(l-r : Lou Holtz and a member of the criminal element)
The IMG Notre Dame Radio network will be without the dulcet tones of Allan Pinkett for this weekend’s season opener against Navy in Dublin. Pinkett, who opined earlier this week that the Fighting Irish needed “a few bad citizens on the team” (“that’s how Ohio State used to win all the time. They would have two or three guys that were criminals, and that just adds to the chemistry of the team”) has been temporarily removed from his broadcasting duties, a situation the Chicago Tribune’s Steve Rosenbloom finds fault with. “This is embarrassing,” writes Rosenbloom, “when you’re representing the sanctimonious hucksters in South Bend.”
There is a lot of truth to Pinkett’s idea, either in actual criminals or in the spirit of lawless, reckless players. You know, crazy guys. Because you have to be crazy to play a game that includes criminal acts on every play.
Yeah, it’s a cynical view, but there’s a history of national champions and contenders with rap sheets.Like, I don’t know, Notre Dame. Like, when the oily Lou Holtz refused to suspend quarterback Rick Mirer and linebacker Demetrius DeBose after their arrests at an off-campus party just before the 1991 opener.
And don’t forget how much NCAA trouble the Irish faced in the wake of Holtz’ reign. So, there you go: The Irish produced good teams when breaking laws and rules.Kind of makes Pinkett’s point, doesn’t it?