Tids and Bits

Was watching a tape from the Princeton Yale soccer game on FSC from the other week - and I heard the Princeton faithful - the students no doubt - with their very own "I believe" chant. First time I've noticed it anywhere outside of Knott Arena.

Friday nights at Warrior Stadium just aren't going to be the same next year. One of my favorite coaches of all time stepped down from his post this week. Sam Leedy who guided the Gettysburg High School football team to places it had never been before opted to call it a career after 27 years as the head man - and another 6 as an assistant. Back-to-back 3-7 seasons after the magical run to the District Championship game in 2007, weren't the deserved ending. I spent many an evening talking more than just football with Sam over the years. He's going to be missed. As we are both graduates of Gettysburg High School and supporters of the program, I'm sure Sam will share in my wishes that the next head coach have more success than he did. However, that will be a tall tall task indeed. My best to Sam and his wife Joan in whatever the future holds for them. Thanks for the hard work and dedication and building a program that has provided so much to this community over the years.

The problems at Notre Dame aren't just with the coaching situation. When Charlie Weis is dismissed on Monday or Sunday if it happens that quickly, he will be the third straight coach to have failed. Both Bob Davie and Tyrone Willingham before him were unable to restore the Irish dynasty. In addition, in that time ND has called upon several different high ranking coaches (Gruden, Bellotti, Meyer, etc) and they have all looked in opposite directions. Why? Maybe the job isn't quite as appealing as it sounds. There are obviously circumstances beyond the coaching staff that affect what is happening in South Bend. There is obviously additional exposure for other teams and parity within the college game. But that hasn't kept teams like Alabama, Florida, Texas and USC from building essential reload dynasties through this period. The same used to be said for Notre Dame. Many say that the Irish' schedule is too difficult. And I will agree that Notre Dame doesn't have the I-AA opponents that others have. But Notre Dame has softened its scheduling stance and routinely has played teams that are viewed as W's on the schedule. Plus, which team that Notre Dame has played this year will win its conference. Every other BCS team will have to play a team that finished first or second within its own conference. I don't think Notre Dame will have to do that. Maybe it is the tough academic standards. But Tyrone Willingham won at Stanford, where the standards are at least as high. So it remains to be seen what will happen at Notre Dame. Maybe the big guys they are pursuing will look at things and say the risk doesn't outweigh the reward. And then again there will be someone who will stand there and say, "I can make this happen" and then if he doesn't we'll all try to dissect why he hasn't.