Notre Dame struggling in Cancun (merged thread)

[MSGRET]

ND can’t lose often enough. Their whole sports apparatus lives off of a 90 year old football mystique. The sense of entitlement is too much.

ND stopped the annual football series with Purdue, because they almost always gave them trouble and at the time that it was stopped Purdue had the most wins against them. ND has always thought that they were the best in football. They had a chance to join the Big 10 but refused because they would have had to play against teams like Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State annually. My memory of Ara getting POd at Bob Griese in 65 because they upset then #1 ND is one of my favorites. I don't follow ND, but can anyone name any top 10 team that has LOST to ND in the last 5 years? They are ALWAYS overrated as far as I'm concerned.

 

[cohenzone]

Perhaps, but their fan base is deep, wide, and loyal . They travel well, show up, and stay loyal through thick and thin. As a Stanford fan with a multi-sport rivalry against the University of Dead Fake Girlfriends, I love to hate the Domers, but I do respect the heck out of them.

I don’t respect their athletic dept. and to the extent their administration is as aloof about the football as is the athletic dept, I have no warm feeling toward them. I hope UConn never plays them in football again because their record book shows 0-1 vs UConn, probably the only program they’ve never beaten.

 

[Plebe]

Perhaps, but their fan base is deep, wide, and loyal . They travel well, show up, and stay loyal through thick and thin. As a Stanford fan with a multi-sport rivalry against the University of Dead Fake Girlfriends, I love to hate the Domers, but I do respect the heck out of them.

That said, there isn't a team (other than U$C) I'm happier to see lose. =D

Eh, loyalty is of relative value. People were loyal to Genghis Khan and the Third Reich as well

But I'm the first to admit that *some* of the people who have gone there and/or root for them are fine, decent people. We should know — some of them post regularly to this board I'm grateful we have a board that welcomes them.

 

[HuskyNan]

I put a like under your post until I realized cohanzon did not say player sense of entitlement. So it was more likely a reference to the University in general.

Who hates the kids? You’re projecting something. The athletic department has a sense of entitlement. Fact.

Frankly, I don’t know why any UConn fan should be any more caring about ND as opposef to any other program. They were our sometime rival in women’s hoops and that’s about it. No longer even a conference mate. They got into the Big East without their football when no other major football program would’ve been able to do it, getting all the benefit of conference affiliation for all their other sports without having to give up the only thing they had of value, football. If you think BC, Syracuse, Miami or VTech would’ve bolted a football league that had ND in it, highly unlikely and all the realignment followed.

No one forced the Big East to take ND’s terms; the Big East sold its soul to get them. Like it or not, ND is a Name that sells tickets and draws eyeballs to the TV - and making money. Blaming ND because Miami, BC, and VTech left to make more money is pretty hypocritical.

 

[cohenzone]

Eh, loyalty is of relative value. People were loyal to Genghis Khan and the Third Reich as well

But I'm the first to admit that *some* of the people who have gone there and/or root for them are fine, decent people. We should know — some of them post regularly to this board I'm grateful we have a board that welcomes them.

My problem is with their athletic dept arrogance. Their players and fans are fine although Diggins kind of reflected that arrogance as talented as she is.

 

[TheFarmFan]

Eh, loyalty is of relative value.

Well, it's a value a lot of people on this board (and frankly, on my Stanford board) could learn. You'd think the world was ending because Geno had one bad recruiting season last fall or because David Shaw led Stanford to its first losing football season in over a decade. Fair weather fans that turn that quickly on proven winners who coach, recruit, and model the sport the right way drive me crazy. For the most part, Domer fans stay pretty loyal no matter what. Then again, I suppose having faith against all reason is built right into the brand...

 

[cohenzone]

No one forced the Big East to take ND’s terms; the Big East sold its soul to get them. Like it or not, ND is a Name that sells tickets and draws eyeballs to the TV - and making money. Blaming ND because Miami, BC, and VTech left to make more money is pretty hypocritical.

Please. It’s a fallacy that any ND team is attractive because of the name ND. General college sports fans don’t give a hoot about women’s hoops, soccer or hockey. ND men’s hoops is no big attraction. They live off their football and the value they got off of conference affiliation versus not giving up any football value is a fact.
Of course those teams bolted the Big East for money. I’m saying, can’t prove it, that those teams, and for sure BC, don’t leave a league that had ND football in it. ND doesn’t deserve the football mystique, but it’s undeniable. And the Big East with ND in it would have been different from BE football without it. They wanted a conference for their other sports. The ACC at least forced them into more FB games with league teams.

Why the need to be so defensive about ND?

 

[Steelerone]

I think that the really negative reactions to Notre Dame is, in actuality, a display of admiration. It is an admittance that they have been great competitors and worthy adversaries. The main difference in the two programs is the coach. Geno, for the most part, has a better sense of the highway before him and plans for three or four years ahead, not one or two.

 

[oldude]

I think that the really negative reactions to Notre Dame is, in actuality, a display of admiration. It is an admittance that they have been great competitors and worthy adversaries. The main difference in the two programs is the coach. Geno, for the most part, has a better sense of the highway before him and plans for three or four years ahead, not one or two.

I’m not a fan of ND, but for the record, MM recruited 5 players that could very well be their starting 5 right now had it not been for injuries (Vaughn & Prohaska), transfers (Patterson & Nixon) and early entry to the W (Young). So ND has effectively lost their top 9 players from last season, only 4 of whom were anticipated. I don’t know how you can possibly plan for that kind of turnover.

