Kelly ‘Very Optimistic’ Floyd Will Play

For weeks now all signs have been pointing to Michael Floyd suiting up and not missing any games for Notre Dame due to his spring arrest for driving under the influence and on Monday there was more evidence supporting that indication.

Michael Floyd - Notre Dame WR
All signs continue to point to Michael Floyd, shown here in 2010 game action, being reinstated for his senior season at Notre Dame.

According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, Brian Kelly is “very optimistic” that Floyd will take care of everything he needs to take care of in order to satisfy the requirements Kelly put in place for Floyd to be reinstated for his senior season.

“He’s still actively involved in doing the things he needs to take care of,” Kelly said. “He’s finishing up some community service work, he just turned that in. He’s got some work to do on some other personal issues. But he’s making good progress. I’m very optimistic right now.

Last week Kelly cleared Floyd to participate in voluntary team workouts and conditioning training and we learned that Floyd is expected to entered into a plea agreement possibly as soon as the end of June.  Both of these developments led many to believe that Floyd was on course for being reinstated and today’s tidbit from Kelly only further backs that up.

Kelly hasn’t backed down from his all or nothing stance on Floyd at all.  Floyd will either meet the requirements he was given for reinstatement and play every game, or he’ll miss the entire season if he slips up just once or fails to take care of everything he needs to.

The last major hurdle for Floyd could be the plea agreement as there is no way Kelly would reinstate the star receiver before his legal matters are taken care of.   The original report about Floyd entering into a plea in June mentioned the date of June 28 as a possible date.  That would be weeks from yesterday and a month before Notre Dame begins fall camp.

Floyd still has some work to do in order to be on the field on September 3rd against South Florida, but for now it still appears Floyd is headed on a path that leads to his reinstatement for the 2011 season.

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44 Comments

  1. It’s time to move the discussion on. There are plenty of other topics to discuss with the season coming and plenty of other posts that can be debated right now. Let’s move on from this one.

  2. I’ve posted this before on other articles about Mike, and I’ll post it again. @A Fan, as much as I feel for your loss over your friends who have lost their lives to drunk driving, Floyd isn’t the one who did it. As someone who has a DUI, I feel for Floyd, and if he feels anything close to how I felt during the whole time I was trying to get everything squared away (court dates, lawyer, legal fees, court fees, fines, classes, MADD panel, paperwork, restricted licenses, etc.), I’m sure he’s remorseful. I’m a functioning member of society who pays their taxes, helps others in need, and loves his family and friends. I’m also a functioning member of society who LEARNED HIS LESSON; I don’t drink nearly as often, when I do drink, it’s only in moderation, and I always have a designated driver when I drink. Yes, he’s had 1 or 2 other alcohol-related violations before the DUI, but those type of violations don’t have nearly the societal disdain as a DUI, thus, it is likely Floyd didn’t think those violations were big deals either. I know a few others who have DUIs, and they’ve also learned their lessons. With Floyd having more to lose that depend on his ability to learn and grow from this unfortunate experience, it is likely he will be successful and move on.

    The law is not only to punish (in certain schools of thought, it’s theoretically not supposed to be used as punishment at all), but to correct and rehabilitate. The penalties of a fist offender should be more than enough for Floyd to learn his lesson. And if you know the penalties of a second offender, if Floyd became one, he would have much more to worry about than football; MUCH stiffer penalties.

  3. A Fan’s and Nova’s MORONIC comments about ND are ones of classic naysayers frivolously claiming fanship. It should be an immediate grasp of the obvious they are not real ND fans like a few others on this site. It becomes even more obvious when they intend to inflick their brand of twisted personal litmus nonsense here. These people are clueless of the ND experience for which we need no lecture from outsiders about our ND values taught to us. The self-ordained outside vigilance committe is what is. And it is America, a real Republic where everyone is entitled to their ya or nay opinion. Like Jack has so eloquently spoken “Get over it”.

    1. I’ve been a fan my whole life and will always be a fan. I’ve invested an innumerable amount of time and money on ND which I would never go back and change. I just don’t want the university to compromise its values for the sake of a game (I’m not saying that’s the case here).

      1. Nova stop inventing myths. Look up George Gipps personal problems before, during and after being a student at Notre Dame before you start lecturing what Notre Dame is or ever was.

        Students make mistakes. That’s just a fact of life.

        You don’t decide who stays or who goes based on your personal value system. This isn’t a democracy. Notre Dame is a private institution. No tax money or public funds are ever solicited or taken by them. This means that whatever the university decides to do with one it its students, is up to the university and not up to the public.

