Classic Willingham

[nayers]

Hilarious...I was on the UW sight and read the quotes from Willingham after they beat Idaho (laugher in itself) and here is what a reporter asked him:

Question: On what this upcoming game(Notre Dame) means to Willingham personally:

Answer: "It means that we have a chance to be 2-2, and that's pretty good. I think that is pretty good. I think that is exciting to be 2-2."

Exciting to be 2-2? I dont know, maybe it's just me, but i dont find it very exciting to be .500 I am so glad Charlie doesn't think that way, it is not ok to be average, it SUCKS.

 

[Irish Envy]

If we don't walk the Huskies by 2-3 touchdowns, I'll be shocked.

 

[jiggafini19]

They should win this game and have it over with after 3 quarters.

Willingham and Weis will do and say all the right things this week. I wouldn't expect any soundbites from either side. I will also venture to say that Weis will keep his players from discussing the fiasco at all.

Coming off a loss, they need to be focused on the football game and not the drama and storylines.

 

[guff]

And that's why he's in Washington and CW is here. He believes in moral victories, Weis knows that just a losers way of making himself feel good.

 

[Vince Young]

Excited about 2-2... see, it's quotes like that which have finally made me turn on Ty after defending him for way too long. He just does not have the attitude of an elite coach. He was also "excited" last year about making it to the Insight Bowl. The day after that quote, he was fired.

Don't get me wrong, I still like Ty, and I still hope he does well at Washington (starting the day after the Notre Dame game, of course). But he will never get to the top of the coaching ladder as long as he looks at .500-ball as "good" or "exciting."

.500-ball is average, Ty. Don't you want to be better than average?

 

[irishnd31]

I have been hard on Ty in the past...and this is EXACTLY why. Nobody should have to be "excited" about mediocrity. Mediocrity is cool in little league or finishing 10th out of 20 kids in the spelling contset. Mediocrity is unacceptable in Division 1 College football. C-dub hates being average. Look at what he has done with a bunch of under achievers. He has got them believing. We beat Pitt and scUM in the road and we come back from 21 down against a pretty decent Mich State team. Win or lose, we are competing. Thank you Charlie for making me a believer as well.

 

[Irish Legend]

Like I said when he was hired by ND, he's an "average 7 win coach!"

 

[jiggafini19]

Okay, it's Monday and I'm already jumping in. Just can't help myself.

I think he'd rather be 2-2 than 1-3. Just my guess. If I were 1-2, I'd be excited about being .500 again as opposed to 1-3.

So we don't like the guy. That's fine. But don't interpret his comments as "settling for mediocrity." With the team he has, 1-10 last year, 2-2 should sound good. I think he could have chosen his words a little better, like the game is an opportunity for a win against a good opponent...blah blah bland cliche football coach answer something something.

Both of these guys will downplay this game. They both want to win and the rest of it is just nonsense. I'm glad this game is not in South Bend. There is aleady too much attention being directed to non football issues.

 

[weisfaninmass]

Excited about 2-2... see, it's quotes like that which have finally made me turn on Ty after defending him for way too long. He just does not have the attitude of an elite coach. He was also "excited" last year about making it to the Insight Bowl. The day after that quote, he was fired.

Don't get me wrong, I still like Ty, and I still hope he does well at Washington (starting the day after the Notre Dame game, of course). But he will never get to the top of the coaching ladder as long as he looks at .500-ball as "good" or "exciting."

.500-ball is average, Ty. Don't you want to be better than average?

Vince -- you are so right. .500% ball is ok for the NFL but not in college.....maybe he needs to be 'promoted upward' to the NFL.

 

[Aerosmith777]

"It means that we have a chance to be 2-2, and that's pretty good. I think that is pretty good. I think that is exciting to be 2-2."

Exciting to be 2-2? I dont know, maybe it's just me, but i dont find it very exciting to be .500 I am so glad Charlie doesn't think that way, it is not ok to be average, it SUCKS.

Well, don't forget they were 1-10 last year. 2-2 probly doesn't sound too bad 4 games into the first year after a season like that.

 

[WeisGuy05]

Any bets on Weis asking Ty how his golf game is going at mid-field for the pre game chat?

 

[jiggafini19]

Any bets on Weis asking Ty how his golf game is going at mid-field for the pre game chat?

Funny.

 

[irishtexan]

I think Weis secretly wants to pound these guys. He has to be pissed off where Ty led this program the last 3 years. I cant wait to see that infamous look in ty's face. You know the "oh shit, i wasnt expecting that" look. Who wants to take bets we see the bubble screen also?

