Testify!
Sean | Email | Homepage | 10.27.05 - 12:05 pm | #

Great piece. People just cant believe that one would rather stay at Notre Dame in college football, rather than jump to pro football for more money. These people will never understand the family that you enter upon being a student at Notre Dame. Despite his comments about his intentions, the single most comforting fact about our coach's future is that he walked the halls as a student and knows Notre Dame. Since Notre Dame cannot be explained to others (especially Michigan fans), the easiest response is, with a smile, "He's not going anywhere." What a satisfying feeling.
Elliot Pope | Email | Homepage | 10.27.05 - 12:11 pm | #

I don't think Charlie would go to the pros for money, especially. A family friend of mine had lunch with Charlie in the offseason, and my friend asked Charlie why it was rumored that he actually took less money that he could have taken. Charlie responded that rather than accept the money in his contract, he wanted it to be spread into the assistant coaches pay in order to raise it, as we've all heard. When my friend asked him about this he replied that if he got the right coaches, by the time ND had to renegotiate his contract they couldn't afford NOT to give him whatever he wanted. Classic, confident, Charlie.
P.S. Don't quote me on any of this, as I wasn't there.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 10.27.05 - 1:01 pm | #

Elliot, et al.:

Personally, I find it enjoyable to respond to those jealous folks by invoking The Sun Also Rises' closing line: "Yes, isn't it pretty to think so?"

The blank look it invariably invokes is priceless.
Kelley Cook | Email | Homepage | 10.27.05 - 2:02 pm | #

Guys, Michigan will take ND off the play list soon...Bo did it until Faust came along (Fuast still beat him, what once or twice).

Now that we are back, they'll swap us for Grand Valley State soon.
Yago | Email | Homepage | 10.27.05 - 3:55 pm | #

Don't knock the Lakers.

They are a powerhouse...

...of Division II.

Besides, Michigan would rather bring in a team from out-of-state to beef up the local revenue in Ann Arbor. I hear UC-Davis is available, Lloyd...
Bill | Email | Homepage | 10.27.05 - 5:18 pm | #

Don't forget this same writer also speculated through another unnmamed sourse that Brady Quinn could challenge Matt Leinart for the #1 pick in the draft if he left this year.

This guy is a fraud and a joke.
BD | Email | Homepage | 10.27.05 - 7:41 pm | #

Me no spell no good..."source"
BD | Email | Homepage | 10.27.05 - 7:49 pm | #

What was frustrating to me was that the rumor was even pushed as TRUTH down here in the Atlanta market on a Sports Talk show (which hardly EVER mentions us in a good light).
A ND grad IMMEDIATELY got on the show and tried to counter telling the Host(s) that this was a rumor.
The host just cut him off like the caller was crazy, stupid, and in denial about this! The host also has previously said, when Weis was first hired, that Weis was not a "sexy" enough choice for us and that Urban Meyer should of been our man (we just lost out).
BTW - this ND grad also said, and I think we all agree, that we wouldn't take FIVE Urban Meyers for one Charlie Weis. To counter that comment, the Radio Host just made a comment on how FAT Weis is.
Don't get me wrong, I actually like the Radio Host, he's not a Georgia sports homer (he's from Philly). I just wish these guys would dig a little deeper for the facts.
Frank | Email | Homepage | 10.28.05 - 7:55 am | #

Update from ESPN's Chris Mortensen:

Weis Expected to Stay at Notre Dame

It was inevitable that Charlie Weis would have to deal with speculation that he could still pursue his dream to be an NFL head coach.

Forget about it. Two sources very familiar with Weis' state of mind -- state of heart, too -- say there is "zero" chance Weis will be tempted to leave Notre Dame after just one year on the job.

It won't necessarily put an end to the talk. Weis has a buyout clause of a fairly paltry $1.5 million. Somebody in the NFL will no doubt call his agent, Bob Lamonte, to test the waters. Maybe more than one somebody.

By many team executives' guesswork, there are six to 10 clubs that will contemplate hiring a new coach in 2006.

"The problem," as one prominent NFL executive said, "is that there's a lot of hesitation about the pool of qualified guys out there."

Personally, I hesitate when I hear that talk. That's like NFL scouts who worry every year that there aren't enough good players in the draft, to which former Packers GM Ron Wolf points out, "As long as there are Tom Bradys being found in the sixth round, I don't want to hear it."

You see, Weis is the Notre Dame coach today because there was plenty of hesitation about him as NFL head-coaching timber. It was baffling, really, because Weis should have been a no-brainer hire for an NFL team.

He was the offensive coordinator of the three-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots; was mentored by two all-time coaching greats, Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick; is tough and brilliant; has humanity and swagger -- traits that make great leaders; and also has his dose of humility, certainly imposed upon him by those who ignored his qualifications.

Why was Weis forced to pursue his dream out of the league? I heard excuses, the most common being that the Patriots' prolonged Super Bowl seasons closed the window of opportunity for antsy executives eager to assemble a quality coaching staff in a competitive market. I heard that some teams were concerned about his health after his near-death experience.

The thing about that near-death experience is that it was the result of gastric-bypass surgery that Weis sought, first for health reasons and second for appearance's sake. Yes, there are some owners and execs who have admitted to me that image counts.

"Now he looks like Brad Pitt to these NFL guys," said a close acquaintance.

During Weis' rise in coaching stature, only two teams gave serious thought to offering him a job: The New York Giants and Buffalo Bills.

More teams will come calling in January. They might wave $6 million per year in his face. Normally, it would be temptation for a man making $4 million less than that. Weis will resist, unless I'm being misled by people I trust. He will be putting the finishing touches on his first true recruiting class for the Fighting Irish.

Good for him. Shame on the NFL.
Jay | Email | Homepage | 10.28.05 - 1:15 pm | #

10:45 AM Eastern Time:
Kirk Herbstreit reports on ESPN Gameday that CW will sign a new 10-year contract extension later today.
That should make it difficult to buy him out, huh?
tony | Email | Homepage | 10.29.05 - 11:02 am | #