via Rivals:

It was pointed out in last week’s mailbag that Notre Dame is one of just five major programs (USC, UCLA, Washington and Tennessee are the others) that haven’t faced a Football Championship Subdivision opponent since the schedule was expanded to 12 games in 2006.

Although an undeniable fact, the inclusion of Notre Dame sparked a wave of emails discrediting the Irish. Most were sent from readers that – like Misha – identified themselves as Michigan fans.

That’s ironic because Notre Dame’s schedule was comparable to Michigan’s.

Michigan played Penn State. Notre Dame played USC. Both teams played Michigan State and Purdue. Both beat teams that managed just two victories – Notre Dame over San Diego State, Michigan over Miami (Ohio). Michigan did play undefeated Utah, while Notre Dame played winless Washington. Obviously, that’s a big difference there. But the remaining teams on Michigan’s ‘08 schedule – Northwestern, Wisconsin, Illinois, Penn State, Toledo and Minnesota – were a combined 41-35. The remaining teams on Notre Dame’s ‘08 regular-season schedule – Pittsburgh, Navy, Syracuse, Boston College, North Carolina and Stanford – were a combined 42-35.

That’s 11 games. The 12th? Notre Dame beat Michigan 35-17.

So, when you analyze it further, Notre Dame’s schedule wasn’t much different than Michigan’s.

In fact, Notre Dame’s schedule wasn’t that easy. Half of the teams the Irish faced last season played in bowl games.

But the repeated criticism against the Irish was that they only beat one team with a winning record (Navy) in the regular season. Some argued that Navy isn’t even a quality opponent, even though the Midshipmen have posted at least eight victories in each of the past six seasons.

Yet, there were three bowl teams from the power conferences that had just one regular-season victory over a Football Bowl Subdivision team with a winning record. Minnesota beat Florida Atlantic, Connecticut beat Cincinnati and Arizona beat California.

Kentucky didn’t have a regular-season victory over a winning FBS team.

No one questions LSU, but it beat just two winning teams in the regular season – 7-6 South Carolina and 8-5 Troy. Wisconsin also beat just two winning FBS teams – 7-6 Fresno State and 7-6 Minnesota.

But that’s enough looking back.

Notre Dame’s ‘09 schedule again doesn’t include any FCS opponents and 10 are major-conference opponents. The other two opponents are Nevada and Navy, both of whom went to bowls last season. The Irish also face Michigan, Michigan State, USC, Boston College, Pittsburgh, Connecticut and Stanford, among others.

That might not be the strongest schedule in the nation, but it’s definitely not the easiest.

This video is a little off topic but sums up a lot of how I feel about the markets these days.  It also demonstrates the same level of pain, hate, and anger felt after an abysmal ND loss.

I am thinking about setting up a Break Stuff room in my house.  First order of business after Notre Dame loses another unnecessary game at home next year: take it out on the CRT Monitor.

Serious Foul Language Warning:

NJ receiver to play for Irish

Associated Press

8:40 AM CDT, June 8, 2009

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - New Jersey high school receiver Bennett Jackson has made an oral commitment to play football at Notre Dame in 2010.

Jackson caught 35 passes for 806 yards and four touchdowns last season at Raritan High School in Hazlet, N.J. He also rushed for five touchdowns and scored three TDs on returns.

He’s the fifth player and second receiver to commit to the Irish for next year and tells the South Bend Tribune he picked Notre Dame over Pitt and Michigan State. NCAA recruiting rules prohibit Irish coach Charlie Weis from commenting until he signs a national letter-of-intent next February.

The 6-foot, 168-pound Jackson had an unofficial visit to Notre Dame last month. He plans an official visit in the fall.

In the heart of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, Notre Dame has decided to raise ticket prices once again.  $65 a ticket wasn’t enough.  The Administration has predictably tacked on another $3. 

It is a shame that after two pathetic years of disgraceful football, the School has chosen to go down this route.  Let’s review the facts:

1)The 2007 Irish finished 1-6 at home with numerous blowout losses and an embarrassing loss to Navy, the first of it kind in a generation.  

2)The 2008 Irish lost at home to a pathetic, lowly Syracuse team and pull off a stunning, come-from-behind 21-13 nail-biter against San Diego State.

3)The gameday experience has become stale, boring, predictable, and lengthly.  Let’s hear it for that South Dining Hall crew!  

4)The gameday experience has also been tainted by overzealous mall cops inside and outside the stadium.  It has been well documented on ndnation.com and other fan sites that Notre Dame has been cracking down on fun.

5)The economy is in the crapper.  With average household wealth dropping 18% last year, many families will think twice about shelling out $68 per seat this year. 

In a time when Notre Dame should be seriously considering lower ticket prices, the single-minded. money-grubbing Administration has once again let us down.  Michigan, who lowered their prices this year, deserves a tip of the cap.  

As I did last year, I pledge not to enter the Stadium this year.  Until Notre Dame lowers ticket prices or improves the gameday experience, I will sit out.  It’s not that I can’t handle the $3.  It’s about the principle.

For those that would like to justify the price increase, the supply and demand argument falls on deaf ears.  Demand is slumping(see the Syracuse game last year coupled with the economy this year), and supply is increasing(ND technically has 8 home games this year)  Notre Dame is in jeopardy of not selling out every game this year. 

Also, as a finance major working in finance, I still believe in capitalism.  But I also believe that non-for-profit institutions should not be in the business of squeezing the people whom they serve.  

Once again this year ND stands for Nickel & Dime.

Get ready to see a resurgence of this picture around the internet:

USC LB’s Brian Cushing & Clay Matthews tested positive for steroids at the NFL Scouting Combine, according to various sources, including one NFL team.

Here is a link to the first allegations of Cushing’s steriod use posted almost three years ago on July 2, 2006: LINK

Cushing denies ever taking steroids. “We get drug tested every three weeks out here so it’s virtually impossible to take steroids [and get away with it].

HT: Shult

Pretty funny letter from Holtz sent out to former players: New Letter From Holtz

I have a problem with Charlie blaming the three losses to Pitt, North Carolina, and Syracuse on “lack of maturity” and “not knowing how to finish.” Notre Dame enjoyed double digit leads in each of those games and still lost. It comes down to Charlie not slitting throats ALL THE TIME.

Hopefully, he has figured this out heading into his fifth season. The Hawaii game was a step in the right direction.

BONUS VIDEO:

Here’s Weis breaking down his performance with Bon Jovi a couple weeks ago in New York City for a Hannah & Friends charity event. I was lucky enough to see this live thanks to an invite from Jimmy P. It was a great night with good friends. And Bon Jovi was pretty much awesome.

Another year, another bracket without the Irish.

Follow this link.

Group is 97137

Password is “canbrey”

Winner gets bragging rights and a date with me.

Businessweek just released their undergrad business school rankings and Notre Dame came in second place.  Mike Anello is featured:

Anello coming back for a fifth year.  Maybe this recession isn’t all bad.