"Look out for the bully, Biff Weis"

[BGIF]

Irish coach is off to good start on field he needs to relax a bit and cheer up

COMMENTARY
By Tom Dienhart
[URL="http://register.sportingnews.com/subscriptions/index.html?sourceid=subscribe"] [/URL]
Updated: 11:18 p.m. CT Aug 11, 2006

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14310146/

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B.S.! Bird cage liner? Wanna tell that hack what you think?



Well, do it where it counts!


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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]So for you right wingers be a Democrat for a day, "Vote early and vote often!" and "Vote LEFT!"[/FONT]

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Here the link again:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14310146/

NOW VOTE!

 

[BGIF]

Did you vote yet?

What are you waiting for?

You don't even need to be a motor voter.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Did you vote yet?

What are you waiting for?

You don't even need to be a motor voter.

VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE

 

[CharlotteND]

1/2 a star from me.

 

[jiggafini19]

It makes me wonder: Why do people bully? So, I Googled "people who bully" and discovered this gem website. It offered the following insight.

From this point on, I began to disagree completely. Other than that, I don't have much with what he's saying.

Calling Weis a "bully" is a bit of a stretch for me.

 

[ralphwaldoemerson]

Interesting that Bob Knight (who I like) was not only a bully but was actually a physical and threatening bully in a way Weis does not even approach, and yet, because he gave good quotes and made for interesting career-making reporting, he was allowed to slide for decades. Meanwhile, Weis is a bully toward his kids in a much gentler but just as effective way as Knight was, but is a bully towards the media in a hyper-professional, uninteresting way (in other words, it won't sell papers unless you start playing with it considerably, as they're doing now), and the media crucifies him, because he isn't playing along. Well, tough shit. His job is to win and to keep his players clean and keep them graduating, and to make the fans happy. And that's it. The media is really going to hate Weis even more as this goes along, because if he keeps winning, however much the press bashes him, ND fans will love him. The media hates to be made irrelevant, and they hate that the ND faithful will love (and already do love) Weis without the media telling us to. When this latest character assassination program fails to make any ND fans turn on Weis, the media will be frustrated even more. And they deserve to be. They're jackasses and jokes and leeches, especially these print media people. These people are unimportant compared to the national TV people, who all love Weis, and shape his image nationally.

Also, anyone else find it funny that Weis bars one reporter from asking questions due to his finding the reporter to be unprofessional, and in response to it, the entire print media goes on one of the most unprofessional smear campaigns imaginable? I imagine Weis is reading all this and thinking, "Yea, that's pretty much why I have no respect for these losers." And to see them keep rehashing the comments of ONE coach who felt snubbed (probably for asking stupid questions pre-game) just makes me think that there's really very little out there against Weis from people who've met him. A few crybaby rich prick boosters, and one sad sack disgruntled opposing coach (who Weis probably went on to beat by four touchdowns that day). And that's it. Well, he'll keep winning, and you keep writing your articles, and we'll see who outlasts who.

 

[TexasDomer]

Heaven forbid Weis call two reporters on their poorly researched and argued series that implied a compromise of standards at his alma mater and employer.

 

[jiggafini19]

Also, anyone else find it funny that Weis bars one reporter from asking questions due to his finding the reporter to be unprofessional, and in response to it, the entire print media goes on one of the most unprofessional smear campaigns imaginable?

Yeah, so now what? Does John Heisler keep all of their names on a list so they know who not to answer questions for?

Good post, Ralph Waldo. Your Bobby Knight comparison was exactly what I was thinking. I'm not prepared to put Weis into that category whatsoever.

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

Total Bush- League article.

 

[Sir John]

I put this elsewhere here but what the heck.

took my time studying this strange piece of 'journalism' by Mr. Dienhart and copyrighted by MSNBC.

My conclusion has to be Mr. Dienhart had an editorial deadline to meet by his bosses and had to grind out something. What better eye opener then an anti ND article?

I think...he's purporting to defend two hack journalists from the Tribune. He rambles on everything should have been handled behind closed doors and eventually was making it all kissy-kissy.

So? Well, if the matter is over, closed and Finn why drag it out once more Mr. Dienhart? Sell your column?

