Kelly should have been upfront with Cincy Team

[Master Guns]

Lot's of reports out already on how the Bearcats feel Kelly lied to them. Blogs are chiming in too. If your a recruit you have to wonder. But it's all about the money, so Kelly taught his boys at Cincy a great lesson: Money will overcome truth!

He should have waited to announce after their BCS game. Not cool at all. Got a bad feeling already about this one already. Well at least ND did not settle (LOL).

 

[The hawaiianassassin]

saban did it meyer did it if there succsess is a sign of things to come then im ready

 

[ND4EVA]

IMO he went out of his way to not confirm it. As for lieing to them, what do you tell your team when they are exicted about a possible NC bid," Yea i know your exicited but im outta here its been fun"? And my guess is that if Cincy was going to the NC game then we would all still be wondering who the next coach is, even though the deal would already be done behind closed doors. From what i saw tonight he wanted to make sure the teams night stayed about them and not about him. Just my 2 cents

 

[Jrc2327]

I disagree about it being all about the money. This is a dream job of his. Just like alot of college players dream of making the NFL. And at the time he told his players he was staying in Cincy, he may have thought that. Talks may have truly just happened this week.

 

[Folsteam_Ahead]

sometimes the big boys (ND) get to dictate how things are handled. i'm sure money is half of the reason he decided to sign with ND, but i feel like ND said he had to come now to put together a strong recruiting effort.

we let weis hang around with the pats until their playoff run ended. that recruiting class was destroyed in part because of that. the other part was that ty sucked at recruiting so there was nothing to salvage in the first place.

i understand why the cincy players are upset, but this is the life of college football. hierarchy is a fact of life in the college game. the players should be just as mad about cincy not putting up the cash to keep him. if they can't afford it, then too bad.

 

[BeatSC]

It's a no win situation. ND needs Kelly here now to insure that we keep our current recruits and pick up a few more. Too much would be lost waiting another month to announce. I'm sure Demetrius Jones would like to come back now.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

Lot's of reports out already on how the Bearcats feel Kelly lied to them. Blogs are chiming in too. If your a recruit you have to wonder. But it's all about the money, so Kelly taught his boys at Cincy a great lesson: Money will overcome truth!

He should have waited to announce after their BCS game. Not cool at all. Got a bad feeling already about this one already. Well at least ND did not settle (LOL).

Seems to me he was in a tough PR situation. His team is undefeated and going to a big bowl at the same time his dream job comes open. What could he do? All athletes and fans should EXPECT a rising and hungry coach to move on. Foolish to think otherwise, and sour grapes only taste sour. This is not a military life or death situation. It is a game and a business.

 

[Rudy89]

Yeah everyone hopes we lose all our games now we are the biggest supervillians in college football again.....wait how is that different than any other time

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

Master guns, maybe he didn't think about it a ton before the last game, and then when he got to talk to ND maybe it really made sense. Everybody has dreams, and give him the benefit of the doubt that he was waiting until after that last game to make his final decision--and his dream job was right in front of him.

His dream job, pays a lot more, and a belief he can win here--3 pro's to the job in his mind

What else would you expect him to do. And coach the BCS game and lose all that valuable time to assemble his staff and recruit?

Lets be positive and support ND, there is enough people out there that say down things about ND and it players/Fans/Coaches/Recruits. Lets get a positive wave for the Blue and Gold and not have negative things flying out there--we saw how it does effect recruits, ie. Chris Martin.

GO IRISH--AND THANKS COACH KELLY FOR COMING TO ND!!!!

 

[KPENN]

Seems to me he was in a tough PR situation. His team is undefeated and going to a big bowl at the same time his dream job comes open. What could he do? All athletes and fans should EXPECT a rising and hungry coach to move on. Foolish to think otherwise, and sour grapes only taste sour. This is not a military life or death situation. It is a game and a business.

Well said. And whats he supposed to say before the pitt game? I'm thinking about going to notre dame but lets win this one anyways. Also the news got leaked on notre dame's part before he had a chance to tell his team. Just a tough situation all around.

 

[GoldenChild]

HE wanted to get in with his new team, early, and he didn't when he went to Cincy, and look how good he's been there, which is why he got this job in the first place. I understand the players of Cincy's side of it though.

 

[NDinL.A.]

