Irish win

[canadiancreed]

Originally Posted by mh2365

pretty lame warning

Welcome to the new Talk Sports

[Big Hugg]

Originally Posted by dsvitak

This is unfair criticism of ND.

Their strength of schedule, historically, has been very, very good.

Agreed, they certainly play high profile games. Most years their schedule is really strong. The only real low level team they play is Navy and that's a traditional game.

I mean, when they were down for a while most people were saying they should weaken their schedule.

[marc]

Originally Posted by Big Hugg

Agreed, they certainly play high profile games. Most years their schedule is really strong. The only real low level team they play is Navy and that's a traditional game.

I mean, when they were down for a while most people were saying they should weaken their schedule.

I've always straddled the fence in this arguement. I don't think ND plays a tougher than average schedule nor do I think they play a weaker than average schedule.

They usually play 2-4 really really good teams like Michigan, USC, etc. Then they play about 3-4 cupcakes, and then mix in a bunch of 5-7 win teams. It's really no different than playing a Big Ten schedule and in years where the SEC isn't disgustingly loaded it's like playing an SEC schedule.

[magnet]

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

Welcome to OT

LOL. um, this isn't OT, d00d.

[marc]

Originally Posted by magnet

LOL. um, this isn't OT, d00d.

"

[canadiancreed]

Originally Posted by magnet

LOL. um, this isn't OT, d00d.

oh ya. So noted.

[Can of Corn]

I'd love to see ND in the Big 10+1 Most years they play 2-3 schools from that conference anyway. They'd still be able to keep USC and NAVY for historical purposes and the trip to Hawaii every 4 years for recruitment/alumni purposes.

[Prodigal Son]

The Domers ony have one game on the road against a tough team (USC), and it's against a team they are supposed to lose to anyway, so they've got nothing to lose. They're actually better off playing USC on the road so that everybody writes them off.

Would be nice to see ND play Penn State in Happy Valley or at Clemson or at Nebraska this year...

[mh2365]

They play at Penn State next year. If they were to join any conference they would join the Big East but it will NEVER happen.

I think Marc is 100% right, their schedule is not any worse or better than any other teams. The one thing you don't see is any Division 1AA schools on Notre Dame's schedule. So while complaining about the service academies look at the Middle Tenn St.'s on other teams schedules.

Besides it's that hate on ND attitude no matter what that would cause the same to people to say "so they just throw tradition out the window" if they were to dump Navy off their schedule. As for BC they are back on ND schedule in 2008 or 2009. Maybe just maybe it's not ND's fault BC isn't on their right now.

Plus name any team in the country who played a tougher first 4 games?

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by KILLERBS24

K I guess I'm missing it, what do those teams have to do with anything?

It was a reply to the Notre Dame have easy schedules, those teams I mentioned are weak teams who all played ranking teams at the weekend so proving every team as easy teams on their schedule not just Notre Dame.

[TC Dale]

Originally Posted by mh2365

I think Marc is 100% right, their schedule is not any worse or better than any other teams. The one thing you don't see is any Division 1AA schools on Notre Dame's schedule. So while complaining about the service academies look at the Middle Tenn St.'s on other teams schedules.

Plus name any team in the country who played a tougher first 4 games?

Middle Tennessee St is a member of the Sun Belt Conference now with the Sun Belt a Div I A school for both Football and Basketball. I dont know how long MTS has been a 1-A but they are definitely getting a lot of games with higher ranked teams this season.

But I can't find an argument for the schedule strength for the first four games... that would be a clear cut winner.

Notre Dame should be a part of a conference, but not the Big East or anything on the east coast. It should be a part of the Big 11 er, Ten, but, I don't see them ever joining the Big Ten..

The Big Ten isn't just a athletic conference they also share a lot of technology and academic knowledge in their network. So the last time I looked Notre Dame doesn't have that big of a research and development department similar to an Ohio State, Michigan, Illinois, or Indiana...

They should join a conference and stop sitting on the fence, they aren't going to win titles anymore with their schedule, they can't go a season without picking up at least one loss, and that will hurt them for the big bowls at the end of the season.

[mh2365]

I would prefer them in the big ten, but with their basketball team in the big east, I think that is where they would go .. doesn't matter though, they will never join. As long as they go 9-3 they are eligible for a BCS game and that's 14 million they don't have to share.

