1. Let's go ahead and talk about the big pink elephant in the room. After two absolutely horrid, heart-breaking, and downright mind-boggling performances, how do you feel about this team moving forward? Are we simply a bad team or a team that just hasn't put it together yet? This is your chance to talk Irish fans of the ledge...or push them over.
This is really the question, isn't it? There's the camp of pessimists, who wail and gnash and rend their clothes and declare the end of the Kelly era. And there are also those that BELIEVE! We will overcome, because HERECOME THE IRISH!!!!>?! lol
But the real truth is that this is a talented team in transition. While we were completely capable of winning either of the last two games, Irish fans have tasted the bitter pill of defeat once again. Gone, our national title hopes. Gone even, our hopes for a BCS win. Disappointed? Hell yes. But the reason I'm not a knee-jerk "FIRE KELLY!?!!>!!" fan is that I watched these games...
This team is good. REAL good.
4.5 turnovers per game. Let's talk about the big pink elephant in the room, okay? Averaging over 500 yards of offense per game (13th in the NCAA, far ahead of any of the opponents on our entire schedule). And our total defense is 52nd in the country, not too shabby...
But we have one glaring issue. -9 - our turnover ratio. We have controlled the majority of the game, but then our offense has this bad habit of turning the ball over. Especially in the red zone. Until we correct this, we are a terrible team that can't beat anybody. Give a freshman a shot at QB at this point. Find somebody who will take care of the ball.
And don't get me started on the stupid penalties by upperclassmen.
So, for right now, let's just let our legs dangle over the cliff. If we win tomorrow, we can back away from the edge. We lose again? I'll be the first lemming over. This is where we separate the men from the boys.
2. It's time to put on the headset and step into the shoes of Brian Kelly. In the first quarter, it seemed like your message and plan to recover from the USF disaster worked, and then the rest of the game happened. How do approach this week? What message do you give your players?
Just hammer it into their heads that they would be 2-0 if they could hold onto the damn bowl. They are already a disappointment in the eyes of the Irish faithful. How do you want to be remembered? As a team that played like the Keystone Cops and bumbled away an entire season? Or as a team that has learned how to win, running off 11 straight victories en route to a number 1 preseason ranking next year?
Both of these options are still on the table. It's time to step up and remember that you are Notre Dame. WE are Notre Dame. What tho' the odds be great or small, ol' Notre Dame WILL win over all. Get it done, boys.
3. Keep that headset on, you are still playing Kelly. Based upon what you've seen these last two games, do you see players that need to start riding the pine or are you still confident in your depth chart?
I have no confidence whatsoever in the quarterback depth chart. Run full live scrimmages in practice this week, with full contact on the QBs, 1s-vs-1s. Give each quarterback five series to start from their 20 yard line. Best stat line wins the starting job on Saturday.
4. Overall, how do you feel about Rees' performance against Michigan?
4th Quarter drives: 3 and out. Rees fumble at Michigan 7 yard line. 3 and out. Rees 29 yard pass for a touchdown. Not a bad finish to the game, put us in the lead with 30 seconds left. But the dismal performance in the 4th quarter prior to that last drive cost us the game.
5. Let's talk about something happy: the Irish running game. After a 198 yard performance by the Irish do you feel that this rushing attack led by Cierre Wood (134 yards) is for real or have we not run into a tough enough defensive test yet?
It's for real. And I would do nothing but run the ball in the red zone. I'd rather come out with a field goal than nothing. If we'd gotten field goals instead of each of the redzone turnovers this year, we'd be 2-0. When you're in range, run the ball down their throats.
6. Looking ahead to Michigan State, how do you gauge them? Is this the best team that we've faced off against yet or is this just an untested team that beat up on two cupcakes in Youngstown State and Florida Atlantic?
Both. They will be a good football team, but they don't know that yet. They know that they were beating up on cupcakes. They know they're going to get some stiff competition this week. But we are far more battle tested that MSU.
7. Is the key to winning simply not turning the ball over or do you see other crucial keys to beating Sparty?
Just hold onto the ball. We can do exactly what we did the last two games, just don't turn the ball over. We fix that, this team will roll over people.
8. Obviously every week should be a must win, but I think there is definitely more of an urgency this week. How crucial is this game for the rest of our season?
Critical. This game makes or breaks the season. Win, and we can be this year's Virginia Tech. Lose, and everybody starts to lose faith.
We'll see if this team has what it takes tomorrow. All the chips are on the table. Don't know about you, but I'm betting on the Irish.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Friday, September 09, 2011
Irish Blogger Gathering: Michigan Sucks Edition
1) Well that result really sucked. Please describe how you feel about the loss using lyrics from a pop diva (eg Brittany Spears, Rihanna, etc) song. Bonus points for video or pictures. (something good has to come out of last week)
"I know it wasn't right
I can't even sleep at night
Can't get it off my mind
I need to get out of sight"
"What started out as a simple altercation
Turned into a real sticky situation"
Rihanna believes that Michigan sucks...
2) While we all want to move on, last week's game can teach us many things about the '11 Irish. After seeing what Week 1 brought us, do you find yourself more confident, less confident, or still confused as hell about our chances vs the Skunkbears? Why?
More confident, provided we can protect the football. I'm willing to chalk up some of the sloppiness with the ball to first game jitters. But we doubled up SFU in yardage, and despite shooting ourselves in the foot repeatedly, we still only lost by 3. Clean things up, and the team I saw on Saturday is capable of competing with anybody in the country. And Michigan sucks, so we should be able to win easily.
3) Other than QB, which position group pleasantly surprised you this past week? Which disappointed? What player absolutely MUST see more time in Week 2? Again, no QBs.
Running back pleasantly surprised me. Although we got in the whole too early to really utilize our running game, Cierre Wood averaged almost 5 yards per carry. If that continues, and we can avoid the blunders that put us into an early hole, we will roll over some teams on the ground this year.
I'm not sure I would identify a particular player that must see more time in Week 2. I like the rotation we have, and I'm not sure that giving any individual player more time will help anything. I like what I saw from Louis Nix, so I guess if forced, I'd pick him.
