Notre Dame's "National appeal"

[Bob Dole]

ESPN just went on and on about Notre Dame being number 6 in the nation and getting a bowl bid because they have "great national appeal."

Do all the Catholics want to see ND or something, because Bob Dole hasn't watched a Notre Dame football game in probably 20 years and has no desire at all to SEE a Notre Dame football game.

[robot monster]

I guess I am not surprised that ESPN is hyping something that isn't true or isn't all that great.

[DJay23]

Maybe not all the Catholics, but a lot of the Catholics. I know many people here in the very heart of Penn State country who are Notre Dame fans because they are Irish Catholic and their parents raised them to root for Notre Dame and not Penn State because it's the proper Catholic thing to do.

[wazu]

Do all the Catholics want to see ND or something...

That's probably the best explanation. It's how I became a fan. I can remember as a little kid betting a dollar that Notre Dame would lose to Miami. My aunt told me that I had sinned. (Not because of gambling, but because I bet against Notre Dame.)

I think most Catholic families feel at least some connection to Notre Dame, and there are a lot of us.

[Thig Lyfe]

That's probably the best explanation. It's how I became a fan. I can remember as a little kid betting a dollar that Notre Dame would lose to Miami. My aunt told me that I had sinned. (Not because of gambling, but because I bet against Notre Dame.)

I think most Catholic families feel at least some connection to Notre Dame, and there are a lot of us.

That's a neat story.

[Bob Dole]

That's probably the best explanation. It's how I became a fan. I can remember as a little kid betting a dollar that Notre Dame would lose to Miami. My aunt told me that I had sinned. (Not because of gambling, but because I bet against Notre Dame.)

I think most Catholic families feel at least some connection to Notre Dame, and there are a lot of us.

That's the only explanation Bob Dole can come up with.

Bob Dole's dictionary shows http://www.coasttocoasttickets.com/images/ncaaf_notredamefightingirish.jpg next to the word overrated.

[tburg]

ESPN just went on and on about Notre Dame being number 6 in the nation and getting a bowl bid because they have "great national appeal."

Do all the Catholics want to see ND or something, because Bob Dole hasn't watched a Notre Dame football game in probably 20 years and has no desire at all to SEE a Notre Dame football game.


no....

[Hammock Parties]

I like their fight song.

Plus, their uniforms rock. They just seem more rooted in tradition than other college teams. Am I being a dumbass?

RUDY!

[milkman]

That's the only explanation Bob Dole can come up with.

Bob Dole's dictionary shows http://www.coasttocoasttickets.com/images/ncaaf_notredamefightingirish.jpg next to the word overrated.

Cool.

[Braincase]

Notre Dame needs to join a conference and play on the same level as everybody else. Their status as an independent has become tired.

[StcChief]

I agree with Bob Dole ND sucks a$$ and overated.

If they played in a conference and a tough schedule

since they are so ... 'rich in tradition and real good' (sic)


They need to earn the rank. Not play off their catholic audience.

[DJay23]

I agree with Bob Dole ND sucks a$$ and overated.

If they played in a conference and a tough schedule

since they are so ... 'rich in tradition and real good' (sic)


They need to earn the rank. Not play off their catholic audience.
Notre Dame doesn't have a tough schedule?

[nascher]

They have a tough schedule every year ! No Argument.

[Katipan]

See, here in Arizona we've been having a particular problem keeping our priests off our children.

So if we bring Notre Dame to the Fiesta Bowl, maybe that'll appease God.

Do it for the children.

[Skip Towne]

Notre Dame doesn't have a tough schedule?
They get Army or Navy on there every year.

[chiefsfaninNC]

That's the only explanation Bob Dole can come up with.

Bob Dole's dictionary shows http://www.coasttocoasttickets.com/images/ncaaf_notredamefightingirish.jpg next to the word overrated.


Blasphemy! Repent or you will rot in hell!

[DJay23]

They get Army or Navy on there every year.
Find me one college football team that doesn't get fat on cupcakes every year.

Hell, Bill Snyder rebuilt an entire program on it.

[Skip Towne]

Find me one college football team that doesn't get fat on cupcakes every year.

