For the Record

1. I like Brian Kelly. I like what's he's doing with the ND football program and I like the way he's handled every adverse situation that has popped up during his tenure with a even-keel and level head. He's making individuals, himself included, accountable rather than making excuses. That's a winning recipe.
2. I like the modernization of the ND football experience. I like them piping in music - it definitely made things appear crazier the last two weeks on television.
3. I am 100% in favor of field turf. Oklahoma has a pretty good football tradition too, I hear, and they seem okay with field turf. At the pro level, there's some team in Green Bay that also uses the stuff. Seems well-suited for poor climates.
4. I am 100% in favor of a Jumbotron. It will keep the crowd involved and more active during NBC's interminable television timeouts.
5. I like the "new" gold helmets. To hell with the traditions of student managers - that dates back to the athletic department being too cheap to pay for getting helmets painted and repaired. Now, they just need matching pants.
6. I like ND blowing out the service academies - they should manhandle those guys and hang 50+ on them every year.
7. I like Dayne Crist. He seems like a great teammate and he's got one helluva arm. He's just a terrible quarterback.
8. I don't like NBC. Mayock is bearable, but Tom Hammonds scares me with his giant head. Flutie - ill-fitting suits and all - is terrible in the studio. He brings nothing to the table.
9. I don't like the fact that the student union can't standardize on a single color for "The Shirt" and the ND stadium looks like a refugee camp week after week while the crowds for Penn State, Alabama, and Wisconsin look like a unified force. Feel free to mess with the design, but just pick freaking color and stick with it.
10. I don't think ND needs to or should join a conference for football. No conference is safe. A team agrees to join, then renegs and goes elsewhere a week later. Conferences provide no safety, security, or stability. You're always one team away from the whole freaking thing collapsing which would leave ND... right back where they are today.
11. I (really, really, really) don't like the tired alumni complaints about the "glory days" and the changes being made or even mentioned. 

Here's the bottom line. ND hasn't had a team contend for a national championship in 18 years. Like it or not, ND football has been largely irrelevant since the advent of the BCS. That means the very players being recruited have NO IDEA of the ND "traditions". They see the Nike teams in their flashy uniforms that change every week. They see the insane locker rooms and facilities at Oregon and Oklahoma State. I'm not suggesting that ND go to these extremes, mainly because I hate those Nike uniforms, but they need to level the playing field. ND can't sell recruits on locale and weather, and they certainly can't sell them on winning. The entire college football landscape has changed so radically from the last time ND truly was competitive that it needs to progress. If that means making changes and risking alienating portions of the fan base, I'm fine with that. If that's what it takes to win, do it. We'll get new fans, the subway alum don't care either way, and I have a sinking suspicion that those very fans who were bitching will come running back after a single successful season.

I follow ND, the Bengals, and the Reds. I need a winning team. Help me, Brian Kelly. You're my only hope...

Oh. My. God.

I love Notre Dame's football uniforms. They are so incredibly good looking, and the color combo just gets the blood pumping. Especially the home blues. However, there is one aspect of the uniform that I have absolutely HATED for over a decade. The helmets.

Take a look at the amazing gold tone and paint on the fabulous Holtz-era helmets.

Look at the shine. You can just see the real gold paint caked on there. Remember the huge scratches and gashes that Zorich, Alm and Bettis would get on them? They just looked awesome.

Now we are stuck with these crappy helmets.

Gone is the luster and shine that I recall and love. They have been replaced by some plastic composite material. They still get a layer of gold paint, but they just lost the magic. Is it coincidence that the luster of our football program has faded along with the luster of our helmets? I think not.

I have been clamoring for years for Notre Dame to shit-can their current helmets and bring back the shimmer that our helmets once had. I have often used Ohio State as an example. Their helmets are silver, but they absolutely glow under the lights and bright sun. Sure, they don't paint them, but somehow, they use a material that just looks awesome.

Finally, someone has heard my cries!!! When asked about green jerseys for the big game against USC this weekend, Jack Swarbrick was very coy and refused to answer. He only stated that he had some ideas for pumping up the crowd Saturday night but “I’m not going to share what they are at this time.”

