Pat

There was a big difference between this spring and last spring in the intensity. Thanks to Subway Domer for the videos. I do see some improvement although it is still guarded. I am not making any assumptions until at least Sept. I am still licking my mental wounds from last year.
GB | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 1:42 am | #

Pat posted at 11:30pm. It's 1:33am. No posts. What's my take?

I've got tickets for a couple games this year including BC. I'll be a glum old guy in the stands saying, "Hey, wait until next year you big collection of farts!"

I'm thinking, how many years am I going to be able to make that shout.

When I'm dead, will I know how the team's doing, or will I just be too interested in something else? I can't really imagine being interested in someting else. Or maybe I'll just be plain dead, ashes to ashes and dust to dust.

I mean, hey, criminy.
Judge60 | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 1:49 am | #

First of all Judge60, if there is anything I know about Notre Dame, its this...

When you die, you'll get the best seat in the house at Notre Dame Stadium right in the same section as Jesus Christ himself. Amen.


Secondly, I understand your aprehension about our DL Pat. We are thin there this spring. But if Kuntz comes back to take a DE spot (as all apparent indications would suggest), and we bring in some of the cruel and talented young-bloods in our recruiting class like Cwynar and Ethan to provide some depth, I really think we'll be ok on the DL. Our perception of how successful our Dline can be with be determined by the success of OLB rushers like Smith and Neal and the success of the anticipated new blitz schemes that will come from Tenuta. That can make life a LOT easier on our DL.

Also, I can only think that all of the incredibly positive comments we have seen coming regarding how Clausen's arm looks, how quick his throws are coming, and how accurate they are CAN be seen as some kind of legitimization of our hopes that Jimmy's struggles from last year were only a combination of poor blocking, inexperience, and lasting effects from surgery. If he can make the progression that we all hope for, this can be quite an exciting year.


Lastly, I would like to repeat a quote that I heard quite some time ago, that I BELIEVE is attributed to Pat.


"Confidence is high, ladies and gentlemen. Confidence is high."



Gotta love the spring.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 2:03 am | #

Bring on the fights. That's the highlight of spring practice so far for me. I hope it means that at least the fighters have some pride and desire, if nothing else, and hopefully they'll bring that to the field.

But I got burnt last year so I'm saving my optimism for Sept. 6.
jaisn | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 2:27 am | #

Thank you, Brad, about the kind words of the possible seating arrangement in the Stadium.

I'm patient and prayerful that things will work out sometime this century.

I should mention that Holtz saved my marriage back in 88. My menopausal wife had dishes flying over my head smashing into the wall but I was completely focused on the ‘next game’.

If we’d have lost one I might have got up and started tossing them back and really screwed things up. Thankfully that didn’t happen and I was able to go to bed each night with a big shit eating grin my wife couldn’t believe.

Eventually, she came to her senses and realized I was a nice guy.

Yeah, I know, it’s getting late. Goodnight.
Judge60 | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 2:34 am | #

Brad,

In addition to Brown, Williams and the hopefully returning Kuntz, the DL would seriously improve if Emeka Nwankwo is ready for prime time.

Trevor Laws says the unofficially redshirted Nwankwo will surprise fans. He was recruited for his quickness and athleticism. At 290, he has added size. Let's hope he's ready.

If Mo Richardson can gain a few more pounds... If Justin Brown can be more consistent... If any of the freshmen can contribute...

Last year the 'ifs' were mostly answered in the negative. But spring is the time to be optimistic.
lyle | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 6:59 am | #

I may be technologically impaired, but for some reason I can't get the video from Saturday (on Fox) to work. Any help? I click on the link, am taken to the site, hit play, and nothing happens.
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 9:00 am | #

120 minutes with Matt Pinfield used to be great. The fight was good, but what's with Charlie TEACHING the team how to celebrate? That's ridiculous. It's been slow putting the fight back in Fighting Irish. I think the first game against SDS is going to be very important. If we struggle or, God forbid, lose we'll be a laughing stock. We have to win and win mightily to set the tone for the season and the Michigan game or it's going to be a long year. How about a nice jarring tackle and a 40 yard field goal for starters, which was far too rare last year?
bcnd | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 9:54 am | #

BCND-

I don't think he's 'teaching' them how to celebrate - he's just letting them know it's ok. These are 18-22 year old guys, getting emotional won't be an issue if they know it's alright.
Chris | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 10:02 am | #

Does anyone know if the defense that ND might be running in the fall is similar to what Ethan Johnson or any other freshman DL are familiar with? That would certainly help their transition into the depth chart, but if they have to learn an entirely new and complicated system then we'll just have to hope for a healthy year (which is the best scenario anyway). Of course, we can't even be sure what kind of system we're going to run in the fall, since it looks like they're tweaking it a bit from last year.
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 11:24 am | #

Erik,

I doubt it will matter much what kinda defensive system the incoming DL guys came from. For the most part, high school 'schemes' regarding the DL basically come down to "hey you, go manhandle that Olineman and hurt whoever has the ball".

Scheme will be much less important (at least at the DL) than technique. Teaching these kids how to use their bodies to their advantage is much more important.

