Caught in the act: Rumor has it that the popular crispy, thin-crust pizzas from Washington Gardens restaurant in Highwood have been aiding and abetting recruiting efforts of the Fighting Irish. When asked, restaurant co-owner Alex Scornavacco unabashedly admitted that when in the South Bend area recently on another errand, he dropped off a dozen assorted pizzas at the office of Notre Dame’s football recruiter, assistant coach Bob Chmiel.
“I said, `Here are some recruiting tools. But Bob and I have been friends a long time, and I know he is so honest, so aboveboard he wouldn’t do something like that. I’m sure he took it as a joke and gave them to his staff–or ate them,” Scornavacco said.
Indeed, when contacted, Chmiel confirmed that he wouldn’t “think” of using the pizzas to entice prospects. So what happened to them? He explained that “they’re keeping the recruiter recruiting.”