Just remember, Jay, if you have the occasion to spend 5 minutes, or 20, with Tim Tebow, your life will be better for it.

And, yes, this season flew by.
The Song of Hiawatha Francisco | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 12:44 pm | #

As I was coming to terms with the end of college football 2008, I realized I had it better than my daughter at least. She was born Sep 5th - College Football has been a constant her ENTIRE LIFE (and the only tv she's allowed to watch). I'm sure the next 9 months will be harder for her than me. ;)
obediah | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 12:46 pm | #

Props to Jay for using the word 'blandishments'.
kmf | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 1:08 pm | #

*sigh* In a life wrought with failures and near-misses, this is the nearest miss yet.
voidoid | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 1:13 pm | #

What an unfulfilling football year. Last night was an appropriate enough end to it.
Lo-fi | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 1:16 pm | #

It was the best of times. It was the blurst of times.
Jay | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 1:26 pm | #

My favorite part of the game last night was when Brennaman and Davis were talking about how amazing a person Tebow is for the millionth time...and he got flagged for unsportsmanlike right at that moment. Their only response was to joke about how it was the first time he had done anything wrong in his entire life. That broadcast was an absolute embarrassment, even worse than NBC's Notre Dame broadcasts. Yes, I didn't think it was possible, but it's true.
Jade | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 1:27 pm | #

stupid monkeys
ND Alum | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 1:29 pm | #

I heard Tim Tebow is up for sainthood...because he's a perfect human being and he won last night.

by the way, last night's telecast was a comedy of errors. On 3rd and goal in the 1st half: "They should go for it!"

quoting the sucky analyst: "I spoke to a division 1A coach last night and he told me you have to be relentless against Florida."

really? did he also tell you not to mention his name? the play-by-play was horrendous all night.
Felipe | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 1:32 pm | #

On another note, I was pondering a comment from Stewart Mandel over at SI yesterday:

"Realistically, Florida returned to the national title game a year earlier than should have been expected for a team that lists 14 freshman and sophomores on its defensive two-deep and whose top two tailbacks are freshmen as well"

We all love/hate comparisons with the Irish on the "lack of experience" slate, but I can only count 10 freshmen/sophomores on the ND defensive 2-deep, and I wouldn't say that Jonas Grey is our best tailback.

I'd say that Urban is staying put at Florida while he watches his guys win another NC next year, assuming Mr. Tebow isn't prematurely called to sit at the Right Hand Of God.
Burbank Steve | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 1:52 pm | #

Tebow will probably be a saint until he reaches the NFL. On that note, if he really wants the big bucks, he may want to jump ship now, before the pro DCs kill-off the Wildcat.

And yes, this season mostly flew by. Except after the Carolina game, and the Syracuse game, and during the USC game.

I can't wait to see what additional changes befall us, and I am looking forward to next season. And for those interested, the NFL draft is April 25th and 26th. Alert your spouses accordingly. :)
Dave in the Basement | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 1:54 pm | #

Comments on the media bias are accurate, but perception helps win recruits, so Florida's St. Tebow will probably steer more recruits toward the Sunshine State and not South Bend. We used to corner the market on telling mothers of recruits that we are different than the Florida State and Miami criminals of days gone by. St. Tebow will probably hurt N.D. in future southeast recruiting. Maybe that's why Charlie concentrates on California kids over Florida kids at the moment - the Poodle is universally recognized as classless and full of empty rah-rah hype.
Andy | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 2:02 pm | #

other than thinking about a republican ticket featuring brady quinn and tebow in 2020, I took away two things from last night's game that relate to ND:

1. OU's offense is what ND's aspires to be. They spread it out and throw, have good receivers, but can also gash you running the ball. They line up just like we do on every down!

2. The only thing, and now I am convinced more than ever, that separates ND from UF and OU is SPEED. I know, it's not the revelation of the century. ND has comparable skill guys and can move the ball,but we play at normal speed on both sides of the ball. OU and UF play at the speed you get when you hit the fast-forward button once on a DVD player.

The day our defense fields 11 Darius Flemings, we'll be competing in January every year.
Felipe | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 2:05 pm | #

Watching the game last night, one thing that stood out was Bradford's accuracy. He made some amazing throws. Immediately after that observation, the thing that stood out was how well Bradford's line protected him. Clausen will make throws just as well, when his line gives him time.

No arguing the statements here about players' speed and commentators' insipidity.
Louie | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 2:09 pm | #

Agree that last night those were some of the most annoying announcers ever. The color guy just repeated himself all night. I got your "Mo".

Not convinced those were the two best teams playing. Granted the hype and the month off may have diminished their play. But Utah and USC seemed like much better/faster defenses and both the offense were merely adequate. Props to Tebow for being an animal and to Bradford for having a nice arm. Harvin is awesome, and Brown can really follow his blocking. But as teams, they just don't seem that imposing compared to USC or Utah.
OldFan | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 2:17 pm | #

I love love LOVE that Utah recieved one vote in the Coaches poll. It is further indictment that the "C" is silent in "BCS". Per BCS regulations, the coaches are required to vote the winner of the championship game as national champion, yet one coach voted for Utah. Kudos to you, you rebel.
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 2:30 pm | #

I like the Utah love too. Are the coaches' votes made public?
Dave in the Basement | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 2:48 pm | #

Jay, you guys should give out an award this year for greatest improvement in the pick six from last year...I just might take the cake! Just call me a blind squirrel.
ND101 | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 3:20 pm | #

Yer gettin old, Jay. They all start flying by.
Mike81 | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 3:30 pm | #

Th Utah coach voted his team #1. Said he didn't care if they take his vote away, he's standing up for his guys. Good for him!
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 4:20 pm | #

Jay; Glad to see you had one more blast of energy to post these topics. Good job.
As Colin Cowherd says, he just goes by what he sees on tv and is usually right. To my admittedly biased eyes, the only 4 teams we cannot line up against right now are Fla, Okla, USc and this year, Utah. I would love to see us play Ohio State next year without Wells and Laurenitis. I am not saying we beat everyone else (before people accuse me of insanity) but we could play with the rest.
Jay, good point about Golden's speed. He's clearly two steps faster than AA.
canuck 75 | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 8:56 pm | #

The pain of Pitt and Syracuse still remains. The frustration of Navy, Stanford and SDSU is still around. The knowledge of not being prepared (year after year) for our rivals MSU and BC is present.
Only a few rays of sunlight through the rain at the Michigan game and over the big island still shine.

After watching the Rose, Fiesta and NC games, here's a M.O.T.O. statement, Weis' teams have no core strength. We are immensively talented in the skilled positions for the first time in a decade. Tate and Michael Floyd can be the best ever under golden helmets and the Golden dome. I would like to see the core strength and rudiments improve 10- fold in 2009. At the college level, it's not rocket science. If the team plays soft, without spark and squeeks (once again) by on talent, Weis has to go. We should make ever effort to bring back Urban Meyer.
slater | Email | Homepage | 01.09.09 - 10:38 pm | #

St. Tebow wont do to well in the pro. He threw a couple interceptions and he wont be running like that over there. Man, I wish we would have gotten Meyer when we had the chance. Even if he didn't win, at least he'd be off the table. He might get at least 2 more before he's done at FL.
nc game | Email | Homepage | 01.11.09 - 10:15 am | #

Thanks for the update on the PickSix. I was proud/disappointed in my equivalent of a 6-6 season (irony?). Three high scorers (in the final top five)... and three total zeroes. Sigh. Here's to a better record in 2009 -- for the Irish and for me.
bluedevildave | Email | Homepage | 01.12.09 - 11:01 am | #