Charlie Weis and Tim Tebow: A contrast in circumstance

I don’t know Charlie Weis. I’ve never met the guy and likely never will. All I know of Coach Weis is what I’ve seen on television or heard in interviews, but he seems like a nice enough guy.

I’ve never had any allegiance to either him or Notre Dame, the school that just fired him. In fact, aside from Jerome Bettis running roughshod over the Gators in the 1992 Sugar Bowl, and my buddy Rocket Dan finding their mascot, the “Fightin’ Irish,” wholly offensive, I’ve been relatively apathetic towards Notre Dame over the years.

Notre Dame FootballOn Monday, the Weis era officially came to a close in South Bend. Notre Dame’s four-game losing streak to end the season capped off a disappointing year, and tenure, for Coach Weis. Entering this season, his team had lofty expectations, yet with each loss, his job security came further into question.

During that losing streak, I didn’t hear a single analyst project that Weis’ job was secure. Turns out they were right. Yet in the relentless pursuit to be the first to report the Weis firing, journalists may have ended up breaking the man as well as the story.

With each loss, Weis looked more and more dejected. After Saturday’s heartbreaking loss to Stanford, Weis called off his post-game press conference, likely because he didn’t feel like answering any more speculative questions about his future. Or maybe he already knew his fate.

By comparison, Tim Tebow’s career at Florida over that same period could not have been more opposite. Despite the contrast, the two men have quite a bit in common. Five years ago, their futures were as bright as can be. Weis had just inked a multi-year, multi-million dollar deal with his alma mater. Tim Tebow was eying the school of his dreams. Both men are among the most recognizable faces in college football. Tebow plays for a coach who has Notre Dame roots and whose name is routinely mentioned as a potential successor to Weis. And Tebow and Weis both have championship rings, Tebow with Florida and Weis with the Giants and Patriots. Yet while Weis failed to meet Notre Dame’s aspirations, Tebow superseded expectations tenfold.

tebowmeyer-heismanSince taking over at Florida, Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow have dominated college football. They’ve won two national championships and are two victories away from a third. Tebow already has one Heisman trophy and is in the running for his second. His legacy is nearly unparalleled. In contrast to Weis who the masses have reviled, no one ever has a single bad thing to say about Tebow. In fact, the only knock on Tebow is that he might NOT be the greatest college football player ever. The Tebow years will go down as Florida’s finest hour; the Weis years at Notre Dame will be largely remembered as a failure. Therein lay the chilling contrast.

Now Weis is gone and Notre Dame’s search for a new head coach begins. Football’s coaching elite will be mentioned as possible successors. But in all honesty, who would want that job? Although the school boasts one of the most decorated programs in college football, you’d have to be an egomaniac and/or glutton for punishment to even interview for that position. The coach of the Dallas Cowboys and the manager of the New York Yankees aren’t scrutinized this much. Former Notre Dame coaches Bob Davie and Ty Willingham were fired after .583 winning percentages but neither coach had a significant bowl victory. Knute Rockne, Ara Parseghian and Lou Holtz left big shoes to fill. Then again, so did Steve Spurrier and Meyer filled those quite nicely.

Regardless of who they name as their next head coach, Notre Dame will always get every school’s best shot every time out. They are the team everyone wants to beat, a college football measuring stick. When UConn beat Notre Dame two weeks ago, head coach Randy Edsall called it the biggest win in the history of their program. Notre Dame was 6-4 at the time.

I can’t say I necessarily feel sorry for a guy who’s about to receive an $18 million severance check, but if I did have to feel sorry for someone in college football, it might just be Charlie Weis. Over the past month, he’s looked like a beaten man. What many fail to realize is that Notre Dame’s last four gut-wrenching losses were by a combined 17 points, two of them coming to ranked teams. But losses are losses. College football is not horseshoes.

Notre Dame Pittsburgh FootballEither way, a well-needed vacation for Coach Weis is in order. Although disappointed with the way things ended up at his alma mater, he’ll still be laughing all the way to the bank. He might even be a little relieved. Meanwhile, 1000 miles away, the man who shunned Notre Dame to coach at Florida will lead his team to a potential third national championship. Tim Tebow will man his front line.

