Do the football teams in the BE have a plan to be successful?Obviously not they let the ND jerks play with them for 7 months.Now they are stuck in the BE bb group of 16.Say goodbye to the BCS when ND leaves.Now they can replace ND with Xavier or UMASS and either keep Temple in football or bring on Army and Navy for football only.

Notre Dame to Remain Football Independent
By TOM COYNE
AP Sports Writer
http://www.timesdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031113/APS/311130793

Interesting how very same story can be provided a completely different headline

:D

I find it curious that Notre Dame's football future is frequently discussed in "doublespeak". ??? I don't know whether it is caused by ND being purposely vague, not controlling who addresses the press / press leaks, and/or playing the press for their benefit. Alternatively it could be the press using the articles to sell more papers / enhance advertisement rates, to draw ND out on their future plans, and/or the press drawing their own conclusions to vague ND statements. IMO, probably a combination of all of the above. ;) Who needs soap operas when we have ND's football future to speculate about? :D

For NBC, buying into one program in this day and age certainly has its risks. The cutting of scholarships -- from 120 to 85 players -- has helped equal the playing field. So much so that the second and fifth most successful programs in college football history -- Notre Dame and Alabama - each have 14 losses over the past three seasons.

But Schanzer says he still considers Notre Dame to be an elite property.

"This is the one school that you make that deal with because of the reputation and history of their institution and of the football program and the kind of schedule they play," Schanzer said. "It's a schedule that Notre Dame made on its own before NBC came into the picture and it's a schedule that Notre Dame has made on its one since we've been associated with them."

Hehe, nice spin. In the 80s and 90s, Notre Dame's schedule wasn't nearly as tough as recently. Notre Dame used to load it's schedule with teams like Army and Navy (and then pathetic Purdue ;-) They would have a few big matchups a year, that's it.

I have no question that this is partially at the behest of NBC who needs big matchups to sell the Irish. Conferences are easier to manage because you can take your pick on what the best game will be from week to week.

I'm sorry, but Notre Dame stays independent for the sake of prestige. Why would they go join the LEAST prestigious conference with more travel costs.

Notre Dame wanted to join the Big Ten in all sports EXCEPT football. They even contemplated partial membership in football with a reduced schedule. The BigTen said ALL OR NOTHING.

The BigEast is now the LEAST presitigious of the Big6 as far as football goes. True, they are still a basketball power. But the ACC is still the best overall basketball conference.

The idea that Notre Dame would seek more prestige in the BigEast is a bit farsicle. The fact is that if Notre Dame had their way, they would be part of the BigTen in non-football sports. Their faculty desperately want to be part of the BigTen for the sake of their academic consortium that distributes big research grants. The BigEast has no equivalent.

In the heart of BigTen country, it's easier to form regional rivalries. It is also a lot less travel as Notre Dame is smack in the Middle of the BigTen.

I can respect the BigEast's desire for Notre Dame to save their football prestige. However, it's not going to happen. Notre Dame will do whats in the best interest of Notre Dame. Boston College, Virginia Tech and Miami all left the BigEast because it was to their advantage. Syracuse TRIED to leave but was rejected by the ACC. Pittsburgh openly wants to join the BigTen.

When everybody is jumping ship, why do you think Notre Dame would want to jump ON???????

BoilerWill, I get the impression from your response that you misinterpreted my statement. Let me clarify. I was implying that ND maybe rethinking full conference membership, not specifically with the ACC or BE, because of their bowl prospects this year and in the future as an independent. I agree the Big Ten is the way to go for ND, but I am not optimistic about it occurring anytime soon.

This whole BE reconfiguration was to Notre Dame's comfort level. While Marquette and Depaul are fine in basketball tradition, they are not exactly "eastern". A more solid eastern network of bb teams could easily have been assembled. It was not the same for football, and adding Louisville and Cincy was at least contiguous.

Notre Dame, if they joined a conference without special priviledges, then the Big10 would be obvious. With Miami, GT, Clemson, FSU, etc., I doubt the ACC would agree to special deals with ND. The BE did, and ND being a instrumental part of the summer dealing making in the BE, does have some ethical obligation to them or at least now, deliver to them the 5 million exit fee. Peanuts for them.

Ok, lets summarize today's story...

There are ACC sources saying ND made inquiries. One ACC source said there was also contact made with Big10. These are reported by USAToday, a respected newspaper, whose standard story etiquette requires confirmation from another separate source.

In reaction, Kevin White offers the statement that "Notre Dame continues to monitor the landscape". Is there anyone in life that doesn't continue to monitor the landscape? I'm monitoring the landscape on my computer right now. Pretty ambiguous yet it sounds so very responsible, so very pro-active, so very "in-control". Alumni nod and say, "good, he's watching out for any eventuality, we're certainly pleased Notre Dame is watching out for itself". Yet he has managed to neither deny nor confirm.

Pretty clever way to avoid the obvious conclusion and keep everyone happy...

8-)

A good day for me is not even having to THINK about Notre Dame football... thanks guys for ruining a perfectly good day. ;)

ND speculation piques interest
By Michael Vega, Globe Staff, 11/14/2003
http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/football/articles/2003/11/14/nd_speculation_piques_interest/

Irish hunt for league
Big Ten, not ACC, seen as prime target for football
By Avani Patel
Tribune staff reporter
November 13, 2003, 10:32 PM CST
http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/cs-031113irishmain,1,3470168.story?coll=cs-college-headlines

Why Notre Dame Is Looking at a Safety Net
By JIM LITKE
AP Sports Columnist
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/shared/sports/ap/ap_story.html/College/AP.V5339.AP-FBC-Jim-Litke.html

Posted on Thu, Nov. 13, 2003
ACC sources say Notre Dame just fishing around
By RON GREEN JR.
Charlotte Observer
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/7257086.htm

Here is a post from a ND board by someone with the handle TrevAlberts. I believe this is the ESPN commentator, as I have seen views discussed here first and then appear on ESPN's web site: What Notre Dame is Really Doing And What The Future Holds
http://mb6.theinsiders.com/fnotredamefrm1.showMessage?topicID=3295.topic