        If you were in charge and would do something different then fine. But you’re not in charge. So that’s where your outrage ends here my friend.

        You’ve stated your point and the University has made its decision as well. Either get back in line or get out of the way.

  4. jack,

    Excellent points and over-all observation. You’re right, of course. I’m done dealing with those whose personal issues, however painful, prejudice them against ND, to the point that they’re almost accusing her of criminal negligence. It’s that very last point (i.e., ND’s alleged negligence in the MF case), however, which I believe deserves a more full-throated rebuttal from the school’s loyal sons (and daughters). Where’s the outrage from those self-appointed arbiters of who is and who isn’t a real ND fan?

  5. A question to all the people disputing the decision that BK and the administration made. When a prosecutor and a defense attorney plea bargain a charge down is that wrong, or should every person being charged receive the maximum sentence. When Michael Floyd goes in front of a judge for St. Joseph’s county and he accepts a plea bargain and he gets a lessor charge are they wrong? Decisions are made you can either agree or disagree but in the end it is up to the governing body. Right now that governing body is BK, Office of Residence life at ND and a Judge in St. Joseph’s county. Let them deal out the punishment and leave it. Enough with this debate he will eithere play every game or sit the year. Get over it, we can all have opinions, but in the end if this fails or is a success it falls on the shoulders of the people who made the decision.

  6. If “A Fan” or Nova had limited their assessments to the MF case only, I’d say let bygones by bygones. But that’s not the full extent of their points, is it. No. Instead, they also are presuming to impugn the integrity of ND by their specious accusations and insinuations. You bet that causes me “intellectual discomfort.” It should cause any true ND supporter angst to have Our Lady’s school defamed, by anyone and anywhere.

  7. Nova,

    So how do we know we know? What should be the appropriate outcome cast in granite? If you have ever served jury duty you know its only one or two people who herd the sheep into a decision. And in this case, the sheep are NOT allowed to participate and the sheep are not getting paid to make this decision. So you are indeed correct, nothing here matters because it is definately out of our hands. Personal assumptions are just that. It is unfortunate that many seem to be experiencing too much intellectual discomfort over this issue with MF. Its really not a new ultrasophisticated issue and seems to be more than straight forward. However, if we were all perfect in our decisions we would not have anything to improve upon.

  8. If what no one here has to say matters very much, then why should any of us bother to chime in or read (and respond to) posts by others. Who really cares about “intellectual conversation” or “different insight” if none of it really matters? Why bother, then, to “stir the pot” at all?

    Having said that, I think BK is using hyperbole to make a point. I doubt very much that MF will not play at all. I also doubt that there won’t be some kind of sanction. What’s more, like others here, we believe that MF is already being disciplined by BK and the school. Unless someone can proffer concrete proof to the contrary, I’ll stick with what I’m hearing coming from the coach and his staff concerning MF.

  9. Dear Nova,

    Please don’t insinuate that I do any kind of drugs. You, Nova, know nothing about me, so don’t take personal liberties with me. I certainly in no way insulted you or yours in my response to your post. Feel free to disagree with me, but don’t call me a drug user. Even if you’re intending sarcasm or levity, I don’t appreciate that kind of association.

    If you read my reply to you (and my other posts on this MF matter)carefully, you’ll note that we’re in fact in perfect agreement. I in no way pretend that what MF did was trivial. I wouldn’t have any problem with BK deciding to suspend MF for multiple games. (I’ve said so repeatedly!) However, I trust that ND and BK are handling this matter in the appropriate matter. I will not, like “A Fan,” cynically accuse ND of “turning a blind eye” on the case of MF, especially when I have no proof to that effect. Can you proffer any kind of concrete (insider) evidence that ND is giving MF a free pass on this? Until proven guilty, I’ll live and die by my faith in Our Lady’s school and its appointed leaders!

    I, too, will be cheering for MF as both a football player and person, Nova. BTW: Have you ever been forgiven of doing something stupid? If so, Nova, then you shouldn’t be so quick to come down on MF.

    Having said that, I just don’t see where you and I fundamentally disagree. If you’re going to accuse anybody of losing touch with reality, accuse “A Fan” who seems to believe that ND is somehow fast becoming Ohio State! That truly sounds like something someone who’s not of sound mind would say. (NOTE: I’m not accusing “A Fan” of doing drugs, although I am saying that to accuse ND of the kind of sheer cynicism he posits is delusional and irrational.)

  10. sorin,

    I stand for doing unto others as I would have done unto me. If I don’t want my beliefs trivialized, then I won’t trivialize the views of others (no matter how repugnant I may find them!). That was simply the point I wanted to make, sorin. Nothing more, nothing less.