Tebow’s time in Gainesville has been nothing short of storybook, his only regret so far is being unable to convert a 4th-and-1 against Ole Miss. I wonder whether Coach Weis regrets any of his five-year stint in South Bend. Five years ago, he looked like a perfect fit for the program. After going 35-27, that turned out not to be the case.

I don’t know whether Tebow will win another Heisman or national championship. Nor do I know where Weis will end up next or if he’ll even coach again, but I imagine he’ll be a lot richer for the experience. And not just because of that eighteen million dollars.

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35 Replies to “Charlie Weis and Tim Tebow: A contrast in circumstance”

  1. Hey Rev,
    Great job man.
    What are your thoughts on the Dunlap situation? Urban has to suspend him, doesn’t he?
    Take care my friend and GO GATORS!

  2. Thanks, Aer….

    Awful news about Dunlap. With many projecting his leaving early, he may have played his last game for the Gators.

    I’m not sure about Jones’ status for the game but with both of them out against ‘Bama, we’ll certainly be weaker at the LB position.

    I don’t see how there’s any way Meyer can play Dunlap. I also don’t see any way Brandon Spike’s cleat isn’t firmly entrenched up Dunlap’s backside.

  3. Ummm…so this is what you have been reduced to these days?? Chump Chat…clever…I love it! Don’t really care about Tebow or Weis, but you know I care about you little fella. Howz Ballsac doin?

  4. Petey Friggin’ Nice… Where have you been, man? You’ve missed a lot of quality Buckeye posts. Check the archives.

    I’m also working on a special project to be released soon. Bookmark the site.

    Yeah, I left Fox not long ago after they deleted my profile for posting a URL. Nothing three years of material going down the drain, huh?

    So I’ve taken a new identity and you’re looking at it. Are you still writing? Send me the link and don’t be a stranger.

    P.S. Balzac’s off the Zima.

  5. I got a spot for Charlie Weis…….how about offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the task of molding Josh Freeman? No offense Greg Olson but why the hell not.

  6. Chris

    And that’s where the lines diverge between Tebow and Weis. One was self assured . While the other just couldn’t be sure about anything. Weis couldn’t make a decision as to what he wanted on the field of play from one moment to the next . Is it any wonder that things came crashing down around his damn ears ?

    Poor ol’ Lou Holtz, who’s he about to blame for this all, now ?

    Dropped this piece on the boxer, Kassim Ouma .

    Let me know what you think as to the merits of the piece ? As and when you’re ready I’ll look forward to reading your comments.

    From The Killing Fields To The Boxing Ring One Man’s Journey ….

    Don’t forget to watch the Victoria’s Secret Models tonight on CBS. It’s about to get the juices flowing ,don’t you think ?

    Alan Parkins

  7. Yeah, that FOX site is all whacked out now. I haven’t really been writing at all. Plan to get going again, so I will check back here fo sho. Good to hear Ballsy is off the sauce, or at least he may have moved up to a real man’s drink by now.

    Is this your site?

    Also, the guy posting as Mike Carrier…as in Mike Carrier from Columbus?

  8. SportsChump is mine all mine, Petey, with a little management help from webmaster Eddie Griffin of http://theredzonereport.com fame. Couldn’t do it without him.

    Mike Carrier, I hate to inform you, is a Gator through and through. Maybe the Carrier you know is the bizarro Buckeye Mike Carrier, although they don’t get much more bizarre than this one down here.

  9. Well one of my good friends from HS is Mike Carrier, but he is noweher near bizarre as I. Nice site. What else you doing these days?

  10. Chris

    Just make sure that when you back out of your drive way , you don’t hit a tree or fire hydrant . Wouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea about you.

    I’ve got some down time here at work as I’d been working on a prospectus for one of the firm’s clients in conjunction with my colleagues.

