They keep turning down invites from the Big 10 and i don't see why the Big 10 keeps going after them. Sure a lot of their teams play ND and fit well but they haven't been relevant in football for quite a while and if their new coach is any indication they won't be playing much defense either. It must be pure academics that the Big 10 wants them?
Why is Notre Dame so coveted??
- Thread starter husker_99
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Vince from ShamWOW
All-Conference
The Maudfather
All-American
redblooded
Special Teams Player
Disclaimer: I have a strong dislike for Notre Dame in football. They are right up there with USC for teams I will actually watch once in awhile in the hopes that they will lose or switch to their game if I see a scroll that they are losing across a game I am not that interested in.
But to answer your question...
Long answer: Because believe it or not ND still has a huge national following, very very good academic standing for undergrads (I don't know about their research at all), is a traditional football power, has a large and powerful alumni base, has more money then any school save Texas (and that is only because of Texas's oil grant). The last two are also the reasons they continue to hold out. They don't need the money the big ten can offer and their alumni pride their football independence for whatever reason plus they get probably the easiest schedule of anyone recently to have a path to the BCS (they just suck so much they can't take advantage of it).
They will eventually be forced to join a conference if things go how they are suspected to go with the super-conference-armageddon-extravaganza because it will change the amount of non-conference some leagues they depend on for match-ups can play and scheduling with their same yearly schools will likely become a problem. They are probably also going to get an ultimatum to join the big east in football if they want to continue to compete with their other sports, which would be another problem for them. At that point they'll likely have to strongly consider it if they want their football program to have any chance at being prominent again. So I think the big ten probably thinks they are work waiting a bit on.
Short answer: No, that's not the sole reason, and if you believe our new commissioner that sports have cycles and you cant really just look at it as "what have you done for me lately" its tough to ignore a school with the history of Notre Dame. They just have to find a coach that fits.
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jwinslow
Walk-on
1) They should have been a big ten team long ago.
2) They already have 3 major b10 east rivalries (UM, MSU, PUR), and OSU/PSU have history and a lot of fan / recruiting interactions.
3) They are the most prestigious CFB team in history. They aren't at that level now but even at their depths they are still an enormous force.
4) They deliver incredible ratings & revenue
5) We'd rather have direct control over their annual losses and humbling moments
Their undergrad academics are superb, but they are severely lacking in graduate studies and research. Many believe they'd catch up quickly with access to the lucrative CIC.
2) They already have 3 major b10 east rivalries (UM, MSU, PUR), and OSU/PSU have history and a lot of fan / recruiting interactions.
3) They are the most prestigious CFB team in history. They aren't at that level now but even at their depths they are still an enormous force.
4) They deliver incredible ratings & revenue
5) We'd rather have direct control over their annual losses and humbling moments
Their undergrad academics are superb, but they are severely lacking in graduate studies and research. Many believe they'd catch up quickly with access to the lucrative CIC.
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All About the Green
Walk-on
It's not about academics while ND is comparable to B10 schools at the undergrad level they aren't in terms grad level research. I think money and history are the drivers here sure they haven't been relavent recently, but they are still a big TV draw. Then there are such deep historic ties to ND with so many schools in the Big Ten. Even if OU wasn't good wouldn't want them to join becuase of your shared history? Just a bit random info ND was actually very critical to MSU getting into the Big Ten. In late 1940's we wanted to upgrad our schedule as way to show we were worthy of being admitted ND agreed to do a home and home series with us which was huge given our program stature at time and ND insisted that the gate be split 50/50 even though MSU was offering 80%.
MichiganMan
Starter
its tradition to them to be independant. and fail to get with the times. if you have ever been to their stadium the bleechers are wood, atleast 50+ years old. They still play on natural grass and refuse to get field turf...all because its "tradition" they don't even have and video score boards in the stadium.
old Man Sparty
Walk-on
Having lived outside of Chitown for 20 yrs, ND gets more press than Northwestern, and maybe at times Illinois. Although ND is not what they were with Ara and Lou H., they have a BIG following here. It's almost that ND is a local team! Since Chicago is at the center of the Big Ten, it is a natural, even though I appreciate the historical connection to the Spartans, they are a good fit, but I LOVE it when the Irish lose! Go State!
Husker_x
All-American
I'm all about tradition. Nebraska and Michigan are built of this sturdy stuff. But I'm also against tradition, like the tradition of gathering my sword, shield, and hoplite friends to do battle with Navy Seals and missile drones. You can tradition yourself right out of winning, which it seems Notre Shame has committed to doing. If they don't bow to Big 10 pressure, I hope when the final superconference picture takes place that have traditioned themselves out of ever competing for a national title ever again. Go ahead and play Navy and Army on NBC. But enough of this 10 cupcakes and BCS nonsense.
MichiganMan
Starter
Tradition is very important. But you have to be able to adapt to the the times. ND is living in their own little world right now and think they can survive as independant in football. (all other sports are members of the big east). And you can build new traditions. under rich rodriguez there is something called the victors walk that the team does into the stadium before games with the band playing. If ND doesn't get into the Big Ten now and the Big East collapses/merges with the ACC then they will end up in the MAC.
Notre Dame Joe
All-Conference
husker_99 said:
The same was true of a certain N University not too long ago. Remember N can't win anymore because fast kids from the South don't want to go to that cold blu-collar town? Their offense is obselete... the landscape of college football has changed...
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GMoose
All-Conference
Exactly. Notre Dame is a high title, and 4 years ago when we thought to ourselves "Nebraska can only be bad for so long..."
Same is true for ND, they've got the history, tradition, and prestige. Sooner or later they'll have themselves a coach (with all that cash) that knows how to win more than 6.