On another note, maybe this is why Urban has not been bringing in the recruits. He has been tending the flames at home.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com.../ncaa/? bcnn=yes
GB | Email | Homepage | 07.28.07 - 4:16 pm | #

How about a "What if" Jarious had not messed up his knee against LSU? We would probably have beaten USC, and thereinafter Syracuse in the Orange Bowl.
bluengold07 | Email | Homepage | 07.28.07 - 5:10 pm | #

Thanks for the link to the Urban story. It's classic Urban. He loves playing like a bigshot. Calling up the NFL Commish. Ringing up Lou, or Belichick just makes Urban feel like he too has testicles.

Classic too because his team is full of scofflaws and some downright felons. Yet he is so impressed that Roger Goodell is going make a big impression on Urban's eight year old son...even more than the Spread Offense!?! That's effin funny because his spread offense hasn't done a damn thing at Florida. He abandoned it for a Zook-esque pro style. Urban is a jerk.
Voice in the Wilderness | Email | Homepage | 07.28.07 - 5:51 pm | #

side note, totally un-ND related: as a die-hard knicks fan i get really tired of the hue hollins call being brought up. if you remember, in game 5 of the eastern conference finals the year before, charles smith was fouled about 8 times under the basket and was unable to convert a layup sending the series back to chicago, giving the bulls a 4-2 win over the top-seed Knicks.

chicago knocked out the knicks in '89, '91, '92, '93 and '96. they gave me a childhood of heartbreak so i think you bulls fans out there can deal with one series loss without blaming it on one missed call - especially with the decade of calls jordan got.

sorry to get off on a rant. im really enjoying this "what if" series. go irish.
Schultz | Email | Homepage | 07.28.07 - 7:08 pm | #

i gotta be honest here and say the spot doesn't look that bad to me. looks like the ref runs right up to the ball and makes his spot. Point being if he was trying to sway the game in our favor he probably would have done so by more than a hair. um... not the point of the post is it?
well, who was available for coaching spots around that time if boob had been fired who were the canidates that coul've taken his/willingham's/wies' place and changed ND's course (earlier)?
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 07.28.07 - 7:11 pm | #

I've always hated fouls AFTER the guy shoots.

Muggings, excepted.
ThE LoSt BoY | Email | Homepage | 07.28.07 - 7:33 pm | #

Amazing that it always seems to be the Service Academies.

I like this classic the best, don’t know what it meant as a What If though…..

1995 Army going for 2 with 30+ seconds left, trailing 27-28.

Ivory Covington executes the hit of the year and saves the game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t...h? v=teO9oWwNSzc
Subway Alumni | Email | Homepage | 07.28.07 - 7:34 pm | #

What struck me the most about watching the clip was that I don't remember ANY of the ND guys. Not to be cruel or anything, but there just wasn't the talent on the team when this game was played that there was for the other 30 odd years of the streak.

Bob Davie was a mistake. A lot of people knew it from the start. Unfortunately, the Administration couldn't admit the err of its ways and we had to deal with the results of this for 5 years (Plus the other obvious mistake after that for 3 years).

Too many close games that ended up as wins whilst Boob and Ty were at the helm. But, far worse... Way too many losses.
Big Tobacco | Email | Homepage | 07.28.07 - 8:13 pm | #

RE: Meyer Poaching (Miami, Fla) commits

"But Meyer doesn't care. If the Hurricanes struggle on the field again this year, you can bet the Gators will come chomping for some committed talent."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com...cruiting/ 1.html

What a rep': "Meyer doesn't care . . . chomping for COMMITTED talent."
ThE LoSt BoY | Email | Homepage | 07.28.07 - 9:21 pm | #

You don't remember Jarious Jackson or Bobby Brown?
Jay | Email | Homepage | 07.28.07 - 10:06 pm | #

Mike, Pat , Jeff,et al. I read the Bruin Nation & Nestor posted today that the Blue Gray Sky is his favorite read. He than PS's & said after Bruin Nation.*Giggles*
jim masterson | Email | Homepage | 07.28.07 - 10:45 pm | #

Oh, God, why did you mention that clip? I've been ranting about that piss-poor call for damn near 20 years. I can feel that hate rising even now.
Tracer Bullet | Email | Homepage | 07.29.07 - 12:25 am | #

