Mmmmm.... Kool-Aid!

Even ESPN is starting to drink the Kool-Aid this year.

After an earlier post where I placed the Irish at 20th in the nation after spring ball, the pundits are starting to taste the "this team just may grow up" kool-aid that us ND fans have been gulping to help us through the offseason following 3-9.

Mark Schlabach, of ESPN, placed the Irish at 25 in his latest preseason rankings.

To put this in perspective, on Schlabach's rankings only two (2) Irish opponents are ranked ahead: #4 U$C, and #19 Pitt. Which means, if Schlabach's rankings held true to form, that the Irish would end the season at 10-2, or thereabouts.

And Schlabach isn't the only one coming around. Pat Forde's first note in his latest column:

1. Notre Dame will be better.
Perhaps improved enough to lose another bowl game. But part of the Fighting Irish fan base won't notice, because it'll be consumed with watching for Scourge of Humanity Ty Willingham to fail at Washington.

While it's not exactly a ringing endorsement (and of course has the obligatory shot at our recent bowl record - original stuff, Pat), it acknowledges what many around the program are starting to realize: That much talent will start to win sooner or later.

So scoff all you will, haters. But the truth will out.

Domer Law blog endorses Steve Orsini for Athletic Director

After considering all of the candidates for a couple of weeks, and reading everything I could get my hands on about the potential candidates out there right now, I am finally prepared to endorse a candidate for Athletics Director at the University of Notre Dame: Steve Orsini, currently at Southern Methodist University.

The straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak, was this article about the hiring of June Jones at SMU.

Southern Methodist was the first and only recipient of the NCAA's feared "death penalty" back in the 1980s, and has not been any type of contender since, with only one winning season since (6-5 in 1997). The hiring of June Jones constituted a major paradigm shift at SMU - hiring an elite coach and paying him as if you were already a top 25 program. And to fund this bold move, Orsini personally put together a group of alums to pay the salary.

That kind of drive and vision is exactly what this athletics department needs. Kevin White was a great administrator that did many wonderful things for Notre Dame athletics. However, he never seemed to engage some of the University's most powerful tools - namely, its tradition and history, and wealthy and dedicated alumni network. Orsini managed to do this at a program that had been dead for over 20 years, reinvigorating the entire program.

This is the type of vision that will find a way to make an Alabama - Notre Dame series fit into the NBC contract and current scheduling commtiments. The type of vision that will ensure that every hire is an upgrade, and that every facility is top notch. The type of vision and leadership that can bring all of Notre Dame athletics - not just football - back to the apogee of collegiate athletics. He can bring the Notre Dame basketball team back to the Final Four, and restore Notre Dame's place at the pinnacle of college football. He can build on the solid foundation that Kevin White has laid and take this university to the next level.

Notre Dame Adding Talent On and Off the Field

While I was away at my first legal conference, there were a couple of commitments on the recruiting front.

Dan Fox, a 4-star outside linebacker from St. Ignatius (Cleveland, OH), was no surprise to me. Ignatius has been a pipeline to Notre Dame, sending Robby Parris and John Ryan to Notre Dame ahead of him. More importantly, Mr. Fox has a history with Notre Dame. His father worked at the University as a new immigrant in the 1930s. He's an athletic kid, with good pass defense skills from the linebacker position. He needs to bulk up a bit, but has a lot of upside.

Alex Bullard is a 4-star offensive guard we plucked out of the Volunteer State, a recruiting ground that is becoming increasingly fertile for the Irish. He had an impressive offer list, including Alabama, Michigan, Oklahoma and Florida. He could play either tackle or guard in college, a trait that Weis loves in his linemen. Also, he comes from good stock, being the son of former Seahawks O-lineman Louis Bullard.

*****

There is no news on the search for a new athletic director, but there is a new addition to the Irish staff that I wanted to highlight.