Hell, Bill Snyder rebuilt an entire program on it.
I agree but we're talking about how tough ND's schedule is.

[StcChief]

See, here in Arizona we've been having a particular problem keeping our priests off our children.

So if we bring Notre Dame to the Fiesta Bowl, maybe that'll appease God.

Do it for the children.

Catholic religion and priests not allowed to marry, allow homo priests are why children have been getting buggered for decades in catholic schools, churches.

The Catholic organization has turned a blind eye.
Now getting what they deserve, sued.

God <> Catholic.

and ND football likely off the radar screen.

[DenverChief]

Agreed

[DJay23]

I agree but we're talking about how tough ND's schedule is.
If you look at it, elite teams that play in conferences have at least 3-4 extra "cupcakes" on their schedules just because every conference has them. Notre Dame has long standing rivalries with teams like Navy, Michigan State, Michigan, USC, Stanford, Boston College, and Purdue. They practically play in their own rivalry conference. Notre Dame can't control how good those teams are going to be from year to year, and they want to keep up those traditional rivalries.

Scheduling is also a recruiting tool. ND has the luxury, not playing in a conference, to play road games all over the country all year long, thus exposing them to more potential student athletes. So it makes sense to want to play teams like BYU and Tennessee and Texas A&M who are traditionally some of the best teams in their regions.

I just don't think Notre Dame runs and hides like so many of the haters think they do, I guess.

[SCTrojan]

I hate all things Notre Dame as much as the next person. But I acknowledge that, for whatever reason, they have national appeal.

Part of it, I believe, is the Catholic tie-in. Part of it is they do play annual games with Stanford and USC, and regularly play Big 10 teams, so they have exposure all across the nation.

I heard what they said on Sports Reporters this morning. Like I said, I hate when anyone has anything good to say about Notre Dame. In this case, though, they were right. There is no college football team that has the national appeal that ND does.

[Boozer]

If you look at it, elite teams that play in conferences have at least 3-4 extra "cupcakes" on their schedules just because every conference has them. Notre Dame has long standing rivalries with teams like Navy, Michigan State, Michigan, USC, Stanford, Boston College, and Purdue. They practically play in their own rivalry conference. Notre Dame can't control how good those teams are going to be from year to year, and they want to keep up those traditional rivalries.

Scheduling is also a recruiting tool. ND has the luxury, not playing in a conference, to play road games all over the country all year long, thus exposing them to more potential student athletes. So it makes sense to want to play teams like BYU and Tennessee and Texas A&M who are traditionally some of the best teams in their regions.

I just don't think Notre Dame runs and hides like so many of the haters think they do, I guess.

Agreed. A (very) brief glance at Sagarin's ratings (strength of schedule) shows Notre Dame having the 20th-toughest schedule in the land. This year, that translates to playing in an easier conference than the Big Ten (Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State and Minnesota all have "Top ten toughest" schedules), but a tougher conference than the Big Twelve (Although Oklahoma clocks in at 11th, Texas is 34th, Colorado 29th and Nebraska 46th). Looks like Notre Dame plays in a "conference" about as tough as the Pac 10 (USC 21st, Oregon 31st, ASU 18th).

[Skip Towne]

Agreed. A (very) brief glance at Sagarin's ratings (strength of schedule) shows Notre Dame having the 20th-toughest schedule in the land. This year, that translates to playing in an easier conference than the Big Ten (Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State and Minnesota all have "Top ten toughest" schedules), but a tougher conference than the Big Twelve (Although Oklahoma clocks in at 11th, Texas is 34th, Colorado 29th and Nebraska 46th). Looks like Notre Dame plays in a "conference" about as tough as the Pac 10 (USC 21st, Oregon 31st, ASU 18th).
I've never felt they dodged anybody but I've never been overly impressed with their schedule either.

[Boozer]

I've never felt they dodged anybody but I've never been overly impressed with their schedule either.

That's pretty much my opinion. Having a tough schedule is really only impressive when you win all those games (or all but one or two). Present year excepted, Notre Dame never really does that. What's so impressive about losing games to good teams?

