<p>I have always loved Notre Dame and been a fan. It was always the Catholic team. the one that could stand up to the Big Boys of College Football-the Texases, Alabamas, Oklahomas, and USCs of the world. ND played everyone and the schedule was among the hardest every year.</p>
<p>This year's schedule was made for a one or two loss run and a trip to a BCS bowl-no SEC, No Big-12,, only one top 25 opponent and PAC 10 games against Stanford and hapless Washington. And still the Irish can't do it. The Irish, if they lose next week to Boston College(adding to what, a five game loss streak?)are threatened with becomming the number two Catholic team. </p>
<p>This is a crisis that must be turned around immediately. I think Notre Dame should dismiss Charlie Weiss now, while recruiting can still recover and ND can still have an out year schedule where the Irish are not afraid to play a Missouri or Tennessee (or a Texas or Penn State) or extend their BC contract. As we are headed now, no five star player, who wants the best competition and best shot at the NFL is going to come to South Bend to play Connecticut, Syracuse, Navy and Stanford. I even think, USC might drop ND.</p>
<p>The argument always is that Charlie is paid $3.5 million a year and that the buyout would be a multiiple of that. Well, the answer to that is that the one thing the Irish have as a differential advantage versus everyone else is money. ND has a $5 billion endowment and has the CFO of GE in its pocket (who is willing to put up with anything ratings wise to keep the money rolling in under the NBC contract). Forbes indicated thatat ND is worth more than an NFL team. There are other cources of revenue if needed-Father Jenkins bragged in the New York Times about high the tuition is a few years ago and indicated that it helped atrract the best students. With all this money, ND should be able to buy Charlie out and replace him with a coach that can work with all the in bred advantages of Notre Dame.</p>
<p>I am frustrated and worn down by this whole situation and how things in this fourth year aren't getting better.</p>
<p>Buyouts can be terribly expensive--I've witnessed many in the last few years considering where I'm located. It can be very frustrating to deal with a losing season (?) and I've witnessed that as well considering location. I don't know what the answer is as far as the football--I know I sure don't want any buyout money coming out of my tuition expenses right now!</p>
<p>It is frustrating, but there is a lot of progress. We are still a young team, we will get better. This team, top to bottom, has tons more talent than the two teams that Weis took to BCS bowls and the coaching staff is essentially the same. Perhaps some of you aren't old enough to remember some of Brady Quinn's growing pains. The offense needs to come along, defense looks pretty darn good I think (save run defense), and overall we are miles ahead of last year. We are going to be going to a less prestigious bowl, we hopefully will win it (those are my expectations this year) and we will get another top 10 recruiting class. </p>
<p>We are building the depth and getting the experience, give it time. This team will be a very very good team in a year or two, but it does take time. </p>
<p>USC will be a very interesting game to see. That will tell us how far we have come.</p>
<p>BTW, ND will not use the endowment to buy out any coach, nor should they. That is not what it is for and I, as an alum, would never donate a cent if they did that. Willingham was bought out by private donations, thats how it would be with Weis, but the situation is very different.</p>
<p>Given the recent dismissal of Fulmer at Tenn, any suggestions for who might qualify as a candidate for a Weiss replacement? I read in our local paper today that it is very easy to get rid of a coach, but much more difficult to find the right one to replace him. It could take several more years under a new coach to turn ND's program around. This season has started off much better than last! I will also note that ND has not compromised the admissions requirements with regards to recruiting. Some of the more favorably ranked teams right now are playing with teams in which those students would most likely not qualify to attend ND. I, for one, am glad to see that ND places more emphasis on academics than football (which is what I witness in my state on a daily basis!). I am still ready to hang in there for ND and give them some more time--</p>
<p>Notre Dame needs to put as much emphasis on academics as BC, Penn St. USC and Michigan do. Looking at Penn St. and USC's performance, high academics standards are not an excuse for losing or failing to compete at the highest level. I just hope that these guys keep playing us. It looks like Penn state has given the Irish the boot in the out years and I fear BC and USC will follow if we can't start beating top 30 to 40 ish teams like MSU and Pitt. As the competition diminshes, ND's ability to bring the 5 star guys in will go with it. And at some point the TV will go away too. This is a crisis.</p>
<p>I think Notre Dame's academic focus is fine. Besides Army and Navy, aren't ND's graduation rates for football players the highest?</p>