Notre Dame hires Willingham, or, why affirmative action is wrong...

[Longhorn85]

Notre Dame has found a coach. He was hired because in 7 seasons he has taken Stanford to 4 bowl games, has won Rose Bowl and a PAC 10 Championship. He has proven that he can compete in Div I with a team that has higher academic standards and therefore some recruiting limitations. He has worked hard and deserves this opportunity.

Because of well-meaning liberals like Jesse Jackson, all of Tyron Willinghams talents and accomplishments will be overlooked and many will think he was hired simply because of his skin color.

By the way, as one of only 3 coaches making 2 million a year, Tyron Willingham is now one of those dreaded "top 1%".

 

[Longhorn85]

Here's the article if you haven't seen it...


http://abcnews.go.com/sections/sports/DailyNews/ESPNFeature1.html

 

[Hannibal]

Because of well-meaning liberals like Jesse Jackson, all of Tyron Willinghams talents and accomplishments will be overlooked and many will think he was hired simply because of his skin color.

I completely concur...

 

[spentagn]

He is one of the best coaches around. I'm glad he got the job, but I hate for Stanford to lose him.

 

[saint808]

Exactly... the man has amazing accomplishments... who gives a damn what color his skin is? Oh, wait mister hyrocrite Jesse "what is my job again" Jackson does...

I hate Notre Dame too... now i fear he will bring em back up to the top.

 

[spentagn]

I hate Notre Dame too... now i fear he will bring em back up to the top.

No shit. I'm sick of seeing them on TV EVERY week.

 

[gymnpoppa]

No shit. I'm sick of seeing them on TV EVERY week.

ditto. What did Jackson say? Why did he have to say anything anyway?

 

[strongchick]

Cool. My college crowd probably thought I got in because of affirmative action, but I didn't. I got in because of my musicianship and test scores.

Thng is, my father would never have been able to send me to the finest public high school in the state without his salary from a job where he was hired because of affirmative action.

I think affirmative action plants ideas of inferiority into the heads of those that benefit from it.

 

[The Dude]

They should have hired him the first time. He was the best candidate available for the job.

 

[huntmaster]

I like Willingham----He's old school discipline with well thought strategy.

As for the other subject here in this thread-----I disagree with affirmative action----I think if I was Black, I would hate it even more----Its like a slap in the face, it seems.
\
Reverse Discrimination!

 

[strongchick]

Because of well-meaning liberals like Jesse Jackson, all of Tyron Willinghams talents and accomplishments will be overlooked and many will think he was hired simply because of his skin color.

Why did Jesse step in? Was there fear he wouldn't get hired?

 

[gotmilk]

He will be fired in three years because Notre Dame can no longer compete with schools with lesser academic standards. Miami...Florida...FSU...etc....

Most of the best high school football players do not have the grades or SAT scores to get into Notre Dame anymore.

As for Jesse Jackson...please tell me had NOTHING to do with Willingham getting hired. Jesse is a modern day mafioso who threatens people with protests and BS if they do not follow Jesse's "recommendations". He built his fortune with fraud and deceit and his ass is grass in 2002 once the IRS finishes auditing his financials.

Too bad because I used to like JJ.

Go Miami! There's a hurricane coming!

 

[Longhorn85]

ditto. What did Jackson say? Why did he have to say anything anyway?

Willingham was always on the "short list" for the job as soon as it opened up, along with Jon Gruden, Rick Neuheisel, O'Leary and Mariucci. Initially Notre Dame selected O'Leary. That is when Jesse started saying bad things about Notre Dame and basically threatened to do his type of PUSH boycott stuff.

It was almost enough to make me hope they hired someone else just to spite Jesse. To their credit, it is clear to me that Notre Dame ignored JJ and did what was best for the University, race not being an issue at all.

 

[Longhorn85]

-----I disagree with affirmative action----I think if I was Black, I would hate it even more----Its like a slap in the face, it seems.

Welcome to my world

 

[the nature boy]

ditto. What did Jackson say? Why did he have to say anything anyway?

HAHAHAHAHHAH go irish!!! I love Notre Dame, a great pickup for them!

 

[gymnpoppa]

HAHAHAHAHHAH go irish!!! I love Notre Dame, a great pickup for them!

F**k Notre Dame! What up NB? I haven't heard from you...since.....last year. I'm glad they hired him, but had not Oleary been found to be deceitful, we wouldn't be having this conversation, now would we?

I mean he was on their short list before? So if it was all about the credentials in the first place (not implying that it was a color thing) why wasn't he hired the first time around?

I was under the impression J Jackson had something to do with this because of a comment he made. I'm assuming (and hoping) he didn't. I'm just thinking if this guy was so valued, and his resume definitely looked better than Oleary's, why wasn't he hired as first choice?

 

[Test boy]

I believe Notre Dame football will compete successfully with Florida et al. Duke basketball has not suffered at all despite being the Harvard of the South. Most of the parents of the bright kids will push for their sons to go to Notre Dame. Duke benefits greatly from this phenomenon.

