If you listened closely Thursday afternoon, you could hear Big Ten University Presidents collectively say, “They just gave us the finger.”
It was right about that time that Notre Dame announced that it was extending its deal with NBC through 2015. This deal effectively shelves any conversation about the Big Ten expending by adding ND. The league may grow to 12 teams at some point, but it appears that South Bend is officially out of the running as a potential expansion location.
For Notre Dame, on paper the contract extension makes a lot of sense. You get an undivided pot of cash, undisclosed improvements to your facilities, and the two most partisan announcers on television, Tom Hammond and that other guy. (Sorry Verne, you were a distant second.) The football program gets priceless, nationwide exposure that provides an advantage no conference ever could match. Right? So why is ND’s program performed so poorly since signing their first contract with NBC.
To put this in perspective, let’s go to the tale of the tape:
As you can see, they are experiencing quite a return on their investment. Their win percentage is down significantly. In the pre-NBC era they had the highest winning percentage of any team. Since signing the NBC contract, they are only #21. They have lost nine consecutive bowl games with their last two wins coming against Texas A&M in the Cotton bowl in 1993 and 1994, respectively.
We will never know (at least not in the foreseeable future) if there is a relationship between Kevin White’s departure as Athletic Director and the renewing of the NBC contract, but it is an interesting coincidence. Did Mr. White think ND should pursue a conference affiliation in football? Did he see little benefit to remaining independent beyond the cash? If he did, the numbers seem to back him up.
It only takes a quick look at this year’s roster to believe this trend will continue.
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3 months ago
Whats the big deal. Notre Dame doesn't need the Big Ten. Why on earth would the only true
"National Team' in the entire country, with a truly 'national' following of loyal fans, fans in every state and every corner of the USA and beyond........why would they 'downsize themselves', 'regionalize a national team'??!!! Why play all their games in a five state, tight, midwest circle when every team in
the nation would love to get them on their schedule. You take ANY team that has ever played ND away from ND (on their home field) , and their 'all time attendance' record is their Notre Dame game or games. I'm not certain, but I'd bet 8 of 10 U of Michigan home game 'attendance records' involve
the Irish, Same with MSU, Southern Cal, etc, etc. etc.
Yes! Go Irish! Here's mud in the eye to all those blowhards college football fans of the lesser teams, that were so certain NBC would drop the Irish like a hot potato. NBC is big money, smart people, not jealous little people. They know the brand name Notre Dame is, and will ALWAYS be. They can be 0-12 and the great majority of ND fans will stay loyal. NBC KNOWS that, so you ND haters go cry in your beer for 7 more years!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh yeah, and bet your money in about 2012 NBC renews and extends the contract another 5-10 years. (and it won't matter what their record, or bowl win/loss record has been either!!!!) Hail Mary!!! Queen of all Heaven & Earth!!
from 3 months ago
I could not agree more. Notre Dame plays who they want to play, they are not limited to 9 same games a year. They get to play USC, Navy, UM, MSU, PSU, BC, etc. etc. That to me is a perk. All the other teams should be happy because they all get a crack at national exposure. Some people say why would ND get TV exposure after last season? Because everyone watches them, whether it's fans watching them hoping they win or haters hoping they lose. You're watching and you know it. Tell me if you're a UM fan that you weren't celebrating every loss. I know I weeped tears of joy at the app state debacle. As a USC fan, you watch every week to see our record go up or down to scout what you're going to be up against come game day. SDSU would never be nationally televised, and, true, they shouldn't be, but now they can be seen everywhere, and put their school commercials up every break, good for them! IMO, they all deserve to be in the spotlight if not for one week. And if they're going to be in the spotlight, why not against the most controversial team in all of sports
3 months ago
Army is independent!! Why not the grief??
3 months ago
The headline seems wrong considering the text. What does ND's and NBC's decision to extend their relationship to 2015 have to do with OSU? OSU has a great program with or without ND in their conference. ND football in unique and one should just appreciate that and move on.