Well, I am proud to announce that I have figured out at least one of Swarbrick's surprises. Notre Dame will unveil all new helmets!!!!!

Look at that shine. Can you imagine how good these are going to look under the lights? The players are going to run through the walls of the locker room when they see these for the first time! I hope to God these are permanent replacements and not just a one-time gimmick. I am so pumped for this game that I can't sit still. I'll be there in the stadium cheering for our glorious victory. For now, you'll have to excuse me. I've got to go watch Rudy, play the fight song, get into a 3-point stance and tackle Ava!

The League

If you aren't watching The League, you are missing out. This show is over-the-top hilarious. Roughly centered around a group of "friends" that play fantasy football, it delves into insanity week after week. It takes the time-tested approach of crazy, diverging story lines that somehow all come together in the end. Airing on FX allows for a big upgrade to the debauchery over broadcast networks, although not at HBO levels.

Typically, the show gets a few football stars to make cameos, including this year's season opener tribute to the Super Bowl Shuffle. However, the show must be doing well, because big name stars are starting to show up. Seth Rogan was a porno director this season in the first episode. Now, Jeff Goldblum and Sarah Silverman will guest star in a special Thanksgiving episode.

Set your DVR and give it a shot. We'll have a viewing at Thanksgiving now, so catch up on your episodes!

Who Dey!

Rumor has it that the Bengals are going to be unloading Carson Palmer to the Oakland Raiders for one first-round pick in 2012, and either a first- or second-round pick in 2013. Also included in the deal would be Oakland picking up a good chunk of the remainder of Palmer's contract.

I know Mike Brown has a lot of pride and usually works to intentionally screw Cincinnati, but this is a stupidly easy decision to make. Getting rid of a cancer- (ahem) I mean, player, like Palmer is a good think. Andy Dalton is no John Elway, but he's doing well enough so far. The Bengals are leaning on a stalwart defense and Dalton doesn't have to make plays. So current logic says don't screw things up and put Palmer back in a Bengals uniform, because that will only hurt the team.

By getting two very good draft picks in 2012 and 2013, the Bengals will be able to shore up position needs very nicely. I'm sure they'll be able to find some decent players to fill gaps. Cedric Benson isn't getting any younger, and they could also use one of these picks to trade up and get a big name like Quinton Coples, Michael Floyd, Trent Richardson, or any number of DEs from the SEC.

On top of it all, Oakland looks to pick up the bulk of the remainder of Palmer's contract, about $6 million worth. I don't know about anyone else, but it sounds like a no-brainer. You get a clean break with a worn-out, cantankerous player, and you get rewarded by future talent and current money. Mike Brown, don't be a dummy! Do the deal!

twitter mania

i updated the blog to have a widget with my twitter updates. if anyone objects let me know and i can remove it, but beware, you will miss out on awesomeness. i actually originally included the tweets all of heffernans/labuttas with a twitter account, but removed that, since some people have private twitter feeds. if you want in on the action, let me know.

Wow! Just Wow.

It is 100% clear at this point that college football is FUBAR. Players being thrown cash and women during recruiting. Pretty much every school with any level of success cheating. Classes optional for most schools' "student athletes." A BCS system that is a complete joke. Perpetual conference alignment and realignment. I could go on and on. Clearly it's ALL about money at this point. I have long decried the TV networks, particularly ESPN, as the problem. I have even suspected nefarious means by ESPN, whom I believe has WAY too much power over the college football landscape. Now, I finally have the proof.

ESPN is clearly manipulating conference realignment.

First, the deals.

• Pac-12 ABC/ESPN/FOX $21 million/yr/school 12 years
• Big Ten ABC/ESPN $18.3 mill 10 years
• SEC ESPN/CBS $17.1 15 years
• ACC ABC/ESPN $12.9 12 years
• Big 12 ABC/ESPN/FOX variable 3 years ESPN then 13 years FOX
• Big East ABC/ESPN $3 (football members) 7 years
• Big Ten network jointly owned by Big Ten and Fox
• Longhorn Network jointly owned by Texas and ESPN
  

Last year, when the Big 12 was on the verge of collapse, the conference was held together by ESPN and Fox. ESPN has a TV contract with the Big 12 through 2015-2016. Loss of the Big 12 would have really hurt their revenue. So they got the schools back to the bargaining table and disaster was averted. There is no proof of how it really went down, but clearly ESPN was double-crossed as the Big 12 ended up signing with Fox for more money. That must have stung.

