How can fans

[NDblitz]

Be loyal to a school/program when coaches Admin and players are not? College Football is in desperate need of a reformation. NIL, Portal, Coaches contracts. All need to be combed over and guard rails inserted. Everyone is laughing all the way to the bank but at some point the bottom will fall out.

 

[Kelso86]

Be loyal to a school/program when coaches Admin and players are not? College Football is in desperate need of a reformation. NIL, Portal, Coaches contracts. All need to be combed over and guard rails inserted. Everyone is laughing all the way to the bank but at some point the bottom will fall out.

"How can fans -- Be loyal to a school/program when coaches Admin and players are not? "

Because, many fans cling to a time in life when college football (athletics in general) was pure and you knew who was going to be there for 3-4 years.

Now, fans are deranged lunatics who think every play should be run to perfection, and every game should be a blowout win -- and when neither happen, they rip the coach, players and anyone else -- all the while, they probably can't get their collective fat arses off the sofa.

 

[echowaker]

Be loyal to a school/program when coaches Admin and players are not? College Football is in desperate need of a reformation. NIL, Portal, Coaches contracts. All need to be combed over and guard rails inserted. Everyone is laughing all the way to the bank but at some point the bottom will fall out.

It's a choice.

 

[HDK]

I don't know that the bottom will ever fall out of it, but I agree it makes it a lot harder to be a fan.

One of the things that always made me proud of Notre Dame was that it required certain standards. We all knew that many athletes were only able to get in because they were good athletes, but we knew that they were expected to meet academic standards and keep their noses reasonably clean.

In return, the university didn't send packing those players who were injured or didn't turn out to be as good as expected.

I know the NCAA in its infinite wisdom only allows one-year scholarships, but when a place like Notre Dame is urging players to leave because there is not enough space for them or taking as transfers players who are going to study for a semester before cashing in with no thought of getting a degree, it seems kind of hollow.

I know as a graduate, I resent it every time I read posts by people describing Notre Dame as "a brand" whose better days are behind it or who complain about the quality of "the product" it puts on the field. But unfortunately, each year it gets more and more obvious that that's what it's become.

This year, I only watched about half the games live. The rest I recorded and fast forwarded past the commercials. Maybe it will take that on a coast-to-coast basis to see any changes, but I'm not counting on it.

 

[Pennick4]

Be loyal to a school/program when coaches Admin and players are not? College Football is in desperate need of a reformation. NIL, Portal, Coaches contracts. All need to be combed over and guard rails inserted. Everyone is laughing all the way to the bank but at some point the bottom will fall out.

You have a choice to not watch and or follow.

 

[NDblitz]

You have a choice to not watch and or follow.

But that wasn't the question now was it. I said fans. Not me.

 

[sjb75]

Be loyal to a school/program when coaches Admin and players are not? College Football is in desperate need of a reformation. NIL, Portal, Coaches contracts. All need to be combed over and guard rails inserted. Everyone is laughing all the way to the bank but at some point the bottom will fall out.

Don't watch.

Problem solved.

 

[BaldyNd]

The fans have always outlasted admins coaches and players. I don’t love everything about the new environment but I’ll always be an ND fan regardless

 

[IrishHerb]

I'll probably remain a ND fan for as long as possible, but it is getting harder and harder for me to follow college sports like I used to. They're becoming too much like the pros who I've basically quit watching.

Now with loads of ND players opting out of the up coming bowl game, I'm not sure I want to watch. This weekend's Army -Navy game will probably be my last for this season. Maybe take a look at some of the D-III playoffs and championship. But that's probably all the football I'll follow this year.

 

[mva5580]

I understand some of the frustrations over things that are happening. I do. But you people who act like college football was some sort of "pure" thing or whatever in the past are hilariously delusional.

“Four years of football are calculated to breed in the average man more of the ingredients of success in life than most any academic course he takes.”

You know who said that? Knute Rockne. He took Notre Dame national and is basically the reason why they became what they became because of that. He was chasing exposure and victories, not this fantasy land stuff that's being talked about. You think he had some kind of noble "amateur athletics" mindset at heart when he was doing those things? Give me a freaking break. But that was all "different," right?

 

[tkirish]

I don’t know. It’s kind of depressing watching how it all is unraveling. From a players perspective, making money is good. I certainly don’t begrudge any player making money. However , the way this is now with the NIL and portal , it lost its way. Every team from year to year is dramatically different. How much does recruiting even matter anymore? You could land a top 5 class and in 2 years half or more could transfer out. The playoff has made the bowls irrelevant. Many teams in bowl games won’t have a lot of players that played all season. It has turned into a free for all. Personally I have been following ND football for decades. Long before they were on tv every week, I would listen to every game on the radio with my dad and brother. We never missed. It use to be you were only allowed on tv twice a year. For ND that meant always Souther Cal and one other team. Purdue, Pitt or Michigan state.
I was young and it was always special. The Sunday morning highlights with Lindsey Nelson and Paul Hornung were always a must. You had favorite players. It was a great time. Now ? It’s definitely not the same. Like someone already said , just winning isn’t enough. Now you have to win by 50 every game and humiliate the other team. It’s crazy. The innocence is long gone. So now we have what is turning into an NFL “ farm league “. But I will still watch and cheer on the only team and school I loved my entire life. I am not sure where all this will go. Right now , college football is not the same sport I loved growing up.