Lot's of reports out already on how the Bearcats feel Kelly lied to them. Blogs are chiming in too. If your a recruit you have to wonder. But it's all about the money, so Kelly taught his boys at Cincy a great lesson: Money will overcome truth!

He should have waited to announce after their BCS game. Not cool at all. Got a bad feeling already about this one already. Well at least ND did not settle (LOL).

You've made it clear that you are not on board with this hire and that's fine. But you couldn't be more wrong here. Did you really say he should have waited until after the BCS game? Seriously? Why, so he could start his ND career a month behind? Do you realize what a critical time it is this month with recruiting? Guys are committing every day, and you want him to wait a month to say that he's coming to ND?

And do you really think you would have been happy twiddling your thumbs waiting for ND to announce their head coach? You wouldn't have been bitching about Swarbrick sitting on his thumbs? Yeah right. You would have killed Swarbrick and the entire process just like you've been doing this whole time. That's ridiculous to say he should've waited a month. He has a new job, and he needs to start on that one. Coaches leave jobs for better ones all the time. Coaches also get fired for not getting enough wins all the time. Players leave for the pros early all the time. It's big boy business; Kelly did nothing wrong. The only reason you're bringing this up is because he's not the guy you wanted.

Now, how did ND 'settle'? Who do you think they should have gotten that was a better hire? There's not one candidate out there that would have accepted the ND job that is more qualified. I've asked you this in other threads, and you never answer me. Interested to see who you say is a better candidate...

 

[jason_h537]

Now, how did ND 'settle'? Who do you think they should have gotten that was a better hire? There's not one candidate out there that would have accepted the ND job that is more qualified. I've asked you this in other threads, and you never answer me. Interested to see who you say is a better candidate...

Har... n/m Kelly is the guy and i got his back





for now

 

[chyrspchuck]

I don't think he did anything wrong. He went out of his way to not confirm it. He waited to tell his guys, he never told anyone before he told his players. It's not his fault the media leaked it. He wanted to wait and tell all his players at once. I respect that.

 

[NDFan537]

I don't think he did anything wrong. He went out of his way to not confirm it. He waited to tell his guys, he never told anyone before he told his players. It's not his fault the media leaked it. He wanted to wait and tell all his players at once. I respect that.

I agree. He handled this media frenzy in the best way possible. They were all over him, begging him for a sound bite, and he never gave it to them. He told his guys he was gonna interview for the job, and he would consider it if offered. Then before he told the world he sat each of his guys down and told them face to face like a man. He didn't run out in the middle of the night, leaving notes on their lockers. He got a golden opportunity and went after it and I applaud him for that. He knows the safe play would have been to stay where he was but he went for being great, with a chance to be seen as a failure and in my mind that makes him more of a man than Urban could ever hope to be. He is a stand up human being and I welcome him with open arm's to Notre Dame.

 

[HoosierMP]

Here's my concern...the guy flat-out lied to his players...He has a habit of doing this too...He didn't tell them "I'm interested" or "I'm considering it"...He told them on MULTIPLE OCCASSIONS...IN PRIVATE MEETINGS...That he was staying and that he wasn't going anywhere...HE could have been more open and honest...he chose not too...

So...this brings me to my main concern and point...and those of you who are saying it's a "business", I hope you pay attention...When/If Kelly bolts from ND for another job, even after he denies it, I hope you all have the same attitude and won't hold it against him...Personally, I think this was a *blah* hire by the Irish...it has the possibility to be the "home-run" they were looking for just as much as it has the possiblity of being a complete "strike-out"...and I guess it was *blah* becuz it just didn't seem to generate the buzz or excitement like the Weis hiring did...The positives of BK? The guy wins, plain and simple...everywhere he's been, he's won...I will give him the benefit of the doubt and support him...But I can't forget how many of his players he did "dirty" to gain success for himself...I'm sorry if that upsets any of you, but he did do his own players dirty on this (just like he did his players dirty at CMU)...In my HUMBLE opinion, BK was the furtherest thing from being a "man"...Does a "real man" lie to the kids he's coaching and then put his own interests ahead of the team? I don't think so...So I guess it's all in how you spin-it or choose to see it...Again, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt solely becuz he's a winner and all I want to see is ND win....But as a human being and a "real man"? Let's just say that I hope he changes his ways....this has got to be the most bittersweet hiring of a coach I've ever seen....

and YES...there were better, and more qualified, candidates out there to be had...