Ahhhh! Jeese, to prove Weis is arrogant you talked to an "opposing Coach in the off season." This nameless Coach you hide as a source, tried to talk to him six times before a game. That journalism was an absolute scream for me. He's an opposing coach so what the hell do I care about his opinion? Name him and perhaps we can all decide? You named Weis name to opposing Coach. That's fair journalism.

Just what is Charlie to say before he faces this coach? Particularly nice weather we are having today isn't it? So how's your Old Lady doing? Do you wear boxers or briefs? I mean tell me?

This nameless Coach asked six questions to named Weis. Tell me why he has to answer one? What were the questions? See Mr. Deinhart you didn't do your homework. Your hiding behind a unnamed Coach and unknown questions and taking an unknown suspect opposition's word for this.

You mixed up a bunch of junk and call it a column. You dash off to protect an unfair attack on our coach and then print an attack by an unknown.

Now I do understand a reporter must protect his source and can hide behind unknown.

You see this opinion I have of your hack job and the other two hack jobs also come from a source that of course, I can't reveal. All's fair in love and war but this is football.

 

[irishnd31]

I put this elsewhere here but what the heck.

took my time studying this strange piece of 'journalism' by Mr. Dienhart and copyrighted by MSNBC.

My conclusion has to be Mr. Dienhart had an editorial deadline to meet by his bosses and had to grind out something. What better eye opener then an anti ND article?

I think...he's purporting to defend two hack journalists from the Tribune. He rambles on everything should have been handled behind closed doors and eventually was making it all kissy-kissy.

So? Well, if the matter is over, closed and Finn why drag it out once more Mr. Dienhart? Sell your column?

Ahhhh! Jeese, to prove Weis is arrogant you talked to an "opposing Coach in the off season." This nameless Coach you hide as a source, tried to talk to him six times before a game. That journalism was an absolute scream for me. He's an opposing coach so what the hell do I care about his opinion? Name him and perhaps we can all decide? You named Weis name to opposing Coach. That's fair journalism.

Just what is Charlie to say before he faces this coach? Particularly nice weather we are having today isn't it? So how's your Old Lady doing? Do you wear boxers or briefs? I mean tell me?

This nameless Coach asked six questions to named Weis. Tell me why he has to answer one? What were the questions? See Mr. Deinhart you didn't do your homework. Your hiding behind a unnamed Coach and unknown questions and taking an unknown suspect opposition's word for this.

You mixed up a bunch of junk and call it a column. You dash off to protect an unfair attack on our coach and then print an attack by an unknown.

Now I do understand a reporter must protect his source and can hide behind unknown.

You see this opinion I have of your hack job and the other two hack jobs also come from a source that of course, I can't reveal. All's fair in love and war but this is football.

Fantastic stuff Sir John. Reps for you.

 

[BGIF]

I put this elsewhere here ...

And I put it here so everybody could read it.

 

[domer88]

Charlie was interviewed by Chris Myers on FoxSports

Charlie was interviewed by Chris Myers on FoxSports

Charlie was interviewed by Chris Myers on FoxSports. Online video is available. I do not see a bully... I see what I think most people see - which is a good man, with strong values who happens to be a very smart and extremely intense football coach.

No surprises in the interview, but Charlie demonstrates his now patented response to any recruit who says that his goal is to play on Sundays (all of them), which is simply to rub his forehead. On the hand which is doing the rubbing is one of the many huge Superbowl rings. Not many college coaches have a response to that.

 

[Sir John]

THANKS BGIF

I didn't google bully. I know TR Roosevelt used it in a positive way. Here's my take.

Bully? Ahhhh! I have to go back to my grade school years. All were on playground time between the Church and the school. There were these long folding tables still up on a Monday from the week ends Bingo outside. Shocking revelation the Catholic Church surviving back then on gambling.

Now our area of town was lower middle class and to survive you made friends. So in this playground incident two Pals and I, I'll call em Johnny and Donny were simply talking when we noticed a pack of other boys suddenly surround and attack someone I will call Arnie. Now, Arnie was no pantywaist. But your talking about a dozen creeps on one guy. Kind of funny so many years ago and now today, Arnie ran under one of those Bingo tables to avoid hits.

Well, be it as it may this incident didn't come across as fair to me as young as I was back then. None of us then knew Arnie, I don't to this day know why all that started.