 

[WeisGuy05]

A shirt seen at the game on Saturday:
No Shirt
No Shoes
No Ty
No Problem


that's funny right there

 

[weisfaninmass]

A shirt seen at the game on Saturday:
No Shirt
No Shoes
No Ty
No Problem


that's funny right there

this shirt was introduced in the winter 05 during the high potential hoop season. (take off of the kenny chesney song/album)...interesting though is that Mike Brey never wears a tie (always wears mock turtleneck) so this had a double meaning (i think).

 

[TomFoolery]

Dude- look what he is working with opposed to what Weis has....Place Weis or any other decent coach for that matter at UDub- and the victories will not just pour in either!

 

[jiggafini19]

Dude- look what he is working with opposed to what Weis has....Place Weis or any other decent coach for that matter at UDub- and the victories will not just pour in either!

100% agreement

UW has really fallen off...before TW even got there. 1-10 last year? He can only go up...or so you'd think.

 

[irishtexan]

From USA Today:


"Washington is 1-2 after a 34-6 win against Idaho snapped an eight-game losing streak. The Huskies surrendered the most points in the history of Husky Stadium this season in a 56-17 loss to California, a game that drew the smallest crowd since 1984."

"We still have a lot of ground to cover to even be moving in the direction I want us to take," Willingham said. "We've taken some baby steps but no leaps for mankind yet."

Guys, it has already started. The downfall of the Huskies even farther. I want to beat that record and put up more points.

 

[Rip Rap]

A blow-out victory would be good for ND on several levels. First, it adds tremendous confidence. Second, the last hold-outs in the media won't ever say Willingham was an elite coach again. We need the absolute closure.

 

[jiggafini19]

We need the absolute closure.

Do we ever.

I really hope an ND win will be the end of it.

They're not a very good team. ND should win the game if they execute in the manner that they did against Pitt and UM.

 

[BGIF]

Dude- look what he is working with opposed to what Weis has....Place Weis or any other decent coach for that matter at UDub- and the victories will not just pour in either!

"Place Weis or any other decent coach for that matter at UDub"

At least you recognize UDub needs a decent coach.


Willingham obviously is not working with as much as Carroll at USC. But then neither does Wies.

Should we pity Willingham cause Slick Rick didn't recruit well?. Then consider that Weis is winning with Willingham's treasure chest of recruiting prowess.

Willingham inherited the talent (or lack thereof). The coaching staff he assembled at UW speaks louder. Contrast UW's staff with Weis's assistants.

Weis didn't have 10 years track record of Div 1 "success" to draw talented assistants, did he, dude?

Oh, and Ty obviously had the advantages of superior talent and superior coaching staff over Air Force didn't he? Great win, wasn't it?

-------------
Edited spelling.

 

[Irish Envy]

"Place Weis or any other decent coach for that matter at UDub"

At least you recognize UDub needs a decent coach.


Willingham obviously is not working with as much as Carroll at USC. But then neither does Wies.

Should we pity Willingham cause Slick Rick didn't recruit well?. Then consider that Weis is winning with Willingham's treasure chest of recruiting prowess.

Willingham inherited the talent (or lack thereof). The coaching staff he assemebled at UW speaks louder. Contrast UW's staff with Weis's assistants.

Weis didn't have 10 years track recrod of Div 1 "success" to draw talented assistants, did he, dude?

Oh, and Ty obviously had the advantages of superior talent and superior coaching staff over Air Force didn't he? Great win, wasn't it?

Well said!

 

[TomFoolery]

You guys are so unforgiving- just remember- until Weis wins big- don't sing his praises prematurely....As soon as he loses several contests the "boo birds" will come out, and the comment about how "Urban got away" will resurface again. Stop comparing Weis to Ty, Urban, or anyone else- let him begin his own legacy @ ND.I believe in consistency & "sticking to your guns." Please don't leave Weis if he has difficulties winning many more games this season, nor make the excuses pertaining to the hard schedule. Don't get me wrong, Weis has the pedigree, the reputation, and the resources to "get'er done", but don't make a mockery of his resume by "banging" on him if he doesn't bring instant gratification..........

