<p>Yankees1-Notre Dame football strikes me as a lot like General Motors. It was once the greatest industrial corporation and one would ask -how could a firm with its reputation ever fail. “It will always survive.” Even a year ago it had a share price of $35, but has suffered through a “sustained downturn in quality” economic results. A small upstart that had less than 5% of the market in 1975 named Toyota is now bigger than GM.</p>
<p>Notre Dame, the team I grew up with and remember whipping Texas in the Cotton Bowl and Alabema in the Sugar, cannot live on reputation forever. We are looking at a 20 year sustained downturn that includes no national titles or major (or for that matter any) bowl victories. The Toyota in the analogy is Boston College, with whom we cannot play a competitive game any longer, and who threatens to steal ND’s niche. ND even looks like it is now afraid to schedule them.</p>
<p>If we get ripped by USC like we have been the past 2 years, the whole thing can come crashing in. I am not comforted that Jenkins is handing out honorary degrees to everyone who can help to hold together the dam on Notre Dame football-Immelt of GE/NBC got one last year I think and as you point out Sample did as well. While these guys probably deserve to be honored, they have economic interests and pressures they must address as well, no matter how much they love or respect Notre Dame. </p>
<p>Notre Dame simply does not look like a top 25ish team. With the level of talent on the roster, the answer lies, in my view with the coaching. You may disagree and you may disagree that the consequences are as serious as I think they are. But I think change is needed.</p>