Google Calendar is Awesome

If you guys are using Gmail, and if you aren't you should be, then you should also use Google Calendar.

It's easy to set up, you can keep track of your schedule from anywhere, and you can add other people's calendars as well. I set up my own and also track an ND football calendar so I don't forget about any games. Give it a try and look me up.

Planting The Flag

I was there. Colin was sitting right next to me. September 18, 2005. Michigan State comes to South Bend and shows Charlie Weis why emotion is such an important part of college football, to the tune of a 44-41 OT loss. That game was brutal, and the flag planting at the end of the game was absolutely classless. Michigan State players, fans and its coach John L. Smith should be embarrassed by such a poor display of sportsmanship. Why a gang of ND players didn't pound them is beyond me.

I have heard excuse after excuse since that day from Sparty. First, that these were younger players who didn't know any better. WRONG! Seniors and a co-captain were a part of this event. How about MSU was ticked that ND didn't give up the megaphone trophy awarded to the winner each year. WRONG! The award is never given out at the game, and the flag planting occurred the second the game ended.
How about payback for ND doing the same thing the previous year. WRONG! This was never even suggested in articles and blogs after the 2004 game or any other game in the past. Finally, surely John L. Smith would never condone such behavior. WRONG! An on-camera interview during the game had this gem regarding his feelings about the flag, "My boys didn't know where the 50 yard line was. That's what really bothered me!" What a total a-hole!!! I almost broke my TV when Brent laughed at the comment. Muskberger needs to be shot.

The other issue is that of motivation. Both teams denied that the event provided any motivation to the other team. MSU attempted to deflect the flag incident by claiming Weis stated that he would never lose to Michigan State again. Did Weis say it? I don't know, but I'd be willing to wager a few hundred that he did. So what. Promising your boosters that you'll do well? What a big slight against poor, disrespected Sparty! John L. said the flag incident was not in his teams mind. Weis refused to admit it was motivation.

However, after our remarkable comeback victory, 3 things became clear:

• First, Weis now understands the power of emotion with his team. The Michigan game last week finally drilled home that lesson to Charlie. Never again will we go into a game with the cold, business-as-usual attitude of the NFL. Weis obviously used the flag-planting as a motivational tool, although he will never admit it to outsiders.
• Second, Weis is all class. After our emotional victory, our players and coaches walked right to our fan section and sang the Alma Mater. No flag plantings or showboating of any kind.
  
• Third, John L. Smith has zero class and and his players reflect that. After the game, three of his players immediately stood at the 50 yard-line standing guard against a possible Irish flag planting. What does this tell me? That Smith actually had a gameplan for losing. That he absolutely used the flag planting as motivation.

In summary, John L. Smith has no class, is a liar, and is a terrible coach to boot! Sparty will collapse again this season after losing their "Super Bowl," and Smith will get the pink slip he so much deserves. What a great victory. This picture circulating the web summarizes my entire argument. CLASSIC!

Why So Quiet??

So Teresa and I were in attendance at the ND-Michigan game Saturday. And after the Ndukwe INT and following ND TD, there was little to nothing to cheer about.

A few things that I did note seeing the game "live":

1. Our WR's played AWFUL! McKnight and Samardzija were not running their routes. They were half-assing it all over the field. Brady overthrough McKnight several times because Rhema did not run out the routes. Also, McKnight dropped at least 3 balls, maybe more. I believe the "stone-hands" crew out there made Brady look even worse than he really was.
2. The OL is about as consistent as- well, they're not. They dominated Michigan at times, and then looked as porous as Colin's old underwear.
3. Darius Walker and Price (the punter) were the only good Irish players. Walker didn't get many rushes, but he did well with the short passes to him out of the backfield. Price probably stopped Michigan from scoring 100 pts because he was punting so damn well.
4. Our defense got tired. Yeah, Terrail Lambert got smoked several times, but we stopped Michigan when it was necessary and gave our offense a shot. But no first downs in the first and third quarter left our defense on the field too long and they were tired and prone to mistake and easy pickin's by the Michigan offense.
5. Lloyd Carr out-games Charlie Weis. Other than the special teams battle, Charlie got beat everywhere else. Lloyd Carr humbled Charlie like no one else. God I hate saying that.

During the fourth quarter, I've never heard Notre Dame stadium so quiet. The Michigan fans, maybe 500 strong sitting in the top stadium behind the south end zone started a chant of "Why so quiet" during a timeout. The remaing 65,000 ND fans (because at least 14,500 had left by this point), sat in unresponsive silence because there was no comeback to that chant. We got whooped and we knew it, and Michigan knew it. Those 500 fans could be heard clear as day in my seat in the north end zone. It was like there were 40,000 of them. "Why so quiet?" they asked? Because we were shown we're still not a national championship contender.

Rumors and Such...

