Herbst fought the good fight, but sometimes your best isn't enough

[Rumrunner]

"Notre Dame Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick told The Observer in a sitdown interview in December that not only was Notre Dame pleased with the moves, but that it appeared to be the last of major conference realignment.

"With the Big East having solidified itself through these recent moves, I think among the BCS conferences it'll be pretty stable," Swarbrick said. "We're really happy that the Big East, which has been a great home to us, was able to make the moves it made and has announced. We think that's good for the Big East and at this point we're just focused on that issue — the Big East's viability."

http://www.ndsmcobserver.com/sports...rence-realignment-athletic-success-1.2743233#.

Looks like UConn might as well sit back and enjoy the New New Big East because they will be in it for a while.

Herbst was caught off-guard, as were so many other schools. Hindsight is 20/20 but looking back, there were an awful lot of grumblings being reported. Having been a newly appointed president, could Herbst have improved on UConn's status? That's the big unanswered question.

Once she became aware of the shift, I don't think anyone can fault her efforts. Her strategy (#begharder) maybe. Effort, no.

But as the pope has said, it is as it was.

Would the defections of L'ville or Rutgers to the Big 12 alter ND's stance? If anything is to be taken from this is the fact that ND clings to independence like Gollum clings to his precious.

We fight, we fight, to the last bullet, to the last man, we fight we fight. Bang.

The fight is over.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

I agree 100%. Notre Dame is not giving up independence in this round of things and we are not getting an invite to another conference. Might as well accept it and make the best of it.

 

[buckley503]

As long as he is willing to accept that new BCS changes will be forged by the major conferences and ND will not receive ANY special privileges this time around, meaning they will never see a National Championship Game, imho.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

As long as he is willing to accept that new BCS changes will be forged by the major conferences and ND will not receive ANY special privileges this time around, meaning they will never see a National Championship Game, imho.

It's clear he wants to go back to a market driven system where popular schools get picked for good bowls whether or not they meet some sort of qualification. In that sense Notre Dame makes out like a bandit because high level bowls would still prefer to take Notre Dame any day of the week over most of the potential BCS AQ schools that earn it by winning their conferences or being ranked highly.

 

[Rumrunner]

ND is getting what it wants. An acceptable nonfootball home, created in latge part by its president, and a voice at worst equal to CUSA, MWC, MAC and the Sunbelt conferences (and probably equal to the NBE) in the BCS negotiations.

The last hail mary for UConn is the departures of RU and UofL, combined with Boise and SDSU opting out if aq system changed, providing for cathloic hoops to disassociate from the temaining football schools, thus ending ND's safe harbor.

Kind of like a pass from a baseball/basketball two sport star down the length of the court to a captain waiting in the wing with only a couple of seconds on the clock.

 

[Adios]

It seems to me the present Big East is going to be used as a platform to develop programs/fan bases/schools more.

 

[ctchamps]

I think Swarbrick's comments are premature. I doubt the B12 is finished with its moves. Until the BE gets a new media contract and makes it more difficult to leave the conference it is still vulnerable.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

I think Swarbrick's comments are premature. I doubt the B12 is finished with its moves. Until the BE gets a new media contract and makes it more difficult to leave the conference it is still vulnerable.

Even if they are premature, I doubt even losing 2 more schools to the B12 would change his stance. 3 or 4, I'm sure he'd change his tune. But for example if it's just Louisville and Rutgers, I think they would be fine with the BE just replacing them with say Memphis and Temple then adding maybe 2 more.

 

[CTGoonie]

It’s weird that this is a new article yet the quotes from ND are from December. That being said what else would you expect them to say? They were the head of the BE expansion committee so of course they would approve of what the committee came up with. I still think Louisville and possibly Cincy will be headed to the B12. That will lead the b-ball only’s (led by G’town and Nova) to break off and form their own league. At that point ND has a decision to make. Either they stay with the b-ball only’s or are forced to join a conference for football.

It will also be very interesting to see who Herbst hires for the AD position. Obviously our best shot is getting to the ACC but if she taps someone from the B1G (Mich. St. asst AD anyone?) she is betting on leveraging Uconn’s connections there.

 

[buckley503]

It's clear he wants to go back to a market driven system where popular schools get picked for good bowls whether or not they meet some sort of qualification. In that sense Notre Dame makes out like a bandit because high level bowls would still prefer to take Notre Dame any day of the week over most of the potential BCS AQ schools that earn it by winning their conferences or being ranked highly.

Can't agree with you there. It won't be a popularity contest any more (hopefully) and they will have to actually have to earn it to make a 4 team playoff. Which would be the first steps if there are to be popular changes.

ND ain't ND anymore.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

What would you expect him to say publicly?

If you think that conference expansion is over and what we see now will be the conference landscape 10 years from now...then you are clearly new to the world of college sports and politics!

Swarbrick is saying what the Big East wants him to say and what he wants everyone to believe (they are holding onto their independence by every last string they can).....but there is no way that he is pleased with what has happened over the past 6 months. They lost two of their premier rivals in the BE and they have been replaced by poor matches for them in terms of athletics, geography, and prestige. He is trying to make the best of the situation and hold on to their independence...but there is no way that he is pleased with the outcome.

