You're spot on with the suspension comparison comment about other schools. Not much point in doing it.

I will say, however, that RPN's suspension is pretty stiff for what he ended up with (effectively a misdemeanor). But if ND is going to hold itself to a higher standard when it comes to student athletes, things like this have to happen.
Bill | Email | Homepage | 11.27.05 - 10:25 pm | #

The bowl grumbling move to a higher pitch.

Here's Auburns:

http://auburn.scout.com/2/471711.html
Soapbox | Email | Homepage | 11.28.05 - 7:27 am | #

Auburn lost to LSU, who lost to Tennessee, whom ND beat. Argument over.
SeanH | Email | Homepage | 11.28.05 - 9:46 am | #

I guess all the haters forget that the Non-NC BCS games are not for the 'most deserving'. That falls to the NC game. Please, does ANYONE (other than Mark May) think Pitt belonged in the Fiesta Bowl last year? Or F$U or Colorado (potentially) THIS year w/ 4 losses a piece and having been spanked in their last two games? If the big boy conferences don't like it, they only have themselves to thank/blame, as their greed created the current F'd up system. If they want 'fairness' scrap the BCS and go to a playoff.

OH, and this all would be moot if not for the blatant anti-Catholic hatred that was spewed out of Ann Arbor and Columbus in the early part of the century, as ND would have been part of the Big Televen/1?.
Domer95 | Email | Homepage | 11.28.05 - 9:57 am | #

The problem with the arguing over who deserves it more: it's based on a false premise.

At-large BCS selection is based on one thing: qualification. Once you qualify, it's all about who the bowl wants, not who deserves it. There is no argument over merit. None.
Bill | Email | Homepage | 11.28.05 - 10:31 am | #

I still cannot comprehend how it is possible for FSU to make a BCS bowl game this year. They're AWFUL, and their offense appears to be doing worse than even a Willingham O could do.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 11.28.05 - 10:38 am | #

Three of Auburn's wins are against 3-8 teams (perennial SEC doormats Miss.State, Ole Miss, Kentucky) and two wins are against 4-7 teams (Arkansas and god-awful Ball State). Moreover, I see they adhered to that noble southern tradition of beating up on a division I-AA team (western kentucky).

And one of their signature wins ('bama) is a joke to anyone who's seen just how bad 'bama is (anyone else notice the eerie similarity to ND's 8-0 start w/Ty?). I haven't seen much of UGA this year, but judging from how bad the SEC is this year, I wouldn't be suprised if they're a bunch of frauds too.

Finally, I find it amusing that the cumulative margin of victory for the top 4 SEC teams over Arkansas is 33 points (3+17+11+2), while USC beat them by 57 points. Screw Auburn.
Scott | Email | Homepage | 11.28.05 - 11:00 am | #

The problem with all of this whining from Auburn and Oregon is that THEY created this situation. Back when the BCS was formed and every time that it has been tweaked since, their conferences had the chance to make it about putting the best 8 teams in the country, regardless of conference affiliation, in the big bowls. They didn't do that. Instead, they sent a clear message to their member institutions - win the conference title or run the risk of being left out in the cold.

They have also had the chance to weigh strength of schedule more heavily, include or exclude margin of victory, rely more or less heavily on the human polls, etc. All of those things had problems with them as well, which is why the current system is as it is.

Hence, you wind up with West Virginia going and teams like Colorado and Florida State still with a chance to go this year (albeit a slim one), and with mediocre teams like an 8-5 FSU going a few years back.

Notre Dame isn't taking Oregon or Auburn's spot. The weak conference champs are.
Jon | Email | Homepage | 11.28.05 - 11:14 am | #

Well put Jon!
Enough said...
PTINDY | Email | Homepage | 11.28.05 - 11:47 am | #

Read Ivan Maisal's excellent article today at si.com regarding the conference championship games and a playoff. Very good read.

As for Mark May, I think i would respect him more is he just came out and said, "ND doesn't belong in a BCS game b/c they fired a black coach last year." Just state the truth and not go through dumb obscure stats and ridiculous arguments. I would respect him so much more.
Bryan ND '02 | Email | Homepage | 11.28.05 - 12:42 pm | #

I lost a lot of money betting before the season. My predictions of 7-4 turned into dust shortly after we dispatched of the hated swine from Purdue. Not that I'm complaining. This has been a remarkable year, now let's go get that bowl gorilla off of our back. He's making my legs buckle.
Coach Leahy | Email | Homepage | 11.28.05 - 2:33 pm | #

Bryan, Mark May is a token, but not in a racial sense. He is a token ND hater, and that's why ESPN pays him the big bucks. Let him be. We need some talking head to get us riled up every now and then.

If every sports commentator sounded like Sean Astin in "Rudy," I'd watch a lot less college football.
The Contrarian | Email | Homepage | 11.28.05 - 2:51 pm | #

Isn't it proof that ND is REALLY back when we can all chat about the 'controversy' over a BCS selection? WE ARE...........ND
Irish&UDFlyerFan | Email | Homepage | 11.28.05 - 3:00 pm | #

I view the increasingly vocal ND-bashing by the ND-haters in the media and opposing fan bases as the best proof that we're back. They must be in agony thinking what CW might accomplish with a few top 5 recruiting classes.
Scott | Email | Homepage | 11.28.05 - 3:24 pm | #

Rgarding Leitko & RPN, three words suffice:

Class.

Always.

Tells.
pgg | Email | Homepage | 11.28.05 - 4:14 pm | #

#7 AP/Coaches/Harris #8 BCS and a few seconds from undefeated is more than enough for an independent.

If BCS conference runner-ups have any issues they need to take it them up with the Big East. Better yet bring it to the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee, which is chaired by Oregon's Frohnmayer.

If anyone has any issues with the margin over Stanford, they need to take that up with the BCS. If the BCS allows the computers to consider margin of victory (capped or otherwise) the computers move ND ahead of Oregon.

If anyone thinks the BCS computer rankings are correct in putting W.Va. ahead of Notre Dame, you don't need to talk to anyone at all. In your reality OSU, Oregon, and WVa should all go.
canuck | Email | Homepage | 11.28.05 - 4:23 pm | #

Charlie's gotta love the Ducks. The louder they squack, the easier it is get his squad thinking the BCS game is a road game.
canuck | Email | Homepage | 11.28.05 - 4:27 pm | #

An interesting part of the Notre Dame season is the fact that they defeated Pitt, Purdue, Tennessee and Stanford, teams that each ended with 5-6 records. That means the Irish played a big role in preventing these four teams from bowl competition where six wins are needed to qualify for bowl play. I do not know, but can any other team make a similar or better claim on its competition?
baseballeddy | Email | Homepage | 11.29.05 - 8:30 pm | #