Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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fan forum ing new people and being exposed to a different environment. This problem of decommiting will continue and only get worse as others see this as an acceptable option. It's time for the NCAA to assume its role as the head and leadership of college athletics and academics for student-athletes, instead of the mainstream media and social networks, which have taken over the recruiting process. Tony Soldo Hobe Sound, Fla. Mr. Soldo, we have a feature in our recruiting section on many of the decommits that have gone for and against Notre Dame's way the past 15 years. An underrated aspect of this is the media involvement in the recruiting process. There is so much interest in "what are you thinking now?" that the studentathlete gets inundated with those calls, too, in addition to coaching staffs. It's getting to the point, if it hasn't already, where who is taking a visit to what game actually supersedes the game itself. From The WebSite The Sunday before the Sept. 7 game at Michigan, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly created a bit of a stir when asked about the historic rivalry with Michigan coming to an end after next season. Kelly replied: "I really haven't seen it as one of those historic, traditional Notre Dame rivalries. I've seen it as one of those great football games that Notre Dame has played. … These have been really hard-fought and a really-high profile games." Many jumped on the statement as bulletin-board stadium, and it evoked dozens of different reactions on our message board. Here is a small sample: Lennyd: ESPN playing it up big time. Mundane comments but looking to create a controversy. BobIrish21: Why would Kelly say something like that? Anyone who follows college football understands the long rivalry between Notre Dame and Michigan. Its one of the great rivalries in the nation. It would have been better to say how special the rivalry has been to each school and college football in general. Does any member of this board not look at the Michigan Wolverines as a classic annual game? I don't care what Brady Hoke said. He looked like an idiot when he made his comments. Now Brian Kelly is the one who looks bad. Wjasonp: Neither statement means much in the grand scheme of things, just gives those that wish it an opportunity to be critical. I said months ago that Michigan would leave the schedule before Mich. St or Purdue. Jsarna1: ND and UM did not play from 1943 through 1977. It isn't actually an annual game, with several hiatuses from 1983 through 2001. The Michigan game is really a lose-lose scenario for us and I won't miss it. NDDillon: I see Michigan as a big game, but not a classic. Playing Michigan is no different than playing Oklahoma, Texas, FSU etc. It is the quality of the opponent that makes the game. I will not miss playing Michigan, since the replacement opponent will be equal in talent and in a better recruiting market. The future of ND football is the same as the past. ND is a national brand. As long as the Irish continue to play top level opponents, the classics will continue to be remembered. If there is no game against Michigan, it will be their loss.