Also, I don't think that our defense will be that greatly changed fundamentally. Its still gonna be the same defense schematically, we just may see different attitudes with regard to philosophical input from Tenuta (crazy blitz packages). Other than that, I don't expect we will see a fundamentally different defense.

Though I do hope the fundamentals will be better.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 12:56 pm | #

I haven't heard much about Ethan Johnson coming in (probably because he's in Portland and can't make it to the spring practices to watch), but I have a hunch he and Floyd will be the freshmen to watch.

Also, I noticed something in that video tha was reminiscent of last year: Hughes, our "power back", ripped off the long run of the day. Does that indicate how good he is or how much Aldridge and Allen aren't making it happen?
yak | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 1:54 pm | #

All I know is, as I sit in my office and seethe after my American Airlines flight to Dallas was cancelled (as well as the one tomorrow morning that they rebooked me on), I LOVED watching the video of that fight. Ten years ago I wouldn't have cared so much about it, but after the pansy-ass season we had last year, it's nice to see that someone's in a bad mood.
Fitzwater | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 2:38 pm | #

Did anyone else notice, in the video of the fight, Trevor Robinson is in the background and the man looks freakin' huge even compared to all the other players. I don't know if it was an optical illusion, but he looked monstrous!
GO IRISH!!! | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 2:53 pm | #

Seeing the video, hearing the pads "pop" even just a little and having that little scuffle just put chills up my spine. I want a team that has a chip on their shoulders and a feeling of urgency and something to prove. And by prove, not just to the country, but to themselves. They are soooo much better than that.

I am so anxious for the days of old, when we would play the likes of Purdue, MSU, etc and not worry about winning, but just about by how many touchdowns.

Go Irish!!!
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 3:25 pm | #

It seemed from the blogs that the offense basically lit up the defense, especially the secondary. I am skeptical about our offense's ability to improve that dramatically over the course of a few practices, so to me, maybe our defense isn't any good either. Maybe we thought our pass D was good b/c teams didn't need to pass that much last year (although I was at the USC game and vividly remember Sanchez having no troubles vs our secondary). So, while I am excited about the obvious increased intensity and physicality, and I have (and had last year) an ever present expectation that the next game will be a break out game, I am concerned.
mark | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 3:47 pm | #

The thing I always loved about Lou's teams at ND was that they always seemed to have a chip on their shoulders. They came out to physically beat on and intimidate teams.

Nothing would make me happier than to see this team play San Diego State and physically manhandle their team, regardless of the score. That is what this team needs.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 4:10 pm | #

Not getting too excited either. Waiting till Sep 6th. It's too bad they can't scrimage other teams. It's hard to tell if they are getting better, or is it just an illusion. Last year I was like, man, the offense looks good. I think we can run the ball this year. Season starts, and I don't think they totaled 100 yards until the 3rd game.
wardo4 | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 7:28 pm | #

Ah, the Judge returns. Its like old, demented times. Welcome back, Judge.

One interesting I've heard are the reports of Harrison Smith being used in some kind of hybrid DB/LB role. Apparently, the kid is an incredible athlete and they want him to see the field some way, some how.

A lot of potentially good signs, especially with the OL. I wonder if they will be able to keep TRob off the field. It would be nice to redshirt a monster like that (and yes, he is a huge human - if indeed he is merely human). I'm trying not to let anything that happens this Spring get my hopes up, but I say that every year...
Thundershaker | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 8:00 pm | #

Thundershaker,

Yes, Harrison Smith has been thrown down at times to OLB and the have moved Brian Smith inside. I wouldn't look too far into this though. Corwin mentioned that they really like Harrison's nack for making plays, and they just wanted to just try him out at some other positions on the field. My first thought on this would be that maybe they are thinking about using him there as a situation personel switch, to get more speed on the field. If you think about it, it could be just a thought they are having in uncertain pass situations where they want to blitz. Effectively, that would put us in a nickel situation (we effectively would be putting 5 DBs on the field that way). I wouldn't look at it as a position switch, so much as just trying a personel switch at times. Could be a great idea, to allow him to cover short hook and curl routes if the LBs are blitzing.

Secondly, Trevor Robinson is NOT human. He is a Nebraskan. I think it has something to do with all the corn and dairy they have out there.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 04.09.08 - 9:03 pm | #

The teaching to celebrate thing:
Remember the stunt pulled last year by Richt and Georgia in the end zone after a touchdown. The entire team went out to 'celebrate' in a pre-defined exercise to inject some enthusiasm. I think it worked for Georgia
black | Email | Homepage | 04.11.08 - 10:27 am | #

More then a tip of the hat to Subway Domer a guy I am proud to say is a friend.
Sir John | Email | Homepage | 04.11.08 - 11:12 am | #

I am very happy to see Judge back on this board.
Hal | Email | Homepage | 04.11.08 - 1:23 pm | #

...my half-empty philosophy has not been assuaged by anything I've read this spring...christ...
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 04.12.08 - 6:55 am | #

...I guess I should have signed my name...
jim/redondo beach | Email | Homepage | 04.12.08 - 6:56 am | #