Our Guest Poster Today is Passionate Notre Dame Fan Dell who obviously celebrated will full fervor after ND's first first down on the final play 3rd quarter on Saturday.
On what would seem to be a normal, frigid December morning, the Gold & Blue aficionado find themselves standing on the brink of one of the most short-lived and disappointing eras in Irish football. It seems almost ages ago that the Fighting Faithful were promised a messiah who would deliver them to the promise land of crystal footballs… or at worst a long-awaited major Bowl victory. However after one of the biggest tip teases in college football history, Charlie Weis’ stock has plummeted worse than any other DOW-Jones ticker.
However after struggling in major games with poster boy, Brady Quinn at the helm of his “superior” offensive squadron, Weis has subsequently lost his perfect QB and has had to seek solace on the West Coast. We have seen the leader of our Golden Domers change from an intelligent, strong-armed, down home Ohio boy to a lackadaisical Californian with sun bleached hair; whose biggest interests seem to be stretch Hummer limos, beer pong and throwing interceptions. Now don’t get me wrong, Clausen is not the only problem with Irish football these days, but I do expect a sophomore with a 9-13 record to heed the advice of his coach and HOLD ONTO THE BALL.
While we are currently seeing our top rated QB painfully and slowly develop, we can look to brighter horizons in the backfield. Cierre Wood, one of the most touted running backs in the country, is set to be the savior of a long-awaited running game in South Bend. Not since Autry Denson have we hoped to see a guy that can take some pressure off of our non-threatening aerial attack. I mean seriously, how many touchdowns does Golden Tate have to snare to keep us in ballgames? Hopefully the x’s & o’s in Ol’ Charlie’s mind somehow include Wood on a greater scheme to control ball games. When the defense has to play 45 minutes of a given ballgame, even the great ones start to tire and give up points.
Now like the rest of you reading ESPN and every other Irish blog out there today, we’re starting to see a glimpse of the fact that Weis will be returning for the 2009 season. I know he is due to meet with Swarbrick next Monday to determine his ultimate fate, but I have a funny feeling he will undoubtedly be back. At this point I could care less about what comments are made about how ND determines the selection of its head coaches, I just want to see the recruiting plan completed. I was one of the masses who jumped for joy at the two early winning seasons produced by the Weis/Quinn tandem, but sitting at 9-15 in the ensuing two years we are left to wonder where the original problem lies. Was it player performance? Is it a coach who is better suited for Sundays rather than Saturdays? Or can we blame school admins for choosing the wrong personnel overall? I hate to be the fickle fan that praises the coach when we’re beating Michigan and calls for blood when we lose to Navy for the first time in over 40 years, but I can’t help feel the desire to return to the national spotlight. IF Weis is allowed to return to South Bend for a fifth season in the director’s seat, I would have to say this would be his last chance. Given a few additional weapons, he will be expected to produce at worst a 9-3 season… and I tell you what, he better beat Carroll’s Trojans on our home turf. 0-4 against USC and a winless bowl record will for sure be enough to can the f.u.p.a man. And hey if that happens, I heard Washington is in need of a head coach still.
Image via LockerStink
On what would seem to be a normal, frigid December morning, the Gold & Blue aficionado find themselves standing on the brink of one of the most short-lived and disappointing eras in Irish football. It seems almost ages ago that the Fighting Faithful were promised a messiah who would deliver them to the promise land of crystal footballs… or at worst a long-awaited major Bowl victory. However after one of the biggest tip teases in college football history, Charlie Weis’ stock has plummeted worse than any other DOW-Jones ticker.However after struggling in major games with poster boy, Brady Quinn at the helm of his “superior” offensive squadron, Weis has subsequently lost his perfect QB and has had to seek solace on the West Coast. We have seen the leader of our Golden Domers change from an intelligent, strong-armed, down home Ohio boy to a lackadaisical Californian with sun bleached hair; whose biggest interests seem to be stretch Hummer limos, beer pong and throwing interceptions. Now don’t get me wrong, Clausen is not the only problem with Irish football these days, but I do expect a sophomore with a 9-13 record to heed the advice of his coach and HOLD ONTO THE BALL.
While we are currently seeing our top rated QB painfully and slowly develop, we can look to brighter horizons in the backfield. Cierre Wood, one of the most touted running backs in the country, is set to be the savior of a long-awaited running game in South Bend. Not since Autry Denson have we hoped to see a guy that can take some pressure off of our non-threatening aerial attack. I mean seriously, how many touchdowns does Golden Tate have to snare to keep us in ballgames? Hopefully the x’s & o’s in Ol’ Charlie’s mind somehow include Wood on a greater scheme to control ball games. When the defense has to play 45 minutes of a given ballgame, even the great ones start to tire and give up points.
Now like the rest of you reading ESPN and every other Irish blog out there today, we’re starting to see a glimpse of the fact that Weis will be returning for the 2009 season. I know he is due to meet with Swarbrick next Monday to determine his ultimate fate, but I have a funny feeling he will undoubtedly be back. At this point I could care less about what comments are made about how ND determines the selection of its head coaches, I just want to see the recruiting plan completed. I was one of the masses who jumped for joy at the two early winning seasons produced by the Weis/Quinn tandem, but sitting at 9-15 in the ensuing two years we are left to wonder where the original problem lies. Was it player performance? Is it a coach who is better suited for Sundays rather than Saturdays? Or can we blame school admins for choosing the wrong personnel overall? I hate to be the fickle fan that praises the coach when we’re beating Michigan and calls for blood when we lose to Navy for the first time in over 40 years, but I can’t help feel the desire to return to the national spotlight. IF Weis is allowed to return to South Bend for a fifth season in the director’s seat, I would have to say this would be his last chance. Given a few additional weapons, he will be expected to produce at worst a 9-3 season… and I tell you what, he better beat Carroll’s Trojans on our home turf. 0-4 against USC and a winless bowl record will for sure be enough to can the f.u.p.a man. And hey if that happens, I heard Washington is in need of a head coach still.
Image via LockerStink
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