Outgoing Notre Dame president criticizes firing of Willingham

[davidinalameda]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/football/ncaa/12/08/bc.fbc.notredamecoach.ap/index.html

Malloy is quoted as saying he was embarrassed by the football coach's firing. His remarks came at a forum on intercollegiate athletics.

"I thought we were going to abide by our precedent, which was a five-year window for a coach to display a capacity to be successful within our system and to fit," ESPN.com quoted Malloy as saying.

University spokesman Matt Storin issued a statement Wednesday saying there was "debate and disagreement" over the firing, and that Malloy deferred because of his pending retirement on June 30.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. Anyone else think he's just covering his ass?

[Search Party]

2. the golden domers will never hear the end of this

nor should they.

stupid, stupid move.

[vpigrad]

3. Does anyone really care...

about the soap opera college sports has become? Fifty years ago college sports were interesting. They were smart guys going to college that also competed on the field as well as the classroom. Now they're filled with whiney brats who want everything including more money, more exposure, better equipment, better places to live, more perks, etc. for nothing. Hey, they repugs!

[jakefrep]

6. This is a byproduct...

..of all the concessions the colleges had to make to people who don't give two shits about academic pursuits in the name of athletics. I'm not just talking about players - the alumni, the media, the jock culture in general. In the article (or another I read about the subject) I thought it was interesting other college presidents support what Malloy is saying.

[ThorsHammer]

4. Pretty stupid to fire someone w/o a replacement

Personally, I thought he deserved a little more time (at least one more year). Even so, a firing wouldn't be as bad if they had a star coach (Stoops, Gruden, Shanahan - all unlikely) who was signed. To fire a good man like Ty without having any replacement is asinine. It would be one thing if he was gambling like Neuhiesel, or in strip club shenanigans like Price, but he was a good guy with a disciplined team. I don't know who would want to coach there now if they're not going to get enough time to prove themself.

[KitchenWitch]

5. I hate to say this

but how much do you think RACE had to do with Willingham's firing. IMO Ty Willingham got screwed. I do not feel sorry for the damn athletic director that now has to scramble to find a new coach...Maybe that turncoat Lou Holtz will come out of retirement to coach for Notre Dame (asshole left the MN Gophers to coach for Notre Dame).

[ThorsHammer]

8. I don't think it was race

After all, they were one of the few schools to hire a minority coach. From what I've heard (internet rumors), some of the richer alums basically pulled a power play and forced the AD to fire him in order to get Urban Meyer. Willingham wasn't doing a great job (very inconsistent), but was no worse than Davie, who did get 5 years. IMO it was more impatient alums than anything racial.

[tishaLA]

9. You're then assuming race wasn't a factor for the alumni

and I wouldn't be so sure about that. That doesn't mean they are racist, BTW; it just means that on some level, probably subconsciously, Willingham's race played a role in making him dispensable.

[ThorsHammer]

10. True, I was referring to the AD, no idea about the alums (nt)

[tx_dem41]

12. Although I don't believe it was race-related, your post ....

...describes a form of racism IMO.

[ThorsHammer]

13. Not sure what you are referring to

My point was more that if they were racist, they wouldn't have even hired him in the first place. There are definitely too few black coaches, but it's better to target the schools who don't even consider them (For example, the BCA is pissed at South Carolina for not even interviewing minority coaches before hiring Spurrier). FWIW, I've heard that ND has already talked to the BCA with regards to their next hire. IMO, they're far from a racist institution, as Fr. Hesburgh was one of the biggest civil rights supporters in the country, and they were also the first major school to hire a black coach.

I do agree he should have had more time, as even Davie, who was a disaster, got his full five years. I don't know how the rich alums felt (I like ND, but didn't go there), but got the impression that they were more frustrated over 2 bad/not so good coaches in a row. If Ty and Davie had switched places, I think Ty would have gotten his full 5 years and Davie would have been the one fired, as the rich alums just got impatient.

[tx_dem41]

14. Then I misinterpreted what you said.

I was addressing your comments about the alumni (which you admitted that you were only guessing at).

I agree with everything you said in this post. I would add, that I think ND is being delusional if they think they can ever be a perennial powerhouse AND maintain the scholastic standards on their athletes. I think they should also be damned proud of their achievements on AND off the field and not change a danged thing (other than their perceptions).

[tx_dem41]

11. He got screwed, I believe, but it wasn't about race.

It was about screwed up prorities.

[GainesT1958]

7. I've got the feeling he's trying really hard..

To head off being named in a descrimination suit by the Black Coaches' Association--and maybe Ty Willingham as a party to it--against Notre Dame.

This is perhaps the dumbest thing Notre Dame has done as a university since, well, inviting Ronald Reagan to speak there. And at least they had the "Knute Rockne" movie as an excuse to do that. If I were a top high school football player--of ANY racial or ethnic background--I know that I sure wouldn't consider Notre Dame thinking I might have yet another coach--and system--to get to know by the time I was a junior.

You really have to figure in South Bend these days they're either A) really suffering from schizophrenia with grandiose delusions, or B) getting ready to join a conference at long last, since there's no way they could continue viably as a football independent with such a loss of credibility.

Perhaps the biggest question shouldn't be who will be Notre Dame's new coach, but into which conference--Big Ten or Big East--will they venture in the not-so-distant future?

B-)