In reply to: Well, we got the WWL A-team of announcers for Sept. 2 posted by 1NDGal
This is the answer. It's odd that highly-educated fans get bent out of shape about what talking heads on television have to say about their team.
Controversy drives ratings. That's why they'll never be a true playoff like in college basketball, where gambling trumps TV interest.
Moreover, any criticism about ND football is probably spot on. We have sucked in big games, our coach is an a-hole, and most of our kids are overachievers.
You’re going to have to believe me on this one.
Herbstreit goes to great lengths to champion most B1G schools against ND. And he’s another “they don’t play a conference championship” guy. He doesn’t dislike ND at all (he loves Brady Quinn, e.g.) but he (a former tOSU QB) can be obnoxiously pro-B1G.
Game Day was at that game. ND was undefeated. Air Force was pretty good and may even have been ranked. They were all picking ND to lose that game.
During the game (which Notre Dame won) the camera spotted Chris Fowler on the Air Force sidelines. Wearing an Air Force ball cap.
Fuck Chris Fowler. And that smarmy blow-dried asshole Herbie.
And grew up as an Air Force fan.
of (insert announcer here hates ND)
TV personality wears hat of home team in biggest matchup in school history. Guy must be an asshole. Air Force was, indeed, ranked, and they were undefeated.
It’s not possible that he was just watching from the home team sideline and someone gave him a hat to wear...right?!?
For the record, I have thought Fowler was pretty anti-ND in the past. But I’ll take 1NDGal’s report since she seems to have inside scoop.
Back in the mid-90s, I was the head of marketing at Nokia & we did a great deal of college football activities, including the Nokia Sugar Bowl deal & regular season advertising. I had a chance to spend many days and nights with all the network people, especially ABC & ESPN, at games, bowls, ESPY awards & Super Bowl games. My take isn't as much as they hate ND, but rather we have or at least really had in those days such a brand awareness that was universal & independent of almost anyone else out there. They all gave me crap when they learned I was an ND grad, BUT it always seemed to be fun give - and - take. At the press conference in New Orleans for the Nokia Sugar Bowl sponsorship, Bob Griese couldn't stop needling me about the ND - Purdue rivalry. When I talked to them 1-on-1, they always felt that ND was a special place. It's TV - they need a lightening rod- that is our fate in life & we have to make the best of it.
in which he went to the mattress to deny ND the championship? If you want to know what someone values or truly hates watch their behavior. He has gone far out of his way to purposely abuse or undermine ND on so many occasions that no "authoritative" belief to the contrary could possibly be valid.
Can’t say more than that.
Championship should have been split.
We didn't just beat them, we dominated the game. Even a split championship would have been a total injustice.
any other school or conference for that matter) ? Just clarifying your point not challenging it.