Notre Dame's football power brokers must be doing an awful lot of soul searching these days. Sometimes arrogance and omnipotence, unchecked, come at a sinful price.
In Notre Dame's case, $40 million -- for a football savior? Charlie Weis has spearheaded the most embarrassing, demoralizing two-year campaign (9-14) in Irish history.
And it's not over yet -- USC looms. After the Trojans hammer the 30-point underdog Irish Saturday night, Weis' four-year coaching record at Notre Dame will be 28-21. His winning percentage of .571 will dip below the .583 mark of his two fired predecessors, Tyrone Willingham and Bob Davie.
On a positive note, Irish players won't get pelted by snowballs in L.A. like they were last Saturday in South Bend, when students' frustrations got the better of them.
Losing to Syracuse was a new low for an Irish program that's had to endure plenty since the start of last season. Never before had Notre Dame lost to an eight-loss team.
Weis said the senior day defeat made him sick to his stomach. Unfortunately for Irish fans, not sick enough to step down. Not wise enough to realize he's not cut out for the college game.
An offensive genius?... Forty-one rushing yards against one of the worst rushing defenses (194 yards per game) in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Hmmm.
Patience does wear thin relatively fast, especially at places like Notre Dame. But losing to the lowly Orange is intolerable. Syracuse had won just four games since the beginning of last season. Before upsetting the Irish, 24-23, one of its other two victories this season was over Northeastern of the lower Football Championship Subdivision.
To make matters worse, the Irish were 20-point favorites, and they blew a 13-point, fourth-quarter lead. Syracuse had scored just two fourth-quarter touchdowns all season.
Perhaps even more humiliating: Syracuse coach Greg Robinson got fired the week before, and his players went out there and won one... in "The House That Rockne Built."
Irish' emotions turn to animosity when factoring in the failed $40 million rescue plan, and Weis' prenup with the university which includes a reported buyout put at $21 million.
That's a divorce not even Notre Dame can afford.
So, for better or for worse, Weis and Notre Dame will stay married for the foreseeable future. The Irish made their bed, now they'll have to lie in it.
On the upside for Notre Dame, it can't get a whole lot worse.
Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the BCS.
After No. 2 Florida dismantles No. 1 Alabama in the SEC title game, six or seven of the top eight teams in the Associated Press poll could have just one loss. No. 8 Utah will be the only unbeaten in the BCS mix.
Several teams deserving of a shot at the national title won't get it. That's a broken record. And the pig-headed college presidents on the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee refuse to fix it.
How stupidity can reign among such smart men would be puzzling if not for the realization that their brainpower is misplaced.
The future of this great game should be guided by the wishes of fans, players, alumni and, yes, even the broadcast media, who support it. Not by a select few who mistakenly believe they have the greater good at heart.
Allowing a national championship game to be determined by polls and computers is absurd. Using that system to determine a field of eight contenders makes far more sense.
You might argue over which team deserves the last spot, but after all is said and done, you won't be arguing over who deserved the national championship.
Suppose Penn State (No. 8 in the BCS standings) knocked off No. 1 Alabama, then beat No. 2 Texas and capped off its playoff run with a win over No. 4 Florida. Anybody going to take issue with Penn State claiming the national crown?
With a one-point loss on the road to 8-4 Iowa, Penn State (sixth in all three polls) isn't even in the national championship discussion with other one-loss teams. Florida, with a one-point loss at home to 7-4 Mississippi, is No. 2 in the AP and Harris Polls, and No. 3 in the USA Today poll.
USC (9-1) is ranked fifth in the AP and USA Today polls. The Trojans lost to Oregon State, 27-21. Penn State drubbed the Beavers, 45-14.
Texas (10-1) has a tenuous hold on No. 2 in the BCS standings, but if Oklahoma (10-1) beats No. 11 Oklahoma State Saturday in Stillwater, the Sooners (third in the standings) will probably jump the Longhorns. Which would mean, by virtue of Big 12 tiebreaker rules, Oklahoma would go to the conference championship game, despite losing to Texas.
Tough to stomach? Smell something rotten? It's the recurring BCS stench. And it's downright sickening.
(Contact John Tucker at jtucker@unionleader.com
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
columnUNBALANCED LINEMust credit New Hampshire Union Leader
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