    I’m still licking my wounds after that proverbial beatdown my Pats took at the hands of the Saints. Our pass defense was simply none existent. I was half expecting David Blaine to turn up to provide us with an assist but somehow the ‘Who Dat’ crowd made sure he wasn’t going to be seen or even heard.

    Alan Parkins

  11. So. There’s another Michael Carrier?

    And Petie, it’s nothing but the Jack and Coke for me now.

  12. Don’t know much about Charlie Weis or Tim Tebow, and don’t care to unless they plan to sign with the Red Sox. However, I think I know the real reason why Weis was fired:

    Charlie has been a little dizzy after pounding his head on the desk a few thousand times over the last month, and maybe somebody got confused about that head-injury rule in the NFL or thought his stomach staples were coming loose or something, so they decided that dropping him might lower everyone else’s copay. Bottom line – Charlie Weis is the reason that millions of Americans can’t get health insurance.

  13. PK… it’s not an uncommon name. Wasn’t there a Mike Carrier that played for the Bears years ago?

    And Pete… HB only drinks the sour mash when his wife lets him. Personally, I agree with her strict enforcement of that policy. It’s best for all involved.

  14. I doubt Dunlop misses more than the first half of the SEC Title Game, if that. Urban will find a way to weasel him in there.

    What’s the difference between an SUV and a golf ball?

    Tiger can drive a golf ball 300 yards.

  15. Hano…

    Dunlap’s suspended indefinitely. The only way coach will let him play is if he’s cleared by the law, which I don’t see happening.

    He may have played his last game as a Gator.

    Why did Tiger hit a fire hydrant then a tree?

    Because he couldn’t decide upon a wood or an iron.

    Compliments of Steve Hay and the RPI Red Hawks.

  16. Chris

    Another athlete, same dumb stupid mistake. What will it take for these guys to learn from the get-go ? You drink , you don’t behind the wheel of a vehicle. Girl says she wants to give you sum ? Make sure she’s got no cameras in the room or a kid in tow , or your _ss will be grass. And for God’s make sure your packin’ with the Trojans -ribbed of course ,for that added exra pleasure !

    I see that the judge in the Roethlisberger case believes that there’s a case to be made a trial ? Who’dve thoght it ? Poor old Ben , on top of a concussion and now this ? Luckily there’s no baby mama drama to contend with ! What’s that Michelle from Band Camp said she had sex with him and she used her clarinet, flute and oboe as some sort of party trick for Big Ben ? Well , I never !

    This is the boxing piece I did on the fighter Kassim Ouma. Let me know what you think as to the merits of the piece ? As and when you’re ready I’ll look forward to reading your comments.

    From The Killing Fields To The Boxing Ring One Man’s Journey …..

    Alan Parkins

  17. Chris

    I don’t want to spoil your ‘hump day’ being as you’re a hard working individual. But the guys back at the basketball oracle have re-opened the site. However, one of them I might has an interesting premise as to who he believes is the best center in the NBA at present. It’s a young kid who barely knows how to write , much less comprehend the nuances of the game. He has the Lakers’ Andrew Bynum over the Magic’s Dwight Howard. Never mind the fact that this has been Bynum’s first full year playing fit. Rounding out his top 10

    3) Chris Kaman -LA Clippers Fro God’s sake he plays on the god-damn Clippers
    4)Brooke Lopez -Nets – strange one ?
    5)Shaquille O’Neal -Cavs I’d have Shaq above Kamen and Lopez but nowhere near to top 5
    6)Emeka Okafor -Hornets – sound choice
    7)Marc Gasol – Grizzlies – Now I know that he’s been drinking 40’s -WTF ?
    8)Tyson Chandler -Bobcats- a push at best
    9) Andrew Bogut -Bucks – Has he even got a game to speak of
    10) Greg Oden- Blazers- Trailblazers

    Clearly this kid has a great deal of reading to do and then some ! I’m almost on the floor laughing at his choices.

    And nowhere to be seen amongst them is the name of the hybrid C/PF Tim Duncan. Well I never !

