Dear Mr. De Jong,
As a lifelong fan of the Irish (and son of an alum), I want to
take issue with some of your points in your “Notre Dame
continues to fall short of expectations” article, published
Tuesday.
Clearly the loss on Saturday night was a blow to any fan of
Notre Dame football, as was Michigan. In both cases, you are
correct in stating that we were beat soundly by a far more talented
team.
The fact is, Notre Dame is not an elite team.
They are not capable of beating the Michigans, USCs and Ohio
States of this year (which comprise Notre Dame’s last 3
losses).
You are correct in calling them an above-average football
team.
However, I have a problem with your criticism of the Fighting
Irish “still living off a reputation that was built before
FDR took office.”
The entirety of your article relies on this statement and logic
““ that the “love affair” with Notre Dame is a
carryover from another time and that the media/fans should wake up
to the reality that Notre Dame is now simply an above-average team
in college football.
Your argument fails when it glosses over the more recent
developments in Notre Dame football.
You mention Lou Holtz, Rockne, and even Gerry Faust, but fail to
mention Bob Davie and Ty Willingham. These two coaches did not
succeed in continually recruiting top-notch talent or winning
games. The results were average-at-best squads.
Enter Charlie Weis.
Weis came into Notre Dame and instilled such a positive and
confidant attitude that the imaginations of fans and the media
alike began to run wild. The combination of a 9-3 first season and
a string of victories caused many Irish fans and media to
dream/expect national titles out of Weis and this team. This fervor
was waking up the echoes of that “pre-FDR reputation”
that you seem to know so well.
However, your article ironically embodies that same
“reputation” that you seek to criticize.
Whereas Notre Dame fans and (knowledgeable) media that are
grounded within the recent context of Notre Dame football can be
thankful that coach Weis has arrived and maximized a team which was
11-13 in 2003-2004, turning it into a 19-5 squad over the 24 games
in 2005-2006, you seem to be one of the many who expect everything
out of the Irish immediately.
So let me ask you: Why are you expecting so much out of the
Irish? Because of the hype? I thought you saw through it. Have you
been struck by this “disease,” this “national
epidemic”? Without a doubt.
The Irish will get invited to a BCS game not because of the
media, but because they have earned it and the BCS rules permit it.
So please, take up your issues with the BCS system and capitalism,
not ND.
As far as a pro-ND bias in the media, please tell me you are
aware of the anti-ND bias as well. Just read SI.com, ESPN.com,
etc.
There are plenty of writers out there “tarnishing the
dome” ““ the dome that, like me, you unwittingly hold in
such high regard.
Timothy R. Holland UCLA alumnus Class of
2005