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Notre Dame Hype Machine
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Alabama's Focus
By Michael Bradley
Blame it all on Roger Valdiserri. He was the trailblazing sports information director who decided to change the pronunciation of Joe THEES-mann’s name so that it rhymed with the stiff-arm trophy. Notre Dame had always been the darling of the media, but that may have been the beginning of the vaunted Fighting Irish “hype machine.”
(Those of you with sharp eyes will note that one of the players streaming onto the field at the end of “Rudy” had the name “Valdiserri” on the back of his jersey, a thank-you, no doubt, to the former SID for his assistance on the film.)
Throughout much of the next three decades, ND could always count on favorable treatment by the majority of the media. The Irish were given preferential treatment in pre-season polls. Their players needed less success to enter the Heisman derby. They were bowl game darlings. Even though a substantial anti-Notre Dame force existed nationwide, the Irish were always assured of considerable support. Some of that was due to the “it’s good for the game to have ND successful” argument, while others reasoned that if a player wore the blue-and-gold, he was most likely better than the person against whom he competed.
That’s why it was so interesting to hear Charlie Weis speaking Sunday, less than 24 hours after Notre Dame ran its record to 4-1. Instead of someone who presides over the only true “national” program in America, he sounded like a Mountain West coach, trying to convince everybody of his team’s worth and railing at a system that is unfair to schools like his.
“I can go right up the top 10 and work right on down,” Weis said. “You tell me what teams that are in there that haven’t had some trouble in their schedule. I mean, almost everybody has. If you compare apples to apples, I think that we deserve to be right there with everybody else.”
It’s hard to imagine Ara Parseghian or Dan Devine or Lou Holtz making such an argument. If any of their teams was 4-1, it was likely to be in the top 10, and other coaches would be trying to convince the media of their worthiness, vis-à-vis the Irish resume. Instead, Weis must plead for inclusion in the top 25, even though his squad has won three straight and just vanquished the school that bumped off USC.
It’s interesting to consider this situation. Part of it comes from the Irish’s chronic underachievement during Weis’ tenure. Although the Irish won 19 games his first two seasons, the last two campaigns have been dreadful, a reality rammed home by the elation generated by last year’s bowl win over Hawai’i. Weis himself has done nothing to help his cause. His over-the-top arrogance has alienated coaches and media alike. It’s the same thing that happened with Lou Holtz. He may seem like a kindly grandfather these days (key word there: seem), but when he was coaching, he was a nasty cuss. If you’re going to win an election, it’s a good idea to endear yourself to the electorate. Holtz got jobbed in ’93 when voters pushed Florida State ahead of the Irish after ND lost to Boston College, even though Holtz’s team had beaten the Seminoles. Think Bobby Bowden’s congeniality had anything to do with that? More than likely, the pollsters were more than happy to stick it to Lou.
Weis is more accessible and certainly humbler than he has been during his previous four years at the ND helm, but people don’t forget prior transgressions so easily. But that’s just part of it. The real reason Notre Dame cannot crack the top 25, despite its 4-1 record, is that people just aren’t sure whether the Irish are any good. They blew out a Western Athletic Conference team, survived scares against a pair of Big Ten opponents who are a combined 3-7 and needed two goal-line stands and overtime to subdue an improved but still shaky Washington club. Were this the NFL, where wins count the same whether they come against the fetid Browns or mighty Patriots, it would be different. In college football, victories are weighted. And since the Irish were considered marginal top-25 timber (pre-season 23 in AP and USA Today versions), they didn’t have a lot of people who believed in them in the first place.
Further, their loss came to a Michigan team that has since squeaked past a mediocre Indiana team and has lost to the same Michigan State squad the Irish beat. In other words, ND hasn’t conquered a team worth very much. Weis can make all the arguments he wants about how 4-1 is 4-1, but in this case, it isn’t too impressive.
On Oct. 17, all that can change. Southern California comes to South Bend, offering the Irish a chance at a signature victory. Beat the Trojans, who have owned ND for the past seven years, and you have something. USC may have lost to Washington, but they have also vanquished Ohio State and California. They’re ranked seventh in both polls, and they are the kind of big-time pelt that can impress voters.
Until that happens, the Irish must content themselves with a fast start, a hot quarterback (Jimmy Clausen is a win over USC from a serious Heisman candidacy) and some potential. Given what has happened the last couple years, that’s a great start. And Weis shouldn’t worry. If the Irish beat ‘SC and run their record to 8-1 or so, the voters will come around.
Until then, he should try smiling a little more. And maybe change his name to “Neis.”
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GAME OF THE WEEK: Florida at LSU, Saturday, Oct. 10, 8 p.m. (EDT) CBS. Will he or won’t he? That’s the question. Even if Tim Tebow can’t go on Saturday, the Florida defense should be able to keep what has been an uneven Tiger offense under control so that John Brantley and the O won’t have to put up 30 points. This should be a fun game to watch in a tremendous atmosphere, but in the long run, the Gators have too much for LSU, even without Tebow. Florida 28, LSU 17.
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BUMPS AND RUNS: Even though Houston coughed up all the good will it earned with wins over Oklahoma State and Texas Tech by falling apart last week against UTEP, the legend of Case Keenum continues to grow. The Cougar QB was amazing against the Miners, completing 51-of-76 passes for 536 yards, five scores and zero interceptions. UH isn’t perfect anymore, but Keenum deserves to be in the Heisman race, if not atop the list of candidates…Auburn is officially for real. The 5-0 Tigers still have a bunch of tough games (Arkansas, LSU, Georgia, Alabama) left, but Gene Chizik has them playing smart football, and Gus Malzahn has the offense crackling…Wisconsin looks pretty darn good these days, especially on offense, where the pound-it-out ground attack and the efficient play of QB Scott Tolzien have combined to average 35 ppg. We learn whether the Badgers are for real the next two weeks, when they face Ohio State and Iowa...Ron Zook’s decision to bench QB Juice Williams completes one of the more precipitous drops in recent history. In November, 2007, Williams was the toast of the Big Ten after engineering the upset of Ohio State in Columbus and leading the Illini to the Rose Bowl. Now, he might not get back on the field as a starter…Further evidence the ACC is ridiculous: Maryland loses to Middle Tennessee and needs overtime to beat James Madison but conquers Clemson, and Virginia loses to William & Mary but beats North Carolina. Looks like the whole league needs therapy…Best wishes to East Carolina defensive line coach Thomas “Rock” Roggeman, who will take a leave of absence to receive treatment for cancer. Our prayers are with you, Rock.