I’m not exactly the most knowledgeable college football fan in the world. Unfortunately when it comes to the subject my favorite team is actually the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. I can’t even remember the exact reason why I like them in the first place. It seemed liked a good idea way backwhen Lou Holtz rejuvenated the program and brought them back into national prominence from the depths of Scrubville. Tim Brown, Rocket Ismael, Ricky Williams and Jerome Bettis were so easy to like. Maybe I simply chose to root for the team that so many loved to hate. Maybe I enjoyed the movie Rudy a tad too much. Maybe I just didn’t know any better. Whatever the case may be this latest debacle is downright embarrassing.
In case you missed it or were asleep all weekend, Notre Dame lost 46-44 to Navy in triple overtime on Saturday. This just happened to end a losing streak that dates back to the presidential administration of John F. Kennedy.
Speaking of a Bay of Pigs…what exactly is head coach Charlie Weis doing? Isn’t he part of the Bill Parcells coaching tree? Perhaps it’s the Bill Belichick coaching tree that I’m thinking about. Then again isn’t that one and the same? If Israelis and Palestinians are technically inter-connected after all these centuries, then shouldn’t the same hold true for any coach… that used to coach… under any coach… that once coached... under Bill Parcells? Dang... if I’m confused then maybe you are too. At this moment I’d settle for a disciple from the Rich Kotite coaching tree.
Anyway, back to the portly Charlie Weis. I thought he was supposed to be a great coach. I also thought Notre Dame was allegedly an institution of higher learning that blamed the flaws of its football team on rigorous academic standards. If everyone in South Bend is so smart then how in heaven’s name did they hire a nincom#### like Weis? Didn’t he take Winning Football 101 back at Parcellsichick U.? Sounds more like Notre Dumb to me.
With approximately 40 or so seconds left in regulation the score was tied 28-28. Notre Dumb had the ball on the Navy 25-yard line after being stopped on 3rd and long. Rather than kick a potential game winning field goal of slightly more than 40 yards, the coaching guru Weis elected to go for the first down instead of go for the win. What!?!? In that situation I think you should make an attempt at 3 points even with a mediocre kicker. Why the hell is he on the team in the first place?. Keep in mind that the kicker already has a career long of 48 yards. Needless to say the Notre Dame quarterback got sacked and the rest is history. Well… at least it finally changed history…for Navy that is.
I understand that the Irish were already a de####able 1-7 entering the game but this is ridiculous. There’s a reason why Navy hadn’t beaten the Irish since long before the Vietnam War was close to ending. I think it has something to do with the fact that high school kids who actually want to play top-level collegiate football do not apply to the Naval Academy anymore. Apparently Charlie Weis is having trouble out-recruiting a military school that hasn’t figured prominently in the collegiate football scene since the long gone days of Roger Staubach. Either that or he has no idea what he's doing on the sidelines. Personally I think it's quite a bit of both.
The Notre Dame athletic director needs to seriously consider firing Charlie Weis’ under-performing ample arse. If they could run former head coach Ty Willingam out of town then what exactly does this qualify as? Let’s not forget that this is Weis’ third year at the university. In his first two seasons he went 9-3 and 10-3 with personnel he inherited from the recruitment efforts of his predecessor. If he was supposed to be such a drastic improvement, then one win after nine games during his third year on the job is thoroughly unacceptable. He shouldn't take the phrase, "Win just onefor the Gipper" so literally. It really is okay to win a few more. Charlie isn’t exactly coaching the Temple Owls… although something tells me that this match up would be a lot more competitive than we could’ve ever imagined.
Charlie the “Un-Weis (conveniently pronounced Wise in this instance) must go. I can’t think of another who would have done as poorly a job considering the high expectations and fanfare with which he assumed the position. Given the current state of affairs the only position that comes to mind is missionary. Unfortunately for the Notre Dame faithful he’s created a mess that could take a long time to clean up.
I totally agree with your assessment of his decision on 4th down late in the game. You didn't mention the two point conversion though and that, in my estimation, was an equally bad call.
I'm an ex-Navy man so I was really happy for the Middies. But Weis certainly hasn't done anything this year to impress me. I doubt ND will fire him because they are on the hook for the remaining six years of his contract. That would be a high price to pay just to get rid of the coach.
Nicely done rivjo. What Weis has done this year is not only unacceptable, but also sad. While I love to root against them each Saturday (you understand right?), it's more fun rooting against them when they are good. Notre Dame fans absolutely do not deserve this.
