In the line of fire

Black Issues in Higher Education, Dec 16, 2004

In a surprise announcement. Notre Dame head football coach Tyrone Willingham was fired Nov. 30, three years into a five-year contract. Reactions t the recent firing were significant (see story, pg. 14):

Tyrone Willingham

* Former coach: University of Notre Dame head football coach. 2002-2004

* Record: 21-15

* Notre Dame 1997-1998 Entering Freshmen-Cohort Graduation Rate:

All Students: 95%

Student-Athletes: 89%

SOURCE: 2004 GRADUATION RATES REPORT FOR NCAA DIVISION SCHOOLS

"Notre Dame's actions underscore the painfully small margin of error offered to Black college coaches on the Division 1-A level, representing one reason there are only two left when there were eight in 1997."

--Selena Roberts, The New York Times

"Shame on Notre Dame. Willingham, with a 21-15 record, was dismissed three years into his (five)-year deal. It wasn't exactly the day college football died. That happened long ago, in terms of the game's pure paradigm. But when a school claims to be something special - meaning that its players know what the word "paradigm" means--then the school needs to act special. Tuesday (Nov. 30), Notre Dame acted like Florida and Ohio State and Nebraska. Or worse."

--Mark Purdy, San Jose Mercury News

"Assume nothing except that, if you don't have a big-time winning record, you're in trouble. And I think that is really too bad for higher education and the sports within it."

--Hodding Carger III, president, Knight Foundation, to The Washington Post

"This is a story about arrogance, about the Neanderthal nature of big-time college football, about a man who has more dignity than the bums who started calling for his head last season or those who plotted his firing for the last couple of weeks."

--Michael Wilbon, The Washington Post