News & Views

*I begin this week by extending my deepest sympathy to Mike Haywood and his family on the death of his cousin at the tender age of 24. I hope that he and his family find comfort in each others company this week and that he has safe travels to Houston and back to Baltimore.

*I do not know enough about how betting lines work, but for fun, I checked several lines on the ND-Navy game at noon yesterday, knowing that Weis would soon be announcing that he will be taking over the offense this week. At just before noon, Notre Dame was favored by 3.0 points. Three hours after the announcement, the Irish were between 3.5 and 4.5-point favorites. I suppose it could be coincidence, but I think the general public perception is that the move is a positive one for Notre Dame.

*I have been on my soapbox in previous weeks regarding the play calling situation on both sides of the ball. I know that Weis made it to the coaching spotlight based on his ability to design an offense and call the plays to put his team in a position to win. I am clueless as to why he decided to go away from his strength other than to think that it was a complete overreaction to last year’s poor season. John Tenuta is a proven play caller as well. If this is a meritocracy, then the best players should play and the best, most experienced coaches should be calling their plays.

*Along those same lines, I hope that Notre Dame fires Charlie Weis at the end of this year and hires Charlie Weis to replace him. What’s that? They are the same person. Not if you ask me. For better or for worse, the Weis that Notre Dame hired in 2005 is a jerk from New Jersey. He is brash and is a task master. The Weis we have gotten the past few years has tried to be more of a “players’ coach” and has attempted to be a warmer, fuzzier guy.

I thought the brash Weis still had plenty of charm and got results from his players. Brady Quinn, Jeff Samardzija, Maurice Stovall, Darius Walker and others improved immediately under Weis’ tutelage. He made simple statements and raised expectations through his results, not through his rhetoric.

I have observed enough top-notch professionals to know when one is stepping out of his/her comfort zone. When really bright people say things that are somewhat illogical, it is usually a sign that they are playacting rather than being themselves.

I offer a few examples as to what I am talking about. During one of his press conferences this season, Weis was asked why the running game is struggling so much. He answered that he is unsure because the running game looks great all week in practice. Really? Then in a totally unrelated question, why is your defense struggling so much to stop the run? Of course the running game looks good in practice, everybody runs against your defensive front.

Then last week, he announced at a press conference that he will be playing the “bad cop” to Ron Powlus’ “good cop” in dealing with Jimmy Clausen. I could be wrong, but that tact is generally more effective when the subject is unaware that he is being “played” in such a fashion.

I am being obnoxious, but my point is that he is smarter than that. I am tired of the running stream of consciousness from week-to-week regarding what Weis is thinking about doing with the team. I want to see the guy who raises his players’ expectations of themselves because they are scared not to perform.

*As long as I am offering suggestions that nobody is listening to, here is one more, and I swear that if I were coaching, I would do this. (Also worth noting, if I were coaching, Notre Dame would be 0-9 and I would be running the option with Chris Stewart at QB.) I would hand the offense for the next two weeks over to Dayne Crist. This would have nothing to do with this week’s or next week’s game. This would have everything to do with Jimmy Clausen and the off-season.

I am a huge Clausen fan and I believe that he is going to be an outstanding quarterback. I even like his attitude when he is willing to go jaw-to-jaw with opposing linebackers when on the road (Penn State last year and BC this year). However, I fear that he has been handed a starting job ever since youth football. I am sure that he has almost always been the best man for the job, but competition, or the perception thereof, is better for every player.

Jimmy is a smart kid and he knows that there is exactly a zero percent chance that in the most important season in his Notre Dame coaching career, Weis will hand over the offense to a QB who has yet to take a snap in college. So no matter what, if Crist doesn’t play this year, there is no actual QB competition taking place this off-season. I assume that Clausen would win it anyway, but he is going into the winter, summer and fall knowing the job is absolutely his. I just wonder if that is the healthiest scenario for Clausen.

*Jeff Jackson continues to amaze as a hockey coach. His team got off to a slow start (2-3-0) which included two losses at home to CCHA-rival Miami (OH). So what follows? A four-game road winning streak with a win over defending National Champion Boston College in convincing fashion is what followed, and a return to the national Top-10 (No. 9). The schedule doesn’t get much easier, as Lake Superior State comes to the Joyce for two games this weekend.

*The undefeated Notre Dame women’s soccer team added another Big East Championship to its resume, this time winning the final two games without Kerri Hanks and Brittany Bock, two of the best players in America. They are the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and will play at home as long as they win through the Final Four in North Carolina. They open play against Toledo on Friday night.

*The basketball season gets underway this Sunday for both the men’s and women’s teams against decidedly different caliber of opponents. The men open at home against a school called USC Upstate. The women take to the road to face national power LSU Sunday afternoon.

*Finally, thanks to every man and woman who has and/or is currently defending our country. God Bless!