[NU Sports] Notre Dame

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

>Much as it pains me to say, I completely disagree.
> I'd argue it's the premier job in college FB.

Hmm, I kind of chuckled when the lead in the AP story flatly stated in
their lede that it IS the premier job in college coaching. But then again,
some AP writers would still vote the Irish in the top 25 if they were 5-6.:)

I have no doubt that at one time it WAS the premier job ... but I really
doubt it is anymore. Would Pete Carroll or Bob Stoops even return a call
from the Domers? Would Jim Tressel or Lloyd Carr swap spots? Bobby Bowden
and Philip Fulmer probably won't even notice that the position's been
vacated.

Point being -- Notre Dame's facilities are nice (though a smaller copycat
of Michigan Stadium:) ), but nothing you don't see at 20 or 30 other top
programs. Heck, with the renovations the past few years, half the Big Ten
stadiums and practice facilities/weight rooms are as good as Notre Dame's.

And the Irish's biggest edge used to be that they had a TV network -- but
that's not as big anymore either. We were on TV as much as the Irish this
past season ... ditto for Michigan, Florida, Texas and other schools.

It's just not the premier job anymore. A prestigious one? Yes. But THE top
spot? No way -- their last disastrous coaching search should have shown
that ... people weren't falling all over themselves to get to South Bend
and you could make a case then, and probably still now, that the open
Florida position is more attractive in terms of facilities, recruiting,
pay/benefits and notoriety or support. Heck -- despite poor marks in recent
years, you could make a good case for Penn State being better ... fine
facilities, rabid fan base thirsting for a return to glory ... a fertile
state for recruiting, not to mention that Ohio's nextdoor and the entire
Northeast is yours as well, with loads of media coverage in the nation's
biggest markets. Plus the Big Ten = TV coverage.

>And this really pains me (boss is a Domer) but our country is a better
>place because of the values ND seeks to instill in its graduates. (Not
>saying those values aren't taken to heart elsewhere. Just noting that they
>are a core component of the purported ND experience.)

It's a great university - no argument there. But I'm not sure that always
overlaps with the athletes any school turns out.

In any case, I'd be more concerned with the values the athletic department
has been instilling lately -- to hail Ty's work "Sunday through Friday"
while not giving him the same opportunity to succeed that the school gave
Bob Davie or other coaches with worse tenures doesn't really show a
committment to these "values."

> One more painful admission: college FB is better off when ND is a
>consistent winner.

Not sure I agree there either ... I've enjoyed the messed up title races of
the last decade ... sans Notre Dame ... just as much or more as I enjoyed
the previous decade of Lou Holtz teams in the top 5 every year or so. It
might not be as fun to watch them lose anymore if they keep doing it so
often:) -- but the BCS has certainly been much more interesting the six
years ND was out of it, with a lot of teams fighting for that extra slot,
than the one year they snuck in (undeservedly to many) and got spanked by
Oregon State.

> By the way, I'd love to see ND in Big 10 and see Cats, Irish square off each

That may be one of the extra benefits of this besides seeing the Irish
program struggle and look bad.:) We've asked them to join -- their own
academic faculty has asked them to join ... it just makes sense
academically, athletically, geographically and everything else for Notre
Dame to be in the Big Ten. But they've been too arrogant to listen to the
"values" of the university educators or common sense and have spurned the
offer. Maybe a few more years on the outside looking in while they rebuild
will be enough to knock some sense into Notre Dame.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT


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