3 months ago
Adding Notre Dame to the Big Ten would be good for academics, but weaken the football. Notre Dame is a shitty, irrelevant program. I have no use for them. I guess they'd make a good non-conference cupcake, though. Good tuneup for real games like USC.
from 3 months ago
JEFF SAID "Adding Notre Dame to the Big Ten would be good for academics, but weaken the football. Notre Dame is a shitty, irrelevant program. I have no use for them. I guess they'd make a good non-conference cupcake, though. Good tuneup for real games like USC."
If that is so, then why would you even bother to post a comment on a thread about NOTRE DAME football??? The IRISH were 3-9 last year, have not won a bowl game in 15 years, have not won a National Title in 20 year, (*but they were ripped off by the polls in '93 when they deystroyed the Creminoles in South Bend and had the same record at the end of the year, but lost at least a share of the title), have no Heisman winners since 1987, *but were robbed in 1990 when Ty Detmer stole Rocket's Heisman*... etc.. etc... etc... BUT, they still manage to attract posts from people like you, who KNOW DAMN WELL, but will never admit it, that NOTRE DAME makes your schedule more attractive to TV, advertizers, recruits etc...
GO IRISH !!!
DIVE RIGHT IN !!
from 3 months ago
John, I guess you forgot to mention in you etc's the "phantom clip". That is one that decades of therapy and a lobotomy will never be able to erase from my mind.
3 months ago
So why would anyone want them in their conference Jeff? This article seems to suggest that the BigTen (11) needs them, but ND does not. If they don't want to be in your conference and you don't want them in your conference, why the article? If they are irrelevant, why so much venom? Just enjoy your land-grant football factories and shut up. Leave the nuance to the big boys.
from 3 months ago
Enjoy your irrelevant 3-win team, Matt.
3 months ago
Jeff,
Ignorant at best guy. If you are going to insult ND, stick to what is factual. There are a lot of flaws with ND but being a shitty, irrelevant program is not one of them.
It is also nice to hear you have no use for them. The feeling is mutual.
Freaking tool.
from 3 months ago
Sorry brah, I couldn't care less about how great Notre Dame used to be back in the 1930's. Just because you've got a billion Catholics out there to watch your games without a care if they win or lose doesn't automatically make your team relevant. It's the 21st century, and nobody cares about Notre Dame football anymore.
The feeling is mutual? I would hope so. What use could Notre Dame possibly have in getting their asses handed to them year in and year out? I'm sure they'd rather play teams they can compete with like Air Force, Navy, and UCLA. Ohio State has no use for Notre Dame if Notre Dame can't give them a little competition. Likewise, the feeling should be, and apparently is, mutual since Notre Dame is not on Ohio State's level anymore. Stick to those middle tier programs and service academies until your program shapes up. Then maybe we'll consider answering your calls.
3 months ago
Once again pure ignorance. ND fans are not just Catholics.
Also, "caring" about ND means hating ND as well. Something you take the time to do. Something the press does. Notre Dame is anything but irrelevant. Only a fool says otherwise.
ND getting their asses handed to them year in and out is also another myth. While you mock playing teams like Navy, Air Force and UCLA any person can see that they are much better compared to Youngstown St., Troy and Ohio. It can also be said that these teams would have a chance against a couple of Big 11 teams like Northwestern and Minnesota.
OSU would clearly shred ND this year, last year and did 3 years ago. See someone with common sense can make accurate claims. But it is not just about ND v. OSU. It is about all of college football. In the big picture, ND is not at the level of USC, Florida and OSU but it sure as hell is not at the bottom. Only a hater thinks so.
As for ND giving OSU a game, most if not all fans would LOVE that. I would love to see OSU with a home and home with ND. I would love to see ND play ONLY OSU and Michigan from the Big11. Most fans would gladly swap Purdue and Michigan State for OSU. Hopefully, the ND can see something like this as well.