 

[tankjeep]

Here's my concern...the guy flat-out lied to his players...He has a habit of doing this too...He didn't tell them "I'm interested" or "I'm considering it"...He told them on MULTIPLE OCCASSIONS...IN PRIVATE MEETINGS...That he was staying and that he wasn't going anywhere...HE could have been more open and honest...he chose not too...

So...this brings me to my main concern and point...and those of you who are saying it's a "business", I hope you pay attention...When/If Kelly bolts from ND for another job, even after he denies it, I hope you all have the same attitude and won't hold it against him...Personally, I think this was a *blah* hire by the Irish...it has the possibility to be the "home-run" they were looking for just as much as it has the possiblity of being a complete "strike-out"...and I guess it was *blah* becuz it just didn't seem to generate the buzz or excitement like the Weis hiring did...The positives of BK? The guy wins, plain and simple...everywhere he's been, he's won...I will give him the benefit of the doubt and support him...But I can't forget how many of his players he did "dirty" to gain success for himself...I'm sorry if that upsets any of you, but he did do his own players dirty on this (just like he did his players dirty at CMU)...In my HUMBLE opinion, BK was the furtherest thing from being a "man"...Does a "real man" lie to the kids he's coaching and then put his own interests ahead of the team? I don't think so...So I guess it's all in how you spin-it or choose to see it...Again, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt solely becuz he's a winner and all I want to see is ND win....But as a human being and a "real man"? Let's just say that I hope he changes his ways....this has got to be the most bittersweet hiring of a coach I've ever seen....

and YES...there were better, and more qualified, candidates out there to be had...

i don't remember ever hearing him say he'll stay at cincy for sure. do you have a link or do you have an insider?

also, if you think there are better and more qualified hires.....who are they? i'm just curious.

 

[chyrspchuck]

Here's my concern...the guy flat-out lied to his players...He has a habit of doing this too...He didn't tell them "I'm interested" or "I'm considering it"...He told them on MULTIPLE OCCASSIONS...IN PRIVATE MEETINGS...That he was staying and that he wasn't going anywhere...HE could have been more open and honest...he chose not too...

So...this brings me to my main concern and point...and those of you who are saying it's a "business", I hope you pay attention...When/If Kelly bolts from ND for another job, even after he denies it, I hope you all have the same attitude and won't hold it against him...Personally, I think this was a *blah* hire by the Irish...it has the possibility to be the "home-run" they were looking for just as much as it has the possiblity of being a complete "strike-out"...and I guess it was *blah* becuz it just didn't seem to generate the buzz or excitement like the Weis hiring did...The positives of BK? The guy wins, plain and simple...everywhere he's been, he's won...I will give him the benefit of the doubt and support him...But I can't forget how many of his players he did "dirty" to gain success for himself...I'm sorry if that upsets any of you, but he did do his own players dirty on this (just like he did his players dirty at CMU)...In my HUMBLE opinion, BK was the furtherest thing from being a "man"...Does a "real man" lie to the kids he's coaching and then put his own interests ahead of the team? I don't think so...So I guess it's all in how you spin-it or choose to see it...Again, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt solely becuz he's a winner and all I want to see is ND win....But as a human being and a "real man"? Let's just say that I hope he changes his ways....this has got to be the most bittersweet hiring of a coach I've ever seen....

and YES...there were better, and more qualified, candidates out there to be had...

well with this line of though charlie should have came out after his meeting with jack before stanford and said, "well guys i'm gonna be let go."

Again all i can say is, he handled himself with class. He never gave a single solitary soundbite, he never said I am not going to Notre Dame


And just so you know Hoosier, no way he leaves unless he is run out of town. That's the way it goes down at ND.

 

[HoosierMP]

i don't remember ever hearing him say he'll stay at cincy for sure. do you have a link or do you have an insider?

also, if you think there are better and more qualified hires.....who are they? i'm just curious.

