The TOUCHDOWN CLUB OF COLUMBUS!....interesting...

Every February a few things happen that make the snow

and the winter a bit more bearable....

1. My birthday...recognized nationally?  NO!

2. The Touchdown Club of Columbus 

The Touchdown Club of Columbus at first seemed

 like a pretty cool gig...

You come down and meet some nice guys...swap some stories, have 

dinner and see a bunch of awards given away...

Most of the time it was a way to see leaches that would 

never date these kids unless they thought they 

might have an NFL career ahead of them...

Exhibit A:

I've met some pretty cool players and coaches over the years...

Colt McCoy-Toby Gearhart-Brady Quinn-Mike Leach...etc...

This year was very interesting...

The first person I ran into was this guy...

Jeff Quinn Head Coach of the Buffalo Bulls!

Coach Quinn won a National Championship at Grand Valley State

with Coach Brian Kelly!

I was there with Kelly, one of my great buddies and fellow Irish 

follower. He and I eagerly went to work asking Coach 

Quinn about Coach Kelly...

Me-"Do we have the right guy?"

Quinn-"Oh yeah...(smiling as if I was nutz for even asking!)"

"Coach Kelly is a champion...he will win and win big at ND!

He just has to fix it and get it his way first...his guys...his QB,

then you'll see."

Me-"I've read that the key for him is getting "his" QB?"

Quinn-"Once he builds his type of offense they will dominate, 

he knows what his type of QB is capable of, and he knows how to 

coach him up, and get the most out of him!"

Talking to Coach Quinn was like talking to the President of the Brian Kelly 

fan club, if that existed... He was almost 

giddy, talking not only about what Coach Kelly is 

able to do within the college game, but what he learned from 

him, and what it has done for him... 

Moving on...also in attendance was my life long buddy...

Joe Bowman...

JOE'S BLOG!

Joe is a scout and handles the midwest but is a huge UM fan...

Now the first thing I noticed is that the list of 

"Buckeye Blue Chips" 

The "elite" players in the state of Ohio were being honored...

Now take that with a grain of salt...."elite" 

chosen by Ohio residents....that translates to?

5 star Kyle Rudolph...NO!

3 star Jake Stoneburner...YEAH?

So where you're committed is more important than your talent! 

Last year I got Pictures with Eilar Hardy and Andrew Hendrix, past 

"Buckeye BlueChips" 

(luckily they were picked for this BEFORE they committed!)

This year I took notice that the best Running back in the state

William Mahone was not in attendance?

But what I did find funny is there were 3 HUGE High School Kids!

All from Ohio....clearly the biggest kids in the room...all committed to?

The University of Michigan?

(oddly enough not one of them signing autographs?)

After laughing so hard and handing these kids some pre-typed

transfer letters to ND...we continued our walk...

That's when things got interesting...

I noticed a face I recognized...

Former Asst. Coach for Notre Dame Tim Hinton..

Coach Hinton is a gentleman I've met before and he is cousins with one

of my clients who was with me at my table...

Coach Hinton was a class act!...

He held Notre Dame in the 

highest regard and said his decision to leave had 

NOTHING to do with football....who coached at ND or

who was coaching at OSU...it was a family matter and I 

feel that's all I really should say for the Coach's privacy!

But make no mistake...he loves Notre Dame...Said his wife 

cried for most of the trip from Notre Dame to Columbus...

He also sang Coach Kelly's praises and wished us luck!

Coach Warriner was there also....LOL...that's a story 

that goes without saying...he looked a bit bitter 

for being asked to see the door at ND!....

This year we were very fortunate to have 2 guests sit 

at our table...and really nice kids also!

Ray Graham and Pat Bostick from PITT

It was a great time having dinner with them....

Ray was there to accept the "player to watch" award for 2012...

and Pat was there as a current Employee of PITT too...I'd say

keep Ray company?

Ray and I talked a bit of trash back and forth about our ND vs PITT

games the past 2 years...had to remind him that he only rushed for

about 60 yards a game between the two...LOL

Pat liked to throw his OT victory over us at me....even though

he did throw 3 picks in that game....? Charlie!...ARGH!...

But overall great guys...

Both talked highly of Coach Kelly and what he was able to accomplish in 

the Big East...and that while Coach Kelly was in the Big East...

they didn't see ANY more of these!

