I don't understand the appeal of Notre Dame, especially for Blue Chip recruits. The Irish have never been a TRUE powerhouse in my lifetime (I'm in my mid 20's). They have rarely been a national title contender in the modern Era, they don't have an overwhelming amount of players get drafted in high rounds (or even drafted for that matter), and they don't have nice facilities. I've been to the ND campus - the academic buildings are nice but the stadium looks old and worn down. I am aware of the program's success half a century ago - but what draws top prospects there?
TV exposure, tradition, prestige, big head coaching names, large fan base...They still have a few things going. Also, they've sucked for a while now, but I wouldn't say they have rarely been a title contender in the modern era.
Touchdown Jesus ushers them in.
ND has been overrated in my book for as long as I could remember... I still hate them, but their cornhole bags that I make still are selling through the roof. haha
Lately though this is what Touchdown Jesus has been doing while watching Notre Dame games.
Agree with everything Woody said above, but add in the way these guys would be "sainted" if they did lead ND to the promised land. They would be a hero for the rest of their lives to quite possibly the #1 fan base in college football. That is quite alluring if you believe you and a select group of recruits can pull it off.
5'10" 245 lbs baby jesus
- Respect the Rivalry -
Ohio State had a rough patch from 1976-1992 where we only came close to a National Title once and really didn't sniff it in all the other years. That's a rough 17 season stretch. The last time Notre Dame was close to a national title late in the year was 1993, so it's a fair comparison to the Buckeyes drought. Why did Ohio State still get big time recruits under Cooper when he inherited a team that had been mediocre for more than a decade? Same reason Notre Dame still gets recruits. Tradition and passionate fans. Notre Dame will be good again. USC had a rough 22 season stretch (1980-2001) where they never sniffed a national title. Why was Pete Carroll still able to get players to go there?
The Notre Dame thing never gets old to me. Here in Chicago, they are the default team most people gravitate to on account of Northwestern being bad and Illinois being LOLworthy so I'm surrounded by the ND fans everywhere I go. Another thing that drives me nuts, every Irish person things they have to like ND...whatever.
If there is a more annoying group of fans than Cubs fans, its Irish fans. Sadly, most of the times those paths cross. Needless to say when Ohio State and the White Sox are winning, I'm a pretty happy guy.
Notre Dame will still always recruit because there are some kids who will always see it as College Football's mecca. I believe the term is 'dellisional' but that's fine. They haven't been a threat since the Quinn years and won't ever have a seat at the big boy table again. It is one of the things that make college football so enjoyable-the inevitable over rating of ND, there eventual 3-4 game slump, there eventual 4 game winning streak that increases their hope for the following season, rinse.repeat.Sun Bowl.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
Humble-ND is broken from the top down. OSU survived when they had a minimal turn over at coach. ND does not allow its teams to develop any continuity what so ever. They need to commit to a guy for more than a few years, they didnt let Davie do it, Ty do it, Weiss do it. I have no reason to think they'll let Kelly do it because ND still thinks they can win 10 games per year and when that doesn't happen, they knock out their coach too quick. Kelly can do good things there. He'll be gone in 2.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
The thing that kills me is that all my Notre Dame fan friends (most of which are from Indiana) cheer for the Irish in football but they cheer for Indiana in basketball.
It's gotta be the Beetface
"You win with people." - Woody Hayes
N.D. still has that glow around it.. I often wonder why people want to go there but it just seems like it is always going to be a place that can bring in top recruits. It's tough schedule and rigid academic standards certainly aren't helping either.
Also, many kids are heavily influenced by their parents.. ND was the bomb when these kids' parents were their age. And to say that the football facilities aren't nice isn't very fair to ND
Only program that is nationally televised for every game. Can't beat that type of coverage all over the nation.
steensn: ND is not nationally televised every game. Their NBC contract is for home games.
"Attack the Strong, Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead!"
-Former OSU S&C Coach Lichter
They have tradition and stupid ass movies like "Rudy"!
Wherever you are, there you be!
And almost forgot their mascot is the worst thing about ND!
Wherever you are, there you be!
Oh yeah, then minimum 70% with the traditional USC and UM game likely being semi national anyways... still significant. That likely puts them closer to 80-90%
:)
I was raised on Notre Dame football - my dad graduated from there back in the 50s (being from Cleveland, we were also Ohio State fans as well). I'm a Buckeye first and foremost, but I always want them to do well. I have very fond memories as a kid in the 80s watching the games with my dad (again, Buckeye games, too).
I always hate reading the anti-ND stuff, but I understand. Kind of. To me, it's sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy type thing. What is the appeal of ND? There's nothing going on, and yet there's another thread about them. The more people comment, the more relevent they remain. People just can't seem to stay away from Notre Dame, for whatever reason, and this thread is a perfect example.
I'm not sure there is a school with more staying power despite the lack of recent consistent success. But it's basically the fault of the consumer, especially those that hate ND, who keep them in the spotlight.
