All Things Notre Dame - The Clashmore Mike Memorial Thread

[entropy]

Notre Dame AD: I was not leveraged by Brian Kelly's Eagles interview
By Jeremy Fowler | College Football Insider
January 12, 2013 6:28 pm ET

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly didn't push for a raise or an extension during this week's flirtation with the Philadelphia Eagles, athletics director Jack Swarbrick told CBSSports.com on Saturday night.

And he didn't need to -- Swarbrick said he started lobbying for Kelly's reworked contract more than a month ago.

The school announced Saturday that Kelly would remain at Notre Dame after interviewing for the Eagles job. Though Kelly and Swarbrick talked throughout the process, Kelly notified the school of his finalized plans earlier today, before returning to the U.S. from the Bahamas, Swarbrick said. The two sides actually didn't talk much this week because money wasn't an issue and Kelly was fact-finding on his own.

Swarbrick suggested Kelly receive a new deal during a post-regular season meeting in early December. Kelly did not make any new requests this week.

"In every possible way I wasn't being leveraged," Swarbrick said. "I know people think there's a direct connection between the two events, but in our case it felt more routine internally than it did externally."

Swarbrick said the new contract has "more work to do" and won't be done in the next few days or even weeks.

The Eagles called Swarbrick about Kelly shortly after Andy Reid's Dec. 30 firing and well before the Irish's national title game against Alabama on Jan. 7. Swarbrick told the Eagles it was important that Kelly not engage in conversations before the game, and the Eagles "understood and agreed. Brian was on board with that."

"In a sense it was great," Swarbrick said. "It made sure we were all on the same page."

Swarbrick said he knew Kelly was considering the job but always figured he'd return. As for whether Kelly will dance with the NFL every year, Swarbrick said maybe his coach's fact-finding process this week factors into his long-term planning.

"He absolutely burns to win a national title at Notre Dame," Swarbrick said.

"There is nothing new in the world except for the history you do not know." Harry Truman

Post Extras:

[Clashmore Mike]

Right...if there wasn't any leveraging going on, then Kelly's agent needs to be fired immediately.

From what I hear, discussion topics were staff pay, additional strength and conditioning staff, something to do with nutrition and the training table, field turf and a jumbo-tron...the last two being a constant headache for Swarbrick as they are sources of contention between the older and younger generations of ND alum. I'm sure the old-school alums folded like a cheap suit if Kelly really did bring those things to the table.

Regardless, it sounds like Kelly's interest in making the jump to the NFL was at least partially legit. NDNation will just have to prepare itself for the fact that he won't be here forever...a flip-side of being a competitive program I guess. At least Swarbrick has time to network and put together a list of viable candidates.

[Rocky Bleier]

No, Kelly stayed because he loves Notre Dame and will never leave. Seriously, Harbaugh would be doing the same if he had come to Michigan. Maybe better to hire a guy like Hoke who truly has his dream job.

[Jeff Buchanan]

.... that is a very interesting hypothesis. I agree with you on Harbaugh. Jimmy Ballgame would have done that the end of each season, his demands directly proportional X4 to wins and level of the bowl he got M to.

Do you think it applies to ufm? Would he leverage the ohio BoT with threats to go to the NFL. I think he will going forward, when? Don't know but I think he will.

..... and I'm not going to lay all this on him. It seems to be the current market strategy employed by the agents of the elite coaches when it is an appropriate card to play. Guys like the Kelleys, maybe miles, though his stock value is down this year, but seemingly not Saban. (a) He has already tried that gig and failed, (b) I thnik he really likes being the king of the heap in college ball.

But, back to the point. I don't think Hoke was hired purposely to avoid the potential of moving to the NFL. While I don't think he would and his stock is not high enough, it could be at some point and I will guarantee you, these guys are not immune to shocking moves when powerful people looking for new hires come calling with suitcases full of money.

[lineygoblue]

I don't know why people continue to link Saban with NFL jobs.

His method of coaching doesn't work in the NFL. In college, he can intimidate the kids, an if they don't perform, he just recruits another one behind him and pushes him out of the way. In the NFL you can't do that, with all the guaranteed contracts, no trade clauses, etc. The prima donnas rule in the NFL.

Saban is in his destination job. He will be there until either he retires, or Alabama gets tired of winning.

