BREAKING: The bishops on ND football.
Our exclusive report on the USCCB’s emergency meeting to address l’affaire Weis:
Chicago, Dec. 3 — The Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will convene an emergency meeting here today to discuss the University of Notre Dame’s decision to retain its embattled head football coach, Charlie Weis.
The bishops are, by all accounts, divided internally on how to proceed. Some bishops believe that aggressive steps are needed to shake up the complacency that has settled in at South Bend. They fear that, unless decisive and courageous action is taken, Notre Dame’s program will soon be indistinguishable from the rest of the college football landscape. Francis Cardinal George, USCCB president and archbishop of Chicago, said, “Three quarters just to get one first down against USC? Notre Dame football is in danger of becoming an exhausted project. It’s not a matter of whether we are ‘Holtz’ fans or ‘Parseghian’ fans or, heaven forbid, ‘Weis’ fans, but rather that we are simply Notre Dame fans united in our one father, Knute Rockne, in his only begotten son, George Gipp, and in the four evangelists—I mean, the Four Horsemen. I am disappointed that Notre Dame did not take the actions needed to restore its football program to fidelity and, therefore, greatness.” Cardinal George later clarified these remarks, stating that he was speaking only in his own name, and not as USCCB president.
Read the rest of Christopher Ruddy’s story right here.
As a Pentecostal preacher friend of mine used to say: All things are possible if you love the Lord and say Amen!
Regarding the Bishops, etc.:
“The way a team plays as a whole determines its success.” -Babe Ruth
Regarding the Notre Dame Football team, I am proud of the way Notre Dame athletes have always handled themselves in the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.
With all the problems of a new federal administration, the bishops are carrying on about a football team? Football – one of the most boring sports devised. Possibly this acounts for part of the mediocrity of Notre Dame’s academics.
Wow, really? People: it’s a joke!
Probably the only time on this blog I’ll agree with Gabriel.
Not only does Nancy lack in knowledhge of theology, but also football specificaly annd sports in general.
Was this thread necessary except to show how contrinuously useless USCCB is?
On the other hand, Obama wants a foootball playoff as do almost all folk , except the big schools raking in dough from the curren tdeal.
Cardinal O’Malley said: “Typical. BC’s in the ACC Championship Game this Saturday and nobody gives a hoot.”
Bishop Jenky said: “Hey! Any of you notice that the Irish women are in the College Cup semis yet again? Go get it, ladies, right out Chapel Hill’s backyard. You might not hear a domer saying this many times, but there’s more to life than ND football!”
I did not have the impression, previously, that Ruddy had a sense of humor. This was great satire and weaved everyone in nicely. He did shamelessly omit Mary Ann Glendon who would have added that the demise of ND football is due to the lack of family life which the new feminism destroyed.
I’m waiting for a part two, in which Gustavo Gutierrez gives us a theology of liberation, and Benedict himself reminds us of the importance of hope!
Whether the team wins or looses, I have to say that I admire the players–they have more pressure on them in an afternoon than many adults twice their age.
Probably the only time on this blog I will have to disagree with Gabriel Austin, although I am a fan of all Irish sports teams. Christopher Ruddy appears to be a talented writer who seems to have captured the essence of his cast of characters. (no pun intended) At the end of the day, I stand by this statement:
“The way a team plays as a whole determines its success.”- Babe Ruth
We are one Body.
Sorry, Grant – some things are too important to joke about!
Wow, really? People: it’s a joke!
. . . . . . . . . . chirp chirp . . . . . . . . . chirp chirp . . . . . . ZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzz
Btw, I understand that several prominent law professors are controversially claiming that one can support Boston College football and yet remain a faithful Catholic.
Jim, that is sadly true. What should we make of such agenda-driven Eaglepologetics?
LOL.
Will the bishops also be taking up the thorny but pressing football/theology issue of whether Ronald Reagan was baptized as a Catholic by desire when George Gipp died in “Knute Rockne, All American”?
I’d say to the bishops: “Don’t be so single issue! There are six Catholic schools in the men’s basketball Top 25; two of them are Top Ten. Heck, you can even throw in Duke and Wake Forest because of their high amount of Catholics enrolled in those schools. Make the goal a series of weeks with Catholic schools throughout the Top 25.”
If there’s one single issue we need right now, it is a novena to knock UNC from the top spot. We need to get novena rolling soon so UNC can be upset by, of all teams, Valpo, on December 20.
Apropos of fr, Shawn, maybe we could revive (ala the old Catholic almanac) Catholic All American teams – they could be prominently featured on a new EWT sports feature.
In the interim, go Fordham and Villanovea and any other Catholic college that doesn’t wany football big time but wants the game!