Thursday, September 13, 2012

Notre Lame


courtesy dailydomer.nd.edu



The last few days it was announced that Notre Dame will be leaving the Big East and joining the ACC in all sports except football.  This is not totally shocking they have decided to leave as teams have been jumping conferences like crazy over the past few years. 

The issue I have with the move is the narcissistic, egotistical, megalomaniac stance that Notre Dame football takes as they constantly stay as an independent.  They have again moved to a conference and not added football to that conference although they want the benefit from that conference. 

Talk about having your cake and eat it too.

To me Notre Dame has no meaning other than having to watch them play some mediocre football on NBC every Saturday afternoon.  The Notre Dame brand is not what it once was.  Their fans can tell you what they want but I will stand by that till the death.  This once powerful football university has not won a National Championship since Tony Rice, at left, was leading the charge in 1988. 

1988!  Really! 

This is the national power that everyone feels needs to be given all these perks like the BCS letting them in if they have eight wins or more.  It is dumb and they really need to just join a conference and add football.  Get it done already and make college football as level of a playing field as possible.  Enough of this ancient way of thinking and doing business and stop it.   

They will be joining the ACC now and although they won't be joining in football they will have to play five ACC opponents each year in their schedule. 

Five opponents per year out of the ACC.  But you aren't joining the league as a football member?  What a joke and how lame!  This is what I am talking about.  You won't add football but they are forcing you to play their teams five times a year.

I mean poop or get off the pot already!!! 

I thought it was ridiculous when the Big Ten approached them a few years ago and they decided not to join yet they were playing the likes of Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, and sometimes Northwestern annually.

It is the old adage that if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, well its gotta be a duck.  Right??? 

I understand why they don't want to join as the almighty dollar speaks volumes.  Notre Dame is a monopoly when it comes to football and if they joined the conference it benefits from every team when they play in a bowl game.  If you can stay relevant independently and gain all the money it is the obvious choice.  I get that.   

The problem is Notre Dame isn't what is used to be.  The last time they were really dominate and had great teams year in and year out Lou Holtz, pictured left, was patrolling on the sidelines.  Not in ESPN's TV studio. 

They have tried to hire famous coaches and the hot coach and none of them have been able to bring this sinking ship back to life.  The kids that are playing football today really don't know Notre Dame football as a good product.  Like I stated early it has been 24 years since Notre Dame won a college football championship and the kids on campus now weren't even born yet. 

ESPN's Mike Golic has sons who play at Notre Dame but that is because he and his brother were stars there.  It would be interesting to ask his kids if they would be playing there today if their dad and uncles hadn't played there. 

Notre Dame is currently coached by Brian Kelly who was been successful before, most recently at Cincinnati, and he has the experience and drive to do the job.  Is the change though going to make his job easier?

The ACC has Virgina Tech and Florida State as their top tier of talent each year.  The rest of the league is really suspect at best.  You have the likes of North Carolina, Duke, Maryland, Boston College, Miami (who is a shell of its former self), etc.  They have to play five games against this talent going forward and this cuts into their other scheduling. 

The regular match ups Notre Dame has played in years past of Michigan, USC, Stanford, etc. could become challenged and really cut into what Notre Dame fans have been subject to in the past.  You take five games away from your regular schedule tendencies what are Notre Dame fans going to think in the future?

Will Michigan and Notre Dame do battle in the future?  Who knows only time will tell.  

The change is definitely coming and the Big East is asking at least 27 months advance notice, coupled with an extremely large buyout, to leave the league.

I am sure the other Notre Dame sports will do just fine in their adjustment to yet another league. 

For Notre Dame basketball it should be a slam dunk.

As for Notre Dame football I think this decision is yet another lame incomplete pass. 

   



1 comment:

  1. Very true...when it comoes to football it's all about the ALUMNI (or Board Of Directors, which ever you prefer), especially at large programs who have had great success in the past. Look at the role "alumni" played in all the fiasco's at SMU, Miami and USC. Influential Alumni play a significant role in the under belly of major college sports for sure.

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