Personally, I STILL blame Fitzpatrick partly for the USC game. If he makes that field goal (I forgot exactly when it was 3rd or 4th), ND is up 6 (or 5, depending on a posisble twopoint on the Quinn TD) on that last Southern Cal drive and some one is DEFINATELY playing back to prevent the long pass. I know it's nitpicking, but if you want to beat a #1 team, you can't have you're kicker choking in the second half.


And while I'm here, Fitzpatrick's general medocrity was put on FULL display during the Fiesta Bowl when Husted (tOSU kicker?) was handicuffing the ND offense by blasting the kickoffs through the endzones. Husted doesn't get enough credit for helpinig tOSU win.
Bryan ND '02 | Email | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 3:24 pm | #

While I'm on gloom and doom tear, Let me unveil my official "Heartbreaking Way ND gets screwed this year":

After a 3-0 start, #2 ND goes into MSU and loses in some ridiculous fashion (I'll go with a 4OT crusher where MSU scores after a ND defender trips over a squirrel on the field). (And if you aren't petrified of that MSU game, remember, I was there for 45-0, I was there for Plaixico Burgess, I was there for Charles Rogers/Pat Dillingham...God I hate MSU....)

Anyway, a 3-1 ND team licks the wounds and runs the table up to a #4 ranking until going into #1 10-0 Southern Cal game...and beats SC like a drum, finishing 11-1 and a #2 BCS ranking, which should be enough to get them into the title game, right? RIGHT?!!

Not after Southern Cal beats UCLA the following week, giving them an identical 11-1 record. So logic and reason would dictate that since ND beat Southern Cal, ND goes to the title game...Alas, BCS computers rarely have logic and reason, and thus:

Jan 8-#1 WVA vs #2 Southern Cal

(And if you thinking to yourself "DEAR GOD, that's just ridiculously enough to come true!", now you know how I feel)
Bryan ND '02 | Email | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 3:38 pm | #

i count 2 tribe called quest references. did i miss any?
ben | Email | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 3:50 pm | #

The biggest worry ND has is the lack of experienced, talented depth. If the freshman dont perform to expectations, you could have serious issues.
HMFIC04 | Email | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 4:26 pm | #

Bryan, that isn't crazy enough to come true. Alas, it has. I'm still waiting for the NCAA to take away FSUs championship that year and give it back to ND where it belongs.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 4:29 pm | #

Articles like this are going to give me a nervous breakdown. How much longer until 8:08 (5:08 out here) on Saturday?!?

I can't decide whether to worry about the MSU game or not. ND absolutely owns MSU in E. Lansing and definitely has the talent to crush them. OTOH, MSU will be playing their best football before their annual crash. Top that off with the fact that they look like one of the only teams that can get into a shootout with ND and win...

Man, do I want to see the Irish D absolutely shutdown GT so I don't have to worry about this stuff so much.
JohnWA | Email | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 4:31 pm | #

I'm repeating myself on this one, but:

'89 ND losses to Miami, both finish with 1 Loss, Miami wins National Championship

...ok, head-to-head record takes precedence, fine by me.

'93 ND beats FSU, both finish with 1 Loss, FSU wins National Title ???!!!

Don't tell me the BCS computers would d!ck us over too.

Personally I think UCLA won't be amazing and will hurt USCs strength of schedule that late in the season.
IrishHoffy | Email | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 4:34 pm | #

Personally I think UCLA won't be amazing and will hurt USCs strength of schedule that late in the season.

As ND and USC both play UCLA this year, wouldn't it be a wash?
DJ | Email | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 5:34 pm | #

Everyone needs to grow a pair. We're going 12-0 no matter what. We're not going to play tentative because no one can hang with us. CHOO-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Andrew | Email | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 5:47 pm | #

IrishHoffy-

I was as PO'd as you about the fact that we didn't win either the '89 or '93 championship.

But the reality of college football is that it doesn't matter as much WHO you lose to as it does WHEN you lose to them.

