point loss,the Athletic Director at South Bend clearly started drinking the Kool Aid.He offered Charlie a ten year contract allegedly - though never publicly confirmed by Notre Dame University - worth between $30 and $40 million dollars. After a loss. Okay, granted he took the best team in the land to the very edge and almost came away with the chocolates, but still? Come on! That's a serious amount of coin.
That was 2005. Fast forward to 2008. The Irish were just pounded by the same team, USC, that they played to the wire in Charlie's first year. It was amiserable performance. The Irish had 91 total yards of offense. They didn'tpick up a first down until the final play of the third quarter and their quarterback, Jimmy Clausen, threw for a measly 30 yards. The USC defenseis mean. They are mean and nasty. They had a field day with Notre Dame. This wasn't close. The 38-3 score line didn't accurately indicate just how comprehensive the victory was. It was nationally-televised and nationally embarrassing for the Irish. It did one thing, though, and that is shine a national light on Notre Dame's problems. It was a beat down in the best sense of the word.
People say that Charlie Weis shouldn't be blamed for any of Notre Dame's current woes. Why, they ask, should he be blamed when the recruiting classes aren't good. Except that they are. They're excellent. Did you know that Notre Dame has had the 2nd, 1st and 2nd best recruiting classes in the nation overthe last 3 years? And Charlie makes a point of telling us that at every opportunity.
It is as simple as this: Charlie's record is 21-28. Tyrone Willingham, hispredecessor, had a worse record than that. So did Bob Davie who coached at ND before Willingham. If they can be fired, so can Weis, whose record is worse. At least Davie and Willingham didn't lose to Navy. Or Syracuse. Weisdid. Time to go. Except that they are. Notre Dame has had the 2nd, 1st and2nd best recruiting classes in the nation over the last 3 years. And Charlie makes a point of telling us that at every opportunity. Especially after a particularly bad loss, which is often. It's what he falls back on when he gets uncomfortableunder the spotlight in the post-match press conference.
So, if the talent is so good in South Bend - and it is; Clausen could be a good QB and Golden Tate has enough speed to be a better-than-even running back - one needs to point the finger in another direction. Perhaps in the direction of the Head Coach. Definitely in the direction of the play-caller. Oh. Silly me. That's Charlie Weis. He relieved his offensive coordinator of the job and announced that he would call the plays himself. Then, next time out ofthe gate, promptly lost to Syracuse.
It's that sort of arrogance, Charlie's ridiculous confidence in himself that he can do the job when others can't, that has angered a lot of people. People like me who want to see Notre Dame a national power once again. And, more importantly, school alum like Joe Montana, who must be hurting like crazy each time the Fighting Irish take to the field.
If you're reading this and thinking that this has me more than a little irate, you'd be correct. It annoys me that a guy comes rolling in and makes these amazing, outlandish promises - and fails to deliver on any of them. Charlie Weis has always been rude and obnoxious. He says it's New Jersey thing. What, he thinks he's some sort of Tony Soprano? I happen to think it's just a Charlie Weis thing. People dealt with it when he was winning. He's not winning anymore.The gloss is starting to wear off.
You look at a guy like Pete Carroll at USC or Urban Meyer at Florida. Great coaches, both of them. Better coaches than Charlie Weis could ever hope to be. They didn't come into their jobs in a blaze of glory, outlandishly predicting this and that. They rocked up one day, got to work and their records speak for themselves. Both Florida and USC have won a national championship this decade and both Carroll and Meyer helm programs that seldom leave the Top 5. What has Charlie Weis delivered? Not much. A couple of blow-out BCS losses, a loss to Navy anda loss to Syracuse. Oh, and plenty of pain, too.
It is as simple as this: Charlie's record is 21-28 after starting out a promising15-9. Tyrone Willingham, his predecessor, had a worse record than that. So did Bob Davie who coached at ND before Willingham. If they can be fired, so can Weis, whose record is worse. At least Davie and Willingham didn't lose to Navy. Or Syracuse. Weis did. Time to go.
Coach Willingham was African-American. He tried and failed. They got rid of him, as is their want. In sports these days, you're hired to be fired.But if Weis, whose record is worse, doesn't get the chop this week, you are going to hear people come out of the woodwork and complain about unfair treatment and discrimination. Yeah, even that dreaded "R" word is going to get bandied about. I'm sure it's got nothing to do with the colour of Charlie's skin, as compared to Willingham's, but people are going to add 1 and 2 and come up with 7. I don't like it, but it's bound to happen.
Okay, call me crazy if you must, but I happen to think that if you're paying a guy $30-$40 million over ten seasons and if he's bringing in some of the best recruits from around the country - Charlie continually tells us that he is - you have a right to expect results. Not a squeak-by win against Navy, but a victory against USC. Or Ohio State. Or Florida. Someone who is a legitimate national contender. Charlie hasn't delivered that. All he's delivered areembarrassing losses to Navy and Syracuse. Oh. He's also delivered lots of promises. But he hasn't made good on ANY of them.
He has to go.
No comments:
Post a Comment