Chris Zorich has taken a position at the University as manager of student welfare and development in the athletic department. Chris' return to his alma mater is VERY good news for Irish athletics. Chris Zorich, for me, is a shining example of a true Notre Dame man. From his beginnings on Chicago's south side in a rough neighborhood, through his career as a student athlete at Notre Dame and an all-star lineman for the Chicago Bears, to attending law school at Notre Dame and starting the Christopher Zorich foundation, he represents all that is good at Notre Dame.

I had the distinct privilege of briefly meeting Chris at a recent event celebrating the 100th anniversary of the South Bend YMCA. His speech at that event truly moved me, largely because he not only remembered the impact of the YMCA on him as a young person, but also clearly remembered the name of his swim instructor as a child and credited him with inspiring him to rise above his modest beginnings.

As a lifeguard and swim instructor at the YMCA for the past 12 years, I felt good about my contributions to the lives of young people, but never believed they would remember me down the road, much less credit me with any of their success. Furthermore, when I went to thank Mr. Zorich after his speech, he took several minutes to talk about my time at the YMCA, and then thanked ME for my service.

He is a hard worker and a supremely ethical person who has been a great asset to every organization he has been involved with in his career. I'm sure he will rise quickly in the ranks here at Notre Dame.

He is no shy kitten, either.

The Chicago Tribune reported that Zorich has no small ambition at Notre Dame. He wants to rise to Athletic Director.

While he isn't experienced or polished enough for the position right now, I can certainly see Zorich being in a perfect position to take the reins after the next director concludes his career. And if he does, I am supremely confident that he will do so with distinction.

Welcome back home to Notre Dame, Chris.

Kevin White's legacy

I jumped off the Kevin White bandwagon a long time ago, around the time of the O'Leary fiasco and the renegotiation of the BCS deal.

However, with his departure to North Carolina to lead the athletic department of the Duke Blue Devils, I wanted to take a moment to give credit to White for his major successes as the leader of the Fightin' Irish, as many people are loathe to do.

First and foremost, White hired Coach Weis to lead the football program. Say what you will about the Urban Meyer fiasco, or Weis' 3-9 season last year. But no matter which way you slice it, White should be credited for bringing in the man who rebuilt (almost from scratch) the nation's premier football program. Weis, unlike his predecessor, is an obsessive workaholic who understands the university (Weis was class of '77), and will give his entire life to bringing the football program back to the pinnacle of college football.

And it is from that mold hat we should frame our search for a new athletics director.

Now, I'm not calling White lazy, as I have no idea what type of work ethic he had. However, he did not "get" Notre Dame the way the true Notre Dame men and women do. His 7-4-1 scheduling philosophy, the SDSU and Nevada scheduling debacle, the BCS renegotiation, and his unwillingess to rise up to meet the overtures of schools like Alabama for a home-and-home (related to the 7-4-1, I know) all showed that he did not appreciate or understand how to leverage Notre Dame's unique position of independence.

Therefore, I believe that Notre Dame needs to tap into it's vast financial resources and hire, at whatever cost, the best candidate for the position.

And in my mind, there are only a handful of people that should even be considered.

My number one target would be Gene Smith, the athletic director of Ohio State. A 1977 graduate of the University and member of its 1973 football team who won the national championship, he is certainly experienced enough with the Notre Dame program to understand the uniqueness of this team. He is currently the AD at a top 5 athletics department in the nation, at a school with a top tier football program. Under his watch, the football team has separated themselves from the pack in the Big Ten, going to back-to-back National Title games, and being favored to head there again this season. More importantly, much of the controversy that surrounded the program at the beginning of the Tressel era has settled down under his watch. The basketball program has also appeared in the National Title game under his watch. The drawbacks to Gene Smith are that he did not hire either of the coaches at Ohio State under his watch, as he has been there only a couple of years. There is some concern that he may be reaping the benefits of the previous administration.

Also, Mr. Smith appears to have taken his hat out of the ring, in a recent statement. However, I would not allow that to deter Notre Dame from making a substantial offer to Mr. Smith to lure him away. I think he is the best candidate, and should be made an offer he can't refuse.

