NCAA Football notre dame Fighting Irish

In 1990, Notre Dame signed a glitzy football television contract with NBC. The deal revolutionized college athletics and brought millions into Notre Dame's bank account. It was a huge financial windfall that guaranteed the Fighting Irish would remain independent from other conferences.

Chances are, you still think that Notre Dame is banking major revenue from this agreement in comparison to other teams. Chances are, you're wrong. What do Vanderbilt and Northwestern have in common when it comes to football? Answer: They likely both get more money for their televised football games than Notre Dame does. As does every other team in the Big Ten and the SEC.

Like thousands of other people in the sports world, Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis uses Twitter to keep fans updated on what he's doing. But in a series of tweets on Wednesday, Weis explained that there are certain things he's not allowed to do on Twitter -- like respond to tweets from high school football players -- because of NCAA recruiting rules.

It's not just a Wisconsin thing. Numerous football programs from BCS conferences have made a bad habit of scheduling cupcakes in recent years. Of course, Wisconsin has been as bad an offender as anyone. They play a Division I-AA (er, FCS) team every season, and sometimes they manage to almost lose.

Former football coach and current athletic director Barry Alvarez seems hell-bent on changing the perception that Wisconsin doesn't play anyone outside of the Big Ten schedule.

Everyone with even a passing interest in college football (or the life of Ronald Reagan) knows about Knute Rockne's famous "Win one for the Gipper" speech. Less well known is that the speech was delivered in the bowels of Yankee Stadium, a facility that hosted the Notre Dame-Army football game in the 1920s, 30s and 40s and therefore hosted some of the greatest moments in college football history. It's time to revive that tradition.

College football reached a golden milestone this week. Barack Obama made fun of Notre Dame.

Hail to the Chief.

After giving the commencement speech at the school, Obama went to an Indianapolis fundraiser and addressed the controversy surrounding his visit. He said all that pro-life, pro-choice hubbub "paled in comparison to what to do about the football team."

"That's an issue we may not resolve within my four years," Obama said.

"Eight!" a spectator shouted.

"All right, well, maybe in eight we might get it done," Obama said.

How about never, Mr. President? Concentrate on saving the banks or GM or Rosie O'Donnell's career. We want Notre Dame to fail.

The entire college football world remembers Notre Dame's 3-9 effort in the 2007 season, but in South Bend, Ind., it never happened. Fort Wayne's Journal Gazette discovered the omission when perusing the Irish's spring prospectus and 2008 media guide.

The Notre Dame athletic department scrubbed all losing seasons both at Notre Dame and elsewhere from Weis' bio in both publications. This is the stuff made for conspiracy and intrigue in the slow death march of the offseason, but fear not, there's an explanation. Sort of.

So this is how it's going to be for Charlie Weis from now on. Urban Meyer here, Urban Meyer there. The dark cloud that is Meyer has been hovering over Weis since he first started failing as Notre Dame's coach. Now, with Weis on his last chance, Meyer keeps looming even more than ever as a reminder.

Steve Spurrier was probably just trying to do his usual, sticking him thumb in someone's eye, in this case his former employer. Meyer has taken over his spot not only as Florida's coach, but also as the nation's top name. So Spurrier, now the South Carolina coach, was on the radio the other day, when he just so happened to bring up Florida and Meyer.

On Tuesday we noted a report that former Stanford, Notre Dame and Washington head coach Tyrone Willingham had accepted a new job as an assistant coach in the upstart United Football League. But now it appears that Willingham won't be a UFL assistant after all.

Former Stanford, Notre Dame and Washington head coach Tyrone Willingham has reportedly found a new job, as an assistant coach in the upstart United Football League.

The Seattle Times, citing the web site FootballScoop.com, reports that Willingham will be the special teams and running backs coach for the UFL's San Francisco franchise. It will be Willingham's first job as an assistant -- and first job coaching professional players -- since he was the running backs coach for the Minnesota Vikings in 1994.

The National Football Foundation has announced 16 players and two coaches have ascended to the College Football Hall of Fame. Its not the sexiest list ever, but whatever, its got John Robinson and a pair of Heisman Trophy winners among the honorees.

Notre Dame receiver Tim Brown and (snicker) Miami quarterback Gino Torretta are joined by notables like Arizona's hard-hitting safety Chuck Cecil, Ohio State linebacker and ESPN analyst Chris Spielman, and West Virginia's Major Harris -- who was Pat White before there was a Pat White.