By Brian HamiltonAs Notre Dame muddled along to a disappointing end to 2008, one element in the decision-making process regarding head coach Charlie Weis was moot: The money needed to buy out his contract, should the school go in that direction.
And nothing has changed in 2009. Athletics director Jack Swarbrick reiterated Sunday that buyout money is "not a factor" in whether or not the Irish retain Weis following this season.
"It's not about Notre Dame's resources -- the only way to make these decisions is in the context of the program and the student-athletes," Swarbrick said a day after the Irish fell to 6-4 with a loss at Pittsburgh. "You have to isolate on those things, because that's what matters. The other issues are things you work with, you figure out one way or another.
"I want to be clear: This has nothing to do with Notre Dame saying, 'Oh, gosh, given our resources it's not a factor.' That's not why it's not a factor. It's not a factor because there are other things more important relating to our goals for the program and the experience of the student-athletes."
Swarbrick also reiterated Sunday another stance that hasn't changed since 2008: Weis and the program won't be evaluated until after the 2009 season is complete.
Photo: AP
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I'd like to dispute the comment made by JOJO on November 16, 2009 7:45 AM: "COME ON, WHO ARE WE KIDDING, THE ATHLETES ARE NEVER SEEN IN CLASS, WE JUST LIKE TO SAY THEY ARE SO PEOPLE WILL THINK WE ARE WHAT WE WERE MANY DECADES AGO."
I am a Notre Dame Alumni, class of 1998. I had SEVERAL athletes in my classes. They all attended class, succeeded, and graduated from the 18th Academically ranked University in the country.
I'd like to point out two important facts:
#1 - Since 1962, Notre Dame has graduated 98.74% of its football players in four years. As of 2006, only 13 football players in this time have left Notre Dame without finishing their degree requirements. Also of note is the 90% graduation rate of ND's African-American players (only Navy and Boston College have higher African American graduation rates).[# ^ Jackson, Derrick Z. (December 6, 2006). "College football's winners and losers". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/12/06/college_footballs_winners_and_losers/. Retrieved 2008-01-02.]
#2 - Helped by its status as a highly regarded academic institution (ranked 18th by U.S. News & World Report),[^ "US News Top Schools". USNews.com. http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/t1natudoc_brief.php. Retrieved 2007-09-03.] Notre Dame is second only to Nebraska in Academic All-Americans (43).
bye bye Charlie caked
Gator Fan, my apologies. I was looking at their schedule at home games and counted their spring game. Yes, they do play a 7-4-1, just like ND and like most other big-time schools play a 7 home game schedule these days.
I was responding to the lies that ND haters like ND=fraud were spewing ("ND is the ONLY school playing 7 home games! And it is somehow unethical!").
Almost all big time schools have been playing a 7- home game schedule for awhile now. ND is late to the party.
Ned. You do realize that in that case Ron Zook took the high road and didnt really comment on what was said right? That it was ND and the NY press that took shots at Zook and the U of I administration and they had no comment other than take a look into it and see what you come up with.
You know this right?
On a side note, I'm not certain ND fans should be throwing stones about underachieving. I mean ND ends up having a top 5 class every year and they have a couple more wins this year than Illinois who as you say sucks.
JOJO, the guy who is "ND Grad" is not an ND grad, unless he went to North Dakota, just like the guy who is "Brady Quinn" is not Brady Quinn. They are likely ND rejects who are jealous of what ND is and stands for. They are small and petty people and should be pitied. Maybe it's just Ron Zook still lashing out at Weis for calling out his shady recruiting. It's pretty obvious from the product they put out on the field at U of I that he isn't doing much in the way of coaching down in Chambana.
Greg Mandel, while I understand the point you are making - please make sure you have YOUR facts straight as well.
Florida ALSO plays a 7-4-1 regular season schedule. The "home" game you list for Florida vs. Georgia is actually played in Jacksonville at a neutral site - better known as "the World's Largest Cocktail Party."
All of these teams do favor a lopsided home schedule however. I miss the good 'ole days when it was even - steven.
ND can Charlie, play Fresno State, they will come to South Bend any day you want and Par Hill will kick butt.
Now if you want a fire up, in your face coach with an attitude, that will turn that ND natural talent in to winners look at Pat Hill.....I agree he has not won the WAC but he has whooped some big time programs and put the fear of TD Jesus in others, that refuse to let him come play them. His anytime anyplace attitude is what they need at the Golden Dome.
JoJO, what does Charlie being a complete lard A** have to do with Rush? I don't follow your thinking. I can only assume you are a huge Barry supporter and whenever you get mad you lash out at Rush.
ND deserves this...I knew bad stuff would happen to them once they had Barry speak at the Commencement in May. Can't have that supporter of baby killing on the campus and expect not to have some bad karma.
HA HA, CHARLIE IS FAT. THAT SURE IS ORIGINAL. HA HA HA. WHEW, I CANT STOP LAUGHING. HA, HA. HE'S FAT LIKE RUSH, WHOS A BIG FAT IDIOT. HA, HA, HA.
Faust, Willingham, Davies, Weis. Now that's what I call football tradition.
ND GRAD, YOU SOUND LIKE ALL THE OTHER KNOW IT ALL ND GRADS. DID YOU COACH? I AGREE THAT WEIS SHOULD GO BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE ELSE TO STEP IN. GOOD LUCK GETTING ANYBODY. YOU NEED TO RECRUIT CRIMINALS LIKE TENNESSEE
IF YOU KNEW ANYTHING, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT BRADY HAS A DUAL DEGREE THAT HE GOT IN 3 YEARS.