 

[CTMike]

Swarbrick makes me sick, especially the fact that he has any degree of say at all on our future. Why buy the cow when you get the milk for free as they say. I wish them nothing but ill will.

At any rate... Maybe I'm hoping without reason, but I don't think anything is over at this point. Maybe things will be "stable" for a year, maybe two... but I don't think we've reached equilibrium yet. For now, yes - grin and bear it. But don't stop working behind the scenes to be the first on that life raft if it comes (been following too much news on that cruise ship in Italy!). I think the only thing you can possibly fault Herbst for is underestimating the depths of gery that GD would sink to.

 

[Fishy]

The BCS moves are not over and Swarbrick is well-aware of it.

What he wants and what he'll get are two different animals. The Big East is not done losing teams.

 

[SAMCRO]

Can't agree with you there. It won't be a popularity contest any more (hopefully) and they will have to actually have to earn it to make a 4 team playoff. Which would be the first steps if there are to be popular changes.

ND ain't ND anymore.

But they will get selected to play in the other "former BCS bowls" that are not part of the plus one on particular years. They won't need to be ranked in the top 12 or 14 (whichever it was) to be eliglbe for slection to the Fiesta or Orange, or Sugar bowl - whichever are not in the plus 1. They will have much more access as an at-large selection, and don't kid yourself, if the Orange, Fiesta, Sugar, etc... has a choice of an 7-5 ND or a 11-1/10-2 BE champion or ACC runner up , guess who they're going to select EVERY TIME.

 

[gars44]

Exactly, ND is going nowhere. No interest in the BigWha, no interest in the ACC, nada. It has no need to be concerned about any of this. I think ND stays where it is, even if the Ville, RU, Uconn and Cincy all departed for other conferences. It would just play olympic sports with whomever, sorry about that to the kids, play basketball with the Catholics and Temple and Memphis, and stay independent in football. That is the reality.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

But they will get selected to play in the other "former BCS bowls" that are not part of the plus one on particular years. They won't need to be ranked in the top 12 or 14 (whichever it was) to be eliglbe for slection to the Fiesta or Orange, or Sugar bowl - whichever are not in the plus 1. They will have much more access as an at-large selection, and don't kid yourself, if the Orange, Fiesta, Sugar, etc... has a choice of an 7-5 ND or a 11-1/10-2 BE champion or ACC runner up , guess who they're going to select EVERY TIME.

Exactly, if the bowls can invite who they want as an at large selection when they are not part of the plus one or whatever format they will be fighting over a 4 or 5 loss ND team every year. It sucks, but it's the reality.

 

[baggerbob]

When the slick oil salesman starts telling you all is well, start watching your wallet. If Notre Dame is saying all is well watchout for someone slipping out the back door. Their administrators need the big east football to fail so they can convince the alumni they need to move.

 

[buckley503]

But they will get selected to play in the other "former BCS bowls" that are not part of the plus one on particular years. They won't need to be ranked in the top 12 or 14 (whichever it was) to be eliglbe for slection to the Fiesta or Orange, or Sugar bowl - whichever are not in the plus 1. They will have much more access as an at-large selection, and don't kid yourself, if the Orange, Fiesta, Sugar, etc... has a choice of an 7-5 ND or a 11-1/10-2 BE champion or ACC runner up , guess who they're going to select EVERY TIME.

Other than money, so what.
If Swarbick is happy with 7-5 teams playing in the Sugar Bowl or any other non championship bowl, which are now nothing more than glorified scrimmages, yes than ND faithful will buy tix and hotel rooms and brag that they are playing on or after January 1. And everything has been and will continue to be set by the big boys and no BE team will ever be in the big boy club and will always get the shaft.
Besides, do you honestly think outside of the 4 teams in a playoff that anyone (other than a teams respective fans) will care about teams 5-14 and the bowls that they are in?

 

[HartbeatHusky]

Other than money, so what.
If Swarbick is happy with 7-5 teams playing in the Sugar Bowl or any other non championship bowl, which are now nothing more than glorified scrimmages, yes than ND faithful will buy tix and hotel rooms and brag that they are playing on or after January 1. And everything has been and will continue to be set by the big boys and no BE team will ever be in the big boy club and will always get the shaft.
Besides, do you honestly think outside of the 4 teams in a playoff that anyone (other than a teams respective fans) will care about teams 5-14 and the bowls that they are in?

Why would ND care enough to join a conference though? I just don't see anything short of barring them and other indys from the plus one, play off, or even traditional 1 vs 2 NC match up compelling them to cede independence. Whether they are in a conference or not they still need to win enough games to be ranked highly enough to make the plus one, play off, or BCS NC game in order to get there. If you can't win enough games to do that wouldn't you rather just settle for playing in traditional Big Time bowls every year simply because you are Notre Dame?

 

[buckley503]

Believe me, I agree with you and am envious of their position. I know it is my anti-get over yourselves ND-attitude that annoys me so much.

 

[willie99]

well, that's what "HE" wants, trying to convince others the BEAST is officially stable