URBAN MEETS WITH ND

windycityfalcon · Post by **windycityfalcon** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 10:59 am

New York Times reporting this morning that Urban will meet with Notre Dame officials sometime today - school not commenting, nor is Urban (big surprise)

CapitalFalcon · Post by **CapitalFalcon** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 11:15 am

IMHO, Urban's going to have a tough early go of it at Our Lady. There are a lot of people out there that think the Irish rushed to fire TW. ESPN has been quite critical of this decision. They let some pretty unsuccessful coaches fulfill their 5 year commitments. Willingham only got three AND he had a winning record.

I think this whole thing came down to ND wanting Urban and they were worried he would get picked up by another big program.

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 11:18 am

I could see there being some resentment amongst african americans . It certainly does look like ND rushed to fire Willingham simply because it looked like the golden boy Urban Meyer was going to go elsewhere.

windycityfalcon · Post by **windycityfalcon** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 11:32 am

I think that's exactly why they fired him.
Urban is the hottest (not looks wise) coach in the country.. and ND was worried they would lose him to Florida or elsewhere.
Willingham was bad enough they could justify getting rid of him - doesn't mean he wasn't given a fair shake, because I don't think he was.
But, winning is everything, and Urban wins...

NWLB · Post by **NWLB** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 11:45 am

I think we will know by the end of this weekend, if not sooner.

The real issue is what will Meyer make them pay. What spin will he force them into including in his contract?

I'd love to see him include a "I will be allowed to finish my five years" clause.

windycityfalcon · Post by **windycityfalcon** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 11:51 am

He's going to get whatever he wants.. this is his dream job and we all know it, so I don't think he'll try to push for anything unreasonable

factman · Post by **factman** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 1:56 pm

He may not get whatever he wants, as I hear from a very good source that he is going to tell the ND president that they HAVE to lower the academic standards or he is not interested.

Don't be surprised to see Urban wearing orange again!!!!! (with a little blue thrown in)

windycityfalcon · Post by **windycityfalcon** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 2:29 pm

That's not going to happen.. ND not going to lower standards, and Urban doesn't have big enough balls to ask them to do it in the first place.
Sure, we all know he's a great coach and the hottest prospect this year.. but he's by no means some coaching God.. at least not yet.
and this is the job he's always wanted.

NWLB · Post by **NWLB** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 2:38 pm

ND won't lower standards.....for everybody else.

They did it for Lou Holtz, and never admitted it. "Lowering standards" can be spun a few ways. If Urban is smart, he has told them that a "means" to help facilitate student atletes entry to ND must be established.

I don't expect Urban, knowing ND as he does, to be so clumsy and blunt as to ask for that. Because Urban, even if he thinks he might say no, won't set ND up to be embarrased by the hottest coaching prospect in the country, saying he didn't take the job because they wouldn't flex on standards. Nor does he want to be seen as somebody stating he isn't able, or willing to deal with the standards.

Bluntly, I don't know if a third of ND's football team actually made it into the place based on their grades. As it is most wouldn't get into the school fighting against the general application base.

factman · Post by **factman** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 2:55 pm

I never said that is what he would say publicly.........I agree he won't embarass ND or himself, but that is what will or was said behind closed doors today!!!