Scandal Update: Brewster Says He Didn't Call Weis Fat, Etc...

The Star Tribune picked up on an item I relayed to you last week regarding the strange allegations made at a Notre Dame forum that Minnesota football coach Tim Brewster had some harsh things to say about Charlie Weis. Patrick Reusse wrote the following:

Brewster denies Weis rip
Someone called MNIrish posted on a Notre Dame fans' website a summary of an alleged conversation with Gophers football coach Tim Brewster. According to MNIrish, he met Brewster at a "meet and greet" at an apartment building in which they both were living.

The Notre Damer said Brewster gave a sales pitch to the gathering and repeatedly said: "We need to keep Minnesota players in Minnesota." According to MNIrish, he approached Brewster later, said he was from Notre Dame and the Irish might be recruiting the same Minnesota players.

"Brewster basically went off on me, saying how sick he was of Notre Dame and our arrogance ... and our fear of playing Minnesota in the new stadium," wrote MNIrish. "When I told him ... it was our athletic director who wouldn't budge the schedule, he went off on [coach Charlie] Weis."

MNIrish contended that, among other things, Brewster said Notre Dame could never recruit another Minnesota player "until Weis was under 350 pounds."

The gist of this posting was e-mailed to Brewster and he was asked if this conversation had taken place. Brewster's response was:

"I may be a first-time head coach, but the info in that e-mail is ridiculous. Charlie is a good friend of mine. There is a good reason why I don't read the Internet."

That last part contradicts that Brewster is basically an Internet addict, looking for recruiting and other college football news.

For a full description of what MN Irish suggests Brewster said, check out my previous post on the matter. I was wondering when someone would make Brewster go on the record denying these allegations. Kudos to Patrick Reusse for asking the question. I also find it humorous that Reusse suggessts Brewster is lying about his Internet usage. In the end, I'm glad Brewster denied saying these things. And although I find it somewhat entertaining, it's probably not good form to bash a well-respected coach when you have zero wins under your belt.

This likely ends the first scandal of Brewster's tenure, unless of course MN Irish has an audio recording???

UPDATE: In a comment left Tuesday evening on my previous post on the Brewster/Weis scandal, MNIrish weighed in. He wrote:

I'm not making it up! I was honestly just trying to joke with him as a conversation starter, knowing that coaches can't comment on specific players,but can talk about a school (ie Cretin-Derham). As a Minnesotan, the U of M is my second favorite program, and I have been impressed with Brewster from the start. I actually debated about whether to post my encounter, chalking it up to a bad day for the coach, but now for him to say Weis is a good friend? Unbelievable, from what I heard from his mouth. My feelings aren't hurt, I know a lot of people don't like Notre Dame, but we like Weis and don't think he is a disgrace by any means. And he doesn't deserve to be berated like that.

Thanks for weighing in, MNIrish.