Notre Lame too good for a bowl

[selmaborntidefan]

SIAP. Looks like this could be a trend that will and should thin out the number of bowls.

MSN

I know it is easy to wax nostalgic about when I was younger, but when I began following this sport in 1978, there were 15 bowl games total, the Big Four (Cotton, Sugar, Rose, Orange) on New Year’s Day, the Bluebonnet on NYE, and the other 10 played between about December 21 and 30. The Fiesta (back then) was a Christmas day game, in part because the NFL went over 30 years refusing to play on Christmas Day after low ratings for the longest NFL game of all time. Of the then 20 ranked teams, 19 were in bowls and the other (Michigan State) would have been but for probation.

18 years later (1996, Stallings’s last year), there had only been a total of 3 more concurrent bowl games added to the schedule (18).

But then:
2001 - up to 25
2006 - up to 32
2014 - up to 39

Last year - including the playoff games - there were 46.

And what caused all of this?

Well, let's see, the explosion of bowl games runs right along a path where ESPN:
a) got control of much of the scheduling
b) saw a chance for cheap December programming
c) could broadcast the games regardless of how many people actually showed up to see it

There's an old saying that "the rich get richer and the poor get children," but I'd modify that to say, "The corporate suits get richer and the fans get hosed."

Until such time as we vote with our remote controls and ticket purchasing, they'll keep doing it.

 

[dayhiker]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1997797660443726193

 

[RTR2u]

I know it is easy to wax nostalgic about when I was younger, but when I began following this sport in 1978, there were 15 bowl games total, the Big Four (Cotton, Sugar, Rose, Orange) on New Year’s Day, the Bluebonnet on NYE, and the other 10 played between about December 21 and 30. The Fiesta (back then) was a Christmas day game, in part because the NFL went over 30 years refusing to play on Christmas Day after low ratings for the longest NFL game of all time. Of the then 20 ranked teams, 19 were in bowls and the other (Michigan State) would have been but for probation.

18 years later (1996, Stallings’s last year), there had only been a total of 3 more concurrent bowl games added to the schedule (18).

But then:
2001 - up to 25
2006 - up to 32
2014 - up to 39

Last year - including the playoff games - there were 46.

And what caused all of this?

Well, let's see, the explosion of bowl games runs right along a path where ESPN:
a) got control of much of the scheduling
b) saw a chance for cheap December programming
c) could broadcast the games regardless of how many people actually showed up to see it

There's an old saying that "the rich get richer and the poor get children," but I'd modify that to say, "The corporate suits get richer and the fans get hosed."

Until such time as we vote with our remote controls and ticket purchasing, they'll keep doing it.

I don't disagree with this at all. I think it's also just a collegiate form of "everybody gets a participation trophy."

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Not sure if this has been posted but look up the 1996 Irish football team. They went 8-3 the year before and went to a good bowl game and done it again in '96 and got invited to play Auburn in the Independence Bowl. Lou Holtz got mad and refused to let his team play in a lower tier bowl and Auburn had to play Army....and Army put up a good fight if I recall, so this isn't the first time they have pulled this stunt.

I did not even know this, but you're right.

And for Pete's sake, I was alive at the time, though it should be noted I was 27 and VERY BUSY. Seriously, the second half of 1996 was one of my busiest times of life.

No Bowl for Notre Dame?

Representatives of the Fiesta and Independence bowls requested credentials for the Notre Dame-USC game, with the Fiesta in line to bring the Irish to Tempe, Ariz., had they beaten USC, and the Independence figuring to have a chance at Notre Dame in case of a loss.

www.latimes.com

Representatives of the Fiesta and Independence bowls requested credentials for the Notre Dame-USC game, with the Fiesta in line to bring the Irish to Tempe, Ariz., had they beaten USC, and the Independence figuring to have a chance at Notre Dame in case of a loss.

The question remained whether Notre Dame, which puts so much emphasis on the bowl alliance, would accept a bid to play in Memphis, Tenn., and, if so, whether Lou Holtz would coach them one more time.

But after the game Notre Dame Athletic Director Mike Wadsworth ruled out the Independence Bowl, and Notre Dame players said they were told by Holtz that this would be their last game.

NO BOWL FOR IRISH

Notre Dame’s gut-wrenching loss Saturday to Southern California didn’t just end the team’s hopes for an alliance bowl bid. It ended Lou Holtz’s career at Notre Dame. It didn…

www.chicagotribune.com

 

[TideEngineer08]

Yep I remember ND doing this in the 90s after an 8-3 season. Army did nearly beat that Auburn team led by Daymeun Craig.

One thing this does prove to me is that ND’s arrogance has not waned even a little bit. That’s the real problem here. They believe they are too good for the rest of college football. They want to be Ivy League but major college football at the same time.

 

[TideMan09]

I dont care how die hard your boosters & fans are..

That's a great egotistical way of losing support..

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Btw, y'all need better ammo so here's some more.


2003 - Oklahoma lost their conference championship game WORSE than Alabama did. They not only played for the national championship, THEY REMAINED AT NUMBER ONE for Pete's sake!!!

 

[DzynKingRTR]

Btw, y'all need better ammo so here's some more.


2003 - Oklahoma lost their conference championship game WORSE than Alabama did. They not only played for the national championship, THEY REMAINED AT NUMBER ONE for Pete's sake!!!

