Much has been made over the past few weeks about the likely demise of the Pac-12. With only four schools currently slated to be members in 2024, the conference’s future doesn’t look good. Or does it?
DJ Dunson of Deadspin has decided that Notre Dame needs to be the savior of the remaining programs. California, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington State apparently have become important enough to Notre Dame that it needs to upend its entire future for the sake of these particular teams. Here’s the idea in full:
“The ACC’s ham-handed attempts to scoop up Stanford and Cal were reportedly at the behest of Notre Dame looking out for their natural rivals. For now, that quid pro quo is on life support. Props to them for making an effort to rescue the eggheads in Palo Alto from a sinking ship, but you know what would help?
Why not join a conference that is seeking a media rights deal and join the Pac-12? The Pac-12 appears to DOA, but what does Touchdown Jesus represent if not the resurrection? It’s not a super-conference, but a mini-conference is a solid middle ground.”
No. No. Notre Dame does not owe anyone anything, least of all a group of teams they have very little history with except for the Cardinal. And the beauty of independence is that you can have this attitude and not worry at all about the shifting conferences around you.
Thanks for the offer, but if the day were to come that the Irish absolutely had to join a conference, the other side of the country is the last place they would consider. The aforementioned schools will just to find another way to sustain themselves.
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