I think a schedule that has USC, Michigan, OSU is needed for a program to not only consistently bring in the right kids but have enough tough games in a season to have "it" at the end of the year. 3 BIG games on a schedule, mixed with 5 solid games and 4 cupcakes is a proven schedule.
Furthermore, maybe OSU should take this advice as well? Everyone knows that the BIG 11 is really the Big 2. Maybe OSU should schedule more than 2 big games a year. We all know OSU has had a top 5 team year in and year out for at least the last 6 years but it does not get respect because it plays a weak ass schedule as well.
As for ND not being on OSU level anymore...that is far from an insult. There are about 4-5 programs that are playing at the level of OSU this year. Only an idiot would be upset in someone saying ND is not a top 5 team.
As for sticking to those middle tier programs, look up some numbers before you blow smoke.
2007 SoS - ND - 24 OSU - 53
2006 SoS - ND -18 OSU - 38
2005 SoS - ND - 14 OSU - 2
2004 SoS - ND - 5 OSU - 35
2003 SoS - ND - 1 OSU - 15
2002 SoS - ND - 14 OSU - 30
Ave SoS 6 years - ND 12 - OSU 28
Maybe ND should join the Big 11. The schedule would get a hell of a lot easier.....
3 months ago
hee hee, see I told you Jeff...just leave the sleeping dogs lie.
from 3 months ago
Hey Matt, now look at who is playing in major bowl games, and who has the better coach (who is a christen) and who respects his players by using non profanity, and who has beaten whom in the last few years. ND took OSU off their schedule after Geiger had pursued extending the series to become annual.
Here's waht I think about ND ..... "Yawn"
3 months ago
One thing is for sure, you either love ND or you hate them. I personally hate them, but I sure can't ignore them. I would love to see them in the Big Ten because I would love a shot at beating them every year. I also tip my hat to them for scheduling a lot of tough teams, though what is the point if you get beat by every one of them?
The mystery is really how a team with such a storied past and massive amount of unshared revenue to can continue to get worse every year. They have ZERO excuse to not be top 5 every year. All I can think is that kids WANT to play in a conference where they have a shot at being conference champs, bowl winners and possibly national champs. The stronger the conferences get the weaker ND becomes.
I think it is time for them to put their greed aside and try to build a program again. Nobody except their die-hard fans finds them anything but a joke anymore. Fine by me, but sad for the ND faithful.
from 3 months ago
It's simple. For better or worse, they maintain tough academic standards. A lot of elite recruits can't get into Notre Dame. On top of that, um, NOBODY GIVES A FUCKIN' SHIT ABOUT NOTRE DAME.
from 3 months ago
It's only obvious that you and every other hater in NCAA football gives a shit about Notre Dame! Otherwise you wouldn't be here talking about Notre Dame. You just wish you had all that Notre Dame has from a fans standpoint. That's just another reason tOSU fans copies almost everything ND does from roaring on kickoffs to fans doing push ups in the stands, and even our Leprechaun fight with our fist pumping.
Our contract with NBC is probably the reason the Pig Ten wanted to gets it's own network. Just think of the acronym N.B.C...that just means Notre Dame extending the contract with NBC means we won't join
No
Bullshit
Conference!
from 3 months ago
LOL...you still think Notre Dame is relevant.
Did you just say that OSU fans do push-ups in the stands? And they have leprechaun fights?
And did you actually imply that Notre Dame fans "invented" the roar before the kickoff?
