ND <r>I'm just speechless. If these guys did cheat you want to say "what in the world do you think you are doing young man!" but if they did you have to believe they were not looking at the bigger picture and what it would cost them if they got caught. They're not freshmen, they are all are close or well on their way to completing their degrees. I can only guess that they were thinking about how to make this grade the easiest way possible. If they had taken the time to <B><s></s>really<e></e></B> consider what they might be costing themselves <B><s></s>and<e></e></B> their team surely you would think they would not have not done this. <br/> <br/> Corey is right. Pat Forde and much of the media just dream of when they can get stories like this at ND. The first thing I heard on the radio yesterday was "Under the tarnished dome" and "Notre Shame". They're in such a hurry to trash ND they can't take time to invent a new headline. <br/> <br/> ND is doing this right, it's not the school's fault(see Corey's comments), there were other avenues available besides cheating these young men could have used to insure they got passing grades. I'm angry but at the same time I feel sorry for them. If this is true they really have lost so much for themselves and for their team. It's just sad. <br/> <br/> I thought I was looking forward to the upcoming season.....maybe not.</r>
Tim, I agree with everything you said. As far as the media you have to just learn to ignore them. The Gators went though some terrible years in the middle 80's when we were nailed hard by the NCAA. It was tough but our administration learned and put policies in place to insure compliance. However nothing is full proof. I said the above because while things were at the lowest ebb for Gator fans there was an incident where someone tried to bribe one of our players to throw a game, control the score, whatever. Our player and school handled everything right and were clean. However some idiot writer for Sports Illustrated took the opportunity to trash the Gators big time. One particular comment that I don't remember completely was along the line of the floors of the Florida Athletic department were slimy with corruption. That's not an exact quote but you get the idea. I subscribed to SI at that time, but when it ran out I never subscribed again and don't spend any money on SI. It seems writers just can't contain themselves and I agree with you, Corey, Saban, Spurrier, gipper and everyone else who holds the media in distain. You will get through this and the University is certainly handling it the right way. I don't know if it's necessary to forfeit all those games but that's up to Notre Dame.
Bill, after the "Tarnished Dome" article ('89?), I did not even look at a Sports Illustrated until my grandchildren started selling magazines for their schools around 2007 or so. I relented and have been receiving the magazine over the past several years. There are two ESPN personalities who happen to be women (Cohn and McKendry) who piled on ND with their commentaries at some point during the late 90s. Since then, I've never watched or listened to either one. If I turn to ESPN and one of them is on, I immediately turn to another channel. :evil: There will be writers and TV/radio people who will do the same thing in this instance before all the facts are in simply because ND (like Florida) is an easy target for haters. I'm comfortable with the school's approach, and because I'd like to think I've mellowed with age, I can just tune them out. Tim, re: this season. Don't lose faith. Look at the "next men up" and take heart. Our cupboard isn't exactly bare, especially at DB and WR.
Wfan here in ny is perfect example. When they win maybe its announced, but when lose its first score they report. They never mention college news but yesterday one update had a blurb. Wfan is a ny/nj pro sports station 99% of time. I don't want to mix sports with religion, mostly here but it's a big part of everyone's negative responses towards ND.
ND <t>Bill, thanks for the comments and support. It means a lot right now. You're right. I'll just have to ignore the comments from some of the media until this is all over. In fairness, I did hear some of the media yesterday who said they thought ND was handling this the right way and that it's on the players to uphold the standards that ND has put forward. I'm not sure what to think about forfeiting games. It doesn't make sense to me unless these guys have been doing this prior and it is proven by the school. If they were in good standing academically prior to this forfeiting games doesn't make sense. <br/> <br/> Sid, no I haven't lost faith, just took a shot in the gut. Chris Brown and the other WRs can still make the passing game awesome. I'm not sure how much the loss of I.Williams at DE will cost us because even a few days ago he seemed to still be fighting for 1st string. He just never has lived up the the hype completely. The biggest loss for me is Russell at CB...well I'll just leave that one alone. He was good. Thankfully we have Riggs who transferred in this year and some pretty good depth at the position. Don't get me wrong, I want them all back but we should be O.K. even if they don't return but would have been better with them. I hate to lose guys from the team for any reason whether they are starters or not. <br/> <br/> My prayer is that the guilt(if confirmed) really is all on the players and no one is the school had any knowledge or contributed in any way on this. We can't take that. We really can't. If it is as those speaking for the school say then in the end it will only make ND stronger. <br/> <br/> For Coach Kelly the pressure mounts. This undoubtedly will have to be his best year of coaching yet to get ND even to 8 or 9 wins.</t>
77 I agree with you about the religious component. Tim I agree we seem to be transparent. As to Kelly he has a crutch with this mess.
Brian Kelly's Comments: http://www.southbendtribune.com/spo...cle_0f943048-256a-11e4-82af-001a4bcf6878.html
Guess you have to be an insider to read that Sid. Probably a lot of the Notre Dame posters are though.
Bill, it's not a closed site. The question is simply a marketing question. Just answer the question, and you'll see the entire article.
Got it Sid. The question was about something that was shown, but I didn't see anything so put a generic answer and got access. Kelly seems to be handling this very well.
Sid might enjoy the photo's at this link..they are from ND circa 1962 and I'm thinking Sid was a Soph or Jr that year. Interesting photo's of South Quad showing lots of big tree's that aren't there anymore and photo's of the "Prom"!! We didn't have Prom's at Texas! ND Circa 1962. There is a photo of a bulletin board in a dorm with a notice that there was a Frosh Mixer with 10 colleges, what is that?
A mixer was a dance that one school hosted and invited students from other schools to attend. ND an all boys school would invite girls from all girl schools. It's what we had before eharmony. Everyone made fun of them but many went. Oh and I met Mary at a mixer at her school.
Sid, This is not the first instance where people jump at the first article, assume the worst, and then ignore the facts that are discovered afterward. Believe me, its not unique to this story, and I also know it is not restricted to Notre Dame (or Florida).
I am a lifelong Irish fan but I am a realist who tries to look at things from all angles. In my opinion, which you may dismiss as trite, there are two developments in the last 25 years that have really ginned up public and media sentiment against ND. First and foremost is the national TV contact with NBC. I haven't missed a game in 25 years and NBC is making a bundle on the deal but it breeds a natural resentment by other fan bases and rival media outlets. Secondly is ND's refusal to join a conference until this manufactured semi-affiliation with the ACC. Others view this as elitist. I think we are the prototypical B10 team and always have been. I know there was bad blood in the olden days but it was time to get beyond that. That's how I see it. Fire away.
ND <r>George,<br/> <br/> I agree: <QUOTE><s> </e></QUOTE>.<br/> <br/> I also agree with your points about the NBC contract and not joining a conference. Other teams/fans always seemed resentful. but if you asked them if they would take either one of those for their team what do you think the answer is? Of course they would. <br/> <br/> ND is still independent because they CAN be. That may change in the very near future when it the necessity of being in a conference is just to overwhelming but until then they, or anyone else in their shoes would do the same thing. Be crazy not to. <br/> <br/> As far as TV, they pretty much all have it in the major programs now have as much coverage via their conference networks. By the way and no offense to anyone intended but, I'm just sick of hearing the words "SEC NETWORK". I'm glad they have it now can we talk about anything else on my sports radio programs? Please.</r>
Hey Tim, I love that SEC Network. And I believe that each team in our conference will get as much or more $$$$ as Notre Dame gets for their TV deal. George, I think you make very good points. Coming from a Irish fan it means more than from other fans. I also see Notre Dame as more Big 10 than ACC. But I am glad you are in that conference to give some of the teams tougher schedules.