The Irish Are Fighting a Losing Cause

Filed under: Notre Dame

Urban Meyer fantasizes about coaching Notre Dame, so you can call him a dreamer. You can call him a good Catholic boy. You can call him college football's most accomplished parole officer.

One thing Meyer has never been called is a fool.

He is named after a pope, so Meyer knows Chris Rainey will be granted sainthood before the Fighting Irish win another national championship. And if a school can't win a title, why go?

That's why Meyer chose to coach Florida instead of Notre Dame. That's why despite reaffirming his dream of coaching the Irish last year, Meyer never considered leaving Gainesville. Reality trumps emotion, and the former Notre Dame assistant knows the Irish will never be relevant.

Sure, they will always matter in cosmetic ways. NBC will keep showing them. Their recruiting classes will always be ranked as the second coming of the '79 Steelers. Their new coach will always be hailed as the next Knute Rockne.

Rebecca Mader Rebecca Romijn Reese Witherspoon Rhona Mitra Rihanna