It was bad enough when popular offensive line coach Joe Moore sued the University of Notre Dame for age discrimination—but matters got much worse when the lawsuit uncovered disquieting evidence of unethical and inappropriate conduct in a football program widely regarded as a model of probity. This is the dramatic story of that explosive lawsuit, which tarnished Notre Dame's burnished football image: the winner of eleven national titles; the home of legends Knute Rockne, the Gipper and the Four Horsemen; the subject of innumerable books and films—Notre Dame football has been idealized as everything that is good and right about American sports competition and, indeed, about America itself. This riveting story begins in November 1996, when Bob Davie is hired as head coach to replace the beloved Lou Holtz. In one of his first-and most fateful-executive decisions, Davie fires 64 year old Joe Moore because—as Davie puts it—he needs someone younger for the job. Attorney Rick Lieberman takes on Joe Moore's case and in this absorbing book he describes the trial and the enormous tensions to which litigants like Joe Moore are subject. This is a David and Goliath story in which the Notre Dame attorneys attempt to destroy Joe Moore's reputation as both a coach and a man. In the process, Davie's own background comes under close scrutiny as a reporter's investigation reveals some damning evidence. And as the trial proceeds, Notre Dame's football program is shown to be rife with legal improprieties and inappropriate behavior involving both coaches and administrators. Anyone interested in sports, in the law, in stories of blatant injustice—and in Notre Dame—will find Personal Foul a fascinating, revealing and memorable read. Joe Moore, offensive line coach for the University of Notre Dame football team for nine years, was fired from his position after the hiring of a new head coach. Moore, who was 64 at the time, contended that age discrimination was the principle reason for the dismissal, and he sued the university for financial damages and to get his job back. Here, Moore's attorney chronicles the case, guiding the reader through the ugly pretrial and trial processes and showing a side of Notre Dame few people witness. Unfair hiring practices are only the tip of the iceberg as Lieberman reveals a storied football program rife with ethical problems in the hiring of its coaches and the treatment of some of the players themselves. The book is biased in that it shows the progression of the trial only through the author's eyes, but it does ably demonstrate how an actual trial case is conducted and the unexpected costs to both sides. Recommended for larger public libraries. Patrick Mahoney, Off-Campus Lib. Svcs., Central Michigan Univ., Mt Pleasant Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. In 1996, Notre Dame's head football coach Bob Davie fired 64-year-old offensive line coach Joe Moore, saying he wanted someone younger on his staff. Moore decided to sue for age discrimination. Lieberman, Moore's lead attorney on the case, describes what happened as the suit played out. It isn't a pretty picture. Notre Dame offered a number of feeble reasons for the dismissal, but Davie had discussed the firing with too many people and had always made reference to Moore's age. The university also tried to discredit Moore with charges of physical abuse toward players. None of these tactics worked, however, and the jury found in favor of Moore. Although Lieberman is obviously not an impartial author, he tells a compelling David and Goliath tale in which one man takes on one of the most powerful educational institutions in America. Most disturbing is the university's personal attack on Moore's performance and ethics. A testament to the seedy side of big-money college sports. Wes Lukowsky Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved "Lieberman reveals a storied football program rife with ethical problems in the hiring of its coaches and the treatment of some of the players themselves." — Library Journal "A testament to the seedy side of big-money college sports." — Booklist "... intriguing for its close look at the suit and at Lieberman's own legal stratagems." — Publishers Weekly RICHARD LIEBERMAN is a partner with the Chicago law firm of Ross & Hardies, where his law practice has focused particularly on employment discrimination and civil rights cases. He has practiced law since 1971, primarily representing corporations in labor and employment disputes. Personal Foul Coach Joe Moore vs. the University of Notre Dame By Richard Lieberman Chicago Review Press Incorporated Copyright © 2001 Richard Lieberman All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-89733-489-1 Contents I. DECEMBER 1996: SOUTH BEND AND CHICAGO, II. 1983–84: TULANE, III. JANUARY-FEBRUARY 1997: PREPARING THE LAWSUIT, IV. PRETRIAL LITIGATION, V. TRIAL: LAFAYETTE, INDIANA, AFTERWORD, SOURCES & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, INDEX, CHAPTE