Dear Brian Kelly: Don't Dig Your Own Grave in South Bend

Dear Brian Kelly,

Nice work this season with Cincinati. Undefeated is pretty hard to come across these days, no matter what division you are in. It's even more impressive given that your stud quarterback went down with an injury and now your backup quarterback is a household name.

As the skies in South Bend take on a gray hue and a storm appears to be brewing, your name gets tied to future coach of the Blue and Gold. Fans across the country are praying for you, and for several other coaches, to come and put some life back into the fading Golden Domers.

The salary may be high, the tradition may run deep and the media attention may be focused. But do not ignore history. How many coaches have left Notre Dame and gone onto careers elsewhere? Very few. How many have all but retired after Notre Dame? Plenty.

OK, so retiring at Notre Dame doesn't sound so bad. If you want to retire in 3-5 years, there is nothing wrong with it.

But you seem like a coach with a great deal of potential who'd like to stick around for longer than that.

Those same fans who cheer your name in South Bend are the ones that will eventually kick you to the curb. Well what if I do well, you might ask. Nothing is good enough in South Bend; just ask Lou Holtz.

Just when you think nine wins is enough, 10 the next season is a disappointment. After that you'd better make sure you win a National Championship.

Today they want to be in the BCS discussion; that's do-able, you might presume. But once you are in the BCS discussion they will expect you to compete for the national title; if you fall short, it'll be "bye bye Coach Kelly". By then you will be so frazzled by the constant pressure and ridiculous expectations that you will never want to pick up a whistle again.

So take some advice from a Notre Dame fan. Stay where you are, enjoy the game you have brilliantly coached and spare your kids having to read how horrible of a person and coach their father is in every American newspaper. Take it from the fans, we have seen coaches come into South Bend on chariots only to get thrown to the curb a few short years later.

Sincerely,

ND fan with a heart