Michigan sucks. (I'm trying to put this in every answer, which is hard when you ask about our team...)
4) Tommy Rees will lead the Irish Offense this week. Do you agree with Coach's call? Either way, what part of Crist's game will the Irish O miss the most, if any?
I was a big supporter of Dayne Crist. But at this point, it appears that all Tommy Rees does is win. He may not have the measurables that Dayne has, but every time he's been in the ball game, he's beaten the opponent. And that includes Tulsa and South Florida - he was trailing both times when he went in, and while he was QB, we scored more points than the opponent. Until such time as that changes, I say we go with the hot hand.
We'll miss Crist's athleticism. He may not be the truly mobile quarterback that Hendrix or Golson is, but he does have a stronger arm and better escapability. Without Crist, the receivers and O-line need to step up their game a bit. But Michigan sucks, so even if they don't, we should win.
5) What's the key to beating the Wolverines this week? Just 1 thing. Not 2. 1.
Protect the ball. Michigan sucks when they don't get turnovers, and would have lost badly to Western Northeastern Southerly Michigan last week if they'd protected the ball.
6) Make your Over-Under Picks:
Over-under on Floyd's receiving total for this coming weekend: 154 Under. The Wolverines have more talent on defense than USF, and they will be looking to shut down Floyd. Whatever was bothering Riddick needs to disappear, because he can have a very big game as a result.
Over-under on Robinson's rushing total: 100 Under. I think that the defensive goal will be to contain Denard Robinson and force Michigan to beat us through the air. We struggled last year against him, but I think that the switch to the pro-style offense and the improvement of our defense since last year means that we will contain Robinson on the ground. Plus, Michigan sucks, and Denard Robinson plays for Michigan. So he sucks.
Over-under on ND Number of Turnovers: 2 Under. The offense is going to be so focused on protecting the ball this week, I'll be amazed if we turn the ball over. It may hinder production a little bit, but I know these guys will be completely focused on playing mistake-free football, rather than going out there with guns blazing.
Over-under on Number of Times Kelly is caught Purple Monstering Out: 2 Under. Coach Kelly has heard the criticism, and will adjust his behavior accordingly. I think this is BS, as all great coaches yell at their players. I don't understand why people are freaking out about this. I like the fire and passion from the head coach, and I think it rubs off on the team.
Over-under on ND Total Yards: 425 Under. To complete the sweep of under predictions, I think the Notre Dame offense will be productive, but conservative. I'm tempted to take the over on this one, but I think Notre Dame will be focused on protecting the ball and controlling the game, rather than airing it out for big yards.
7) Michigan: Just Another Opponent, Enemy, or Rival? Explain. 1 Bonus point for each use of the word 'suck'.
Michigan sucks. Your Rival doesn't suck - they've earned your respect. Just Another Opponent may or may not suck, but usually you don't care enough to say that they suck, regardless of how much they actually suck. Your Enemy sucks. They suck big time. And you want the entire world to know exactly how much the suck. And as enemies go, Michigan pretty much puts the suck in sucktitude. They suck so badly, that the wind reverses every quarter when they switch sides. They are the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked, and I can't wait to see them suck on Saturday.
8) It's Michigan week. Name 1 thing in the world that sucks as much as Michigan, if you can.
I got nothin'. Next to suck in the dictionary, there's a picture of that big block M.
9) RichRod is back, announcing for CBS. Can't wait to see how that goes. Bet he's horrible.
Yeah. I bet he is too. He was a coach at Michigan. So he sucks. Just like Michigan sucks. And you can't wash that kind of suck off.
"I know it wasn't right
I can't even sleep at night
Can't get it off my mind
I need to get out of sight"
"What started out as a simple altercation
Turned into a real sticky situation"
2) While we all want to move on, last week's game can teach us many things about the '11 Irish. After seeing what Week 1 brought us, do you find yourself more confident, less confident, or still confused as hell about our chances vs the Skunkbears? Why?
More confident, provided we can protect the football. I'm willing to chalk up some of the sloppiness with the ball to first game jitters. But we doubled up SFU in yardage, and despite shooting ourselves in the foot repeatedly, we still only lost by 3. Clean things up, and the team I saw on Saturday is capable of competing with anybody in the country. And Michigan sucks, so we should be able to win easily.
3) Other than QB, which position group pleasantly surprised you this past week? Which disappointed? What player absolutely MUST see more time in Week 2? Again, no QBs.
Running back pleasantly surprised me. Although we got in the whole too early to really utilize our running game, Cierre Wood averaged almost 5 yards per carry. If that continues, and we can avoid the blunders that put us into an early hole, we will roll over some teams on the ground this year.
I'm not sure I would identify a particular player that must see more time in Week 2. I like the rotation we have, and I'm not sure that giving any individual player more time will help anything. I like what I saw from Louis Nix, so I guess if forced, I'd pick him.
Michigan sucks. (I'm trying to put this in every answer, which is hard when you ask about our team...)
4) Tommy Rees will lead the Irish Offense this week. Do you agree with Coach's call? Either way, what part of Crist's game will the Irish O miss the most, if any?
I was a big supporter of Dayne Crist. But at this point, it appears that all Tommy Rees does is win. He may not have the measurables that Dayne has, but every time he's been in the ball game, he's beaten the opponent. And that includes Tulsa and South Florida - he was trailing both times when he went in, and while he was QB, we scored more points than the opponent. Until such time as that changes, I say we go with the hot hand.
We'll miss Crist's athleticism. He may not be the truly mobile quarterback that Hendrix or Golson is, but he does have a stronger arm and better escapability. Without Crist, the receivers and O-line need to step up their game a bit. But Michigan sucks, so even if they don't, we should win.
5) What's the key to beating the Wolverines this week? Just 1 thing. Not 2. 1.
Protect the ball. Michigan sucks when they don't get turnovers, and would have lost badly to Western Northeastern Southerly Michigan last week if they'd protected the ball.
