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Marcus Freeman Has Done the Unthinkable: He Has Made Notre Dame Likable

Dec 7, 2007
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I am sure most of you here have seen a number of columns and stories posted lately about the effect Marcus Freeman has had on the public's perception of Notre Dame. To be sure, there are still many mindless "Notre Dame haters" out there--and there always will be--but he has given many people a new perspective on ND, and for many he has actually made Notre Dame "likable," whatever that means. I was shocked that even Paul Finebaum said on ESPN today that Marcus Freeman is the story of the year in college football.

I actually experienced this phenomenon myself while shopping this afternoon in Costco. Because I was wearing my "Notre Dame Alumni" pullover a middle-aged woman stopped me in one of the aisles and struck up a conversation with me. She told me she is a diehard Texas Aggies fan and has never liked ND before, and was heartbroken when we beat TAMU to open the season. That aside, she said she has really grown to like Marcus Freeman and has been pulling for ND in the CFB playoffs. She even said, "Both of my sons are grown up, but if I had one in high school, I would want him to play for Marcus Freeman." I thanked her for her kind words and said the Notre Dame nation feels the same way about Coach Freeman.

Will we next see pigs fly?

I know many here could not care less about being "likable;" in fact, I suppose there are more than a few here who enjoy holding the "us against the world" position, but this is a phenomenon I am not quite sure I ever thought I would see. I suppose if CMF is able to win a couple of NCs with the Irish, the days of being despised as the Evil Empire will return quickly enough.
 
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The hate for ND is its independence, which, somehow, is viewed as some sort of "entitlement mentality"....being spoiled, if you will; when its really Notre Dame's self-reliance on display. I think our lack of success going head to head against the elite programs over the past 30 years fed into the hate and disrespect. Winning cures alot. Beat OSU...and "independence" won't look the same in the face of the mega conference age.
 
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Can someone explain to me why they aren’t asking him what it’s like to be the first Korean to ever make it to the national championship? He is visibly annoyed by the race baiting from Disney Sports.
 
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The hate for ND is its independence, which, somehow, is viewed as some short of "entitlement mentality"....being spoiled, if you will; when its really Notre Dame's self-reliance on display. I think our lack of success going head to head against the elite programs over the past 30 years fed into the hate and disrespect. Winning cures alot. Beat OSU...and "independence" won't look the same in the face of the mega conference age.
Independence and the $20M they’ve earned in the playoffs without “sharing” with their conference members. Love it!
 
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Independence and the $20M they’ve earned in the playoffs without “sharing” with their conference members. Love it!
I was watching one of the ESPN shows yesterday--maybe it was First Take?--and they had Stephen A, Ryan Clark and Cam Newton discussing the Orange Bowl game and Notre Dame's independence. Newton has been a constant critic of ND and says they don't belong in the CFP because they aren't in a conference. He doubled down on that position yesterday only to have Ryan Clark destroy the fallacy of his arguments. It was great.



Frankly, I am not sure why ESPN gives Newton any air time. Certainly he is a snazzy dresser, but just isn't a very bright guy IMO.
 
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Can someone explain to me why they aren’t asking him what it’s like to be the first Korean to ever make it to the national championship? He is visibly annoyed by the race baiting from Disney Sports.
Honestly, because football isn't a sport with a high concentration of Korean players. It is a sport that is predominantly played by black players for the last 60 years without a black person represented as head coach in a national championship game. While they may be making a bigger deal of this than it needs to, I absolutely understand the relevance.
 
I am sure most of you here have seen a number of columns and stories posted lately about the effect Marcus Freeman has had on the public's perception of Notre Dame. To be sure, there are still many mindless "Notre Dame haters" out there--and there always will be--but he has given many people a new perspective on ND, and for many he has actually made Notre Dame "likable," whatever that means. I was shocked that even Paul Finebaum said on ESPN today that Marcus Freeman is the story of the year in college football.

