ESPN Seemingly Forgets Notre Dame is Actually in the Playoffs
Bowl season is officially underway and ESPN is excited. So excited in fact that they tweet out a special graphic yesterday to kick it off. In it they featured three of the four playoff teams and two head coaches from teams who aren’t in the playoffs. Guess who is the one team in the playoffs that the worldwide leader decided to omit? You get three guesses but the first two don’t count.
Here is the graphic they sent out.
The college football bowl season starts … NOW! pic.twitter.com/7Dg5HeTy8T
— ESPN (@espn) December 15, 2018
Advertisement
That’s right, they put Urban Meyer front and center even though the man disgraced himself this summer and is now walking away from the game. That shouldn’t be too surprising since when the Meyer news this summer broke, the silence from Bristol was deafening. But come on, UCF over Notre Dame?
You know who else noticed besides Irish fans? Notre Dame. The official Notre Dame football twitter account didn’t let ESPN’s disrespect go unnoticed. For those who aren’t at the top of their emoji game, that is the hand waving emoji. As in, “hi, we’re here too. Thanks for noticing.”
?#GoIrish https://t.co/bjy4ZTuUpq
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 15, 2018
Some current and future players chimed in too.
Mad disrespectful ?? https://t.co/jiEF5UQ9R7
— Chase Claypool (@ChaseClaypool) December 16, 2018
The disrespect https://t.co/CPYDPQXKiR
— Isaiah Rutherford (@zay_rutherford) December 16, 2018
It wasn’t going to be hard for Brian Kelly and his staff to play the disrespect angle from the get go but this will just a little more fuel to the fire for Notre Dame in their preparations for the Cotton Bowl and their showdown with Clemson.
Please, keep the disrespect coming ESPN.
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
Typical ESPN Article about ND after this year going into the playoffs:
1) Mention ND is in Playoffs
2) Remind everyone the Final score from 2012 vs Alabama.
3) Mention the QB change after 3 games
4) More talk about Bama/Clemson.
5) Talk about the crappy 2016 Season.
6) Mention that there is no conference championship for an Independent team.
7) Date & Time of the Cotton Bowl.
Must be easy to write for these “writers”. Copy, paste, repeat, Thank for all the great articles ESPN…..lol
Amen copy paste repeat and yet Brian Kelly is Coach of the Year.The more you rail on ND the stronger they become.Go GO ESPN .EVEN BETTER GO RISH!!!!!
Hey Burgy! Textual Analysis has just been “discovered” by the “geniuses” that protect this country…apparently it was invented in Russia, just like the telephone, the airplane, the internet, and hot dogs!
(It is hilarious to hear the Kremlin Party Line espoused every night word for word on FOX…good stuff – for Satan’s Kingdom)! A massive counter-offensive is called for here…but I’m betting on a “strong and unequivocal condemnation” of Russian interference from Congress and CNN. That will really get them, won’t it!
I’m telling you Burgy, try TA: it’s a great “Plan B” (just in case our 3 star QB and 4 star team are running away with game against the 5 star QB and his 5 star team by quarter 4).
BGC ’77 ’82
BTW: It is also hilarious to hear the exact same CNN and MSNBC journalists who mocked Romney for saying loudly and clearly that the Ruskies are our worst enemies now portraying themselves as a bunch of Paul Reveres on Russia. Whose ox was gored, as my grandfather used to ask! I tell you this: the old cold warriors are all dead, retired, or too pissed off at Washington DC to bother helping them out of this mess they not only allowed to happen, but actually are trying to exploit. Oh well, stew in your own juices people.
BGC ’77 ’82
To hell with ESPN we are ND watch us
Greg and Fitz–I agree, Greg–Jim Murray is my all-time favorite sports writer. Did you read the column where he talked about Woody Hayes and said he was afraid to fly over Indiana when he recruited in Michigan? Said he instructed the pilot to fly around in case they crashed! Just a funny, funny guy! Fitz, so your dad worked in the toy department–cool! The Louisville Courier has long had one of the best sports pages in the country, imo. Here’s a Joe Doyle/Ara Parseghian story for those interested. One morning Joe and I met Ara in his office before going downtown for their regular coffee meeting at, if memory serves, around 5 am. As Ara was getting his coat on, I spotted a map of the US with a bunch of pins in it. I asked Ara what it was and he said it was his recruiting map. I asked him which pins were his (there were all kinds of colors there) and he said the blue pins. There were only two on the map-California and Hawaii. Hawaii? I said. (Remember, this was in the days before Manti). He laughed and saId, yeah, it gives me and the wife an excuse for a vacation every year–scouting Hawaii players. Then he said he hardly ever scouted players or talked to them–his assistants handled that. He said about the only time he met with recruits was if they had a high recruit who was wavering and then he’d talk to him. Their biggest problem was not being able to take everyone who wanted to come. He said more than once, one of the ones ND turned down went to Michigan or Ohio State and their whole motivation was to beat ND. And, I remember the Oliver bar. My hangout was the Linebacker. Stan Pitzak was a good friend. I also worked just across the street at Michael’s Hairstyling. We did lots of ND students. In fact, I personally cut the hair of the entire hockey team under Coach Smith. Worked there full-time, and at the Trib part-time and went to IUSB full-time. Some of those days is in my recently-released memoir, Adrenaline Junkie.
