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DOES SWARBRICK HAVE ANY SAND? Sorry but Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick doesn't strike this writer as particularly assertive. On the surface, he seems rather cautious and tentative and too comfortable with hesitation.
Swabrick's the type who probably analyses and appraises a situation to death. It doesn't appear he's capable of moving on an issue without micromanaging it to the hilt. His approach is to be slow and deliberate and let circumstances, whether catastrophic or promising, totally play themselves out before he renders any kind of decision.
Swarbrick is a classic reactionary. He likes to wait. Asking him to be proactive about anything would seem to be against his very nature.
So, if you require bold, creative and aggressive action, Swarbrick just isn't your guy. If he played baseball, "Reluctant" Jack would be a station-to-station runner, never daring to be aggressive, nor contemplating taking the extra base. He's content to hold things close to the vest even if that means mediocrity is the byproduct of his conservatism. Play it safe is probably one of Swarbrick's abiding credos. He just doesn't seem to have it within him to take a risk. Swarbrick is averse to gambling.
And that very attitude may prove disastrous to Notre Dame athletics in both the near and long term. For if the evidence indicates that changes need to be made within various departments, does Swarbrick have the grit to make some hard choices?
Up to now, his track record suggests a resounding no to that question. It appears Swarbrick would rather stand pat and live with average results than take decisive action in hopes of spawning something great.
When it comes to the big picture, Swarbrick can be as reticent as that paragon of timidity, Caspar Milquetoast. Instead, what ND really needs is a go-getter ala Donald Trump running the show. There needs to be a whole lot of shaking going on!
Don't look now but three of the four major men's sports at ND are in precarious positions. They're going nowhere fast. Only Jeff Jackson's hockey team is succeeding and doing anything of significance. Everywhere else all that exists is underachievement, disappointment and diminishing returns. Whether Swarbrick is willing to admit it or not, he's overseeing a very ordinary athletic department when it comes to the sports that matter the most.
Again, the question arises does he have the fortitude to dramatically alter course if things remain the same?
While serious scrutiny has already taken place with the football team, the same sort of intense inspection must be applied to the basketball and baseball squads as well. The direction that all three of these programs have been headed is disturbing and troublesome. Each is losing much of its relevance.
If Swarbrick is satisfied with the middling results these sports are producing, then at least be honest and admit you're not interested in being a major player in these respective endeavors. Tell everyone that your main intent is just to be competitive.
But, if you aspire to something grander, then be prepared to demand a much higher degree of accountability. And if necessary, lop off some heads if that's what it takes to get these houses back in order. Don't shy away from being an executioner if the situation dictates such a drastic step.
Even the slow-to-act Swarbrick will have an easy decision when it comes to the fate of Charlie Weis. Unless Weis delivers a minimum of eight victories in the upcoming season, he's toast and finis. After winning just 10 games over the last two years, Weis is out of any wiggle room. Not even a doddler like Swarbrick would have the nerve to bring Weis back if Charlie loses more than four times in '09. If he did, Swarbrick couldn't show his face anywhere in South Bend.
The basketball situation is stickier and a lot more tricky. What complicates the issue is that Mike Brey is such a class act and a first-rate representative of the University. In a word, Brey is the consummate gentleman.
He's also had moderate success, having gotten the Irish over the 20-win mark six times in his nine years at the helm. But where it really matters, in the postseason, Brey has left a lot to be desired. And isn't that what truly counts? Very good to great coaches demonstrate their chops during tournament time and Brey's record there has been underwhelming, at best.
More to the point, Brey has managed just a single NCAA Tournament win over the last six seasons and that's simply unacceptable. In fact, it's downright brutal!
Brey's recruiting skills must also be questioned. Yes, he nets the occasional standout but he rarely lands a class with multiple stars. Moreover, in recent years, a lack of depth has crippled the Irish and this shortcoming can be laid right at Brey's doorstep.
The dilemma that Brey presents is that he might not be capable of elevating the Irish to a place of prominence. He may have already reached his ceiling and maxed out. To date, all he's really accomplished is having gotten the Irish to the fringe of relevance.
If Swarbrick can live with such modest results, then so be it, although most Domer fans aren't content with such marginal success. With each passing season, it looks more and more like Brey can't get the Irish over the hump and to the next level. And ND should be about excellence and not merely being competitive.
Though Brey needs a microscopic going-over, particularly if the Irish miss out on the Big Dance again, it's doubtful Swarbrick has the stomach to pull the plug on turtleneck Mike. Yet, at the very least, the A.D. should give serious consideration to exploring that option.
Finally, we come to the eroding baseball scene. When Pat Murphy and Paul Manieri were calling the shots, Irish baseball was alive and a genuine force. But since Manieri's departure for LSU in '06, things have taken a decided turn for the worst. Like in look out below.
You can give skipper Dave Schrage somewhat of a pass his first season because of various factors such as graduation and getting his feet wet. But Schrage is well into his third year and still the Domers are sputtering.
Without exception, ND should be the dominant club in the Big East and yet, they currently find themselves in the middle of the conference pack with an ugly 10 and 9 record.
Unless things radically change but quick, the Irish will miss the NCAA Tournament for the third straight time, a damning indictment of Schrage's regime. And, if that reality comes to pass, Schrage should be sent packing because getting to the postseason is the bottom line.
What this team is craving for is an energetic and charismatic coach who can reignite the passion that is sorely missing from this slipping program. A new voice is begging to be heard. But is "Reluctant" Jack listening?
So as one can see, Swarbrick has some weighty decisions to wrestle with over the next 12 months. Does he hold some iffy cards or should he fold them and start anew? Let's hope he's got enough sand to do what's required even if it means having to pink slip men he likes and respects.
Because if these scuffling programs continue their obvious descent and nothing is done to reverse their fortunes, what that says about Swarbrick is scary. Namely, that he's a waffling administrator who's afraid to bite the bullet and be accountable. That he's incapable of doing what's in the best interest of the school that employs him.
No one said that being the Notre Dame A.D. would be easy or without challenges. Sometimes difficult and painful decisions have to be made. But if you can't make the tough calls, then you had no business accepting the job in the first place.
If someone like Trump were in charge and the status quo continued, Weis, Brey and Schrage would all be out on their ass. There's no time for equivocation and niceties when you're trying to build something substantial. When you're trying to get to the top, you can't be worried about sparing someone's feelings.
It's very debatable whether Swarbrick has the wherewithal to be calculating or even cold-blooded enough when it comes to personnel matters. Can he muster the balls to do something gutsy?
At present, Swarbrick looks to be more vacillator than demanding boss. And, if that's his approach, ND athletics will suffer greatly for the foreseeable future. One can only hope that Swarbrick's got more gravel in his belly and steel in his spine than what he's shown so far. |