http://www.al.com/sports/press-register/...xml&coll=3


University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban said last week that he would like to see Notre Dame on the Crimson Tide's schedule. But Fighting Irish Athletics Director Kevin White said that's not likely in the near future.

White, in Daphne Friday to speak at the United States Sports Academy graduation ceremony, said the chances of Alabama and Notre Dame playing a home-and-home series are not good.

"College football scheduling is complicated, as everyone knows," said White, who is now in his eighth year with the Fighting Irish. "We're (scheduled) for about 10 or 12 years as most institutions are.

"There just isn't much wiggle room. If you look at the long-standing relationships we've had, we've got USC, now Stanford and Navy. We're going to play at least three Big 10 schools which are Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue with Penn State on for just two years.

"And then we signed an agreement with the Big East that we will go home-and-home with three Big East teams, so there isn't a lot of room left."

White said the Fighting Irish will take a short break from their Big 10 rivals in the future, replacing Michigan with Oklahoma for a two-year period, then facing Arizona State instead of Michigan State for two years.

Notre Dame will play Washington State in San Antonio in 2009 and will play in Orlando, Fla., in 2011 and 2014 against yet-to-be-named opponents.

"We decided four years ago we were going to play seven games at Notre Dame field, four road games and one game at a neutral site," said White. "What motivated us to do that was to become thoughtful about how we could become the best independent we could be.

"We wanted to start thinking about not trying to behave like a member of a conference. (We wanted to) really try to behave like a true independent and try to go back to the Knute Rockne days where the expression 'barnstorming' was used.

"We could have certainly played eight games at South Bend, but we believe playing at an off site will provide great opportunities for fans to see our team play when they may be otherwise challenged to travel or obtain tickets for games in South Bend."

So, for the time being, another Alabama-Notre Dame matchup doesn't look promising.

"We love Alabama," said White. "We've got a relationship with Alabama that goes way back. There's great affection for what they do and how they do it. They've got a storied program, there's no question about that, but we can't play everybody."

Notre Dame does have standards - unlike Alabama.

SO#1 Wrote:http://www.al.com/sports/press-register/...xml&coll=3



"We decided four years ago we were going to play seven games at Notre Dame field, four road games and one game at a neutral site," said White. "What motivated us to do that was to become thoughtful about how we could become the best independent we could be.

"We wanted to start thinking about not trying to behave like a member of a conference. (We wanted to) really try to behave like a true independent and try to go back to the Knute Rockne days where the expression 'barnstorming' was used.

That says it all.

Why does the Big East HELP Notre Dame again for all their other sports??

I think he was talking more about the Big10 than the Big East. The facts are that Notre Dame has beeen playing more Big10 teams yearly than Big East teams.
I think of Notre Dame as more like the nonfootball BE members.Except by playing three games vs BE to make up for maybe taking a BE Bowl now and then, they are more of a member than the nonfootball schools.

While Notre Dame storms barns, the BEast should shop for a REAL conference member.

Cubanbull Wrote:I think he was talking more about the Big10 than the Big East. The facts are that Notre Dame has beeen playing more Big10 teams yearly than Big East teams.
I think of Notre Dame as more like the nonfootball BE members.Except by playing three games vs BE to make up for maybe taking a BE Bowl now and then, they are more of a member than the nonfootball schools.

That's exactly what he was talking about, but I agree with Knightlight on this. The reason is because Mike Tranghese thoroughly enjoys bending over and taking it up the rear for Notre Dame.