6) Make your Over-Under Picks:
Over-under on Floyd's receiving total for this coming weekend: 154 Under. The Wolverines have more talent on defense than USF, and they will be looking to shut down Floyd. Whatever was bothering Riddick needs to disappear, because he can have a very big game as a result.
Over-under on Robinson's rushing total: 100 Under. I think that the defensive goal will be to contain Denard Robinson and force Michigan to beat us through the air. We struggled last year against him, but I think that the switch to the pro-style offense and the improvement of our defense since last year means that we will contain Robinson on the ground. Plus, Michigan sucks, and Denard Robinson plays for Michigan. So he sucks.
Over-under on ND Number of Turnovers: 2 Under. The offense is going to be so focused on protecting the ball this week, I'll be amazed if we turn the ball over. It may hinder production a little bit, but I know these guys will be completely focused on playing mistake-free football, rather than going out there with guns blazing.
Over-under on Number of Times Kelly is caught Purple Monstering Out: 2 Under. Coach Kelly has heard the criticism, and will adjust his behavior accordingly. I think this is BS, as all great coaches yell at their players. I don't understand why people are freaking out about this. I like the fire and passion from the head coach, and I think it rubs off on the team.
Over-under on ND Total Yards: 425 Under. To complete the sweep of under predictions, I think the Notre Dame offense will be productive, but conservative. I'm tempted to take the over on this one, but I think Notre Dame will be focused on protecting the ball and controlling the game, rather than airing it out for big yards.
7) Michigan: Just Another Opponent, Enemy, or Rival? Explain. 1 Bonus point for each use of the word 'suck'.
Michigan sucks. Your Rival doesn't suck - they've earned your respect. Just Another Opponent may or may not suck, but usually you don't care enough to say that they suck, regardless of how much they actually suck. Your Enemy sucks. They suck big time. And you want the entire world to know exactly how much the suck. And as enemies go, Michigan pretty much puts the suck in sucktitude. They suck so badly, that the wind reverses every quarter when they switch sides. They are the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked, and I can't wait to see them suck on Saturday.
8) It's Michigan week. Name 1 thing in the world that sucks as much as Michigan, if you can.
I got nothin'. Next to suck in the dictionary, there's a picture of that big block M.
9) RichRod is back, announcing for CBS. Can't wait to see how that goes. Bet he's horrible.
Yeah. I bet he is too. He was a coach at Michigan. So he sucks. Just like Michigan sucks. And you can't wash that kind of suck off.
Thursday, September 01, 2011
Video Update: New Notre Dame Music
There's some new music floating around the internets related to Notre Dame, and the blogosphere is trying to get it out there for people. Enjoy!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Irish Blogger Gathering: Holtz walks the sidelines again...
1. The big news of last week was Dayne Crist winning the starting QB spot. Are you happy with the outcome and how comfortable are you with Crist as the starting quarterback for the 2011 season?
I'm extremely comfortable with the outcome. Dayne has the most playing experience, was a 5-star quarterback prospect out of high school, and by all accounts has the best leadership and grasp of the playbook. If not for the questions surrounding his recovery from the knee injury, this would be a no-brainer. Since he appears to have answered those questions, this is the right choice.
I expect Dayne Crist to embrace the opportunity, stay healthy all year, and etch his name among the great players to play quarterback at Notre Dame.
2. A lot of people say you see the biggest improvement between year 1 and 2 after a coaching change. What area do you hope to see the biggest improvement in 2011?
Consistency. Towards the end of the year in 2010, the offense started to consistently move the ball, and the defense was shutting people down. This team had its up and downs last year, and quite frankly has since the last time Lou Holtz roamed the sidelines. This season, beginning with this game, is an opportunity for Brian Kelly to defeat the ghost of Lou Holtz. By defeating not only another Holtz, but also the idea that Notre Dame will find a way to let you down in the end. If this team performs consistently, week-to-week, as well as they performed against Miami the last time they took the field - this team will be in the national title talk. Whether this team can find that consistency of intensity remains to be seen. If they do - watch out.
3. I think we've all covered this year's highly touted freshman class quite a bit this off-season already so instead, who do you see as this year's Corey Mays? Mays played primarly special teams for 3 seasons before a breakout season as a 5th year senior in 2005. Who on the Irish roster can pull off a similar performance this season?
Steve Filer. He's slotted in as the backup at outside linebacker behind Darius Fleming, tied with incoming freshman Ishaq Williams. That's some stiff competition. But what Steve Filer has at this point is nothing to lose. He's been leading the team in tackles on special teams for a while now. That's heart. He's giving everything at every opportunity. He may just surprise some people this year.
4. Theo Riddick is a player I've been touting all off-season and think the is ready to become a big name in college football. What player on Notre Dame's roster who hasn't yet broken out are you expecting to put up big numbers in 2011?
Dayne Crist. I know, I know. He's technically the incumbent starter. But he did not play his first year before backing up Jimmy Clausen as a sophomore. One knee injury later, and Crist had to rehab to become the heir apparent to JC. Another knee injury, and he had to rehab and retake his spot against an undefeated quarterback after his junior year. This just feels like the year that he puts it all together and avoids injury. And if he performs to his potential, he will put up Heisman-like numbers with his supporting cast.
5. Notre Dame plays a legit opponent in South Florida unlike a lot of teams around the country. How do you see this game playing out and does it help or hurt Notre Dame that they play a BCS conference opponent this weekend while Michigan plays Western Michigan?
I see Notre Dame winning this game comfortably in the 2nd half. The first half, Notre Dame will play well, but so will South Florida. The game will be close, with the Irish having a slight edge. In the second half, however, we will see the difference in talent between the two teams. They both are very well-coached, but the Irish simply have bigger guns. A couple of athletic plays by the Irish, and what was a close one gets away from the Bulls.
Assuming that's how this plays out, this helps the Irish immensely. The Irish have gone toe-to-toe with a fairly highly rated team picked by many to win a BCS conference. The Wolverines played a MAC team - halfway decent at best. The Irish will already be playing at full-game speed and intensity when they roll through the Skunkbears.
