Notre Dame limps home this weekend to take on a 3-0 Sparty team which has found itself in the perfect position to pick up its sixth consecutive win in the House that Rockne Built. Hell, it could be seven in a row, how knows, but unless our team makes a miraculous, and I mean miraculous - change of heart, desire and ability - ND will move to 0-4 right now.
The University is making some half-hearted attempts at getting the fans into the game - though you have to consider the fact that these decisions were made a long time ago - but still, the idea to have a green out - along with handing out green towels - seems a little dumb to me. We are actually playing a school with green and white colors!
Anyway, Notre Dame Stadium has transformed itself into a shadow of what it used to be. At one point, the place used to be so out of control parents would not allow their young kids into the games. Now, people are walking in with infants. So, to follow up on our 10 Commandments for Notre Dame fans - here is a code of conduct for The House that Rockne Built.
These are in random or, and most likely random importance...
1. The standing/sitting thing - obviously if you are in the student body, you stand up on every play - and take a rest at half time while the band plays some more 80s hair band music - or their every-lasting favorite "Take On Me" - lord, I am tired of hearing that song.
The rest of the stands, it is pretty simple. When there is nothing going on, you sit. When it is time to cheer, you stand. Calling out someone for standing in front of you at a football game is grounds for immediate expulsion from the Stadium. Seriously, if you don't want to stand up, stay at home and watch. This seems logical, but there are about 50,000 fans in ND Stadium that will yell for a fan to sit down in front of them when a Notre Dame opponent has 4 and 1 on the one yard line.
There is no excuse - too old, too young, to dumb - don't go to games and yell at people to sit down in front of you. Unless they are USC fans, then you can yell at them all you want. Seriously though - ND Stadium is filled up with WAY TOO MANY NON-FOOTBALL FANS.
2. If you are only going to the game 'to be seen' or to tell your co-workers you went to the Notre Dame game on Saturday, then give you tickets to someone else - or burn them. We would rather not have you in the stands.
3. Yelling. Fully encouraged, but not required. A lot of ND fans are uber-focused during games and literally are intense on every play. But, at least stand up - and cheer when something good happens.
4. Kids - leave them at home. Seriously, don't carry your five year old son in and exclaim that 'This is his first Notre Dame game!' It is not like he is going to remember it. Sons and daughters should only be taken to games when they understand what is going on, are able to sit for four hours at a time and are not there just to watch the cheerleaders and listen to the band.
5. The angry fans - just go away. Don't show up to yell at Coach Weis, or the offensive line, or anyone else for that matter. We don't want to hear you. Seriously - we really could care less about what you think. We are there to watch the game and cheer for the team, not bitch about every last thing.
To be honest, I think Notre Dame Stadium is past saving. Our student body and fan base is much becoming our team - weak and uninspired. The band is coming up with lame chants, the cheerleaders care more about building pyramids than watching the games, the NBC timeouts rob the team of momentum, the elitest members of our alumni and guests who could care less whether we win or lose, the high number of people attempting to 'give their kids the Notre Dame experience' and also don't care whether the team wins or loses - all these things contribute to the general malaise that is over our program right now. At some point, one would hope Davieham would've washed all the hangers-on out, but it has not.
But a part of me still thinks that the Stadium is special - because there are TRUE fans out there (not as many as there should be, but they exist). They live and die with every play, they thank the lord for their ability to see the games, they support their team at all time, they stay until the alma mater... those are the fans that make a difference. Those are the fans that don't need a code of conduct in the Stadium. Those are the fans that make Notre Dame what it is.
And those are the fans that, even as dark as it seems, even as hopeless as it seems, still think ND will beat MSU. Can you excuse me a quote from one of the greatest movies ever made - "Remember, Red. Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies."
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
There Is No Defense
Okay Irish fans. Unfortunately, we are forced to post a similar entry as last week.
The national media is going to take their shots at us - and at this point we deserve everything that is being directed at us. Even though you feel that burn in your gut when they attack Notre Dame - which 90% of the time is unwarranted and mean-spirited - right now, we deserve what we get.
We are a pathetic excuse for a college football team right now. There is no legitimate excuse for us to be as bad as we are. 0-3 and losing all three games by a combined 10 points? Acceptable. Not scoring a touchdown? Unacceptable. Getting sacked a few times with a young offensive line? Acceptable. Being completely inept at even getting in a defender's way? Unacceptable.
So don't fire off e-mails to the national talking heads out there - it is pointless because there is no defense that can be accepted. Just hope and pray that Coach Weis can figure out what this team needs to get on track - and cheer the guys on. At this point - this is all we can do.
The national media is going to take their shots at us - and at this point we deserve everything that is being directed at us. Even though you feel that burn in your gut when they attack Notre Dame - which 90% of the time is unwarranted and mean-spirited - right now, we deserve what we get.
We are a pathetic excuse for a college football team right now. There is no legitimate excuse for us to be as bad as we are. 0-3 and losing all three games by a combined 10 points? Acceptable. Not scoring a touchdown? Unacceptable. Getting sacked a few times with a young offensive line? Acceptable. Being completely inept at even getting in a defender's way? Unacceptable.
