It's Notre Dame related but the historical truths about the successes of the USCs and OSUs are fascinating. Swallow your Irish hating and read it if you like big time college football:
June 19, 2008
The Long Wait
by LOU SOMOGYI
Senior Editor
For those who started following Notre Dame in the 1940s or even sometime around 1964, football national championships almost seemed like a birthright.
In a 13-year period from 1941-53, the Irish finished unbeaten six times and won four national titles, while barely missing on three others. And in the 30 years from 1964-93, Notre Dame captured four national titles and were in the hunt until the final game of the regular season (or bowl game) six other times. That means once every three years, the Irish had a legitimate championship-caliber team.
Holtz led Notre Dame to its last National Championship 20 years ago this season.
If anyone would have told you on Jan. 2 1989 that Notre Dame wouldn’t win another national title over at least the next 20 years, it would have been laughably preposterous. A dynasty similar to the 1940s appeared to be in the offing, so much so that NBC negotiated a separate television contract for exclusive rights to air the Irish home games. Sports Illustrated summarized the move with the headline, “We’re Notre Dame And You’re Not.”
Yet 20 years later, not only has the football program not captured another national title, it hasn’t even won a bowl game in the last 14 campaigns. Furthermore, it has finished in the AP Top 10 merely once in those 14 campaigns (No. 10 in 2005). The 20 years without a championship eclipsed the previous school record of 16 from 1950 through 1965.
When one thinks of the greatest pro franchises in history, the Boston Celtics would be among the top 3, especially after capturing Banner No. 17 earlier this week. The first 16 were achieved in a 30-year span from 1957-86 – and it looked like so many, many more would follow when the franchise was able to land Len Bias with the No. 2 pick in the 1986 NBA Draft. But 48 hours after being tabbed by Boston, Bias died from a cocaine overdose, beginning the downward spiral of the franchise that saw no championships – and plenty of mediocrity and losing seasons – the next 20 years.
The Detroit Red Wings have been known as “Hockeytown,” yet went without a championship in 41 years from 1956-97. The Montreal Canadians have been the dominant franchise of the NHL, yet hasn’t hoisted the Stanley Cup in 15 years. For nearly two decades, the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders were a feared force in the NFL and had a “Commitment to Excellence” motto, highlighted by three Super Bowl titles in the eight years from 1976-83. It’s been 24 years since the last title. Meanwhile, “America’s Team,” the Dallas Cowboys, haven’t even won a playoff game since 1996 – a streak almost as bad as Notre Dame’s bowl drought.
And while we’re at it, the franchise with the “Titletown, U.S.A.” moniker, the Green Bay Packers, went without a title in the 28 seasons from 1968-1995, or have captured just one over the last 40 seasons.
When you think of the five greatest college basketball powers in history, UCLA, Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas and Indiana probably would be the first to come to mind. Yet UCLA has one national title in the last 33 years (1995), Kentucky had a 20-year drought from 1958 until 1978, and then went 18 more years without finishing No. 1. North Carolina went 25 years between titles (1957 and then 1982), while Kansas went 36 (1952 until 1988) and 20 (1988 until this April). Indiana is currently in a 21-year drought and has about two grant-in-aid players on the current roster.
But to truly appreciate how difficult it is to win a title, look no farther than the current or traditional superpowers in college football annals:
• Michigan won the 1948 national title, and didn’t share another one until 49 years later, in 1997.
• Ohio State went 33 seasons from 1969 through 2001 without a national title, blowing 10 golden opportunities in 1969, 1970, 1972-75, 1979, 1995-96 and 1998.
• In a state that prides itself as the nation’s football capital, the University of Texas went 35 years from 1970 through 2004 without finishing No. 1.
• USC, the dominant program the past five years, went 24 years from 1979 through 2002 without ending up No. 1.
• LSU won the national title in 1958 – and it took another 45 years before it shared one with USC in 2003.
• Auburn won the national title in 1957 – and has zero since then despite posting perfect records in 1993 and 2004.
• Tennessee finished No. 1 in 1951 – and it took 47 years before doing it again.
• After consecutive titles in 1970-71, it took Nebraska 23 years before finishing No. 1 again, barely missing on so many other occasions.
How challenging is it to finish a season unscathed? Consider that in the 58 seasons since 1950, Notre Dame has been undefeated and untied only twice: 1973 (11-0) and 1988 (12-0). That’s once per 29 seasons! Bobby Bowden has enjoyed a magnificent 32-year career at Florida State, but consider that 1999 is the lone season he finished unbeaten.
The moral of the story is contrary to tradition, lore and perceived birthrights baby boomers may have grown up with while following Notre Dame, talking about championships as an inevitable destiny is foolish. If and/or when it does occur, it must be cherished – because you never know if you might see another in your lifetime.
