We asked you to respond to ESPN.com's Bottom 10. Apparently, Irish fans didn't appreciate an appearance on the waiting list. Here's what you had to say:

With apologies

Now as a writer, I hope you give credit to the person who started the Bottom Ten, humorist Steve Harvey of the Los Angeles Times. It would be disingenuous to have this section and not mention his original work.

Lawrence C. Ross, Jr.
Inglewood, Calif.

Editor's note: Right you are Lawrence. We should have tipped our hats to Steve Harvey yesterday. Hope our belated effort comes across as sincerely as it is intended.

Wildcats were worse

I don't mind the '79-82 'Cats on the list, but shouldn't we at least be No. 1a?

Timothy Welch
Chicago, Ill.

Echoes from South Bend

Putting ND on your "waiting list" for the bottom ten makes me think that you guys don't even hire people that follow college football to write these articles. I know they had a rough season last year, and I know this season could be just as rough, but aside from the fact that ESPN loves to hate Notre Dame, is there any factual evidence behind you putting them in such select company. Oh, of course there is -- they play their home games on a different network than the ABC/ESPN family. On a side note, my 10 year old niece needs a job and I think ESPN.com would be perfect -- she once wrote an article for her school paper, and knows nothing about sports -- perfect for you guys.

John Tomlinson
New York, N.Y.

Do you just put ND on the waiting list so you can get angry e-mails or do you have any justification for it? Certainly, ND has not been performing at its high standards, but to put them in this company is silly.

Ed Reilly
Chicago Ill.

Just another low-blow in ESPN's continued Notre Dame bashing. Get over it, guys: we know you do not like ND. I cannot wait to rub it over the next few years as Ty resurrects the most storied program in the land...

Michael LaSalle
Santa Monica, Calif.

Are you kidding? Notre Dame? You have to be joking. One of the most storied programs hits a small bump in the road and you trash'em after all it's contributed to the lore and progression of college football? It's true, you either love or hate Notre Dame and ESPN has gone with the momentum to kick the Irish when we're down. Don't jump on the gravy train when we do (and I know it won't be this year..duh..but soon enough)

Where's Prairie View and SMU in all this? They're horrible as is USC who send everyone to the NFL but constantly continues to underachieve each and every year.

Brian Perez
San Carlos, Calif.

Notre Dame? I would have been intrigued by such a prediction during the Davie era. I probably would have agreed. But now, it appears to be another attempt to jump on the "Notre Dame is finished" bandwagon. Your blatant disregard for the Irish is tiresome. If the Irish are that dreadful, why are they continually headlining SportsCenter after a 5-6 season? Maybe it is because the Spelling Bee, Cheerleading competitions and Little League baseball are finally losing their appeal? I sure hope not. I would hate to think ESPN is using the Irish just to try and get people interested again in a once credible network.

Andy Sharp
Houston, Texas

It is a little unfair to lump Notre Dame in the "Waiting List" before Willingham even coaches a game. Certainly we are not a traditional loser like the other schools you note, and our inclusion on this list would seem to indicate that you believe that with Willingham we are a program on the way down (once again, before he even coaches his first game). I really hope this was done in a teasing manner to see if you could irk ND fans (If this was the intent, job well done). Otherwise, I think it speaks poorly of your judgement

Dan Ripper
Chattanooga, Tenn.

Not so fast

As a Notre Dame alum, I hate to see their name on the "waiting list" for your Bottom 10. Specifically what I hate is that you are right. But you have to take them off your list if they win 4 games!

Daniel Wallin
Normal, Ill.

Nice job -- and a bonus point for daring to include the Irish on the "waiting list!" Sure, they hardly rank w/the likes of "D(P)uke" Football, but there is a message to be had! I was just wondering why Buffalo was omitted? If UConn is on, Buffalo should be too. More exposure to these schools -- Troy State, Tulsa, Wake Forest, Army....There shouldn't BE 117 1-A schools!

Hobeika II
Fairfield, Ohio

Laissez les bon temps rouler

The fact that you rate ULM and ULL at the bottom is quite accurate. I grew up going to ULM games (then NLU) and when they entered the 1-A gravy train it was all downhill from there. However it is obvious you have never been to either location or you would easily be able to distinguish us good ol' boys from Monroe from those bayou trash cajuns from Lafayette!

Nolan
New Orleans, La.

I agree. University of Louisiana-Lafayette insists upon leaving out the Lafayette so that they appear to be a real program. Their fans are irrational blow hards who talk smack. I would consider including Tulane University in your next edition. They (TooLame) are pathetic.

