Sometimes, Fighting Irish alumni (and fans) act like they’ve been dropped on their head one time too many. They get foggy and can’t think straight. They believe that Notre Dame MUST serve some higher cause of molding the finest men, when all the school owes is an OPPORTUNITY for individuals to succeed (no matter the field it is in). They forget that Notre Dame is a football school, and owes its ability to impact young men because of the riches that the program has brought. They forget that the school must be open to recruiting all players-even ones that aren’t academically stellar (but who are gifted enough to have the NFL in their future) to keep the program rolling.

Why?

Because Notre Dame has been built with winning football (Take out a piece of paper and jot down some famous alums off the top of your head. How many are football related?), but is losing that relevance with each passing year. And this cannot continue, or the emotion that comes with the words “Notre Dame” will be lost, and the brand will be eroded. (People tear up when they see Rudy, not when an engineering student builds a working robotic arm.) How many want to attend the school because they grew up “Notre Dame” before they even set foot on campus or learned the curriculum? Trust me, there is more than one case like that. The love is there first, and the logical benefits (degree, networking) are realized after the fact. This is the way it is, and why Notre Dame is a big name as an institution.

Since Notre Dame is thriving academically, I do not think it would hurt the school to be willing to take in a few gifted football players a year (that aren’t the most concerned with school), to try to make the program the nation’s best once again. The cost would be small (the academic standing wouldn’t be hurt much due to the small number of people “let in”), and the benefit would be huge (more wins, more money into the school, increase in brand value).

The debate has already begun. In one corner stands South Bend Blarney, who says (to the special few) come to Notre Dame as long as you bring something of value. In the other (majority corner) stands Kelly Green, who says come to Notre Dame, but only if you can pass calculus. Dan at KG stated his case already, and now the the Blarney will plead his. Believe me, there are reasons that Notre Dame needs these types of kids, and reasons these types of kids need Notre Dame.

Fact 1: Notre Dame needs the boost.

Notre Dame needs to play for it all. (As I stated above, the brand value of Notre Dame goes up as due to the emotions attached to the football program.) And they need elite players to field the best football program in the nation.

Electric players make a difference. Because even in a team sport, an individual does matter. A special player can add 2 or 3 wins to your total. The ‘89 and ‘90 Irish were more dependent on the Rocket that you would like to admit. He was the guy the broke Michigan’s back with not 1, but 2 punt returns. The man that USC feared. And if not for a questionable clipping call, the punt return against Colorado would have been one of the magic moments in Notre Dame history. Dan argues that letting just a few players in wouldn’t make a big difference (while hurting academic reputation), but Ismail single-handedly defies this. You can add 3 or 4 (Michigan twice, USC in ‘89, Tenn in ‘90) more losses to those squads without Rocket. What would the ‘05 and ‘06 Irish be without Brady Quinn? 5 or 6 win teams? In football, a lot of guys have to do their jobs, but a lack of players that are good enough to play in the NFL have hurt the Irish (the results don’t lie).

The players that are this gifted may be the ones that have the mentality of just going through school or just biding time until they get to the NFL. And I say, so what? Notre Dame may not have basket weaving, but there are easier course loads. And while some players may want an even easier workload (Andy Katzenmoyer), there are others that would take a slightly harder major to reap the exposure benefits that Notre Dame brings.

And, if you happen to think that a few players can’t make enough of an on-field impact among 22 players, they certainly wouldn’t put a hurting on Notre Dame’s academic reputation among 8,000 students.

Fact 2: Notre Dame can offer to athletes what nobody else can (still).

Notre Dame still provides the best platform for the elite. Athletically, the school is the most well-known in the world. The Yankees of college football (and football is the most popular sport in the country). As a player you will never have a bigger stage to strut your stuff. Every home game is on national television. I know that cable and the internet have changed the way we view things, and now you could watch South Dakota State vs North Dakota State if you wanted to, but who wants to tune into that? Notre Dame is provocative and interesting. Loved and hated. People tune in (especially when the program performs well). If the Irish are playing well, people will watch, no matter how many other options there are.

In the mid 90’s (when FSU was the best program in the country) I read an article where Bobby Bowden (their coach) said that if he was a high school star, he would play for Notre Dame: “If you can just halfway play football, you can win the Heisman. I mean, all you gotta do is wear that shirt.” There is no place where a college star can increase his worth like there is at Notre Dame. Tommy Z was an All-American. Tommy Z got burnt deep at least once a week.

Even with the exposure that other elite football schools like team Hollywood (USC) get, Notre Dame is still the best chance for a kid to be on ESPN, and for a kid to get paid because of name recognition (in the future).

Fact 3: Elite players ready to leave early will not hurt team chemistry.

I have thought about this fact in response to the Weis interview, where he basically said the school does not go after the kids looking for the early train out. In college basketball this would mean a “one and done” player (Greg Oden, Carmello Anthony).

Sorry, but he should. In one year, the so called “selfish” players mentioned above both played for an NCAA championship (with Anthony winning). Under Lou, Notre Dame was certainly not worse off having Rocket and Jerome Bettis. In college, they have to stay for three years anyway, and that won’t make the team undergo too much of a transition.

Every person that is supremely talented has a level of “greed” and selfishness to them. But, in trying to advance themselves, they will help the team (keep in mind that I am not advocating going after true knuckleheads like T.O.).

Fact 4: Admitting an under performing student may not matter, Notre Dame can turn the tide.

Not every person has it figured out at 17. (Not every person has it figured out at 40, either.) Letting in a kid that doesn’t care as much about academics may give him the opportunity to see things in a different way. People are products of their environment, and Notre Dame may open a student’s eyes. Tony Rice was a prop 48, and he became a very successful student and business man (in fact, he owns his own business). The culture of Notre Dame can change a man. Good organizations affect people in good ways. Randy Moss was a problem child in Oakland, and has been a model citizen with the Patriots. It’s not a coincidence. If Notre Dame has such a good reputation (and therefore expensive) there must certainly be a reason. I know that no school works harder for you once you get a degree, but it also stands to reason that the school offers elite professors that can be leaders of men, and perhaps give young minds a new way of thinking.

If a student just wants to go the football route, fine. Let it be.

But, if a student realizes that Notre Dame has options (make you a star in football, or make you a star in business), the school has offered more than other football powers

Fact 5: As good as Notre Dame is, it does not have the academic prestige of the Ivy League.

Notre Dame has raised its standards in the last ten years. Every writer that covers college football tells you that (every chance they get). The evidence is clear to see on the annual reports of the best colleges. Good for the school.

But, it is still not Ivy League. Dan at KG asks how can you out-FSU FSU, but on the other hand, how can you out-Harvard, Harvard? Ivy League schools get their value from the elitism that comes with their academic reputation. The elite of this country (with the deepest of pocketbooks) will send their own to one of these schools above any other with a great academic reputation. Can you imagine the bile that would build up in a Rockefeller if they had to admit to a fellow country-clubber that their youngest was not going to Yale? Notre Dame does not demand that type of devotion from the rich in this country (obviously a way to merit more prestige).

As I have argued, the Irish get their value with the feelings associated with the football program.

The school may or may not entice these players, but they should damn well try to snag a few. Like I said before, Notre Dame is THE show, and it needs the stars to perform on its stage.