Weis on way out? Navy's anchors blow Irish BCS hopes away, 23-21

Fighting Irish Thomas ^ | 10-08-09 | Tom O'Toole

[mlizzy]

It was an eerily warm November morning when I arrived in South Bend yesterday with my son, Gary, to attend the Notre Dame-Navy battle. "What a beautiful day for a game!" I exclaimed to my son as we listened unsuspectingly to the band's pre-game rendition of the Notre Dame Victory March. Little did we know that we were not about to witness a football game, but a funeral.

For not only did the Naval Academy's efficient yet stunning 23-21 victory, their second in three years against the Irish after Notre Dame had defeated them 43 years in a row, dash the Irish BCS Bowl hopes, but it awakened the echoes for Weis' departure to a deafening roar. Indeed, this game was a microcosm for what went wrong under Weis; despite the fact Charlie's trio of offensive stars, Jimmy Clausen, Michael Floyd and Golden Tate, put up their amazing numbers, when the breaks went against the offense, the defense could not bail them out.

[mlizzy]

"Although not as devout as Holtz, Weis nevertheless frequented the grotto, and focused needed attention on all special needs kids by openness in talking about his autistic daughter, Hannah. In addition, Weis started a great new Marian Irish football tradition by having his players sing to "Notre Dame Our Mother" after every home game, which, coming at a time when the very president of Our Lady's University displayed a dubious commitment to Catholicism, was especially poignant" --Tom O'Toole.

[MplsSteve]

What makes Navy unique (along with Air Force) is that they make use of the triple option offense.

It’s an equalizer for them considering they’ll play most of their schedule against teams that are stronger and deeper than they are.

Most teams out there (and I also refer to the Top 10 teams like TCU, Florida, etc) would have a hard time defending against the triple option.

[Froggie]

The number 1 rated defense would have little trouble defending the triple option as Coach Patterson is a defensive genius... And no, Irish Fans, you can’t have him — he’s a Horned Frog for Life !!!

[hole_n_one]

........the Irish BCS Bowl hopes,...

When did the word hope become a synonym for laughably ridiculous fantasy?

[ColdWater]

Most teams out there (and I also refer to the Top 10 teams like TCU, Florida, etc) would have a hard time defending against the triple option.

Florida runs the triple option. I am sure they can defend against it.

[aliquando]

Georgia Tech?

[Lou Budvis]

Good luck appealing to Our Lady for help ND considering: 1. you blocked the view of Touchdown Jesus from the field and 2. you gave a honorary degree to a thug Chicago politician who is more pro-abort than Barbara Boxer. I’m a Catholic who would root for BYU over ND.

[votemout]

The university lost its soul at some point and this year they announced it to everyone. ND is over until they clean house in the administration building and many faculty members.

[Boiler Plate]

Hmm.. I seemed to recall that the guy who brought the Triple Option to Navy, Paul Johnson, has used it to get GA Tech to #7. Maybe not so unique, but the triple option which was used everywhere in the 70’s is counered by putting 9 defenders in the box.

[Frantzie]

Notre Dame = Abortion School

[Boiler Plate]

Bring back Gerry Faust!

[jennyjenny]

If I'm not mistaken, they also tried to screwed season ticket holders a couple of years ago by demanding exorbitant fees in order to keep their seats.

[Frantzie]

Will the Fighting Irish start performing partial birth abortions during the half time show at midfield as they give Obama more medals?

Notre Dame can go to h*ll.

[dfwgator]

Maybe they could get his lookalike Chaz Bono to coach them. Couldn’t do much worse.

[Paleo Conservative]

When is Notre Dame going to get rid of their no redshirt rule?

[mlizzy]

Good luck appealing to Our Lady for help ND considering: 1. you blocked the view of Touchdown Jesus from the field and 2. you gave a honorary degree to a thug Chicago politician who is more pro-abort than Barbara Boxer. I’m a Catholic who would root for BYU over ND.

