With Rutgers win last night ND is shut out of BE bowls again.They are 0 for 4(two BCS bowl spots) under Charlie Weis.
Chicago Trib blog article regarding ND minor bowl prospects at http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/aroundthebend/2008/12/irish-blarney-b.html

Article out of Jersey with comments from BE officials regarding reworking the BE bowl lineup this coming year.They want to still have 6 spots but contemplate up to two changes to probably include dropping the Gator/Sun scheme.
They also plan to continue to keep ND in the BE bowl mix as long as it makes business sense.As previously indicated,ND has not taken a BE bowl spot in years,so far this looks like good business for the BE. Link at http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2008/12/big_east_positions_itself_for.html

Article out of Gator Bowl country where Big East officials appear to be back tracking a little regarding previous comments about possibly dropping the Gator Bowl and ND.Now they are saying that they are definitely interested in the Gator,but not attached to the Big 12.If the BE wants a Gator deal they must know that ND will likely be part of any deal.Interestingly,the Gator Bowl reps appear to be playing coy regarding whether they are interested in having a BE connection in the next bowl deals that will be negotiated in about a year.Link at http://www.jacksonville.com/sports/college/2008-12-06/big_east_seeks_new_gator_tie

BE MB thread discussing ND/Hawaii bowl situation at http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=333321

BE MB thread discussing BE/ND/Gator bowl situation at http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=333071

Blog article discussing Pitt newspaper article regarding ND/BE relationship at http://dangerfielddivision.blogspot.com ... s-for.html

Pitt community needs to get their own negotiating tactics in order before vying to be Notre Dame's top bridesmaid in bashing Rutgers for their decision per scheduling a fb series with Notre Dame. Rutgers gave their decision serious thought, and did what they deemed the best decision for Rutgers. Has Pitt always made prudent decisions in their dealings with Penn State? Enough Said!!!

Rutgers has my respect!

I will point out though that People DO watch a 'has been power go bowling.'

6-6 ND vs. Hawaii outdrew *on TV* the 9-3 Boise-ECU Hawaii game from the previous year. I'm not going to bring up attendance because Hawaii was in this year's game vs. last year.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/artic ... portsfront

People watch games for many reasons - matchups, what else is on TV, etc. I'm sure the ratings for the Boise-TCU game were up A LOT versus the previous year. But another part of the equation is *who* those teams are. The 2008 non-BCS vs. non-BCS Independence Bowl (7-5 La TEch vs. 6-6 No. Ill) lost ratings this year compared to the 2007 BCS-BCS (6-6 Alabama vs. 6-6 Colorado) matchup.

People prefer the 'power conferences' and even within that there is certainly a hierarchy. It's why the SEC and Big 10 get more TV money and better bowl games than the Big 12 (big 12 gets good bowl games though), ACC, and Pac 10 and so on.

As I said before, neither the BE nor the ACC (outside of a high ranked Miami and FSU) have teams which are going to draw viewers by themselves in these BCS games. The majority of ACC and all BE schools are complimentary teams for the BCS games - that's all.

Did you know that even though Boise and Hawaii were undefeated in those BCS games that those were among the worst rated BCS games too? Same with the Alabama-Utah - even though the Sugar was up from the previous year?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/w ... index.html

The four BCS games so far to involve non-BCS teams have all been among the nine lowest-rated BCS games of the 45 played to date. The others have all involved an ACC and/or Big East team.

Interesting title since Notre Dame is already a CONFERENCE MEMBER. The BE got what they wanted when they admitted ND and ND told the powers that be at that time that they would get NO MORE - aka their FB team in the conference. As to the end of the post that ND would leave the BE high and dry in time - they already tried that when Miami, VT, and BC left. They tried to join the ACC for everything but FB where they insisted on their FB independence there also. The ACC said all or nothing. ND refused and slinked back to the BE as if nothing had ever happened. The BE will never change and will always be a football reactive - basketball proactive hybrid conference first. Its where the conference TV bread and butter comes first with BCS money supplementing the FB coffers second. It is the conference identity just as football is the conference identity of the SEC and the BE presidents are willing to live with it and all the money it brings.

_________________
SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS - SEC
RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS - BIG EAST / AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE / BIG TEN

Wish the Big Ten would go ahead and find #12 and forget about Notre Dame. The Big East would then actually be a realistic option for Notre Dame fb if the school ever wanted to fully join a conference. But Notre Dame could try to turn elsewhere. No assurance ND will be grateful to past and current enablers and sycophants.

With the controversy at Notre Dame over the current President of the United States scheduled to speak at it's commencement, it may be more evidence Notre Dame is not a complete academic fit for the Big Ten.

If the academic consortium is truly a serious and integral part of the Big Ten whereby there is extensive collaborative science research, the inclusion of Notre Dame may lead to dissension on matters that may reach even beyond embryonic stell cell research stances.

If religious doctrine at BYU is viewed as a hampering factor for the Pac 10 to accept them; then in the Big 10, where they flaunt and have formalized an academic consortium as being a critical companion to the sports alignment, the research philosophy and flexibilities at Notre Dame would be a discussion element if the Big Ten and Notre Dame address expansion further.

BE MB thread discussing blog article which maintains that the Big Ten's advantage in tv money will eventually force ND to join that conference.(Caution:some of the supporting data in this piece is inaccurate or misleading.)Link at http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=374002


Here is SBJ piece on ND FB finances previously posted on this board.Interestingly,this author reaches the conclusion that ND should be able to maintain it's financial independence as long as it maintains success on the FB field. Link at http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/59945

Blog article suggesting it is time for ND to join a conference,and that league should be the BE.Link at http://mondaymorningpg.blogspot.com/200 ... -east.html

Chicago Sun-Times Column suggesting that it is time for ND to Fire Coach Weis and join a conference,the Big Ten.
Link at
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/colleges ... 23.article

ESPN article reporting that ND AD says ND wants to remain a FB indy at this time.Link at http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/ncf/n ... id=4750901

This may be a defunct thread. With ND having NBC contract, their own BCS criteria & rewards, a lofty conference for placing bb and related sports, the ability to schedule on their terms with many schools willing to cooperate, having media coverage superior to most all others even when sub-par; ND is not joining a conference to house fb.

While their favored position is not deemed necessarily deserved in multiple situations, it's the enablers that have created the circumstances for them being treated as special. The school is just taking advantage of what has been available and granted to them.

If the B10 (or BE/other entities) are frustrated with them, then change the terms of engagement through whatever processes that may be available...scheduling, BCS policy forums, bowl contract negotiations, etc. Simply being vocal about discrepancies can impact. The BE has some power, though perhaps high risk, in influencing or even forcing some choices ND may make in the future. While the BE has shown deference to ND, the conference could extract certain concessions or decisions from them if the BE is forced or chooses to revamp for it's own future well-being.