    Here’s a link to the piece . I’ll be writing NBA pieces for both sites as it’s now re-opened.

    The Basketball Oracle Top 10 Centers

    Now I know it’s best not to work with kids or animals. It’s not that they’re lazy or bright. It comes down to the fact that in large part their brains are still developing . So the knowledge attained thus far isn’t that great. Need I say anymore on the matter ?

    Alan Parkins

  18. Harry my boy! Nice with the J&C upgrade. That is my drink of choice as well…actually anything whiskey/bourbanish and coke will do in a pinch.

    Yes, there is another Michael Carrier. I tried to get hold of him yesterday to make sure you Gator*ucks weren’t *ucking with ol’ Petey-Poo.

    So Rev, since you are breaking down the game film for Bama and not-drinking/driving/crashing/doinking 21 yr old waitresses…well you confirmed the other three…who wins the SEC title??

    AND, what the hell has gotten into the Gator B-Ballers??? Making some early noise me thinks.

  19. Al… Tiger just shouldn’t have gotten married if he wanted to ‘sew his royal oats.’

    And at least Big Ben can plead the “I don’t recall” defense.

  20. Well, Pete, we had a little lapse after our championship run but I’m slowly starting to think that, as talented as he was, Calathes was not a good fit for the team.

    Nick was a great ball-handler so it made sense to play him at the point. But Donovan’s got too many other short dudes on the perimeter, so Calathes was stuck at the three a lot of the time.

    Our super Frosh, Kenny Boynton, will be nice and we have some incoming talent over the next few years to get us back to where we need to be. Our Georgetown transfer Macklin is a wide body as well.

    Nice win over Michigan State the other night. The AP Poll actually has us at 13.

    In the next two to three years, we’ll be back to possibly Final Four status.

  21. Chris

    I read your comment over at The Basketball Oracle. As I said there can’t have been much thought put into the article to begin with ! Mindless thoughts and lack of anything resembling common sense.

    Roy just didn’t get pounded in little over 2 minutes . He got knocked the _hit senseless. He didn’t know where he was when the referee counted him out. Can’t see him resuming his career after this , his most embarrassing loss.

    Thanks for the comments concerning the Ugandan boxer Kassim Ouma . Greatly appreciated !

    Here are my thoughts on Roy’s improbable and inexplicable loss to Danny Green in Sydney, Australia .

    One”s Fall From Grace Can Be Really Bad But When It’s There For All Too ,It Can’t Get Much Worse , Or Can It ?

    I’ll look forward to reading your comments. Bear in mind that Roy’s from Pensacola. So I don’t know if they’re beating up on someone . Or they’re dogfighting with a passion. I mean he did come out and openly support Vick before retracting his statement.

    Alan Parkins

  22. Chris

    Poor ol’ Joey is still carrying on with his preposterous argument concerning centers in the NBA. Now I know why it is they say ‘ a mind is a terrible thing to waste.’ The kid never had one to begin with !

    Dropped this on AI’s return to Philly and the 76ers.

    http://tophatal.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/they-say-you-can-never-go-back-home-well-ai-is-back-where-it-all-started/“> They Say You Can Never Go Back Home Well AI Is Back Where It All Started …..

    Alan Parkins

  23. Al… Joey’s entitled to his opinion, even if it is wrong. Again, there’s a lack of true centers in the NBA these days because everyone’s a hybrid. There’s nothing but 4/5’s. I mean, is Bosh a center? They list him as a power forward.

    I’m perfectly okay with blurring the lines but if we’re going to ask who the best centers are, who do we include? And why would we exclude Tim Duncan? He plays both positions depending on who the Spurs are matched up against.

  24. Was Roy Jones, Jr just not prepared for that fight? If Buster Douglas taught us anything, it’s not to overlook any opponent.

    That Ouma story was incredible, man. I hadn’t heard of him til you brought him up. Nice work. That was a good read.

  25. DB… PETA recently protested the fact that the University of Georgia brings their live mascot onto the field.

    Please don’t tell them I just killed a spider.

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