Fast forward to this year. With the Big 12 firmly together, ESPN runs with "breaking news" that Texas A&M had decided to leave the Big 12 and join the SEC. A day later this story was shot down as totally false by all parties. However, ESPN had accomplished its goal - planting the seed in the public conscience. The idea stewed and A&M decided to consider the possibility. The SEC was all too happy to accept them (into the ESPN family), and over a month after the original "breaking news", fantasy became reality. ESPN claims they had valid info with the original story and just had the timing off. However, it's clear that no meetings were held by either A&M or the SEC until well after this report. Take that greedy Big 12!

Even more damning was the recent Big East debacle. Clearly, the Big East lags well behind the other BCS conferences in terms of revenue. This is due to the smaller conference size and the lack of traditional powers. However, they had an exclusive negotiating window with ESPN for their upcoming new contract, and waited until last in the current round of conference negotiations to try and maximize their profit. ESPN low-balled the Big East, and they voted unanimously to reject the offer from ESPN (A story about Notre Dame as the driving force behind this was posted on ESPN even though it was a unanimous vote). Feeling spited, ESPN encouraged the ACC (whom had just signed with ESPN) to seek out Syracuse and Pitt for expansion. Don't believe me? How about the words of Boston College AD Gene DeFilippo, who was part of the ACC's expansion committee:

"We always keep our television partners close to us. You don't get extra money for basketball. It's 85 percent football money. TV - ESPN - is the one who told us what to do."

Are you kidding me? So the Big East spurns ESPN's crappy deal, and ESPN turns around and torpedoes the entire conference. ESPN and DeFilippo are in total damage control mode now, and are trying to hide the obvious truth. But really, along with the actual words of DeFilippo, past precedent with Texas A&M shows you how the game is played.

So here's how the game works. ESPN sets up the conferences with teams that play ball with them. ESPN broadcasts most of the games. ESPN controls the highlights you (and voting members of the polls) see every Saturday night. ESPN sponsors the coaches' poll. ESPN creates the talking points for the week leading up to the next weekend of games. Often, those talking points critique the pollsters in an attempt to manipulate voting. ESPN broadcasts the BCS games starting this year (beat out Fox). ESPN also sponsors the Heisman and sets the tone with the Heisman watch.

End result: ESPN makes billions. BCS schools make millions. Coaches make millions. Everyone with any power to affect change is happy. Players are pawns, and make nothing.

This will never, ever, ever change. It's only going to get worse. Is the next logical step for ESPN to cast off all semblance of a news organization and just create a new organization to replace the NCAA? They could run a new league of football powers centrally like the NFL. Sounds crazy, but we are almost at that point already! I think at this point, the lawyers need to get involved and stop this crazy game. The NFL has an anti-trust exemption. They share equally and offer even competition and a level playing field. College football offers none of that, and is the very definition of a monopoly, with ESPN at the top.

Occupy THIS!!!

I apologize in advance for the views expressed in this
post, but I have a message for Occupy Wall Street.

I have been closely following the current Occupy Wall Street movement with interest and confusion. As the movement has evolved, I now consider it with disdain. What began as a protest against the greed that permeated the financial industry has evolved into what I would kindly describe as a "Whoa is me for all that America has done to me" hissy fit!™

I agree wholeheartedly with the original premise. Banking and financial corporations (wall Street) took some pretty big risks to make a profit, particularly on mortgages, and lost billions. Taxpayers had to bail them out hurting the little guys, and they go right on doing business as usual. It's clear now that the bailout did preserve the economic status quo, but it didn't help pull America out of it's recession. These guys should have been held accountable, and maybe a couple should have been allowed to fold.

However, now this is morphing into a pseudo-populist movement with slogans like "Need not Greed" or "99%". Furthermore, protesters are rejoicing now that unions have stepped in and added manpower and resources. Obama is now chiming in, as are other political leaders trying to leverage the movement into political gain.

I have a big question for these protesters. Is capitalism dead?