Just read this:

Within his fraternity, Joe Paterno has plenty of friends this week. We're talking about guys who wouldn't mind at all if Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis gets knocked down a rung or two by Penn State on Saturday, even right out of the national-title race. No Division I head coach is going to come out publicly and say so, but they don't argue at all with that general assessment.
-- Philadelphia Inquirer

First off, I'm sure this is all about the lovable JoPa and his Coke bottle glasses and has nothing to do with Notre Dame getting tons of publicity and coverage and having their own television station. Second, Joe Paterno (and Bobby Bowden too, for that matter) is nothing more than a figurehead at this point in his career. Until last season's miracle turnaround the entire state of Pennsylvania was calling for his head, which is ironic since he hasn't called a offensive or defensive play in about 15 years. For all intents and purposes he's retired and just collecting a gifted salary.

Also, did anyone catch Michael Irvin's interview with Bobby Bowden last Monday before the FSU-Miami game? Here's a little gem from that conversation:

Irvin: Why did you let me go to Miami and not try harder to get me into this school?
Bowden: You wanted too much money.
Irvin and Bowden both laugh insanely...

You can't make stuff like that up. My question is why isn't either Florida State or the NCAA putting a muzzle on that idiot? Because you get the sinking feeling that it's probably 100% true...

The Sounds of Silence

Here are my comments on this past weekend's victory of Georgia Tech:

• Georgia Tech is vastly underrated. When you have the (undisputed) best WR in the country, a 4-year starting quarterback, and a RB that only transferred because he was behind the best RB in the country (Adrian Peterson) you have a good team.
• It was huge to win on the road against a good team to start the season. Whilst our next two opponents were playing Akron and Vanderbilt, respectively, at home, Notre Dame was able to beat Georgia Tech (1 of only 4 D-1A teams to play in a bowl game six years running) in their backyard.
• I hope the close win both builds character and knocks the team down a few notches from their offseason high horses.
• If you want to play the penalty game and say the (obvious) spearing call against GT was a gimme, remember the phantom hold called on Rhema McKnight on the first drive of the game. If that doesn't get called Notre Dame is up 7 about 2 minutes into the game and the entire dynamic changes.
• I don't know about you, but I lasted 3 minutes into the 2nd quarter before I had to put my TV on mute...
  

Notre Dame Is Back - BUT...

The 2006 Notre Dame football season is upon us. So what does the cover of every sports magazine and college football preview issue say? NOTRE DAME IS BACK. We really are. We have an amazing coach who gets Notre Dame, a strong team of upper classmen, two consecutive top recruiting classes, and a Heisman trophy frontrunner. Ticket applications are at an all-time high, hotels are charging $600 a night for game weekends (with a 3 day minimum stay), and every Irish game will again be nationally televised. Finally, we are ranked #2 and #3 in the top preseason polls and are a legit National Title contender.

All of this is amazing and I know we all are dying for the season to start. However, I just wanted to remind everyone what being back on top really means. There is no joy or happiness in being on top. The only way that happens is if we really win it all, which has happened once in my lifetime that I can remember ( I was a little young in 1977). Being on top means angst, doubt, anger and dispair. Every game is a must win. Blowouts mean our schedule is too weak, and we will get hurt in the polls. A close win is a portent of future collapse, and losses are absolutely devastating. Notre Dame is certainly back, but I don't know if I can take it!

So to get everyone mentally prepared for being back on top, we need to prepare for the inevitable letdown and ensuing dispair. By the way, November 20 and 30 are absolutely the worst days of the year for the Irish (fortunately, we play USC November 25 this year). I present to you...

The Bottom 10: Lowest Moments in Notre Dame Football

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#10 George Gipp Dies of Pneumonia

Gipp was the legendary Irish player under coach Knute Rockne. During his Notre Dame career, Gipp rushed for 2,341 yards and threw for 1,789, scored 21 touchdowns, averaged 38 yards a punt, and gathered 5 interceptions as well as 14 yards per punt return and 22 yards per kick return in four seasons of play for the Irish. He became Notre Dame's first All-American, elected by Walter Camp in 1920. Gipp died on December 14, 1920 at the ripe old age of 25. He contracted pneumonia after playing Northwestern 2 weeks earlier (on November 20) and never recovered.

The Bright Side: Rockne later uses Gipp's death to motivate his team with the most famous pep talk in the history of sports.

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#9 Rocket Ismail Loses the Heisman

Rocket was hands down the most exciting player in the history of college football. Any time he touched the ball, he had a chance to take it to the house. He single handedly won games against Michigan and Miami in 1990, and should have won us a National Championship by returning the final punt for a TD in the Orange Bowl. THERE WAS NO CLIP! However, the voters snub Notre Dame and give the Heisman Trophy to stat boy Ty Detmer of BYU. Did he play any real teams in his career at BYU?

The Bright Side: Ty Detmer gets his in the NFL. Rocket gets PAID in the CFL.