[Bugeater]

I think it's bullshit they are allowed to be indie in football but play in the Big East in b-ball and that they don't have to win a conference to get a BCS game, all they have to do is be ranked 8th or better. It's sickening how the NCAA caters to them. Join a damn conference already and knock off the holier-than-thou crap, it's really wearing thin.

[Miles]

They usually have a tough schedule but it as pretty soft this year. Only one of thier wins came against a ranked team (#22 Michigan) and only two others against teams over .500 in Navy and BYU. Can't say I'm impressed.

[FloridaMan88]

God do I hate Notre Lame. Funny thing is with all the talk about how tough their schedule is, this year it hasn't been that tough. Michigan, Stanford, Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Michigan St (who they lost to AT home) and BYU all had down years this year and the best team on their schedule, USC they lost to.

It is people in the media like Beano Cook who have an orgasm at the mere mention of Notre Lame who are pimping them to be better than they really are.

[Bob Dole]

Part of it, I believe, is the Catholic tie-in. Part of it is they do play annual games with Stanford and USC, and regularly play Big 10 teams, so they have exposure all across the nation.

You left out that Notre Dame is the official team of NBC.

[Mr. Krab]

I hope ND loses every week because of this "America's team" nonsense. If Dallas and ND went 0 for eternity, I'd be happy.

[Mecca]

Oregon deserves a BCS game over Notre Dame. Of course that won't happen though.

[zambonidriver]

Like it or not, the bowl games, including BSC bowl games, are in business to make money. Notre Dame sells tickets and gets tv viewers, both to people who love them and people who hate them. Are there any Oregon Duck fans outside of Oregon proper, who would open their wallets to buy tickets to a game in Tempe on short notice? The answer is, no, there are not. Are there a lot of people who would pay money to see Notre Dame in Tempe? They answer is, yes there are quite a few who are willing to do that.

It works both ways. If memory serves, Oregon State got a crack at ND in the Fiesta Bowl a couple of years ago and cleaned the Irish's clock. OSU made a lot of money, a lot of it generated by the fact that ND was playing. That victory was probably the Beavers biggest win ever, and part of that was because they beat big bad hated Notre Dame.

[FloridaMan88]

Also Notre Lame hasn't won a bowl game in like 12 years (1993 I think)

[Boozer]

Like it or not, the bowl games, including BSC bowl games, are in business to make money. Notre Dame sells tickets and gets tv viewers, both to people who love them and people who hate them. Are there any Oregon Duck fans outside of Oregon proper, who would open their wallets to buy tickets to a game in Tempe on short notice? The answer is, no, there are not. Are there a lot of people who would pay money to see Notre Dame in Tempe? They answer is, yes there are quite a few who are willing to do that.

It works both ways. If memory serves, Oregon State got a crack at ND in the Fiesta Bowl a couple of years ago and cleaned the Irish's clock. OSU made a lot of money, a lot of it generated by the fact that ND was playing. That victory was probably the Beavers biggest win ever, and part of that was because they beat big bad hated Notre Dame.

Actually, Oregon fans (whether from Oregon or not) travel quite well, especially to Tempe. When I was in undergrad, there would be 10,000-15,000 Oregon fans at Sun Devil Stadium whenever the Ducks were in town. And that was for conference games, not bowl games. I don't doubt that Notre Dame's TV audiences are higher, but it's asinine to say Oregon fans don't travel well.

[Boozer]

Also Notre Lame hasn't won a bowl game in like 12 years (1993 I think)

Correct, 1993 season (1-1-94 Cotton Bowl), over A&M.

[SLAG]

Well Im a catholic and I just started Liking N.D Never was exposed or forced to like them.

And its not because of the Charlie Weiss Factor (and hes why all the media attention )
I like N.D only Because my younger sister is a student there

[Garcia Bronco]

If you look at it, elite teams that play in conferences have at least 3-4 extra "cupcakes" on their schedules just because every conference has them. Notre Dame has long standing rivalries with teams like Navy, Michigan State, Michigan, USC, Stanford, Boston College, and Purdue. They practically play in their own rivalry conference. Notre Dame can't control how good those teams are going to be from year to year, and they want to keep up those traditional rivalries.

Scheduling is also a recruiting tool. ND has the luxury, not playing in a conference, to play road games all over the country all year long, thus exposing them to more potential student athletes. So it makes sense to want to play teams like BYU and Tennessee and Texas A&M who are traditionally some of the best teams in their regions.

