For the first time in awhile I enjoyed reading Charlies press conference. He addressed a number of things that had been bugging me. 1. His comment recently that he was going home to New England to sit down with them and review and criticise the season and get some suggestions. When he said that I thought...Oh sure the Patriots staff has nothing better to do than spend some time with Charlie and besides they are Pro staff and a lot of the problems we had this year were youth and lack of fundamentals. In fact if I were the Patriots owner I'd not be too happy with my staff spending time reviewing the ND season (even after the season) on my dime. But in his presser he aknowledged that it wasn't going to be that way and that he also needed input from collegiate sources. I felt a lot better after reading his answers to those questions. 2. Staff changes: He didn't say yes or didn't say no, just that until recruiting is over he wouldn't even think about staff changes. I felt better about that as well. It's paramount that he hold this class together and if possible expand it with Trevor Robinson, Kenneth Page, Gerrell Robinson and Dieon Walker. Wholesale firings like what happened at Louisville wouldn't be good in our situation. 3. The David Grimes situation: If you read NDNation they have been up in arms over there ever since the Pac10 replay offical cheated Grimes out of the catch of his career. They want the ND president, the ND AD to both go public and demand apologies and heads for the call, if they don't get it then they want ND to immeadiately cancel all contracts with the PAC10. If you try to argue, yeah it was a really bad call but we are a 3-9 team and we ended up winning the game you get shouted down like you are an idiot in fact you will be called a sissy and an idiot for not going with the hysteria over that. Charlie was asked about it and he refused to jump into the fray just said the Big East officals do a good job and left it at that. The BE officals called it a TD on the field and were overuled by the PAC10 replay guy in the booth. Good move Charlie nothing really to be gained here. 4. Recruiting: He continues to outwork everybody on the planet when it comes to recruiting he's been on the road every day since the end of the Stanford game. He's going back out tomorrow and will be out till the dead period starts Dec 17th. He's very focused on making sure each and every kid we have verbaled stays in the loop, and he's still working on adding to the class that is already ranked #1. You have to feel good about that. If he fails and is fired after next year or 2009, he will leave a team that has a darn good talent level for the next guy, unlike what he inherited. Overall it was his best presser of the year. He was calm cool collected and he answered all the questions, no bravado, no Jersey tough guy, etc. I hope he succeeds, this year might turn out to have been very important in who he is going forward. Terry Charlies Press Conference
Thanks, Terry. Very reasoned analysis on your part. I chuckled at the reference to the NDNation hysteria. That's what sent me away a couple of years ago. A bunch of little girls who shun and besmirch anyone who doesn't agree with them. I've begun lurking again, this time just reading the sensible posts and ignoring the hysterical ones. I don't see myself being a contributor. I'm glad you feel good about what Charlie said and how he said it. I hope George can come around a little bit.
You worry too much about me, Sid. Let me address Terry's synopsis point by point. 1. There is NOTHING to be gained from returning to New England. It's the "pro" approach to coaching that played a large part in his shortcomings so far. They are totally different games. Hang out with sucessful college coaches who we are not competing with and learn the college game. 2. Agree completely. We need a new special teams coach desperately. Probably an O-Line coach as well although some think its Charlie's insistence on zone blocking instead of the traditional drive blocking that is responsible for our unbelievably poor line play. Trranslation: Charlie is trying to teach elephants to tango when they should just trample whatever is in front of them. 3. Handled very well 4. He is an excellent recruiter. 5. Jersey tough guy? Yous got a problem with that? Now wass I unreasonable?
George, I don't "worry" about you in a paternalistic sense. After all, you are the godfather to us all. I only worry that you will become so wrapped up in the negatives that you will not let the positives show through. But I realize that's my problem, not yours. In some respects you are tougher and more unyielding than I am relating to ND football. I guess in a sense I need to see your perspective to balance my approach. How am I doing godfather? Am I keeping myself in your good graces?