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#8 Notre Dame Gives Carson Palmer the Heisman

Apparently, Notre Dame can't earn a Heisman, but we can give one away! Notre Dame goes into LA on November 30, 2002, riding high at the close of Ty Willingham's first season. USC and Carson Palmer absolutely dismantle the Irish winning 44-13. Palmer passes for 425 yards and 4 touchdowns. Fresh off this complete annihilation of Notre Dame, Palmer leaps to the front of the Heisman race and wins in a landslide. The worst thing is that deep down, we all realize that Ty is not the answer.

The Bright Side: The Bengals draft Palmer and he turns the franchise around. Cincinnati Bengals: Super Bowl XLI Champions!

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#7 George O'Leary Resigns in Disgrace

In 2001, after the failed Davie experiment, George O'Leary left Georgia Tech to take over as the head coach for the University of Notre Dame. His coaching tenure was highlighted by... his hiring press conference. O'Leary never coached a day of practice, as he resigned five days later after he was discovered to have lied on his resume. On the resume, O'Leary claimed that he had earned a master's degree from New York University when in actuality, he only attended the school but never graduated. He also claimed that he had earned three letters in football at the University of New Hampshire, when the school claimed he had not even played in one game. Notre Dame is a laughingstock.

The Bright Side: He really wasn't the right match for the Irish anyway. He probably would have been slightly better than Willingham as coach and we would still be stuck with him and an above average team for several more years.

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#6 NCAA Probation

In 1999, the NCAA found Notre Dame guilty of a "major violation" of NCAA regulations after deciding Kim Dunbar had systematically given players money and gifts between 1993 and 1998. Dunbar was living with a player, with whom they shared a child. She basically supported him and his friends. Yeah, she was a scum bag because she embezzled the money from her company. However, we got nailed because she paid $25 to go to a QB Club luncheon making the NCAA consider her a booster! Notre Dame football was placed on probation by the NCAA for two years, and this piece of garbage, suitable only for toilet paper, was published.

The Bright Side: For this "major violation", Notre Dame only lost 1 scholarship for 2 consecutive years.

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#5 Don't Call It A Comeback

I threw this bone in there for Dad. November 30, 1974. Notre Dame goes up on USC 24-0. However, USC comes roaring back scoring 55 consecutive points! Davis, who had returned 2 kicks for TDs against the Irish 2 years before, scores 4 himself. In my worst nightmares, I can't imagine how I would feel watching 55 straight get run off against us. USC goes on to win the National Championship.

The Bright Side: I wasn't alive and never have to share in Dad's nightmares.

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#4 Gerry Faust Goes Out in Style

You guessed it, November 30, 1985. Gerry Faust has announced his resignation after years of mediocrity at Notre Dame. The Irish travel to the Orange Bowl for Faust's final regular season game against Miami. In a 58-7 whipping, Jimmy Johnson runs it up mercilessly against the hapless Irish defense. Watching the horror of this game is actually one of my first ND football memories. Sucks for me! Thirsty for revenge, the seeds of the Catholics vs. Convicts legend are sown.

The Bright Side: Lou Holtz arrives as head coach turning things around in 2 seasons before winning the National Championship in 1988.

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#3 The Push

In one of the greatest games in college football history, 2 time defending National Champ USC comes to South Bend expecting to smash the upstart Irish and continue their winning streak on the way to title #3. Notre Dame controls the game until we give up a miracle pass to Dwayne Jarrett on 4th and 9 for 61 yards. That hurt, but the clock running out making me think we won just ripped my heart out. Then, watching "The Push" steal victory from us was unbearable. I hate Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush.

The Bright Side: Even though we lost this one, deep down we all now know that Charlie Weis is indeed the real deal and the return to glory is imminent.

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#2 Knute Rockne's Plane Crashes

The greatest coach in the history of college football, Rockne single handedly put football and Notre Dame on the map. During 13 years as head coach, he oversaw 105 victories, 12 losses, five ties, and six national championships, including five undefeated seasons. At the peak of his coaching career, Rockne died in a tragic plane crash in Kansas in 1931. He had been visiting his sons at boarding school, when after takeoff the wing separated from the plane sending it into a nosedive before crashing into a rural field.

The Bright Side: Nothing makes a legend grow like an untimely death. Knute Rockne is canonized into college football lore, and the movie Knute Rockne: All-American is made later launching Ronald Reagan into the White House.

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#1 Boston College Ruins My Freshman Year

Every facet of this game just hurts to think about. Notre Dame is fresh off its victory in the Game of the Century against FSU in 1993. Now ranked #1, we are destined for the National Championship. Boston College comes to town (November 20) and pours it on. We look terrible, beaten. Then, we roar back to take the lead on a 2 pt conversion late in the 4th quarter, destiny seemed to shine upon us again! I am a freshman and the entire student section rushes the aisles in anticipation of rushing the field in moments. Then, I watch from the aisle as BC drives down the field and puts a field goal throught he uprights to win it with no time on the clock. The field gets rushed - by BC fans. Make the hurting stop!

The Bright Side: At least I didn't have to talk to Tracy Weaver who inexplicably came up to Notre Dame with Mom, Dad and Bridget that weekend.