The evening was great and made the end of the season feel pretty 

much like I thought...We are moving in the right direction!

Tyler Eifert won the Tight End of the year award...

Even though...I'm not sure he even

knew about it?

GO IRISH and GOD BLESS!

At Some Point Notre Dame Is Gonna Have To Make A Decision!

The World of College Football is changing!

It's not what it was for the past 100 years! 

When this all started it was "college" football....College? 

It's almost hard to remember....now you got kids studying 

"aids awareness" or "ball room dancing"

or Hell...not studying at all!

You have players that after 3 seasons transfer schools and take 9 

credits with them?

Quotes like

“It’s the education part,  I know all these schools athletically can offer me the same thing. The academic support at _______ State, there is no way you can fail. Even if you’re giving minimal effort there is no way you can fail.”

Dirty Pool... Scandals..."Get my Dad a rap career!"

"Buy me a car...get my mom a job....get my girlfriend accepted!"

Maybe I'm getting old?...Maybe now that I have a kid coming 

up on college age I think differently?

Maybe the "WIN" no matter how mentality never really 

appealed to me because Notre Dame didn't have 

to adopt it!

But what does this produce!

VIOLATIONS!-FELONIES!-PROBATION!-

Wins?

This is a Notre Dame Fan's problem!

This will never happen at ND!

We will never take a kid with a 1.7 GPA

or...a JUCO player that can barley spell his name!

Or let kids create college schedules JUST to keep them eligible!

This is the "make it happen now!" generation!

It's...."He won in his 2nd year!"....and got sanctioned in his 9th!

We are our worst enemy!...I'm not innocent to this charge!

Excitement breeds...BLINDNESS!

Hell, there are over 100 College Football Programs!

All fighting for the same prize!...

And some haven't won it in YEARS!...some have only 

one it once in decades!....some only once in 4 decades!...

Yet we all argue...we all fight...and we all call for the coaches head

when it doesn't happen fast enough!

What we have to ask ourselves is...."Where do I stand as a fan?"

How important is this....and how important is it to do RIGHT?

My years doing financial work has allowed me now, 

knocking on 40...to reflect on my career...

It's not much different than college football...

My success has come from 3 areas..

1. Honesty-Don't lie...Do it right and you'll sleep at night!

2. Hard Work-be willing to do what the lazy advisors won't!

3.Refusal- to short cut like the other guys..easy doesn't mean right!

Don't do ANY THING that would prevent you from 

liking what you see when you look in the mirror!

Sure we could cut corners....churn out players...

Once they leave....WHO CARES!

But that's just not Notre Dame...

We don't graduate 50% of our team...We graduate 99%

We send them out into the world with more than 

"Golf course management" degrees!

This is why you need to give it some time!

Apple corp. didn't shoot outta the gate with Apple stores 

busy with 100 customers waiting to spend 

thousands of dollars for the next sales person!

Notre Dame knows it screwed up!

It knows it didn't change with the evolution of the game!

It knows that you can't hire brilliant coordinators and hope 

they make great HEAD COACHES!

But now that they realize it....GIVE'EM TIME!

Coach Kelly is about to go...OLD SCHOOL at NOTRE DAME!

 You can see it on his face that he just needs to do 

what he's always done!...

RECRUIT

DEVELOP

WIN!

He's just under a MUCH BIGGER microscope than he's ever

been under before!

He's not just poaching a kid here and there, or if he comes across

a kid who's girl can't get into college so he pulls some strings!

Or waiting for a scandal to pop up so he can profit!

Or sliding a $500 bill into a QB's hands at a "charity" banquet!

He won't do it the wrong way!

Not at ND!

He's building a program!

He's rebuilding a once great corporation that 

has the industry....has the tradition...

has the production line...but hasn't had

A BRILLIANT CEO in about 20 years!

And a board of directors that WON'T take dirty ethics!

And you know what....it's not gonna happen in 24 months!

It's might not happen this season!...We are ND!

We don't schedule CUPCAKES....You line'em up!..

We'll play'em!..  

But in this business plan you gotta give the man time to dust off 

the machinery...and update the software!

We we're two blown games away from the BCS!

I blame both on COACHING!

We pushed around the BCS Sugar Bowl Champs for 3 quarters

it was working so well....WE STOPPED DOING IT!

