[NU Sports] All ND, all the Time

[Jim Bendat]

I think that ND declining a bowl bid is a big story. It is big because ND, in its arrogance, believes it is in such  "unique" situation (with their having a coaching vacancy) that playing in a bowl is not so important to them this year. Well, guess what? Other teams have had similar, not-so-unique circumstances. In 2002, UCLA fired Bob Toledo right after the last game of the regular season. They went to the Las Vegas Bowl, with an interim coach, and won the game.

But the ND story is a big one for another reason. Turning down a bowl game is bad for business: the business of the student-athlete who wants to play one more game; who yearns to play in a bowl game; and for the parents of such players. Here's another analogy involving UCLA. In 2001, the Bruins started the season strong with a number of wins. Then, they slumped and finished 7-4. The only bowl that sent them an invitation was the Humanitarian Bowl. The Bruins turned down the bid. After that decision, a number of potential recruits turned their backs on UCLA, many of them commenting that they didn't want to go to a school that would turn down a bid to a bowl game.

Jim B.

-----Original Message-----
>From: "SjT (Stephen J. Truog)" <sjtruog at yahoo.com>
>Sent: Dec 4, 2009 11:39 PM
>To: nwu-sports at tssi.com
>Subject: Re: [NU Sports] All ND, all the Time
>
>Another non-story today about the F'ing Irish declining a bowl invitation they have yet to receive.
>
>I guess they're not quite over that arrogance yet that three mediocre regimes have yet to humble them. So they'll chase Stoops, St. Urban and Dungy, settle for someone else and run them out of town in four years. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
>
>Hopefully next week the Sun-Times, Tribune and the rest of Chicago media can turn their focus to more successful football teams in the region who WILL be playing in bowl games. 
>
>GO CATS!!!
>-SjT