I'm a bit surprised at the NFL interest by Brian Kelly. His coaching style is similar to Saban's, and would not work in the NFL. I think he knows that, but will probably continue to use the threat of moving to the NFL to get what he wants out of Notre Dame. If ND doesn't bend to his wishes, he may move on to another program. I could see him in the SEC, or at Texas, Texas A&M, et al ...

[hack]

I don't think Hoke was hired purposely to avoid the potential of moving to the NFL.

I don't think that's quite the way they would phrase it, but I absolutely think so. The UM football coach has to be someone who wants to retire in the job. Ann Arbor's collective ego wants that more than it does to appear to be trying too hard to win.

[Rocky Bleier]

I don't think Hoke is motivated by money or ego. He seems to be completely satisfied where he is. He's the kind of guy who truly believes his wife is the best woman in the world and thinks he's the luckiest guy in the world because she married him.

[Clashmore Mike]

No, Kelly stayed because he loves Notre Dame and will never leave.

Heh...there are a plethora of ND fans who desperately want this to be the case...matched with a contingent who want him fired for lack of integrity...it's been an emotional week.

Seriously, Harbaugh would be doing the same if he had come to Michigan. Maybe better to hire a guy like Hoke who truly has his dream job.

Technically we had a guy like that in Charlie Weis...and no, that wasn't a Hoke to Weis comparison other than the dream job part. You guys have done exceedingly well IMO.

We've been through this enough that we simply cannot dump this guy because he doesn't bleed blue & gold. I had never considered the NFL a threat as he's been coaching CFB for 20+ years, but in really looking at it, this is also his fourth job in less than a decade...so he's certainly been moving up the ladder and I don't know that he doesn't have NFL aspirations. He's certainly young enough, with enough credibility now that he can make the jump, and if he fails, come back to the college ranks and command top dollar.

I look at it this way. He's got to follow up this season with more success if he's going to make this jump...which benefits me as an ND fan. If he bolts, he will be leaving the program in the best shape its been in in decades, having shattered any/all myths about not being able to win at ND, with top flight talent at most positions. And now, there is no excuse at all for Swarbrick not to be networking and making in-roads to top replacement candidates so we don't get caught flat-footed.

[whodean]

Mantei Teo is a fraud

http://deadspin.com/5976517/manti-teos-dead-girlfriend-the-most-heartbreaking-and-inspirational-story-of-the-college-football-season-is-a-hoax

[drok]

Just finished reading that: WTF

That was one of the most jaw-dropping things I've ever read.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Incredible if true .......

I think I'll withhold judgement till we see how this all plays out. This is tabloid shit. None of it is reliable at this point.

[Mike]

Now ND has released a bizarre statement that Te'o is the victim of a hoax. If that's the case, why the hell didn't anybody say so publicly before now? This is a very weird situation. It sounds like Manti concocted the whole thing and ND is trying to provide cover.

[WM Wolverine]

Hoax? Te'o played along then as he 'talked' to this girl, they were a couple, etc.

[Mike]

Exactly. I don't see how anyone can claim Manti wasn't involved. As well as his father. The South Bend Tribune has actual quotes from Brian Te'o that he talked to the girlfriend on the phone when she got out of the hospital. WTF. The whole thing is mind-boggling and very disturbed.

[Mike]

Manti Te'o statement from ESPN.com:

"This is incredibly embarrassing to talk about, but over an extended period of time, I developed an emotional relationship with a woman I met online. We maintained what I thought to be an authentic relationship by communicating frequently online and on the phone, and I grew to care deeply about her.

"To realize that I was the victim of what was apparently someone's sick joke and constant lies was, and is, painful and humiliating.

"It further pains me that the grief I felt and the sympathies expressed to me at the time of my grandmother's death in September were in any way deepened by what I believed to be another significant loss in my life.

"I am enormously grateful for the support of my family, friends and Notre Dame fans throughout this year. To think that I shared with them my happiness about my relationship and details that I thought to be true about her just makes me sick. I hope that people can understand how trying and confusing this whole experience has been.

"In retrospect, I obviously should have been much more cautious. If anything good comes of this, I hope it is that others will be far more guarded when they engage with people online than I was.

"Fortunately, I have many wonderful things in my life, and I'm looking forward to putting this painful experience behind me as I focus on preparing for the NFL Draft."

He and his father are lying, deceitful, pieces of shit.