Let’s hope ND makes them pay for their oversight. We can’t lose this game. Otherwise all the ESPN pundits will just say ‘see, nuthin to see here, on to Alabama-Clemson which we KNEW was goin to happen’. Wouldn’t it be hilarious if the NC game was ND-OK? The ESPN analysts would probably melt right on national TV.
But ND must beat Clemson. Most of the media is already prepping for Alabama-Clemson. In their eyes it’s inevitable. This would be a good time for ND to come out angry (but disciplined) and with some fight.
In a way it’s surprising. At least the in game commentators seemed pretty balanced in the ND games they covered (more so then home network NBC). I thought maybe ESPN had turned a corner when it came to ND. Even Herbstreit in the games he covered seemed pretty balanced, as late as the USC game guaranteeing ND would get a spot in the CFB playoff if they won out and making the argument they belonged by virtue of their record and schedule–which makes his Georgia comments confusing.
Maybe the PTB at ESPN reminded their people that they were supposed to hate on ND.
Well, whatever the reason I’ll take the locker room fodder. At the end of the day you still have to play good, disciplined football, but they can still use the disrespect as a way to push their desire to win to that next level.
Go Irish! Now is the time to have your best game.
Who gets upset over this type of stuff??? It doesn’t matter!
No fan of ESPN, but let’s be real. Notre Dame hasn’t won an NY6 bowl game in 25 years. They’ve been sounded defeat in every one since then. This team hasn’t proven to be any different than 2012, so we all expect the same outcome.
Keeping It Real,
I don’t think “all expect the same outcome”…but a lot of folks obviously do since they’ll give you 11 points.
Take the points Mr. Real.
BGC ’77 ’82
Frank, riddle me this, in the original title, what does the first letter of ESPN stand for?
They are about clickbait. I stopped watching ESPN the day that Lloyd Christmas (Skip Bayless) and Harry Dunn (Stevie Smith) spent a 10 minute segment on “Do you have a problem with what Little Wayne tweeted during last night’s Miami Heat game?
First Little Wayne needs a haircut. He is a tonsorial wasteland. He is as relevant to hoop as Nickie Bolelo and Joe Mel are to Notre Dame football. And anybody who does not know those names has not spent their time in the bend (or Notre Dame, Indiana) in the era of Ara.
There is a lot to analyze about the Notre Dame Clemson matchup, and more to analyze about the false equivalency of Clemson and Alabama.
Further, NBC is the network of Notre Dame. Espn knows that and acts accordingly. They have a lot of gap toothed hillbillies and Caucasians named Bubba and Leroy that dote on every ESPNword about the glory of the SEC. Who is the producer of the SEC network? Well, gosh it is ESPN.
It was once said of fox hunting “It is the unspeakable in pursuit of the uneatable”
Similarly click bait articles about a click bait network.
There is a football game in 13 days. Men at work on the field of honor. There is much to discuss.
Remember the first letter of “espn” And it doesn’t stand for journalism.
Duranko, you are right on the money. And, really appreciate the reference to Ara! I was fortunate to be a part-time sports reporter for the South Bend Tribune during those days, and one of my jobs was to assist our sports editor, Joe Doyle, on home game days. My “assistance” consisted mostly of keeping a fresh drink in front of him… (Years later, I heard he’d reformed and no longer drank.) But, Joe was a bona fide genius. This was in the days before the Intergnat and modums, and Joe wouldn’t take a single note, but immediately after the game, we’d go back to the office and he’d bat out his column. In it, he’d make a reference to some past game to something that had just happened in the game that day, and quote the players involved, their numbers, and all the minute details… And never look it up. And be exactly right. He was a giant. There are very few walking the earth like Joe these days. Certainly none at ESPN…
I don’t understand the 3 dislikes… did I miss something? If it was Joe’s drinking, that isn’t something he ever hid. In fact, that was pretty much the norm in those days for those who worked in the toy store…
Les, We may just have some tigers in Leprechauns clothing. Just read some testimonials about Joe Doyle. I gotta read some of His game accounts. The best I ever read was Jim Murray at LA Times describing the Notre Dame/Troy game with His wit and candor.
Les, my dad covered ND home games for the Louisville C-J and befriended Joe Doyle when he first began with the Tribune. They often dad a few pops together at the old Oliver Hotel the night before games.
Well, Les, good on you.
Ah, Joe Doyle! Of a bygone day, of whole cloth with Furman Bisher, Jerome Holtzman, Joe Falls, Jim Murray and Blackie Sherrod.
