Can someone explain the Love Fest with Notre Dame?

BarrelORum

BarrelORum

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Seriously.

I looked at their schedule last year and take a look at this...

ND 42 Pitt 21. Whoppie... Pitt was terrible. I am still impressed with the offensive production.

ND 17 Michigan 10. Michigan had one of their worst years in recent history and lost to a 6-5 Nebraska team in their bowl game that they were favored to win. Still, beating Michigan isn't anything to scoff at.

Michigan St. 44 ND 41. This ND team reminds me of our 1999 team. No defense, lots of offense. Allowing 44 points by the Spartans is embaressing.

ND 36 Washington 17. Washington sucked last year. They were God awful.

ND 49 Purdue 28. Purdue was 5-6 last year.

Southern Cal 34 ND 31. Probably the best college football game of last season next to the Rose Bowl. An Impressive loss, but Southern Cal has a tendency to play down to their opponents in the middle of the season.

ND 49 BYU 23.. Great offensive numbers. But its still BYU.

ND 41 Tenn 21. Worst UT team in how long?

ND 42 Navy 21. I don't care who you are, Navy is a well coached team and this was a solid win for ND.

ND 34 Syracuse 10.. Cuse stinks. What did we beat them by in the Tangerine Bowl?

ND 38 Stanford 31. Stanford was 5-6 but did have one of the tougher schedules in the nation.

Ohio St. 34 ND 20. The score was closer than the game as ND got waxed on every level. However, Ohio St however was easily the 3rd best team in the country last season.

I'm not saying that their 9-3 season was not impressive. I just don't see how anyone can place them preseason top 5. Give me a break. They SHOULD have won at least 8 games last year by anyone's standards. I think GT will upset Notre Dame. Why? Because Tech has been great in season openers, and we aren't afraid to play anyone. We get up for the big games and we lay down for the little games. Sure ND fans can point to the Utah game or the fact that we beat Miami and then they were embaressed in their bowl game. But I got to believe that Auburn, Georgia, Miami, and VT would have all beat ND last year, and we took 2 of 4 from these teams and should have taken 3. I just don't see ND coming into Bobby Dodd and winning this game.

Am I being too arrogant? Am I missing something? Yes they have a prolific offense. But Brady Quinn better rely on the short pass because he's going to be under more pressure than ever before with a young Oline. Their secondary stinks to high heaven, and if Reggie Ball can not make mistakes and get the ball to Calvin Johnson (which is asking a lot I know), we should be able to win this game.

I don't see ND putting up 28 points on us, but the question is will our offense be able to score more than their average of 18 points a game. If we can pound them on the ground with Choice, and score 25 points, I see us winning this game ala Auburn last year.

The real question is will we still go 7-5 on the season? More than likely.
 
ND was a good team and should be again this year. I agree though BOR, they weren't a great team, they just get the hype that comes with the name.

We can win the game, there's no doubt of that. But as always it comes down to the defensive schemes working and getting pressure on the QB and how Reggie plays.
 
Re: Can someone explain the Love Fest with Notre D

Gotta agree w/ ya, BOR, ND will be super-hyped preseason coming to Grant Field and this will be a wonderful opportunity to begin a special season.

Why the lovefest? It has to do with the name and history of ND, a LOT to do with NBC having to make money on their contract with ND, and with the hot coach dujour Charlie Weiss.

So, Willingham won 10 games his first year with ND, Weiss won 9...why did Weiss get a contract extension and not Willingham?
 
Re: Can someone explain the Love Fest with Notre D

With our play calling + Reggie I just don't think we can outscore ND especially with our secondary...we HAVE to keep them under 20-25 to win /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twocents.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
The real question is will we still go 7-5 on the season? More than likely.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, if we do beat ND we sure as hell better NOT end up 7-5!! No excuses if we do /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The real question is will we still go 7-5 on the season? More than likely.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, if we do beat ND we sure as hell better NOT end up 7-5!! No excuses if we do /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Didn't we say that last year about Auburn about this same time?
 
1- THE BUILT IN FAN BASE OF 90% of the CATHOLICS IN THE US AND THE RESULTANT MAJOR MARKET COVERAGE OF THEM.
2-THE TV CONTRACT THAT GUARANTEES EXPOSURE REGARDLESS OF THE QUALITY OF THE TEAM.
3-THE SCREWY FORMULA THAT GIVES N.D. PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT FOR A BCS SPOT
4-THE FAWNING ATTITUDE OF BOWL SELECTION COMMITTEES TO GET N.D. EVEN WHEN THEY HAVE AN OFF -YEAR.
5-THE VAST MAJORITY OF FOOTBALL FANS WHO DETEST N.D. AND WILL CHEER FOR THEIR OPPONENT REGARDLESS OF WHO IT IS.
THIS ALSO TRANSLATES INTO BIG TV RATINGS.
6
7 NOTRE DAME IS A ONE SPORT SCHOOL.WHY DO THEY ALIGN THEMSELVES WITH CONFERENCES IN OTHER SPORTS IF THEIR NAME IS SO ALMIGHTY STRONG?
8-THEY CONSISTENTLY GET TOP RECRUITING CLASSES EVEN IN OFF PERIODS--UNLESS THE COACHING STAFF IS BRAIN-DEAD,THEY SHOULD HAVE A TOP 20 CLASS EVERY YEAR.
9- THEY ONLY GIVE JESUS CREDIT WHEN THEY WIN.GIVE THE MAN A BREAK ,HE HAS OTHER CHRISTIANS TO SUPPORT TOO!!
10-THEIR S--- DOES NOT STINK.
 
