The CheckerBoard

Calling a grown man a teenager? Looks like we're inheriting some Internet tough guys from TOS. Are you Catholic?

Overall, there have been 471 NFL players from Notre Dame compared to 329 from Tennessee. They have seven Heisman trophy winners compared to Tennessee's one. They have 13 national championships compared to Tennessee's six.

They have frigging MOVIES about their program. Ever watch Rockne or better yet Rudy? They are the only program that has their own TV station. They are one of the only programs out there still that is independent and can stay independent because they don't have to give a flying flip about joining a conference and don't have to.

You know they are the only individual school that is written into the BCS contract that if they are in the top 8 they immediately make it in?

UT does not have that much power. And I'll explain why.

They ARE the Catholic school. They have feeder programs across the country. Go to Catholic High in Knoxville or Notre Dame in Chattanooga and ask them how many of them would want to play for the Irish. Now multiply that by about 300 for every other Catholic high school across America. And for every Jim Haslam we have, guess what? They probably have 50.

By the way, Notre Dame is a private college so they don't have to release salaries. That $1.4 million is a guesstimate and I've seen several sources that actually put his salary around $3 million.

You think Dooley's $5 million buyout is bad? They've paid Charlie Weis $9 million to get rid of him.

Brian Kelly also happens to be an Irish American Catholic. That's his frigging dream job. They will compensate him very well after this season.

And while its hard to see Irish support around here if you go up North where Catholics outnumber Protestants 5 to 1 you'll see it clearly.

And, yes, while I bleed orange and always will, Notre Dame is second in my heart. Why? Because I'm Catholic.

Their schedule is plenty tough this year, and is always tough...

This thread is proof as to why being the coach at UT is so hard. ND might be a top 3 football program in terns of prestige, no their coach is not an option for our program right now.

lol which two of you guys downvoted my original post? and who downvoted my post saying "only one way to find out"? pretty soon we're gonna need permits for carrying downvotes if yall don't use them more responsibly

By saying you sound like a teenager? That is on you not me. You should take Jim Rome's credo to heart.

Lol. Take a stroll through New York, LA, Boston, or Chicago. Count the ND apparel vs the Tennessee apparel.

EDIT: Also, with regards to the whole money thing. ND's endowment is estimated by Forbes (they are private and don't have to disclose) at ~$6 billion. Tennessee's is just over ~$1 billion.

WOW!!!! 28, man, I dare say UT is not even close to being easier to recruit to than ND. The only reason ND hasn't had very many NFL player in the past 15 years or so is because they have sucked! Lol! Let them get a winning record with some bowl game victories and it's gonna be lights out!
Complete insane thinking to believe BK would leave ND for well, any other job in America.
That's probably a bigger pipe dream than Gruden.
GO BIG ORANGE!

Cake schedule? While the opponents might not be having stellar years as they have in the past, it is a excellent schedule. UT plays a number of great teams but also has Georgia St, Akron, Troy, Vandy, and UK on the schedule.

Really? Come on now...We have a strong fan base but nowhere near the national fan base that Notre Dame does. You think we could play games in Ireland, New York, DC, Dallas, and have huge fan presence?

Never said he would... just opened up a discussion with the thought that tripling his salarly might be enough to get him. I was unaware that the reported $1.48M salarly is likely inaccurate.