Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
The experts appear to be split this week.
Notre Dame will attempt to get to .500 for the first time this season Saturday when it visits North Carolina. It’s all part of the quest to still make a respectable bowl game. We’ll see how far they’ve come in a week and whether that particular bowl goal remains a possibility.
Let’s look at what some college football experts, including fellow College Wire sites, are predicting for this game:
After our story about Daniel Morrison’s call for Notre Dame to dump the “Fighting Irish” nickname was published, the reaction was strong.
After our story about Daniel Morrison’s call for Notre Dame to dump the “Fighting Irish” nickname was published, the reaction was strong. People were quick to defend Notre Dame’s identity and everything that comes with it. The clear feeling among the masses was anger that anyone would even consider taking the time to suggest this. On Tuesday alone, the story had over 31,000 views, most of which came from Facebook.
Another opinion came in video form by YouTube user IrishBenjamin57. Though the video came from a small channel, IrishBenjamin57 made his feelings about this story clear. More importantly, he explained why this idea affects him personally and not merely as an Irish Catholic American:
This piece struck a nerve with some people more than others, and it shows. Stories like that of IrishBenjamin57’s exist all over Notre Dame’s fan base. This one just happens to have been shared on YouTube. Even if this idea doesn’t affect you on as deep or personal a level as IrishBenjamin57, you can’t disagree with standing up for what you believe in.
Daniel Morrison of Slap the Sign, Notre Dame’s Fansided site, has launched a campaign for the university to consider changing its nickname.
Daniel Morrison of Slap the Sign, Notre Dame’s Fansided site, has launched a campaign for the university to consider changing its nickname. At a time when the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians are taking serious looks at their identities, it only makes sense that this should fall under the spotlight, too. But is it warranted?
In short, Morrison argues that, in spite of many people embracing the Fighting Irish moniker, it’s rooted in negative stereotypes of Catholics and immigrants. He also gives historical context: Irish people once were looked at in the U.S. with the same prejudice that other minority groups are today. Thus, stereotypes were born. As one can see from the aforementioned professional franchises, there’s a long history of those in this country, and now, people are trying to undo what their forefathers did.
Should Notre Dame get rid of the leprechaun logo? Should it simply drop the word “Fighting” from the present nickname? Should it go in a different direction altogether? This could be the beginning of a long debate.
I’ve mentioned this before, but the one Notre Dame game I’ve been to was the 2012 win over Michigan.
I’ve mentioned this before, but the one Notre Dame game I’ve been to was the 2012 win over Michigan. It was the Irish’s first home contest after the apparent death of Manti Te’o’s girlfriend, Lennay Kekua. The student cheering section waved leis in support of Te’o. But no one, including Te’o, suspected they were being had, and now, the ESPN series “Backstory” is ready to examine it.
Up next on BACKSTORY… Manti Te’o: Too Good to Check.
Coming this fall… pic.twitter.com/rzVzmGI1lz
— Don Van Natta Jr. (@DVNJr) June 29, 2020
John Buhler of FanSided gave a nice reaction to this news and mentioned what many of us still think about the whole thing years later. The revelation that Te’o had been catfished was one of the most bizarre bombshells in the history of sports. Fortunately for Te’o, the story had faded from the public consciousness by the start of his NFL career.
Enough time has passed that this hoax can be examined with all available information. Some lessons are bound to be learned, or at least relearned, in this documentary. The obvious one is you probably should actually meet someone before claiming to be in a relationship with them. The rest will be realized as we watch this story unfold all over again.
Those who have followed LeBron James closely know he was as equally talented at football in high school as he was at basketball.
Those who have followed LeBron James closely know he was as equally talented at football in high school as he was at basketball. People often ask what would have happened had he gone further on the gridiron than St. Vincent-St. Mary’s receiver. Alas, he chose the hardwood, and the sports world is better for it. The closest we ever got to see him play football on a national stage came in a State Farm commercial:
Way before fully committing to basketball, James was recruited as a football player. Patrick Schmidt of FanSided resurrected a 2016 ESPN story of how Urban Meyer pursued James while he was Notre Dame’s receivers coach. What Meyer didn’t realize while making his pitch was that his recruit was turning far more heads in his other sport. That James was in attendance the night Meyers and Ohio State won the 2014 national championship had to be a small consolation.
Many believe James would have been a prolific NFL tight end had things gone differently. In an alternate universe, imagine him suiting up for the Irish along his journey. Could he have helped save Tyrone Willingham’s job or prolong Charlie Weis’ time in South Bend? We’ll never know, but that’s how it should be.