So don't fire off e-mails to the national talking heads out there - it is pointless because there is no defense that can be accepted. Just hope and pray that Coach Weis can figure out what this team needs to get on track - and cheer the guys on. At this point - this is all we can do.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Take Your Shots Now
One thing you will learn about sportswriters and national talking heads is that they love easy stories. Bashing Notre Dame is an incredibly easy story for them right now. Bringing up comparisons between The Ty Willingham Debacle and Coach Weis is an easy story right now. Everything is easy for them until we start to win games.
I guess they can only shoot so many bullets at Michigan right now - hell, they might be out of ammunition at this time.
So, as a well-measured and somewhat-sane Notre Dame fan, I just sit back and tell them - "Take Your Shots Now" - because we won't be such an easy target in the coming years - and even later on this season.
Of course no one expected us to be in the 100s for our national ranking on offense, but this slow start was not entirely unexpected. New QB. Three new starters on offensive line. Unproven running backs. Unproven wide receivers - you think about that for a bit and it all makes a little sense.
The problem is, we still expected us to be better. And we should be. I always find it difficult to pin problems on the players (I mean, they are 18-22 years old, they don't know shit about life) but at some point here, someone has to step up and make a play. Darrin Walls did. Tom Zbikowski has. Trevor Laws is playing like an All-American on the defensive line. Mo Crum is his usual stead self. Hell, even Joe Brockington had 10 tackles last week.
Um, offensive line - hell, the entire offense - time to step up. The breakdowns have been so random (one time it is the OL, next time the FB misses the block, next time there is a dropped pass, next time the QB doesn't throw the ball, next time false start, next time holding) that you can't really pin it on one group. The entire offense needs to step it up - and quickly.
I can't really pin down right now why I am not more upset. I think because I see right now that we just don't have it in us on offense. You can literally just sit there and watch it. Whether it is play calling, execution or the damn tides - you can just sit there and not have much in the way of confidence that the offense is going to do anything. AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM. Confidence.
The OL has no confidence that it can block anyone. The RBs have no confidence that there will be holes to run through. The QB has no confidence he can step back in the pocket and take a look down field. The WRs have no confidence that the QB will see them when they are open. The TEs have no confidence that the OL can protect without them. It is a vicious circle - and you know what - somone needs to step up and give the team confidence. Someone needs to say - screw it - I am making a play when there is no play to be made.
I think JC has a little of that in him, but he can't be expected to do that in his second game (though bring it on if you can Jimmy!). It nees to be a WR that won't be covered, a RB who will make multiple people miss (or just run them over). Someone makes a big play, I think this team will step up.
We are going to improve each week. This is the one year when we get better every weekend. This is the year when we might play our best in the bowl game. ND fans out there need to turn a deaf ear to the national writers and talking heads - let them take their shots right now. As much as they would like to disprove this statement - we are relevant. They are still talking about us even though we are 0-2. We mean more at 0-2 than a 2-0 Cal team or a 1-0 USC team. Think about that for a minute.
So take your shots now while you can. Enjoy your time to smear the one school that runs its program the right way. Enjoy the time when you can bash a team that laid the foundation that modern college football operates under. Enjoy your time - it ain't gonna last long. In fact, it might just end this weekend in the Whore That Is Ann Arbor.
Then what will you have? Oh yeah, Michigan. I forgot. You ranked them #5 to start the year and they are on the brink of losing their first three games AT HOME. Better go get some more ammunition.
I guess they can only shoot so many bullets at Michigan right now - hell, they might be out of ammunition at this time.
So, as a well-measured and somewhat-sane Notre Dame fan, I just sit back and tell them - "Take Your Shots Now" - because we won't be such an easy target in the coming years - and even later on this season.
Of course no one expected us to be in the 100s for our national ranking on offense, but this slow start was not entirely unexpected. New QB. Three new starters on offensive line. Unproven running backs. Unproven wide receivers - you think about that for a bit and it all makes a little sense.
The problem is, we still expected us to be better. And we should be. I always find it difficult to pin problems on the players (I mean, they are 18-22 years old, they don't know shit about life) but at some point here, someone has to step up and make a play. Darrin Walls did. Tom Zbikowski has. Trevor Laws is playing like an All-American on the defensive line. Mo Crum is his usual stead self. Hell, even Joe Brockington had 10 tackles last week.
Um, offensive line - hell, the entire offense - time to step up. The breakdowns have been so random (one time it is the OL, next time the FB misses the block, next time there is a dropped pass, next time the QB doesn't throw the ball, next time false start, next time holding) that you can't really pin it on one group. The entire offense needs to step it up - and quickly.
I can't really pin down right now why I am not more upset. I think because I see right now that we just don't have it in us on offense. You can literally just sit there and watch it. Whether it is play calling, execution or the damn tides - you can just sit there and not have much in the way of confidence that the offense is going to do anything. AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM. Confidence.