 

[The Dude]

Jesse Jackson is a laughing stock. No honest and rational thinking person could ever think that he helps a situation.

 

[Test boy]

Excellent post.

You talking to me???

If so...thank you.

 

[Sushi X]

i have not liked notre dame for many years. one, they are on tv every week and that's plain sick. i mean who down here in alabama really cares. well now i think i may like them again. this was the best move they could make. he's a great recruiter and does an excellent job at coaching the talent he has. i see the irish in a bowl next year. as for JJ well he can take a long walk off a short peir. affirmative action should have no business anywhere especially in hiring of coaches. i do think ND has stepped up to the plate and hit a home run here. i wish an SEC team would hire a black coach. i was hoping alabama would but i am happy with our current one. however, i hope the SEC will be the first big time division in the south/southeast to hire a black coach. this will make a statement. again, great thread and great posts. man, i'm excited for ND and i may actually watch them on tv again, lol.

 

[Longhorn85]

I mean he was on their short list before? So if it was all about the credentials in the first place (not implying that it was a color thing) why wasn't he hired the first time around?

I'm just thinking if this guy was so valued, and his resume definitely looked better than Oleary's, why wasn't he hired as first choice?

He was on ND's short list all along, and the short list of other colleges seeking a coach, including his alma mater, Michigan State. The other candidates (Steve Mariucci, Jon Gruden, Rick Neuheisel and O'Leary were all considered the best available, along with Willingham. An argument could have been made for any of these guys. Unlike the others, Willingham was in his very first head-coaching job at Stanford, so he had less experience than the others.

 

[gymnpoppa]

He was on ND's short list all along, and the short list of other colleges seeking a coach, including his alma mater, Michigan State. The other candidates (Steve Mariucci, Jon Gruden, Rick Neuheisel and O'Leary were all considered the best available, along with Willingham. An argument could have been made for any of these guys. Unlike the others, Willingham was in his very first head-coaching job at Stanford, so he had less experience than the others.

I know who the wish list contained. Gruden, Neuheisel, and Mariucci, publicly stated they weren't interested. O'leary crapped out with the bogus resume. Willingham's resume spoke for quite well. He got the job because he was the last excellent candidate left. default.

 

[Longhorn85]

I know who the wish list contained. Gruden, Neuheisel, and Mariucci, publicly stated they weren't interested. O'leary crapped out with the bogus resume. Willingham's resume spoke for quite well. He got the job because he was the last excellent candidate left. default.

Public statements of "non interest" are standard. Lou Holtz was also considered. If Willingham had turned it down, ND would have landed another successful coach.

 

[musclebrains]

Notre Dame is on television every week because they own their own damn network. That adds to the pressure of anyone in the head coach's job -- he's got to win to keep up ratings (which had dropped signfiicantly).

About 50 percent of college players are Af/Am. Less than 5 percent of the head coaches are. But this had nothing to do with affirmative action. The position was offered to a handful of other coaches first, all of whom turned it down because they didn't want their careers tied to television ratings.

 

[gymnpoppa]

the head coach's job -- he's got to win to keep up ratings (which had dropped signfiicantly).

About 50 percent of college players are Af/Am. Less than 5 percent of the head coaches are. The position was offered to a handful of other coaches first, all of whom turned it down because they didn't want their careers tied to television ratings.

Exactly what I was trying to say. He got it by default. No way would they rehire Lou Holtz. No other successful coach was willing to step into that pressure cooker. Personally, I think the Florida State, Florida, Miami coaching jobs are more interesting. Notre Dame is not the draw it once was......with athletes, especially African American athletes.

 

[TheGame2001]

nd

I think ND was embarrassed at the O'Leary situation and then went DAMAGE CONTROL DAMAGE CONTROL, we look like fools in front of the entire country, how can we stop this, how can we look wonderful again? Hmmm ok, lets hire a black coach and this one is even qualified, kicked our ass 3 out of 4.

So they did a good thing hiring a black coach, no argument there. But I think they did it for damage control and to get out of the bad light and back into the good light.

That said, i'm from alabama so to hell with notre dame and the horse they rode in on.... and to double hell with Jessie *i fathered a baby out of wedlock* Jackson.

 

[musclebrains]

Hello? They hired the man they did because he was the best coach who would take the job. Their first choices were other coaches who happened to be white.

The idea that Jesse Jackson pressured Notre Dame into hiring a black coach makes me laugh out loud.

 

[Longhorn85]

Re: nd

I think ND was embarrassed at the O'Leary situation and then went DAMAGE CONTROL DAMAGE CONTROL, we look like fools in front of the entire country, how can we stop this, how can we look wonderful again?

I thought ND actually looked good for firing O'Leary. Indicates that they actually read the resume' and do have standards. It would have been easy to overlook the discrepancies. After all, who cares if the guy doesn't have a Master's Degree, he was successful at GA Tech.

You're right though, the hoopla surrounding the Willingham hiring will make many forget about O'Leary, especially if Willingham delivers.

 

[StoneColdGold]

an interesting thread to look back over.... given recent events.

 

[Longhorn85]

Yup. So far he is delivering, in spades.