Some serious college football fans and, yes, many of them ND alumni themselves would scoff at my disdain for Kelly. "What do you want. . .Kelly has resurrected the program. . . he gets 10+ wins a year. . .with all the academic restrictions. . . you're just unrealistic. . . "
Across and others have detailed his conduct. These weren't "one off" missteps or simply things done in the heat of the moment that might later be regretted. No - these were all indications that he is, at his core, a self-promoting jerk. "Get used to it", constantly throwing players under the bus (explicitly like Mustipher and TJ Jones, implicitly every time he harped on "execution" after a disappointing loss), his blame-shifting from the academic scandal to something much more significant - the death of a student manager under his watch - was another clear sign of his character.
Farwell and don't bother ever coming back. You are not welcome.
you need is integrity. Players won’t play well for you if they don’t trust you or if you do not set a proper example of behavior.
Even in the context you are using it, it is no longer acceptable
...(Jaysus, Mary & Joseph, that's a long time ago, sort of).
Anyway, the ward heelers in Chicago's 19th used the phrase to mean someone's clout/connection, but I doubt I've heard it used in decades, except in private conversations over drinks on Western Avenue with older-timers than me ("Studs Casey? Wasn't his [guy] from Ed Kelly's organization?"). Now people will just say, so-and-so's clout.
used in the context as one's sponsor or patron at an organization or firm.
Because it has nothing to do with race, I find it acceptable. Like calling somebody Chief. Or shanty lace curtain Irish mick.
if the rumors are true, it appears you were right and I was wrong about Swarbrick's press conference favoring Fickell over Freeman
Trying to draw a contrast with Lincoln Riley. Pretty convenient.
was contacted by the LSU recruiting coordinator to expect a call from Kelly in the next coming days.
I know, Kelly not being trustworthy?
If Freeman ends up taking the LSU DC job, I'd bet a few of our current recruits end up in Baton Rouge.
Broader point is that Kelly was a shitty recruiter and has no strong personal relationship with any of these guys - they weren't going to ND for Kelly the way guys were going to OU for Riley.
as a potential school. No one is going to follow Kelly who wasn't already very high on LSU. But, yes, I could see some people following Freeman if they at least had some initial interest in LSU. Of course, Kelly doesn't have Freeman right now. So it seems self-serving of Kelly to say if there aren't natural people that he knows would consider LSU.
I think the only time we've really competed against LSU in the past was for LA kids like Diggs, Tillery and Keys.
There was a poll that was something to the effect of "what bugs you the most about Kelly". I was utterly shocked at how many people answered "his offense."
Of the list you created here (to which I would add "wait til I get my guys"), look at how little of it had to do with football X's and O's. Every issue with this program stemmed from his lack of leadership and personal accountability. He is, to his core, a small, selfish man. Such people do not succeed.
It should not be forgotten that Jenkins and Swarbrick capitulated to him at EVERY turn. While I am relieved Kelly is gone, I cannot forget that those two stuck by him. So much of Kelly's recent W-L record is due to how much he was propped up by the administration.
There is an easy litmus test here. Look at the posters who are relieved versus the posters acting like jilted lovers (re: LSU's fan base is tough! Enjoy dealing with THAT, Brian!"). I'm just glad ND wasn't able to coach him on how to leave, he got to show his true colors one more time.
and the assumption is most, if not all, will follow him to USC.
Only 1 has decommitted from ND (you will probably see another soon) but neither are expected to go to LSU.
Its early, but thats pretty telling.
I study leadership for a living and coach outstanding business leaders. BK is not on par with a single one, including some who post here.
Weis was a horrible leader too, but at least he did not loathe ND, his employer. BK is a user who never understood ND enough to get it or care. At all.
He almost had me fooled this year. I noticed players seemed genuine in their post-game celebrations with him this year; however, he I who he is, and the truth was evident in his thoughtless, amatuer game speeches.
He is not worth any more of the time or energy of the good people here. Or, of yours, Andy. Ha!
I'd love to learn more about his childhood/early years.
Other than your tendency toward the sugar coated understatement, this is an excellent post.
Well, other than that and appearing to limit the rot in the system to Kelly and Swarbrick. They did not do this alone. The rot goes much higher.
but I’ll give him a pass as we are all angry with the manner in which he jumped ship.
part of the entertainment is watching/listening to the local media and paysite sycophants grapple with the fact they were on the wrong side of the issue for so long.
"brian kelly is the man gotta love that passion!!!!! Go Irish!"
I wish it were parody. God, sports fans are such idiots.
The first game after his dad, also a former ND player, died.
