Notre Dame's Steely New Golden Boy

Related Stories

• HOFN's Top Collegiate Athletic Programs
• We Are Marshall
• Top 10 Un-drafted Players in NFL History
• Long Live the Kings
• Super Bowl's Infamous Ten

Los Angeles, California

From Jimmy Clausen's perspective, it was the perfect day.

The golden boy with the golden arm standing with the Golden Dome in the background, assuring the Notre Dame faithful that the Irish would be as good as gold for the next four years with him at quarterback.

"That's what I'm going to come here for, to try to get four national championship rings," said Clausen, a senior at Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, California, shortly after announcing his decision to attend Notre Dame while he stood on the main stage of the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind.

Will Jimmy Clausen be the Second Coming?

The problem was, by the time the nation's top high school football prospect uttered the words, Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis and the legion of loyal Irish followers longed to hear on April 22, all perspective had been lost.

Privilege was replaced by entitlement. Humility was replaced by superiority.

It began with an e-mail from Jeff Freedman, a Southern California public relations specialist and former employee of NFL agent Gary Wichard, who is also a friend of the Clausen family. The request to use the Hall of Fame facility set off a media frenzy – including an ESPN camera crew – that was excessive, even by Notre Dame standards.

Then, only four hours before the Irish's annual Blue and Gold spring scrimmage, Clausen and his 15-person support system – dubbed "Team Clausen" by one writer – were escorted along South St. Joseph Street in a white stretch Hummer limousine.

A police motorcade later surrounded that same limo to transport Clausen and Company to the stadium, where he walked the sidelines with the other high school All-Americans, all of whom were said to have taken "unofficial" visits to be part of the weekend's festivities.

The day before, Notre Dame alumnus Tim Brown entertained the audience at the opening event of the College Football Hall of Fame's KeyBank Gridiron Legends Luncheon Series. Even the former Heisman Trophy winner didn't elicit the same response as Clausen, who is still 14 months away from even being able to attempt an official pass as the assumed successor to Brady Quinn.