This is why I'd look out for the winner of the Oregon-LSU game. Coming out of that, their next 5 or 6 opponents are going to feel like child's play. I'd always prefer to test the team early and have them come out victorious than warm-up against a squad less talented than my scout team...
6. Stealing this one from my IBG pre-season questions from last year - who is the Notre Dame player the Irish can least afford to lose this season? For the sake of getting some different response, you can't use Michael Floyd or Manti Te'o here.
Cierre Wood. The depth at almost every other position means that losing our starter does not mean a drop-off in talent. This is no knock on Jonas Gray - I wouldn't be entirely surprised to see Jonas as the feature back by season's end. But every team in the country these days runs two backs - you simply can't overwork your workhorse, or risk injury or fatigue at the most important part of the season - year's end. You need to have a legit #2. If we lose Cierre, that puts Jonas Gray on an island. The freshman will see some time, but you can't expect them to read the zone blitzes against a seasoned team like Southern Cal or Stanford. Cierre Wood needs to stay healthy for us this year, and deliver the kind of performance he's capable of.
7. Obligatory pre-season prediction question:
Notre Dame's final record (noting the losses): 13-0
Notre Dame's bowl game and opponent: Allstate BCS National Championship Game, New Orleans, LA vs. University of Alabama Crimson Tide
Final ranking for Notre Dame: #1
Best opposing offensive and defensive player ND will face in '11: Offense: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford Cardinal; Defense: Luke Kuechly, Backup College Eagles
Best opposing coach ND will face: Nick Saban, Alabama
Notre Dame game you won't miss for anything: The Championship, duh! Regular season: Southern Cal v. Notre Dame. I'll be hosting the IBG for this one! The stars are slowly aligning for this matchup to be epic...
Notre Dame game you could watch on DVR: Sacrilege! I'm going to re-read this question as "A catastrpohe on par with: (1) very close relative has just died and you must attend the funeral; (2) freak lightning strike puts you in the hospital; or (3) a tornado hits and takes you to Oz, where the game is only broadcast on Versus (not available in Munchkin Land); has somehow caused you to miss some small part of the game. As you were forced by God himself to miss part of a Notre Dame game, which game would you choose to have to miss even a single moment of:" at Wake Forest. If we are trembling about visiting BB&T Field (yes, I had to look that up) at this point in the season, we're in all kinds of trouble...
National Champion: Notre Dame
Heisman Trophy Winner: Michael Floyd
Word. Let's drink the Kool-Aid...
I'm extremely comfortable with the outcome. Dayne has the most playing experience, was a 5-star quarterback prospect out of high school, and by all accounts has the best leadership and grasp of the playbook. If not for the questions surrounding his recovery from the knee injury, this would be a no-brainer. Since he appears to have answered those questions, this is the right choice.
I expect Dayne Crist to embrace the opportunity, stay healthy all year, and etch his name among the great players to play quarterback at Notre Dame.
2. A lot of people say you see the biggest improvement between year 1 and 2 after a coaching change. What area do you hope to see the biggest improvement in 2011?
Consistency. Towards the end of the year in 2010, the offense started to consistently move the ball, and the defense was shutting people down. This team had its up and downs last year, and quite frankly has since the last time Lou Holtz roamed the sidelines. This season, beginning with this game, is an opportunity for Brian Kelly to defeat the ghost of Lou Holtz. By defeating not only another Holtz, but also the idea that Notre Dame will find a way to let you down in the end. If this team performs consistently, week-to-week, as well as they performed against Miami the last time they took the field - this team will be in the national title talk. Whether this team can find that consistency of intensity remains to be seen. If they do - watch out.
3. I think we've all covered this year's highly touted freshman class quite a bit this off-season already so instead, who do you see as this year's Corey Mays? Mays played primarly special teams for 3 seasons before a breakout season as a 5th year senior in 2005. Who on the Irish roster can pull off a similar performance this season?
Steve Filer. He's slotted in as the backup at outside linebacker behind Darius Fleming, tied with incoming freshman Ishaq Williams. That's some stiff competition. But what Steve Filer has at this point is nothing to lose. He's been leading the team in tackles on special teams for a while now. That's heart. He's giving everything at every opportunity. He may just surprise some people this year.
4. Theo Riddick is a player I've been touting all off-season and think the is ready to become a big name in college football. What player on Notre Dame's roster who hasn't yet broken out are you expecting to put up big numbers in 2011?
Dayne Crist. I know, I know. He's technically the incumbent starter. But he did not play his first year before backing up Jimmy Clausen as a sophomore. One knee injury later, and Crist had to rehab to become the heir apparent to JC. Another knee injury, and he had to rehab and retake his spot against an undefeated quarterback after his junior year. This just feels like the year that he puts it all together and avoids injury. And if he performs to his potential, he will put up Heisman-like numbers with his supporting cast.
5. Notre Dame plays a legit opponent in South Florida unlike a lot of teams around the country. How do you see this game playing out and does it help or hurt Notre Dame that they play a BCS conference opponent this weekend while Michigan plays Western Michigan?
I see Notre Dame winning this game comfortably in the 2nd half. The first half, Notre Dame will play well, but so will South Florida. The game will be close, with the Irish having a slight edge. In the second half, however, we will see the difference in talent between the two teams. They both are very well-coached, but the Irish simply have bigger guns. A couple of athletic plays by the Irish, and what was a close one gets away from the Bulls.
Assuming that's how this plays out, this helps the Irish immensely. The Irish have gone toe-to-toe with a fairly highly rated team picked by many to win a BCS conference. The Wolverines played a MAC team - halfway decent at best. The Irish will already be playing at full-game speed and intensity when they roll through the Skunkbears.
This is why I'd look out for the winner of the Oregon-LSU game. Coming out of that, their next 5 or 6 opponents are going to feel like child's play. I'd always prefer to test the team early and have them come out victorious than warm-up against a squad less talented than my scout team...
6. Stealing this one from my IBG pre-season questions from last year - who is the Notre Dame player the Irish can least afford to lose this season? For the sake of getting some different response, you can't use Michael Floyd or Manti Te'o here.