Hard not to think Kelly was trying to make it clear that TJ was to blame for a failed play (and loss). Instead of putting his arm around him, being a good mentor, reassuring him, etc. If TJ made a mental mistake that particular day, it's not hard to see why. In fact, it's kind of hard to blame him. But Brian put on a show nonetheless.
Still, Kelly turned purple yelling at TJ in the first game (USF) after his dad died and the same game where ND honored his dad.
It was the first game after, which I'd somehow morphed into the same week.
I've heard that trantrum described as "a total failure of leadership" by someone eminently qualified to opine re same.
Andre was one of the coolest, nicest guys too.
A friend of a friend gave my family gold seat tickets behind the ND bench for the Air Force game a month later that season.
You could hear Kelly scream at and curse out TJ Jones multiple times. It was painful to watch given what Jones was going through.
I remember Nelson Agholor was in for an official visit that game so Kelly added jet sweep wrinkles to the offense. Little surprise that Agholor went to USC after he got to see that first hand.
1. We expect to win...despite the fact that we're always looking to have the toughest schedule possible
2. We believe in student athletes and our players will graduate our players
3. You will not cheat or you will be gone"
That's what Father Joyce told Holtz.
Look, Kelly's schedules are a slap in the face to our prior coaches and players. Michigan put a clown suit on Kelly and those losses were embarrassing. If ND wins the 2019 game, I believe Harbaugh is gone. Navy losses were embarrassing. Tulsa...I don't even know how to put that one into words. 2016, how did he survive that year?
The schedule has really emboldened a lot of people at ND (not this site) and given them a strong sense of superiority when anybody with a brain should be able to recognize that the ACC tie up has weakened the schedule.
is the worst thing that has happened to the Notre Dame football program. Worse than field turf, worse than blaring jumbotrons, worse even than Brian Kelly himself.
against Alabama in 2012 as there doesn't appear to have actually been one.
running half field reads from the run n' shoot, Mouse Davis style.
It was fucking garbage.
And our defensive gameplan was just as bad--"oh, when they start running zone, we'll go to a Bear front and just give up C gap." WTF? These guys are all idiots. Diaco, Martin, Kelly, BVG, et al. All of them.
a a covered tight end.
...on the very first play. The game was over after that.
I did get to meet Brian Bosworth at the pregame tailgater and sat next to a former Alabama QB at the game though. That was fun.
I invite you to research it.
Regardless, the post ruled.
between Kelly and Swarbrick, by which Kelly know he could ask for anything, and that Swarbrick would almost always say yes, because Swarbrick knoew that his legacy was inextricably intertwined with Kelly's, and to fire him would be to admit his own failure.
I'm sure there's a "human caterpillar" joke in here too.
Also, see link.
that Jack is very likely to have the same attitude about the next coach he hires.
This doesn't end until the reign of terror of Swarbrick is over.
ND should go to a lay President.
follow him.
Frankly I firmly believe he will struggle to hire good assistant coaches. Although what is really new about that. He always struggled to hire good assistants. The fact that he coached at ND was his best selling point to some of the guys that he was "forced" to pursue and hire.
put together a staff. I laughed out loud. He has lucked into some good assistants like Freeman, Lea. Harry H and Alford, but for the most part he has had weak staffs.
e.
Brian can say that twice now.
is I'm seeing very few ND fans supporting Kelly at this point. It does seem to be pretty unifying in my eyes. But I don't really peruse many of the other sites/message boards often.
No shortage of tools with ND flair saying that of course Kelly left, he did as well as anyone could given all the restrictions and limitations he had to deal with at ND, blah blah blah.
those same clowns also support Swarbrick unconditionally and refer to him as the best AD in Notre Dame history.
These same guys turned against Joe Montana when Joe had the nerve to be critical of the program (he was and is not the only football playing alum to have negative opinions of the program).
One clown on there claims that we should "take some of that BK money" we're saving and invest it back into Tommy Rees. This is the same guy who said that Bill Diedrick developed Drew Bledsoe, by the way.
These guys have no shame. They refuse to admit they've been wrong all of these years.
an good example of showing leadership, not being held back by alumni (alumni which, he faked being to troll the Wild West board).
if only Kelly hadn't of (sic) had to deal with these alumni who just didn't appreciate his wins vs. New Mexico, Toledo, et al. he would still be here.
with none of this.
kellykapowski had an awful USC roommate with an awful cat named Marcus Allen. He got his own handle here, and I believe had a twitter and a facebook page.
I knew Marcus Freeman the Cat could not possibly be right.
his 15th birthday with a party. Not kidding. His “mom” is still single. Shocking.
Is it dead? Is it alive? Is it both dead AND alive?