Notre Dame is good for business
FILE - In this Sept. 22, 2012, file photo, Notre Dame's Theo Riddick (6) runs out of the attempted tackle of Michigan's Kenny Demens (25) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind. With the national championship on the line, two throwback offenses will slug it out. No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Alabama rely heavily on the run, and that doesn't figure to change in the biggest game of the year. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File) Credit: AP Photo Darron Cummings
Everyone knows that Notre Dame being in the BCS Championship Game is good for the business of college sports, but few know that better than ESPN analyst Lou Holtz, the last man to lead the Fighting Irish to a national title.
“When Notre Dame is on top, college football is better,’’ he said. “I have been going to ESPN for eight years, and there are about six restaurants I go and eat in. I've been doing this for eight years. For the first time I've had waitresses say, 'Boy, isn't this a great year for Notre Dame?' I didn't even know if they knew the ball was blown up or stuffed.
“I go through the airport, I go through security – I get through security a lot easier now than I ever have before. 'Hey, Coach, Notre Dame is doing great; isn't this wonderful?' I mean, people that never talked to me about college football before . . . Yeah, I think it's great for ESPN when Notre Dame is on top. It's good for Lou Holtz when they're on top.’’
