Notre Dame Athletic Compensation

An Unhappy Steve Spurrier

South Carolina football coach Steve (I hate Notre Dame) Spurrier has for the second year in a row raised the issue of athletic compensation for revenue producing student-athletes at the annual spring SEC confab.  You can read the article HERE.  For the record, “revenue producing student-athletes” are defined as college football and in some cases, basketball players.  One sticking point is whether the basketball program is in the revenue Black, as in (basketball power ACC) Duke versus say Boston College and Virginia Tech who are not. 

How many of the 120+ Division I schools even have football programs in the revenue Black is a good question.  We don’t know and don’t really care.

SAS wrote a decent article on the compensation subject some time back and you can check it out HERE.

Now we pretty much at SAS respect Spurrier as a college football coach.  Although he has in the past made a number of veiled snide comments concerning Notre Dame and on a regular basis voted the Irish low on the USA Today Coaches Poll.  No big deal, we know he is a moron.  Career wise he has made three idiotic decisions that may have affected his feeble train of thought.

** Leaving a football program that he pretty much rebuilt into a powerhouse in the SEC to defect for the NFL.

** In a terrible disaster, he went to work for Little Danny Snyder and the Red Skins.  It did not take Steve long to figure out that he could not coach at the professional level.  Many cannot.  Look at Lou Holtz and Pete Carroll.

** After getting fired by Little Danny Snyder, he jumped immediately back into the SEC to the only coaching job then available, the Gamecocks.  This is a Team that Holtz did not leave in a very good state, although Holtz diehards will argue that point.  Why Spurrier did not wait a year or two until an SEC football dominant school’s coaching job became available is a question he probably stays up nights wondering.  The Gamecocks ain’t it; Lou figured that out as well.

Here are some issues with Spurrier’s proposal:

** It appears he is directing this at the SEC.  Well that’s stupid, why give a recruiting advantage to the SEC?  Heck all the big conferences will then have to provide a $3,500 - $4,000 stipend.  Then what if the MAC decides to provide compensation, will the Big East and Conference USA be forced to follow?

** Where do you draw the line on revenue producing student-athletes?   Actually how many college basketball programs are profitable?  A lot has to do with TV contracts and revenue sharing in the conferences.

** OK, so you are a scholarship athlete running track at Notre Dame.  You have the same financial issues and needs as your brothers playing football.  Is that really fair that you don’t receive a stipend?

** What about partial scholarships?  Should they then be expanded as in a stipend provided those athletes?

** Well how about scholastic scholarships?  Don’t they have similar issues and needs?  We smell lawsuits.

** Moffet McGraw and her Team has drawn a crowd in the JACC the past two years.  The Notre Dame’s women basketball team has reached the NCAA finals those past two years.  You thing the Team is NOT profitable?  Why shouldn’t they get a stipend?

** Somewhere lawsuits will be filed that every student-athlete whether male or female should be entitled to Steve’s stipend.

** Do you set a $$ amount say $4,000 or do you tie it to inflation or a COLA?  Pretty soon you have a compensation entitlement which no one can afford.

** Where will it end?  Salaries?  Bonuses for playtime?  Achievable NCAA leader statistics?  Extra compensation for making All- Conference, All-American?

What a Pandora’s Box!  A free education is not enough?  Way too many college football players ignore that aspect of their careers and future.  The average career of an NFL player is 4-5 years, something the NFL does not publicize. 

Look at the disgusting events and exodus surrounding the Kentucky men’s basketball program this year.  The school has turned into nothing more than a minor league for the NBA.

Football and basketball player college graduation rates basically suck.  It is worse for African Americans many are not looking toward a degree by rather the NFL or NBA.  A chance and a life lost to a short time professional career.

Steve Spurrier Unhappy with a Referee as well as with SAS for this post

Steve needs to stick to coaching the Gamecocks and leave college finances to the big boys.

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My People Will Get You!

Who said good-old American entrepreneurship is dead?

Remember Tommy Rees and Carlos Calabrese involved in the police response and arrests at John Goodman’s apartment?  What was that phrase Carlos uttered to the local gendarmerie, “my people will get you!” 

Well now the T-shirt and infamous statement is available to all.

$15 bucks is not bad, the 2012 "Shirt is $18 and basically the same color.

Good News from ESPN

Well things are starting to look up. 

No, not the Fighting Irish.  Way too many question marks there at quarterback.

The college football announcing scene!   Huh. This fall we won't have to hit the mute button as much!  

ESPN has finally dumped Pam Ward from the ranks of college football announcing and has relegated her to some backwater sports nobody watches.

Add Notre Dame hater and buffoon Craig James who is running for the U.S. Senate from Texas.  ESPN had no choice there with the free publicity and conflicts if he remained.  If James would somehow blow the race and lose, we’re sure ESPN would be dumb enough to hire him back.

