A previously announced Ivan Maisel appearance at a Notre Dame bookstore took a strange twist on Wednesday when it was temporarily postponed.
It didn’t take long for many of Maisel’s colleagues and readers to connect the dots, tying the postponement to his role on the College Football Playoff selection committee, which — as you may have heard — didn’t select the Fighting Irish for its 12-team field.
While Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore has since reversed course with Friday’s appearance now going on as originally planned, Maisel took to social media on Wednesday afternoon to address the controversy. In a series of posts, the ex-ESPN writer made it clear that the Notre Dame football and athletic department had nothing to do with the temporary postponement, stating that the bookstore made the decision as a potential precaution.
“The Hammes Bookstore acted in good faith and out of an abundance — OK, overabundance — of caution. No one in ND administration or the athletic department knew of the postponement until afterward,” Maisel wrote. “I have spoken with AD Pete Bevacqua and with Dave Werda, the university executive director in charge of the bookstore, both of whom gave apologies that were neither requested nor necessary.”
Maisel also clarified that while he stands by the work the committee did, he wasn’t involved in the conversation or voting when it came to Notre Dame. That’s because he voluntarily recused himself as Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman had written a blurb for his biography of legendary Notre Dame head coach Frank Leahy — the same book he’ll be promoting on Friday.
“I offered the recusal in August and the CFP accepted it,” Maisel revealed.
Considering the current angst in South Bend, it’s understandable that the bookstore would want to take precautions, but postponing the event without consulting Maisel was clearly a bridge too far. Ultimately, the backlash proved to be loud and swift enough for the postponement to only prove temporary, while also providing the author at the center of it an opportunity to reveal his role — or lack thereof — in the Fighting Irish’s high profile snub.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.