June 19, 2008
The Long Wait
by LOU SOMOGYI
Senior Editor
For those who started following Notre Dame in the 1940s or even sometime around 1964, football national championships almost seemed like a birthright.
In a 13-year period from 1941-53, the Irish finished unbeaten six times and won four national titles, while barely missing on three others. And in the 30 years from 1964-93, Notre Dame captured four national titles and were in the hunt until the final game of the regular season (or bowl game) six other times. That means once every three years, the Irish had a legitimate championship-caliber team.
Holtz led Notre Dame to its last National Championship 20 years ago this season.
If anyone would have told you on Jan. 2 1989 that Notre Dame wouldn’t win another national title over at least the next 20 years, it would have been laughably preposterous. A dynasty similar to the 1940s appeared to be in the offing, so much so that NBC negotiated a separate television contract for exclusive rights to air the Irish home games. Sports Illustrated summarized the move with the headline, “We’re Notre Dame And You’re Not.”
Yet 20 years later, not only has the football program not captured another national title, it hasn’t even won a bowl game in the last 14 campaigns. Furthermore, it has finished in the AP Top 10 merely once in those 14 campaigns (No. 10 in 2005). The 20 years without a championship eclipsed the previous school record of 16 from 1950 through 1965.
When one thinks of the greatest pro franchises in history, the Boston Celtics would be among the top 3, especially after capturing Banner No. 17 earlier this week. The first 16 were achieved in a 30-year span from 1957-86 – and it looked like so many, many more would follow when the franchise was able to land Len Bias with the No. 2 pick in the 1986 NBA Draft. But 48 hours after being tabbed by Boston, Bias died from a cocaine overdose, beginning the downward spiral of the franchise that saw no championships – and plenty of mediocrity and losing seasons – the next 20 years.
The Detroit Red Wings have been known as “Hockeytown,” yet went without a championship in 41 years from 1956-97. The Montreal Canadians have been the dominant franchise of the NHL, yet hasn’t hoisted the Stanley Cup in 15 years. For nearly two decades, the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders were a feared force in the NFL and had a “Commitment to Excellence” motto, highlighted by three Super Bowl titles in the eight years from 1976-83. It’s been 24 years since the last title. Meanwhile, “America’s Team,” the Dallas Cowboys, haven’t even won a playoff game since 1996 – a streak almost as bad as Notre Dame’s bowl drought.
And while we’re at it, the franchise with the “Titletown, U.S.A.” moniker, the Green Bay Packers, went without a title in the 28 seasons from 1968-1995, or have captured just one over the last 40 seasons.
When you think of the five greatest college basketball powers in history, UCLA, Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas and Indiana probably would be the first to come to mind. Yet UCLA has one national title in the last 33 years (1995), Kentucky had a 20-year drought from 1958 until 1978, and then went 18 more years without finishing No. 1. North Carolina went 25 years between titles (1957 and then 1982), while Kansas went 36 (1952 until 1988) and 20 (1988 until this April). Indiana is currently in a 21-year drought and has about two grant-in-aid players on the current roster.
But to truly appreciate how difficult it is to win a title, look no farther than the current or traditional superpowers in college football annals:
• Michigan won the 1948 national title, and didn’t share another one until 49 years later, in 1997.
• Ohio State went 33 seasons from 1969 through 2001 without a national title, blowing 10 golden opportunities in 1969, 1970, 1972-75, 1979, 1995-96 and 1998.
• In a state that prides itself as the nation’s football capital, the University of Texas went 35 years from 1970 through 2004 without finishing No. 1.
• USC, the dominant program the past five years, went 24 years from 1979 through 2002 without ending up No. 1.
• LSU won the national title in 1958 – and it took another 45 years before it shared one with USC in 2003.
• Auburn won the national title in 1957 – and has zero since then despite posting perfect records in 1993 and 2004.
• Tennessee finished No. 1 in 1951 – and it took 47 years before doing it again.
• After consecutive titles in 1970-71, it took Nebraska 23 years before finishing No. 1 again, barely missing on so many other occasions.
How challenging is it to finish a season unscathed? Consider that in the 58 seasons since 1950, Notre Dame has been undefeated and untied only twice: 1973 (11-0) and 1988 (12-0). That’s once per 29 seasons! Bobby Bowden has enjoyed a magnificent 32-year career at Florida State, but consider that 1999 is the lone season he finished unbeaten.
The moral of the story is contrary to tradition, lore and perceived birthrights baby boomers may have grown up with while following Notre Dame, talking about championships as an inevitable destiny is foolish. If and/or when it does occur, it must be cherished – because you never know if you might see another in your lifetime.