It isn't entirely clear what they are seeking. However, it is clear that they are fed up with corporate America. some of the rhetoric sounds a whole lot like socialism. I am a firm believer that if you work hard and bust your butt, you will be rewarded. I want to take the two mottos above and look closer at each:

Need not Greed
Unfortunately, human nature doesn't really support the "need not greed" aspiration. If you have a guaranteed salary, you are bugging out for home at 3:30pm today to get an early start to your weekend. If you are paid hourly, you stay to the end, and get excited when overtime kicks in earning time-and-a-half! Another example is pay for performance. If you have a task and get paid for productivity, you work harder! Ever wonder why car salesman are so pushy? Sure they make a salary, but they get bonuses for sales volume! Earning money is what makes our economy run. Is it greedy? I guess, but people just do better at anything when there is an incentive to succeed. On a bigger level, corporations have every right to try to make big profits. If you don't your stock plummets, executives get fired, and the company goes bankrupt (unless it is bailed out by Uncle Sam). Healthy corporations make for a healthy economy and more jobs. Greed and need really go hand-in-hand.

99%
I won't say what side I fall on this, because I honestly don't know how much money the top 1% of Americans have. However, how can you begrudge someone in that top 1% what they have earned? With the exception of the spoiled heirs of family fortunes, most millionaires (and up) have sacrificed a lot, worked extremely hard, and taken enormous risks to achieve their wealth. Many have failed MULTIPLE times before, and sheer perseverance has enabled them to ultimately succeed. For every millionaire who made it, I'd wager there are 100 people just like them, maybe even more intelligent or driven who have failed. I wish I had the guts and drive to take a chance on an idea and do something amazing. However, that is never going to happen for me. I have too much to lose, and am pretty much a big chicken. I'll never make a million dollars, and will never be a billionaire. I don't begrudge those that are. I admire their determination. Think about the CEO of a Fortune 500 company pulling in a $20 mill salary and stock options. How dare he make so much??? Can you imagine the career of corporate meetings, butt-kissing, projects managed, crappy bosses and incompetent employees. How many times did he/she fear for their job after a merger or takeover? You can have that!!! I want no part of it.

The recent death of Steve Jobs provides an interesting foil to this movement. While the Occupiers bemoan corporate greed and billionaire CEOs, they absolutely REVERE Steve Jobs. He was the epitome of what they are protesting. He was a ruthless businessman who founded and then took Apple to the top as a multi-billion dollar corporate giant. He took his licks, but he stomped on many to put himself and his company at the top. Why is he any different than the CEO of Bank of America, Brian Moynihan? Is it because iPods are so cool? Maybe because we can't live without the new iPhone 4S? Jobs builds these things in China and sells them to you for $299 or more for mega-profit. Then you have to buy a new one next year when it is "totally upgraded" or when your non-replacable battery runs out. You need apps, so you buy a few at the App Store, which Apple takes most of the profit from and sticks it to developers. Don't forget, you have to have a 2 year wireless contract, so AT&T, Verizon and Sprint get a cut too - after paying Apple for the right to sell their device, naturally!

In general, I guess I just don't understand what the Occupiers are trying to accomplish. I get that they are just angry. Perhaps they should actually DO SOMETHING about it other than stand around holding up snarky signs. Apply yourself at work. Get a new job. Take a chance in your career. Support a candidate or run for office. Just don't stand around complaining. It's hurting my ears.

Thanks Apple!

This morning I pre-ordered two Apple iPhone 4s's for Teresa and myself. I'm generally very excited about this purchase for several reasons which I list below:

1) My Blackberry sucks - 'nuff said.

2) iMessage - I have yet to figure out how this works, but the two redeeming qualities of the Blackberry were its email handling and Messenger. Messenger allows you to send MMS messages to contacts - which can include videos, pictures, and text - and you don't have to have a text message plan for SMS. It was great and now Apple appears to have a similar app for their phones. I'm hoping it works, because I just cancelled all text messaging. So Ted, please stop texting me your thoughts on ND games.

3) It's only 3G - I've heard pretty bad things about 4G, namely that it drain the battery like a hole in your gas tank, and it is in very limited locations, and is spotty at best. 3G is nearly everywhere these days, and that's all I really want or need. I don't plan to stream movies over the network anyway!

