we don't know the exact context; is Hansen a savvy fan boy? He's the one asking the questions and he could have framed everything Sampson-esque in a way that sort of forced him to answer in the positive re Jack.

While I agree with you and the poster below that it is excessive (even for someone who wants to praise his predecessor) I am giving him the benefit of the doubt. Besides, it will show up soon enough if he is a savvy clone.

It won’t take long to understand what we’re working with, and I don’t think these quotes tell us much yet.

Until then, both praise and censure can be put on hold.

statements like that and then offer gushing praise for a season where your best win is over Temple like Jack did in ‘15.

He would say what a good job Jack had done even if he were planning on tearing all the work out root an branch. It's a standard nicety.

It read to me to go further than standard nicety. Not the end of the world. But Jack seemed to evaluate Kelly as the best possible coach and diagnose any program failings as stemming from things other than Kelly that Kelly could help identify. It led to a lot of bullshit changes that had no material affect on winning. And for a long time it distracted the program from focusing on important changes (hire better assistants and work harder at recruiting).

So if I see Pete approach his job with the same deferential assumption that Jack did the best possible job, that will be an ongoing concern about whether Pete is correctly diagnosing problems and appropriately prescribing solutions. It may have just been what he felt to be a courtesy as he started the job. But it's something that I'll be watching for.

After taking the job? Especially after working alongside him for the last 6 months. There’s still politics at play here, and I would expect that even if Bevacqua absolutely loathes Jack and hates him like you do, he’s still going to say nice things about him in public. I’m fine with that.

The stuff about wanting/needing a national title soon sure beats the shit out of “Our goal is to be in the conversation….”. Talk is cheap, so we’ll see what his actions are, but it’s refreshing.

Bevacqua's life will be easier by being diplomatic and keeping his true feelings, whatever they are, private.

In the figurative sense, of course.

But he's not going to grant us that parting gift.

Bevacqua could move his office to the basement and take his red stapler. What is Jack going to do about it?

It's about choosing one's battles and avoiding needless conflict. I'm not sure that's ever been your strong suit.

I want to win a NC like many alumni, except for my predecessor and those Kellyloving sizzlechests on TPG.

The more that he praises Jack and "cements" his legacy as a great leader, the more likely Jack fades away feeling that his work is complete

I've taken over from some pretty incompetent assholes but you'd never know that from my speech I gave about them. And everyone else in the audience knows too. Let the guy go away thinking he was great and disappear from my life.

If you are almost immediately, even subtly, criticizing your predecessor, the more likely they are to want to respond or stay involved. This is basic leadership politics.

And it is disconcerting for him to be
such a kiss ass.

Once.

On the way out.

OP’s point is pretty clear. As is yours. Two things can be true.

For getting the organization to this point.

If I can see further, it is because I stand on the shoulders of giants.

What would your initialspeech/interview be?

“F that guy. Onward and upward!”

Amirite?

Makes sense to me.

All the essential elements of a champion (gag)

rotating stripper pole.

jerk.

is finally our AD Goneus. He probably had to suck up bigtime to get the job and he's just biding his time with the lofty platitudes in praise of our hopefully-soon-to-be-former Fearless Leader. At least that's what I want to believe. So I guess I'm coping. It's not like any of us can do anything about it anyway.

I'd be thrilled if Bevaqua's first meaningful action would be to eliminate the smoke or turn the sound down on the Jacktron. At least we'd know he's heading in the right direction. Baby steps until he's ready to finally undo all the rot Jack has wrought during his 16 year Reign of Terror on Notre Dame Football - a legend is anything you do twice - and finally Tear the Roof off the Sucker!



At least that's what I hope. A boy can dream, I guess.