I actually experienced this phenomenon myself while shopping this afternoon in Costco. Because I was wearing my "Notre Dame Alumni" pullover a middle-aged woman stopped me in one of the aisles and struck up a conversation with me. She told me she is a diehard Texas Aggies fan and has never liked ND before, and was heartbroken when we beat TAMU to open the season. That aside, she said she has really grown to like Marcus Freeman and has been pulling for ND in the CFB playoffs. She even said, "Both of my sons are grown up, but if I had one in high school, I would want him to play for Marcus Freeman." I thanked her for her kind words and said the Notre Dame nation feels the same way about Coach Freeman.

Will we next see pigs fly?

I know many here could not care less about being "likable;" in fact, I suppose there are more than a few here who enjoy holding the "us against the world" position, but this is a phenomenon I am not quite sure I ever thought I would see. I suppose if CMF is able to win a couple of NCs with the Irish, the days of being despised as the Evil Empire will return quickly enough.
Unless your name is Ryan Day
 
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I am sure most of you here have seen a number of columns and stories posted lately about the effect Marcus Freeman has had on the public's perception of Notre Dame. To be sure, there are still many mindless "Notre Dame haters" out there--and there always will be--but he has given many people a new perspective on ND, and for many he has actually made Notre Dame "likable," whatever that means. I was shocked that even Paul Finebaum said on ESPN today that Marcus Freeman is the story of the year in college football.

I actually experienced this phenomenon myself while shopping this afternoon in Costco. Because I was wearing my "Notre Dame Alumni" pullover a middle-aged woman stopped me in one of the aisles and struck up a conversation with me. She told me she is a diehard Texas Aggies fan and has never liked ND before, and was heartbroken when we beat TAMU to open the season. That aside, she said she has really grown to like Marcus Freeman and has been pulling for ND in the CFB playoffs. She even said, "Both of my sons are grown up, but if I had one in high school, I would want him to play for Marcus Freeman." I thanked her for her kind words and said the Notre Dame nation feels the same way about Coach Freeman.

Will we next see pigs fly?

I know many here could not care less about being "likable;" in fact, I suppose there are more than a few here who enjoy holding the "us against the world" position, but this is a phenomenon I am not quite sure I ever thought I would see. I suppose if CMF is able to win a couple of NCs with the Irish, the days of being despised as the Evil Empire will return quickly enough.
We'll see. There's talk that the collective powers will be colluding with eachother not to schedule ND inorder to force them into a conference
 
I was watching one of the ESPN shows yesterday--maybe it was First Take?--and they had Stephen A, Ryan Clark and Cam Newton discussing the Orange Bowl game and Notre Dame's independence. Newton has been a constant critic of ND and says they don't belong in the CFP because they aren't in a conference. He doubled down on that position yesterday only to have Ryan Clark destroy the fallacy of his arguments. It was great.



Frankly, I am not sure why ESPN gives Newton any air time. Certainly he is a snazzy dresser, but just isn't a very bright guy IMO.
Yeah, I don't really give a damn what Cam Newton thinks.
 
We'll see. There's talk that the collective powers will be colluding with eachother not to schedule ND inorder to force them into a conference

That talk is primarily coming from people who have no more say in the matter than you or me. The idea that the Big 10 or SEC would stop scheduling ND is nonsense. Or put another way: what benefit would the Big 10 or SEC achieve by forcing ND to join the ACC?
 
I was watching one of the ESPN shows yesterday--maybe it was First Take?--and they had Stephen A, Ryan Clark and Cam Newton discussing the Orange Bowl game and Notre Dame's independence. Newton has been a constant critic of ND and says they don't belong in the CFP because they aren't in a conference. He doubled down on that position yesterday only to have Ryan Clark destroy the fallacy of his arguments. It was great.



Frankly, I am not sure why ESPN gives Newton any air time. Certainly he is a snazzy dresser, but just isn't a very bright guy IMO.
Johnny Depp wanna be.
 
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