My only non-Notre Dame target would be Jeremy Foley, the AD at Florida, who outmaneuvered us for the services of Urban Meyer, and is the highest paid AD in the country and has been responsible for resurrecting Florida from a one-hit wonder to THE premier athletics program in the country, hands down. He would be tough to pull away, as he is essentially tenured at Florida, with a ridiculous salary and all but guaranteed to be there until retirement age under his current contract.

Steve Orsini is also a top target, the current director at Southern Methodist, and also a captain of the 1977 National Championship team at Notre Dame. His major credit was building Central Florida literally from nothing to a Conference USA member and contender in all sports, including Division I football. The knock on Orsini is his lack of top tier football experience, as the most prestigious football school he's been involved in was Georgia Tech. Also, Orsini's current post at SMU is (like Smith's) only a couple of years old, and he may be unwilling to give up on his commitment there so soon.

There are other people that I would be willing to accept as athletics director, but I would make every effort to secure one of these candidates before seriously considering the second tier candidates in the hunt (Barry Alvarez, Missy Conboy, etc.).

Reunion Weekend

For the 2nd year in a row, I'll be working the annual Notre Dame Alumni Association's Reunion at the University of Notre Dame. I'll be one of the shuttle drivers (shuttle #34, to be exact).

I did this last year, just after law school ended, and had a great time meeting fellow alums. I also made a little bit of much needed money, as Notre Dame alums are by and large generous tippers. This year, I have the opportunity to work again, and I'm really looking forward to it. It will put me a little bit behind, however, so it may be a little while before I post again.

If you are in town for reunion, feel free to ask the transportation for me specifically (shuttle 34).

Also (although I doubt she ever reads this...), I'd like to congratulate my little sister, Laura, on her graduation from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Cum laude.

I'm so proud. ;)

2008 Post-Spring College Football Preview

Here is my early 2008 pre-season rankings, which are subject to change once all of the surprises of summer camp shake out. My Irish moved up my list from where I had them a few days ago, with the official announcement that Will Yeatman and Pat Kuntz will be back with the team this year (during Spring Football, Yeatman was suspended and Kuntz was not enrolled). Many will probably criticize my optimism for the Irish this year, but I was looking through the teams being bandied about as top 25 material, and many of them had bigger holes to fill than the Irish.

1. Ohio State
I vasillated back and forth between Georgia and Ohio State here at #1, as both are teams without major holes to fill, top to bottom. Wells may be one of the year's leaders for the Heisman, in a year where there seems to be a lack of superstars.
2. Georgia
Georgia is also an unexciting pick, but they are so solid across the board, it's hard to put anyone else ahead of them. Look for Knowshon Moreno to have a breakout year.
3. Oklahoma
Championships are won in the trenches, and nobody has a better trench than the Sooners this year. The question for them is whether they can find a running back to run through those holes. QB Bradford appears to be the real deal.
4. Southern California
The Trojans have more raw talent than any two teams in the country right now, but their program is quickly devolving into a circus. They'll run away from most of the teams they play, but they'll stumble along the way as they lose focus.
5. Louisiana State
LSU has a lot of talent returning on offense, and they always put out a solid defense, even if they did lose alot from their defensive line. Alot like the Sooners, the Tigers need to find a tailback.
6. Missouri
With Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin back, this offense will have pop. Can they find a new tailback to balance the passing game? Their senior-laden defense should be solid.
7. Virginia Tech
The biggest question in Blacksburg is whether the Hokies can effectively manage their two quarterbacks (Taylor and Glennon), while struggling to rebuild their front seven on defense.
8. Kansas
A slightly cheaper knockoff of Mizzou, the Jayhawks return a top QB, and are looking for a new tailback to go with a senior-laden defense. However, the 'Hawks don't have phenom Jeremy Maclin.
9. Florida
Florida brings back Heisman winner Tim Tebow, and at first glance appeared to be a top team. However, their losses to the draft hurt them. Percy Harvin and Tebow have the pop to make this team dangerous, but the holes on the defensive line and defensive secondary are cause for concern.
10. Illinois
Strange, but true: Illinois could be the best team in the Big Ten this year. Although the Buckeyes are clearly deeper and more balanced, Illinois has some talent (Juice Williams and Arrelious Benn) that could give them some explosiveness. Replacing Rashard Mendenhall is problem #1 for the Illini, and could hurt them (badly) this season.

