Media and retailers take "dust rag" to Notre Dame

If you’re in your teens or early 20s, you can’t honestly remember a time when Notre Dame football was nationally relevant. Sure, you’ve seen them on television countless times due to their contract with NBC, but the storied program known for leprechauns, golden helmets, and Knute Rockne, have been nothing more than a “history book” since the early 1990s.

Since 1991, all Notre Dame home football games

have been aired exclusively on NBC

What are the younger fans missing? Ironically, what they’re missing has very little to do with the team, but everything to do with the “hype machine” that has been buried like an old time capsule...until now.

In 2012, the “hate” is directed towards the mighty SEC, and their current crown jewel, the Alabama Crimson Tide. Unless you’re a fan of the Tide, your disdain for Alabama runs as deep as an ocean while you wait for someone, anyone, outside of the SEC, to dethrone the juggernaut that has been built under head coach Nick Saban. SEC fatigue and Alabama fatigue are the two items that comprise a grand recipe for abhorrence in 2012.

Saban is attempting to capture back-to-back titles

at the University of Alabama

Enter Notre Dame…

Disdain and hatred, you say? Media darlings, you say? For those old enough to remember a different time, the only school in the country…was Notre Dame. Current “fans” who’ve grown tired with the SEC dominance of college football, obviously missed out on the late 80s and early 90s. The “era” that saw Notre Dame merchandise in virtually every “sports store” in the nation, regardless of store location. Notre Dame was the “home team” in SEC markets, yes…SEC markets.

Championship hat from 1988

Notre Dame, home of Raghib “Rocket” Ismail, you see, he was “the man” the last time Notre Dame held this stage, and Lou Holtz was the wise and fearless leader of college football. The Irish were college football, and everyone else, well; they were simply the “other teams” battling for second place. While certainly not the case in the literal sense, the media did a fantastic job at painting a "slanted" picture.

Although the Fighting Irish only won the national title on one occasion (1988) during their most recent glory era, the time period, as aforementioned, will be mostly remembered for domineering media coverage, propaganda, bandwagon fandom, and merchandise sales that rivaled anything the college sports world had ever seen.

Back in my day, you weren’t considered “cool” unless you had Notre Dame apparel. Only the rise of Florida State, under legendary coach Bobby Bowden, even came close to that of Notre Dame in terms of social attention during this time. In the current age, young people wear the colors of the team(s) they root for, twenty years ago; kids wore Notre Dame gear, even if they rooted for Alabama. No, I’m not joking…

Raghib Ismail graces the cover of a 1991

edition of Sports Illustrated

What is the underlying statement?

Notre Dame is back, and congratulations to them for an amazing 2012 season, however, nobody could be happier, than the media. The same media who propped them up to seemingly unreachable heights twenty years ago, have waited twenty years to bring them back from obscurity.

For the younger crowd who’ve waited for someone to interrupt the mighty SEC, you got your wish in terms of media coverage, but the older crowd will tell you, Notre Dame is not the team you “prayed” for. History has documented, that when Notre Dame is “back,” the media circus that surrounds them is more suffocating and toxic than any SEC bias.

Cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame, the media is waiting to chant your name!

Alabama fatigue? Stomach 30 days of Notre Dame, and then call me with your regrets...

Additional reading material

-Why I won’t be cheering for old Notre Dame
-The problem with Notre Dame football
-NBC Sports to kick off 2013 with 10 hours of Notre Dame football on 1/1

Jones uses football platform for higher purpose

Courtesy of the website commissionstories.com, Alabama center Barrett Jones has been given yet another outlet to share his dedication to family, football…and faith.

The site, which promotes the good deeds of those who serve God, has provided visitors with reading materials and videos which are devoted entirely to the Alabama football star, and his testimony of faith. In the offerings, Jones documents his journey in a video introduction that provides a glimpse into his life through his mission work, and his view on the game of football through the “eyes” of faith.

Barrett Jones has played a vital role on the Alabama football team, not only this season, but every season he has adorned the crimson helmet. Regardless of personal faith and conviction, take a moment to explore the life of one of the greatest, and most versatile, offensive linemen in Alabama football history.

Dial’s status in question after controversial hit

The Alabama Crimson Tide will play for the national championship, but the playing status of defensive lineman Quinton Dial is very much in jeopardy.

With less than two minutes to play in the initial half of the SEC title game, Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray was intercepted by Alabama safety Ha’Sean Clinton-Dix. As Clinton-Dix returned the ball, Murray, who was physically “absent” in respect to the latter stages of the play, was ferociously “steamrolled” by Dial which drew the ire of many, most notably Gary Danielson of CBS Sports.

While a penalty was not called on the field, the hit, which did appear unnecessary given the flow of the play, has garnered plenty of attention.

The NCAA has clear rules when it comes to “targeting” and striking a “defenseless” player in the neck or head. Based on the replay, it would appear that Dial did indeed violate the NCAA rule in question.

What does the SEC have to say?

SEC Commissioner Mike Slive will have to review the tape and make a final decision, but according to Steve Shaw, the SEC coordinator of officials, a penalty should have been called on Dial for his actions.

The court of public opinion, has had, and will continue to have, many “verdicts” on this matter, but in the end, Dial’s fate in respect to his participation in the BCS national championship game, will rest in the hands of Mike Slive.

The hit in question…

Alabama tames Georgia, wins SEC crown

In “arguably” the most dramatic and finest SEC championship game in conference history, the Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Georgia Bulldogs by the score of 32-28.

Courtesy of a contest that will be talked about for years in the annals of SEC history, the Crimson Tide not only captured their first SEC crown since 2009, and 23^rd in program history, but also punched their ticket to the BCS national title game in Miami.

The run to glory

With so many dramatic moments in the SEC title game, it was simply the Alabama offensive line and the rushing attack that made the difference, especially in the second half of play. Although many, and rightfully so, will reference AJ McCarron’s 45-yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper (who finished the contest with 127 yards receiving) as the game winning play, it was the overall consistency of the Tide running game that chewed the clock, and allowed Alabama to wear down the Georgia defense.

In respect to rushing superlatives, Eddie Lacy rushed for 181 yards and two touchdowns, while T.J. Yeldon garnered 153 yards, and one touchdown. As a team, the Crimson Tide combined for 350 rushing yards, and won the time of possession battle by the tune of 37:35 to 22:25.

>>>Complete stats and scoring summary<<<

The importance of team

The 2012 Alabama football team is not as talented as the “title teams” of 2009 or 2011, but when it comes to mental and physical toughness, the 2012 squad is without question the most resilient in recent memory. When the chips were down, Alabama came together as a team to beat the Georgia Bulldogs, and that quality of unity, while seemingly simple, is often a lost and unachieved concept.

Tweeting up the party

In a departure from the standard, on the occasion of such a significant victory, a collection of “tweets” from various Alabama football players have been compiled in order to enhance the importance of the moment.

The 2012 SEC championship game was certainly a game for the ages, and a contest teeming with raw emotion. Why “talk up” the players, when they can express themselves…