Last winter we were pleased that the University of New Mexico was stupid enough to pluck Bob Davies from the obscure bottom rung of football game color analysis and named him head coach.  We charitably will give him three years at UNM and then he will disappear into the high school coaching ranks.

Now, will Mr. Peacock oblige us and send Tom Hammond packing? 

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Notre Dame and NBC in Contract Negotiations

NBC Field Reporter Alex Flannigan

It was plastered in every factory, every shipyard and sea port during WWII.  “Loose lips sink ships.” 

Apparently Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick let slip to the wrong person at the recent conference athletic directors meeting that ND and NBC were in negotiations for a new/extended TV broadcast rights contract.

Man don’t ya just hate leaks?

Out guess is that with all the tom-toms beating again concerning conference jumping, defections, championship games (Big Ten and PAC-12), probable 4 team championship playoff format,  new bowl games (SEC vs. Big 12) etc., that Mr. Swarbrick is trying to get some leverage and poker chips in front of him if all hell breaks loose.

Well we here at Subway Alumni Station have a number of suggestions that should enter into the negotiations and discussions.  Here they are in no particular order of merit.

**  Dump play-by-play announcer Tom Hammond.  We are tired of his tremendous grasp of the obvious and limp announcing.  He should stick to horse racing.

**  Move kickoffs back to the original 1:00 p.m. EST time slot.

**  Start with a half-hour pregame show headed up by Mike Maylock.  This was something that was done the first two-three years of the original contract.  Highlight teams, give injury status, new starters, etc.

**  Give Alex Flannigan more airtime.  It is strongly suggested that she wear a tight halter top and miniskirt.  (The female staff members were not happy about this issue, but hey it’s my Blog).

**  New opening song and graphics.  Got cryin out loud Mr. Peacock, you’ve had the same opening for a million years.

**  Institute a post game show and not just based upon the time remaining to fill air space.  Develop a format that includes highlights, postgame interviews on and off the field.

**  Cut the commercials and TV timeouts back.  Add them into the pregame show and postgame show.

OK Jack, we are waiting for your call, we have more ideas as well.  However, we need to keep them under wraps because, loose lips sink ships.

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College Football $$$ Registers

Well college football has pulled out the calculators and cash registers.

Cases in point:

**  Florida State University, aka, FSU, and Free Shoe U, has been floating trial balloons and contemplating (if they have that ability) in departing the green pastures of the ACC for the Big 12.  The only reason is $$ and the current and future payout schedules for football and basketball.  This could start another round musical conference chairs for sure.  Historic Bobby Bowden has come out and voiced his option that FSU should stay in the ACC.  This along with cupcake scheduling could insure FSU final four shots on a regular basis.  Cha-ching.

**  The SEC and Big 12 have just recently inked an agreement to have their respective champions square off in an unnamed bowl in an unnamed location, starting in 2014.  This is a mirror to granddaddy Rose Bowl with the PAC-12 and Big Ten.  Cha-ching. 

**  The Big Ten will present its’ first conference championship game in 2012.  Cha-ching. 

**  The PAC-12 will present its’ first conference championship game in 2012.  Gee.  Cha-ching.

**  Texas worked a great deal with the Big 12 to retain some additional revenue and start up a state high school video channel.  Cha-ching.

**  Notre Dame is in negotiations with the Peacock concerning extending, rewriting, renewing or otherwise   selling its’ Soul to NBC beyond 2015.  Hopefully they will not call on former athletic director Kevin White for advice.  Cha-ching.

**  The recent shuffling of West Virginia, Pittsburg, Texas A&M, Missouri, and a bunch of little people schools between Conferences.  Cha-ching. 

The Conference Commissioners plus Notre Dame are figuring out how to setup a playoff system for college football.  Something that has been edging in that direction since the demise of the traditional New Year’s Day classic bowl games.  Things are not over, we guarantee it.  Wait until the ink is dry on the final setup for the four team National Championship Playoff system is in place.



Notre Dame Bashers/Haters

We here at Subway Alumni Station are sick and tired of Notre Dame haters, bashers, baiters, et.al.  All of us are also feed up with the warn out clique “Notre Dame Football, you either love it or hate it.”  Therefore, a side list is being created to highlight those writers, announcers, commentaries, who target our beloved Irish.  Yeah, we are not perfect, apparently Irish team members like to drink beer and have fun.  Gee, give us a break. 

This is the slow season in college football and Chicago Sun Times sports writer Mark Potash had nothing in his pea-sized brain better to write about other than how Brian Kelly and Notre Dame is lacking in disciplining it’s football players.  There is also reference to the recent underage drinking incident involving sophomore wide receiver DaVaris Daniels, implying that Notre Dame is a hotbed of underage drinking and all night partying.  Daniels was drinking in his own home at a party by the way.  That is his parent’s problem to sort out.

