The problem with books about ongoing activities is they can become dated quickly. I recently encountered one such book at my local library called “A is for Ara: The ABCs of Notre Dame Football” by Sean Callahan. The book was first printed in March 2007, so it’s no surprise that Charlie Weis is the “W” entry here. However, the explanation of Weis began with this sentence that became both hilarious and depressing in hindsight:
Charlies Weis became the head coach of Notre Dame in 2005 and quickly restored excellence on the field.
In fairness, the book is not totally wrong. The Irish went 19-6 and earned trips to the Fiesta Bowl and Sugar Bowl in the two seasons Weis was coach before the book was published. But we all know how quickly things fell apart in 2007, when the Irish slipped to 3-9. Weis never recovered from that tailspin as the Irish finished only one game above .500 over the following two seasons combined, which played a role in the decision to let Weis go after the 2009 season.
Weis may have “restored” excellence right after the forgettable Bob Davie and Tyrone Willingham eras, but he didn’t maintain it. While Brian Kelly has had a few lean years, he’s upheld Notre Dame’s rich tradition of winning much better, even with no national championship to show for it. Of course, when writing a book clearly meant for kids, you have to write about the present based on the information you have, and Weis was seen as a savior at the time of the book’s writing. Funny how quickly legacies can be altered.