11. Texas
12. Clemson
13. Texas Tech
14. Wisconsin
15. Tennessee
16. Auburn
17. Arizona State
18. South Florida
19. Penn State

20. Notre Dame
The Irish have so much young talent, and there isn't anyhwhere to go but up. Michigan and Purdue are going to have off years, making Michigan State our second biggest challenge behind the Trojans. The favorable schedule, with the warm-up game against San Diego State, should build confidence as this young team comes into it's own. They'll stumble a bit, as fully half of the starters will still be underclassmen, but there will be huge gains from last year's ordeal.

21. Connecticut
22. Virginia
23. Boise State
24. Florida State
25. Alabama

USC controversy

With the recent allegations of impropriety at USC (this time in their basketball program), I got to wondering exactly how many incidents there have been at USC involving alleged violations or or misconduct. I found exactly what I was looking for over on Bruins Nation, a great UCLA blog.

Please click on the above link to read the full article, it's well worth it. The author even required two sources before putting any of the allegations in the list, making me wonder how many non-corroborated stories are swirling around the program.

I would like to point out some of the more significant events:

* Pete Carroll was hired as head football coach by USC in 2001.

* On August 23, 2001, the NCAA placed USC's athletic department on probation for two years and cut scholarships because tutors wrote papers for three athletes in the late 1990s. (Ed. note: This could become extremely important in any future NCAA investigation, as it may open the door to treating USC as a repeat violator, with harsher punishments.)

* On January 14, 2005, Tim Floyd was hired as head basketball coach by USC.

* On December 21, 2005, USC starting quarterback Matt Leinart had his eligibility temporarily revoked after appearing in a promotional segment on ESPN earlier that month, a violation of an NCAA rule. Leinart was reinstated shortly thereafter. One observer claims the NCAA was just concerned about money.

* On January 1, 2006, reporters from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and CBS Sportline reportedly told the USC football team about potential recruiting violations stemming from visits by USC recruits to Papadakis Taverna, a Greek restaurant owned by former USC linebacker John Papadakis. As of July 2007, the investigation by USC compliance officials continued.

* On January 21, 2006, USC quarterback Matt Leinart was cited by the Pac-10 for working out with his own coach using school facilities. According to the NCAA, a student athlete cannot utilize the school's facilities to work out with a coach, unless the coach is affiliated with the university.

* On April 21, 2006, the family of USC running back Reggie Bush was implicated by numerous separate media reports as having lived in a house purchased by a San Diego-area man with ties to a sports agent and a tribal casino. Both the Pac-10 and the NCAA have launched an investigation into potential NCAA violations in connnection with this matter, which is pending. More recent reports in this fast evolving story are here, here, and here. Yahoo Sports, which is responsible for much of the investigative reporting on this issue, has set up a page dedicated to its eight-month probe here.

* On April 30, 2006, it was reported that USC compliance officials were investigating whether an NCAA rule was violated because receiver Dwayne Jarrett failed to pay approximately $10,000 for his half of the rent for an upscale apartment he shared with former quarterback Matt Leinart. USC claims that no rules were violated, though it was initially reported that Jarret may have to sit out a portion of the 2006-07 season. Jarrett ultimately avoided punishment and was the 45th pick in the 2007 NFL draft. After a disappointing season, Jarrett was arrested on March 11, 2008 and charged with driving under the influence.

