Your Thoughts...

[Irish_Fan85]

What is everyone's thoughts about ND not being in a conference? In way I like it, but in way I don't. I think it would be cool if they would join the Big Ten, seeing how they play Michigan, Purdue, and Michigan State every year with Penn State on the schedule in the near future. I think they should pull out of the Big East in Basketball and just be a full-time Big Ten team. However I believe it's Big Ten or nothing. I think all in all I like them being an independant, but it makes it difficult for them to get placed in a Bowl game at the end of the year because they more or less only can play in at-large spots? your thoughts.....

 

[Aerosmith777]

I hope they never join a conference just b/c it would mean giving up the T.V. deal w/ NBC, and then there might be weeks I wouldn't be able to watch them, which would be sad...

Also, I think being independant is just a part of Notre Dame football, as much as touchdown Jesus and the Golden Dome. It'd just be sad if they ever had to give it up. I do agree, however, that if for some reason they ever had to join a conference (most likely if they ever lost that NBC deal) I would want it to be the Big 10. That's at least a real conference with a lot of ND's natural rivals, unlike the pathetic Big Least everyone always wants them to join. Not bad for a basketball conference, but HORRIBLE for football...

 

[sblxdoc]

I hope they never join a conference just b/c it would mean giving up the T.V. deal w/ NBC, and then there might be weeks I wouldn't be able to watch them, which would be sad...

Also, I think being independant is just a part of Notre Dame football, as much as touchdown Jesus and the Golden Dome. It'd just be sad if they ever had to give it up. I do agree, however, that if for some reason they ever had to join a conference (most likely if they ever lost that NBC deal) I would want it to be the Big 10. That's at least a real conference with a lot of ND's natural rivals, unlike the pathetic Big Least everyone always wants them to join. Not bad for a basketball conference, but HORRIBLE for football...

Agree with you 100%. It would just take some of the mystique away that makes Notre Dame what it is.

 

[WeisGuy05]

It is not going to happen, however, I would love to see ND pound the overpaid backup quarterbacks known as Ohio State.

 

[mikasa]

not a chance..dont need a conference..dont want a conference....why? we're Notre Dame...GO IRISH

 

[Guest]

Don't want a conference. ND's TV ratings despite a poor record are still just as good as CBS and ABC. NBC unlike ABC and CBS actually make a profit.

I remember reading an article a few months back how Fox reportedly offered ND 12 million a year, but ND wanted to remain loyal to NBC, plus Fox would've put alot of our games on their cable affiliates instead of national TV. With NBC its national TV.

Also ND doesn't fit in Academically with Big Ten schools. All those schools, with the exception of Northwestern have atrocious graduation rates.

 

[Rip Rap]

There is no reason to join a conference, so such discussion is foolish.

That said, I believe the Big10 would be a big mistake in the longterm. ND would become a regional midwest school. It would make more sense to talk with either the ACC or Big12. I could also see the eight football schools of the BigEast becoming very attractive with a few logical additions. For example, if the academies were to join for football-only, with-say-Penn State-that conference could become a strong 10-team basketball conference (with 12 teams for football and as many traditional football rivals as the Big10).

However: IF the day should ever come, it would be ideal to join a major conference for all sports except football, even if that requires some sort of provisions for revenue sharing or a minimum number of games against conference opponents.

 

[bmf175]

Im in favor of remaining independent. But I do think there will come a day when the NCAA will make us join a conference. I think the ACC would be a great choice with some out of conference games to USC and UM.

 

[jiggafini19]

$$$$$$ = Independent for life.

 

[bmf175]

$$$$$$ = Independent for life.

Very true college football is a business just like all others, but I know FSU was bringing in alot of money on sales and what not and the NCAA ruined their year.
I just would not be surprised if the NCAA decided there will be no independent teams in acouple of years. Of course I do not want it to happen and seeing how ND has its schedule filling up all the way out to 2015 it would be a headache to change everything.
Im just saying in light of the recent decisions that the NCAA has made, I would not be shocked if they made all teams join a conference.

 

[jiggafini19]

Very true college football is a business just like all others, but I know FSU was bringing in alot of money on sales and what not and the NCAA ruined their year.
I just would not be surprised if the NCAA decided there will be no independent teams in acouple of years. Of course I do not want it to happen and seeing how ND has its schedule filling up all the way out to 2015 it would be a headache to change everything.
Im just saying in light of the recent decisions that the NCAA has made, I would not be shocked if they made all teams join a conference.