The OL has no confidence that it can block anyone. The RBs have no confidence that there will be holes to run through. The QB has no confidence he can step back in the pocket and take a look down field. The WRs have no confidence that the QB will see them when they are open. The TEs have no confidence that the OL can protect without them. It is a vicious circle - and you know what - somone needs to step up and give the team confidence. Someone needs to say - screw it - I am making a play when there is no play to be made.
I think JC has a little of that in him, but he can't be expected to do that in his second game (though bring it on if you can Jimmy!). It nees to be a WR that won't be covered, a RB who will make multiple people miss (or just run them over). Someone makes a big play, I think this team will step up.
We are going to improve each week. This is the one year when we get better every weekend. This is the year when we might play our best in the bowl game. ND fans out there need to turn a deaf ear to the national writers and talking heads - let them take their shots right now. As much as they would like to disprove this statement - we are relevant. They are still talking about us even though we are 0-2. We mean more at 0-2 than a 2-0 Cal team or a 1-0 USC team. Think about that for a minute.
So take your shots now while you can. Enjoy your time to smear the one school that runs its program the right way. Enjoy the time when you can bash a team that laid the foundation that modern college football operates under. Enjoy your time - it ain't gonna last long. In fact, it might just end this weekend in the Whore That Is Ann Arbor.
Then what will you have? Oh yeah, Michigan. I forgot. You ranked them #5 to start the year and they are on the brink of losing their first three games AT HOME. Better go get some more ammunition.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Step back from the edge...
Ok Notre Dame fans, time to take a deep breath, take a step back from the edge. The world has not ended, in fact it has just begun.
The dawning of the Jimmy Clausen era is good for everyone. The #1 QB from last year's recruiting class should be starting (compared to who we have on the roster) and would have been starting if not for his elbow surgery over the summer.
There is no way to completely erase Saturday's game, but the more and more I watch the replay and think about things, the more Saturday begins to make sense. We set a record for the number of freshmen and sophomores playing in a season opener (the number was a staggering 31). There were 16 players making their first appearance every in an Irish uniform (kudos to the ND SID office for the stats) including NINE from the incoming freshman class. Heck, Ty had a 13-person recruiting class while he was here - we almost eclipsed that mark in freshmen playing.
Coach Weis will get this turned around. He and his staff work way too hard for improvement not to show up. The players work too hard every day not to get better. Saturday was a rude awakening to everyone that this team is a long way away from greatness, but not that far away from respectability.
Also - Michigan losing was the greatest thing I have every seen happen. I relish it, I dance a jig about it, it is great, great, great news. The scUM deserve everything they get.
The dawning of the Jimmy Clausen era is good for everyone. The #1 QB from last year's recruiting class should be starting (compared to who we have on the roster) and would have been starting if not for his elbow surgery over the summer.
There is no way to completely erase Saturday's game, but the more and more I watch the replay and think about things, the more Saturday begins to make sense. We set a record for the number of freshmen and sophomores playing in a season opener (the number was a staggering 31). There were 16 players making their first appearance every in an Irish uniform (kudos to the ND SID office for the stats) including NINE from the incoming freshman class. Heck, Ty had a 13-person recruiting class while he was here - we almost eclipsed that mark in freshmen playing.
Coach Weis will get this turned around. He and his staff work way too hard for improvement not to show up. The players work too hard every day not to get better. Saturday was a rude awakening to everyone that this team is a long way away from greatness, but not that far away from respectability.
Also - Michigan losing was the greatest thing I have every seen happen. I relish it, I dance a jig about it, it is great, great, great news. The scUM deserve everything they get.
Monday, September 3, 2007
"Never thought I would see this..."
"Never thought I would see this from a Charlie Weis team..." that is the single refrain you will hear from Notre Dame fans over the next few days. It WAS ugly, but not as horrible as we will all make it out to be. There are silver linings to be found in everything - and at least now we can say that the Demetrius Jones era is over - and it took less than a half to figure that out.
DJ looked like a deer in the headlights, which is disappointing to the nth-degree. He was supposed to be a gamer. He was supposed to be ready to step up. He has been on the team for a year - and looked like he just showed up on Aug. 2.
Sharpley looked about as good as he could in the situation he was put in. The offensive line hung him out to dry all day, he still stood in there and completed some passes.
Clausen is the present now. Not just the future. With our OL problems, we might have to run the shot gun every snap and throw quick passes - and Jimmy is the only guy on the team seemingly capable of doing that. Good luck son, your first career start is in Happy Valley.
More to come...
DJ looked like a deer in the headlights, which is disappointing to the nth-degree. He was supposed to be a gamer. He was supposed to be ready to step up. He has been on the team for a year - and looked like he just showed up on Aug. 2.
Sharpley looked about as good as he could in the situation he was put in. The offensive line hung him out to dry all day, he still stood in there and completed some passes.
Clausen is the present now. Not just the future. With our OL problems, we might have to run the shot gun every snap and throw quick passes - and Jimmy is the only guy on the team seemingly capable of doing that. Good luck son, your first career start is in Happy Valley.
More to come...
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