On December 12, 2001, George O'Leary had to let go of a dream when, after only five days, he had to step down as the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame. O'Leary had misrepresented himself in a resume that contained inaccuracies about both his education and his athletic career.

In an article three days later, Atlanta Journal and Constitution sports writer Mark Bradley wrote, "O'Leary should stand as a sobering cautionary tale for the rest of us: As easy and convenient as a lie may be, it carries a hidden cost."