When reading the interview Orsini is quoted:

"....That's my school Notre Dame. Whoever gets the job I hope is the best qualified person.Like all universities, we could always improve. I hope Notre dame takes what Kevin White has done, and he did alot of great things, and takes it to another level...."

I assume the "we" is Notre Dame.

Works for me !
Dana Payne | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 11:07 am | #

He's done some great things in a short period of time:
Built a on-campus Football Stadium at UCF.
Hired George O'Leary at UCF.
Went after and got June Jones of Hawaii for SMU's football coach.
Hired Doherty as SMU's BB coach.
I'd be happy if they selected Steve as the new AD.
jim masterson | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 11:14 am | #

Who would ever thought having a George O'leary hire on your resume would be a positive??

We truly have come full circle..
jmc | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 12:10 pm | #

jmc; ND always got a bad rap r
for the George O'Leary hire.
"ND didn't do it's due diligence."
Well no one had done their due diligence. O'Leary had been a HC at Georgia Tech with the same resume. He had been an assistant coach in the NFL with the ?San Diego Chargers with the same resume.
So you tell me that any institution other than the CIA, or FBI would have questioned his past?
Give me a break.
It's an absolute positive.
Should he be branded with a "Scarlet Letter?"
Kudos for Orsini and the Coach With the Vikings who were willing to look past this transgression.
jmc. you a lib by any chance?
jim masterson | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 1:43 pm | #

Hiring O'Leary and Doherty are a wash imo. Now the June Jones grab was impressive. The guy left HAWAII!!!!
Jake | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 2:12 pm | #

Holy overreaction, Jim Masterson. I thought JMC's comment was pretty funny, and it doesn't say anything negative about O'Leary that you didn't read into it yourself.
Steve R | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 2:23 pm | #

The ultimate question I always posed to myself, is what would have happened at ND if George O'Leary had either a) never been found out for his fib, or b) the University forgave him and let it slide.....

Where would we be?

In my opinion...

1) ND would have performed much better than under Ty. Carlyle Holliday would have performed fantastically under the option based system O'Leary ran. Plus, he would have had Ryan Grant and Julius Jones to run the ball. Davies teams were build to pound the ball on the ground, and would have fit with O'Leary's ideas.

2) We would probably have wound up running some type of spread option. O'Leary's GaTech teams were running a very, very early type of spread option, and I believe it is more than likely that we would have seen that trent expand at Notre Dame.

3) I think we would have seen a disciplined ND team that would have have reached 8-9 wins a year. O'Leary would have stayed on longer with us, which means Charlie never comes to ND, and instead takes an NFL job at some Godforsaken place like Detroit or San Fran.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 2:53 pm | #

Also, we would currently have some assholes Heisman winner with the last name Tebow running our team, Brady Quinn would have become the greatest QB in the history of UM/tOSU football, and we all hate the ever-living shit out of USC's current QB, some kid with the last name Clausen.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 2:56 pm | #

Brad,

That's a very interesting post -- especially the part about Holliday. I always thought it was a shame that such a nice, talented guy got lost in that shuffle.
Hal | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 3:23 pm | #

I didn't read the humor in jmc's post. My bad.
jim masterson | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 3:32 pm | #

Re: O'Leary

In my opinion the ESPN type media would have harped on ND for accepting a "dishonest" coach , particularly if we had been successful.

We would have been portrayed as bending the rules "just like everyone else".

People make boneheaded moves but the punishment he would have endured as ND's coach would have been disproptionate.

At another program it is a side note.

It probably worked out best for all.
Dana Payne | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 3:45 pm | #

"disproportionate"
Dana Payne | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 3:47 pm | #

I've started to re-watch games from last season as a way to remind myself how far we've got to travel in order to be good this year. Man, were we awful.

I've noticed something, though. Charlie's been noticeably quiet compared to last year. Remember how full of bravado he was, making predictions about how awesome players like A Allen would be? In retrospect, I think he was trying to give the team something to live up to. Instead, he might have convinced them they were better than they really were.

Anyways, I love the silence now. It's time to let the playing do the talking.
Hal | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 4:16 pm | #

Hal, that takes alot of courage to be watching those games again. I think I would rather be shot in the face with a flare gun than to go through that misery.

