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Notre Dame fans have rational explanation for football failure: President Obama

Nov 23, 2009, 10:04 AM EDT

56 Comments

It’s no coincidence that the University of Connecticut beat Notre Dame in double overtime on Saturday, say some of the Fighting Irish faithful. The reason this happened is clear: President Obama made Touchdown Jesus cry.
The President, of course, spoke at the university’s May commencement; an act which angered many Catholics due to the controversies over Democratic views on abortion and stem cell research. And according to some commenters on a Notre Dame football message board, this has angered God, or something.


I apologize in advance for linking to a partisan political site like the Daily Kos: That kind of political peanut butter has no business getting into our sports chocolate. But in this case they did do the the legwork of sifting through the comments to find these examples, so credit where credit is due.
From the Rivals.com Notre Dame message board:

* After the ARROGANCE of Fr.Jenkins in awarding an Honorary Degree to the “Messiah”…despite loud, angry protests from the Alumni….let them sink…lower and lower and lower! — Jack from PA

* Typically a huge Notre Dame fan because they are such a unique and awesome institution. Since abortion loving Obama came to campus I could not care if they lose every game here on out. Stick to your roots Notre Dame!!!!!!!!!!! — bmcdermott70

* Well as least ND gave Obama an honorary degree. You really want to know what ND football problem is; lack of character, lack of identity. Even the University of Miami has an indentity; partying and getting laid. When one of the worlds most well known Catholic Universities honors a champion of abortion “rights”, they have betrayed the basic precepts on which they were founded. ND is an empty shell encrusted with rotting, empty tradition. Knute Rockne comming back from the grave couldn’t help this team win. Sad. — richarddennisjr1

* and that boys and girls is what happens when you let Obama speak at a Cathoilc university! — John R.

Not a lot of logic included with these; especially that last one, where we are led to believe that God tends to get very Old Testament when it comes to college football. Among other Notre Dame excuses on the board are “our admission requirements are too high” (hmm, doesn’t seem to be hurting Stanford this season), and “Charlie Weis is dumb.” By the way, the Obama comments are only four of more than 200 on the board so far, so let’s not paint all Golden Domers with the same brush.
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Wingnuts: President Obama to blame for Notre Dame football woes [The Daily Kos]

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  1. fred117 - Nov 23, 2009 at 2:56 PM

    Perhaps we should distinguish between ND boosters and fans and the ND alumni. Most graduates I know are very intelligent and rational and would never attribute the woes of the football team to who the commencement speaker was.
    Can’t say the same about their rabid fan base though. It seems they’ll blame just about anyone. I’d like to know who they blame for the basketball team? Nixon?

  2. MDL - Nov 23, 2009 at 3:06 PM

    Something tells me the usual sports blog commenters haven’t made their way to your blog yet Rick. Not between this post and the Favre debacle. Keep up the good work, enjoyed you on Deadspin.

  3. thesepretzels - Nov 23, 2009 at 3:17 PM

    maybe he can get linked on “blogdome.”

    oh, right…

  4. MDL - Nov 23, 2009 at 3:33 PM

    The Learning Curve??

  5. Heavenly Father - Nov 23, 2009 at 3:46 PM

    Oops… Sorry ND! I’m all caught up in the Saints season this year and haven’t been paying attention.
    -god

  6. Terry - Nov 23, 2009 at 4:26 PM

    It was only a matter of time until this story appeared
    the responses confirm the final triumph of stupidity
    ah, mon dieu

  7. Jeff Jefferson - Nov 23, 2009 at 4:33 PM

    Leave GWB out of this discussion

  8. David86 - Nov 23, 2009 at 6:58 PM

    It’s easy to caricature these posts. After all, they are written on message boards where brevity is practically the rule, and notes are written in haste, letters transposed, etc., making their incomplete “arguments” (with misspellings included–thanks for that detail Rick, because it’s so mature of you) easy targets. More importantly, they assume a worldview which the writer of this article equally assumes (and assumes his readers will assume) is absurd. That worldview holds that there is a God, and He can be pleased and displeased by our actions. (I know, I know, totally crazy!) Furthermore, that worldview holds that when Christian individuals and institutions betray the principles that made them what they are, the ripple effect can be real and far-reaching, and touch even the lesser things in life. Put another way, while it may be a reach to believe ND old timers thought God was categorically “on their team’s side,” they did feel what they did and how they did it mattered to Him–even football. Were they that wrong? Doesn’t anyone find it remarkable that a small school in Nowhereville, IN is still considered the Mecca (or at least A Mecca) of college football, even in its decline?
    You may disagree with their ideas, and even consider football itself to be trivial, and that’s fine (though that’d be tough for Rick, for obvious reasons), but some ND alums still think that ND football is an extension of the university’s identity, and not being true to oneself has its consequences. I’ve heard that sort of thing at commencement addresses…and political rallies.

  9. Rick Chandler - Nov 23, 2009 at 7:19 PM

    >>(with misspellings included–thanks for that detail Rick, because it’s so mature of you)

  10. Rick Chandler - Nov 23, 2009 at 7:22 PM

    Thanks. A hard rain is gonna fall, and that rain will be called “Invitation-only commenting.”

  11. irishfanintx - Nov 23, 2009 at 7:31 PM

    Nice article Rick. This story ranks right up there with the posts of ND haters calling Charlie fat. Maybe that could be your next story.