    I nonetheless respect (and most likely agree) with your viewpoints. All I’m advocating is dropping the name-calling and discussing the issues on their own terms (be it in politics, religion, or sports).

    Besides, let’s not get too far afield from the purpose of this board which is ND football. Rather than attacking me on a point of philosophy, sorin, perhaps you’d better serve us by addressing the anti-ND rhetoric of “A Fan.” Where’s the moral outrage (Shaz, JDH, and a few others notwithstanding) when “A Fan” compares ND to OSU?!

    1. I think you need to lay off the amphetamines.

      I suggested that MF needs to be suspended for at least one game because of levity of his actions. I know double standards are apart of life, but I don’t agree with the double standard in this case because his actions could have had devastating consequences. He is a representative of the university that supposedly holds true to its moral and ethical standards (let alone, legal). Then again, the university has always been more remorseful towards alcohol offenses than towards marijuana offenses, for example. I would like to believe that this is the case here, but who knows.

      Hopefully Mike has learned from this mistake. And if he does play for the USF game (which seems highly likely at this point), i’ll be cheering for him.

      1. Why should what you think matter at all NovaNation? Oh ya, it doesn’t. Either you accept whatever punishment is meeted out by the University on one of its students or you find another team to cheer for. That’s all.

      2. NDForever,

        I think we all pretty much agree with Nova and “A Fan” that what MF did was serious. It seems like we also all concur that we’d have no problems with BK suspending MF for a game (or two even). Where we disagree is in our respective opinions about the handling of this case. It sounds like Nova and esp. “A Fan” don’t trust ND or BK to do the right thing in this matter. I disagree. Like I said, I stand by the integrity of the ND leadership until proved otherwise.

        We should be sensitive, however, to “A Fan’s” position. If he’s being truthful (and I hope no one is sick enough to say they’ve lost a loved one to DUI when in fact it’s not true!), then we should respect that. It doesn’t justify “A Fan’s” cynicism, but it does explain his over-the-top responses. Who knows. Anyone of us could over-react, too, faced with similar pain.

        Go Irish!

      3. Nothing that anyone on here says matters. I’m not trying to stir the pot. Rather I’m trying to invoke an intellectual conversation and hopefully offer some different insight. I think everyone is being a little sensitive. It would be great if everyone agreed on everything, but that’s no fun.

        I usually trust the university’s decisions and support them. However, when the head coach says that he will either be suspended for the season or for no games, an no in between, it raises concerns because the season is still a long way off.

  11. According to “A Fan,” MF has received “no punishment.” Yet, in an earlier post, “A Fan” admits that “no one knows” the particulars of MF’s punishment. Question: If you don’t know any of the particulars of this case, then how can you be so sure that MF’s not being punished? “A Fan’s” logic sadly belies his claims to be a ND grad.

    What’s more, how can anyone claiming to be a ND fan be so cynically sure that the school is “turning a blind eye” (“A Fan’s” words) to the MF case? Where’s the proof of that?! You have to really be prejudiced against ND to be so callow and callous in your indictments of her.

  12. “A Fan,”

    Perhaps if you had been more upfront with your posts, people wouldn’t patronize you and you wouldn’t feel compelled to resort to faux profanity! “A$$hole”. REALLY?! How utterly PRE-PUBESCENT!

    If you go back and read my posts, sir/madame, you would see that in fact I brought up the fact that perhaps you have been personally touched by tragedy concerning DUI. I called others here to respect that. Moreover, sir/madame, if you go back and re-read my posts you’d find that in fact I sided with you concerning stiffening DUI laws.

    What I will not do, sir/madame, is apologize to you for your lack of prior, forthright communication with us on this matter. You have blathered on and on — ad nauseum — about matters beyond your academic background and training. I sympathize with your personal plight but that’s never a substitute for sound argumentation. You’ve yet to make any kind of sound argument for why MF should be suspended. (He’s working within both the legal system as it stands and ND regulations, however much you may disagree with both.) You’ve lied about the MF case repeatedly, claiming MF is a multiple DUI offender, which he in fact isn’t.

    I wonder where all the self-proclaimed ND loyalists are? Here you have one of your (allegedly) own bad-mouthing the school he (allegedly) graduated from and the team we all cheer for. Where’s the moral outrage against “A Fan” from some here who take even the slightest criticism of ND as treason?