I think the tradition thing with ND is very outdated. Since the early 90's I see ZERO wins in the 'wow' category and no post-season victories worth mentioning... the only appeal I see is academics and even that (for most of us who have our undergraduate degrees) matters less than you think it does when you begin your undergradutate endeavours... I think what most recruits fall for is the pick-up lines that coaches throw at them, getting them to believe that ND will make them All-Pro NFL players (rare) and if that fails they will somehow end up making 7 figures at some high-paying job simply because of their degree in General Studies from ND. After I visited USC and ND in the span of a couple months, I had a new understanding of the average-ness of Notre Dame and South Bend, IN. I am with you in questioning the mass appeal of Notre Dame to top players and it frustrates me that we continue to see these top guys go to ND on the same one-liners that got their predecessors to commit (almost all of whom under achieved massively)
I'm an Ohio State alum, and as big a Buckeye fan as anyone. Having said that, Notre Dame is one of the academic bastions in this country, and offers a special degree from an elite university. Most of these kids aren't going to play on Sunday so a Notre Dame degree is preferable to MOST other schools offering these high level recruits. In addition, ND is one of the three winningest programs in NCAA history and tradition means something to these kids it seems. Brian Kelly has this program on a fast upward trajectory. I resect everyone's right to their opinion on here, but I'm lost as to why you're in the dark regarding Notre Dame's appeal...
I'm with Woodysglasses on this one. Big time college football is big time college football. Look at Miami-Florida. They're relatively new to the scene, emerging in the late 1970s much like Boise State. Despite their resurgence in the late 1990s and early 2000's after about a decade of obscurity, they haven't done anything over the last 10 years. However, Miami leads all of college football in current NFL players. Top talent is still attracted to Miami, DESPITE the program not winning big, DESPITE fans not showing up to games, and DESPITE a university that is still sort of reluctant to support the football program to the same extent as other big programs.
So, whether people like it or not, Notre Dame IS a big time college football program. I think their facilities are world-class (the stadium is not the only facility that players use). The school is still going to hire big names to be the head coach, they're still looked at as one of the top coaching destinations in the sport. They're here to stay. The only reason anyone gives a sh*t is because they make headlines no matter if they're good or not. But that's the same with a lot of programs (like ours).
It's the Best Catholic Football school. The Catholic Fan base is HUGE!!!
"Did you push yourself to be great today? If you didn't do it you lost a day. We ain't got many days to lose. We're going to push your a$$ like its never been pushed because what you've got in you were going to find out" UFM
BC has better Catholics.
"Attack the Strong, Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead!"
-Former OSU S&C Coach Lichter
That's because BC is a Jesuit school. And they have better men's ice hockey. Two good reasons.
And they are in a suburb of Boston versus icky South Bend. Another good reason.
smh
Growing up - I loved Rudy. Underdog story & all... I got no real problem with ND. Don't get me wrong - I'm not a fan...but I got no particular animosity with them either. OSU doesn't play them enough for me to care. I've never even really known too many ND fans so I haven't gotten pissed at the fans. The fact that recruits go there is fine by me - the fact they've gotten some of our targets to commit isn't really a problem either. In my lifetime my school has done well enough that I'm pretty much just psyched about them & not so worried about others...except tsun of course.
Edit: @703 (comment below) - I think I had heard that Rudy was pretty much fictional. I just liked the story. I also liked Rocky although it was fictional & I have no connection to Philly. My original point being I don't have a problem with ND - but that could be that to me - they are sort of a non entity or afterthought. If not for Lou Holtz talking about how they will win they NC every year - I don't think I would even know they were there. I have about 5-6 CFB teams that I can not stand - detest even. ND just isn't one. That said I gotta feeling there will be a time when they are good again...
The world is full of kings & queens who'll blind your eyes & steal your dreams - it's heaven & hell - Ronnie James Dio.
Well at least they've got Don Criqui...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_Zb80jOddo
Poison: Even Rudy was a sham. The dude lied about half his story. The real ND QB from that time, a guy named Joe Montana, can't stand Rudy. Not to mention, Rudy is a con-artist; the SEC caught him running a sketchy sports drink company.
"Attack the Strong, Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead!"
-Former OSU S&C Coach Lichter
Getting to play games in cool places like Dublin, Ireland probably helps...
Also, this:
"Anything easy ain't worth a damn." - Wayne Woodrow Hayes
I honestly think Rudy has a genuine effect on ND recruits. Even though real life rudy was a douche and a fraud, movie rudy is the kind of character that gives you goosebumps. I don't hate ND, and considering that OSU has played them like 4 times in our history, I see no reason for any of us to hate them
The irony of it all is most of the players that go there arent even Irish
- Respect the Rivalry -
^^^What does that have to do with anything?
Extra tidbit for those who don't know... OSU is 3-2 against ND, the last loss was in 1936.
"Attack the Strong, Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead!"
-Former OSU S&C Coach Lichter
703 - my point exactly. We beat them more times than not & barely ever play them. Notre Who?.
The world is full of kings & queens who'll blind your eyes & steal your dreams - it's heaven & hell - Ronnie James Dio.