The 1930 National Championship year, the last under Rockne, began with All-America fullback Joe Savoldi having a great year. Joe however was at an all-male institution that did not allow it's students to be married, much less divorced. Joe filed for divorce in a South Bend Court in the middle of the 1930 football season and most sports writers and rabid ND fans thought it was the end of their title run. And that 1930 backfield was considered more talented than the Four Horsemen backfield of 1924. ND stuck to its principles and Rock called in Joe to his office and told him he'd better leave school before ND expelled him-so Joe Savoldi left ND.
Stonebreaker got a DUI in 89 and it's a miracle he graduated but he took some time off from school and came back in 1990 season culminating in the ND-Miami game-the Final Chapter-to seal the deal with Erickson and company and get the victory in South Bend. I think Stonebreakers issues were under reported. Lou had his challenges.
I mention this because ND has had its share of scandals but what makes ND special is its adherence to standards and a good faith attempt to hold athletes accountable for their actions.
For example, anybody read the Columbus PD blotter report lately? Let's go over a few notable cases over the years; 2005 Booster Boy Troy Smith taking $500.00 from a booster and not knowing it was wrong. Maurice Clarett openly saying somebody else was taking tests for him. Terrell Pryor's tattoo-gate that caused him to leave school and got Sweater Vest fired. How many assault charges does O$U get on any given weekend for example?
Service Academies have cheating scandals. Does that mean the Academies are somehow less? The opposite is true. The fact that ND is not afraid to give out punishment is what makes it special when compared to the cesspool of college football programs out there who have been half as successful as ND and not had any of the academic and disciplinary standards or academic oversight that ND had. Some would argue the "frozen 5" of last year is an example of excessive punishment that no other big time program would endure.
ND's number of disciplinary issues are extremely small compared to the rampant criminal conduct elsewhere at other big time programs. PSU and their homosexual rape case... These other colleges have a complacent Police Department and Judicial System (FSU- and J. Winston rape coverup anybody?) . I could go on but I think the point is made. ND has real standards and holds their players to them-that's why they are in the news. These other schools have football graduation rates in the 50th percentiles (O$U) which would get an ND coach fired. I'm calling for perspective here.
Stonebreaker got a DUI in 89 and it's a miracle he graduated but he took some time off from school and came back in 1990 season culminating in the ND-Miami game-the Final Chapter-to seal the deal with Erickson and company and get the victory in South Bend. I think Stonebreakers issues were under reported. Lou had his challenges.
I mention this because ND has had its share of scandals but what makes ND special is its adherence to standards and a good faith attempt to hold athletes accountable for their actions.
For example, anybody read the Columbus PD blotter report lately? Let's go over a few notable cases over the years; 2005 Booster Boy Troy Smith taking $500.00 from a booster and not knowing it was wrong. Maurice Clarett openly saying somebody else was taking tests for him. Terrell Pryor's tattoo-gate that caused him to leave school and got Sweater Vest fired. How many assault charges does O$U get on any given weekend for example?
Service Academies have cheating scandals. Does that mean the Academies are somehow less? The opposite is true. The fact that ND is not afraid to give out punishment is what makes it special when compared to the cesspool of college football programs out there who have been half as successful as ND and not had any of the academic and disciplinary standards or academic oversight that ND had. Some would argue the "frozen 5" of last year is an example of excessive punishment that no other big time program would endure.
ND's number of disciplinary issues are extremely small compared to the rampant criminal conduct elsewhere at other big time programs. PSU and their homosexual rape case... These other colleges have a complacent Police Department and Judicial System (FSU- and J. Winston rape coverup anybody?) . I could go on but I think the point is made. ND has real standards and holds their players to them-that's why they are in the news. These other schools have football graduation rates in the 50th percentiles (O$U) which would get an ND coach fired. I'm calling for perspective here.
