(01-26-2018 11:22 PM)TerryD Wrote:  

(01-26-2018 10:01 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(01-26-2018 09:29 PM)TerryD Wrote:  

(01-26-2018 07:27 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(01-26-2018 06:53 PM)TerryD Wrote:  Lol, ND just won ten games and beat LSU in a bowl game. ND schedules are always pretty tough. The Irish are not "afraid" of conference membership, it just doesn't fit the school's marketing goal of being the "national Catholic university".

Simple as that and largely non-football related.

You, and fans of other schools everywhere, underestimate the resolve of younger ND fans to stay out of a conference.

"Conventional wisdom" on message boards for twenty years has been "As soon as the old fans die out..."

That conventional wisdom is wrong, just like the old message board wisdom that "Once the playoffs system begins, ND will be put in its place, it will not be like the BCS."

Keep telling yourself that Terry D. But Notre Dame has been pretty average since the late 80's and I don't see a trend upward. As for membership in the ACC you are full members for all but 1 sport. I've never said otherwise. The difference in football is depth. N.D. just doesn't go two deep as well as most Southern schools. So the later you get into the season the more average the performance becomes.

As to the SEC there is no doubt but what they give you what you need. But the market forces will still be at work and this time without a Skipper at ESPN providing a protective hand.

Time, pressure, and monetary disparity will eventually lead to change. It always has and always will.

We shall see. I recall long down periods for Alabama, Oklahoma, etc..

I see two ten win seasons in three years; three double digit win totals in six years as a trend up from Davie, Willingham and Weis.

Kelly is 69-34 at ND. Not great, but again trending up as the best mark since Holtz.

But, my point was that ND is not "scared" to be in a conference, as you stated. Check their schedules. The Irish play a very competitive one.

They just think that indy status is a better marketing position.

"Scared" was explained as not wanting the PR of being a contender but not a perennial champion. I've never thought N.D. was scared of competition. But finishing mid tier in a conference for a significant period of time is worse for your image than playing the schedule you play and coming up a tad short. I get that. You are Notre Dame when playing as an independent whether you are 8-4 or 10-2. You are just the 3rd or 4th in conference so and so otherwise.

Other than that I think we understand each other. I don't like what TV has done to the game, but I don't think it is going to change and I'm just extrapolating what has occurred into the future.

ND would not finish mid-tier in the ACC, in my opinion. So, that is not the reason that ND insists on staying indy.

IMO you wouldn't win it either and that would negatively impact your image more than what the status quo does.