Doherty neither saint nor traitor, just human
Tim Casey
Irish Insight
Funny how perceptions change.
When school ended in May, Matt Doherty was a Domer deity, Digger Phelps was an accomplished analyst and John MacLeod was as forgotten as John Jordan. Mike Brey? Who was that?
Three months later, Doherty is a Tar Heels traitor, Phelps is an eager ex-coach, MacLeod is the ÒrealÓ architect of last yearÕs NIT runner-up team and Brey is Doherty 2000 Ñ young and aggressive with ACC connections.
This all began when Doherty accepted the North Carolina head coaching position on July 11, less than a week after Roy Williams decided to remain at Kansas. By signing his name on a piece of Tar Heels stationary,
Doherty subsequently altered the public persona of these four coaches and ex-coaches.
Among the questions from Irish fans: How could Doherty leave us in the middle of July? DidnÕt he promise that ÒThis (Notre Dame) is a job I can see myself at for the rest of my life?Ó How dare he ditch out on Troy Murphy after convincing the certain first-round draft pick to stay for his junior season? DidnÕt he sign a multi-year contract? WhereÕs his loyalty?
Some of the questioners were the same people who were close to having Doherty sainted for leading their beloved Irish to upset victories over Ohio State, Connecticut and St. JohnÕs, for crying (or nearly crying) after every win and for playing in Bookstore Basketball. They wanted him sainted for sitting in the student section at a football game and for calling the ÒwaterboyÓ on the phone repeatedly after the infamous incident in the game against Syracuse.
And above all, for seeming to genuinely care about the fans.
Guess what?
DohertyÕs not a saint. And heÕs not Benedict Arnold reincarnated, either.
He also didnÕt change as a person from July 10 to July 11.
The only thing that changed was our perception of him.
Just like his predecessors, Doherty is a product of our fascination with labeling athletes and coaches as Ògood guysÓ or Òbad guysÓ when, in reality, we never really know. Because people usually only reveal a part of their lives and because we tend to look at events or situations, rather than the whole person, itÕs nearly impossible to accurately portray anyone, let alone a well-known public figure.
Consider Phelps and MacLeod.
Almost as soon as the search for a new coach began, Phelps pleaded the University to hire within the Notre Dame ÒfamilyÓ. He even offered to return to lead the Irish, nine years after retiring as the winningest basketball coach in Notre Dame history.
This was the same Phelps who, on numerous occasions, referred to coaching as a grind and who seemed very content sitting in the ESPN studios and living a more normal lifestyle.
And whose wife, Teresa, wrote an autobiography, entitled ÒThe CoachÕs WifeÓ, detailing her husbandÕs last few years here as anything but ideal. One passage quotes Notre Dame former athletic director Dick Rosenthal as saying he would Òschedule Digger out of a jobÓ with a 1990-1991 campaign featuring only 12 home games.
At his farewell press conference, Phelps denied any discord with Rosenthal. But in response to DiggerÕs ÒresignationÓ, Rosenthal penned a four-line statement. Four lines for a 20-year veteran coach, the most successful coach in Irish history.
MacLeod, the coach just prior to Doherty, suddenly received some coverage as well following DohertyÕs departure. On July 18, MacLeodÕs son, Matt, a former Notre Dame walk-on, wrote a letter to the South Bend Tribune.
ÒPlease give credit where credit is due,Ó wrote the younger MacLeod.
ÒJohn MacLeod was the individual who turned around the program. Ask any of his former players.Ó
That testimonial was followed by another letter, published in the July 23 edition of The Chicago Tribune, written by former MacLeod assistant Parker Laketa.
ÒJohn MacLeod is a stand-up, loyal guy,Ó Laketa wrote. ÒNotre Dame didnÕt know how good they had it.Ó
Where were these letters when MacLeod ÒresignedÓ last March? I donÕt recall many sad faces or public outcry when MacLeod left after an eight-year tenure marred in mediocrity.
Yet, MacLeod is currently credited by many for recruiting all the core players for last yearÕs 22-15 team, the same MacLeod who was ridiculed for having several players transfer in his eight years in South Bend.
Now, here comes Brey.
IÕve read his biography on the Internet.
He played for DeMatha High School, Northwestern Louisiana University and George Washington University.
After graduating from GW in 1982, he was an assistant at high school basketball legend DeMatha for five years before spending the next eight seasons at Duke as an assistant to Mike Krzyzewski. He led Delaware to two NCAA appearances and a 99-52 record in five years as head coach.
According to the University of Notre DameÕs sports information website, ÒHe (Brey) also has been active in the Coaches vs. Cancer program, helping make Delaware one of the top fund-raising schools in the country through that program.Ó
The 41-year old Brey and his wife, Tish, have two children, Kyle and Callie.
What does all this mean?
We should know more in a few months.
Or at least we can hope.
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, August 23, 2000