BarrelO'Rum: I believe Notre Dame and Charlie Weis are just getting started on something very special together. Just like Bear Bryant at Alabama, Ara Parsagian at Notre Dame, Steve Spurrier at Florida, Vince Lombardi at Green Bay, Don Shula at Miami......coaches who went in and completely changed the program and then continued its improvement the next year and so on.

I believe Charlie Weis has that capability. So do many others. Therefore the excitement is building.

Before last year all you heard was how the game had passed by Notre Dame. Their glories are in the past. That kind of talk. Now the argument is whether or not the Irish are a top 5 team and looking for reasons as to why they aren't. Yes their defense needs improvement and who is to suggest that it won't be? Weis is ahead of the field fellas, just as Bryant, Parsagian, Lombardi, Shula, and Spurrier.....

He demands excellence and he gets it, the proof is in his super bowl rings and the testimonies of his players like Tom Brady and Brady Quinn.

I dearly hope Tech can pull it off in September. But if it happens it won't change the direction of either program.
 
wilmoo,
I'm voting for you in the next election.
you hit the nail on the head everytime here and especially w/number 5.
 
Re: Can someone explain the Love Fest with Notre D

Actually, everybody had a mantra about having 6-5 regular seasons before the Miami game. When we went 7-4 in the regular season, but had that horrible bowl game, it became "7-5" every year.

I think the Auburn win helped us have our best season in a while, alhtough it could have been much better. In the same way, if we beat ND, I really don't see 9-3 as much of a reach.
 
Re: Can someone explain the Love Fest with Notre D

The thing about the ND game is if we win it puts us on the map, moreso than beating Auburn or Miami. We may flop and have another disappointing year, but being in the national limelight for at least a couple of weeks would be nice.

I doubt it will happen, but beating ND and UGay in the same year would make 2006 one of the best years ever.
 
Re: Can someone explain the Love Fest with Notre D

[ QUOTE ]
I believe Notre Dame and Charlie Weis are just getting started on something very special together. Just like Bear Bryant at Alabama, Ara Parsagian at Notre Dame, Steve Spurrier at Florida, Vince Lombardi at Green Bay, Don Shula at Miami......coaches who went in and completely changed the program and then continued its improvement the next year and so on.

[/ QUOTE ]

You could be right, but it's way too early to annoint Weiss as the second coming personified at ND. Football is rife with flash in the pans, most notably Willingham at ND and the Fridge at Md.

Weiss (as the Fridge did) WAAAY exceeded expectations in his first year. Let's see how he does when expectations are MUCH higher - almost guaranteed top 5 preseason. He could have the same record as last year, a very good record indeed, and still leave the fans disappointed and grumbling.

I don't disagree with ya...but at this point Weiss's success is one good year against mediocre competition and a whole lotta media hype.
 
I agree it may be too early..

but Mr. Weis is doing all the right things and speaking all the good words that translate into a dominating type dynasty at ND. He knows offense as shown by his success at NE and the performance last year. He also has the charisma and the natural recruiting advantage at ND (with both DC's and SA's)to also put together a top performing defense in the near future.
Having said all of that, we will kick his ass in September!
Go Jackets!
 
Re: I agree it may be too early..

[ QUOTE ]
but Mr. Weis is doing all the right things and speaking all the good words that translate into a dominating type dynasty at ND. He knows offense as shown by his success at NE and the performance last year. He also has the charisma and the natural recruiting advantage at ND (with both DC's and SA's)to also put together a top performing defense in the near future.

[/ QUOTE ]
And he has a haircut that all lesbians are jealous of.
 
Re: I agree it may be too early..

[ QUOTE ]
Mr. Weis is doing all the right things and speaking all the good words that translate into a dominating type dynasty at ND.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, no doubt! And he has some serious recruiting advantages at ND as well.

But you're right: we'll kick his ass at BDS@HGF!
 
Re: I agree it may be too early..

GEETEELEE: I think the comparison of Charlie Weis's first year and Tyrone Willingham's are not justified. The Irish that year appeared to luck their way through much of their schecule before losing to Boston College and getting ripped apart by Southern Cal and NC State. Weis's bunch on the contrary with a little luck against Michigan State and Southern Cal could have been undefeated going into the bowl game with Ohio State, which didn't need any luck to beat the Irish.

Now the comparison Weis's first year with Fridge's first year at Maryland does have some merit. Frankly I'm not sure what has happened up in College Park. But with Ralph taken back over complete control of the offense there maybe a change of Terp fortunes on the horizon.
 
Re: Can someone explain the Love Fest with Notre D

[ QUOTE ]
beating ND and UGay in the same year would make 2006 one of the best years ever.

[/ QUOTE ]
I would take losing to both for an ACC championship. Love to go to JAX and get a bigger win.
 
Re: Can someone explain the Love Fest with Notre D

Never will I be happy w/a mediocre football season. Ain't gonna happen w/me. However, if we beat UGA for a string of years like they have been doing us, I might come close to being willing to sacrifice every other game of the season. Sounds silly to say and even worse to hear, but I am soooooooooooooooooooo sick of losing to UGA that the rest of the wins have gotten to the point of being meaningless if we can't be UGA. Beating Auburn, Miami, etc is great, truly great, and winning the ACC would be WONDERFUL, but if we don't beat UGA, it don't mean a thing. All that says to me is UGA is better than anything ACC can throw at it. I'm sick and tired of losing to UGA. Sometimes I wish we could catch them at the first of the season instead of the last, since our season seems to fall off a little as it goes.
 
Re: Can someone explain the Love Fest with Notre D

It doesn't sound silly to say you're sick of losing to UGA. Gailey's record in four years is just fair to middlin', but the real reason most of us aren't satisfied with him is that he hasn't beat UGA. If we had beat the doggies the last couple of years, as we easily could have, everyone would be much more tolerant...
 
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