Dan Patrick -ESPN

[Pony_Fan]

Notre Dame coach [deleted] about pool of athletes he can recruit from and academic standards...

Former Notre Dame great Paul Hornung told Detroit's AM-1270 The Sports Station on Tuesday that the Fighting Irish must ease their academic restrictions because "we gotta get the black athlete," he said. "We must get the black athlete if we're going to compete."

[OldPony]

Hornung didn't mean black. He meant idiots like himself. ND does have a lot of restrictions including no redshirts other than medical, higher than minimum SATs or GPAs, mandatory religious studies, no JUCO's. Willingham is right and so is Hornung (except for the racial slur equating black and stupid). ND will continue to get worse. Look for NBC to get out of their contract asap. They were no draw last year on TV and the future looks gloomy unless they make changes. Sound familiar Pony Fans?

[Pony_Fan]

yea, that was my point. I don't know why NBC has a love affair with Notre Dame - I could understand way back but not renewing the contract like they did with an Independent. I hate ND.

[ClassOf81]

NBC's love affair with Notre Dame stems from the fact that the Irish have a national alumni/fan base that goes almost unmatched. (Michigan has the largest living alumni base - Notre Dame is up there on the list, too.) The love affair is because the team generates ratings. It's a shame, because I hate ND and hate having to see them on national TV every year, but I gather NBC is going to re-up their contract with ND. Yawn.

[Hoop Fan]

NBC's love affair with Notre Dame stems from the fact that the Irish have a national alumni/fan base that goes almost unmatched. (Michigan has the largest living alumni base - Notre Dame is up there on the list, too.)

I dont think they have much of an alumni base actually. Their enrollment is not much bigger than SMU. They do have a large fan base because anyone who is either some part Irish, Catholic or both can identify with ND. Plus, they win. If you win, people like you. Unless your the Cubs, nobody cares about a loser.

[BigEasyPony]

I remember several years ago SMU turned away Daimon Sweet in basketball for academic reasons and he was accepted at Notre Dame and was a starter for a few years. They have lower academic standards than we do at least they used to.

[Water Pony]

As a Cubs Fan, I appreciate your generous thoughts on the Lovable Losers. I am afraid to think about 2004 (jinx thinking) but could this be the year? Gotta believe.

The hate toward Notre Dame is less understandable. I have been a Yankee hater forever, primary because they are so good and will outspend everyone.

In college football, ND is not the problem. Strong tradition, strong academics and a commitment to do the right thing should be copied not condemned. The hate should be directed toward the BCS cartel and the state schools, who drive costs up, have revenue to burn and push all schools toward emulating them, especially the non-BCS schools, who don't have a model which can match the built-in advantages of these behemoths.

[Hoop Fan]

yep, WP, not only that, the state schools are subsidized by public funds and yet promote a cartel basically. Its absurd.

[EastStang]

Notre Dame is also has a large Chicago following as well. But you're right Notre Dame used to have first dibs on any Catholic school kid. Not any more. But Stanford seems to get good players and Willingham had a decent run there, he ought to be able to recruit at ND. I can't believe the ND has higher admission standards than Stanford.

[WildHorse]

On one hand, I really like Ty Willingham, and I would hate to see him take the fall if Notre Dame continues to stumble.

On the other hand, I hate Notre Dame more than I like Coach Willingham, and I hope the Irish continue to slide downhill until the networks and the NCAA stop fawning all over them and giving them preferential treatment that they don't deserve.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Notre Dame has a large national following because they embrace their church affiliation instead of running from it like SMU.

[NavyCrimson]

no joke - dan! you're exactly right...that's why smu will never -never reach its full potential!

[91Stang]

Notre Dame has a large national following because they embrace their church affiliation instead of running from it like SMU.

Huh? How so? I always had the impression that it wasn't at the forefront of the SMU experience, but I never got the sense that the school ran from it. What do you mean?

[ponygrad90]

The same way Northwestern runs from it, Right?

[RGV Pony]

Great point. Anyone go see SMU play BYU at the Cotton Bowl when they were both in the WAC? All those Cougar fans didn't drive to Dallas from Utah...they were already here. A friend of mine had a 'calling' at his [Mormon] church that was simple: he was in charge of hooking up the satellite feed on Sat. afternoon for the BYU game. This was in Dallas.