With so many compelling storylines from Saturday’s college football slate to choose from, including G-d turning his back on Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy’s failed attempt at throwing a football game, Clemson’s C.J. Spiller’s astonishing performance in a loss to newly crowned ACC Champs Georgia Tech, and dramatic last second victories for Cincinnati and UConn —once again, the zipper issues of a silver haired gentleman are consuming the blogosphere. The difference is, this time it isn’t Steve Philllips, and it’s one of the alleged lothario’s coaching peers singing. Loudly.
In a wide-ranging interview with Irish Illustrated’s Tim Prister, Weis devours a number of hot topics, including but not limited to the abuse his family has received, his appearance on “60 Minutes”, his relationship with the Hooded Casanova, but most weirdly of all, comparing his public image to that of USC’s Pete Carroll.
Q: Is it frustrating to you Pete Carroll, for example, portrayed in one way¦
CW: Let me ask you this question: You guys know about things that go on in different places. Was I living with a grad student in Malibu, or was I living with my wife in my house? You could bet that if I were living with a grad student here in South Bend, it would be national news. He™s doing it in Malibu and it™s not national news. What™s the difference? I don™t understand. Why is it okay for one guy to do things like that, but for me, I™m scrutinized when I swear. I™m sorry for swearing; absolve my sins.
Q: The buyout was always talked about. I don™t know if you want to say what that number was. But is it as great as they™ve said it is?
CW: I don™t want to talk about the buyout. Let™s talk about the salary. The salary was so greatly inflated. Let™s not talk about buyouts because that™s such a sore subject. Let™s talk about the salary. They had me making 4.2. My salary at this point has not gotten to three. So let™s call it the way it was.
When you sign up for a long-term deal, they start you low and they work your way up and I wasn™t at three yet. Everybody had me at 4.2. Where did that come from? And they had it like it was a substantiated fact. That™s why I™ve said numerous times that I™m willing to give my tax returns to anyone that is willing to write a check that pays the difference between what I make¦I™ll even give the money to Hannah & Friends. I won™t even take it. You want to see last year™s tax returns to substantiate that? Give me a donor. Hanna & Friends will take the million bucks.
Why do people try to say that I was the second highest paid coach? Where does that come from? Where did that number come from? My wife keeps on saying, ˜Are you making 4.2?™
Responding to Weis’ comments with “it™s untrue, it™s irresponsible, and it™s incredible,” Carroll seemed genuinely shocked when speaking to the Los Angeles Times’ Gary Klein. I’ve got to give the deposed Notre Dame coach just a tiny shred of credit here ; if you’d known before the weekend started that a member of the coaching fraternity was going to publicly accuse a competitor of screwing around, wouldn’t you have guessed it would be Lane Kiffin doing the talking?