September 26, 2007
Third Irish player leaves team
Konrad Reuland, one of the nation's top tight end prospects when he signed at Notre Dame two years ago, has decided to leave the Irish football team.
“Basically, it came down to the fact I wasn’t happy with where I was,” the 6-foot-6, 255-pound sophomore from Mission Viejo, Calif., told the Tribune via cell phone Monday. “It was combination of things, not just football, not just the school. I wanted badly to be happy again, and felt this move was the best thing for me.“I realize Notre Dame is a very special place. I wouldn’t have picked it from all the schools in the country if it wasn’t. But it didn’t work out for me on a personal level. I felt the change was the best.”
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"I don't have any idea where I'll end up," Reuland said. "I'm kind of looking forward to going through recruiting again. I want to pick the best school for me for the long run, not the one that feels good today."
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"This wasn't an impulsive decision," he said. "I actually finally made up my mind that I was leaving last Wednesday. I just wanted to make sure I took the right steps to make this as positive a move for everyone involved. I didn't want to be a distraction for myself, my teammates and the coaching staff. I want the best for them too."
Reuland saw very limited playing time (18 minutes and 14 seconds in 2006) and never caught a pass in a Notre Dame uniform.
Reuland's departure is not a concern from a depth perspective, per se, as the Irish have commitments from two top TE prospects for next season.
Rather, his transfer points to potential turmoil within the football team. Rueland becomes the third sophomore player to leave the Notre Dame football team in the last three months, , joining quarterbacks Zach Frazer (now at Connecticut) and Demetrius Jones (Northern Illinois).
Comments:
Tampa Hurricane
posted on September 26, 2007 1:26 PM — 24.96.199.254 — link — abuse?
said:
ND fans should be happy with the rumor that Weis is in the running for the NY Giants job. After seeing how he destroyed your program in his short time there, if he stays the full 10 years of his contract will there even be a football program left?
GatorMatt
posted on September 26, 2007 1:49 PM — 128.227.51.4 — link — abuse? said:
#6,
I for one am celebrating. I'm tired of seeing them take bowl revenue away from a team who's actually deserving of it. I'm also sick of them keeping all that bowl revenue to themselves. I wonder how long before NBC buys out that contract?
posted on September 26, 2007 1:54 PM — 64.12.112.34 — link — abuse?War Eagle Atlanta
said:
Gatormatt: I'm with you. The Notre Dame Broadcasting Network definitely put all their eggs in one basket. Wouldn't you like to see this scenario play out: NBC tells ND that the only way to extend the network contract is for them to join the Big10! Ha! The almighty dollar giveth and the almighty dollar taketh away....
GatorMatt
posted on September 26, 2007 2:04 PM — 128.227.51.4 — link — abuse? said:
#9,
You also have to realize that NBC is part of the media, and they don't care about how well the team does. People will keep tuning in just to watch ND get massacred. They'll continue to get the ratings they want. Also, their fans will continue to talk about how great they were at the beginning of the 1900's. Where's IrishJT for his input on this?
Spartacus
posted on September 26, 2007 2:32 PM — 71.103.225.30 — link — abuse? said:
Rueland was recruited hard by USC. I'm sure that Pete told him that Notre Dame was goin' to take a pounding for the next five years at the hands of the Trojans. I'm sure that the reality is right on Konrad. Fact is: Konrad Rueland played tight end on the same high school team as future Trojan QB star Mark Sanchez (Mission Viejo HS). That team won the "mythical" high school national championship. Losing can't be any fun for Rueland. I would guess that with Sanchez and Mitch Mustain right behind Booty - that the Trojans have the inside edge for Rueland's services in the next two years. Rueland was the #1 TE recruit in the country for his class. Go Troy!
Tommie Trojan
posted on September 26, 2007 3:25 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse? said:
No, Gatormatt, I have to disagree. Ratings will suffer on the Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation while they continue to lose. Nobody is going to watch it just so they can see a losing team.
I don't know how long is left in their original contract, but ND better pray it's not up after this season. Even the Lifetime Network would pass on ND football this year...
Ramblin' Gator said:
posted on September 26, 2007 4:12 PM — 216.10.193.20 — link — abuse?
The question is how long will ND fans continue to tune-in to NBC and watch the Irish lose? NBC signed the contract with ND simply because the school has a huge and nationwide (world-wide?) fan base. However, eventually even the alums will stop watching. That's when NBC will be trying to opt out of the contract with ND.
I'm also expecting some of ND's 2008 recruiting class to start pulling out. At a minimum, they have to expect that Charlie's job is at risk. Personally, I think he will go back to coaching in the pros voluntarily at the end of this season (unless something drastic changes).
