Notre Dame the “Wal-Mart” of College Football?
According to some state representative from Connecticut who is writing articles for the Hartford Courant, Note Dame is and will still be, the “Walmart” of college football.
There is no question Notre Dame will remain the “Wal-Mart” of college football as long as it is able to keep its national television network deal.
Um, what that a compliment? A back handed compliment? A jab?
It seems that Mr. Christ is a little bent out of shape that UConn will be playing Notre Dame in Gillette Stadium instead of Rentschler Field – UConn’s normal home stadium. He writes:
As a UConn football season ticket holder, state legislator from East Hartford and taxpayer who at the request of UConn supported using nearly $100 million in taxpayer funds to build Rentschler Field, I find it insulting that the school’s athletic department is now considering leaving “The Rent” in favor of outsourcing our home games against Notre Dame.
Nevermind the fact that an up and coming program like UConn’s benefits greatly from playing a team like Notre Dame on a national stage for 10 straight years.
Ask most Notre Dame fans how they feel about the series with UConn and many will question why the series is 10 years long. Could playing the games in Gillette Stadium be a consolation for a 10 game series?
And honestly, what does being the “Wal-Mart” of college football mean? Many people see Wal-Mart as a gigantic corporation which puts small town “mom and pop” stores out of business. Is that how Mr. Christ sees Notre Dame in this deal? As a giant corporate bully pushing around the small mom and pop in UConn? Because if that is the case, shouldn’t the corporate giant have been able to pull the same deal without agreeing to a guaranteed 10 game series?
Granted, this 10 game series has not even been formally announced yet, despite multiple reports that it is all but signed.
Frank Vitovitch has been Co-Owner and Editor in Chief of UHND.com since joining forces with Kyle Flavin in 1999. Since that time, he has written over 2,000 articles covering Notre Dame football, recruiting, and basketball. He also works with all staff and external writers on all articles published on UHND.com. Frank's love for Notre Dame football started at a young age watching Rocket Ismail give opposing coaches ulcers in the late 1980's. By day Frank works in marketing and holds a degree in Digital Media from Drexel University. Frank's work has been cited by online/print editions of NBC Sports, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated and has been quoted on air by ESPN's Collin Cowherd. He's conducted interviews with Notre Dame legends Rocket Ismail, Randy Kinder, Lee Becton, Reggie Brooks, Michael Stonebreaker, and Ned Bolcar among others over his 20+ years of covering Notre Dame football. He's also been published in the print edition of USA Today Sports Weekly and the USA Today College Football Preview multiple times. Other Published Works/Citations for Frank Three Reasons Notre Dame Will Beat Alabama - USA Today Notre Dame Suspends WR Kevin Stepherson, RB C.J. Holmes Indefinitely - Bleacher Report Notre Dame / Ohio State Fiesta Bowl Preview - Eleven Warriors Brace Yourself: The Fighting Irish are Relevant Again - Sports on Earth Interviews with the Enemy: A Q&A with Frank Vitovitch of UHND - Yahoo! Sports Five Good Minutes: Notre Dame Football Preview With UHND.com - BC Interruption Vicious Electronic Questioning with UHND - MGO Blog
I’m a lifetime Notre Dame football fan and a lifetime UConn fan in all other sports. It is insulting for ND to schedule games with UConn in Massachusetts. Not the same place, not the same fans, not a home game for the Huskies. Not to get too snarky, but how does ND keep a straight face when the talk turns to “superiority” on the football field? Growing up, I never imagined UConn basketball would become the equal of UCLA — but they have. I certainly never dared conceive that UConn would equal my beloved Irish on the football field — but they have. It’s past time for Notre Dame to put aside their airs and realize their cachet is not 10% of what it once was. No one fears them in football any longer, and that is unlikely to change in this brave new world. A bitter and winsome truth, but there it is. Come down off the high horse and play at Rentschler — especially if you want the thousands of ND fans in CT to continue rooting for the Irish. Peace Out.
Interesting choice of words by Mr. Christ, “Fighting Leprechans, Leprechanun Army, Wal mart of football, I find it insulting!, Blindsided and I say no!” Mr. Christ is some etymologist!
rentschler field only sits about 40,000 people. so that might have something to do with why notre dame doesn’t want to play there. considering how many people showed for the ucla and stanford games, imagine how many would show up to uconn. it would be like a home game. i had a debate about this with uconn fan a couple of months back. he didn’t realize how many people follow the team. so maybe someone should inform this guy. the wal mart of college football…ha.