Swarbrick also reiterated Sunday another stance that hasn't changed since 2008: Weis and the program won't be evaluated until after the 2009 season is complete.
When they will can his fat lazy butt so fast your head will spin
LETS LOWER ADMISSION STANDARDS AND BE LIKE TENNESSEE, AND RECRUIT COVENIENCE STORE ROBBERS. THAT WOULD BE COOOOOL! NOTRE DAME IS MORE THAN FOOTBALL
Ahh, the ND haters are up to their usual tricks. First, lie about ND's schedule ("Look everyone! ND and ONLY ND plays seven home games this year! That is somehow unethical!")
Then, when they are exposed as liars and frauds, they start blathering nonsense.
GIVE UP JESUS? WHAT WAS SAN ANTONIO. DONT YOU PEOPLE HAVE ANYTHING BETTER TO DO THAN BEAT UP ON THE BEST SCHOOL IN THE COUNTRY?
ND=Fraud is either a liar or too dumb to check his made-up "facts." He says: 'How ethical is ND with a heavily weighted home schedule again this year? Every other team in the nation tries to keep it balanced, not ND though, it's worth more money for them to pretend they have ethics instead of practicing them."
Practically every big team plays at least 7 home games now. Florida and Michigan play EIGHT home games this year.
Alabama and Ohio State both play a 7-4-1 schedule this year, just like ND.
ND=Fraud is the fraud here.
I KEEP TELLING CHARLIE WEIS IF ONLY HE WOULD HAVE THE TEAM WEAR GREEN UNIFORMS HE WOULD WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP. pLEASE GIVE HIM THIS MESSAGE.
NO! NO! NO!
Don't fire Charlie. It's wonderful to watch ND lose.
Nice picture of Charlie. There's something about ex-patriot coaches that is grinding.
Isn't this the same story we heard last year at this time? If ND keeps this up they will no longer be associated with winning college programs. And ND, inc. won't be able to command the TV money they receive.
You can coach the players, but you can not go out on the field and play for them. Charlie Weis is a good coach and if he should be replaced, there is only one man for the job "Dr. Lou Holtz". Notre Dame is loaded on the offense but the defense is giving too much! And as for "Joe" statind "why would anyone want to play for Notre Dame?" why wouldn't they some of the greatest NFL players have come from Notre Dame, as Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Jerome Bettis, Tim Brown, Brady Quinn & the list goes on and on. Notre Dame is not only a great school, but has an upstanding football team and coaches, not everything has to do with money!
IMHO, bringing Weis to the Bears as OC would be no improvement over Turner. They should both be in job search.
Everybody needs to quit pointing the finger at Charlie.You all want to fire him go ahead and let's see how bad the next 4 years go after that.The bottom line is that this is a good team these are good recruites and this is as passionate as football you can play.So they make mistakes....They play hard!You cant win em all guys and as much as I would love to see them win everygame they are gonna lose some.Nobody has blown them out all year and theyve played with everyteam!NO RUN GAME
Why wouldn't JC declare for the draft? There's a decent possibility that there will be some sort of rookie wage scale in place if he waits. Even if not, waiting a year is foregoing a year's worth of salary. And he'll probably be on a bad team regardless of when he comes out.
Weis' best year was with Willingham's recruits. Doesn't that tell you something? How are CW's recruits better than TW's? Explain.
Weis looked shipwrecked. The DC is highly over-rated and is almost as dangerous to ND's success with his blitz-happy playcalling as Weis is with his 'vanilla' red-zone offense.
The cupboard is now more than half-full with talented recruits and JC is unlikely to go to the pros whether Weis is there or not, just look at Klinger and the pounding he took, Brady Quinn at Cleveland and Russell at the Raiders, noting that there is little to be gained by leaving college early as a high profile QB.
Weis should go back to the pros or replace Madden as the hottest selling video football game creator, since all he seems to understand about the game is X's and O's, with the more plays he can call the merrier. He can not develop players and instill the type of skills that former players that have become great teachers can and Weis continues to use a relative of a NFL connection as a coach--currently it is the ND special teams that get to underperform under this tutelage.
Willingham left behind a trainwreck and if Weis is not fired soon (or at the very least, get rid of Tenuta), he will as well, albeit with much better athletes than Willingham signed. Coaches who claim its all about emotion are asking players to make up for their sub-optimal playcalling, preparation and training. Think Tom Landry at the Dallas Cowboys in their heydey: cold, clinical and effective.
Please do not mention Urban Meyer; think Saban or Kelley.
Seeya Weis. thanks for the memories. Seeya Clausen. you are a heck of a QB, good luck in the NFL.
and hello to Jon Gruden.
I'd love for the Bears to pick up Charlie Weis as our new Offensive Coordinator with a completely new Coaching Staff for both teams.
Why would a walk on want to play for Notre Dame? You will not play in a major bowl. You will not have any chance of being on a championship team. You will get an education, but nothing more.
Charlie would look great in a Chicago Bears' Off Coordinator box.
How is it that there is not a walk-on at ND who can punt better than the guy they have doing it now? Just about every punter in our high school conference is better than that guy.
They came out flat. No emotion, no drive. The whole coaching staff needs to be axed. Just pay Weis off, and find a good college coach.