In both '89 and '93, the losses were at the tail end of the season. In order to have one loss and make it to the championship game, you've got to lose early (September).

Although the BCS computers don't care about the timing of your loss, the AP voters care--and they make up a big portion of the BCS system.

Having said that, it's still fun to talk about how we got screwed.
kevinirish00 | Email | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 6:07 pm | #

A.M.D.G.

2007 is somewhat terrifying to contemplate. It's never a good thing to have all of your talent in the frosh and sophomore classes. Thankfully, the blow will be cushioned by this year's national championship. GO IRISH!
Tee | Email | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 6:38 pm | #

DJ,

I just meant USC beating UCLA in their last game of the year isn't a big advantage. They won't be beating a top 10 team or anything.
IrishHoffy | Email | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 7:14 pm | #

.. and in '93 it was only a one week gap between the losses for both teams.

I can't remember when Miami lost in '89.

Sorry, I'm not bitching, just anxious to thrash GT.
IrishHoffy | Email | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 7:16 pm | #

Holy smokes. My lord. Charlie gives more information in a 20 minute press conference than BoobTy gave in all their press availabilities tied together...over their entire careers...including any past lives.
Yago | Email | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 8:20 pm | #

man, i miss GBV.
tyler | Email | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 9:01 pm | #

You aren't the only one tyler.
Pat | Email | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 9:59 pm | #

Brad, you're going to be waiting a long time, since there is no official NCAA champion for D-1 football.
UM fan | Email | Homepage | 08.29.06 - 10:44 pm | #

Geez! It is 2006, right? Stop scaring me. I put 1k 'beans' on our boys at -7. How can a team with 3 new DB's possibly stop Charlie's O? I'll take my shot. Just like last year I found it hard to believe that Charlie wasn't going to have an IMMEDIATE impact. With a year under their belt Charlie will get a few of the WR/TE's WIDE OPEN. Sophistication 'breaks' ankles. I still have 'beans' left over from last year(although OSU hurt). I love his site! Keep up the good work!
MayoGalway
john beaufait | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 1:52 am | #

Those that are complaining about FSU in '93 need to remember, we lost to Boston College the next week. So take the one loss for each team, which loss was worse. FSU lost to a 10-0 ND. ND lost to an 8-2 or 8-3 (can't remember) Boston College. That loss is what killed us.
ND101 | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 10:42 am | #

I can handle that. '89, Miami lost @ #9 FSU 10-24 on Oct 28 and then ended our 23 game winning streak 4 weeks later.
IrishHoffy | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 11:12 am | #

ben,

Technically, its one ATCQ quote (Can I kick it? Yes, you can!) and one Busta Rhymes quote ("I heard they bum-rushed and attacked/Then they rebuked and you had to smack/Causin' rambunction throughout the sphere/Change the levels of the noise insiide the ear") from the ATCQ/LONS track "Scenario".

Kudos to BGS for their great taste in music!

Sean
Sean | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 1:27 pm | #

Sean,

yeah, that's what i thought. funny how little phrases can be so evocative. to continue...

"you know i did it/so don't violate or you'll get violated/the hip hop sound is well agitated/don't ever wasted no time on a played out ego/so here's busta rhrymes with the scenario"
ben | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 2:52 pm | #

Not to forget that Darius Walker will also be eligible to join Sullivan, Laws, and Zibby in being eligible to leave early.

My guess is that only Zibby goes early. When's the last time we actually had to be concerned about someone leaving early? Certainly Fasano wasn't a departure I cared about. How many have we had "go early?" It can't be very many. Maybe a topic for a future off-season post...

Still, if Darius does bolt, I won't be surprised. Does anyone think he'll be big enough to survive in the NFL?
Max | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 3:49 pm | #

Darius Walker an NFL running back?? He's small, slow, and has no vision. Yeah, I can see the upside. Sadly, he'll be the starter here next year as well.
Charlie | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 11:48 pm | #