Go Irish!
true2nd | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 5:18 pm | #

How many days until Saturday, September 6? Bring on San Diego State. I cannot wait for 3:30 that afternoon.
tednict | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 5:22 pm | #

tednict I'm setting up my tailgate tomorrow. How many games of cornhole and 30 packs of Keystone between now and then?
mark | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 6:35 pm | #

Orsini has been my favorite to be AD for a couple of years. Currently, a strong push is being made for Larry Williams, ND '85. Larry is Univ. of Portland AD. He played football under the dome from '81-'84, and then enjoyed a nice NFL career. He is married to the former Laura Lee, also ND '85, who was a four year member of the tennis team. Larry also has a law degree, and prior service at ND as an associate AD. His friends and teammates are urging Missy Conboy and Fr. Jenkins to give Williams strong consideration. If Orsini, who is 7 years older than Williams (52 vs. 45) should not get the gig, then Larry Williams would be a great choice, IMHO.
Voice in the Wilderness | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 7:13 pm | #

Voice; How much will it factor into the choice of Williams that Portland does not field a football team?
The more I read about Steve Orsini, the more I like about him.
He doesn't get enough credit for his performance at UCF.
A football stadium in less than 10 years is unheard of.
Hiring George O'Leary took a lot of courage and a willingness to hire the best available for a virtual unknown school.
jim masterson | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 8:56 pm | #

Hal,

Lent is over, I really don't think you need to sacrifice to the extreme of watching last season's games all over again!
Knoxville Irish | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 9:21 pm | #

He is married to the former Laura Lee, also ND '85, who was a four year member of the tennis team.

They were introduced to each other by Gerry Faust. On one of his visits to the Grotto, Faust saw Laura, who was upset and crying. He learned that she was terribly homesick for California, and wasn't enjoying the Midwest at all. Faust offered to introduce her to another California freshman on his football team -- Larry Williams. The rest, as they say...
DJ | Email | Homepage | 06.11.08 - 9:49 pm | #

The Larry Williams-Laura Lee introduction by Gerry Faust still stands as his single greatest achievement as the head coach of Notre Dame.
jim, I don't know how much Portland being football-less hurts Williams. Certainly Orsini has a superior CV when AD accomplishments are specifically considered. Orsini is still my top choice, but I believe Williams has the mettle and would perform well, too.
Voice in the Wilderness | Email | Homepage | 06.12.08 - 7:12 am | #

And, oh yeah, Larry was a tremendous offensive lineman for the Irish, and later for the Browns. If he were to get the job, maybe he could be enticed to wear two hats for a while! And he would, for sure, see thru all that Olympic-style weightlifting and "bulk 'em up" hogwash.
Voice in the Wilderness | Email | Homepage | 06.12.08 - 7:24 am | #

Two thoughts...


1) Mark....I believe the prefered nomenclature is a "pack of 'stones" just so we are on the same page.

2) While I realize he was probably just joking, Olympic-Style weightlifting is the single best way to add overall strength to the body, because it uses a combination of many muscles rather than focusing on just one.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 06.12.08 - 8:15 am | #

Also, multiple news outlets are reporting that Ben Turk, a punter from St. Thomas Aquinas in Florida (Dan Wenger and Sam Young's school) is the next Notre Dame recruit to commit.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 06.12.08 - 8:20 am | #

Turk is solid according to II. & IE. Free board info.
If VIW said you gain mass, mobility, nastiness, quicks, super-human strength by sitting on the couch and eating jujub's and Snicker's, I'd agree with him, and get in the foxhole to support his position.
jim masterson | Email | Homepage | 06.12.08 - 1:08 pm | #

Knoxville, TrueND,

Hurt me, hurt me because it feels so good when you stop.
Hal | Email | Homepage | 06.12.08 - 2:31 pm | #

This is really random, but does anyone know what they're doing to the practice field? I passed by Moose Krause Field during Senior Week and it was all torn up. Anyone know what's up with that?
KWH | Email | Homepage | 06.12.08 - 4:31 pm | #

Brad, some may abbreviate, but not I. Keystone Light is America's least bitter beer. It is never watered down and it is always smooth. I think the manufacturer's decision to include 30 beverages is on par with the remote control and internet porn as far as greatest inventions for men.
Mark | Email | Homepage | 06.12.08 - 4:33 pm | #

I have a friend Matt Chupp who is at ND working for Dr. Woo and her staff at the Mendoza Grad School.
He says the fields will be ready in plenty of time for Aug. 1, 2008.
jim masterson | Email | Homepage | 06.12.08 - 8:17 pm | #

Speaking of bitter beer , Fosters Bitter "oil cans" go great with south Asian food...
Dana Payne | Email | Homepage | 06.13.08 - 1:09 pm | #

KWH, if I understand things correctly, the northern part of the former Krause field is being converted to more practice field, while the south part (and, I presume, a chunk of the parking lot) will be the home of the new soccer stadium.
Mr. Wednesday | Email | Homepage | 06.13.08 - 7:55 pm | #

When I was a student at ND, Steve Orsini lived in the dorm room immediately adjacent to my room. Make no mistake about it, Steve is a first class man who loves ND. and would represent Our Lady's University in a most outstanding manner. His humility to this day belies his many accomplishments. For those of you who attended the 2007 USC pep rally, you saw that Steve was the spokesman for the members of the 1977 team who were there. That was no accident.
lush | Email | Homepage | 06.15.08 - 9:06 am | #