4) Updated hardware and software - camera is 8 megapixels, memory and CPU chip are 7x faster than the 4, it's got the new iOS5, it has 2 antennae to reduce the likelihood of dropped calls, and it has voice activation.

5) Dumbass Apple junkies - this is probably my favorite reason. The 4S got all of its internal hardware and software updated, but it did not get an update case, and Apple junkies are pissed that they can't buy this product and get noticed as having the "new" Apple tool. They can't show their "cool" status because the 4S looks exactly like the iPhone 4. Because of that, iPhone 4S sales are expected to lag somewhat, and people like me can get one! Awesome!

I can't wait to get my new phone! It ought to be here before Thanksgiving to show off to everyone. Maybe I'll have it before my kid if born and we can all Facetime for the first views of Baby Heff (whenever that happens). Until then, yay iPhone 4S!

4 Options for Notre Dame

Only a week ago, I posted a scenario about superconferences. At the time, I thought it was inevitable, but myself (and the rest of the nation) were shocked when it was announced that Pitt and Syracuse were joining the ACC. I had always considered the ACC to be dead man walking when considering how superconferences might play out. Looks like they agreed! Instead, they added 2 members and increased the buyout to leave. The ACC will survive.

Now, it is not only inevitable, but happening now! We'll find out probably today what will happen with Texas and Oklahoma. Both are deciding on where they might go. Their decisions will likely force ND into finally, sadly joining a conference. I think 100% that our decision will be based on what Texas decides.

There are really only four options left for ND:

1) Stay indepedent
It's going to be tough. Scheduling will be a nightmare and conferences will control TV, Bowls, playoffs, polls - EVERYTHING. Notre Dame can do this, but they will quickly lose relevance. I think it would ultimately be a mistake. We would go the way of Army and Navy, becoming a decent team that always plays in a bowl, but never a serious power again.

2) Join the Big East as a football member
This would be an option to keep the Big East as a viable conference. The problem? Who is left in the Big East that is worth playing. Looks like the ACC may be trying to get a couple more Big East teams too. They could add castaways from the folding Big-12, but I still think this is an awful idea. If we are going to join a conference, let's join one worth joining.

3) Join the Big Ten
If Texas joins the Big Ten, I think we will soon follow. Not sure if they would immediately go to 16, but we wouldn't have a choice. The conference would be a juggernaut, and the divisions could be broken down into East and West. I like a division with ND, OSU, Michigan, MSU, PSU, Purdue and Northwestern. The West would be Texas, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minn, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois. I have always been against the Big Ten, but adding Texas and Nebraska really expands the conference to be more palatable to me.

4) Join the ACC
If Texas goes to the Pac-12, I think this is our best option. We have had discussions before. There are many like-minded schools already in the conference. We would still have a unique identity and draw, as the western most school in the conference and somewhat of an outlier. Big exposure in the Northeast and Southeast. It would be great for basketball and other sports too. Overall probably less travel then currently in the Big East! I think the ACC would be a great fit.

Personally, I am hoping for the ACC. I still am just too worried about losing our unique nature and being swallowed up by the Big Ten. Don't get me wrong, I'm not scared to play more Big Ten teams every year, I am just worried that Notre Dame will blend in over time. Every time I see Penn State, I wonder if that could happen to Notre Dame too. Over time, they have melded in, and are now just another Big Ten team, losing the aura that I remember.

I have no idea what will happen today. I think it comes down to Texas and their Longhorn Network. Not sure if the Big Ten or Pac-12 will offer them a deal to keep it somehow. One thing is clear. They are meeting today and we may know the future of college football very soon.

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Update: So the Pac-12 decided it already had enough money from the new TV contract that will kick in next year. They said No to Oklahoma and Texas - who now have no place else to go. So the Big-12 survives for another year. I predict the next round of craziness will be sooner rather than later. Within the next year or so, either the Big-12 or Big East will try to add football members to solidify their standing like the ACC just did. Until Texas or Oklahoma bolt, I think ND is safe as an independent.