 

[Rip Rap]

You guys are so unforgiving- just remember- until Weis wins big- don't sing his praises prematurely....As soon as he loses several contests the "boo birds" will come out, and the comment about how "Urban got away" will resurface again. Stop comparing Weis to Ty, Urban, or anyone else- let him begin his own legacy @ ND.I believe in consistency & "sticking to your guns." Please don't leave Weis if he has difficulties winning many more games this season, nor make the excuses pertaining to the hard schedule. Don't get me wrong, Weis has the pedigree, the reputation, and the resources to "get'er done", but don't make a mockery of his resume by "banging" on him if he doesn't bring instant gratification..........

Thank you for finally saying something useful.

 

[Aerosmith777]

Please don't leave Weis if he has difficulties winning many more games this season, nor make the excuses pertaining to the hard schedule. Don't get me wrong, Weis has the pedigree, the reputation, and the resources to "get'er done", but don't make a mockery of his resume by "banging" on him if he doesn't bring instant gratification..........

I fail to see where anyone was doing that. I doubt there's any ND fans (on this board or otherwise) who don't think that Weis will turn the program around in time. Yeah we might second-guess him once in awhile (especially after a loss), but that's just what fans do. Any loss against any team has to be hung at least in part on the coaching staff, I don't care how over-matched they are talent-wise. The staff has to bear some responsability, even then. For examply, I think Weis went to Schwapp too much last week. It's not like I'm saying he's a terrible coach and should be lynched, I just think he dropped the ball there a little bit (and so did Asaph...) when he should have known better, especially because of his pedigree and resume.

I think its a mistake to look at what happened to Ty and say, "Well, if Weis doesn't win right away the fans will turn on him and he will be fired." That's what the media does and it pisses me off constantly, b/c Ty wasn't only fired b/c of his record. Ty was fired just as much for piss poor recruiting (which I firmly believe was the result of a combination of ineptitude and some good old fashionned laziness) and for statements like, "Well, at least it's a winning season" in reference to a 6-5 record.

Charlie may very well be 21-15 3 years from now (I doubt it, but its possible), but as long as he shows the kind of hustle he has shown in recruiting between now and then, and as long as he continues to not make excuses or ask Irish fans to be content w/ 6-5 and 6-6 seasons, I for one will continue to be a supporter of his and I think most other Irish fans will as well. I would have been one of Willingham's supporters too if he could do that, but oh well.

 

[jiggafini19]

Willingham obviously is not working with as much as Carroll at USC. But then neither does Wies.

Should we pity Willingham cause Slick Rick didn't recruit well?. Then consider that Weis is winning with Willingham's treasure chest of recruiting prowess

The Arizona Cardinals don't have as much to work with as Petey Carroll does.

Remember that rapper Slick Rick with all the gold chains? That takes me back...

Willingham inheirted a complete and utter car wreck with Washington. That program is horrendous. But, he has four verbals, three of them 4 star recruits. (ND has 15. Yes, hail Charlie) You can't be much worse than 1-10. I'm not sure they'll be world beaters, but that school has plenty of resources to get back into bowl and Pac 10 contention. What TW does with them is up to him.

As far as not recruiting well, TW's first class off of 2002's season was very good. His second was subpar, but included Walker, Vernaglia and Crum. The third....well, we won't know, will we? I do know that when he was fired, several top 4 and 5 star kids dropped ND out of their running completely. This is no fault of Weis', but guys like Dan Doering and Dace Richardson went elsewhere. Some pirates usually get a little more than three classes to build up their "treasure chests." I think his problem was that he wasn't as PRO ACTIVE as Weis is with recruiting. TW expected kids to come to ND. Weis' spring traveling itinerary speaks for itself.

Bottom line, I think there was more than meets the eye other than just what happened on the field. I think TW was stoic, arrogant and stand offish to a lot of the wrong people around campus. Couple that with Urban Meyer's availability on the job market...and PRESTO. See ya. Weis HAS to win because the school has looked like @ssholes with the last two firings (O'Leary and Urban). The Vatican can't have it happen twice. The school that honors their contracts dumped who they brought to the dance and went after the new hot chick on the block and got shot down in flames.

Happens to the best of us every Friday night....

Ultimately, it will hopefully work out for the best. Weis' mentality and approach is the medicine ND has needed since the middle of the Holtz days. TW will do whatever he does and get to drink lots of Starbucks. And no matter what Urban does, he'll have to answer questions about The Visor as long as he's in Florida.

 

[Vince Young]

TomFoolery, bear in mind that in his Sunday press conference, Charlie Weis blamed himself for the loss to Michigan State. I don't think it's all that unreasonable for the fans to agree with him.

That is all.