Turn on ESPNews....They've been running the same interview with the Cincy players...It's been reported for the past week about what he told his players...He gave them MULTIPLE denials of leaving...The players went public with his denial of leaving becuz BK gave him them his word he wasn't going anywhere...Thus...since he told them he was not leaving, and then went ahead and did leave, he would then be what most would call a "liar" and/or "hypocrite"....I know BK went the whole hiring process without issuing a public denial; but I guess that's pretty easy to do when you give it privately and let your players do it for you...just sayin'...I have a problem with that...AND...don't forget...he pulled the same stunt up at CMU...Don't think that it couldn't happen to us...for as much as we all want to believe ND is the best place to be (I can't fathom a better place), you never know with BK and that is just as much a part of his history as his win-loss record is...

Great coach, no question about it...Great man tho? I'm not so sure...He's done players dirty at each of his last two stops...at the very least, I can say Weis never...NEVER...would've put himself ahead of his players or the team...BK has shown he has no problem doing that...Is that the type of coach you want? Cuz I sure don't want that "quality" in my coach...Doesn't BK come from a political background? So should we start expecting the talk from both sides of his mouth like most politicians give us?

As for better candidates...that list would be very subjective...So when I say he wasn't the best man for the job, you can easily say yes he was, but we'll never really know...I tended to be of the group that said you don't take a "No" from Bob Stoops (My arguement there is Saban and Alabama; they didn't take "No" for an answer)...Hell, I believe Skip Holtz was still in play (and there is a very compelling arguement for him to have been "the man" and a better overall hire for the program)...So many more I could go thru, but the fact remains that we'll never know who was, or wasn't, even contacted...and we'll never know for sure whether someone else could've done a better job...It's BK's team now...We'll see how he does...I'll support him, but I'll do so with a very watchful eye becuz I disagreed with his hiring from the moment his name was rumored to be in the mix...I said he was a "flavor of the month" coach just like Levitt and Schiano were in years prior when their teams had success in a very topsy-turvy and weak Big East conference...Who's to say he won't win the NC in 3-4 yrs? But then again, who's to say he will? Could Holtz have? Could Gruden have? Stoops? We'll never know...I'm just saying that there were better, more qualified, candidates available that would've have better suited our needs and program...but it's all subjective...just like saying that "BK is the best man for the job" is also subjective...

If BK flops, I won't be shocked...If BK bolts ND to go somewhere else, I won't be shocked...and when I'm not going to be shocked by either of those 2 things, then to me, it indicates a bad hire.

 

[BGIF]

Lot's of reports out already on how the Bearcats feel Kelly lied to them. Blogs are chiming in too. If your a recruit you have to wonder. But it's all about the money, so Kelly taught his boys at Cincy a great lesson: Money will overcome truth!

He should have waited to announce after their BCS game. Not cool at all. Got a bad feeling already about this one already. Well at least ND did not settle (LOL).

You can't really be an E-8. This emotipost sounds like it was written by a 9th grade girl who didn't get her way.

Lot's of reports out already on how the Bearcats feel Kelly lied to them.

How they feel he lied?

Not lied - but how they feel he lied.

Blogs are chiming in too.

What next nasty rumors written on the latrine wall?

If your a recruit you have to wonder.

Hopefully an 18 year recruit has more sense than to use internet whine and blogs as you do for the basis for sour grapes expression.

If some private handled you that line of swill you'd tell him to go see the chaplain for a TS sheet - after you told him to suck it up, marines don't snivel.

 

[devolg]

I can understand the Cincy players disappointment & resentment but unfortunately thats the way these things go. Even I had hopes of him gong to the Sugar Bowl & whooping up on Florida but realistically that just couldn't happen for obvious reasons.

Some of the Cincy players interviewed are under the assumption its about money. They will never understand what a job at Notre Dame means to guy like Kelly. I have a feeling theres several of them that do get it you just dont see them standing on SC looking about half drunk or stoned screaming "we got dis, we got dis!"

 

[dskoo65]

IEven I had hopes of him gong to the Sugar Bowl & whooping up on Florida but realistically that just couldn't happen for obvious reasons. !"

the most obvious reason being Cincy wont be able to compete against a team with a real defense. i think it wont be close.

it will be funny, after florida smokes cincy, to hear how brian kelly not coaching the game will be the reason they lost.

BK was smart to leave now. it would have been a little embarrasing to go get slapped around in a bowl after being named HC at ND.

to me, it was an ok hire. he was a third choice at best.

 

[devolg]

to me, it was an ok hire. he was a third choice at best.