3 months ago
Notre Dame is a zero. Talk all your shit about how tough your schedule is. What does it matter if you can't beat those teams on that tough schedule? Shit, you got clobbered 38-0 by a team who lost to a I-AA team. Notre Dame fans, you cannot talk any shit about anyone. Your arrogance is laughable and your football program is reduced to lower-tier these days. It's reality so just shutup.
from 3 months ago
Mike, that's the case I am arguing, you watched. Everyone did. Of course I am a little biased but, in all actuality, it's the truth. ND did ATROCIOUS last year, but the whole nation watched, fans to cry, haters to laugh. This year will be the same situation. Hopefully with a different outcome. As far as scheduling goes, NCAAF schedules games year's in advance, you know this, same as everyone else, and in 2005 when we played USC the way we did, and most definately everyone saw that game, No one said, oh these guys will go 3-9 in 3 years. So, NBC could not care at all what ND goes as far as record, they want to see what game will be watched all over the nation. And if your respective team isn't playing, or you're not watching begging for a team to lose so you can get a better bowl bid, then your watching ND so you can run to your computer and say HA! or BS!, depending on the result. As far as ratings dropping towards the end of the season, I already stated why, ND was out of the race, and they were playing teams that will never be in it, so OSU fans, LSU fans, and USC fans alike were watching other games hoping other teams would lose so they could get their shots at the NC. The chances of ND not being in the hunt for a good bowl every year during this contract are slim, therefore, ratings will dramatically increase. And hate all you guys want, you know what I'm saying is true, ND will be back.
3 months ago
First off, I didn't say ND invented the roar at kickoff. Nor did I say we have Leprechaun fights. All I was saying is that your sorry ass, no class, no style, no originality having fans copies ND in those areas. And I was referring to the Leprechaun fist pumping. And yes...ND is irrelevant! So much so that NBC renewed our contract another five years. Everyone in the nation will continue seeing Charlie's ARMY come up and win that NC that will happen within a short time now. But of course OSU has it's very own TV contract too, right? Oh I'm, you only have the Pig Ten Network. Even your fans in Co-Dumb-us, Ohio can't watch OSU games and they're right in the same sorry ass cow town. Someone had the gull to mention our schedule. Well last year it was ranked 19 while your schedule was somewhere in the 60's or 70's. I'd rather have a tough schedule and know where we stand and where improvement is needed rather than play a bullshit ass schedule two years in a row that makes you and others think you're better than you are just to get blown out by real SEC teams. Forget about ND going 3-9 last year. Can you say...0-9. (Versus SEC) Face it, ND will always be more relevant the tOSU whether we win or lose because you have yet to catch us in National Championships! And judging by the 2 jumbo sized eggs you laid in NC games the last two years you will never catch up. What are you, are least 4-5 behind us? But confused fans as you are will never understand that. However, I don't blame you for being so confused. You root for a university that is confused. They don't know if they're THE Ohio State, Ohio State, or Ohio. Ohio University is in Athens dud, or dude. OH-IO University Bobcats. Yours should be Oh-io State. MSU never calls themselves Michigan. Nor does PSU ever say PE-NN. Same as Ok. State and Oregon State for that matter. There are other universities with those names. I figured it out for you though...The Ohio State University is a bunch of retards! Now that's putting "THE" in proper context!
According to this link we have 12, count them if you can, 12 NC. You only have 5!
http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/index.php
3 months ago
Wow - I never knew so much stupidity could reside in one person's head.
You Notre Dame retards keep on living in the black & white era when you stockpiled all those national titles that NOBODY outside of South Bend cares about anymore. You keep on pretending that they're still relevant. The rest of the country will continue to laugh at you and not watch your games on NBC.
The answer: 1994
The question: When was Notre Dame's last victory in a bowl game?
Jeez - no wonder you people continue to live in the past. Your team hasn't done anything worth mentioning since the early 90's.
3 months ago
It appears the biggest laughing stock has been OSU as of late with your 41-14 and 34-20 beat downs in NC games that you easily got to with that soft ass schedule. And yes, we have been living in the past because history always manages to repeat itself. Just like OSU will one day return to the sorry days when they were losing so bad, no one bothered to even mention them. At least when we struggle people like you idiots can't keep us out of your one cell holding craniums. It's such a shame to waste that one cell rooting on OSU. By the way...people will always tune into NBC to watch ND. Too bad OSU can't say the same about the Pig Ten Network. Talk about BORING!
