It's yet another edition of the Irish Blogger Gathering - and the last one before my new computer (finally) arrives, and I can get back to the level of obsession that I should be displaying toward ND football. The answers this week are short, because I am getting this done between tasks at work (not exactly conducive to quality product, but I will hopefully make up for it next week). So, with apologies for complete lack of quality, my responses for the week!
1. What photo of some member of the 2008 Irish squad doing something, anything at all, really, says all 1,000 words that need to be said about this team? OR, which photo of some member of the 2008 Irish squad doing something would tell 1,000 lies about this team if you only saw the photo and didn't know better? (Double-secret word score bonus for answering both mutations of the same question)
I couldn't come up with an actual picture that showed it, but how about Chris Stewart injuring himself coming on to the field. The truth? This team can be extremely frustrating at times. Getting hurt running on to the field = inability to finish and win games. I'm pretty sure it doesn't lie about this team, though. So no double secret word score bonus for me.
2. Some of you may know that I (domer.mq) am a football stat geek. Which statistic do you think geeks like myself should really be paying attention to this season and why? (Can pertain to ND or CFB in general.)
How about wins? Seriously. One more and ND is bowl eligible. At this point, that's the one that's immediately on my mind.
(I may have taken the Pitt loss badly).
3. Seeing as how Boston College is nothing but an up-jumped program enjoying the luxury and soft Corinthian leather of an ACC schedule, which team from the current top 25 would you love to see this year's Irish play this weekend in Fredo's stead? Why? Do you think the Irish would win? Describe the game. Paint us a picture! I'll get the popcorn!
Can I pick a rematch against Pitt? Seriously, I want a second go at that one. This time, we stick with the run. Jimmy manages not to overthrow open people. The defense stops Shady all game long. ND is up by 3 TDs at the half (1 run by Allen, 1 long one to Floyd, and 1 sneak in by Jimmy), and ND wins by at least 30.
4. Let's dispose of the gradient colors and subtle vagaries of college football for a moment and answer this question with one of the supplied, absolute answers and a blurb defending your pick. No waffling! The Question: Why is Notre Dame unable to put away games when leading going into half time? The possible answers: 1) ND Players all have a soft, nougat center 2) The Coaches don't want to tick off potential future employers 3) God doesn't think it's classy to blow a team out 4) The ND Fanbase can't really stomach blowouts any more than they could stomach a protracted land war in Asia. Remember, you must pick one and you must defend it with great vigor!
Answer: 1 - ND Players all have a soft, nougat center.
It's pretty easy to come to this conclusion - a bunch of kids raised in schools where success often takes a backseat to making everyone feel good about themselves, where they got used to winning without having to work for anything, and now they find themselves in a situation that whatever they do, it looks better than what they did last year, and they get credit for that improvement, as if five wins is great (and I'm guilty of helping promote that latter thought). Until they have a reason to toughen up, they will fall back on being soft on the inside, because it is easier and everyone loves it.
Ah, but there is hope - leave that candy out for a few weeks, and that sucker will be hard as a rock. Here's to hoping that the ND players can go from that soft, nougat center to hard and solid at their core. Preferably as soon as possible.
5) Tennessee just began celebrating the career of Phil Fulmer today as he announced that he'd been given the opportunity to make it look like resigning was his idea. Certainly, this is a clarion call to ADs across the country to begin worrying over their tea that, should their current HC not work out, they wont get a shot at #s 1-5 on their candidate list. Tell us about an AD who may be looking at this move by Tennessee and acting a bit more aggressively towards a reduction in force of his current football staff now rather than later. And who might that AD be trying to seduce before Tennessee already has a "hand shake agreement" with the guy?
I'm going out on a crazy limb here, and saying that Barry Alvarez sees the writing on the wall with Bret Bielema and kicks his butt to the curb before any significant damage is done to Wisconsin football. I have no idea who Barry would want to go after, but perhaps Lane Kiffin? He grew up in the region, after all.
Gosh, I harbor a lot of hate toward Wisconsin.
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