Beau Fournet
Marrero, La.

If you knew the feuding between ULM and ULL you would know your comments about these two schools were great. But watch out for the Sun Belt. Our schools are working to make some noise in college football. Won't be overnight but all we need is time.

OsageJ
Paragould, Ark.

Sounds from the SEC

After graduating from Vanderbilt this spring, I am no longer obligated to keep hidden my insider's knowledge as to why Vandy's football efforts generally resemble a clan of circus clowns bullfighting on an ice rink. The radio in the weightroom is permanently tuned to a soft rock station featuring such adrenaline-pumping bands as REO Speedwagon and the Backstreet Boys. And the most common song played on that station for a lengthy stretch last year? None other than Britney Spears' "Oops, I Did It Again."

Andrew Riechel
Atlanta, Ga.

You include Vanderbilt on your list, but leave off Kentucky? Look, I'm a True Blue fan, but man are they bad! Bowl games in 1998 & 1999 should not keep them off the list of Bottom 10! Back to back 2-9 seasons in 2000 & 2001, 1-10 in 1994, 0-10-1 in 1982, and a whole bunch of 3 & 4 win seasons in between. The University of Kentucky football program deserves to be tied with Vanderbilt in the bottom 10 because every year, they fight it out to see who will be dead last in the SEC.

Chris
Lexington, Ky.

And the nominees are ...

Cal should be No. 1 on the list of worst teams, not just in the "waiting" category. Every year, they are predicted to be bad, then they turn out to be WORSE than forecasted. C'mon! They are in the Pac-10 and can't even recruit against UC-Davis and Sacramento State.

Bucky
Santa Clara, Calif.

Believe me, I know Kansas is not a football power by any stretch of the imagination. I can attest to that first hand being a KU grad and fan. But Bottom 10? Last year was the first year in over 10 they we didn't at least win 4 games in a season. Mark Mangino is going to change this in a hurry. Not to mention, what about Missouri? They have not won ANY game of importance in years. They beat us last year by 4 points, so does that mean they are 4 points away from the Bottom 10?

Marc Mann
Overland Park, Kan.

Boy did you leave out some biggies. The twin towers of slime to balance out Michigan and Michigan State, Eastern and Central Michigan. Then for just horrible everything, Buffalo. And lastly, the worst team in my personal least favorite conference, RUTGERS. The pink paladins could play a season in I-AA and still not win.

Brian Hilleary
Reston, Va.

Did you guys see Rutgers play last year?

Brendon Ryan
Brighton, Mass.

After back to back 3-8 seasons under the departed Ted Tollner, Tom Craft is being asked to jump from the JUCO head coaching ranks to Division 1. Players have difficulty in making that jump, so will Craft. Aztecs go 0-5 at home, beat Idaho at Boise and steal one from Wyoming in the snow. They are a snowball away from 1-10 and have earned a place in your Bottom 10.

Don Kovacs
San Diego, Calif.

What??? No Tulsa on the list!!!! Burns only managed one win last year, and I think he will be hard pressed to top that this go round.

Chris Kidwell
Kansas City, Mo.

You have to feel bad for Navy and the boys in the Sun Belt. Eight years as a naval officer sure puts a damper on an NFL career, and the Sun Belt was ruined for its creation and scouting for any team in that conference is as fruitless as keeping the books for Enron. BUT teams like Northwestern, Duke, and particularly Notre Dame have no excuse. They have won in the past, and they are in conferences that gain national attention. They should be able to scout and compete enough to gain a respectable team.

Adam
Pensacola, Fla.

Now this is a great idea!! Here's a team to consider......Indiana. They were awful when the had the best player in the nation (my opinion). Can't wait to see them this year! Whoever loses to them in conference play should join the MAC. Good work guys, I'll be sure to keep on checking this every week!

Mike
Crystal Lake, Ill.

UConn would go 0-9 against the rest of your bottom 10. They are road kill for the foreseeable future.

Jeff Burkhart
Cromwell, Conn.

University of Buffalo: A mediocre Division II team masquerading as a Division I-A program. Five wins in the past three seasons.

Minnesota and Indiana: Haven't been to the Rose Bowl since 1961 & 1968, respectively. Even Northwestern has been there once since then. Without Randle-El Indiana isn't going to get there anytime soon.

Jon Hanks
Missouri

How can you leave Temple out of the Bottom 10? I don't know where to begin describing how bad of a team they are, but the fact that they are getting kicked out of the lame Big East conference is certainly a start.

Daniel Borchardt
Philadelphia, Pa.