I still marvel at our unbroken streak of victories over Navy, considering the coaches from 1997-2004.
Lo-fi | Email | Homepage | 07.29.07 - 2:27 am | #

What if Ty had landed Reggie Bush? (Or, what if Ty had recruited, for that matter?)
Nate | Email | Homepage | 07.29.07 - 2:58 am | #

Answer: Bush would have been 2nd string behind Ryan Grant.
Nate | Email | Homepage | 07.29.07 - 2:59 am | #

Jay

Jackson: Yes, but not for all of the blowout victories he led the team to...
Brown: No.

It was a bad era in ND football. Like I said earlier, too many close games that never should have been. These guys were good, but not exceptional. Just a little bit better than Navy.
Big Tobacco | Email | Homepage | 07.29.07 - 8:45 am | #

Hey Subway,

Yeah, 5'9" 161lbs stuffing 6'3" 240lbs at the 1/2 yard line (thanks for the Army-ND clip)...that game should've never come down to that play, but regardless it was freakin' exciting. A group of us drove out from ND to see that game...the outcome made that night in the city alot more enjoyable...
anonymous2 | Email | Homepage | 07.29.07 - 10:31 am | #

Why would Davie even entertain the thought that Air Force would fake the fg from the 11 with 3 seconds left in a tie game? That there shows his stupidity.
Pete | Email | Homepage | 07.29.07 - 12:23 pm | #

As a regular reader of this blog who reads several rival blogs, this has been an entertaining series. However, I do need to correct you on the Washington State thing.

While the final 2 seconds are debatable, WSU should never have even been in the position to win the game anyway. Previously in their final possession, Michgain attempted a long Brian Griese pass to an open Charles Woodson down the right sideline on a fly route. The WSU CB pushed off on an obvious pass interference call to prevent the completion to Woodson, with no flag. By all rights, Michigan should have been awarded a first down and then would have killed the clock. So bad officiating cancelled itself out for both sides.
Michigan Man | Email | Homepage | 07.29.07 - 12:46 pm | #

Love the "what ifs" guys. Not sure if any thing would have changed, but what if there was no phantom clip on rocket's orange bowl punt return.
Mick030 | Email | Homepage | 07.29.07 - 12:54 pm | #

there was also the 1984 (or 85) Navy game where Carney kicked the game winng FG against Navy
when time had expired.
Peter | Email | Homepage | 07.29.07 - 3:36 pm | #

What if's are what if's as Coach said "what is is."

Maybe some 'friendly' breaks now with the Big East officials after dumping Big 10's?
Sir John | Email | Homepage | 07.29.07 - 5:41 pm | #

Two big what ifs that i will forever struggle with....

"what if BC misses game ending field goal in '93?"

and

"what if RPN didnt get indefinitely suspended during the '05 season"

the first one everyone is aware of...but the 2nd.... thats my bread and butter. RPN gone. true freshman Shwaap in. "inexperience mistake #1" MSU. 1st and goal on the 2 in the closing moments, hand off to shwaap, stopped...oh wait lets reach over the line backwards...oh, stripped. good job hero. ND goes on to lose.

against USC the drive before the brady TD... shwaap fails to run the correct route, ball sails over head. instead of wide open touchdown, ND settles for field goal. what a difference 4 points would have made, eh?

if we had RPN instead on those two plays...what a difference that would have made in charlie's first year.

food for thought, you do the dishes
John in KY | Email | Homepage | 07.29.07 - 8:01 pm | #

"what if BC misses game ending field goal in '93?"

Or, what if Holtz hadn't played it so conservatively in the 2nd half against FSU the week before. The way we dominated that game at times, we should've won by at least 17 points. The ensuing BC loss would've been little more than an embarassing hiccup, and Lou would've had his 2nd MNC.
scott | Email | Homepage | 07.29.07 - 9:55 pm | #

btw, its Jeffrey Maier, not Rich Garcia O's fans hate, b ecause he clealy robbed tarasco of the catch that ended up sending the Yankees to the World Series
von | Email | Homepage | 08.03.07 - 5:22 am | #