Notre Dame has to address Brian Kelly's embarrassing sideline behavior
The sports media world was ablaze with hot takes late last month thanks to Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy.
The embattled pass rusher was involved in a physical confrontation on the sidelines during a loss to the New York Giants, which included smacking the clipboard away from special teams coach Rich Bisaccia.
For the next 24-hour sports news cycle, seemingly anybody with a keyboard or microphone hurried - with the ferocity of a Hardy speed rush - to voice their opinion condemning his behavior, and rightfully so.
So while many were quick to vilify Hardy, why has Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly's sideline behavior during a game against Temple gone relatively unnoticed?
Kelly is a well-respected football mind, widely regarded as a top-5 coach in the college football landscape, and is one of the first names mentioned when any NFL coaching vacancy becomes available.
He also may have some extreme anger issues that have reared their ugly heads time and again on the sidelines. There was a 2011 incident with receiver T.J. Jones, and another screaming session towards the entire offense during a 2013 loss to Michigan.
Kelly was at it again Saturday during Notre Dame's 24-20 win over the Owls - yes, a Fighting Irish win - physically assaulting assistant coach David Grimes while national television cameras rolled.
During his postgame interview, Kelly explained the altercation as "controlling his sideline," claiming Grimes "was going to get us a 15-yard penalty, he was too close and I backed him out of the way."
At no point in the video did it look like Grimes was out of control, too close, or on the verge of receiving a penalty, placing Kelly's overreaction on the same level as Will Ferrell playing Frank the Tank in "Old School."
It's important to note Kelly's salary is $4 million a year, while the players he berates represent unpaid labor, and the assistant coach makes a minuscule percentage of the head coach's pay.
Sadly, due to Miami's unbelievable finish against Duke, Michigan's last-second goal-line stand to beat Minnesota, and Virginia Tech legend Frank Beamer announcing his retirement at season's end, Kelly largely got off scot-free from the media for this episode.
It's simply the latest in unsettling behavior from the leader of Notre Dame's football program. For a school that prides itself on integrity, Kelly's actions seem to have violated the Notre Dame standards of conduct on various levels, yet he faced no suspension or fine.
Much of the media could barely contain itself in the rush to condemn Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett after his arrest for operating a motor vehicle while impaired early Saturday morning, with some claiming the arrest shows a lack of leadership, which the 20-year-old was said to have in spades.
That's right, Barrett is receiving more grief - along with a suspension of one game and loss of financial summer aid - for his mistake, than the handsomely compensated 54-year-old leader of a multi-million dollar football program gets for repeatedly embarrassing the entire university.