Cierre Wood. The depth at almost every other position means that losing our starter does not mean a drop-off in talent. This is no knock on Jonas Gray - I wouldn't be entirely surprised to see Jonas as the feature back by season's end. But every team in the country these days runs two backs - you simply can't overwork your workhorse, or risk injury or fatigue at the most important part of the season - year's end. You need to have a legit #2. If we lose Cierre, that puts Jonas Gray on an island. The freshman will see some time, but you can't expect them to read the zone blitzes against a seasoned team like Southern Cal or Stanford. Cierre Wood needs to stay healthy for us this year, and deliver the kind of performance he's capable of.
7. Obligatory pre-season prediction question:
Notre Dame's final record (noting the losses): 13-0
Notre Dame's bowl game and opponent: Allstate BCS National Championship Game, New Orleans, LA vs. University of Alabama Crimson Tide
Final ranking for Notre Dame: #1
Best opposing offensive and defensive player ND will face in '11: Offense: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford Cardinal; Defense: Luke Kuechly, Backup College Eagles
Best opposing coach ND will face: Nick Saban, Alabama
Notre Dame game you won't miss for anything: The Championship, duh! Regular season: Southern Cal v. Notre Dame. I'll be hosting the IBG for this one! The stars are slowly aligning for this matchup to be epic...
Notre Dame game you could watch on DVR: Sacrilege! I'm going to re-read this question as "A catastrpohe on par with: (1) very close relative has just died and you must attend the funeral; (2) freak lightning strike puts you in the hospital; or (3) a tornado hits and takes you to Oz, where the game is only broadcast on Versus (not available in Munchkin Land); has somehow caused you to miss some small part of the game. As you were forced by God himself to miss part of a Notre Dame game, which game would you choose to have to miss even a single moment of:" at Wake Forest. If we are trembling about visiting BB&T Field (yes, I had to look that up) at this point in the season, we're in all kinds of trouble...
National Champion: Notre Dame
Heisman Trophy Winner: Michael Floyd
Word. Let's drink the Kool-Aid...
Monday, August 22, 2011
Irish Blogger Gathering: Preseason Multimedia Extravaganza
1. Go to youtube, pick a song that a) applies to your life in some way and b) will serve as the unofficial 2011 Fighting Irish Football Anthem. Extra points if you entirely avoid any band with members born in Ireland. Disqualification for any use of Freekbass. Embed the video for that song in your answers and explain why it’s so fitting under both qualifications A and B.
I picked this song for a bunch of reasons. First, I was there on Sunday at Lollapalooza, braving the scorching heat and pouring rain to see the Foo Fighters live in concert. Second, I feel like this song embodies the kind of transformation that this football team and myself have been going through.
I think I lost my way
Getting good at starting over
Every time that I return
I'm learning to walk again
I believe I've waited long enough
Where do I begin?
I'm learning to talk again
Can't you see I've waited long enough
Where do I begin?
I left the security of an established firm at the end of January to start my own practice. While I was confident in my skills as an attorney, I was completely unprepared for many of the trials and tribulations that come with running a business. I knew how to handle the cases, but I felt like a child learning to walk again when it came to things like trust accounts, marketing, pricing, etc. But I was willing to take the risk and start over because I had waited long enough at my previous firm for some kind of recognition from the partnership of my achievements at that firm. And starting on day one, I've asked myself many times when I walk in my office door in the morning - "Where do I begin?" But as time has passed, I've slowly gotten the hang of it - just like learning to talk or walk again.
The Notre Dame football team is in that position now as well. They've walked the walk in the past - 11 national championships, 7 Heisman Trophy winners, the most consensus All-Americans. But since we lost Lou, we've lost our way. We've turned time and again to coaches with glaring holes (sometimes literally) in their coaching pedigree. Davie had never coached before, and was unprepared for the spotlight of the Notre Dame stage. O'Leary lied on his resume. Willingham was fast-tracked through his coaching career, rather than patiently learning the ropes and practicing the dedication to be a coach at this level. Weis' brash arrogance in his own intellect hamstrung the team, and his lack of head coaching experience meant that he didn't know how to put together a defense.
But they are learning to walk again. We've finally hired a coach with enough head coaching experience at progressively higher levels of competition who has developed a system of coaching which has led to success after success. But the program had forgotten how to walk the walk. So they're learning to walk again. Learning what it means to represent the University with the greatest tradition of winning football in all the land.
We've waited long enough.
I think I found my place
Can't you feel it growing stronger
Little conqueror
As I've grown into this exciting new phase of my life, I've started to see how well the life of a solo attorney fits my demeanor and lifestyle. I have the flexibility to work a schedule that suits me, to work on the kind of cases I want to work on. I can focus on helping the client, rather than simply focusing on the bottom line as my previous partners cared about. And as the practice develops, I can feel it growing stronger. I'm developing better relationships within the legal community, rather than being insulated by the firm. I feel like I'm ready to conquer the legal world, one step at a time.
Likewise, there is a quiet confidence among not only Notre Dame fans, but also the media and people knowledgeable about college football, that Notre Dame has found it's coach, and is ready to retake its place at the pinnacle of college football. Even the haters aren't so quick to dismiss the Irish. Those who follow the program can feel it growing stronger. Many even believe that the Irish are poised to conquer the football world this year.
Forever, whenever
I never wanna die
I never wanna die
I never wanna die
I'm on my knees
I never wanna die
I'm dancing on my grave
I'm Running through the fire
Forever, whatever
I Never wanna die
I Never wanna leave
I'll Never say goodbye
Forever, whatever
Forever, Whatever
As I'm completing my detailed business plan for my new business, my confidence in this practice as a lifetime commitment is growing. The more I grow into it, the more I realize that this is what I want to do forever. I'm getting ambitious about the future and starting to plan for not only sustainability, but also growth. I'm willing to take the extra risks necessary to run through the fire and never let this die.
And that's the fire and intensity that's starting to grow within the football team. Floyd coming back for his senior year, and ResLife trusting the new coach to discipline him appropriately. Te'o bypassing his mission to pursue football as his calling from God to represent his religion and his family. Eifert stepping up to replace All-everything Kyle Rudolph. Young kids (4 of the top 10 defensive ends in this year's class) seeing the potential and jumping on the bandwagon. The passion and intensity that the Irish played with towards the end of last season has carried through.
