If the Big Ten had their druthers, Notre Dame would come busting through their office doors packing a bouquet of roses in one hand and a ring in the other, drop to one knee, and promise their undying and eternal conference love.
If the Irish had their druthers, they’d hope for the Midwest harlot to leave them alone and stop drunk sexting them at 2:30 in the morning.
At least, that’s the way it comes off as Notre Dame, a couple of days after the Big Ten announced it would once again take a look at expansion, has issued a statement once again pledging their allegiance to the flag of independence.
The Big Ten was left at the altar in 1999 by the Irish, but that likely won’t sway the powers-that-be this time around as it’s widely believed the conference will make another run at the South Bend school. Based on the above-mentioned statement, the league might want to consider doing something a little more constructive with the time they would spend chasing the Irish. Like voluntarily ramming their head into a brick wall. Repeatedly.
“Our strong preference is to remain the way we are,” athletic director Jack Swarbrick said in a release from the university. “Independence is a big part of the tradition of the program and our identity. We’d sure like to try to maintain it.
“All of this has a lot more to do with our priorities than it does with business issues. Our independence is tied up in a lot of the rivalries we have. We play Navy every year and have the tradition of USC weekends. Frankly, it works pretty well to play USC in October at home and in November at their place.
“The question that any school faces, not just Notre Dame, is: Does this start the dominoes falling again, like the last round of reconfiguration? It’s less about our willingness to enter into discussions than what happens to the industry. What are the implications?”
Sooo, you’re saying there’s a chance?