  12. David86 - Nov 23, 2009 at 7:55 PM

    Um, dude, seriously, appositive, appositive…
    It is at very least customary to include the [sic] to indicate original context, etc. But Rick, your defense barely masks your intent, made abundantly clear in your lucid (well-spelled) prose. I know very well what you are up to, or do you deny your consciousness of the “fact” that the orthography of those quickly typed posts provided you with a bit more “evidence” for the point you are seeking to prove? Why don’t you just tell us straight out what that point is, Rick? That those who felt ND made a mistake last spring are all religious freaks and buffoons? And who is politicizing the ND football scene more, a few posters whose point of view you cannot fathom (or is, in fact, silly and extreme), or you the commentator who made a federal case of it, photo of the president and all?

  13. irishfanintx - Nov 23, 2009 at 8:15 PM

    Well said David86, well said!

  14. NDfan4lif - Nov 24, 2009 at 8:28 AM

    Seriously people, how many people on here whole heartedly believe that god would punish a college football team because they had a president speak who believes in abortion. That in itself is the most absurd thing i have heard in a while for college sports. If god is punishing ND for letting him speak then why didnt the whole catholic nation get punished when they swept the whole catholic priest and little boy’s thing under the rug?? No one just wants to admit that the AD’s and ND in general need to step out of the 1800′s and start recruiting and getting coaches the same way the other big colleges do. instead they claim to remain old fashion in their ways when doing those things. I’m not a rocket scientist but apparently, thats not working. ND seems to think that because who they are everything is going to fall right in their lap, look around its not happening anymore.

  15. ND fan4lif - Nov 24, 2009 at 8:38 AM

    Ok, one last thing (sorry omitted this from my previous post). Anyone see the headlines today? Jimmy Clausen punched in the face by an irate fan? That right there should show you that the fans are just grasping at straws trying to place the blame on whoever they can. Sure you can throw the players under the bus all you want, but when it comes down to it the people in charge are to blame, not the players, not Nixon, and certainly not god. Is it so hard to actually believe that Charlie Weis is not a good coach?? We have seen it time and time again, when coaches go from NFL to College, and vice versa, most the time they fail.

  16. thesepretzels - Nov 24, 2009 at 12:09 PM

    dude, you’re mixing your religious metaphors.
    I don’t think Catholics go to Mecca…

  17. Dondrick - Nov 24, 2009 at 12:49 PM

    Wow…thanks eric for that because honestly after reading this article, i considered supporting another team. i have been a notredame fan all my life even though i’m not catholic its sad to see so many against obama. the world is full of enough anger and hate. the world is full of differences, including beliefs, so just pray for those you differ with and reframe from derogatory comments. nd fans are way to classy for that.

  18. David86 - Nov 24, 2009 at 1:35 PM

    Well, I heard somewhere that a small minority is allowed: four of them to be exact–the same number of people that justified writing a headlined article on how “Notre Dame fans have rational explanation for football failure.” But their pilgrimmage to Mecca wasn’t important enough to write about…

  19. steven - Nov 24, 2009 at 6:30 PM

    I have compassion and understanding………until your behavior harms another person. I do not have understanding for child molesters, rapists, murderers (especially murderers of babies) etc.
    And the Bible is VERY clear. Judge the tree by the fruit. If you support the killing of unborn children, that’s your choice. Just like child molesting, etc. But I judge the actions. Like the Bible says to.
    P.S. I am absolutely pro-choice! No woman should be forced to get pregnant. But after choosing to engage in behavior that results in pregnancy, NO ONE has the right to murder a child because they don’t like the consequences of their “choice”.

  20. steven - Nov 24, 2009 at 6:40 PM

    Glad to hear you are no longer in the South. I don’t know how we could have dealt any longer with the presence of one so, so much better than we poor ignorant rednecks.
    And on a more serious note, J.Martin, You are the perfect example of ignorant, yankee trash that gives Northerners such a bad name. And you are also a liar and a coward. Now, have a nice day now, y’hear.

  21. ND Sucks - Nov 27, 2009 at 3:16 PM

    Haha Notre Dame sucks, Charlie “ate the chocolate factory” Weis sucks, hateful Republicans suck, Reglious nut bags suck and SEC sucks, Pedophile Priest suck. Maybe GOD is angry that the catholic church was protecting all of the scum of the earth scum bag priest that were molesting little boys.

  22. ND Sucks - Nov 27, 2009 at 3:20 PM

    Mr. Bill you suck, Norte Dame sucks, most Republicans sucks, child molesting priest suck.

  23. GimmeSomeSteel - Nov 28, 2009 at 1:53 PM

    Leviticus 19:15 says nothing about “Christian love”, which is unsurprising since it’s in the OLD Testament.
    BTW, what IS “Christian love”? What exactly distinguishes “Christian love” from the love that others feel? The more I hear and read about what some Christians love to do, including some of their “spiritual leaders”, the more that phrase worries me.

  24. dgh - Dec 4, 2009 at 4:39 PM

    ND Sucks: Is it just child molesting priest liberals are against cause I’ve seen plenty libs stand up for Roman Polanski?

  25. dgh - Dec 4, 2009 at 4:42 PM

    For as dumb as religious people are you make yourself seem even dumber and I didn’t even think that was possible but you did it congratulations!!!!

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