And I might add that you are completely mischaracterizing my position.

First, you make the assumption that I am taking this position because it’s Notre Dame that is getting screwed. That is not the case at all, as I have tried to make clear several times to you now. You seem to assume that everybody here is just a Notre Dame homer. You also seem to assume that someone pointing out that something that an opposing coach or school or has done is not exactly above board must be borne out of such homerism.

That is not the case with me. My objection is not that Notre Dame is getting screwed. My objection is that this was not advice that was given during the process, but instead was an attempt to change a boy’s mind after he had already made it up, presumably after consultation with his family and presumably the coach.

I have been around enough football coaches to know that most of them are not smart enough to take seriously when it comes to matters like higher education. Many of them are semi- fascist troglodytes, and your assumption his high school coach is some kind of Saintly father figure is naïve and ridiculous.

Just so you know, this is about my objection as a parent to an outsider trying to change a child’s mind after it has already been made up. I have no objection to taking advice or listening to football coaches about what they know about other football coaches, but most coaches wouldn’t know a high-quality higher education from a low quality higher education. Thus, the value of their advice is limited to the football field.

By the way, one of the reasons I hate Brian Kelly so much is that I think he leans more toward the fascist, nut ball type of coach that I have always despised. I don’t think he gets Notre Dame, and I’m not sure I would even want my son to play for him.

But that has nothing to do with my objection here, which is that a high school football coach should stay out of it after a decision has been made.

You may have had a different experience, as I know you played for St. John’s, if I’m correct. Your coach actually was one of the few father figures that I would trust in the coaching fraternity to influence my son. My experience is different. My high school coach was dumber than a bag of hammers and an asshole to boot, but he won a bunch of state championships so all of his indiscretions were overlooked. But I sure as hell wouldn’t let him influence my son’s college decision, and if he tried I would have moved my son to a different school.

Ok man.

All of my personal experience with this is out the window. The damn guy talked to the kid after he committed to Notre Dame! Fire him now! I mean, 17 year old kids NEVER make rash decisions that they perhaps might not have thought all the way through.

You're right, Son of Galway. The guy should not only be fired, but he should be thrown in jail! And this isn't because Notre Dame got "screwed" (NOOOOOOOO, of course not), this is because you and I have the young man's best interests at heart! He should be given life in prison without parole, as it is completely obvious that he did this only to further his own personal agenda!

I mean, we know that the coach certainly NEVER said anything prior to the commitment and only brought this stuff up AFTER the kid committed to ND. Truly nefarious!

And yes, my position on this was certainly naive, thanks for pointing that out. I don't have any idea what this process entails, thanks so much for pointing it out to me! Why, until you explained things so rationally, I thought that every high school football coach in the country was like Father Fuckin Flanigan! Now I know! You have opened my eyes, Son of Galway. I am eternally in your debt.

All sarcasm aside, let's revisit this post after the two national signing days occur. I might possibly move it up to after the first signing day, depending on how things work out.

On one hand, "pushing hard for" and "interfering" with a kid's decision is overstepping one's duties as a high school coach and going beyond providing guidance. At least that's my gut reaction to reading those terms.

Perhaps these are editorial flourishes of the situation, as I don't see any comments from Abiara that his coach is driving this. Possibly this stuff is coming from ND recruiting sites (given their incentives).

And to your point, I agree with the premise that a kid should seek credible counsel and perspectives wherever available, and stir them into the mix of how he is making his decision. I'd think a coach with major college playing experience and having other players he coaches go through the process would be an obvious piece of the puzzle.

"Interfering" and "Pushing Hard" is on the opposite end of the spectrum of "Credible Counsel" and "Providing Guidance."

That's the quote I was going off on. Nobody has any context, as you point out, but we've got an ND fan on an ND board who doesn't need context and just demands that the coach lose his job. We've got another fan saying that we need to see if said coach takes a job at OU in the next few years. But these aren't Homer's (perish the thought) they are just approaching it as if they were the kids dad. Meanwhile, someone who has experience on all 3 sides of this (as a player, coach, and father) in this situation needs to step back because his experience isn't relevant.

In other words, no, we're not both right. Sons of Galway is 100% wrong at this point given the information we know.

How can that be when you didn’t make one of your usual hilarious quips about USAA insurance? I do see, however, that you managed to slip in a standard “bagman“ comment and your old standby “grades” snark into this thread.