COACHING!

We allowed an inferior team to come into our house and 

run with us for 4 quarters and pulled the plug on our

starting QB...after 30 min...

COACHING!

But we also DOMINATED a team that finished 

 the season top 10!

Did your team?

You think he doesn't realize this...?

You think this doesn't keep him up at night!

You think this DIDN'T COST US RECRUITS?

And he still brought in his 2nd top 10 class!

He knows what he needs to do....He knows how to build

a program...and he knows how to WIN!

He's learning how to do it at NOTRE DAME!

This is a whole different ball game he's playing in...

And learning to play in!

But this is not his first RODEO!

In closing I'll leave you with this little nugget...

A TRUE story about "champions"

A TRUE STORY..about doing it right?

A few years ago a friend of my wife's called and asked 

us if we wanted to go to a Jay Z concert...

Anyone that knows my wife will tell you, that was 

not happening!...not that she doesn't appreciate 

the glory of the hova!

But, just not her cup of tea!

Me on the other hand....YEP!

She asked if I could come and bring a buddy of mine

Rich...We went and it was private suite.... booze

food...etc...AWESOME!

In that suite was a bunch of friends of my wives

girlfriend's ex-boyfriend

and a current NFL Defensive End...

About 5 of his team mates...all flashing rings 

of the National Championship they had won 

at a college that will remain nameless together!

As the evening progressed and with Jay to the Z 

bringing it, we all starting talking a bit of trash...

Notre Dame this....UM that...their school...etc..

All in good fun...but as I always do in a social setting 

I starting looking for "net working" opportunities...

I'm always needing lawyers...accountants....other brokers!

But the common theme become quite clear!

They we're all...

UNEMPLOYED!

This peak of their life came and went...and now they 

have no ability to earn income because

 NO ONE helped them...

NO ONE...told them the benefits of a degree...

NO ONE said..."maybe Aids awareness" as a

career choice might limit ya!

Because at the end of the day..

NO ONE cared outside of their ability to help win..

This is not what Notre Dame considers the word

CHAMPION to define!

Because their school helped them on the field

and failed them in life!..

Coach Kelly will Make Notre Dame Winners!

It could happen by cutting corners....tossing out 

some cash....letting academics become secondary!

But that is NOT what making 

Champions is all about!

But looking at our schedule next season....we have

a murders row of games!...

And some idiots will be calling for this!

As soon as something doesn't go our way!...

You want to win?

Give it time to do it right!...

GO IRISH and GOD BLESS!

**Big shout out to Brent Warren for his help!

How Quickly We Forget!....

With recruiting coming down the home stretch, 

and no class EVER ending like we feel it should!

I like to take a moment and realize how 

F-ING AWESOME Coach Kelly's 

first class really was!...

This class, depending on where you look, ended anywhere from 

number 4 to number 10...but just wait...

Add in:

 Amir Carlisle 4* running back 

Jordan Prestwood 4* O-Line

And BAM...top 4 or 5 anywhere you look!

Recruiting sometimes reminds me of dating...

Every body likes a nice 10!...she's like the 5* Elite!

Everybody's watching....everybody wants her...

But sometimes she's a BIG HEAD CASE!

Then you got the...

Really nice 7 or 3*

Not getting as much attention...really appreciates it when it comes!

She's fun...works hard to make you happy!

and you know what? In the long run, VERY LOYAL!

Or as Coach Kelly calls them RKGs!

Right Kinda Guys!

These are guys that WANT to be here...they WANT 

to play...and the WANT to prove all those little 

services that they were wrong about them!...

Guy's like this:

The Honey Badger!

Solid 4* CB that's best offer outside LSU...Tulane?

This class of 2011 is a sleeper!...Now this summer until

this horrible dead period is over...I'm gonna offer my 

EXPERT...well bias at best...opinion of 

the sleeping monsters in this class!...

Starting with:

BEN COUNCELL

Outside LB and complete sleeping MONSTER!

At 6'5 and 235lbs he didn't get as much attention as the norm!

Until....the Shine Bowl were every scout said...

"He should have been the Defensive MVP of his squad"

He also made the BIGGEST jump in ratings of ANY

recruit in the Rivals system from the 

beginning of the season to the end!

