Irish’s future to be defined by new hire

Today, Notre Dame football is nothing more than an agony-riddled ghost, a once-mighty institution left lying in ruins. Yet at the same time, it is a cherished relic, commanding our respect and acknowledgement. 

It is a reminder of what once was, of a time where Four Horsemen galloped across the gridiron, of a time when men stomped out of the underbelly of Yankee Stadium and won one for the Gipper in the blustery Bronx wind, of a time when a small Catholic school from Indiana shocked the United States Army off the banks of the Hudson with something called a forward pass.

Some say that those days of glory can once again be experienced in South Bend. Others vouch that (Fighting) Irish eyes will never smile again. 

Whatever the case may be, we will soon know. Today is the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning. Charlie Weis is gone. Whoever becomes his successor must be the man to lead Notre Dame into the light and back to glory.

There can’t be any more bad hires. There can’t be any more mistakes. It’s do-or-die in South Bend now; Notre Dame is either going to rise from the ashes or finally disappear into oblivion.

Whatever side one takes, one must admit the fact — Notre Dame means something in college football. Even with 21 losses in three years, the low-water mark in university history, Notre Dame is meaningful.

The Game of the Century. Knute Rockne. Touchdown Jesus. Lou Holtz. George Gipp. The Chicken Soup Game. Rudy Ruettiger.

The history and pageantry of college football and American athletics have been profoundly impacted by Notre Dame. Love it or hate it, you have to realize the simple truth — if Notre Dame can still be great, it must be great. You can’t have something so rich in tradition and mystique wilting away before your eyes if something can be done.

That’s why athletic director Jack Swarbrick has to get this one right. The jury is out as to if Notre Dame can compete with the best in today’s climate. For a myriad of reasons, dozens of other universities have passed the Irish by on the football pecking order.

But if the Irish are ever to get up on the level with Texas, Florida, Southern California, Ohio State and the rest of the pigskin aristocracy, they need to get the coach that can take them there.

Weis is a good coach. But like Tyrone Willingham and Bob Davie before him, he wasn’t up to the job.

The new coach has to be. Big name, no-name, multiple-time national champion, never even won a game, it doesn’t matter. Another mistake can’t be made.

For a long while it has been wondered if the echoes could be awoken, if the thunder could be shaken down from the sky, if Old Notre Dame could still win over all.

We will soon find out.