The Big East would have to let them keep all the revenue they bring in plus share other revenues for it to be a good deal for them.

I think Ohio State has a decent strength schedule but if you match up game for game, ND's is every bit as tough. I can't think of any team outside the SEC who's schedule is any tougher than ND's.

[dudeosu]

Originally Posted by mh2365

I would prefer them in the big ten, but with their basketball team in the big east, I think that is where they would go .. doesn't matter though, they will never join. As long as they go 9-3 they are eligible for a BCS game and that's 14 million they don't have to share.

The Big East would have to let them keep all the revenue they bring in plus share other revenues for it to be a good deal for them.

I think Ohio State has a decent strength schedule but if you match up game for game, ND's is every bit as tough. I can't think of any team outside the SEC who's schedule is any tougher than ND's.

In the final death throes of Bob Davies' reign as head coach I woulda said Dame was likely, almost surely, going to join a conference. The Big 10 is gauranteed a BCS spot and that 14 million, even if it is split amongst the conference. It almost would have made sense if Dame was missing bowl games altogether to get a piece of that BCS money along with all the other split bowl revenue.

Now, thanks to both Willingham and Weis, they have a new NBC contract and are making bowls and don't have to worry about any lost bowl revenue. I highly doubt they're going to change anytime soon, unless the losses start to come back.

[Goody]

So its just a big money issue? That is why they are Independant?

I always assumed, without researching it, that it was just some tradition/pride thing.

I'll always look at Notre Dame differently if that is the case. I somewhat liked the football team and had a lot of respect for them...

But, its all about the money. Figures.

[dudeosu]

Originally Posted by 9lives

So its just a big money issue? That is why they are Independant?

I always assumed, without researching it, that it was just some tradition/pride thing.

I'll always look at Notre Dame differently if that is the case. I somewhat liked the football team and had a lot of respect for them...

But, its all about the money. Figures.

It used to be about tradition, but ever since bowls have become big revenue generators, it's 99% about the money.

Take Penn State, once independent, then joined the Big 10 in I think '93.

Or look at the current Independents, Dame, Army, Navy and Temple. Army was in a conference until a couple years ago, but the service acadamies don't need that kind of revenue (they weren't getting BCS money anyway). Dame has it's own special contract, special rules regarding the BCS and special rules regarding it and Big East representation in some bowls.

Temple is a bit of a puzzle, I'm not sure why they left the Big East, but I'd be willing to bet football will be dropped sometime, or are planning on joining another conference.

Other than those situations, everyone else is part of a conference.

[dudeosu]

Originally Posted by mh2365

The one thing you don't see is any Division 1AA schools on Notre Dame's schedule.

In defense of the teams with 1-AA teams on their schedules, the provision for adding a 12th game this season came very late and teams had to scramble to get the 12th game scheduled. Many teams had no option than to schedule a 1-AA team.

[CTSoxFan]

Temple was thrown out of the Big East and was nearly knocked out of Division I-A

[mh2365]

Originally Posted by dudeosu

In defense of the teams with 1-AA teams on their schedules, the provision for adding a 12th game this season came very late and teams had to scramble to get the 12th game scheduled. Many teams had no option than to schedule a 1-AA team.

What about all the other years? Teams have always used the excuse that we play enough tough teams in our conference ... here Slippery Rock here is a pile of cash come get destroyed by us.

I give OSU and Texas credit for scheduling each other ... more teams need to take that route than the West Virginia route.

[mh2365]

Originally Posted by 9lives

So its just a big money issue? That is why they are Independant?

I always assumed, without researching it, that it was just some tradition/pride thing.

I'll always look at Notre Dame differently if that is the case. I somewhat liked the football team and had a lot of respect for them...

But, its all about the money. Figures.

Okay so if you were an official at a school and you had the choice of keeping your bowl money or splitting it among 10 other schools you would split it?

If you had a choice between having a big contract with your own network or splitting a smaller contract between 10 other schools you'd go with the smaller contract.

There are certain schools that define college football and like it or not Notre Dame is right near the top of that list. It is a tradition that they are an independant, but don't kid yourself everything is about money. Everything your favorite college does is about money. If you think it's not then you are foolish.

[mh2365]

Originally Posted by CTSoxFan

Temple was thrown out of the Big East and was nearly knocked out of Division I-A

I believe they are joining the MAC.