  13. Let him play. He’s learned his lesson. Kids make stupid mistakes. Stuff like this happens all the time at every program. Most unreported. Let’s get over it and move on

    Go Irish

  14. “NovaNation,”

    I think most people on this board agree with you. I haven’t really heard anybody here argue that MF shouldn’t be disciplined or that his offense wasn’t serious. He’s being and will continue to be disciplined by BK and the school. If he’s suspended one or more games, the loyal ND fan will be OK with that (however much it hurts us on the field). The loyal ND fan will also be OK, however, if MF isn’t suspended at all because we trust that the powers that be exercised their due diligence in this case and decided that MF has both repented and redeemed himself in their estimation.

    Until the 3rd team long-snapper comes up before this new ND residential life regime for the same exact offense as MF, we simply can’t argue that MF is getting special treatment. Precedent in this case is of limited value because we have none for this new era of ND res life.

    Having said that, I think it’s disingenuous to believe that “all were created equal.” (That doesn’t mean that all are not worthy of being equally respected as citizens and saints. We all are equals before the eyes of God and the law. Even then, in Catholic theology, as you no doubt know, their is a distinction between Saints and saints. Is that God’s double-standard. I don’t think so!) The rich get invited to better parties than I do. Is that fair? Pretty girls get asked out more often than “plain Janes”. (In theory, at least.) Is that fair? Smarter people are believed more often than those with less education? (In theory, at least.) Is that fair? Double-standards are all around us, “Nova”. We live with them all the time. Most socially adapted humans even know how to take advantage of or manipulate them from time to time. That’s life.

  15. Being a Villanova alumn, I know about harsh punishment (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=5890891). MF should be suspended at least one game. DUI is a very serious offense and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. He could have injured or killed an innocent person. What does MF learn by getting off with a wrist-slap?

    I am a lifelong ND fan and supporter. I am also happy that MF is improving himself. However, if you don’t think the football team (let alone the star) gets special treatment, you’re fooling yourself. I know because I have family members that were on varsity teams during their time at ND.

  16. “A Fan,”

    How old are you? Only very small children believe in the fairy-tale that life is fair. Everyone past the age of adolescence knows that double-standards are a part of life, however much we may dislike them. It’s not particularly fair that women get paid substantially less than men do for the same work. That’s not right in my opinion. We shouldn’t overlook it. But in the end, whining about it isn’t going to make double-standards go away.

    I wonder how many double-standards you live with on a daily basis and perhaps even try to rationalize?

    Again, what’s your college football team, “A Fan”?

    1. That male/female pay gap is nothing but a lie spread by feminazis to make men feel guilty. If women really make 70% of what men make for doing the ‘same job’, why would a man ever be hired?

      1. sorin,

        I’m certainly no “feminazi” (a term that says more about your ideology than it does about my beliefs). Send me a non-partisan (!) link to make your point and I’ll be glad to peruse it.

      2. Rob,

        Glad you’re not a ‘feminazi’. Its true men make more than women overall, but the difference is negligible when they do the same job. For any large employer, (the gov’t, Walmart, etc) pay is based on the job and experience, not gender. Jobs women tend to avoid, such as garbage collector and mechanic, pay relatively well despite not requiring much education. Teaching and health care require more education for similar pay. Therefore women are ‘underpaid’. Some articles list pay by industry, http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/the-gender-pay-gap-by-industry/
        yet lump upper management in with administrative assistants. Women are more likely to take part time jobs, or take extended time off for children or to care for an ill or elderly relative. Do you really think a company would risk a lawsuit by basing pay on gender? Those who quote this incredibly flawed and misleading statistic have an ideological agenda that deserves the label ‘feminazi’. Hope this opens your eyes.

      3. sorin,

        Thanks for the link and elaboration on your point. There’s much value in it.

        I don’t like political caricaturing, however. For instance, I don’t like it when some liberals call certain kinds of libertarians or Republicans “Tea-baggers.” By the same token, I don’t like terms like “feminazis” to describe pro-feminists. It’s just more mature and intellectually responsible to address ideas as they stand rather then demonizing people.

        History has shown us what happens when we stop viewing people as people and instead just demonize them and/or their ideas/ideals.

      4. You’re kidding, right? To say someone’s ideas are in line with the far left National Socialist Workers’ Party in no way compares with saying someone commits a despicable sex act.

        When you claim discrimination when none exists, you are as wrong as those who actually discriminate. You should read Milton Friedman and Thomas Sowell.

        If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.

  17. As a ND football fan, as all of us on this website are, I say get him back as soon as possible. He didn’t kill or injure anyone, he made a stupid choice like all 21 year olds do; yes I know he is a repeat offender of stupidness. Just because you make a dumb choice at 18, 19, and 20, doesn’t mean you won’t make another at 21.

