tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15561288.post3199217326186941176..comments2023-12-25T14:06:47.943-05:00Comments on Domer Law Blog: 2005 Redux?Wackohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11573984468865704789noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15561288.post-24885092069471818332009-10-22T14:04:42.170-04:002009-10-22T14:04:42.170-04:00I know we should be focused on the here and now......I know we should be focused on the here and now... like beating BC and breaking that ridiculous streak... but I have zero confidence that Jimmy Clausen will return. Both Mel Kiper and Todd McShay have him in the top 3 QBs for next year's draft... ahead of Colt McCoy. At some point, the NFL Draft stuff takes on a life of its own. <br /><br />And if you think Jimmy is coming back to chase a national title, I have 2 words for you:<br /><br />Sam.<br />Bradford.<br /><br />Enjoy Jimmy this year. Because he is gone next year.Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06197931485434325175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15561288.post-76791528641794831082009-10-22T00:36:45.057-04:002009-10-22T00:36:45.057-04:00"They will be favored for the remaining games..."They will be favored for the remaining games."<br /><br />Not so sure about that. If Pitt wins out between now and the Irish-Panthers game, they'll be ranked in the Top 15, and at home. I would think Pitt could very well be favored in that one.Brendan Loyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03022822652170398179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15561288.post-29661788274284335732009-10-21T19:28:35.416-04:002009-10-21T19:28:35.416-04:00I think we're getting ourselves in predicting ...I think we're getting ourselves in predicting the Irish win out from here. I'm okay with the record thus far and can understand why all those games were close, but I just don't see how we can be truly confident in an Irish victory this weekend, let along for every weekend going forward. I wouldn't be shocked if they turned a corner and started dominating the way they should, but wouldn't be surprised by a few losses either. The defense seriously needs to get its shit together.pablonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15561288.post-6161384312140802032009-10-21T12:21:01.803-04:002009-10-21T12:21:01.803-04:00Good post. Shows intelligent discourse and a strat...Good post. Shows intelligent discourse and a strategic understanding of the program instead of those limited reactions. <br /><br />The program was in complete decay and it showed up in the 2007 season where we had to field mostly 1st year players. since then depth has improved as has experience. Overall, the program is improving. I think the recent change in position coaches have yielded better play as well.<br /><br />Programs on the rise have to go through evolutions emotionally as well. They have to learn to win, then evolve to expecting to win and finally play to a consistent level, not the level of the competition. I do think they have accomplished #1 & #2. They must learn #3 this year to be successful against the remainder of the schedule without a hiccup. Another barometer Domer: They will be favored for the remaining games. Could not say that last year.-Glad you found perspective.Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15561288.post-83217979407295813482009-10-21T11:47:10.525-04:002009-10-21T11:47:10.525-04:00I forgot all about the Cotton Bowl. Do they have p...I forgot all about the Cotton Bowl. Do they have priority over the Gator Bowl?<br /><br />It's only an issue if ND loses another game (which I have a bad feeling they will -- I'm sticking with my <a href="http://www.brendanloy.com/lrt/2009/09/03/fearless-predictions/" rel="nofollow">preseason prediction</a> of 9-3). If they win out, <a href="http://www.brendanloy.com/lrt/2009/10/20/notre-dame-is-six-wins-away-from-bcs/" rel="nofollow">they'll definitely be BCS-eligible</a>, which means they'll go to a BCS bowl because they're Notre Dame. Many people doubt this, because they look at the current standings and don't project forward accurately; folks forget how fluid the rankings are, due to the unstoppable march of attrition. Historically, it's almost inconceivable that the Irish could finish 10-2 and not be in the Top 14, whatever one thinks of their schedule -- which is far better than most folks think, BTW:<br /><br /><i>Their twelve opponents have a combined 40-29 record right now, and the Irish’s full schedule ranks as the 16th strongest in the country, just one spot behind Alabama (#15) and well ahead of Texas (#29) and Florida (#49).<br /><br />That may shock you, but it shouldn’t. Humans are easily distracted by shiny things — like one-off “marquee games” against big-name teams — and tend not to notice the huge difference between playing a bunch of teams in the 30-50 range of the rankings (teams like Michigan, Michigan State, Washington, Boston College, UConn, Stanford, etc.) and playing a bunch of teams ranked much lower (like #63 Mississippi State, #77 Troy, #123 Florida International, #133 Vanderbilt and #215 Charleston Southern, for instance). Computers are not so easily fooled. They realize it’s much easier to win “week in, week out” against a cupcake-littered schedule with a handful of “big games” than against a schedule chock full of mid-range teams that you <b>should</b> beat, but aren’t virtually guaranteed a victory against.<br /><br />The Irish don’t play a ton of huge-name teams, but almost all of their opponents are respectable. #118 Wazzu is the only obvious cupcake, with #87 Nevada debatable. (Navy is better than you think. They’re #50 in the country, per <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbt09.htm" rel="nofollow">Sagarin</a>.) Notre Dame’s worst opponent, Wazzu, is better than three of Florida’s opponents. ND’s second- and third-worst opponents, Nevada and #76 Purdue, would be Florida’s fourth- and sixth-worst. And Purdue just beat Ohio State.</i><br /><br />But I digress. The point is, ND will be BCS-bound if they can end the season on a 6-game winning streak. Now... they just need to do it.Brendan Loyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03022822652170398179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15561288.post-25786508877483257712009-10-21T11:25:57.522-04:002009-10-21T11:25:57.522-04:00I wasn't worried about Washington or Purdue, b...I wasn't worried about Washington or Purdue, but obviously I should have been. And that's the problem.<br /><br />My "knee-jerk" reaction has been 5 years in the making; the result of setting all the wrong records.<br /><br />With 6 games left, I fear CW will prove my point.Dekomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10150467793246042620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15561288.post-34820968997702213882009-10-21T11:17:24.132-04:002009-10-21T11:17:24.132-04:00I'm not saying that only bloggers ponder this ...I'm not saying that only bloggers ponder this stuff. I'm saying that it's easier to have a knee jerk reaction on a message board or blog comment than it is in a blog posting, which you write, edit, rewrite, proof, etc.<br /><br />Case in point.<br /><br />And I'm not worried about BC or Navy.Wackohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11573984468865704789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15561288.post-11321090611280439582009-10-21T11:06:33.685-04:002009-10-21T11:06:33.685-04:00The idea that only bloggers ponder this stuff seri...The idea that only bloggers ponder this stuff seriously is like saying I should trust my vote to the Sunday morning pundits. Who is in Fantasyland here? The play of ND this year has been anything but "elite", surviving the teams we should throttle and losing to the ones we should beat (rebuilding SC and Michigan programs). Look at the record vs. Top 10 (or Top anything). Look at the clock management. 5 years of tinkering with the defense and it still sucks.<br /><br />At the start of the 4th Q v. SC, we were down by 20. When you are being beaten that much, 1) you will lose, and 2) you are a bad team.<br /><br />CW is just not a good coach. He has been given every benefit of the doubt, but after 5 years one can't say with a straight face that ND is even near where it ought to be. If it was, none of us would be worried about BC this weekend (!), or wondering if Navy is going to pull another surprise.Dekomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10150467793246042620noreply@blogger.com