And furnishing the liquid was just fine, and you get a hurrah from me. After all, when a lad I was, the three coaches at Notre Dame’s biggest sports were:
Hugh Devore
John Jordan
Jake Kline
they did not win national championships, but if they had a national tournament for “Cardinal Puff” Our threesome would have buried the infidels.
And, Les, I just noticed your mention of the vaunted Courier-Journal. I didn’t know the giants of your dad’s era, but Let me tell you what you ALREADY KNOW. Billy Reed is worthy of the above list.
A shoutout to the five dislikes on Durango’s bashing of ESPN – What is there to dislike?
An aside: Get the book, “Gus Dorais.” Extremely well researched. ND section is great. So is Gus’ time as head coach of the University of Detroit (hold the “Mercy” tag — that came later.) One year they were 9-0 and thought by a few to be co-national champs. Then, he was later head coach of the Detroit Lions.
He never wore a helmet as a player in high school, college and pros. But he taught half the country to throw the foreword pass correctly — close to the ear.
Have fun!
Big Guy
Burial Mass at Gesu in Detroit.
Prove them wrong.
This is just ignorant on espn’s part. But I have come to expect nothing less from them. Just because ND chooses to stay independent all people do is complain. ND will always be the red headed stepchild when it comes to football. My dear departed father, “Alumni class of 1961” would be over the moon for the way they have played this season. Espn, you don’t count. Keep posting crap like this. We the ND fan nation know how well they are doing and proud of it.
It clearly says bowl season, which means all bowls. It’s not about the playoffs exclusively. Y’all some salty babies.
ESPN and its journalists find head-to-head results annoying. Perhaps we should just scratch the regular season games entirely and put all SEC teams in one huge playoff based upon the pre-season eye tests in early August and late spring. Why play the regular season at all?
As for “turning crimson”, well, for that they would need some sense of shame, and I don’t see it in them.
They are certainly confident that Clemson will beat us, as confident as they were that Michigan would beat us, and two or three other teams on our schedule too. Some would call it overconfidence. I’d call it a severe learning disability. And that is something that even another lesson in coaching and football from Notre Dame can’t cure for them. These guys just prove iterum iterum iterumque that their eye tests stink. They are not completely colorblind though…they can see orange and red colors pretty well…blue, green, gold and black…not so much.
I suppose their bosses think that stirring the pot generates ratings! But reality (and history) tells us that ratings really skyrocket when ND brings a really good team into a big bowl game! ESPN will do quite well on the 29th as far as ratings go DESPITE its analysts, not because of them.
BGC ’77 ’82
ESPN is as much Pro SEC as CNN is anti Trump. About as talented also, neither have any journalistic skills, they just spout their opinions as facts.
Spot on, Carlis!
I agree with the comments made in this article 100%. I hope the championship game will between Notre Dame and Oklahoma.
Yes! Great holiday gift. FUEL!
GO IRISH!
Everyone knows they don’t respect ND. Its so obvious.
Go Irish.
This is just SOP for ESPN. The SEC is their pet league and Alabama their pet team. They can’t stand ND and they’ll never give them any credit. They’ve lost any semblance of journalistic integrity long ago, which is why their former fans are leaving them in droves for more knowledgeable venues. They’re bleeding revenue to the tune of billions of dollars each year as their base continues to shrink. ESPN has tied its wagon to the SEC and their cheerleaders scream for them in their half-empty living rooms in efforts to get the SEC anointed the best. They did the same thing to the Big Ten in basketball when the Big Ten signed the Fox contract and have continually torn down that league to build up their own pets. They’ve fired just about anybody who had any value or reputation or disagreed with their moronic stances. The “experts” that are left, such as Herbstreit and Desmond Howard (who can forget his idiotic predictions?), keep on spouting their garbage. I’m betting the championship will be between the Irish and Oklahoma and I certainly hope so so I can watch Herbstreit turn crimson and sputter how the SEC got robbed. What I don’t understand is why any knowledgeable sports fan ever watches them anymore. They have the absolutely worst announcers in football, basketball and baseball. I don’t know about Australian rules football, the sport they made their bones in… they might still know something about that. Any other sport? Please…
After a little further introspection, BK should ignore any interviews pre, halftime, post game with that network
ND _ _ _ _!
Great locker room fodder.
Screw those ESPN asshats. They believe ND doesn’t belong in this and their deliberate oversight on this appears to prove it. Hopefully Kelly uses this as motivating tool. Games are played on the field and not in the minds & heads of ESPN screwoffs.
Go Irish
Who cares what these analysts say. Watching college football this year they were wrong far more than they were right.Players and coaches win or lose by their performance on the field.If Notredame plays well and eliminates mistakes they have enough to win.
re: ESPN
“What do you expect from a pig other than a grunt?”
The ESPN post game presser is already prepared if ND defeats Clemson . . .”ND proved Clemson was overrated after all”
Fortunately, what ESPN says and features has been consistently underwhelming through the years.