Almost seems like there is never outrage when Alabama doesn't make the playoffs.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

Seems Joe Theisman is upset with Alabama and is chiming in. Again why are these idiots blaming Alabama and not Tulane or James Madison or Miami?

Lawrence Taylor didn't hit him hard enough.

 

[denver]

The contrast between how ND is handling being left out and how Vandy HC does it revealing. Kudos to Clark Lea for showing true leadership

https://twitter.com/x/status/1997894777329877434

 

[Its On A Slab]

The contrast between how ND is handling being left out and how Vandy HC does it revealing. Kudos to Clark Lea for showing true leadership

https://twitter.com/x/status/1997894777329877434

The biggest fault in the current system is that power rankings are thrown out the window once you get past #1-4. There is no way Tulane nor James Madison should even be in the conversation.

I hate Notre Dame with a passion but they really got screwed. Which is almost unprecedented....as they have been the ones getting favoritism for many decades.

 

[BamaMoon]

When's the last time they were relevant? 2012? Yeah, that didn't go well. Next to that, back to the early 90's? When's their last title? Way back in the 1988 under the old poll system, with a coach most people under 30 years old have never even heard of, or if they have, they couldn't understand what he was saying.

 

[Windsortide]

If they refuse a bowl bid they should be disallowed to participate in next years playoffs.

 

[Windsortide]

Yep I remember ND doing this in the 90s after an 8-3 season. Army did nearly beat that Auburn team led by Daymeun Craig.

One thing this does prove to me is that ND’s arrogance has not waned even a little bit. That’s the real problem here. They believe they are too good for the rest of college football. They want to be Ivy League but major college football at the same time.

The Ivy’s won’t claim them.

 

[NorCalTide]

For what it worth this was the explanation on the ESPN article:

"Bevacqua said Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman talked to the team's captains after the CFP snub about other bowl opportunities. The captains told Freeman they knew a number of players with NFL draft potential would opt-out and didn't want to play a game with a dramatically different roster.
'It just wouldn't be the same,' Bevacqua said."

Unless conferences put their foot down regarding revenue distribution or something with some bite like that I think we are much closer to this being the norm than not. As a person who grew up enjoying bowl games during the golden age of bowl games (80s and 90s), I think that the bowl game model is on its last legs. Teams will want campus games for the opening rounds of an expanded playoff and really only the quarters and beyond would be played at neutral sites (bowls/bids).

 

[Con]

For what it worth this was the explanation on the ESPN article:

"Bevacqua said Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman talked to the team's captains after the CFP snub about other bowl opportunities. The captains told Freeman they knew a number of players with NFL draft potential would opt-out and didn't want to play a game with a dramatically different roster.
'It just wouldn't be the same,' Bevacqua said."

Unless conferences put their foot down regarding revenue distribution or something with some bite like that I think we are much closer to this being the norm than not. As a person who grew up enjoying bowl games during the golden age of bowl games (80s and 90s), I think that the bowl game model is on its last legs. Teams will want campus games for the opening rounds of an expanded playoff and really only the quarters and beyond would be played at neutral sites (bowls/bids).

The Big12 fined their teams 500k for not playing.

 

[The Ols]

The Big12 fined their teams 500k for not playing.

Correct…their conference fined them, not the hapless NCAA…no conference no fine I guess…

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

I was just about to post this. There are no ramifications for ND since they’re not in a conference. They have to get ready for Lacrosse season after all (fwiw I have no idea when lacrosse season begins).

On the flip side, if they had played in a bowl game they wouldn't have had to share any of the revenue...

They obviously gave up practice/playing time for not only the starters, but also the backups that saw little to no playing time all season. Very selfish and short-sided on the part of the AD or PTB.

This is a case of arrogance/pride overtaking common sense.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

They key word in that article is potential. I doubt they would’ve been invited since they’re now a basketball blue blood and the hardwood season is in full swing.

Blue font for the blue-blood reference...?

 

[TideEngineer08]

So now Notre Dame is ticked off with the ACC because apparently the ACC campaigned against their inclusion in the playoff. Which was bizarre to the Notre Dame AD because Notre Dame has done soooooo much for the ACC.

Except join the ACC in football, that is. Look, the ACC has done just as much if not more for Notre Dame as Notre Dame has done for the ACC. It has given the Irish a place to house all of their "Olympic" sports (except hockey), and in return it gets 5 football games against Notre Dame each year. Which again, benefits Notre Dame as much as it does the ACC. True independence in collegiate athletics does not exist any longer. As conference schedules in football expand, it becomes increasingly difficult for Notre Dame to fill out its football schedule. Getting 5 guaranteed games with the ACC actually helps them. Plus, the wink wink nod nod benefit of a "difficult" schedule. Mind you also, Notre Dame does not share one cent of its football revenue with the ACC.

What is Notre Dame actually going to do about it? If they do not help prop up the ACC in some way, if they abandon them, they will certainly collapse (probably will regardless). Notre Dame still needs to house its non-football sports somewhere. There is no way the SEC or Big Ten gives them the cushy relationship that the ACC has. They will be forced to join in full, or not at all. The Big 12 might allow the halfway relationship, but I doubt it, and I doubt Notre Dame would "stoop" to joining them in any way.

If Notre Dame bails on the ACC, it really has nowhere to go except to join the Big Ten in full.