For the past couple weeks, it's been reported that while many of the boosters at Notre Dame have grown completely tired of Charlie Weis and his crappy football team, their hands are tied because Weis has a $10 million buyout. Even for a school like Notre Dame, that's fairly pricey, especially given the current economic climate. So, it's been assumed that as bad as things have gotten, Weis is still protected by his massive contract.
But not so fast, my friends.
The Chicago Tribune is reporting today that Weis's buyout is less than half of that $10 million. And I think I speak for all of us when I say "awesome."
One source familiar with the contracts of Division I football coaches said the typical buyout would be Weis' base salary times the number of years remaining on his deal.
Weis' base salary from July 2006-June 2007 was $598,000, according to the Ft. Wayne (Ind.) Journal Gazette. The newspaper cited figures from Notre Dame's federal 990 tax form, which requires the school to list its five highest-paid employees.
Weis' contract likely calls for annual increases to his base salary. If that average rises to $650,000, the seven-year buyout would be about $4.5 million.
Weis' base salary from July 2006-June 2007 was $598,000, according to the Ft. Wayne (Ind.) Journal Gazette. The newspaper cited figures from Notre Dame's federal 990 tax form, which requires the school to list its five highest-paid employees.
Weis' contract likely calls for annual increases to his base salary. If that average rises to $650,000, the seven-year buyout would be about $4.5 million.
Even better, this means that the school's insistence that the buyout will not affect whether Notre Dame decides to fire Weis after Saturday's game at USC is in fact true. Which means Weis may indeed be fired as early as this weekend. God would that ever be sweet.
Frankly, it should happen. Weis has been a complete and utter prick since he arrived at Notre Dame and what has he done? Nothing. I mean, you can be a prick as long as you're winning, but that hasn't been happening. And just stop and think about this for a second. How many big games has Weis won while at Notre Dame? Zero. Plus the success he did have was with Ty Willingham's players. On the flip side, how many awful losses has Weis had? Almost too many to count. The latest being the Syracuse game, where Weis arrogantly took over playcalling duties from his offensive coordinator......and still lost. God that was sweet.
Also, if you go by what people close to the situation are saying right now, it sounds like it's inevitable that Weis will get fired.
"He has built zero relationships at the school," one source said. "It has been all about him and his ego."
Man, Charlie Weis all about ego? What a shock.
Even better, his team doesn't even give a rat's ass about him anymore. Here was Golden Tate's quote after losing to Syracuse last Saturday on senior day.
"I didn't feel any emotion on the sideline," Golden Tate told The Chicago Tribune after the absurd loss to Syracuse. "Even I was kind of just, 'eh.'"
No emotion on senior day? Jesus, get Weis the hell out of there.
So root like hell for USC this Saturday, whether you like them or not. Because if they hang enough points on the scoreboard, it could seal Weis's fate once and for all.
Weis Notre Dame buyout smaller than believed [Chicago Tribune]
What is with number 39 in the picture on the front page? That is why ND is so awful under Weis! He made the team co-ed!!
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