I just don't think Notre Dame runs and hides like so many of the haters think they do, I guess.

LOL....you can't sell that shit.....ND has played a weaker schedule this year compared to realistic BCS bid qualifiers. And that the Harris Poll would have them ranked ahead of any major conference 1 loss team is a joke. Tell me the last time Notre Dame even won a Bowl game.....that's right...keeping goin.

[Boozer]

LOL....you can't sell that shit.....ND has played a weaker schedule this year compared to realistic BCS bid qualifiers. And that the Harris Poll would have them ranked ahead of any major conference 1 loss team is a joke. Tell me the last time Notre Dame even won a Bowl game.....that's right...keeping goin.

Um, according to Sagarin, Oregon has a weaker schedule that Notre Dame. You want to contest his numbers?

*EDIT* I have no blind allegiance to Sagarin’s system, but I think his numbers are better than random fans’ unempirical assertions.

[HolmeZz]

Enjoy watching us in the Fiesta Bowl, bitches. :)

[Garcia Bronco]

Um, according to Sagarin, Oregon has a weaker schedule that Notre Dame. You want to contest his numbers?

*EDIT* I have no blind allegiance to Sagarin’s system, but I think his numbers are better than random fans’ unempirical assertions.


Well...look at the BCS ranking...which includes your rating and 6 others....plus two subjective polls....isn't it funny that ND ranks 8th overall when they're sixth in 2/3 rd's of the poll. That tells you everything you need to know about ND's weak schedule.

[HolmeZz]

WAKE UP THE ECHOES, MOTHER****ER. WE'RE BOWLIN' FOR TOSTITOS.

[Saulbadguy]

**** Notre Dame.

They are everything that is wrong with College Football.

[robot monster]

Other than USC whom they lost to I don't see a quality team on ND's schedule.

[Saulbadguy]

Other than USC whom they lost to I don't see a quality team on ND's schedule.
I'd say the next toughest is @Michigan, who isn't all that great this year.

[Brock]

**** Notre Dame.

They are everything that is wrong with College Football.

Still mad about Lou Holtz dissing your team?

[Saulbadguy]

Still mad about Lou Holtz dissing your team?
No.

**** Notre Dame.

I'd be pissed at Lou if I were a South Carolina fan. They are on probation because he is a dirty cheatin SOB.

[jidar]

Because, They make movies about Notre Dame football. They don't make movies about Ohio State.

[Skip Towne]

**** Notre Dame.

They are everything that is wrong with College Football.
You don't like Notre Dame? I thought you were Catholic.

[Rain Man]

You don't like Notre Dame? I thought you were Catholic.

You're close.

[Skip Towne]

I expected to get a rise out of him.

[whoman69]

They have a tough schedule every year ! No Argument.
Notre Dame can set up their schedule every year by placing schools like Navy and Rutgers around their tough games. They also don't have a conference affiliation to build real rivalries. The USC-Notre Dame rivalry stopped being a rivalry long ago.
They are always the top rated school for the number of losses they have.

[zambonidriver]

Notre Dame can set up their schedule every year by placing schools like Navy and Rutgers around their tough games. They also don't have a conference affiliation to build real rivalries. The USC-Notre Dame rivalry stopped being a rivalry long ago.
They are always the top rated school for the number of losses they have.


Actually, Notre Dame's schedules are set years in advance. Currently they're booked solid through 2008. Cite (http://www.nationalchamps.net/NCAA/future_schedules/notredame_future.htm) It isn't Notre Dame's fault that Michigan and Tennessee had off years this year. Rutgers is bowl eligible this year to boot. And do you want to tell the Midshipmen that they don't get their annual shot at the Irish? They've come mighty close to beating ND more than a couple times recently.

And anyone who says that Southern Cal v. ND, or Michigan v ND, or Purdue v. ND aren't real rivalries doesn't have much credibility, IMHO.

[zambonidriver]

I forgot to mention that my nephew, a Boston College grad, hates Notre Dame. BC is a Catholic school run by the Jesuits.

[Rain Man]

Does Joe Montana still play for them?