Can't you see I've waited long enough?
We may not be there quite yet. The pieces are coming together, and there are big things on the horizon. But all that stands between us and our dreams is our own talent and dedication. And with an all in mentality, we will get there.
BONUS videos:
And I wonder
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
2. Now that you’ve got your unofficial anthem rocking the home office, predict the single biggest play, positive or negative for the Irish, that will occur this season in a Notre Dame football game. Color this prediction with situation, players involved, opposing team, and even weather conditions. It’s the pre-season. Let’s see what your imaginations are doing.
Michigan stadium. Night. The stadium is absolutely rocking with 100,000+ drunken Michigan fans. The Irish have been struggling with the noise all night, and have had a few really questionable calls on big plays that have allowed Michigan to stay in what otherwise should have been a lopsided ball game.
It's 4th and goal, from the Irish 1 yard line. There are 3 seconds on the clock at the end of the game, and the Irish are trailing 24-20. Notre Dame lines up in their jumbo set. They snap the ball, and Dayne Crist hands off to Cierre Wood. Cierre dives over the line of scrimmage, being met in mid-air by a Michigan defender right at the goal line. But wait! Cierre didn't have the ball. Crist rolls out to the right. Michael Floyd is triple covered in the middle of the end zone. But Eifert is standing all alone at the back corner! Crist rifles a perfect spiral right into his waiting hands. Touchdown Irish as time expires! The Irish team rushes the field, as the Michigan faithful fall dead silent. Final Score: Notre Dame 26 Michigan 20
3. I’m a fan of the cinematic hit, “Kicking and Screaming.” I know, it’s a film you all love too. So naturally we’d all like to re-live that moment when they’re playing “Would You Rather.” So let’s do so: Would you rather suffer a humiliating loss to Michigan this year, or a humiliating loss to Southern Cal? Why? And stop eyeing that chicken across the street, perv.
I threw up a little in my mouth when reading this question. It's sort of like asking whether you'd rather be tortured by the rack or Chinese water torture. Forced to pick between the two, however, I'd pick Southern Cal. I think SC is a better team, talent-wise, than the Skunkbears, and we just beat them last year. Losing to Michigan as they are adjusting to a new coach and new scheme as we're supposed to be hitting our stride, especially that early in the season, is more than I can stomach at this point.
That said, for the first time in far too long, I'm not anticipating any humiliating losses of any kind this year. The defense is too strong, and the offense will score plenty of points. We may lose a game or three, but not in blow-out fashion.
4. Great teams require leadership, and with Notre Dame being the only truly national college football program in the country, a great Notre Dame football team requires national leaders. So pick one. Name a player on the Irish roster in 2011 who will lead the nation in a particular, official NCAA category. Also specify how much he’ll lead the nation by indicating his national rank in that category. Note: You must be predicting this leader to finish at least as high as 10th in the nation in your chosen category. Bonus Points: Don’t pick David Ruffer – the best player on the Irish Roster.
Michael Floyd. National rank: #4
Michael Floyd is a special talent at wide receiver. There will be a lot of people rolling coverages to him, but the talent at the other receiver positions will mean that will be short-lived. I expect that at the end of the year, Michael will be a legit Heisman contender, and go over 1,500 yards on the year.
5. You’ve already done more parsing of Brian Kelly’s words than is healthy since he first took a podium in this pre-season. What’s the single most surprising thing he’s said in that time?
Q. Are you happy with where you are one year into turning a corner and making this an elite college program?
COACH KELLY: That to me is more about your message and it's more about what your players need to believe when they come here. Our recruiting has changed in that we're recruiting young men that you're coming to Notre Dame to play for our Lady. Your not coming here to hang your hat because you're going to the league. If you want to do that, there are other schools for you. We may not get some of those guys that have that attitude. They could be eight star, nine star players, whatever is the highest star is out. If they fit that mentality, we won't recruit those guys.
We're starting by recruiting guys that want to be at Notre Dame, get their degree, play for Notre Dame. That's when it started. It didn't start because we changed the locker room or we did more collegiate things. It was really about that paradigm shift in terms of attitude.
We are a Catholic University. It is integral to who we are and what we do. And for the first time that I can remember since Lou Holtz, we have a coach that isn't afraid to talk about recruiting kids to play for Our Lady. He's not making the Catholic nature of our school a turn-off for players from other religions - there's a renaissance of Mormon players on our roster. But he gets it. He gets who we are and what we do. And he is building the program around the three pronged character of this university - a commitment to our Catholic heritage, dedication to academic excellence, and the pursuit of championship level athletic performance.
His message, in many ways, hearkens back to the messages of Holtz, Parseghian and Leahy. He knows what it takes, and he's embracing it wholeheartedly. No fancy chains as a gimmick. No jersey color changes to pump the team up. Just a consistent, day-to-day approach to demanding excellence from our student athletes.
I picked this song for a bunch of reasons. First, I was there on Sunday at Lollapalooza, braving the scorching heat and pouring rain to see the Foo Fighters live in concert. Second, I feel like this song embodies the kind of transformation that this football team and myself have been going through.
I think I lost my way
Getting good at starting over
Every time that I return
I'm learning to walk again
I believe I've waited long enough
Where do I begin?
I'm learning to talk again
Can't you see I've waited long enough
Where do I begin?
I left the security of an established firm at the end of January to start my own practice. While I was confident in my skills as an attorney, I was completely unprepared for many of the trials and tribulations that come with running a business. I knew how to handle the cases, but I felt like a child learning to walk again when it came to things like trust accounts, marketing, pricing, etc. But I was willing to take the risk and start over because I had waited long enough at my previous firm for some kind of recognition from the partnership of my achievements at that firm. And starting on day one, I've asked myself many times when I walk in my office door in the morning - "Where do I begin?" But as time has passed, I've slowly gotten the hang of it - just like learning to talk or walk again.
