Notre Dame: Jack Swarbrick Won't Ask for Brian Kelly's Resignation after Tragedy

Notre Dame athletics has f*&^ed up again. 

This does not have to do with the losses that new football coach Brian Kelly has incurred in his first season as the lead Irish general.

It has to do with the negligence in the death of 20-year-old Declan Sullivan during practice.

Athletic director Jack Swarbrick won't ask for Kelly's resignation after putting Sullivan in harms way Oct. 27.

Sullivan was filming practice last Wednesday when the whole Midwest region was under a large gale storm. Winds were exceeding 50 miles per hour and Sullivan was 50 feet in the air in a scissor lift.

The videographer shortly fell to his tragic death as the lift collasped after he Tweeted  “Holy (expletive) holy (expletive) this is terrifying” on Twitter. 

The previous day, Kelly had the Irish practice indoors because of poor weather conditions. On Oct. 27, however, he decided to have practice outside even though there was a high wind warning throughout the area.

Sullivan's death could cost the university millions of dollars down the road but Swarbrick is indicating that Kelly will retain his job.

The politics for Notre Dame football has been despicable in recent years, shaming a program that included coaching greats Knute Rockne, Frank Leahy and Lou Holtz.

Tyrone Willingham was allegedly forced out because of racism and Charlie Weis was a five-year expensive disaster.

Swarbrick had one more chance to redeem himself after hiring Weis, so he picked Kelly. He had come off two highly successful seasons at Cincinnati, so Swarbrick paid Kelly a lot and forked over a $15 million buyout to Weis.

Apparently, large sums of money have come and gone around, and that money is the bottom line in the land of Touchdown Jesus.

Kelly is ultimately responsible for the safety of not only his players, but of videographers, trainers, waterboys and team managers. Letting Sullivan film practice outside in dangerous weather was negligent and bad judgment.

By Swarbrick retaining Kelly without asking for a resignation, this action shows the Irish athletic director thinks that winning football games in the long run is more important than students' safety.

There will be an investigation in Sullivan's death. That investigation could cost not only Kelly's job, but ultimately Swarbrick's.