* In August of 2006, USC defensive back Brandon Ting quit the football team after reportedly testing postive for steroid use. His twin brother, Ryan, also a defensive back on the USC football team, quit the team just days later, claiming that he wanted to concentrate on preparing for medical school, and was never tested. Interestingly, Arthur Ting, father of the twins, is a Bay Area orthopedic surgeon who has reportedly appeared as a witness before a grand jury considering possible perjury charges against baseball's Barry Bonds, one of Arthur's clients. This incident finally triggered some real interest by the LA Times.

* On October 16, 2006, it was announced that then 14-year-old high school freshman Dwayne Polee Jr., who had yet to even play a game at Westchester high, had verbally committed to USC’s basketball team. Though not improper, the early commitment was unconventional, and was repeated in June 2007 when USC announced the verbal commitment of 14-year-old middle school player Ryan Boatright, who, at the time, had not yet even decided upon where he was going to high school. Further eyebrows were raised in June 2007, when USC hired Dwayne Polee Sr., father of Dwayne Polee Jr., as Director of Basketball Operations, amid charges of nepotism.

* In January 2007, a federal investigation into extortion claims by former USC running back Reggie Bush and his family revealed the existence of taped converstations that could confirm Bush took cash and gifts while he was playing football for USC. It was also reported that nearly $280,000 in cash, rent and gifts were allegedly given to Bush and his family. The information came to light following the issuance of grand jury subpoenas to multiple witness by the U.S. District Attorney's office in San Diego. Both the NCAA and Pac-10 continue to investigate. Also, more recent articles suggest that Reggie Bush was involved earlier and more deeply than previously reported in efforts to create the sports marketing agency at the center of the continuing controversy. The investigation has, to date, yielded no definitive proof that USC officials had knowledge of Bush's misconduct, though Bush was nevertheless asked not to attend the Trojans' Rose Bowl matchup against Michigan on New Year's Day.

* On February 2, 2007, it was reported that a "stampede of student athletes," including three USC linemen, ex-USC receiver Keary Colbert, and members of the USC women's basketball, volleyball and water polo teams, had improperly attempted to take an academic shortcut around the university's foreign language requirement by signing up for a course at Los Angeles Trade Tech College taught by USC graduate Senora Ross, who promised to give the athletes no lower than a "B." Upon discovering the situation, USC officials disallowed the transfer of credits from Trade Tech.

* On February 9, 2007, USC compliance officials announced they were investigating whether an NCAA violation occurred during the Trojans' pursuit of Louisiana prep star running back Joe McKnight. The investigation followed reports that McKnight had told reporters that USC coach Pete Carroll had set up a conference call so he and high school coach J.T. Curtis could be assured by ex-Trojan running back Reggie Bush that USC would not be punished for a separate NCAA investigation into improper benefits allegedly taken by Bush. Carroll later denied that any call took place, and Curtis said that McKnight misspoke. According to NCAA officials, if USC got Bush's help in recruiting McKnight, it would be considered a "secondary violation" of recruiting rules.

* On April 14, 2007, it was announced that Percy Romeo Miller, also known as Romeo (and formerly Lil' Romeo) had been offered a basketball scholarship to USC. The scholarship offer, to a 5-foot-10 point guard with a bad knee who had never played a full season of high-school basketball, was roundly criticized by national commentators as a thinly veiled attempt by USC to obtain the commitment of Miller's friend, prep star and NBA prospect Demar DeRozan, while ignoring Miller's mediocre at best talent.

* In the first week of August, 2007, there were new developments in the NCAA investigation of former USC running back Reggie Bush, when it was reported that audio recordings that allegedly establish an improper financial relationship between Bush and a would-be sports marketing agent were played for NCAA investigators. The tapes were revealed after Lloyd Lake, a partner in failed sports marketing agency New Era Sports enterprise, filed a lawsuit against Bush and his family, seeking to recoup nearly $300,000 in benefits Lake claims he helped provide. Lake's allegations were further detailed in January 2008, with the publication of Don Yaeger's book Tarnished Heisman, which chronicled various allegations swirling around Bush's USC tenure, including claims that Bush received $47,000 out of an overall $291,000 that went to his family from sports marketer Lake. That same month, published reports contained Lake's (unsubstantiated) allegation that USC coaches knew Bush was taking money in violation of NCAA rules.

