Bleacher Report - Articles by Gordito Mojito

Is Your Notre Dame Glass Half Full or Half Empty?

Gordito Mojito — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:14:20 -0400

Given their dismal performance on the gridiron in 2007, it's understandable that most people place the 2008 Irish Football odds into an "all-or-nothing" basket. With sharp memories casting dark shadows across a pedestrian schedule, it's easy to understand their views.

The ND faithful blinders provide some hope that the glass is half full, but it's a canyon of an understatement to say that this team has a great deal to prove. However, I'm not as optimistic as the U$C and "whomever's playing ND" crowd, that the wheels can not be re-attached to this wayward cart.

There are two sides to every story, and then there's the truth. 7-5 or 11-1, I suspect loads of people will make the leafy pilgrimage to share family time with Touchdown Jesus, Rockne Memorial, and their faithful brothers.

What's your view of the glass?

THE GLASS IS HALF-FULL

SAN DIEGO STATE ... If they don't win this, the Irish & Charlie are DONE. (1-0)

Sep. 13 MICHIGAN ... Young recruits improve and off year for MI (2-0)

Sep. 20 at Michigan State ... Irish never win this one or do and next week is off (2-1)

Sep. 27 PURDUE ... Bounce back week at home or choke after MSU win (3-1)

Oct. 4 STANFORD ... Still at home (4-1)

Oct. 11 at North Carolina ... Basketball maybe, Football yes (5-1)

Oct. 18 Open Date

Oct. 25 at Washington ... Recruiting pays—buh-bye Willingham (6-1)

Nov. 1 PITTSBURGH ... Not looking like a powerhouse this year, plus at home (7-1)

Nov. 8 at Boston College ... Chip on shoulder & down year for Eagles (8-1)

Nov. 15 vs. Navy (at Baltimore, Md.) ... Payback, baby (9-1)

Nov. 22 SYRACUSE ... Lots of complaints about weak schedule for Irish (10-1)

Nov. 29 at U$C ... 10-1 Irish goes to Hollywood? WOW! After Stanford? Years of thumping? Even at 10-2 and showing up at the Coliseum they could land in the BCS? Or blasphemy, they actually beat U$C? (11-1)

THE GLASS IS HALF EMPTY

SAN DIEGO STATE ... Preview of Halloween in South Bend but a win (1-0)

Sep. 13 MICHIGAN ... O-line proves only mildly stronger—Clausen is still running (1-1)

Sep. 20 at Michigan State ... Irish never win this one (1-2)

Sep. 27 PURDUE ... Adjustments & home keep it close but not enough (1-3)

Oct. 4 STANFORD ... At home and NEED win (2-3)

Oct. 11 at North Carolina ... Basketball maybe, Football yes (3-3)

Oct. 18 Open Date

Oct. 25 at Washington ... Recruiting pays—buh-bye Willingham (4-3)

Nov. 1 PITTSBURGH ... Should win at home (5-3)

Nov. 8 at Boston College ... Not on the stolen Irish turf (5-4)

Nov. 15 vs. Navy (at Baltimore, Md.) ... Payback, baby (6-4)

Nov. 22 SYRACUSE... Lots of complaints about weak schedule for Irish (7-4)

Nov. 29 at U$C ...Thump! (7-5)

Notre Dame Pays Alms to Big Ten in 2008

Gordito Mojito — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 11:03:17 -0400

With every autumn comes a few mothy sweaters, a nesting of priorities, and a bit of anticipation for that cathartic release of College Football. Included in this journey are the questions about this year's teams?Who's grilling the brats? What the heck have we been doing with our foolhardy lives since last season and to answer the perennial question of:

Why don't the Irish join a conference already? The Big Ten makes so much sense.

My gut tells me this question is more closely related to selling newspapers than reality, so in an effort to save some trees, I've outlined a few facts to help people decide for themselves why Notre Dame football has zero interest in joining a conference anytime soon.

First of all, Notre Dame is very much affiliated with a conference. The Big East is near and dear to most Irish gamers and happens to be a good fit for the majority of their athletic programs. Perennial contenders in most pursuits, they are very much overshadowed by the glow of football tradition.

Notre Dame Football is not a good fit for the Big East because of lost Big 10 rivalries. However, let's assume ND carries part of the traditional weight of the very successful SEC and use this as a basis for comparison.

Let's start with the fact that Notre Dame is the NCAA's most valuable football asset with annual revenues reaching $101 million, $45.8 million in profit, and $21.1 million (2006-2007 season) going to education. Twenty-one million is as much as the next five most valuable teams contributed to their respective schools combined.