P.S. You proved my point precisely. All you OSU fans do is try to mimic ND fans. I first called you retards and then you show no originality as all OSU fans do by repeating it back...etc, GET A CLUE MAN. Well I guess that's asking way too much. You're use to going in circles in repetition. Same sorry ass schedules. Same sorry ass 5 songs the band plays at every game. And just so predictable we all know when "hang on stupid, I mean sloopy is coming up". Then with just four more sad songs, including the OSU fight song to follow shortly thereafter. I guess that explains why you mimic us so much because you have nothing else! Our tradition, history class, education, style, and prestige just kills OSU fans. Bunch of wannabe's!
from 3 months ago
Yeah, great point dumb shit. OSU is the laughing stock, not Notre Dame. Notre Dame can't even QUALIFY for a bowl game and you think losing in the national championship game is a bigger joke. You're a fucking idiot on top of being a pedophile.
Oh, so history always has a way of repeating itself? Does that mean you're going to repeat the way you got fucked in your asshole by your own grandfather while your Mom videotaped it and your uncle jacked off on her face? I mean, if history repeats itself like you said it does, then that will happen again some day soon.
Go back to face-fucking stray dogs.
3 months ago
If I'm the pedophile why are you fuckin your son you gay ass bitch. Yes you and your sorry ass team is the laughing stock. ND wasn't expected to win much last year anyway as it was tabbed as a rebuilding season from the start and everyone knew it was a brutal schedule...especially for 24 freshmen and sophomores. Yet OSU is the joke by playing almost all the teams in the MAC and a weak conference in which the top two teams from the weak ass conference both got blown out against outside teams that know about football. If you think what USC did to Illinois was bad, just wait until y'all's sorry asses get to Southern Cal. I predict the score to be 35-14...USC! Well at least you won't have to worry about being a total embarassment in a NC game after that embarassment they'l suffer. Although your weak conference will still set you up for a BCS bowl. Providing you get past Illinois this year and don't pick another fight with them again showing the pppppppppppppoor sportsmanship you displyed last year. SORE LOSERS! All of you are just LOSERS!
I'm out. I don't have anymore time for completely, and severely stupid brainwashed IDIOTS! So FUCK ALL OF YOU! Now we're giving you the finger muthafucka's.
from 3 months ago
"If I'm the pedophile why are you fuckin your son you gay ass bitch."
LOL, you call other people copycats, then use the same insult that I used against you 27 minutes ago. Some fuckin' originality, shit-for-brains.
2 months ago
2015? That should be an interesting year. Some believe that if/when the big east splits into football and non football it will happen in 2015. The original"expected" year of 2010 isnt going to happen for various reasons. Can you imagine in 2013 when the contracts, current commitments of the big east expire they announce we're splitting into 2 conferences and expanding. The new schools will be in place in 2015. Welcome Memphis, PENN ST, Boston College and NOTRE DAME! Ha Ha ! This post ought to generate some "heated" debate. Go at it boys
2 months ago
WOW, ND fans are an angry bunch. I don't blame them. They used to be on top of the world and now they are smarting from their worst season in many, many years. Looks guys, people might have a bit of compassion for you if you weren't so GD arrogant. You WERE a great program. You ARE a team that would be in the bottom half of any major conference. That is understandably is hard to deal with.
Here are some helpful hints for you ND fans:
1. Get rid of that big fat loud mouth of a coach - he is a low class loser and makes you look bad
2. Join a conference and earn some legitimacy - do what the service academies are thinking about at the very least
3. Shut up about how great you are until your program is back to at least 8 wins per year. Nothing wrong with school/team pride, but nobody wants to hear how great you are because right now you aren't.
4. Refer to no. 1. Maybe you can get Rodriguez after they run him out of Ann Arbor in a couple of years.
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