Let's Talk About Reality
By: Bob Berry
September 25, 1999

South Bend, Ind - As Bob Davie spoke in the press conference after the Michigan State loss at home, he said we have a tough schedule, a young team, and we are 1-3, it's reality. Could Bob Davie sound any more pathetic than that?  Apparently this man has no prior knowledge of anything that has ever happened at Notre Dame. He must think he is the first coach to ever take the field at this program. Let's take a look at the Bob Davie tenure as the head coach of Notre Dame.

When Bob Davie was announced as head coach for the 1997 season, everyone was optimistic for what appeared to be a great season.  We start the season with a new look stadium and new optimism. We had a veteran quarterback returning and what seemed to be a talented team. Meanwhile, down the road in West Lafayette, Purdue had hired a new coach, disposing themselves of coach Jim Coletto.  Joe Tiller was his name, and his job was to resurrect a Purdue program that had been down for years. Back in South Bend, Davie decided to hire this coach that had been associated with many losses at Purdue over recent times, Jim Coletto. He was to be the offensive coordinator. Of course Coletto was ecstatic to come to South Bend and infect the Irish with his losing ways. His claim to open up a new high flying passing offense for the Irish with Ron Powlus, got ND fans excited. However, that offense took a back seat before the season even started and Notre Dame lost to Purdue in the second game of the season. More losses would follow, but a late winning streak threw the Irish in Shreveport for the Poulan Weedeater bowl. Fans were optimistic with Davie's strong finish, and were willing to pardon the first season since it was his rookie year as a head coach.

In his second season, Davie started off with a bang by upsetting Michigan at Notre Dame Stadium. Fans everywhere are thinking national title until the massacre the following week in East Lansing. How can a coach let a team that just beat the defending national champion handily, be dominated the following week by a team much less talented? That's what we call poor preparation. However, the Irish got back to winning as they took seven in a row after the loss to Michigan St. But let's not forget that in that winning streak used by Davie as his claim to fame, we stop a weak Boston College team at the one inch line, and we pull out a miracle to beat Purdue. Not to mention the poor clock management against LSU that costs Jarious Jackson his knee, and cost the University several million dollars. What would have been a BCS bowl game, turned into a loss at the Gator Bowl. All in all, another mediocre season of football with another talented football team.

Dave likes to make excuses so don't believe what this man tell you. He likes to say over and over that his teams have no talent, that they are young, that the schedule is too difficult. Does Bob Davie not know that Notre Dame plays a tough schedule every year? Since when did Notre Dame play a cupcake schedule? Sorry coach, that excuse does not fly in South Bend. Also, don't let him fool you with his claims of youth and no talent. This team is flooded with talent and everyone knows it. This team is athletic and fast, and capable of playing with anyone. Just watch what will happen when Notre Dames plays Tennessee this year. Some people will think that Notre Dame will get beaten badly, but that will not be the case at all. Notre Dame's talent will show in that game because no matter what their record, the players know a big game when they see one. Davie will do nothing to help his team win that game, in fact he will be the reason they lose it. I have no doubt that the Irish will go to Knoxville, hold a lead in the second half, and falter at the end letting the Vols pull out a close game late. That is the nature of this football team, but mainly of this coach. This team won't win a close game, unless the other team decides to lose it. This season, we let other teams make plays in the end, instead of going out and making plays ourselves. Quite simply, that is why we are 1-3.

Let's take a look at how other new coaches have done compared to Davie in recent years at their new school. First, look at Purdue's Joe Tiller who really took over a program in shambles unlike Davie. Tiller immediately had an impact on Purdue by upsetting Notre Dame in his first season. Since then, as time has gone by, he has produced nothing but success. Purdue is a program on the rise back to a national status. He has developed the nation's premiere passer in Heisman Trophy favorite Drew Brees. How many Heisman candidates has Davie developed? Most likely the same number as he will develop, none. Also, look at Tommy Bowden, former coach of Tulane. He took a terrible Tulane team, developed a strong quarterback in Shawn King, and took them to an unbeaten season. The school's first ever. How about Houston Nutt who took a struggling Arkansas team, and in his first year had great success and was a fluke away from beating the national champion in their own stadium. Now, that's what you call a great coach having a great impact on a school's football program. Davie has come in to the most storied college football program in the nation, and turned it into nothing but pure mediocrity. Right there, is the reality of the situation. Take a look around coach and you will see. A simple comparison of the coaches that have made impacts with their new teams with far less talent than Notre Dame, and with Davie make things much clearer. Tiller, Bowden, and Nutt all inherited teams with far less talent than the Irish, and turned them around. Davie took a team with a lot of talent, and turned them all into underachievers.

I am sorry Bob, but now is the time to step down, admit your incompetence as coach, and let someone who can do the job fill your position. It's in your best interest as well as the University of Notre Dame's best interest. Make the Notre Dame family happy Bob, do the right thing.

The views and opinions in this article do not represent those of the webmasters of UHND, please direct all comments, compliments, etc to the author.