Jack Swarbrick Causes Server Meltdown

Fantastic read, Whiskey.

One concern I have is that our schedule doesn’t change much year to year. We always play a host of Big 10 games, typically against the same foes. The Big East lineup changes here and there, but the point is there’s always a Big East lineup. And of course we’ve been doing a minimum of two Pac 10 games a year for some time, again, against the same foes.

To sum, we scream for independence so that we may play whomever we want and then play the same freakin’ guys year in and year out.

Further, to your point, the neutral site games are against a bunch of yawners. No disrespect to Maryland or Army, as we’ve certainly sucked this past decade, but when Pitt is the best team on your schedule (e.g. 2009), we’ve got problems. Play at the new building Jerry Jones built, but make sure the opponent is Texas. Soldier Field? How about Wisconsin? Whatever the Dolphins are calling their stadium this month? Sign up Florida, FSU or Miami for the love of all things Holy. And if we’re not going to do it the right way, then just join a freakin’ conference.

As an alum, I can no longer provide a rational rebuttal to imploring douche bags who think we should join a conference. Give me some ammunition, Swarbrick. And for God’s sake, Jack, call Kirby Hocutt, the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, at the U. His number is posted on their Athletic site.

Catholics vs Convicts is the shot in the ass our program needs.

- Baity
Flanner, ‘95

Baity -

Seems like it’s all about the money. Notre Dame can schedule a bunch of mediocres and lame and halts, end up 10-2, 9-3 or whatever, find themselves in the BCS top 12 (or whatever that threshold is) and for the reasons eloquently stated by Whiskey, end up playing in a BCS Bowl and keeping the entire pay day.

Seems like there is (a) no reason to join a conference and (b) no reason to play anybody any good.

Good stuff, Whiskey. Welcome to the network.

Read Frank the Tank as to why the assertion that “Notre Dame doesn’t need the money” is a fallacy and soon to be equivalent with “Notre Dame is a great football program.” With the 7-4-1 model, Notre Dame would have been left out in the cold this year in the National Championship picture if they had been undefeated and Texas and Alabama were still there with Conference Championship games under their belt….No, $warbuck$ is seeing the road to a national title in football, year over year secure income, and establishing a true “national presence” is through a conference.

Put it this way: If the Pac 10 expands and they want to continue the round robin tradition, where is that going to leave the USC game? Do you think USC is going to say, “well, I’m just not going to play one of you so I can keep this USC rivalry going?” Doubt it…And oh, by the way, who do you think will want to schedule you if they have required conference games (based on television) that they have to play? Michigan and MSU might just go away along with Purdue…And that leaves you with no strength of schedule…

Baity great points and I agree. I personally don’t mind the barnstorming game but I would much rather see 6-5-1 than 7-4-1. That would give the AD 10 home and home deals to work with vice 8. That’s how you get top tier games scheduled and as fans those are the games we want to see. raoulduke thanks for the welcome. MIRuss Frank the Tank makes a good argument and that may just be the type of “seismic shift” that Swarbrick was alluding to. As for your assertion that 7-4-1 would have left ND out of the BCS Championship I totally disagree. The preseason polls would have left ND out of the BCS Championship and that is an entirely different discussion. Based on your post I think it is fair to say that you fall into that category of fan that hates Notre Dame with every semblance of your being, and that’s all good, but in this case I think it is tainting your argument.

Whiskey,

Though I have every reason as an OU alum to hate the Golden Domers, the truth is that I have way too much respect for that program. They’ve stuck to their guns, come hell or high water.

That said, MIRuss is 100% correct, and OU is living proof. People think strength of schedule isn’t important in college football. Yet, OU has gotten the nod over arguably (probably?) better teams in 2004 and 2008 because of superior scheduling. Swarbrick is seeing the obvious. Notre Dame fans don’t realize that they will stay on the outside looking in with the system as it is right now. You’re right that the weight of preseason polls weighs entirely too heavily in the equation, but that’s not to ND’s favor. ND has a 1st class express pass for a regular BCS game, but they’re on standby for the BCS title game until the SEC, Big 12, Big 10, and Pac 10 champions are seated.

Nate, I think your argument is pretty solid for the SEC, Big 12 and Pac 10 but not so much on the Big 10. If you look at the 2009 Sagarin strength of sked: ND-37, Ohio St-50, Iowa-41, Penn St-73. Not so sure joining the Big 10 really helps ND’s chances. With the liberty to schedule whoever they want it might actually be easier for them to increase their strength of sked as an Independent. You could probably make a case either way and I think we have. For the time being I will concede based on the fact that it is a completely moot point until ND can win enough games in a given season for it to even matter! It is a fun topic to kick around though. I don’t envy Swarbrick, it isn’t an easy decision. It will be very interesting to see how it plays out.