Sure. Obviously he was behind a Meyer or a Stoops who are proven NC winners & yearly contenders but I think he's better than just OK. You can't get the guys who've won NC's so you go after the guy who by all accounts seems to be heading in that direction.

 

[irish4ever]

IMO he went out of his way to not confirm it. As for lieing to them, what do you tell your team when they are exicted about a possible NC bid," Yea i know your exicited but im outta here its been fun"? And my guess is that if Cincy was going to the NC game then we would all still be wondering who the next coach is, even though the deal would already be done behind closed doors. From what i saw tonight he wanted to make sure the teams night stayed about them and not about him.

Agreed!

 

[timm3117]

Why would he tell the team he was leaving, if he wasn't 100% sure the ND job was his until this week?

 

[LeapinLeprechaun]

First of all he probably did not know if Notre Dame was going to hire him or not. Second of all he was trying to keep his team focused. What was he supposed to do? Third, it is the way college football is set up. There is way too much time in between their last regular season game and the bowls in January. It would be wasted time over there because he would be putting Notre Dame's staff together, recruiting for Notre Dame and at the same time preparing Cincinnati for their bowl game. Kids are going to be mad, but this is what happens all the time in college football. Life lesson for kids, they have to learn to deal with obstacles.

 

[Master Sgt]

How can anyone be whining about this hire before he's even introduced? Settled? I don't think so. The "Blogs are chiming in" who gives a damn. THIS IS THE GUY! Someone who can motivate talented players to play above their ability, precisely what we've been missing for years.

 

[PADOMERNUT]

Yeah everyone hopes we lose all our games now we are the biggest supervillians in college football again.....wait how is that different than any other time

Why? How is this different from what anybody else does? And why do you care what everyone else thinks? Can you ever post anything positive?

 

[wakeuptheechoes]

If Cincinatti players feel they were lied to then perhaps they should spend another 4 years in school and try to become smarter. Kelly indicated interest in the job before the last regular season was even over. He planned an interview before a bowl game. If someone is staying where they are, why even go to an interview? Why even indicate interest? When an official interview was announced after the regular season and before a bowl game, I must admit I was somewhat surprised. Last week when the Chicago Tribune erroneously announced ND had it's new coach, I immediately thought wow they must have gone the NFL route again, with Gruden or Billick, only because those two were not currently coaching any team. Then the report turned out to be false. If Kelly had been having clandestine meetings or agent negotiations then I would say the Cincinatti should feel upset. For him to indicate he was leaving or would consider leaving before Weiss was officially fired would be in bad form. But I think he was as open as he could be at the time.
I would be willing to bet, that Stoops was a lot closer than some may realize, and may have been trying to remain tight lipped until an agreement had been made.

I have changed employers in the same industry myself. I would not indicate interest or have it common knowledge that I was going on an interview with a competitor. One may find themselves unemployed. If I did go on an interview and determined that switching to my supposed "dream job" then, first and foremost, I would make that decision based on what I think is the best decision for myself and my family. Whether, it is the best decision for Coach Kelly or not remains in question. Truthfully though, he was a lot more open than I would have been.

 

[Gipper]

First of all, i'm sure Kelly wanted to coach Cincy in the Bowl game against Florida and probably even mentioned it to Swarbrick, but he knew it couldn't happen because he had to get on the recruiting trail to give himself the best opportunity to succeed at Notre Dame. Also Swarbrick probably said "Hell No"!

Secondly, he can't say anything before the Pitt game because any distraction could have cost them a perfect season and a chance at a national championship and BCS Bowl, and he was not going to do that to the players. A perfect season and BCS Bowl also helps out a lot in contract negotiations with Notre Dame.

Finally, with all due respect to the Cincy football team and it's fans, The University of Cincinnati football program is a stepping stone for an up and coming football coach while The University of Notre Dame is a final destination. If any of the Cincinnati people were under the delusion that Kelly would be there forever they were lying to themselves, it wasn't him doing the lying. I know that they are hurt and angry, but they also have to understand.

Would you rather see Brian Kelly coaching in the Sugar Bowl in a last hoorah with his old team while more recruits decommit because they are unsure of the future of Notre Dame football, or would you rather see him in Notre Dame apparel locking up current commits and getting some decommits back on board? I know which way i'm leaning!