it would be absurd to fire a coach with his win %, given the competition we have. I guess I'm bothered by what seem to be big game problems, especially falling behind early and then playing catch-up the whole game. Recall that lots of UVA fans were upset when they didn't land him and instead landed Tiffany. I doubt many of them feel that way now.
Don’t we return some firepower next year?
Good holy Lord in Heaven.
Effing MICHIGAN.
to take over. I have been watching Inside Lacrosse fearing that I'll read that Byrne has been hired at Harvard. He is from Boston and Pierre has graduated. Byrne has to be the A1 top choice for a number of schools. To address the point below - we may have our elite coach already on the sidelines.
As for Corrigan, I played for him and respect him. We still keep in touch so I am biased.
His gift is in recruiting and his complete confidence in getting players who fit his system. Though the depth is far greater now, he still attracts a certain kind of student-athlete who will succeed post-college. The use of #40 in honor of Mike Sennett resonates with the lacrosse alums. The ND lacrosse network is incredible. Corrigan is tough on his players, awkward to talk to, and panics in big game situations (Kessinch - who is one of the biggest ND fans in the broadcast booth and who is annoying but on the money 98% of the time - called it in regulation versus Duke) but would defend his players to the death (in contrast to Kelly) and does a phenomenal maintaining player engagement.
I do not think we should treat Corrigan as a tenured professor who should never be fired. But replacing him now in light of the current state of the program would be absurd. Bringing in someone else to instill a new culture would be devastating. Look at Georgetown for reference to a program that was supposed to be the Duke.
The quandary would be if Byrne was ready to walk. I think there would have to be a serious conversation with Corrigan as to whether it was time to pass on the torch. The culture would remain and we'd keep one of ND's greatest assets.
Firing Corrigan because of a loss to Duke would be comically stupid. My question to those calling for it is what happens to their lives on Tuesday if ND did run the table this year? Would their lives be infinitely better? Would they strut around their offices obnoxiously singing the fight song? Would they break out their Joe Montana jersey to celebrate? What is that they are losing by not witnessing an ND championship?
I have never understood the entitlement that those with an ND degree - or whose affiliation stems from their Uncle Tommy graduating in 1982 - feel.
Keep Byrne first. Keep Corrigan second. If both bolt, get Matt Karwick if you can't get Toomey from Loyola (who is unlikely to leave his alma mater).
Big job too.
I could not have hoped for any posts this good when I started the thread. Much thanks!
I've been sitting on this one for a while and thought it's time has passed. I think the conversation goes beyond lacrosse and into how treat and view other sports. McGraw is the gold standard. You're right about Jackson. Awesome coach who may not win a title. It's frustrating but he's phenomenal.
As for Kelly, I have a different harsher view. It's a business. There is real money for everyone involved. He should he held to the highest standard on the field. It doesn't help that he's a colossal dick.
talking to your fellow athlete alums or based on what you see on TV?
you, Wolfetone, and I all agree Kelly is the Mold Standard.
It was the posters who scrambled to rant here when we lost who were emotional. This is a call for reasoned posts for Kevin's firing. I just guess it will go wanting.
He has done a lot for the ND Lacrosse Program and he deserves a debt of gratitude. He is a very good coach and I hope he coaches here as long as he wants. After the loss, I did state that I think he will retire with never having won a NC and I still believe this. However, nothing would please me more than to have him win one. I do think that there are a couple of other coaches that would have won lacrosse NCs at Notre Dame but, as is the case in basketball and football, we do not have these coaches. We have very good coaches but there are a couple of elite coaches in every sport that truly make a difference. We have one coaching women’s basketball.
I think Tierney is one and would have won a national championship at ND if his same term at Denver had been here.
However, I like to remind myself that is nothing more than my opinion.
In theory we might have the Tierney of hockey as our HC. He won multiple championships prior to arriving at ND. Yet he still hasn't won ND one of those cheap-looking NCAA plaques for winning all the gravy.
Like Kevin, Jeff has taken ND to the finals twice. Either one could have fallen ND's way, just like Kevin's two.
Our program has been better than traditional powers Cuse and Hopkins for a decade. That is not easy to accomplish. All the thoughts in this post help me keep my keel even. Tierney didn't even make the tournament this year.