The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame this week announced the first of their off-site home games. It will be in the Alamo City of San Antonio, where they will face Washington State in 2009.
The Irish have been planning a traveling road show for a couple of years. They desire to play winnable games in large stadiums in areas where they can draw fans and recruit players. South Texas has a large Catholic population, providing for a lot of potential Notre Dame fans, at least for one game. The state of Texas is not hurting for talented high school players. The Irish gain some recruiting exposure in this state. By bringing in the Cougars from the Palouse, they deny a Texas school the spotlight that this game will offer.
I am surprised they are playing Washington State in the state of Texas. Couldn't they find a Texas team to play? I'm sure a school like Houston or SMU would love to play the Irish in a Texas stadium that is not their own. TCU would jump at the chance to play Notre Dame. Baylor would be an easy win for the Irish. I guess Wazzu is considered to be good for TV ratings. Notre Dame is arrogant enough to believe they can sell out a stadium 1300 miles from their campus on their own.
I'm no fan of Notre Dame. I think they're the most overrated, over-exposed program on earth. They are living on past glories of the black-and-white TV era. My dislike of Notre Dame has nothing to do with Catholicism. It is because they are seen as the greatest thing since the invention of the wheel, when they have been little more than ordinary for the last 15 years. The BCS era has brought this to light, as they are consistently drilled in BCS bowl games like they were by LSU in last season's Sugar Bowl. The Irish have lost their last nine bowl games in a row, most of which occurred in ugly mismatches.
I hope there are 20,000 empty seats at the Alamodome for this thing. I hope Wazzu beats the Irish to a pulp. I hope this road show blows up in their face.
If Notre Dame wants to be relevant in the world of big-time 21st-century college football, they need to join a conference. Traveling road shows against supposedly beatable opponents won't get them there.
3 comments:
I am surprised they are playing Washington State in the state of Texas. Couldn't they find a Texas team to play? I'm sure a school like Houston or SMU would love to play the Irish in a Texas stadium that is not their own. TCU would jump at the chance to play Notre Dame.
First, TCU would kill 'em so they don't want to play us.
Second, I whole heartedly agree with you about the whole why aren't they playing a Texas team? Or a team with Texas ties (LSU - Arkansas?)? I don't think Washington has that many fans here ... maybe that's the point? It just doesn't make sense to me.
Washington State doesn't have that many fans-that's exactly the point. Notre Dame doesn't want to share the spotlight with a local or regional team. This is as much about recruiting as it is playing in front of "their fans".
On the other hand, Washington State is enough of a name to not hurt NBC's TV audience.
I'd be shocked if Notre Dame could sell 60,000+ seats at an average of $60 per ticket, playing a team from the other end of the country.
I hope this blows up in their face.
While Notre Dame goes on the road like the Harlem Globetrotters, other schools will win national championships.
You're both pretty far off base on this one.
ND has, by far, the biggest draw of any sports team. They will pack the stadium and beat anyone they play there.
I am in Louisiana right now and am already planning this road trip. I am looking forward to seeing my beloved Irish beat up on Washington.
Go IRISH!!
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