Remain Calm - and a Look to the Future

I read Ian's post and I know exactly what he means. The biggest difference for me? I have long ago passed beyond the phase that Ian now is experiencing. Losses hurt. They tear me up too, but the gut-wrenching emotions that Ian feels have lessened. I think it is the fact that I was a freshman in 1993 and had to live through FSU and BC on back to back weekends. The highest high in my ND life immediately followed by the lowest low. It will never again be so bad for me. It can't be, because it's somehow different as a student.

The biggest problem I have is with other people. I'm sure you all live around a plethora of Notre Dame haters. They LOVE to rub it in when we lose. I would LOVE to punch them squarely in the face until blood is shooting out of their eyeballs. Unfortunately, it doesn't look good for the doctor to injure his workers in a hospital.

On the other hand, I AM COMPELLED to read everything I can about the game. One or two articles doesn't do it. I want the full-spectrum analysis of the game and what everyone thinks is wrong. I suggest you consider this Ian. Take off Saturday and dig in Sunday while watching NFL. You will get a good picture and it helps loosen up the emotions. Avoid message boards, but go after the articles. I would implore everyone to read the following GEM I found on Inside the Irish:

Irish turnovers are part of the process

This single brief article is the absolute best review of the inglorious start to the 2011 Notre Dame season. I guarantee that if you read it, you will feel better - and perhaps optimistic toward the rest of the season. There is a reason we are still favored over a ranked MSU by 4 points!!! Look, we're not going to a BCS bowl, but there is no reason we can't dominate from here on out and get a nice Champs Sports Bowl bid.

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I wanted to also change direction and talk about the future of college football. another gut-wrenching topic for ND fans, but again have hope! Lots is happening behind the scenes right now. We all know that Texas A&M is now accepted into the SEC, after all the legal fees that are coming. This will likely set off another round of earth-shattering conference realignment. I have read confirmed stories that Texas and Oklahoma have had high-level talks about the future of the Big-12. It is also suggested that Oklahoma wants out and will likely be heading the the Pac-12, regardless of what the commissioner says in public. These two things will set off a cascade that I think will almost assuredly force Notre Dame into a conference.

One thing I know about Jack Swarbrick - he is a leader and is out in front of this. I have read unconfirmed articles that he has had discussions with Texas, and even with the Big Ten. I have no doubt he will do what is best for Notre Dame. One thing is for sure, super-conferences are coming. To me that may offer Notre Dame a unique chance to strengthen our position in football. You have probably read a million ideas for the future of college football. Here is mine. Humor me and see if this sounds interesting. The premise here is that the NCAA grows a pair and takes the lead in the future of college football:

1) Create a new division of college football that would include 4 super-conferences. Can we please just rename it Division 1.
The way it looks now: Pac-12, SEC, Big Ten and whomever else can string together the remaining sold teams. 16 teams in each conference.

2) The remaining BCS teams left out in the cold would be D2.

3) Create an NCAA-sanctioned playoff for D1 and a separate playoff for the newly formed D2. Other playoffs would remain unchanged.
This is the key. The NCAA makes millions on the basketball tournament. They would earn billions with a football tournament. They retain control of college sports, make more money, and the rest of college athletics will remain intact - and benefit! Never again will millions be funneled to political cronies running bowls.

4) Eliminate the bowl system.
See above. The system is crooked and broken. A playoff would use a combination of host team stadiums and bowl venues for games. Schools make extra cash when they host a game. Create a "Final Four" or "Final Eight" that would be played at neutral sites.

It would just be so perfect. The super-conferences would essentially become divisions, like in the NFL. Each conference gets, say 3 automatic qualifiers, and then throw in 4 wild cards. All money gets split evenly like in basketball. Extra revenue for highly seeded teams who get home games!

True champion: CHECK
Fair to all: CHECK
Little guys still make money and have a shot: CHECK (D2 champs)

I would have no problem joining a conference under these circumstances. In fact, this could be perfect for ND. Clearly, the SEC, Pac-12 and Big Ten will be involved. ND could lead the charge in forming the 4th conference. Along with Texas, they could dictate the terms and keep TV contracts intact (for now). Pick up the best of the ACC, Big-12 and Big East leftovers, and we've got ourselves a sweet deal.

Poke a hole in that concept!!!