I am big on college tradition. I HATE how many rivalries have been lost by expansion over the past two decades. I HATE how the Rose Bowl doesn't even involve the Pac and B1G champs anymore.

But when I think of "Notre Dame Independence" I don't think of it being a great tradition like Dotting the I or Midnight Yell or the Eagle landing at Auburn or the rock and the hill at Clemson and so on. Even by Notre Dame standards, I think of the painting of the helmets and the Jeweled Shillelagh/USC game (love that trophy BTW) as far more cool-tradition than independence. So my question to you is, how do you view independence? Is it a cool tradition that the rest of the country just doesn't get. Or is it just "this is how we do business at Notre Dame" and that's the way it is.

I always kind of just lumped Notre Dame in historically with Eastern Independents that I grew up with here in Pennsylvania (Pitt, Penn State, et al.). While the rest of them have found homes, I don't see ND independence as a particularly great tradition. What is great about ND to me though is the national schedule--from little Catholic brother BC to the Michigan schools to USC. Just great, great games to see. I realize being independent helps with the national schedule, but they aren't mutually exclusive.

As you know, I am not the type on this board to pearl clutch over ND joining the ACC. The deal is the deal, a compromise. And it is what it is. Just wondering your rationale about independence.

[Post edited by Maroon Baboon at 01/21/2022 11:16AM]