Anyway, trash writer Potash (boy we could have fun with that last name) and that rag of a so-called paper the Sun Times are the first on our wall of shame.  You can view the list and we guarantee you it will grow, on the top right side of the Blog.

Go Irish Torpedo Navy!

Former Notre Dame Linebacker Darius Fleming Injuried

San Francisco 49er Rookie Darius Fleming

Here is an excellent reason for a Notre Dame football player to stick around and get his degree.  You just never know what the future will bring.

Former Irish linebacker Darius Fleming was a fifth round draft pick chosen by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2012 draft.  Signed a $2.264 million dollar contract on May 14^th and tore his ACL during a non-contact incident in the afternoon mini-camp on the 15^th.  During the morning camp, he hurt his hamstring as well. 

Hopefully his contract will have clauses and conditions, which will support his return.  The 2012 season is in doubt.

We here at the Station, wish and pray for Darius to have a speedy rehabiliation and 100% recovery.

State of Indiana vs.Thomas Kevin Rees

Here is the “charge sheet against Tommy.  We sent our crack Subway Station Alumni crime reporter on the Blue Line straight to the Bend to get the true facts for our dedicated readers. 

As reported a cab driver just happened to be driving by and blocked Tommy from getting away from the pursuing police officer.  The cabbie refused to be interviewed, however here is a picture we were able to obtain from her cab company.

Cabbie Who Aided In the Arrest of Rees

The South Bend Police Department would not allow the arresting officer who ran Tommy down to be interviewed either.  A file photo recently provided to the South Bend Tribune is included below.

Our reporter did get a photo of the cab company staff.............

The house in question where the raid took place (700 Block of North Notre Dame Ave) looks like typical off-campus student housing.

Apparently not only was a beer party going on, it was also laundry day.

Former ND coach Charlie Weis upon hearing of the arrest

“ I don’t often drink with Notre Dame students but when I do, I can run like hell when needed.”  

“Stay thirsty my friends.”

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Notre Dame Monday Morning Quarterbacking and 20-20 Hindsight

Brian Kelly has had a rough two years.  A number of self-inflicted wounds, a whole lot of unfortunate turnovers and now the incident with Tommy Rees.   Who was basically his starting quarterback for the past two years and potential starter or backup in 2012.

We sat down with some coffee and fat pills to discuss what Kelly would take back and what he would do differently if he had a chance to do over again.  We suspect his Irish pride would not agree, but what the heck, we want to write about something other that Tommy Rees.  BTW, the coffee did have a wee bit of the old world in it to add some kick.

**  Pull Dayne Crist after the first half of the USF game.

**  Give Crist more chances and more snaps prior to his USC snap fumble.

**  At the USC post game press conference, not throw Crist and a couple other players under the bus.

**  In 2010 and 2011 prepare his backup quarterbacks a little bit differently because of the unexpected game day issues with consistency and injury at the QB position.

**  Had a plan B or the ability to develop and present a punt return game after initial issues with Theo Riddick.

**  Brought in assistant coaches a little bit quicker.

**  Kick a field goal against Tulsa.

**  Had supervision and monitoring system in place concerning filming on windy days.

**  Place more emphasis on the defensive plan against Navy.

** Gotten Hendrix on the field more in 2011.

**  Run the ball more in the Red Zone.

**  Realized that recruits with reluctant verbals are going to scatter to the four winds and create last minute recruiting holes.

**  Keep the defensive pressure on and not lose a 14 point lead to FSU.

**  Close out football games.  

**  Blowup on the sidelines.

**  Create a situation of Weis recruits versus Kelly recruits.

Did we miss anything?

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Notre Dame Down to Three QB's

Tommy's eyes look like the results of pepper spray

Well apparently Brian Kelly’s selection process in choosing a starting quarterback has just got a little bit easier.  Read about it Here.

The sports media and Notre Dame Bashers are going to be in ecstasy for some time to come.
We suspect the worst from the University.  Kelly may not have much to say or do about this alleged felony incident.

The Kelly Bashers are going to be saying that Kelly does not have a handle on actions of his Team and that he has lost control.  As in this drinking incident involving Tommy Rees and Carlos Calabrese and in the DWI of Michael Floyd.

A good friend of mine once said, “ Subway, life is tough and it’s even tougher if you’re stupid”.

Things are never dull when it comes to Notre Dame Football.  Unfortunately, Lou Holtz swears by the fact that bad news comes to groups of threes.  So hang onto your hats Irish sports fans.  Let's hope cooler heads prevail at the University, at the Athletic Department, and Prosecutor's Office.