I just looked at Johnny and Donnie and said "Ahhh! Let's help him." We three waded in a real nice battle royal. Broken up by the nuns of course in a couple minutes. HUGE sit-down, parents and all. That pack of punks got slammed. We did OK. Arnie became a friend, was my best man, he and wife Godfather to one of my girls.

Now here is the moral. You have a PACK of creepy hacks attacking Weis as tough as he is. That isn't fair. He can't really speak out or they would jump on him again. All I say is "Ahhh! Let's help him."

 

[jiggafini19]

I have just completed the four part series from the SBT, the readings that have started this snowball rolling down hill.

I'm not really sure what the big deal is, to be quite honest. I think the SBT writers are a bit premature in stating that a "new age" at ND has begun or will begin.

And I think it is rather foolish for Weis to banish them from being able to ask questions about the team. If you're going to write something that is somewhere in the unfavorable to objective area about Charlie Weis, he's not going to speak to these people? Why is he even reading this stuff anyway? I thought he was off of the Bill Parcels tree. I surely doubt Parcels sits around reading the papers concerning all of the stories about him.

Really, who cares what these guys wrote? Read it for yourselves, then decide whether or not you want to get all hyped about it and send this Dienhart bozo e mails or Ebert and Roeper his article. And part of the problem is that Weis and the athletic department can't comment on anything related to Clausen because he's a prospect until he signs in February. The recruits, writers and people like Lemming have all of the leverage. They can say whatever they want and coaches/athletic departments can't respond.

One thing I took away from reading this: This Jimmy Clausen Experience could be a Monkey's Paw waiting to happen. On the cusp of the 2006 season, this kid hasn't even played a down of his senior year in high school and a four part newspaper series comes out about him that has really roughed up the waters and rocked the boat.

 

[SuperBowlIVBaby]

Aren't all football coaches bullies to their players. If they think Weis is a bully they should check out how Haywood, Latina, and Mendoza treat/talk to these guys. For kringle's sake, it is the game of football.

I suppose an article about Lou Holtz being a bully will be next. Holtz was much tougher on his players, personally, than Charle is.

I would say that 75% of the head coaches out there are more verbally and physically abusive to their players than CW.

 

[ralphwaldoemerson]

They're talking about him being a bully to the media. They don't care about the players. They make the story about themselves. So Weis is a bully because he doesn't kiss up to the local hack sportswriters.

 

[BGIF]

They're talking about him being a bully to the media. They don't care about the players. They make the story about themselves. So Weis is a bully because he doesn't kiss up to the local hack sportswriters.

This is about the media protecting their own whether their guy(s) was right or wrong. Any reference to players is purely to justify a character flaw.

Jiggs, I don't think it's necessarily the four part article as unfavorable that was the issue, I think the Mullen quote was the real issue. ND beat writers know the Weis rules whether they like it or not. They sandbagged an incoming freshman. Let's give 'em a Pulitzer. Do your remember a couple of years ago when Connie Chung inteviewed Gingrich's mother on national TV and asked a personal question. The mom declined to answer so Connie leaned over and softly said, "Just between you and me ..." The mom fell for it although the cameras recorded every word. "Just betwee you and me ... Responsible journalists blasted Chung for lack of decency. She broke "the rules". Carroll and Wieneke did the same.

And they were held accountable for their actions. Weis may not like an article but I don't think he has a problem with a writer questioning play selection or personnel moves, say Thomas to LB. The four part piece was in the mode of "Under The Tarnished Dome". They were both works Herr Goebbels would have been proud to have penned. Short on facts but long on innuendo. Their style was reminescent of the 527 ads run (by both sides) in the last Presidential election. The "google" search comment would have drawn a "D" from a high school English teacher. Their goal was sensationalism. They succeeded

The Hamrick follow up piece plainly stated he was supporting his former co-worker who had been shunned in violation of his rights as a journalist. It's purely turf protection.

Dienhart jumped on the turf war issue but he's merely peddling controversy on a daily basis. Why do you they have the message, "Talk about it on the message boards"?

Weis and the SBT have met and have had a meeting of the minds. But if they speak to one of the players out of turn again, I doubt they'll be told about. They'll just be ignored.