From average 3* to 4* knocking on 5*

But at that point...it was too late for the programs making a 

late push for visits...COUNCELL was IRISH and loyal!

He's fast...aggressive..and his range is HUGE!

His wingspan allows him to come off blocks and still 

be effective but very hard to contain!

I expect him to be the surprise this season for the ND Defense!

This class will be the "Turning Point" for Notre Dame Football!

Years from now...it will have started with the 2011 class...

It's like building a mansion!

You gotta start with the BRICKS!...the foundation!

LYNCH-NIX-TUITT-KLM

Then you have to work on the second floor!

FOX-TEO-COUNCELL-WILLIAMS

Then add in the corners and roof!

TEE-JACKSON-SLAUGHTER-MOTTA

And the place becomes a fort that cannot be penetrated!

Now go back and look last years class...and this incoming class...

Mix in some really nice icing on this cake with guy's like:

RABASSA

SPRINGMAN

HARDY

DAY

SCHUMATE

JONES

GRACE

NIKLAS

HOUNSHELL

What do you got?....TALENT! Lot's of it!

Coach Kelly is preparing for WAR!

He's stocking the shelves with talent!...

And in 8 days there will be a whole new line of soliders!...

Then it's NEXT MAN IN!

GOD BLESS and GO IRISH!

Nobody panics like a FAN!...

If only the world were as smart as me!

I find myself often in this predicament...

I sit back...I watch...I study...I analyze...and you know what!...

RELAX!

This is not Coach Kelly's first rodeo!

We struggled in big games to run the ball...and protect the QB!

FIRE THE O-LINE COACH!

We struggled to establish the run game in big games....

FIRE THE RUNNING BACKS COACH!

This is not splitting the atom here!...

COACHING 101

You wanna go from being good to great?

Fix who's on the bus with you!

-Direction of your company is not as important as 

who is in your company...surround yourself with talent

and your bus will direct it's self!

At the end of the day...we are all just FANS!

Now there are two definitions of the word fan...

1. A person who has a strong interest in or admiration for a particular

 sport, art or entertainment form, or famous person.

2. Fan being short for FANATIC! 

-also see...Idiot...un rational...

-See Columbus Ohi...uh never mind!

This second one is the one that encapsulates us college 

football fans...

Or convinces us that 1 National Championship in

40 years makes us "ELITE".

So sit back and relax!...This might take a minute or two!

First and formost let's acknowledge our "LACK" of real 

football knowledge... 

You might have played in high school...or 

been a "fan" your entire life, but this in no 

way qualifies you to doubt ANY college

football coach in the country!....

I mean really?...I loved watching the Sopranos!

Doesn't mean I could run the mafia if they approached me!

Then there is this guy...

I read RIVALS....I read SCOUT....I'm a member 

of several different boards!...

I watch  A LOT of film on recruits!...

First things first...YOUTUBE highlights are 

not FILM!

There is not a college coach in the country that uses 

YouTube to determine recruits!...

This is EXACT reason why my clients have me mangage

their investments while SCOTTRADE  

helps day traders lose BILLIONS every year!

I'm just putting this out there for the FAN!

For the guy who bleeds his teams colors...and 

regardless of the outcome is ready for the 

next game!

This is to create a "moment of pause" so 

to speak...

Signing day is still over 2 weeks away...after that day

I will address the class and the misses and triumphs!

Until then take a moment to really "study" the 

class....Look at the 3 stars!

Why the 3 stars?

Cause at the end of the day....EVERYBODY

wanted the 4 stars and 5 stars...

Ask BAMA's D...that started 8 3 star recruits and won 

this trophy....how important it is to recognize talent!

Go watch Monday Night Football and when they 

announce the starting lineups see how many are from 

small schools that you've never heard of!

The thing I love about Brian Kelly's recruiting?

The 5 star kids are studs....

The 4 star kids are highly sought after.

But the 3 star kids....are diamonds in the rough 

that we are fighting BIG programs like Bama 

to land....

Kid's like...

Justin Ferguson....

Schools offered...Bama,Florida,Florida State..etc..

He's IRISH!...and he's a 3 star DIAMOND!

I love this class so far!....Tee, Deontay,Schumate....

This class will finish strong...just let the man 

do his job...

GO IRISH...and GOD BLESS!