By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
It's been said many times over the past few years.
"Notre Dame should lower its expectations."
It's a notion that has gained steam and has reached its pinnacle given the recent struggles of the Irish. We could go through all of the trials and tribulations over the last couple of decades, but they have been pretty well documented. In a nutshell, Notre Dame is 91-66 since Lou Holtz retired. The Irish had lost nine-straight bowl games before winning the Hawaii Bowl after last year's 6-6 regular-season finish. 2007 was the worst year in Notre Dame football history. Etc, etc, etc.
Now another chapter in the story of Notre Dame football appears to be very close to the end. Going into the 2009 season, a veteran team with a vaunted offense and a reasonable schedule was expected by many Irish fans and outsiders alike to be a major part of the BCS conversation. In fact, the general consensus was that nothing short of a BCS berth would save Charlie Weis' job. And even after a heart-wrenching loss to USC, Notre Dame still looked pretty good in that regard. But after getting out-played in back-to-back weeks by Navy and Pittsburgh, it looks as if the ride only has three more stops before Weis gets off.l
After a third-straight disappointing season, the echoes that once seemed to have been awoken have been drowned out by that chant once again: "Notre Dame should lower its standards."
The basic premise of the argument is that the landscape of college football and the sociology of America itself has changed in such a way that Notre Dame can never regain the prominence and dominance it once had over the sport and that based on this, the university and its fans should not expect so much out of its program.
The argument used to be that Notre Dame should lower its academic standards in order to attract a larger number of top-notch prospects. Now the argument has turned to Notre Dame should just give up on being a premier program.
There's only one way to describe this line of thinking, whether you are a fan or the biggest Notre Dame hater on the planet. That kind of talk is excrement from a bovine that happens to be male. Forget politics, forget sociology, forget the landscape of modern college football. Any program, regardless of size, success (both recent and historical), or affluence is striving towards the same goal - excellence. If you are in charge of a sports team and you are not, you don't deserve to keep your job.
You can hate the attention that the Fighting Irish get from the press. You can hate their exclusive contract with NBC. You can hate Lou Holtz and his senile, lisp-ridden ramblings. You can hate the (false) perception that Notre Dame gets preferential treatment by the BCS. You can hate the fact that they remain an independent. Don't hate Notre Dame for continuing to want to be the best and don't blame them for continuing to try. That's the business they are in.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Billy No Goat
By Rick Eggleston
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
It seems the only thing that can redeem Bill Belichick for Sunday night’s supposed gaffe is a fourth Super Bowl title three months from now in Miami.
Get another shot at the Colts in the AFC Championship game in Indy and win, and temporary amnesia will set in. Go on to win the Big Game two weeks later, and all will be forgotten and forgiven — Sunday’s heartbreaking, mind-numbing, earth-shattering fourth-and-2 decision and impending defeat never happened.
Win it all in February, and Belichick, the Patriots and their faction of fickle fans will finally be able to get a decent night’s sleep. Until then, the tossing, turning and living nightmare that is Peyton Manning and Colts getting the last laugh despite trailing by 13 points with a measly 4:12 left to play continues.
All this, due to one man’s decision to go for it on fourth down deep in his team’s end. Fortunately, it was a regular-season contest. Belichick and the Pats indeed live to play another day, 4:15 p.m. this Sunday in Foxboro against the struggling Jets to be exact.
And it’s a good thing, too. Imagine the hand wringing, grab-the-pitchforks and fire him mentality that would’ve ensued had Belichick’s gutsy decision ended the team’s season? It very well could’ve spelled the end of his coaching career in New England.
Fortunately, that is not and will not be the case, unless of course, the same thing happens again and costs the Pats another game. Chances are pretty good it won’t, but then I wouldn’t put anything past the Great One. After all, he shocked much of the NFL world with Sunday’s decision to go for it.
But not me.
If Kevin Faulk converts the first down — I think the ref blew the call and Faulk made it: (http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d8143b069/Colts-4th-down-stop) — the Pats win and Belichick maintains his genius status. Instead, the unthinkable happens and Belichick is crucified.
I liked the decision. In fact, I turned to the person with whom I was watching the game and said they should go for it. “Not way,” he said. “Yes,” I said, “they’ll get it.”
So what if they punted it instead? Manning and company would’ve promptly marched downfield and scored anyway. Either way, it was in the cards for the Colts to win the game. Either way, Belichick would’ve been roundly criticized. A punt followed by 60-, 70- or 80-yard strike by the Colts would’ve had the same nitwits calling for Belichick’s committal today, saying he should’ve went for it.
You can’t have it both ways, people. Nobody understands that better than Belichick. You know, the guy with three Super Bowl rings this decade to your zero.
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
It seems the only thing that can redeem Bill Belichick for Sunday night’s supposed gaffe is a fourth Super Bowl title three months from now in Miami.
Get another shot at the Colts in the AFC Championship game in Indy and win, and temporary amnesia will set in. Go on to win the Big Game two weeks later, and all will be forgotten and forgiven — Sunday’s heartbreaking, mind-numbing, earth-shattering fourth-and-2 decision and impending defeat never happened.
Win it all in February, and Belichick, the Patriots and their faction of fickle fans will finally be able to get a decent night’s sleep. Until then, the tossing, turning and living nightmare that is Peyton Manning and Colts getting the last laugh despite trailing by 13 points with a measly 4:12 left to play continues.
All this, due to one man’s decision to go for it on fourth down deep in his team’s end. Fortunately, it was a regular-season contest. Belichick and the Pats indeed live to play another day, 4:15 p.m. this Sunday in Foxboro against the struggling Jets to be exact.
And it’s a good thing, too. Imagine the hand wringing, grab-the-pitchforks and fire him mentality that would’ve ensued had Belichick’s gutsy decision ended the team’s season? It very well could’ve spelled the end of his coaching career in New England.
Fortunately, that is not and will not be the case, unless of course, the same thing happens again and costs the Pats another game. Chances are pretty good it won’t, but then I wouldn’t put anything past the Great One. After all, he shocked much of the NFL world with Sunday’s decision to go for it.
But not me.
If Kevin Faulk converts the first down — I think the ref blew the call and Faulk made it: (http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d8143b069/Colts-4th-down-stop) — the Pats win and Belichick maintains his genius status. Instead, the unthinkable happens and Belichick is crucified.
I liked the decision. In fact, I turned to the person with whom I was watching the game and said they should go for it. “Not way,” he said. “Yes,” I said, “they’ll get it.”
So what if they punted it instead? Manning and company would’ve promptly marched downfield and scored anyway. Either way, it was in the cards for the Colts to win the game. Either way, Belichick would’ve been roundly criticized. A punt followed by 60-, 70- or 80-yard strike by the Colts would’ve had the same nitwits calling for Belichick’s committal today, saying he should’ve went for it.
You can’t have it both ways, people. Nobody understands that better than Belichick. You know, the guy with three Super Bowl rings this decade to your zero.
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