Sunday, January 06, 2013
Notre Dame
I graduated in 64, Ara Parseghian’s first year as football coach; Huarte and Snow on the cover of Time; and President Rev. Ted Hesburgh was also on a cover earlier. I believe Ara won the National Champioship the following year.
I barely graduated. Summer school for Math after my freshman year - a shock to all, especially my parents - was with Jake Cline, who taught the Atheletes math - including Carl Yastremski, boston Baseball Star, a year or so ahead of me.
ND had a pretty “flexible” policy about Atheletes and academics. At the time ND was not co-ed.
Today my brother Tom (the Greatest Living Writer in Maine; raised Catholic, but married to a Black Prod; now Cynic-In-Charge for the East Coast and proud of it) sent me a NYT article on Atheletes and ND, highlighting the beliefs of an active philosopy fella who decries pubilcally the place of Football and other sports in Big Schools - Why, for the cost of the Football Coach's salary we could build MANY philosophy departments, etc.
The Holy Cross Fathers (CSC - Come Sweet Cash), who run ND, wisely realize that Big Money rarely flows into their operation based on the success of their Philosopy Department, as most Moneyed Alumni do not follow the possible winners of the Spinoza Award for Structured Obscurity, or whatever the Heisman equivalent is...
On the Eve of yet another National Championship (Alabama vs. ND this Monday evening), these tortured souls find a ready market for columns featuring their anguished cries to Change Things Now For The Better.
Sez who? Spinoza?
Sez who? Spinoza?
