Read the debate intro and the opposing argument from Bleacher Fan.
At one time or another, most red-blooded American males have daydreamed about being a head football coach. Each week millions live vicariously through their most beloved play callers. But what do those lucky enough to actually be coaches dream about? I bet they dream of coaching for Notre Dame.
Notre Dame is by far the best coaching gig around. But, coaching at Notre Dame is not for everyone. If a coach is looking for a warm paradise to call home, then Indiana may not be at the top of the list. If a coach is looking for a soft schedule littered with pushovers, then I suggest continuing the search. And if a coach is hoping for a small market free from media intrusions, then Notre Dame is certainly not the right school. But if a coach seeks a challenging schedule, a team with an enormous national fan base, and a rich legacy steeped in the tradition of winning, then there is no place better than Notre Dame.
The perks of coaching for Notre Dame are phenomenal. Notre Dame literally sets its own schedule. The Irish are one of a few schools that compete at an elite level of college football without having to play in an NCAA-affiliated conference. Despite lacking a conference affiliation the Irish are still BCS bowl eligible. Heck, they have their own “Notre Dame rule” where they are guaranteed a BCS bowl if they simply finish in the top eight of the BCS.
On top of all of the football perks, Notre Dame is one of the premier schools of scholar-athletes. In an era of prima donna players that create media circuses (e.g. Exhibit A: LeGarrette Blount), Notre Dame has attempted to establish a bastion for the academically focused student-athlete – a seemingly dying breed. The Irish also benefit from a national appeal to Roman Catholics, Americans of Irish Descent, and fans of great football. Take me, for example. I grew up a world apart from Indiana, but being the grandson of someone named Patrick Francis O’Reilly, was their any doubt I was going to pull for the Irish? I don’t think so. Notre Dame’s immense following draws crowds wherever the team plays, opening doors for invitations across the U.S., thus, creating another perk by making the Irish even more profitable.
Notre Dame football boasts an impressive list of accomplishments. The Irish lay claim to seven Heisman Trophy winners and 48 players and coaches in the College Football Hall of Fame. The Irish also have an impressive list of All-Americans and national championships to boot. Sure, other schools (like the University of Southern California, the University of Michigan, and The Ohio State University) have accomplishments and accolades to brag about as well. What sets the Notre Dame apart is its unrivaled history.
Tradition defines a team, and today the words “Notre Dame” are synonymous with football history. The ghosts of the Gold and Navy are interwoven into football’s past. Legends like Knute Rockne and the Four Horsemen are not only Fighting Irish heroes but icons of football history. Do I even have to evoke the name of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger? (Once all the “Rudy!” chants have stopped I will continue.)
Notre Dame is even credited with the popularization of the forward pass, forever changing the way the game is played.
It is tradition that ultimately separates the Notre Dame coaching job from all other high profile college football head coaching jobs.
