FanPost

Can Notre Dame win a National Championship in 2012?

Because we really don't talk about this enough. Seriously.

I've been perusing some Notre Dame blogs, and it seems that One Foot Down hasn't yet broached this subject--or at least not completely. So, this post/thread is for you to share your thoughts on the likelihood (or unlikelihood) of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish winning a BCS national championship in 2012.

There is a poll at the bottom, and we'll see just how confident you are. But first, in my discussions with various fans, I've noticed that there isn't one set opinion on the national championship possibility. So, here are the various positions based on my independent "research" of the fans. (If I've missed one, please feel free to name it in the comments, and also which faction you believe you belong to.)

The Positions:

1. The "Yes Plz" Crowd

These are Notre Dame fans who have been desperately waiting for Notre Dame to reclaim the glory of the Knute Rockne years and dream of the Fighting Irish once again winning national championships several years in a row. They believe that Notre Dame has the capability to win a national championship every year--and 2012 is no exception. The fans in this category range from old die-hards to graduating seniors, hoping that their last year (either on campus or on this earth) is the one when Notre Dame finally has the perfect season.

2. The Kelly Cares Foundation

"Kelly will get us there. Maybe not in 2012, but we'll eventually get there." These are generally your One Foot Down blogger types who are equally practical and patient when it comes to Notre Dame football. They are strong advocates of Coach Brian Kelly, but their confidence year-to-year is dictated more by the facts--and ultimately by results. However, they also carefully point out that there is much more to the story than just wins and losses. Despite their immense love for Notre Dame tradition, they generally think that the football program is broken and that Kelly is the guy who will right the ship.

3. The Black-Eyed Drunkards (a.k.a. The Whatever Crowd)

These are Notre Dame fans who have gotten into fights over the direction of the program, who have traded blows on where the program should go, and now they pretty much don't care anymore. They were happy when Kelly was first hired, but now believe that the man has seriously failed to live up to his potential as an elite head coach. They want Notre Dame to win, but they've taken a "wait and see" approach to the extreme. Much like the "Yes Plz" guys/gals, they are waiting for something positive to happen, but a key separation is that they aren't hoping or praying. It either will or it won't. It makes no difference now.

4. LOL Notre Dame

These are people (even Notre Dame fans) who think it is ridiculous that Notre Dame will win a national championship anytime in the near future, especially 2012. They are more interested in the absurdity of college football--and Notre Dame, once the proud beacon of a winning tradition, has become about as absurd as it gets.

5. The "Shsha!!!!" Singers

These are blindly fanatical Notre Dame subway alumni with close ties to the "Yes Plz" base. They have more Irish blood in them than is healthy, and they really don't care who the coach is or what game they're playing--the Irish will WIIIIINN!!!!! They don't know much about football and don't really care to. All they know is that Notre Dame is the best football program in the country (nay, the WORLD!), and in their minds the Irish have won a national championship every year. Yet they probably don't know the words to the fight song. If you ask them if Notre Dame will win a national championship in 2012, their answer is simple: They already did Go IRISH.

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