 

[HDK]

I understand some of the frustrations over things that are happening. I do. But you people who act like college football was some sort of "pure" thing or whatever in the past are hilariously delusional.

“Four years of football are calculated to breed in the average man more of the ingredients of success in life than most any academic course he takes.”

You know who said that? Knute Rockne. He took Notre Dame national and is basically the reason why they became what they became because of that. He was chasing exposure and victories, not this fantasy land stuff that's being talked about. You think he had some kind of noble "amateur athletics" mindset at heart when he was doing those things? Give me a freaking break. But that was all "different," right?

More than one thing can be true at the same time.

Rockne was obviously a hustler, and Notre Dame's priests were never above making a quick buck, but this is also the same university that turned its back on bowl games for more than 40 years, not because it was afraid to compete but because it was stung by criticism about its commitment to football. And I would argue the code of honor that Leahy's teams played under was no less strict than that of Westpoint or Anapolis, and that tradition was carried on by Parseghian and those who followed him.

 

[banmate6]

People want to be part of a spectacle. More so now that they can blog about it on Facebook and Tik Tok. Be it entertainment, sports, or activism.

College football keeps pushing the bar in being a spectacle. They know what they are doing. They know the people will still come.

I'd love to be proven wrong. But so many fans cheerlead schools they never attended, if they even went to college. Why would they stop now that the entertainment factor is rising a few notches?

Quantity over quality wins.

 

[NDgreatestofalltime!]

"How can fans -- Be loyal to a school/program when coaches Admin and players are not? "

Because, many fans cling to a time in life when college football (athletics in general) was pure and you knew who was going to be there for 3-4 years.

Now, fans are deranged lunatics who think every play should be run to perfection, and every game should be a blowout win -- and when neither happen, they rip the coach, players and anyone else -- all the while, they probably can't get their collective fat arses off the sofa.

Very accurate IMO.

It not just OSU obviously but I live near Columbus, OH, and OSU FB as you would imagine is king and they’re a great example of this. ND fans can behave the same at times but collectively not as extreme IMO at least not in my circles.

Listening the the fans and even local media talk about Kyle McCord who led OSU to an 11-1 win season, their only loss to the #1 team @ their place in a close fought game like he was the biggest piece of trash to ever play at the Shoe was/is disgusting.

Many fans called into 97.1, and 1460 demanding Day be fired! He is (56-7) as the HC for goodness sake. They said McCord should be kicked off the team, radio host did admonish callers for that behavior at least. Just crazy to think he went from the next legend after the ND and PSU games to a troll to be smashed after Michigan.

This is the result of great success now, lose a SINGLE game and you’re garbage, to be discarded and forgotten.

Take Dabo, I’m a huge fan of the guy. He doesn’t want to use the portal, whether that’s right or wrong, he wants to build his program from within. He was 4-4 and fans were calling for him to step down because he wasn’t evolving with the game and some wanted him fired, they finished 8-4 because he turned it around and made it us against them (fans/media). How ungrateful, they had one of the best decade runs in CFB history and won two NC’s, made the playoffs 6x’s.

Do y’all remember when Saban didn’t win a title a few years in a row, and won ONLY 10 games one season games the media and some fans were asking “is Saban done at Bama?” “Has the game passed him?” Then he wins another damn title.

I’ve been critical of various coaches or players but I never dehumanize them. Ive been a proponent of hiring a new OC, but have said Parker seems like a fine man and well liked, keep him as TE coach or “associate HC”. Even Tommy Rees, people on this board seem to detest the guy, well he played here, and coached here, he’s a ND guy. You may not think he’s the right guy but to talk about him like he’s a leper is insane to me. Many here hate Kelly, I don’t love him but I appreciate his exploits in turning a floundering program into a much more successful and respected FB team after nearly 20 years of mediocrity and downright futility on occasion.

The internet for all it’s good has also allowed nasty, churlish behavior to grow rapidly, it’s an incubator of derangement at times. The anonymity it provides to people to say and accuse without evidence or any rationale can be astounding. The Media will use the message boards and social media platforms to magnify the rubbish.

I want ND to win FB games of course but I also know these young men are at a level of play and talent most could never comprehend.

It reminds of listening to friends/coworkers who criticize a new iPhone, a Tesla, or even things like the Ring doorbell. How it could’ve been done better, how they’d do it if they were running the show. The irony is lost on them every time.