Jonathan Chait of Slate has the most biting piece to date on the failing regime of Crewcut Charlie Weis.Writes Chait: "In the entire history of American sports hype, has there ever been any fraud more grossly fraudulent than Notre Dame football coach Charlie Weis?"
Chait details his argument with a plethora of statistics, including this beaut: Notre Dame is averaging 1.09 yards per rush. The NCAA statistical archive goes back only to 1999. The worst yards per carry recorded belongs to Arizona in 2001, which gained a wretched 1.46 yards per attempt.
"So, the worst rushing team recorded by the NCAA in the last nine years was still about one-third better than Notre Dame."
The Fighting Irish have a bye Saturday before a stretch run of Navy, Air Force, Duke and Stanford. Not exactly murderer's row, and Notre Dame, despite its 1-7 record, will clearly will have an edge athletically in each of these games. Note that Weis has already made it clear that he's a superior coach, telling players after he was hired in December 2004, "Every game you will have a decided schematic advantage."
It's all on Weis in the final four games. If the Irish can do no better than 3-1, one has to wonder if he will be back as coach in 2008.
Thanks to the Midwest Correspondent.
3 comments:
No way Weis is fired at the end of this season. He currently has the number 1 ranked recruiting class for 2008 on both Rivals and Scout. He's staying.
No way he's fired at the end of the season. In addition to his ridiculously-extended contact, I think most backers realize the youth of the team and are willing to suck it up for one more year. Irish faithful are putting their prayers toward an experienced--and winning--team in 2008. Beyond that, well, it's all on Weis finding his way back to the NFL.
What has been proven and can no longer be dismissed, is the blatant hypocrisy regarding the tenure (and ultimate firing) of Tyrone Winningham. All the arguments given to explain his termination have been met, if not exceeded, by Weis.
And it's only gonna get worse.
No, we'll see Charlie on the Notre Dame sideline in 2008...rosary beads in hand, victory prayers under his breath.
"What has been proven and can no longer be dismissed, is the blatant hypocrisy regarding the tenure (and ultimate firing) of Tyrone Winningham. All the arguments given to explain his termination have been met, if not exceeded, by Weis."
I'll dismiss that - it's a load of crap.
I don't know what argument you think was given to explain his termination, but what the Irish are living through this year is THE reason for Willingham's demise. Ty Willingham was - and continues to be - a lousy recruiter. That, even more than his inability to pull the right strings on game day, was the reason he was sent packing.
Charlie, on the other hand, has brought in top quality talent, and the best players currently on the Irish roster are freshmen and sophomores.
The Irish are 1-7 against and the worst team they've played so far still has a winning record. Four of their opponents are currently in the top 25, and the other three were in the top 25 at some point in the season.
You can all have Ty Willingham. I'll take Charlie.
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