ND Schedules ASU Minus All Of The Perks…
domer.mq - 1:23 pm
Notre Dame just announced that they’ve placed ASU on the schedule – the 2013 schedule.
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – In the second to be announced of a series of “off-site” Fighting Irish football games, Notre Dame and Arizona State will square off on Oct. 5, 2013, at the new Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Notre Dame football will begin the series of off-site games in 2009 (versus Washington State in San Antonio) and play one game per season at locations in Texas, Florida, and in other cities.
The Irish and Sun Devils will be meeting for the first time since 1999. Notre Dame defeated Arizona State in Sun Devil Stadium in ‘98 (28-9) and again in Notre Dame Stadium in ‘99 (a 48-17 Irish victory).
The game will be played at the Cowboys’ new facility that is currently under construction and will open in the summer of 2009. With a capacity of 80,000 fans, it will be home to Super Bowl XLV following the 2011 NFL season, as well as the annual AT&T Cotton Bowl.
That’s right, in his infinite wisdom, Dr. White scheduled this game to be in Dallas, TX rather than Tempe, AZ.
First of all, flying into Phoenix is a vastly more pleasurable experience than flying into the ghetto that is DFW. The only experience worse than flying into DFW is flying into a mountain.
Secondly, it means playing a college football game without any of the college football ambiance. This will feel as much like a college football game as Pam Anderson feels real.
And thirdly, if you’ve ever had the pleasure of being in Tempe, on the campus of ASU, you know darn well why it’s a tremendous disappointment that we will not be in Tempe, on the campus of ASU. It’s just so darn… perky.
No. We’re not talking about the architecture.
Sigh.
Josh
It’s all about the Benjamins, baby! The reason they are playing in Dallas is because of television rights. If they played in Phoenix, the game couldn’t be on NBC.
May 8, 2008 at 3:07 pmdomer.mq
Josh, I fully realize that. And it’s no excuse. It’s not as though the ND brand is hurting.
May 8, 2008 at 3:42 pmBad Kermit
“The only experience worse than flying into DFW is flying into a mountain.”
Awesome.
May 8, 2008 at 4:34 pmdomer.mq
I’m glad you liked that. I thought you might.
May 8, 2008 at 5:10 pmperky mcperkyton
Ya right you’re talking about the “perky” architecture.
May 8, 2008 at 6:06 pmKen
But our presence in Texas and in the South will be phenomenal for our recruiting, it will really help our recruiting not just as a Football team but to also diversify the Student body more. ok and yes, it does suck that it is at Dallas and not ASU, but i still feel like it could be worse.
May 8, 2008 at 8:21 pmdomer.mq
I could be worse, but I don’t know why we don’t play, um, I dunno, Texas, Texas A&M, or even Texas Tech IN Texas.
Wait. Yes I do. TV money.
May 8, 2008 at 8:22 pmHal
I know it’s a good thing for recruiting visibility in Texas, and it’s bringing in some money. But I’d really prefer that we remain a college team, playing other college teams on their campuses.
I know. I know. This is part of the barnstorming tradition that made ND a national powerhouse. They used to play in Yankee Stadium, da, da, da.
That’s an important part of Notre Dame’s past — when the place was in need of visibility and name building. I don’t think anyone could say with a straight face that ND still needs that now.
I don’t think this is the end of the world. And there are even positives associated with it. But it’s still a little stinky because it really does boil down to one thing: money.
May 9, 2008 at 8:25 amdomer.mq
Hal,
ND played in Yankee Stadium b/c it was able to accommodate the number of people that wanted to see the game and there wasn’t much TV coverage then.
ASU’s stadium could accommodate that game. And if that didn’t work, they could play at the new Cardinals facility. This has nothing to do with tradition and everything with Kevin White never meeting an opportunity to make money off of the ND name that he didn’t like.
That guy would license ND Monogrammed condoms if it were up to him.
