[jacketree]

When and where did the "40 year decision" start?

It's hard to say, but the first time I remember hearing it was from Lou Holtz, when he disparaged Florida State's Scott Bently for eschewing a Notre Dame scholarship offer coming out of Overland High School (Aurora, Colorado). 'Son, you haven't just made a four-year mistake, you have made a forty-year mistake.' Words to that effect.  This would be circa 1992-93, about the same time Holtz bagged on Justin Armour for wanting to only win 4 games a year by selecting Stanford over the Irish. Something about those Colorado guys....

Bently might have been one of the "wide left" or "wide right" kickers for FSU (perhaps JPRI remembers), but I do remember that he hit the game winning field goal giving the 'Noles an Orange Bowl win over Nebraska and the National Title. Notre Dame has won exactly zero national titles since Holtz dropped that line on him.

As for Armour, he (and Stanford) did only win 4 games in 1993.  He also won 8 games in '91, 10 in '92 (including ND), and 3 in '94.

[jacketree]

When and where did the "40 year decision" start?

It's hard to say, but the first time I remember hearing it was from Lou Holtz, when he disparaged Florida State's Scott Bently for eschewing a Notre Dame scholarship offer coming out of Overland High School (Aurora, Colorado). 'Son, you haven't just made a four-year mistake, you have made a forty-year mistake.' Words to that effect.  This would be circa 1992-93, about the same time Holtz bagged on Justin Armour for wanting to only win 4 games a year by selecting Stanford over the Irish. Something about those Colorado guys....

Bently might have been one of the "wide left" or "wide right" kickers for FSU (perhaps JPRI remembers), but I do remember that he hit the game winning field goal giving the 'Noles an Orange Bowl win over Nebraska and the National Title. Notre Dame has won exactly zero national titles since Holtz dropped that line on him.

As for Armour, he (and Stanford) did only win 4 games in 1993.  He also won 8 games in '91, 10 in '92 (including ND), and 3 in '94.