 

[Plebe]

I’m not a fan of ND, but for the record, MM recruited 5 players that could very well be their starting 5 right now had it not been for injuries (Vaughn & Prohaska), transfers (Patterson & Nixon) and early entry to the W (Young). So ND has effectively lost their top 9 players from last season, only 4 of whom were anticipated. I don’t know how you can possibly plan for that kind of turnover.

I keep coming back to this comparison, but let's imagine that UConn had to play this season without Christyn, Meg and Crystal, and that Olivia were out with injury. That's pretty much what ND is dealing with right now. That would leave us with Bent, Irwin, Griffin, Makurat and Adebayo as our best 5 (and our only 5). I dare say it wouldn't be a pretty picture.

 

[oldude]

I keep coming back to this comparison, but let's imagine that UConn had to play this season without Christyn, Meg and Crystal, and that Olivia were out with injury. That's pretty much what ND is dealing with right now. That would leave us with Bent, Irwin, Griffin, Makurat and Adebayo as our best 5 (and our only 5). I dare say it wouldn't be a pretty picture.

You left out walk-ons, of which ND currently has 5 on the roster, one of whom is part of the regular rotation.

 

[Plebe]

You left out walk-ons, of which ND currently has 5 on the roster, one of whom is part of the regular rotation.

Exactly. In my thought-exercise scenario UConn would surely have added some walk-ons as well, by necessity, just as Muffet has.

 

[UConnCat]

I keep coming back to this comparison, but let's imagine that UConn had to play this season without Christyn, Meg and Crystal, and that Olivia were out with injury. That's pretty much what ND is dealing with right now. That would leave us with Bent, Irwin, Griffin, Makurat and Adebayo as our best 5 (and our only 5). I dare say it wouldn't be a pretty picture.

Who exactly are you comparing to Christyn, Meg, Crystal and Olivia?

 

[Steelerone]

I’m not a fan of ND, but for the record, MM recruited 5 players that could very well be their starting 5 right now had it not been for injuries (Vaughn & Prohaska), transfers (Patterson & Nixon) and early entry to the W (Young). So ND has effectively lost their top 9 players from last season, only 4 of whom were anticipated. I don’t know how you can possibly plan for that kind of turnover.

If I recall correctly we recently lost several players through the transfer portal. I think that one thing that sets our young ladies apart is the rigorous training program which, most player and other coaches agree, is more difficult that other programs and that serves us in good stead during the season.

 

[mhshuskies]

No one forced the Big East to take ND’s terms; the Big East sold its soul to get them. Like it or not, ND is a Name that sells tickets and draws eyeballs to the TV - and making money. Blaming ND because Miami, BC, and VTech left to make more money is pretty hypocritical.

Fine, just don’t trot out the “it’s about academics and the student athlete”, it’s just about money!

 

[mhshuskies]

I wonder if Brunelle wishes she had chosen UConn?

Will this make Azzi want to be the savior of the program?

 

[Plebe]

Who exactly are you comparing to Christyn, Meg, Crystal and Olivia?

Simple analogy: imagine UConn this year with no returning starters and only true post presence out with injury.

 

[Carnac]

After playing USF tomorrow ND plays Minnesota, UConn, and DePaul. They could legitimately lose 6 games in a row

legitimately?.................realistically!!
We all knew this is a rebuilding year for ND. No team can lose all 5 starters, and come back the next season as competitive as ever like nothing happened. When was the last time ND lost 4 games all season, let alone in November? This too shall pass.

A victory over a ND team that is basically “toothless” will be enjoyed because it's ND, but not like it would be if they were top 5 ranked.

 

[oldude]

If I recall correctly we recently lost several players through the transfer portal. I think that one thing that sets our young ladies apart is the rigorous training program which, most player and other coaches agree, is more difficult that other programs and that serves us in good stead during the season.

I don’t disagree. My point was simply that ND had better players lined up and they all disappeared. Transfers and injuries happen, but usually not 5 at a pop.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Why the need to be so defensive about ND?

Hey maybe HuskyNan has a kid that goes to ND who knows? Can't expect everyone to toe the hate ND party line.

 

[uconnfan68]

I stand with Geno and his opinion of them.

 

[Rb335]

I don’t disagree. My point was simply that ND had better players lined up and they all disappeared. Transfers and injuries happen, but usually not 5 at a pop.

Exactly. If Jackie Young and Erin Boley had stayed, that’s two top ten ESPN recruits that are the seniors on this roster. Add them with healthy Vaugh and transfers Patterson and Nixon, and ND would be a top 10 team. They would then be able to have two talented freshman coming off the bench.

Notre Dame is a perfect example of what can happen with this new transfer trend. Some teams land a prized transfer and win the national championship. Other teams recruit well and are left with a bare cabinet at the expense of transfers.

 

[UConnCat]

Simple analogy: imagine UConn this year with no returning starters and only true post presence out with injury.

Very simple but not a good analogy. ND lost 4 players to graduation and a rising senior who declared early for the WNBA draft. You're comparing those losses to UConn losing 2 players to graduation and 3 other starters for unexplained reasons. The losses are not comparable. Griffin, Adebayo, Makurat and Bent wouldn't be the only options if Meg, Crystal and Christyn were seniors last season.

 

[BroadwayVa]

There was descrepancy regarding her being offered by UConn.

A discrepancy? And Uconn was involved?? What is wrong with the NCAA not taking away a recruiting year from Uconn? Don't they wish!!

 

[BroadwayVa]

I certainly hope the Irish are enjoying the white sand beaches.....,

We are reading about HOW BAD ND currently happens to be. I worry about the UConn effect. ND historically plays way above themselves against Uconn.