Lennie Collins
posted on September 26, 2007 6:19 PM — 68.93.134.47 — link — abuse? said:
War Eagle Atlanta(Comment#9) I don't think Notre Dame will be joining the Big 11 or any conference until 2018. They have their future schedules already made out until 2017. Check out www.nationalchamps.net It has most of the teams future schedules.
posted on September 26, 2007 6:38 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse? said:
Yes, Lennie, no time soon. However, it is inevitable, I believe. TV contract money will eventually force them to join a conference, unless somehow they can keep winning 10 games a year in perpetuity--which they can't, unless they keep playing Navy and nobody from the Big10. College football audiences are more sophisticated than that these days. They don't want to watch a blow-out of the Midshipmen for the 44th straight year--not when they can watch a Georgia-Florida, Cal-USC, or Texas-Oklahoma instead.
Believe it or not, I used to be a Nielson household--the TV ratings people. They install computers on your TVs that record what you watch, then it dials to the network at 3am to download the results. Although they explained to me the rules of only watching what you normally watch, I always made sure that I put the TVs on any GOOD college football match-up, regardless of if I was really watching it or not. I can't ever recall having it on the Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation...
Lennie Collins
posted on September 26, 2007 6:51 PM — 68.93.134.47 — link — abuse? said:
War Eagle Atlanta if I was the Big 11 commisioner I would tell Notre Dame to talk to da hand you selfish, arrogant, losing soms of I ain't gone say it. As long as Notre Dame has that tv contract with NBC it will not happen. Notre Dame will turn it around. They will not be down for long. They have their schedules set until 2017 and I do not see them buying out those game contracts to join any conference.
Zac said:
posted on September 27, 2007 5:28 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse?
It's hard for me to pity a school that gets just about everything handed to them. And believe me, as a Catholic, I know for a fact the Roman Catholic flag-ship university is getting well taken care of when it comes to its needs, be it sports or scholastic.
That having been said, and given their tradition and storied past, I can't help but feel badly for them. Lets face it; there are kids on that team just like any team. Bad enough if you play for Buffalo, Duke, or Temple, but to be a member of a ND squad with the worst record since (What was it, 1962?) That's just plane sad.
Much as I hate to stoop to mysticism, I think God's punishing the school for not giving Coach Willingham a fair shake. They're also being punished for beating Navy every year, for taking too much stock in their TV contract, for taking bowl games from more worthy teams, for not joining a conference
Zac said:
posted on September 27, 2007 6:48 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse?
Lennie, here's something I didn't know; though, I think someone posted this elsewhere already. The following is a quote from ESPN:
"There are 109 players in Division I-A who currently average more yards per game of total offense than Notre Dame (137 ypg)."
That's not just sad; that's pathetic.
Anyway, as you see fit, Lennie, as you see fit.
TampaGator said:
posted on September 28, 2007 4:08 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?
So much vitriol towards Notre Dame; I never really understood it. Frankly, if you stop and think about it, what Notre Dame has accomplished is extraordinary, in comparison to who and what they are--a small Catholic university, in the middle of nowhere.
I used to think the Notre Dame had an unfair advantage over the competition with that NBC contract (a/k/a the holy grail of CFB)--but then I remember, agian--they're just a small Catholic school in the middle of nowhere. No palm trees, ugly chicks, no big city appeal, no tax base for support...As for W'ham--as a Gator, I understand why they canned him more than most. Three years of frustration (in ND's case, it was 3 years of W'ham plus 5 years of Davie=8yrs of furstration they refer to as "davieham"), and a guy like Urban Meyer comes along--you have to make a move. W'ham had his shot, and it was clear he wasn't cutting it, and apparent that he wasn't laying much foundation for the future. It's ridiculous to hear so many people second guess that decision--especially when they try to make it a race issue.
That said, he doesn't get the blame for this year's woes. Weis did a piss poor job in preparing those kids for the season; they are pathetically soft, especially in the later parts of the game--and that more than anything else is what is behind not just the 0-3 record, but the horrific statistics.
In any event, I'll continue to pull for Notre Dame--especially this season, since they've resumed the role that made them who they are--that of underdog.
Love 'em or hate'em, you can't deny they hold a unique and special place in American culture---which is why they get the NBC contract (not because of it).
Good luck Irish! and...
GO GATORS!!
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OU-Ron
said:
posted on September 26, 2007 12:09 PM — 216.201.209.146 — link — abuse?According to Rivals 2008 recruiting, ND is ranked # 1. Just thinking some of those recruits may be looking at other schools now. I dont think anyone could blame them