Freedom of Speech
Posted November 3, 2005, 8:41 AM ET

Jason Whitlock is a joke.

I've never met the guy and I've never had a chance to talk with him...but his latest piece on ESPN.com is truly disturbing. If you haven't read it and you want your blood pressure to go up...check it out.

Whitlock writes that the 10-year contract extension given to Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis is "racist". Huh?

Weis is 5-2 in his first year at Notre Dame and the Irish officials have extended his contract with a reported 10-year, $30 million dollar contract extension that will keep him in South Bend until 2015.

Whitlock contends that Notre Dame is racist because the Irish didn't extend Ty Willingham's contract in his first year after an 8-0 start. Are you following Whitlock's rational thinking?

Whitlock writes..."Weis' new contract extension strikes me as being racist. Because there's no way Notre Dame, or any school for that matter, would do the same thing for a black coach. How do I know this? Because Willingham was far more impressive in the first two months of his initial season than Weis has been in his, and all Tyrone got was a pat on the back."

Whitlock continues by writing, "Charlie Weis has not proven that he's the second coming of Joe Paterno, or Jimmy Johnson, or Pete Carroll. Charlie Weis has not won one football game that he wasn't supposed to."

This issue has nothing to do with race...it has everything to do with business. And if you haven't checked lately, Notre Dame football is a big business.

The Irish took care of their commodity, and they have every right to do so. Any smart businessman or manager would and should do the same thing. If you have an employee that produces and gives you an upside for the future, you should reward him accordingly. That is nothing more than good, smart business and management.

Weis had a $1.5 million buyout in his contract. That figure is rather small in the world of big-time college coaches and athletics. Notre Dame wanted to offer security and protection all at the same time. The easiest way to do that is you offer a long-term contract for more money. Smart Business....not racism.

Plus, keep in mind when Willingham was handed the job at ND, he wasn't actually the first choice, or the second, or the third. Ty brought a great reputation as a cerebral coach with impeccable qualities in dealing with student-athletes at Stanford. His record was okay, but at Stanford there are different priorities than wins and losses.

Willingham is a good man and I think a decent coach. Despite his one win so far this season at Washington, Ty has earned his reputation in the coaching community.

But this decision by Notre Dame has absolutely nothing to do with race. It was strictly a business decision.

And Jason Whitlock's opinion is still comical....and sad.