Come To Think Of It...Charlie Weis On Thin Ice at Notre Dame

Ice of any kind, particularly when it's thin, is no place for a 300+ pound man to be.

Alright, cheap shot, I admit it. But no matter how you paraphrase it, the bottom line is that Charlie Weis is on the hot seat as coach of the Fighting Irish. And now, according to a recent report in the Chicago Tribune, his buyout may not even save him.

It has been a widely held belief that his contract is too long and he makes too much money for the Irish authorities to fire its coach after only four seasons, despite pressure from alumni and Irish backers everywhere. But wait! Not so, according to the Tribune.

According to the article, the "standard" buyout for a coach being asked to leave is base salary x number of years remaining on his contract. Despite Weis earning a reported total of 3m+ per year, his base salary is in the $600K territory. So we're talking about a potential buyout of around $2.5m, chump change to the bean counters at South Bend.

And there should be a long line of suitors just clamoring at the opportunity to coach the Irish. In fact, chuckweis.com already has a list of favored replacements.

But as prestigious as it may be being the head coach of such an institution, the job also comes with expectations. Just win, baby, and you're as golden as the helmets on the kids' heads. But lose, and watch out. You're a dead man walking.

Especially when you have a large ego to match such a large body. Oops, there I go again with the fat jokes. Yet it's true that Weis has done little to make friends at Notre Dame. It's always been all about Charlie, and that attitude certainly won't help him in this situation.

Weis started out well, going 9-2 in his inaugural season, and the powers that be foolishly gave him a 10-year contract extension.  In 2007, the Irish went 3-9 and even lost to Navy, the first time the Midshipmen beat the Irish in 43 games. 

Ever since, "embattled" has become the new first name of Coach Weis, as in the "embattled" Charlie Weis.  

Heck, his predecessor, Tyrone Willingham, would have been burned at the stake after such a season as Weis had in '07. Truth is, he was fired after finishing 6-5 in November 2004. Hey, that's the same record as the Irish have today. Yet Weis remains to coach another day.

After signing the contract extension, Weis commented that he would only leave Notre Dame upon his being fired or dying. Not to wish bad things on anybody, but has anyone checked his vital signs lately? Come to think of it, you shouldn't skate where the ice is thin. Everybody knows that.