I agree with almost everything.
Many years ago football put ND on the map; make no doubt about it
The football team could go away now and it would still be highly prestigious and ahead of its peers. It does not need the football team anymore as evidenced by the last 20 years
The football time has done nothing to impress anyone in the last two decades yet it is one of the most prestigious schools in the country.
ND doesnt need the football team anymore and I will admit that is probably part of the problem