As you've no doubt heard, Irish Illustrated is reporting that Jon Tenuta is joining the ND Football coaching staff. I'm not going to link to them. They've really ticked me off. This is just another example of Irish Illustrated being unable to act with any sense of responsibility to the program that essentially makes it possible for them to exist as a business. There's still not 100% confirmation from any ND officials that this is happening. If it is, in fact, happening, there area many reasons why Notre Dame and Charlie Weis haven't announced it yet: perhaps they wanted to let the players know first, they probably wanted to make sure the recruits knew about it and were comfortable, they certainly wanted to do background checks and prepare for such a big announcement. Maybe they just didn't want to give the Urban Meyers of the world a little more reason to be calling Irish commits. So why on earth Irish Illustrated couldn't see fit to keep their big yaps shut is beyond me.
Here's a little hint to Irish Illustrated: We knew, or at least heard about this, days ago. And we're just a few guys with professions completely outside the sports journalism world. How pathetic is that, II? You've probably spent a full day hurriedly pursuing a "lead," and developing your "sources" for this "story." We sat around, watched a little American Gladiator, and someone e-mailed it to us. But we decided not to post anything about it because A) it's still only rumor and B) the program that we care about wanted to wait on announcing it. But that's cool. If you want to go stomping on the feet of those who make it possible to garner your wages, feel free. I've never subscribed to Irish Illustrated. I suggest all other Irish fans follow my lead. If you really want a service that can give you great information and does their business with some sense of honor, then there are far better choices out there for Notre Dame football fans.
To say I'm surprised that II did this would be wrong. I figured if we knew about it, others did too. I was mostly just waiting to see which site decided to break with it rather than just keeping quiet and letting ND announce things on their own schedule. II is the same site, of course, that managed to put a wrench in the recruiting works of 2007 with their little depth-chart-engineering stunt/article, scaring the bejesus out of certain recruits. To assume that those in charge of Irish Illustrated are fans of Notre Dame would be foolish.
No word yet on if Irish Illustrated's loose lips have managed to put holes in the 2008 Irish Recruiting Barge, but what was looking like a final recruiting week with few downsides and lots of potential upside just got a lot shakier. Way to go Irish Illustrated. Nobody likes you.
By The Biscuit January 31, 2008 - 5:25 pm
I hope, and think, that the recruits in our class will take this with a grain of salt. That 1) it’s a rumor at this point and nothing more and 2) that they’ve bought into a lot more than just 1 coach. But either, way II is a bunch of morons. Have never subscribed, will never subscribe, and they seriously are on the shite list going forward. They were already last year for the MORONIC episode they pulled with the depth chart tinkering. Now they’re at it again. I swear, that place is run by scUM alums…
That said, if it’s true, no recruit should worry, because Tenuta is one of the greatest CFB defensive minds out there, and would be a great addition to Corwin’s staff. But, it’s just a rumor right now, that’s all.
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By DeepTeaKup January 31, 2008 - 5:29 pm
Interesting, very interesting. So what exactly is his rumored position on the staff? I can’t see him coming in to work for someone who, no offense, is not as qualified as he is.
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By DeepTeaKup January 31, 2008 - 5:29 pm
To clairfy, I do mean CB is not as qualified.
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By domer.mq January 31, 2008 - 5:35 pm
DTK,
I’m hearing he’ll be LB coach/Asst HC/Asst DC. Corwin will be DC/CB Coach. Really, it’s a great fit. Even if he only sticks around for a year, Weis and Corwin will learn a lot from him – so will the LBs. It’s an awesome hire by Weis, but there are good reasons for waiting to announce it.
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By weisgipper January 31, 2008 - 5:35 pm
Good Work again Guys! Love the blog.
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By DeepTeaKup January 31, 2008 - 5:38 pm
domer,
No doubt this could be a qualit hire, but the co-dc is currently only done by Urban, IIRC. Clearly Charlie is learning from Urban
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By domer.mq January 31, 2008 - 5:44 pm
heh. True, but I get the sense that Tenuta’s titles will have more to do with pay-grade than actual function. I don’t think it’ll be “co-dc” in the same sense as they have in Florida. Corwin will be calling the shots.
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By The Biscuit January 31, 2008 - 5:54 pm
i have no info, but i’d be shocked if CW didn’t sit down with Corwin and let him know that JT would not be co-DC or anything of the sort. and that he got Corwin’s buy-in before moving forward at all. Corwin is, and will be, the DC. Charlie likes him, the players LOVE him, and he calls a good D. The players need to develop, the talent needs to develop, but the coach is THERE. Tenuta will be a great complement, but he won’t replace CB in any way. And I don’t think CB isn’t qualified at all, DTK. Young, yes. But he’s qualified for the job. At least as much as that dude from Stanford that RR hired.
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By domer.mq January 31, 2008 - 5:56 pm
Lewis is/was the “Assistant Head Coach – defense,” so the Tenuta/Brown working relationship wouldn’t be any different from the Lewis/Brown relationship.
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By DeepTeaKup January 31, 2008 - 7:03 pm
Biscuit, never said Corwin Brown was not qualified, after all look where he played in college. I just think Tenuta is more qualified.
This is probably going to work out quite well for ND but it could create a problem should the D struggle. Will CW feel pressured to promote JT if there is not a noticable improvement in the D this year?
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By DeepTeaKup January 31, 2008 - 7:07 pm
Biscuit,
And that guy RR hired from Stanford is actually a pretty similar hire to CB, young, energetic.
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By domer.mq January 31, 2008 - 7:13 pm
DTK,
I hate the hire that dickrod made for DC. That guy is very, very good. And blitz-happy. I hate him.
That said, chances of the ND D “struggling”: .05%. Chances of the ND D becoming the most glorious sight these eyes have ever seen: 99.05%. I’ll take my chances.
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By DeepTeaKup January 31, 2008 - 7:19 pm
Domer,
Using your totals, does that leave a 0.90% chance of the being a total cluster-f?
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By domer.mq January 31, 2008 - 7:23 pm
I leave .90% in all chances calculations as an homage to my math teachers in high school.
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By The Biscuit January 31, 2008 - 8:17 pm
.90% should be your new handle. As in, .90% of what you say is worth listening to.
snap, biotch.
DTK, I get what you’re saying now – I didn’t understand that you were saying relative to Tenuta. Who, is of course, more qualified. But then, so was Lewis. So I think it’ll be a good match.
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