The Notre Dame football team is in that position now as well. They've walked the walk in the past - 11 national championships, 7 Heisman Trophy winners, the most consensus All-Americans. But since we lost Lou, we've lost our way. We've turned time and again to coaches with glaring holes (sometimes literally) in their coaching pedigree. Davie had never coached before, and was unprepared for the spotlight of the Notre Dame stage. O'Leary lied on his resume. Willingham was fast-tracked through his coaching career, rather than patiently learning the ropes and practicing the dedication to be a coach at this level. Weis' brash arrogance in his own intellect hamstrung the team, and his lack of head coaching experience meant that he didn't know how to put together a defense.
But they are learning to walk again. We've finally hired a coach with enough head coaching experience at progressively higher levels of competition who has developed a system of coaching which has led to success after success. But the program had forgotten how to walk the walk. So they're learning to walk again. Learning what it means to represent the University with the greatest tradition of winning football in all the land.
We've waited long enough.
I think I found my place
Can't you feel it growing stronger
Little conqueror
As I've grown into this exciting new phase of my life, I've started to see how well the life of a solo attorney fits my demeanor and lifestyle. I have the flexibility to work a schedule that suits me, to work on the kind of cases I want to work on. I can focus on helping the client, rather than simply focusing on the bottom line as my previous partners cared about. And as the practice develops, I can feel it growing stronger. I'm developing better relationships within the legal community, rather than being insulated by the firm. I feel like I'm ready to conquer the legal world, one step at a time.
Likewise, there is a quiet confidence among not only Notre Dame fans, but also the media and people knowledgeable about college football, that Notre Dame has found it's coach, and is ready to retake its place at the pinnacle of college football. Even the haters aren't so quick to dismiss the Irish. Those who follow the program can feel it growing stronger. Many even believe that the Irish are poised to conquer the football world this year.
Forever, whenever
I never wanna die
I never wanna die
I never wanna die
I'm on my knees
I never wanna die
I'm dancing on my grave
I'm Running through the fire
Forever, whatever
I Never wanna die
I Never wanna leave
I'll Never say goodbye
Forever, whatever
Forever, Whatever
As I'm completing my detailed business plan for my new business, my confidence in this practice as a lifetime commitment is growing. The more I grow into it, the more I realize that this is what I want to do forever. I'm getting ambitious about the future and starting to plan for not only sustainability, but also growth. I'm willing to take the extra risks necessary to run through the fire and never let this die.
And that's the fire and intensity that's starting to grow within the football team. Floyd coming back for his senior year, and ResLife trusting the new coach to discipline him appropriately. Te'o bypassing his mission to pursue football as his calling from God to represent his religion and his family. Eifert stepping up to replace All-everything Kyle Rudolph. Young kids (4 of the top 10 defensive ends in this year's class) seeing the potential and jumping on the bandwagon. The passion and intensity that the Irish played with towards the end of last season has carried through.
Can't you see I've waited long enough?
We may not be there quite yet. The pieces are coming together, and there are big things on the horizon. But all that stands between us and our dreams is our own talent and dedication. And with an all in mentality, we will get there.
BONUS videos:
And I wonder
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
2. Now that you’ve got your unofficial anthem rocking the home office, predict the single biggest play, positive or negative for the Irish, that will occur this season in a Notre Dame football game. Color this prediction with situation, players involved, opposing team, and even weather conditions. It’s the pre-season. Let’s see what your imaginations are doing.
Michigan stadium. Night. The stadium is absolutely rocking with 100,000+ drunken Michigan fans. The Irish have been struggling with the noise all night, and have had a few really questionable calls on big plays that have allowed Michigan to stay in what otherwise should have been a lopsided ball game.
It's 4th and goal, from the Irish 1 yard line. There are 3 seconds on the clock at the end of the game, and the Irish are trailing 24-20. Notre Dame lines up in their jumbo set. They snap the ball, and Dayne Crist hands off to Cierre Wood. Cierre dives over the line of scrimmage, being met in mid-air by a Michigan defender right at the goal line. But wait! Cierre didn't have the ball. Crist rolls out to the right. Michael Floyd is triple covered in the middle of the end zone. But Eifert is standing all alone at the back corner! Crist rifles a perfect spiral right into his waiting hands. Touchdown Irish as time expires! The Irish team rushes the field, as the Michigan faithful fall dead silent. Final Score: Notre Dame 26 Michigan 20
3. I’m a fan of the cinematic hit, “Kicking and Screaming.” I know, it’s a film you all love too. So naturally we’d all like to re-live that moment when they’re playing “Would You Rather.” So let’s do so: Would you rather suffer a humiliating loss to Michigan this year, or a humiliating loss to Southern Cal? Why? And stop eyeing that chicken across the street, perv.
I threw up a little in my mouth when reading this question. It's sort of like asking whether you'd rather be tortured by the rack or Chinese water torture. Forced to pick between the two, however, I'd pick Southern Cal. I think SC is a better team, talent-wise, than the Skunkbears, and we just beat them last year. Losing to Michigan as they are adjusting to a new coach and new scheme as we're supposed to be hitting our stride, especially that early in the season, is more than I can stomach at this point.
That said, for the first time in far too long, I'm not anticipating any humiliating losses of any kind this year. The defense is too strong, and the offense will score plenty of points. We may lose a game or three, but not in blow-out fashion.
4. Great teams require leadership, and with Notre Dame being the only truly national college football program in the country, a great Notre Dame football team requires national leaders. So pick one. Name a player on the Irish roster in 2011 who will lead the nation in a particular, official NCAA category. Also specify how much he’ll lead the nation by indicating his national rank in that category. Note: You must be predicting this leader to finish at least as high as 10th in the nation in your chosen category. Bonus Points: Don’t pick David Ruffer – the best player on the Irish Roster.
Michael Floyd. National rank: #4
Michael Floyd is a special talent at wide receiver. There will be a lot of people rolling coverages to him, but the talent at the other receiver positions will mean that will be short-lived. I expect that at the end of the year, Michael will be a legit Heisman contender, and go over 1,500 yards on the year.
