LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Jury selection began today in an age discrimination lawsuit filed by a fired assistant coach against Notre Dame, with the judge warning attorneys about raising alleged past improprieties by head football coach Bob Davie.
U.S. District Judge Allen Sharp said former offensive line coach Joe Moore and his lawyers could not discuss any improprieties by Davie at other schools unless the subject was first introduced by Notre Dame attorneys.
Sharp also warned attorneys he would end the trial if they deviated from his ground rules. He interrupted attorneys from both sides during opening statements to remind them of his instructions.
“If you or they get in trouble and go out of bounds, I’ll declare a mistrial,” he told Moore’s attorney, Richard Lieberman. “If you get out of bounds and say something during opening statements that you shouldn’t say, you’ll have to live with it.”
The trial threatened to reveal another side to Notre Dame’s storied football success in South Bend, one that Knute Rockne and the Four Horsemen probably would rather no one know about.
Allegations that coaches, including Moore, abused players were just a few of the tales witnesses were expected to share with jurors.
The 66-year-old Moore claims Davie thought he was too old to coach and fired him so he could hire somebody younger.
University lawyers likely will counter with claims that Moore abused his players and was dismissed not because of his age but because he was not a suitable representative for a football program rich in the lore of Rockne, George “The Gipper” Gipp and 11 national championships.
Court papers suggest Notre Dame lawyers will likely introduce a slew of incidents in which Moore is said to have punched, pushed and abused players, including one altercation in which he allegedly punched two players during the Florida State game in November 1994.