The author is an eternal optimist (what can I say?):

"Anyone who has read the works of Fr. McBrien, and several other professors, knows that there is a threat to (Notre Dame's) Catholicism from within as well. But unlike Harvard or Yale, Northwestern or Southern Cal, all former Christian universities that are now secular schools, Notre Dame has the weapon to fight all heresies, namely Notre Dame Herself ... for the modern infidels to take control here, they would have to blow the Dame off the Dome, rip the heart (the Eucharist) out of Sacred Heart (Church) and lastly, rock by rock, tear the Grotto apart. And legions of Her sons and daughters would willingly die martyrs before they would allow that to happen." -from "Champions of Faith" by Tom O'Toole

He has created an apostolate for his beloved Notre Dame ... Suffering Irish.

[Lou Budvis]

Have you seen the commerical for ND they run during games? The ad talks about ND fighting for “social justice” i.e. socialism and shows military personnel who are obviously not in the US Armed Forces.

[SeaHawkFan]

I lost all respect for Weis when he sued the doctor who performed a lap band surgery on him. Took the jury about an hour to tell him to pound sand. Weis forgot that he was supposed to stop eating like a hog.

[Boiler Plate]

...Weis forgot that he was supposed to stop eating like a hog.

[imahawk]

That would be Nov.4 2008.

[OldDeckHand]

"When did the word hope become a synonym for laughably ridiculous fantasy?"

Hey, at least the ND players can read, most will graduate and none got ACT scores lower than their shoe sizes. I'm not sure the same can be said for most of the other big-time college programs that are perennial BCS challengers.

Take Ohio State for example, Tressel has gradated more to federal prison than he has to players in graduate school.

[Gil4]

“The number 1 rated defense would have little trouble defending the triple option...”

You might remember that TCU’s closest game of the year (with their 2nd-most points allowed) was against the Air Force triple option. Granted, that was only 17 points, but 20-17 was definitely more than a little trouble.

[smellmygunpowder]

“Take Ohio State for example, Tressel has gradated more to federal prison than he has to players in graduate school.”

When your watching NFL on Sundays, do you EVER wonder if this or that player graduated?

[piytar]

I understand the bashing of Ohio State. We’re used to the jealousy thing. And we have definitely had our share of thugs, but so has just about every Div. 1 program. That said, here’s a list of OSU’s Academic All-Americans:

College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-Americans
Academic All-American Hall of Fame
Class of 1992 Randy Gradishar
Academic All-Americans Academic All-American Player of the Year 2003 Craig Krenzel

Academic All-Americans Year Player Position
1952 John Borton Quarterback
1954 Dick Hilinski Tackle
1958 Bob White Fullback
1961 Tom Perdue End
1965 Bill Ridder Middle guard
1966 Dave Foley Offensive tackle
1967 Dave Foley Offensive tackle
1968 Dave Foley Offensive tackle
1968 Mark Stier Linebacker
1969 Bill Urbanik Defensive tackle
1971 Rick Simon Offensive tackle
1973 Randy Gradishar Linebacker
1974 Brian Baschnagel Running back
1975 Brian Baschnagel Running back
1976 Pete Johnson Fullback 1976 Bill Lukens Offensive guard
1977 Jeff Logan Running back
1980 Marcus Marek Linebacker
1980 John Weisensell¹ Offensive guard
1982 Joe Smith Offensive tackle
1982 John Frank Tight end
1983 John Frank Tight end
1983 Dave Crecelius¹ Defensive tackle
1984 Dave Crecelius Defensive tackle
1984 Mike Lanese Wide receiver
1984 Anthony Tiuliani¹ Defensive tackle
1985 Mike Lanese Wide receiver
1987 Joe Staysniak¹ Offensive tackle
1989 Joe Staysniak Offensive tackle
1990 Greg Smith¹ Defensive line
1992 Len Hartman Offensive guard
1992 Greg Smith Defensive line
1995 Greg Bellisari Linebacker
1996 Greg Bellisari Linebacker
1998 Jerry Rudzinski¹ Linebacker
1999 Ahmed Plummer Cornerback
2002 Craig Krenzel¹ Quarterback
2003 Craig Krenzel Quarterback
2006 Anthony Gonzalez Wide receiver
2006 Stan White, Jr Fullback
2007 Brian Robiskie Wide receiver
2008 Brian Robiskie Wide receiver ¹2nd team award

