[NU Sports] Sugar Bowl ...

[NEONRye at aol.com]

One would think that after 9 straight bowl losses (My head is spinning from  
that number, as even the 'Cats don't approach that record of futility.) the  
Powers That Be at Dome U. would decide that their "backdoor" pass into the BCS  
is not in their interest, let alone those of College FB fans across the 
country,  and also those worthy non-BCS League teams (such as Boise State).  ND  
really should be playing to "their level".  Thus, a mid-level bowl for  their 
good, but hardly great, team, would have given them a better chance of  getting 
"off the schneid" in terms of a bowl win--just as many of us rooted for  NU to 
get into a "lesser" bowl a few years ago just so we could cop a win and  
break our streak (I thought the Motor City Bowl gig would do the trick at the  
time, but unfortunately, Bowling Green had other ideas.).  ND's  putative 
"entitlement" to be invited to the BCS "Dance" is just a further  indictment of the 
whole system and does nothing to enhance Dome U.'s  reputation.  I have never 
felt the visceral hate that some of you have for  ND--probably because I grew 
up in the NY area, where ND is put on a pedestal,  but their coverage is not so 
all-encompassing and nauseatingly positive like it  is in the Midwest and 
especially Chicagoland--but their "free ride" into the BCS  is just absurdly 
unfair and undeserved.  I had almost no interest in last  night's game, as I just 
didn't feel the match-up was worthy of the Sugar Bowl  stage.  My ennui was 
certainly justified as the game wasn't competitive  after halftime.  In 
contrast, the BSU-OU game was compelling, both because  of the David against Goliath 
angle and the level of play and coaching  creativity.  Both teams had earned 
the right to be at the Fiesta, so it  felt right.  At the Sugar, I felt going in 
that ND might be exposed, and it  was.
 
Paul Levinson