5. You’ve already done more parsing of Brian Kelly’s words than is healthy since he first took a podium in this pre-season. What’s the single most surprising thing he’s said in that time?
Q. Are you happy with where you are one year into turning a corner and making this an elite college program?
COACH KELLY: That to me is more about your message and it's more about what your players need to believe when they come here. Our recruiting has changed in that we're recruiting young men that you're coming to Notre Dame to play for our Lady. Your not coming here to hang your hat because you're going to the league. If you want to do that, there are other schools for you. We may not get some of those guys that have that attitude. They could be eight star, nine star players, whatever is the highest star is out. If they fit that mentality, we won't recruit those guys.
We're starting by recruiting guys that want to be at Notre Dame, get their degree, play for Notre Dame. That's when it started. It didn't start because we changed the locker room or we did more collegiate things. It was really about that paradigm shift in terms of attitude.
We are a Catholic University. It is integral to who we are and what we do. And for the first time that I can remember since Lou Holtz, we have a coach that isn't afraid to talk about recruiting kids to play for Our Lady. He's not making the Catholic nature of our school a turn-off for players from other religions - there's a renaissance of Mormon players on our roster. But he gets it. He gets who we are and what we do. And he is building the program around the three pronged character of this university - a commitment to our Catholic heritage, dedication to academic excellence, and the pursuit of championship level athletic performance.
His message, in many ways, hearkens back to the messages of Holtz, Parseghian and Leahy. He knows what it takes, and he's embracing it wholeheartedly. No fancy chains as a gimmick. No jersey color changes to pump the team up. Just a consistent, day-to-day approach to demanding excellence from our student athletes.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Irish Blogger Gathering Episode IV: A New Hope
So, the offseason has been filled with all of the minutiae that comes with starting your own law practice, meaning that my blogging hobby has been on indefinite hiatus. However, as one of the founding members of the Irish Blogger Gathering, I couldn't let my comrades in arms down, so I'm signed up for another season of blogging with the best of the Notre Dame blogs in the entire blogosphere.
This year's IBG lineup has changed somewhat. We still have some of the hardened veterans returning to their starting positions, but there is also some talented youth pushing for some significant playing time. Here's the list of this year's IBG blogs:
This year's IBG lineup has changed somewhat. We still have some of the hardened veterans returning to their starting positions, but there is also some talented youth pushing for some significant playing time. Here's the list of this year's IBG blogs:
- Subway Domer
- Her Loyal Sons
- One Foot Down
- UHND
- Irish Round Table
- Inside The Irish w/ Keith Arnold
- Domer Law
- We Never Graduate
- ND Tex
- ND Football 2011
I'll be hosting the USC IBG this year, which I expect to be the biggest game of the season. Each week, the IBG will have a different host blog that will pose 4-6 thought provoking questions which the rest of the blogs will put their two cents in on. All of the answers will be collected at the host blog for your reading pleasure.
Tomorrow, Her Loyal Sons will weigh in with the first set of preseason questions, so stay tuned for another exciting season of Irish football in the blogosphere. Go Irish!
Friday, March 04, 2011
Notre Dame Draft: 20 years of Notre Dame Football
One of the projects currently underway in this, the slow season for college football, is the Notre Dame Draft - there are 6 blogs from across the Notre Dame blogosphere that are participating in a draft of the best Notre Dame players of the last 20 years. Once we each draft our teams, we'll post the teams and argue about who has the best team.
The blogs participating are:
Domer Law (me!)
Her Loyal Sons
Irish Illustrated
Subway Domer
UHND
We Never Graduate
Because the draft is ongoing via telecommunication technology (e-mail, text, etc.), it may take us a while to complete the full 28 rounds. However, I'm going to try to update this posting after each round to keep you up to date on where we are.
The blogs participating are:
Domer Law (me!)
Her Loyal Sons
Irish Illustrated
Subway Domer
UHND
We Never Graduate
Because the draft is ongoing via telecommunication technology (e-mail, text, etc.), it may take us a while to complete the full 28 rounds. However, I'm going to try to update this posting after each round to keep you up to date on where we are.
| Round | Overall Selection | Player | Position | Selector |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Rocket Ismail | WR | UHND |
| 2 | Brady Quinn | QB | Domer Law | |
| 3 | Ricky Watters | RB | Her Loyal Sons | |
| 4 | Bryant Young | DT | We Never Graduate | |
| 5 | Jimmy Clausen | QB | Subway Domer | |
| 6 | Chris Zorich | NT | Irish Illustrated | |
| 2 | 7 | Manti Te'o | ILB | Irish Illustrated |
| 8 | Jeff Burris | S | Subway Domer | |
| 9 | Aaron Taylor | OT | We Never Graduate | |
| 10 | Justin Tuck | DE | Her Loyal Sons | |
| 11 | Jeff Samardzija | WR | Domer Law | |
| 12 | Todd Lyght | CB | UHND | |
| 3 | 13 | Jerome Bettis | RB | UHND |
| 14 | Ryan Harris | OT | Domer Law | |
| 15 | Jeff Faine | OC | Her Loyal Sons | |
| 16 | Michael Floyd | WR | We Never Graduate | |
| 17 | Bobby Taylor | CB | Subway Domer | |
| 18 | Golden Tate | WR | Irish Illustrated | |
| 4 | 19 | Tom Carter | CB | Irish Illustrated |
| 20 | Luke Petitgout | OT | Subway Domer | |
| 21 | Michael Stonebreaker | LB | We Never Graduate | |
| 22 | Shane Walton | CB | Her Loyal Sons | |
| 23 | Mirko Jurkovic | OG | Domer Law | |
| 24 | Anthony Weaver | DE | UHND | |
| 5 | 25 | Bert Berry | OLB | UHND |
| 26 | Demetrius DuBose | LB | Domer Law | |
| 27 | Ron Powlus | QB | Her Loyal Sons | |
| 28 | Renadlo Wynn | DE | We Never Graduate | |
| 29 | Grant Irons | DE | Subway Domer | |
| 30 | Rick Mirer | QB | Irish Illustrated |
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