Krenzel (QB) won the Nat’l Championship under Tressel while taking the weak major of molecular genetics.

By way of comparision, ND has had 43 Academic All-Americans. Granted, that is more, but not THAT many more!

[piytar]

In case anyone is interested, Nebraska (you know, stereotypical dumb mostly conservative middle of flyover country Nebraska /libdolt) has had the most Academic All-Americans.

[piytar]

I am too and so would I (root for BYU). IMO, ND has sold out Catholics, the Church, its alumni, and itself.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Notre Dame lost its soul while being led by this clown. Molloy and Jenkins have been carrying his torch.

[rawhide]

What was that lawsuit all about? What was Weis’s argument?

[Publius Valerius]

When did the word hope become a synonym for laughably ridiculous fantasy?

They had a decent chance until this loss. Notre Dame will always be selected for a bowl over an equivalent team because it has alumni all over the country and they travel well. Even BCS bowl games have to worry about filling seats, particularly if you are the bowl that has the non-BCS conference team.

[MotorCityBuck]

Navy played one of the best, and most entertaing games of the year against the Bucks. Maybe ND hires Rich Rod after Michigan fires him :)

O-H !!

I-O !!

[wordsofearnest]

Our Pastor holy man that he is suggested to me before Mass yesterday that maybe Charlie isn’t the man for the job.

That’s sort of like John Wooden saying “good gracious sakes alive”.

[C19fan]

ND alum will have to pony up a truckload of cash. I am going from memory but Weis has something like $12 or $24 MM still owed on his contract.

[mlizzy]

ND alum will have to pony up a truckload of cash. I am going from memory but Weis has something like $12 or $24 MM still owed on his contract.

Exactly! The author of this piece (I'm not sure if you read through) suggests that maybe Weis could stay on as offensive coordinator, while they replace him as head coach. This way they're still getting their money's worth ... sort of.

[dfwgator]

I think Charlie Strong is the next ND Head Coach, I see Meyer recommending him, and he won’t cost ND nearly as much.

[SeaHawkFan]

Weis checked himself into a Boston hospital under an assumed name because he was allegedly frustrated with making Chris Farley look like a centerfold for Playgirl magazine in comparison. There were a few complications and Weis sued for medical malpractice. First trial ended in mistrial and the jury in the second case took less than half a day to vindicate the doctors.

Weis may be smart, but do you think many H.S. players want to play for a lard ass who isn’t disciplined enough to maintain even a semi-decent appearance? All he has to do is get off his ass, put an eliptical trainer in his office and get on it for an hour a day. He could drop 100# in a year, easy if he did just that.

[jch10]

I think it was about February, 2007, when BO began his campaign.

[capydick]

Weis forgot that he was supposed to stop eating like a hog.

Sorry but - you dont have the full story. When he went home after the surgery there were complications, which included him bleeding internally. He complained numerous times about not feeling right, but the doctor kept chalking it up to the recovery of the operation. About a week after the surgery, Maura came home one afternoon and found Charlie blue as hell and passed out. She called an ambulance and when they got to the hospital, found that he had lost a ton of blood internally because of the operation. As it turns out - the doctor nicked something during surgery that caused the bleeding.

The lawsuit was over the malpractice of ignoring the follow up complaints and, of course, the botched surgery itself.

Now - with that said - he needs to stop eating and get some help or he'll be dead before his son goes to college.