Charlie Weis = hypocrite?

Didn't see this in another thread, so I'll take a chance I didn't miss it ...

Looks like Charlie Weis had an interesting LOI day. Notre Dame lost 2 players that had committed to them, and he spent much of an appearance on ESPN Radio and his signing day presser lecturing people about "commitments."

From the Chicago Tribune ...

For his part, Weis said the word “commitment” needs to be redefined in recruiting.
“If you’re married,” he said, “you shouldn’t be looking at other women.”
Weis said he would push for the creation of an early-signing period, so players who commit early would not be hounded by rival coaches. Weis would like that period to culminate with an Aug. 1 early signing date.
Even if the American Football Coaches Association cannot gain approval on that from the NCAA, Weis said he would change the way he solicits commitments in the future.
“No soft verbals, no silent verbals, no quiet verbals, OK?” he said. “Either you’re committed or you’re not committed. ... I think we have to define exactly what the rules are.”
But Notre Dame took a shot from (Arrelious) Benn (a WR who signed with Illinois) in that regard. He told the Washington Post in a story published Wednesday that Irish assistant Peter Vaas, whom the school let go after the season, peppered him with text messages and phone calls after he had committed to Illinois.
Benn provided one such text message to the Post dated Dec. 17. It read: “FYI, ILL is telling Robert Hughes that they will build their offense around him. Didn’t they tell you that? Coach Vaas.”
Weis’ reply?
“You ask me if coach Vaas sent him texts. Sure he sent him texts,” he said. “You probably could go ask the kid if he committed to us beforehand too—see what he says to that one. It comes down to those silent verbals, all that other type of stuff.
“I don’t think coach Vaas was trying to do anything unethical. ... I think (Benn) should wish him well and not point a finger.”

END OF STORY

One of Notre Dame's signees is Brian Smith, who was committed to Iowa until the Irish lost a player to Florida about 2 weeks ago and came calling. There are also reports of ND continuing to actively recruit players who had committed to other schools, even after they were told their commits were solid, and there was a report of a ND assistant telling one of these players that "the word commitment means nothing."

Is this a case of poaching players is fine, as long as you don't poach them from the Irish?

 

Exactly. It's not like he hasn't swiped away a player who committed to another school.

 

And Charlie Weis will stay at this dream job until he realizes he can't win a championship at South Bend and take the next available NFL job.

This will happen by 2009.

 

I wonder what Saban has to say about this – he of course knowing more than anyone how solid a commitment should be.

 

He's a hypocrite all right. Among other things.

 

I know about the kid Weis "lost" to Florida two weeks ago-- our defensive player of the year.
Made early announcement (not a "commitment" until the LOI is signed, sorry Charlie) in August. After ND changed defensive coordinator in Dec., decided to look elsewhere because he didn't think he was as good a fit as a DE in 3-4, which ND supposedly will be playing next year, as 4-3.
Visited Fla. then got home visit from Meyer two weeks ago and changed his mind. Committed to Fla. that night, called our reporter 5 minutes after Meyer left his house ... before he called fat Charlie!
Signed today with Fla.
Why should these kids commit in August when coaches aren't committed to anything except the next big job offer?

 

Consider the institution that employs him. Enough said.

 

Nothing new here. Weis being the same man he's always been.

 

Of course, none of this could be solved if, ya know, the coaches stopped after a kid makes a verbal commitment...

 

The wise-ass in me is going to emerge with this comment....

A letter of intent is a verbal commitment because technically, verbal, means consisting of words and a letter of intent has words in it. What kids give prior to that should be called a spoken or oral commitment.

 

And what seperates Weis from 97% of the other coaches in America? Didn't St. K play the Lakers?