Orsini and Notre Dame connection

[Hoop Fan]

Didn't Notre Dame play in Orlando a few years ago? Was it Navy they played down there? It wasn't UCF was it? Anyway, the thread below got me thinking. Could Orsini possibly convince his alma mater to come to Dallas to play SMU? If ND is already inclined to come for recrutiing purposes, you have to think they want to schedule a win. SMU fits their profile for an opponent, and we have a history with them to a lesser extent than Army and Navy, but still a history and common academic reqs. I think we would probably have to agree to play them at Cotton Bowl or Jerry's World, but that would be quite good for our program.

[Pony Up]

You can never say never, but I'd say it's highly doubtful. Notre Dame already can come to Dallas and recruit players. They're on national TV every week, and ESPN does a feature story on them every five minutes or so, so they don't need a game here for players to know who they are. Could be interesting, but why would they agree? If they win, they'll be chided for not winning by a larger margin. If they somehow lose .... they'd be ridiculed nationwide.

For all the respect that Orsini seems to carry, I don't know that the Notre Dame higher-ups would do a game like that just as a favor to him. If he was Joe Montana or Rocket Ismail, but is the World's Greatest AD going to be able to pull in that kind of deal? I don't see it.

[CalallenStang]

They played Navy in Orlando back in 2000. That's before Orsini was at UCF. They also played Florida State in Orlando in 1994.

Here's a list of the neutral-site regular-season games they have played recently (since 1993):

2004 Navy @ East Rutherford, NJ
2002 Maryland @ East Rutherford, NJ
2002 Navy @ Baltimore
2000 Navy @ Orlando
1998 Navy @ Landover, MD
1996 Navy @ Dublin, Ireland
1995 Army @ East Rutherford, NJ
1994 Northwestern @ Soldier Field, Chicago
1994 Florida State @ Orlando
1993 Navy @ Philadelphia

[DomerPony]

a team that capped the season with a 38-10 win in the Cotton Bowl over Earl campbell and then #1 ranked Texas. He is remembered fondly by Domers and was a contemporary of Charlie Weis.

Will he bring ND to beautiful Ford Stadium? Doubtful at a 40,000 seating capacity. Will he bring ND back to the Cotton Bowl? Time and Laura Miller will tell.

[Water Pony]

It is fun to imagine a return to "The House Doak Built" and resurrect the ND/SMU game of the late forties.

FWIW, Dallas City Council should approve the improvements to the Cotton Bowl, lock in Texas and OU and gain acceptance of a semi-annual ND/SMU game, which could alternate with A&M or TT against a high profile opponent, e.g. LSU or Nebraska, teams that travel well. This would also add the profile of the New Years Day game, perhaps putting it in the mix as the fifth BCS site.

[SMU Football Blog]

The City Councin should do all those things, but they won't.

[westexSMU]

I think Orsini could pull off an ND game here. Of course ND would not go for Ford and we would have to go to South Bend probably a couple of times in addition but I bet Orsini could set us up at Jerry's. The question would be if Orsini could strike a deal with Jerry/ND where we could make any real money. No question the game could sell out.

[mrydel]

I think Orsini could pull off an ND game here. Of course ND would not go for Ford and we would have to go to South Bend probably a couple of times in addition but I bet Orsini could set us up at Jerry's. The question would be if Orsini could strike a deal with Jerry/ND where we could make any real money. No question the game could sell out.

I think you have misundersestimated SMUs ability to not sell out a game.

[SMUFan]

I think Orsini could pull off an ND game here. Of course ND would not go for Ford and we would have to go to South Bend probably a couple of times in addition but I bet Orsini could set us up at Jerry's. The question would be if Orsini could strike a deal with Jerry/ND where we could make any real money. No question the game could sell out.

ND could sell out an inter-team scrimmage here. However, until we creep a notch or 12 closer on the talent scale, this game should not be scheduled unless we make a big payday on it, and there's no reason ND would agree to that.

[BrianTinBigD]

This is not the far out of the realm of the possible. Notre Dame has openings in its schedule starting in 2009. They will play teams like BYU, Nevada, Duke, Stanford, and San Diego State in upcoming years. They also sorely need a game in the middle of the country and we fit that bill. We also fit into the role of a game with some history and don't discount the Methodist vs. Catholic angle. We can also get Jerry World to host this.

As much as I love Ford and the BLVD I would even drive to Arlington every other year for this game. In fact I would love for SMU to only have Holy War non-conference games. Baylor, TCU, Notre Dame, and BYU should be our every year non-conference games. If most wars are fought for religious reasons then it would not hurt to take that approach with football games either.

[HixsontoLeVias]

I've ALWAYS said our "model" should be Georgia Tech...looks like we finally hired a guy who might understand that, and implement it.

[DomerPony]

Charlie Weis and Notre Dame AD Kevin White spoke at the Notre Dame Club of Chicago annual Rockne Dinner last Friday night.

White spoke of ND's intention beginning in 2009 to play seven home games, four road games, and one neutral-site "barnstorming" game every year. The intended sites for the barnstorming games are:

2009 -- Jacksonville
2010 -- Orlando
2011 -- New Orleans
2012 -- Dallas

[Hoop Fan]

ok, Mr. Orsini. The ball is on a tee, knock it out of the park.

[tristatecoog]

ND is supposed to be playing Houston in late 2000s (2009) through 2013 with home and homes, obviously in Reliant Stadium in Houston. This has been scheduled for about five years.

[BrianTinBigD]

Houston is nowhere to found in the ND future schedules that I have seen.

http://www.nationalchamps.net/NCAA/future_schedules/notredame_future.htm