"Some day, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me. But uh, until that day, accept this hand of friendship as a gift" 8)
here's my breakdown and thoughts <r>1. We're sh*tty<br/> <br/> 2. We need to get better<br/> <br/> 3. Zone blocking/Drive blocking; either are fine. Just pick one and do it right. Build upon the one. Decide which is to be the cornerstone and go from there. I don't want to hear zone block can't be taught when its the primary blocking scheme used at USC.<br/> <br/> 4. Find a FB and a backup TE that can block. We have a bunch that can run routes, but they can't seem to pick up the blitz or even chip to seal the perimeter.<br/> <br/> 5. Hold this incoming recruiting class together. Not that I think this is some 'magic class' but in terms of sheer numbers, this is the linchpin of the recruiting. It provides a legit 3rd stable class for the present team and a 5 year foundation for the future.<br/> <br/> 6. Get a new broadcast team. Watching Hammonds do ND games is like watching my little brother eat veggies as a child. While seemingly harmless, someone gave this angry pumpkin head a microphone and a national audience. Do, however, bring back that 'pimptastic' SOB in the leisure suit who was working the sidelines at the end of the year. I think he should have a running theme to see if he can wear a bigger or more obnoxious tie each week.<br/> <br/> 7. Declare competition for all positions wide open. While Charlie loves the 1 QB at a time method, the competition will force all 3 to get better in the long run.<br/> <br/> 8. When 'picking brains' to better yourself, find the best and do it...regardless of SPORT let alone pro or college. I've learned more about organization of practice time from basketball coaches than I have from baseball coaches...with the noted exception of my father who is perhaps one of the all-time greats at maximizing time and eliminating waste.<br/> <br/> What his staff lacked were <B><s></s>TEACHING<e></e></B> fundamentals. These guys know what they are talking about, what they didn't know was how to pass their knowledge onto a younger team in dire need of formation.</r>
re: Tom Hammond. Easy on the makeup, sailor! Lighten up on the eye liner and mascara. Like watching "ND Football La Cage au Faux".
ND <t>I am not a close follower of Notre Dame so I can't speak intelligently the meltdown but obviously there are those here that can.<br/> <br/> I think we all know that the college game is much different than the NFL. This was painfully obvious with Callahan (who, truth be told, wasn't all that successful in the NFL but for one season) also further back with the middling performance of Bill Walsh in his second coming to Stanford.<br/> <br/> What I wonder is, why? The rules are pretty similar. What is the difference? Why do proven masters of the NFL stumble in college and vice-versa?<br/> <br/> ~Matt</t>
I think the biggest problems experienced NFL coaches have in coming to college football are... 1. Time factor, only get the players 20 hours a week. 2. Emotion factor, it's more important in the college game. 3. Fundamentals, 18-20 y/o kids need lots of them, Pros aren't used to teaching basics of blocking, tackling and route running. 4. Familiarity with the game, college is just different. Rules are different, and esp at Notre Dame you face a wide variety of offenses and defenses. In the NFL being a copycat league you see minor variations of the same thing. I think this is a big problem for pro coaches. Terry
Pssstt, Sid. (My guess is that the Butthut, a retail store near the Angola exit, is stocked with cigarettes arriving through transit via New Jersey. In other words, the reach of the Godfather may be closer than you think.)
I think George needs a new avatar, just when I think I'm reading BuckeyeT I find I'm reading George? Has anybody ever seen them in the same room together?
LOL! I've been to the Butt Hut many times to buy refreshments for guests at our lake cottage. When my wife smoked, she traveled the 6-7 minutes from our lake cottage to buy her cigs there. It's been almost 3 years since she quit. I don't think there's a Jersey connection but.....well...you've got me thinking........?????
Being an on-and-off again smoker (presently not smoking), the BH was one of my favorite Indiana landmarks due to its extraordinarily inexpensive cigarettes...which leads me to the Joisey/George possible connection..
sTATE OF nd FOOTBALL <t>My two cents.<br/> <br/> 1. We need a New O-line coach(after LOI signing day).<br/> <br/> 2. We need a Special Teams coach<br/> <br/> 3. Teach fundamentals</t>