Operating independent of the conference system also allows Notre Dame to keep $9 million in annual television revenue from NBC, the undisclosed amount collected from ABC for the majority of its away games, and the bulk of its bowl receipts if they can possibly win seven games.

Revenue for Notre Dame Football has consistently increased and even 2007 (the worst season on record) is hardly an indication of future failure. To wit, the SEC has six of the top 20 revenue producers and the national contenders to accommodate the assumption that annual revenues matter. Obviously, revenue is not the only element of success but a good measurement of continued prosperity for Notre Dame, the SEC, and all revenue producers.

A silly blogger once mentioned that the shrinking Catholic demographic didn't favor the Irish but she must have missed the Wall Street Journal interview with President Father Jenkins regarding the influx of Hispanic influences at the University of Notre Dame.

It is a Catholic demographic I think everyone views as growing, both in this country and at Notre Dame. This argument is as logical as blaming the stadium rebuild (blocking Jesus view of game) on the recent demise of the football program.

Notre Dame also happens to have the 13th largest endowment in the country at $6.5 billion. The closest SEC counterpart is Vanderbilt at $3.48 billion and the combined endowment for the entire SEC rests at $5.26 billion.

This speaks volumes for itself but if Notre Dame feels athletics is an important part of the educational experience and or a strong marketing tool, then I suspect they'd be willing to invest some of this money before going to the Big 10 for handouts.

Finally, the hornets' nest that breeds the most contempt. NBC and those pesky TV ranking that justified a contract extension. Notre Dame football averages a rating of 3.0 and a seven share with a high of 3.6 rating and a nine share.

To put this in perspective, NBC's Sunday Night Football "Smashing Success" and "Highest rated sports program" got—drum roll please—a 3.6 rating and a nine share. CBS and the ENTIRE SEC football coverage averaged (which includes ND I might add) a 3.1 rating with a seven share.

The University of Notre Dame and its football program more than uphold their end of the bargain by playing a strong schedule, doing their best to promote sportsmanship along with a solid education, and individually doing their bit to live up to the historical standards set before them.

So when giving away money for no apparent reason, throwing your opinion to the wolves, and discarding tradition are the right things to do, then I suspect you'll see the Irish shopping for a conference. Until then, I imagine the University of Notre Dame will entertain your request for alms.

NCAA Acquits Self in Reggie Bush Case

Gordito Mojito — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 08:13:18 -0400

They say that in a world of travail and cheap wine the ridiculous becomes sublime. As in, how much Kool-Aid do we need to drink before we simply forget the fact that Reggie Bush took piles of cash while playing at USC?

Mr. Bush and his family have already settled half of Reggie's "business" partnership while at USC and he might well be on the hook for an additional $300,000. Perhaps you've seen the documented proof that Reggie's family lived rent free (to the tune of $54,000) and many other sorted details found here.

So what if Reggie was on the take you say. Why punish the University of Southern California (USC) both the PAC-10 and NCAA quip? Well, they have this thing called Institutional Control which basically means that turning your eye on a problem doesn't make you any less accountable. It also implies that like the Olympics, there's an element of sport left to the game. Otherwise, it's just another professional sports league and a weaker one at that.

Pete Carroll and or his staff gave locker room access to New Era sports. Reggie, whose family was known to come from humble means, shows up to practice in a hot rod. His entire family shows up at away games and parties with Reggie in Vegas. Please tell me again that Pete Carroll and his entire staff had no idea?

Meanwhile, the NCAA floats PR stories about how hard they are working to resolve this and other cases. Very serious, yes indeed, we are... just listen to us. Sorry if I laugh but the last infraction the NCAA imposed was in Oklahoma last year when an Oklahoma State booster purchased an auto dealership that happened to employ three Oklahoma football players under the table. Total infraction: roughly $27,000.

The NCAA's reaction was to retract wins from 1995, the loss of four (yes, four) total recruits and apply the "self imposed" regulations Oklahoma had in place for helping the investigation. If that's what $27,000 gets you I wonder what $750,000 plus an evasive response from USC should get you. Note should.

I can only imagine the phone calls being exchanged between the NCAA, PAC 10, and the Judge Joan A. Lewis in this self-regulated investigation. My guess is that a miraculous gag order is going into effect Aug. 1 and everyone will walk free.

The NCAA will feign interest and tell us how sorry they are that they can no longer investigate because Reggie won't admit under oath that he took the money. Just keep playing the game and unless we see an infraction in person from our offices here in Indiana you're free to do what you like.

So much for the spirit of sport and the ethics the NCAA purports to uphold. The Heisman Trophy none-the-less. NCAA acquits self and says more Hollywood parties and gratuitous lifestyles for everyone.