MoonDogLeft---Thanks for the kind words and positive review. I guess you are right about the 2 point conversion. In fact there were other equally curious plays. For example, when Weis went for it on 4th and long from deep in his own territory with plenty of time left in the game. The QB was almost sacked there too and if not for a great catch to convert the first down I might be hollering about that play. In fairness they proceeded to drive down the field and score but I still did not agree with the call.
You're probably also correct that his job isn't in jeopardy. He is still owed a great deal of money. Then again I don't think the school is hurting for cash. If this keeps up he'll leave them no choice.
I do feel happy for the Middies even though I root for the Irish. A losing streak that dated back to 1963 must feel awesome to get rid of. It's a memory they'll never forget.
On a side night, my son is a boy scout and we just did a group sleep over on the USS Slater as part of an event. This vessel is an Escort Class Destroyer from WW II. It was a great experience to see how former Navy men such as yourself served our country. The ship is now a floating museum in Albany NY.
Just want to let you know that even though I appreciate your visit to my blog I appreciate your service to America even more.
Swamp Buckeye---I do totally understand and respect your choice to root against them. The whole independent status, huge TV deals and constant over-rating are legitimate gripes.
Like you said though, the fact that they are so awful must take all the pleasure out of it for you. Dare I say it sounds like you feel bad for us, as in their fans.
Thank you. In this case I'll gladly accept your pity.
I really appreciate the kind words and you're welcome. Those kids from the Naval Academy may not realize it but that victory yesterday was for all of us that have served in the USN.
Not many people know why ND plays the service academies so much. Perhaps that could be a topic for a future post.
MoonDogLeft---As much as it annoys me that ND is terrible and that Weis seems to be running the program into the ground, the fact that Navy finally won made this particular loss much easier to take. If the streak was going to be ended it makes perfect sense that it would be during this disaster of a season.
As for those young guys at Navy, they may not have realized it yesterday but I think they have a pretty good idea what they accomplished today. It was surely a proud moment for them and all other Navy vets such as yourself.
Have a great day and hopefully there will be some great pro football games to watch today.
I think Carlie Weis is taking the saying "Win ONE for the Gipper" a little bit too seriously. At this rate that's the only victory he'll wind up with in 2007.
Loved the movie Airplane. Watching these Notre Dame debacles reminds me of that scene where the main character is talking to everybody about his woes which makes them all kill themselves. That's how bad the games are.
eddie---It's great to hear from you. It sure has been a while. I hope everything went well with your adventures during your blogging absence and that the family is doing well.
I couldn't hold back with this one. I thought Charlie coached pretty poorly yesterday and besides I was feeling really sarcastic if you couldn't tell.
If they lost to Navy then Air Force should have no trouble dropping some bombs on the Irish. I'll be watching.
Joe...I was watching the game, and asked myself...you are up 7-0, have a chance in the red zone to make it 10-0, and instead, go for it on 4th down.
Therein lies the problem with Weis. He thinks schemes win, not players. His players cannot adjust to his schemes. You knocked this out of the park. Great job, great post....major props to one of the best Fox bloggers.
Why thank you very much Lisa. Coming from the college football Queen that is a fine compliment indeed.
As for Charlie he is downright reckless at times. I know the season is already lost and has been for some time. However they are still out there trying to win games and his decisions are hurting the team.
If it's already hard to recruit for whatever reasons, becoming a laughingstock has to hurt the program to some capacity.
Hi Rivjo, I was dumbfounded too with that fourth down call. H used to do that stuff all the time when he was offensive coordinaor for the Pats, but he doesn't quite have the personnel now that he did back then.
I've got a post coming out later tonight that gives my take, as a Notre Dame grad, on the whole Irish football situation....
I'm a special ed teacher by trade. Funny, I spend my day wanting to say shut-up to people and then do the same here. Just can't seem to. That would be rude and most uncivilized.
I like to write and never met a thought I couldn't continue. My blogs, like this bio, tend to be far too long. I can admit it. If you make it to the end of one of my "essays" there's usually a message that could have been written in half the time by a better writer than me.
Did I mention I was a finalist in NGS II? No really I was, further proving that theyll let anyone in this place. I came in 10th, which is better than 16th I guess. Other than winning the 4th grade graduation writing award it was the biggest literary accomplishmen t of my life. I still haven't gotten used to being famous.
gined. 
