Kelly backs up Brink’s truck over Notre Dame and college football
Brian Kelly didn’t just kick Notre Dame to the curb by bailing on his players. The scoundrel also backed the bus over college football. Cancel him.
By leaving ND for LSU when the Fighting Irish still have a chance to win a national championship, Kelly not only disrespected and demoralized his players but brought peril upon his sport. If Kelly shows such little regard for the College Football Playoff that he would jump ship for a $95 million 10-year deal, then how important can the playoff be? Why take it seriously? Winning becomes secondary to collecting. Amateurism? Hahahaha.
Kelly explained his decision to leave South Bend as more about “alignment” than money. Whatever you say, Benedict. He insisted he wanted to coach “under the bright lights.” Does it get any brighter than Notre Dame?
Kelly isn’t alone in his backdoor dealings, of course. Coaches leave schools for richer pastures all the time, often awkwardly and with poor timing. Lincoln Riley just vacated Oklahoma for the richer recruiting grounds of Southern California. If he kept his exit secret from his players or, worse, lied to them, he is a cad unworthy of trust. Also, a coward.
Rather than remain with OU and embrace the challenge of moving from the Big 12 into the stronger Southeastern Conference, Riley is running scared to the weakling that is the Pac-12. Undoubtedly, he will win with the Trojans, but the stain of treachery will remain.
The Fighting Irish are sixth in the playoff rankings and have a chance of getting in. A Georgia win over Alabama and/or losses by either Michigan, Cincinnati or Oklahoma State in their conference championship games and ND makes the four-team field.
What makes Kelly’s move all the more maddening is that right up to the last minute he said it was foolish to think he might leave Notre Dame, suggesting it would take “a fairy godmother” coming by with a $250 million check to pry him out of South Bend. Even then he would have to ask his wife.
Turns out LSU wielded the magic wand, and for about $100 million less apparently gained Mrs. Kelly’s approval. Oh, did we mention the Athletic reported an ND assistant learned of his boss’s departure from news on his phone while leaving a recruit’s home? Nice work, jerk. Did we also mention that Kelly pulled a similar stunt at Cincinnati when he left for Notre Dame before the Bearcats’ bowl game? Clown.
Again, Notre Dame is not the only victim. College football throws millions of dollars at coaches who devalue the product by moving from one brand to another with little thought of how it impacts the game. And, in Kelly’s case, putting his own brand ahead of his sport’s ultimate prize.
It’s not that colleges are innocent bystanders; they fire coaches faster than ever. But Kelly’s exit strategy makes clear that college football needs to put the kibosh on similar behavior by forcing painful financial penalties on coaches who not only break contracts but also their players’ hearts.