The "What Would Have Happened..." Thread

[phork]

Andy Staples takes us back to 2004, where a missed 3 & 6 by Florida goes unmissed and then this timeline ensues. Interesting read, specifically ND/Meyer.

How LSU-Florida 2004 could have changed college football history - Andy Staples - SI.com

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

I do not like this visual.

 

[ChiRish]

Interesting story. I have a history degree and this sort of "counterfactual" stuff has always fascinated me. Crazy how history is often determined by the slightest of margins. Now, extrapolating all that occurred afterwards as a result is a bit of a stretch, but that's all part of the fun.

The best part is how ND gets Meyer, but has to fire him because he blows. We still get BK and get to dump Meyer. Yes.

 

[Patulski]

Because Florida doesn't need a new coach, Notre Dame is the highest profile program looking to make a hire. The hottest name in coaching is Utah's Urban Meyer, who, lo and behold, has called Notre Dame his "dream job." Shortly after leading the Utes to an undefeated season and a Fiesta Bowl berth, Meyer accepts the Notre Dame job.

Meyer may have called ND his "dream job", but when he interviewed for the job part of his "dream" was for ND to change their JUCO policy and let him have 6 per year until the program got back on track.

Meyer is a politician: He wants people to think of him as an idealist, but he will do whatever it takes to win. If that means criminals and thugs, so be it. He is what he is.

He'll fit in well at Ohio State with his and Tressel's legacy.

 

[Riddickulous]

I think it would have been a slow process (there weren't any spread personnel and the cupboards still would've been bare in '07 and '08 due to Willingham's poor recruiting) but I think Urbie could have turned things around had he accepted the job.

Some other interesting scenarios:

- What if Knute Rockne didn't die in a plane crash in 1931?

- What if Lou Holtz stayed into the 2000's?

- What if Davie had made the switch to the spread before the 2000 season like Urban Meyer had supposedly been urging him to do?

- What if George O'Leary had never been fired? Would we have been more successful in the past decade?

 

[IrishInFl]

What if Randy Moss went to Notre Dame?

 

[phork]

What if my Aunt had balls? She'd be my Uncle.

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

What if my Aunt had balls? She'd be my Uncle.

Or a side show at the carnival.... Just sayin'...

 

[Grahambo]

Or a side show at the carnival.... Just sayin'...

Or your cousin

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

Or your cousin

Ummm......................ok???

 

[BeauBenken]

Bahahahahaha...

Miles delivers an impassioned speech on ESPN that will be studied by linguists for decades. His message? Who really knows? But he uses the word "chest" 57 times in seven minutes.

 

[BurningRiver]

What if ND beats USC in the Bush Push game?

 

[Rudy89]

What if ND beats USC in the Bush Push game?

it depends. I dont remember if penn states only loss that year came before or after this game. I think no matter what we play for the national title against texas but vince young and crew handle us and we lose by at least two scores but it still gives us hope going forward.

After reading this thread i find myself torn. Part of me is happy I cheer for a clean school that puts school and bettering yourself as a person before wearing a championship ring. However part of me says "i can never make it into ND and I have douchebag friends, co workers, and classmates that are fans of Big ten and SEC schools and I want to have breagging rights, the recruit thugs and win and thats all that matter in this situations is who wins more. Is it selfish? hell yes. do i feel kinda bad about it? yes i do. But part of me figures that since all ND football can do is bring me the happiness of seeing them win a title and bragging rights amoung those people it wouldnt bother me at all if we had recruited the way urbie does.

 

[gkIrish]

it depends. I dont remember if penn states only loss that year came before or after this game. I think no matter what we play for the national title against texas but vince young and crew handle us and we lose by at least two scores but it still gives us hope going forward.

After reading this thread i find myself torn. Part of me is happy I cheer for a clean school that puts school and bettering yourself as a person before wearing a championship ring. However part of me says "i can never make it into ND and I have douchebag friends, co workers, and classmates that are fans of Big ten and SEC schools and I want to have breagging rights, the recruit thugs and win and thats all that matter in this situations is who wins more. Is it selfish? hell yes. do i feel kinda bad about it? yes i do. But part of me figures that since all ND football can do is bring me the happiness of seeing them win a title and bragging rights amoung those people it wouldnt bother me at all if we had recruited the way urbie does.

Hang in there man. Stay the course and one day we will get there.

 

[stlnd01]

Some other interesting scenarios:

- What if Knute Rockne didn't die in a plane crash in 1931?

Um, that was a long time ago. Hard to see how it would be different today.

- What if Lou Holtz stayed into the 2000's?

Eh. We might have won a few more games in '97 and '99, but Holtz was burned out and the administration knew it. He didn't have that much longer on the job regardless.

- What if Davie had made the switch to the spread before the 2000 season like Urban Meyer had supposedly been urging him to do?

Assuming Arnaz Battle still breaks his hand in the 2000 Nebraska game, we still would have had Matt Lovecchio as our QB for a season-plus. So, that spread would have been shelved right quick.

- What if George O'Leary had never been fired? Would we have been more successful in the past decade?

Oh, I don't know. It's not like he's done much. Hiring Meyer instead of Weis would probably have made a bigger difference. But as they say, that might not have been such a good fit.

 

[DomeLover3]

What if the movie Rudy was never made?

 

[phork]

What if the movie Rudy was never made?

Hmmm.. While certainly uplifting, I don't think anything. Heh.

 

[Rudy89]

What if the movie Rudy was never made?

id not have been given the nickname in high school and had a different user name here.

 

[BeauBenken]

What if the movie Rudy was never made?

Sean Astin never gets casted in Lord of the Rings, the series is a flop, Peter Jackson's career never takes off, we miss out on the chance to see great films produced, nobody knows who Rudy is when he involves himself in illegal activities, ... , mass suicide ensues.