[TomCollins]

A really good post by a ND Alumnus-
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Before anyone decides to question my ties to Notre Dame, I'm a third generation alumnus (Class of 1988) and my son entered Notre Dame this fall. I donate money each year to the history department as well as other special campaigns from time to time. Our relationship to Notre Dame has been a constant in my family since my grandfather matriculated on the GI Bill after the second world war, so if anyone wants to question my ability to discuss or constructively criticize the university or athletic program based on this being my first post, I would suggest that you not bother to read what follows.

Charlie Weis is the worst coach that I have witnessed in following Notre Dame football since the early 1970s. I say this not solely based upon his coaching ability, which I'll get to later, but also his mind-numbing arrogance, hunger for self-glorifying publicity and seemingly endless ability to make the whole endeavor about Charlie.

When Weis came in, I was willing to believe that he was handed a short deck and was willing to give him a chance to prove himself despite several rather disagreeable personality traits which I felt did not shine particularly well on Our Lady. The initial recruiting success combined with an apparent on-field turnaround was enough to quiet my doubts about the man. This year, however, has revealed what Charlie Weis is all about.

This program is in free fall, and anyone counting on Weis' ability to recruit his way out of his own ineptitude is delusional. As for his recruiting, anyone could have come in under similar situations and recruited lights out with any effort. Given Notre Dame's built in advantages (national television network, Catholic school network, national fanbase, history and tradition) which far outweigh the disadvantages we face in not being able to recruit some academic casualties combined with the recruiting jump that any historically powerful program gets with a coaching change as kids suddenly become excited about being part of the revival combined with the insane amount of postive publicity heaped on Weis his first two years (the waving of the Super Bowl rings, "decided schematic advantage" reported across the country, Pass Right and the ensuing weeklong media lovefest, the 60 Minutes interview, BQ for Heisman) how could Weis not recruit well? Now that the bloom is off the rose, let's see if he can maintain it over the next several years. That will prove the true test of his recruiting abilities.

Each year, there has been a decline in basic football fundamentals: blocking, tackling, personal discipline, the kicking game. Why? Because those things don't reflect upon Weis' alleged schematic genius. Far better to win with his NFL bag of tricks than sound football. Sound football is for loser non-geniuses like Tressel, Carroll and Stoops. It's all about Weis.

Evan Sharply--this kid has heart and talent. Why wasn't he given a shot? Why did we have to wait until the wheels had come off the bus AND the overrated Clausen was hurt? Because Sharply wasn't Weis' recruit. Heaven forbid Weis actually play the better quarterback (recruited by the evil Willingham) over his own chosen golden boy. It's all about Weis.

Yesterday's field goal debacle is another shining example. Heck, any coach can win by kicking a late 4th quarter field goal. That's the stuff of non-geniuses. Make the 4th down conversion, however, and Charlie's gutsy playcalling and schematic genius is all the talking heads would be discussing for the rest of the afternoon and evening. It's all about Weis.

Charlie Weis is a fraud. He is a self-glorifying, arrogant blowhard without the slightest clue of how to be the head coach on the sidelines nor of how to run a major college football program. Despite his protestations of undying love for Notre Dame, he hoodwinked and bullied and conned his way into the monstrous contract before proving himself, and now an university that has been a beloved cultural tie among my family for four generations is paying the price--both financially and otherwise. I can deal with losses. I can deal with losing seasons. I can deal with blowouts and the Navy streak ending. I can no longer deal with Charlie Weis being the face of Notre Dame.

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