May 9, 2008 at 8:31 amSir John
I agree with all of you that it is a money generated thing. However, Texas is a prime recruiting area and Arizona is nothing, pardon Arizonians, but a backwater recruiting area for ND.
As to why we don’t schedule a Texas team that is a question White has to answer for.
As well this is all overlooking the fact of a huge Catholic and ND faction around that area of Texas that seldom sees ND LIVE. All IMHO.
May 9, 2008 at 9:22 amTrey
domer, you are so off your rocker im worried that someone hacked your account to write this. This post isnt you at all. “The ghetto that is DFW?” When was the last time you were in Texas? Dallas is perennially rated one of the most beatiful cities in the United States. It’s a major hub for technology, entertainment, travel. So theres my first contention with your post.
Secondly, you only seemed concerned about B***ing about the “White only cares about money” argument. While this may be true, I dont think this matchup truly makes the case for that. The Pac-10 is unequivically becoming seen as the top conference in the NCAA, and ASU is one of the better teams upcoming. So I think this is a great matchup. Definitely better than freaking Baylor, Wazzu, DUKE, UNC, etc.
Finally, I’m not the only one to make this argument here, but the recruiting aspects are unbelievable. Back in the 80s and 90s, we OWNED Texas recruiting. I loved seeing 6 and 7 guys from Texas on our starting roster. Now that we have hit hard times and UT and A&M are on the rise, we’ve lost our touch here and we need to get it back.
May 9, 2008 at 9:44 amdomer.mq
Trey,
As I wrote that, I knew some of our readers, particularly you, were from the area. Notice I didn’t say “visiting the ghetto that is Dallas.” I don’t mind Dalla. I hate, hate, hate your airport. I’m sorry if that’s offensive, but I do. If it makes you feel any better, I regularly choose to fly into Midway rather than Ohare, despite the inherent dangers because I hate, hate, hate ORD.
Aside from that, I don’t have any problem with playin in Texas, but for the love of god, do it on a college campus against a Texas team! And then play ASU in Tempe!
Barnstorming was never about ticket revs or TV deals. It was about literally playing “anyone, anytime.” Not “anyone, but only so long as we do it on a neutral field.”
May 9, 2008 at 10:03 amThe Biscuit
Trey, your airport does suck. Dallas is great, but its airport is the equivalent of the USC neighborhood in south central. Ghet-to.
May 9, 2008 at 10:46 amIrish_Wertzy
Now that condom idea could work out. You just need to figure out a way that it would say ND when rolled up, and then Notre Dame when “unrolled”, or in my case, “The University of Notre Dame, Home of the Fighting Irish”
May 9, 2008 at 12:02 pmdomer.mq
Wertzy, don’t forget, “Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America, Earth.”
May 9, 2008 at 12:03 pmtrey
Actually, I live in San Antonio, and I agree DFW sucks. But come on, youre contention is with the AIRPORT? Man, there is sooooo much more to Big D than that. But I do agree with you and have said many times that I hate playing these neutral site games with the goofiest opponents. I would LOVE to see us take on UT, A&M, and Tech. Baylor in Dallas isnt that much of a stretch, though. Theres no way in hell you can play that game in Waco. You want ghetto…
And OU in dallas makes sense to me too. If you ever drive through there during the State Fair, there are TONS of OU fans in Dallas.
May 9, 2008 at 12:47 pmOC Domer
Well, this idea is good for those members of ND nation who reside in Texas, but bad for those of us on the west coast. It’s hard to plan five years ahead, but I’d consider driving or flying to Tempe for a Notre Dame game (I’ve actually done both!), while I won’t consider going to Dallas for a game.
But we’re a little spoiled here in California. We get the games against USC, Stanford, and even UCLA in our backyard. The folks in Texas don’t have it as good. Good exposure for the brand in that region, good chance for Irish Texans to see the team. And, while the ladies in Tempe are very nice, there’s also something special about a Texas gal in high heels and blue jeans.
And, ASU is a very respectable, but beatable, opponent
May 9, 2008 at 4:44 pm