    I want to see ND win as many games a possible, Floyd will help with that cause. Get him on the field!

    GO IRISH!

    1. And that’s the reason why Floyd is getting a pass. Any other guy would get a suspension. Double standard if you ask me.

  18. Anyone who knows anything about ND, knows that they build Champions…
    Champions of people.

    I believe in MF.
    I believe he is going to mature, going to get his priorities in order.
    I believe he is going to be a successful student, a successful person, a leader on and off the field.

    A shinning example of what can be accomplished
    at ND when a person of his caliber puts his heart and mind into it.

    There are a great many success stories to be found at the University of Notre Dame, and MF is going to be one of them.

    I believe he is going to add to the Legacy of ND, not take away from it.
    Those of us who know ND have come to exspect nothing less. We have seen it before.

    Those who really don’t know ND, They are the ones who are always left “SHOCKED” because of their near sightedness of what can, and is, acomplished at The University of ND.

  19. “Punishment” is used so often in most societies. It is a waste. Behavior modification is the way to deal with damaging conduct. Floyd is going through a process of modifying his conduct. Let’s hope that this process really helps.

    1. “A Fan,”

      OK, so what would YOU suggest BK and the ND administration do to MF? Suspend him? No, too lenient, I take it. Throw him off the team? No,still too lenient for you. How about expelling him from school? No, because that’s still too merciful and “A Fan” believes mercy is for the weak. Throw MF in jail? That sounds more like it (in spite of the fact MF’s “crime” doesn’t warrant jail time). I got it — sentence MF to the death penalty! That would finally make “A Fan” happy. Yes, “A Fan” will only be happy if MF is executed for his misdemeanor.

      Like I’ve said, this person is clearly not a lawyer so his legal opinions don’t mean squat and I doubt he’s a fan of ND.

      “A Fan,” someone here called you out and asked what scumbag school you root for. Why the silence? Perhaps you’re an OSU, USC, or Tenn. fan. That would certainly explain your jaundiced points of view and lack of logic.

      You know, friends, “A Fan” makes me long for “Angry [Anus] Eagle”. At least we knew what that character stood for!

      1. At least a one game suspension. Say that it is “all or nothing” is a complete joke because no one knows what he has to do, if anything. This is all PR crap. ND is no different than any other place after this happened IMO.

      2. “A Fan,”

        If you go over what’s been said about this issue the last few months by me and others here, you’ll see that we have no problems with MF being suspended for even more than just one game. And that, my friend, is what makes the average ND fan and ND different from the football factories. Do you think the average UF fan would agree that a star player should be suspended at all for what MF did? Or a Tenn. star? Don’t even get me started on OSU and USC. Their fans can justify the worst abuses by their star players for the sake of winning.

        I guess you missed the post here about how the ND athletic department and its STUDENT-athletes did academically this past year. Look at the graduation rates of ND football players historically and tell me ND is no different from the football factories.

        ND is special. Open your eyes, “A Fan.”

        GO IRISH!!!

      3. SFR,

        Have you noticed that this guy is always the first to respond to one of Frank’s posts? Usually at 1:00am eastern time. That is what, like 9 or 10pm west coast time?
        My guess is he just a boy who lives with his mom, and is bitter over the punishment that his Trojans recieved so he has to try to satisfy his poor loser attitude by coming here and trying to berating ND.
        Talk about beating it to death. Hopefully one day his balls will finally drop and he will move on to something else!
        In the mean it’s just more “bla, bla, bla.

      4. Shaz,

        I think (but I could be wrong) that the first time “A Fan” reared his head on our site he claimed to be a ND fan. Several of us have asked him point blank to tell us what college football team he roots for so we can shine a spotlight on his hypocrisy (assuming he’s not a ND fan — if he really is one, of course; he could be claiming to be an Irish fan but really isn’t).

        I think you’re right, Shaz, and “A Fan” is some pre-pubescent geek who loves the Trojans and is bitter about the turn of events. He/she is probably too young to remember when ND owned the Trojans. Well, Trojans, it’s back to the future! Get used to ND owning you for some time to come.

        Go Irish!!!

      5. I have had personal friends killed by drunk drivers in the past. So kiss my ass if I think Floyd should do something other that pick-up trash around ND for a punishment.

        I am an ND grad of 2000 and see my school turing an blind eye on a kid who has had 3 alcohol related “problems” with no punishment.

        I live in Orange County

        Anything else A$$hole?

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