I miss Holtz's one liners but I get more information out of a Weis or Minter interview than I ever did under Davie (inaudible) or Willingham "No, comment!" or "As I said before, no comment!"

The Carroll's and Weinecke's of the world pine for the days of Colletto putting his foot in Davie's mouth. Neither Charlie nor his assistants are going to give them that opportunity.
=====================
N.B I dropped a phrase when typing my original post, the words in red above should have been included. I was trying to find a better choice of words, took those out, but forgot to replace them. Mea culpa for any confusion.

 

[jiggafini19]

Jiggs, I don't think the Mullen quote was the real issue. ND beat writers know the Weis rules whether they like it or not. They sandbagged an incoming freshman

Agreed. No veteran would have said this.

The "google" search comment would have drawn a "D" from a high school English teacher. Their goal was sensationalism. They succeeded

Also agreed. I found that the reference to the Michigan Fab Five was about as "wide right" as a Bobby Bowden night terror. They even state it is a "worst case scenario." Maybe a more parallel example could have been used, then?

I read it and it didn't really excite me one way or the other. There were only a few valid points, but they were few and far between. Look at the travel itinerary of the recruiting Weis has done and the results speak for themselves. Some early wins in September are going to get things rolling too. I question the "conditional" offers that have been connected with some players, but I'm not about to suggest that Weis and ND are "selling out" unless that starts to manifest itself with a hell of a lot more evidence than what we have now, which is nothing as far as I'm concerned.

 

[onenybrother]

Let's be real, Weis is a bully . But his credentials means more then his mouth to them kids. When they look at them rings, the work he did with Tom Brady , the way he improved Quinn, Fasano and Shark games . Only has to make player's , recruit's and coaches realize they dealing with a someone who will compromise nothing before winning. If that makes him a bully. So be it.

 

[BGIF]

My error, Jiggs!

My error, Jiggs!

Reread my post, the one above yours I inadvertenly left out some words which change the meaning of the sentence (and your response perhaps). I added the dropped phrase in RED. I also added a note at the bottom of the post explaining my intent and my disconnected thought process.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Let's be real, Weis is a bully . But his credentials means more then his mouth to them kids. When they look at them rings, the work he did with Tom Brady , the way he improved Quinn, Fasano and Shark games . Only has to make player's , recruit's and coaches realize they dealing with a someone who will compromise nothing before winning. If that makes him a bully. So be it.

I disagree. He's not a bully by the standard definition. He does what he does to get results, he is not doing it for some sadistic pleasure...or because he likes picking on people because he can.

He's tough. You can be a tough hard-ass and not be a bully.

The press feels he's a bully because of the way he treated the two reporters.

Well, they threw down some unpleasant accusations about the program and the University...and DID NOT look to Weis for so much as a basic rebuttal.

Being a bully is NOT defending that which you love...it's attacking someone else who is weaker than you simply for the sadistic pleasure of the act.

 

[jiggafini19]

Let's be real, Weis is a bully . But his credentials means more then his mouth to them kids. When they look at them rings, the work he did with Tom Brady , the way he improved Quinn, Fasano and Shark games . Only has to make player's , recruit's and coaches realize they dealing with a someone who will compromise nothing before winning. If that makes him a bully. So be it.

These things do not make him a bully. Bullies are hired thugs. Bullies are cruel to others who are weaker.

Once again, he is not there to be anyone's friend. He is their coach. He was a hardass on Brady Quinn and the results seemed pretty favorable.

The entire situation has been way overblown. And I'll agree with Paddy Mullen on one thing: Clausen had better be damn good. Otherwise, you'd better strap on your hater armour and be ready for Ron Powlus and limo jokes for a long time.

 

[ralphwaldoemerson]

Hell, honestly, that article calling him "the bully, Biff Weis" is as bullying, or more bullying, than anything Weis has done to the media. That's using your little soapbox to bully someone who doesn't have such a forum.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Hell, honestly, that article calling him "the bully, Biff Weis" is as bullying, or more bullying, than anything Weis has done to the media. That's using your little soapbox to bully someone who doesn't have such a forum.

It's childish at bare minimum. And yeah, it is sorta bullying. It's not like Weis will have a chance to respond.

Ah well, the press feels a bit intimidated by him. Good.