* In early November 2007, USC forward Davon Jefferson was suspended for the team's embarrassing season-opening loss to Mercer. Jefferson, who required two years to meet the NCAA's minimum academic requirements and was kicked out of prep school before he joined USC, was also later benched for much of a narrow loss at Stanford and also suspended for a loss to Washington State. After clashing with Floyd, Jefferson did not even inform the school of his decision to turn pro.

* On January 21, 2008, USC freshman guard O.J. Mayo was alleged to have violated NCAA rules by accepting complimentary tickets from Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony to a Lakers-Nuggets game at Staples Center. Coach Floyd subsequently took the blame, and Mayo was ultimately required to donate the value of the tickets to charity.

* On April 6, 2008, USC sophomore tailback Joe McKnight was held out of the team's scrimmage and it was announced that he would miss the final week of spring workouts because he was academically ineligible to participate. McKnight had dropped a class, leaving him without the 12 units required for eligibility.

* On May 2, 2008, the judge in the civil litigation between former USC running back Reggie Bush and Lloyd Lake ordered the parties to appear in June 2008 for their depositions, and denied Bush's attempts to impose a "gag order" to prevent the deposition transcripts from being shared with the NCAA. The judge also set a trial date of March 13, 2009.

* On May 6, 2008, it was announced that USC's men's basketball team was the only major athletic program in the Southland penalized with scholarship losses as the result of a poor performance in the NCAA's academic progress rate. The Trojans were penalized in part because Lodrick Stewart, Nick Young and Gabe Pruitt stopped attending class after the 2007 season, and because three players transferred within the same season. USC's APR score of 804 was 121 points below the minimum-acceptable mark, and stemmed from various academic problems, including Gabe Pruitt's academic ineligibility for the fall 2006 semester, and his ineligibility again following the spring 2007 semester. USC served the penalty during the 2007-08 season.

* On May 13, 2008, ESPN aired an episode of Outside the Lines that contained extensive, well-documented allegations that USC guard O.J. Mayo received improper benefits from a sports agent (BDA Sports) and that agent's runner (Rodney Guillory) both before and during his one season at USC. It was alleged that Guillory received benefits in excess of $200,000, while Mayo received $30,000 in benefits, including cash, clothes, cell phone service, and a flat screen television for his dorm room. USC immediately faced a storm of criticism, with several prominent commentator calling for sanctions, including the so-called "death penalty." The criticism of USC intensified as it was reported that Guillory was given largely unfettered access to Mayo and the athletic department, after a highly unusual recruitment process, despite USC knowing of his involvement with agents, including a prior scandal with USC's Jeff Trepagnier, for many years. The Pac-10 and the NCAA have launched investigations. Developing.

I redacted all of the criminal charges and allegations at USC, as well as the incidents (like O.J. Simpson and Suge Knight at games and practices) that paint a better picture of the thug culture being cultivated at SC. I only included the potential NCAA violations.

The two highest profiles athletes at USC in the past 5 years are embroiled in full scale investigations into improprieties, and there have been several high profile recruiting stories that paint a picture of questionable practices.

I have always said that the USC rivalry with Notre Dame is one of the best rivalries in all of sport. However, since the beginning of the Carroll era, the rivalry feels more like the Catholics vs. Convicts rivalry with Miami in the '80s than the glory days of the John McKay era of the 70s.

I hope that USC is punished for their wrongdoing, but only enough to bring about a regime change in the administration and leadership - I don't want such an illustrious and successful program brought to its knees. But I also haven't seen a better picture of "lack of institutional control."