All Things Notre Dame - The Clashmore Mike Memorial Thread

[Clashmore Mike]

From a trusted source:

Notre Dame has notified Michigan it is exercising a three-year out in their contract, meaning their last scheduled game against each other will come in 2014. A letter from ND AD Jack Swarbrick to UM AD Dave Brandon cancelling games in 2015-17 was obtained by The AP on Tuesday through a Freedom of Information Act request.

[UMStan White]

Clash your initial analysis of the game up threaD shows why you are so respected by the UM posters on this board.

[Clashmore Mike]

Appreciated Stan. Honestly, it's a mutually beneficial situation. Reading this board instead of just hanging out on all ND forums keeps me grounded...

[lineygoblue]

Re: The ND opt-out.

If I were Dave Brandon, my response to Mr Swarbrick this morning would be:

"Dear Mr. Swarbrick: This is to notify you that you are incorrect. The final game of this current contract will take place in Ann Arbor in 2013."

Why should Michigan give ND the last meeting at home? Make next year's game in Ann Arbor the last game.

And I'm fine with them ending the contract. Michigan and the rest of the B1G should have moved ND off their schedules a long time ago.

[whodean]

I figured ND would be off the schedule by the time ND jumps to the ACC, this is a little earlier.

[Clashmore Mike]

And I'm fine with them ending the contract. Michigan and the rest of the B1G should have moved ND off their schedules a long time ago.

I'm not sure that the contract has been cancelled...if I'm not mistaken, it was supposed to go to around 2028. There was supposed to be a break in 2018/2019 regardless. Does this mean we play again in 2020?

I don't know...this is all based on the AP getting a letter per the FOIA, not an announcement or anything official from either school.

[The Oracle]

I thought it was supposed to go til 2031 and this is just a 3 year hiatus.

[Clashmore Mike]

I thought it was supposed to go til 2031 and this is just a 3 year hiatus.

I think you're right...

Look, we knew something like this was coming after the ACC deal. The generally accepted theory on ND boards was that ND would continue to play two B1G teams per year, rotating among Purdue/MSU/UM. Not sure that this changes that...for all we know, there could be a letter to Purdue and MSU that hasn't been released per FOIA yet.

[Clashmore Mike]

ATTN: Rocky Bleier...

...a tribute to your namesake...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5ILLSRSVh7o

[Clashmore Mike]

Here's the updated story...I attended AA Pioneer with the writer...

http://collegefootball.ap.org/content/notre-dame-exercises-3-year-out-michigan-deal

[hack]

"I put the letter in my pocket and didn't bother to read it right away because I was focused on the game we were about to play," Brandon said. "I read it on the way home Sunday morning."


BSing is in the DNA. What possible purpose would it serve to have people believe he didn't read it until Sunday morning?

[Clashmore Mike]

"I put the letter in my pocket and didn't bother to read it right away because I was focused on the game we were about to play," Brandon said. "I read it on the way home Sunday morning."


BSing is in the DNA. What possible purpose would it serve to have people believe he didn't read it until Sunday morning?

That struck me as weird too...

Perhaps it's as simple as being the truth?

I'm sure Swarbrick is scrambling to transition future schedules to comply with the ACC deal as quickly as possible...but if it played out as Brandon says (and I've got no reason not to think otherwise)...then it's pretty shitty to serve a three game notice that includes a game kicking off within the hour.

[hack]

With Brandon many of us are conditioned to assume the fib. Agreed on the etiquette, but I'd assume that Brandon wasn't at all surprised. He knew the deadline...

[Clashmore Mike]

Number of thoughts...all conjecture...

Regardless of deadline, in my opinion, Swarbrick owes a phone call prior to submitting a letter like this. That's just being professional. The only thing I would say to support Swarbrick would be that I'm sure he's slammed with multiple ongoing negotiations with multiple schools across multiple sports, so he may well have closed one loop that gave him a tight window to provide notice. But that's it. Swarbrick was at that stadium an hour before kickoff as well. At the absolute very least, it should have been Swarbrick who delivered the letter with an explanation as to what it entailed.

On the flip-side...public perception plays a factor in behind-door negotiations. If Brandon could put negative pressure on Swarbrick in the media (without outright lying, or being outright insulting), then perhaps it's a chip he can use for future games. Bigger cut of the gate...or something along those lines.

I don't know...except to say that I'm guessing ND fans are on an emotional roller coaster with regard to scheduling for the next two years.

[hack]

Nor would I be surprised if Swarbrick told Brandon in advance, or if Swarbrick is taken aback at Brandon's reaction. This is just the for-public-consumption stuff.