The NCAA really has no authority as a governing body. They don't even have subpoena power.

For them to force anyone to go into a conference would be highly unlikely.

 

[bmf175]

The NCAA really has no authority as a governing body. They don't even have subpoena power.

For them to force anyone to go into a conference would be highly unlikely.

I honestly do not know the powers of NCAA, but if they have the power to ban teams from hosting post season events for something as silly as a "politically incorrect" mascot name.
I think they might have the same power to implement the same restrictions until certain teams join a conference. Unlikely...maybe, but not impossible. Up until last month we thought FSU would always go by the Seminoles, well what do you know now the NCAA is trying to change that.
But when it comes to the NCAA im sure everybody on this site knows their powers better than I do. I am just saying, it would suck if they chose to do this.

 

[BGIF]

"I honestly do not know the powers of NCAA"

So why do you persist in giving them authority they do not have?

 

[bmf175]

"I honestly do not know the powers of NCAA"

So why do you persist in giving them authority they do not have?

Im giving them the power? You're a bright one...

 

[grantland]

Don't want a conference. ND's TV ratings despite a poor record are still just as good as CBS and ABC. NBC unlike ABC and CBS actually make a profit.

I remember reading an article a few months back how Fox reportedly offered ND 12 million a year, but ND wanted to remain loyal to NBC, plus Fox would've put alot of our games on their cable affiliates instead of national TV. With NBC its national TV.

Also ND doesn't fit in Academically with Big Ten schools. All those schools, with the exception of Northwestern have atrocious graduation rates.

No doubt, check this out:

http://www.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/010505aak.html

 

[Rip Rap]

Im giving them the power? You're a bright one...

Membership in the NCAA is voluntary. They have no real power to do anything. However, there is the implicit reality that if any school chose not to be a member, or chose not to follow their rules, all other NCAA bodies would like cease to play that school. It would be a fast-track to marginalization.

Now this whole thing with the Ingian names has really changed the rules. They've pissed-off lots of people. Maybe most. I don't know the inner politics of the NCAA, but I suspect Miles Brand may not be returning when his term is up.

While I would be all for telling the NCAA to go screw themselves, 'institutions' like Nebraska would be paying their players by Monday. We need the NCAA. We just don't need sophistry professor Miles Brand, apparently suffering from ADD.

 

[Aerosmith777]

Not only that, but I think what he was getting at would be the NCAA as an authority could make life hell for Notre Dame and the other independents in any way possible, as they are for FSU and the other teams w/ Indian mascots.

Its kinda like what the federal government does to state governments when they want to get them to do something. Like the drinking age. The federal gov't wanted it to be 21, but they didn't have the authority to pass a federal drinking age, its technically a state law. They just told all the state gov'ts, "You can leave the age at 18, but if you want that $3 million we promised you to keep your roads in good condition, you'll pass a law up-ing it to 21..." I imagine that's somewhat similar to the kinds of tactics the NCAA would try to use if they wanted to get rid of independents.

I doubt this would happen though, simply b/c there are some schools that really need to be independents, like Navy. No one wants to make Navy join a conference and send them back to having 5-6 seasons most years. Its kinda ironic, a team ND has beaten every year for like the past 4+ decades is part of why they may never be forced to join a conference.

 

[jiggafini19]

The mascot issue is a perfect example.

They waste their time on things like that and they can't even subpoena to investigate when rules are violated. They will never bite the hands that feed them (FSU, Miami, USC, etc) when the money rolls in.

If the NCAA ever tried to force someone into joining a conference, they'd get sued out of their collective @sses and lose....and they'd lose badly.

 

[Rip Rap]

If the NCAA ever tried to force someone into joining a conference, they'd get sued out of their collective @sses and lose....and they'd lose badly.

Agreed. I'm not a lawyer, but I think the existing anti-trust laws would prove supportive of ND's position. I think the big conference schools are already just narrowly skirting legal action from smaller institutions.

 

[jiggafini19]

Agreed. I'm not a lawyer, but I think the existing anti-trust laws would prove supportive of ND's position. I think the big conference schools are already just narrowly skirting legal action from smaller institutions.

That's what I am getting at. The NFL-Clarett situation was a lot different than this. The NCAA would have no chance of getting it to stick.

In the end, they make more money by ND being independent in football anyhow. If it ain't broken, .....

 

[Irish Legend]

Never gonna happen.