[NU Sports] my blog today

[CHerron604 at aol.com]

We need to learn a few lessons on running a big-time program, but we can  
learn them from Michigan and other conference mates.  
 
When ND thought themselves too great athletically (debatable) and  
academically (laughable) to join the premiere Intercollegiate Athletic  Conference 
(ours), they showed their true arrogance.  
 
Their professors supported the move, knowing it would benefit the school  
academically.  But the athletic department called the shots, showing that  greed 
and arrogance could trump academic interests.
 
A university run by its athletic department may have undeserved fame and TV  
contracts and sales of hideous jerseys, but as a university, is little better  
than run-of-the-mill football factories.
 
If the university folded tomorrow, a few subway alums might complain, but  
the world would not end, and might even be a better place.
 
The sport is as popular as it has ever been, and they have not had a  
national championship in 20 years.
 
Chuck Herron   Tech '85
 
 
In a message dated 12/1/2008 8:39:01 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
artmiller1 at hotmail.com writes:


Alan, as one of the few pro-ND list members I thought your blog  entry was 
spot-on.  Like it or not, there are some programs whose success  elevates their 
sport.  The New York Yankees come to mind, and I'd  probably include the 
Dallas Cowboys as well.  (For the record, I hate  both those teams.)


Stephen, of course, can't disassociate his  wishes from the facts:> A decade 
ago, Notre Dame's success or failure would  be a big deal. But now it's just 
shoulder
> shrugging and "after the  first break" fodder for highlight shows -- after 
discussing the  important
> issues of the day.
Right.  This is why you--and a  lot of other people--never stop bringing them 
up.

> There's just a  whole generation out there that doesn't know who Notre Dame 
is and doesn't  care
> -- and unfortunately for the Irish, they're the generation that's  being 
recruited now.
Of course.  This is why Notre Dame still ranks in  the top 5 year in & out in 
college licensing sales,
according to the  Collegiate Licensing Company--because nobody cares any 
more.  This also  explains
why Weis & his staff have been unable to sign any  highly-regarded recruits 
over the past few years.

I agree that Charlie  Weis has been exposed as an arrogant, unlikeable cad 
who is unable to develop  talent and is nowhere near the offensive mind that he 
thought he  was.   They need throw him out, and turn over the program to 
someone  else--this is how the system is supposed to work.  The painful truth is  
that our beloved alma mater has a lot to learn from Notre Dame about how to  
operate a first-rate college football program.  They have their own  contract 
with NBC and still sell 80,000 tickets to every home game, we still  can't 
figure out how to run the concession stands without running out of hot  dogs!


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