ND fans are still delusional

Submitted by SFBayAreaBlue on

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/independents/2009-11-30…

Some interesting quotes:

"The good news is? the new guy will have a loaded deck talent wise and we should be in the hunt immediately."

"I still believe Notre Dame is very relevant"

"Charlie is a good man"

The talent level is not as good as tom lemming would have you think. Did you see their defense? I know a bad defense when I see one, since we've been watching one here for the last 2 years. Aside from that kid from hawaii, who is talented on their defense? They might have a talented offense, if clausen and tate return. But that is unlikely. Their second string QB is going to be recovering from major knee surgery, and the entire team will be learning new schemes and language. So I don't see how anyone could predict them being in the hunt for much of anything in the next couple of years.

Highschool Juniors are 16 or 17. Meaning that ND has only won a single bowl game in their entire lives. Their last 4 coaches (including O'leary) have combined for and each averaged just over a .500 winning percentage. And that's while playing the service academies every year and getting repeatedly blown out by teams that finish in the top ten. Weis never beat anyone that finished in the top 20.

Charlie is an arrogant, two-faced, spineless hypocrite who is a disgrace to humanity and should not be viewed as a role model for anyone. To hell with Charlie Weis.

bklein09

December 1st, 2009 at 3:06 AM ^

I have been browsing the nd blogs on and off this season and I definitely agree with you that they are every bit as dilusional and arrogant as ever, although some of them have finally been broken.

Two weeks ago they seemed convinced that Kelly was their man, citing how scared us Michigan fans were of that hire. I personally am not scared by Kelly one ounce. What's he going to do? Bring In an offense capable of putting up 40? Uh didn't they have that this year?

Anyways, now they are all about stoops, even as he denies them at every opportunity.

As far as weis goes, I will definitely say that as a coach he rubbed me the wrong way. But I'll try to refrain from judging him as a person because I don't really know him. Who he is as a coach is not who he is with his family and friends.

And one last thing, as a Michigan fan base let's try to steer clear of the term "haters." I almost never see Michigan fans use this, but ND fans drop it every other sentence and it drives me crazy. They also like to use the fact that people hate them as evidence of their relevance in the sport. If hatred is relevance than I'd rather be irrelevent.

Big Shot

December 1st, 2009 at 3:40 AM ^

This is my favorite quote:

"Notre Dame must be in the top 10 in the BCS standings every year, and in the top 10 in graduation rates. Graduating all your players, but never being a contender is meaningless. We could do that with an all walk-on team. Graduating players is important — so is winning football games. I don't want to be number 1 in one category and at the bottom of the list in the other. I would rather have a football team where all players graduate with a 3.0 GPA and wins a National Championship, than one where all players graduate with a 3.7 GPA and win only 3 games."

That sounds like a huge sacrifice he's willing to make. [/sarcasm]

I can't think of any school that wouldn't be happy with a football team that wins a National Championship and graduates all of its players with a 3.0 GPA.

scottcha

December 2nd, 2009 at 11:54 PM ^

It might not be hypocritical outright, but to say that it's not okay to graduate everyone and suck on the football field, and that it's perfectly fine to drop off in academics in exchange for a NC shouldn't be what any football program is about (or at least says they're about).

That said, I don't know that we'll ever have to deal with this GPA-for-NC issue, as even an undefeated ND goes to the Fiesta Bowl at best.

Tater

December 1st, 2009 at 6:48 AM ^

The only person I am really scared of ND hiring is Urban Meyer, and Meyer says it isn't going to happen. Kelly may do very well at ND if hired, but the best I see him doing is maybe breaking even against UM, and that is a worst-case scenario for UM. Contrast that to Meyer, who is 14-1 in rivalry games since arriving at Florida.

Just for the PITA factor, I would rather they not hire Kelly, but "scared" is hardly appropriate.

ijohnb

December 1st, 2009 at 7:42 AM ^

for ND to not listen to advanced quotes given by these coaches and just make them an offer. Offer Stoops or Meyer .5 million more than their current contract and just put it on the table. It always seems to be speculative as to these big names and they are never put to a decision.

I am from the midwest, thus, I may be biased to a certain degree, but I still see Notre Dame as one of the most compelling football program in the country, even with their recent struggles. If I don't have a rooting interest in the 3:30 game on any given Saturday, chances are I am going to NBC to see what the Irish are doing. They have money to spend, their stadium and facilities are second to none, and while it pains me to say it as a die hard M fan, Notre Dame is pretty damn cool, uniforms, helmets, fight song and all. (I could do without the Leprechaun pushups).

My guess is that despite the off the cuff denial as to interest, if made an actual standing offer, even without an advanced meeting, Stoops would seriously consider taking the job. The Big 12 is tough sleding, and if you consider that Notre Dame basically names their schedule year in and year out, I am willing to venture that ND would get his attention. They are just too damn scared to be flat out rejected to put their neck out there.

ijohnb

December 1st, 2009 at 12:48 PM ^

white with green, black with white, black with green, green with yellow, yellow with white, grey with black, grey with yellow, black on black / with duck feathers or without, with arrows or without, with new helmets or throw back helmets? You've got to narrow it down, the Nike Ducks have a lot to choose from.

michiganfanforlife

December 1st, 2009 at 9:17 AM ^

that Weiss is taking all the heat right now, and nobody is talking about RR. I hope ESPN doesn't say anything about him or our team until the start of next year.
What would you guys rather? Tate starting with Devin redshirt, or Devin starting? What if Devin is twice as good as Tate in practice? I am torn about this because I don't want to see any more QB's out there with 0 college football experience. However, if DG is what we think he is then it might happen again.

Fresh Meat

December 1st, 2009 at 9:46 AM ^

In terms of pure football talents (running passing etc.) DG may very well be better than Tate, who knows, but being a QB is a lot more than that (ask Jeff George). I just find it hard to believe that DG is going to be soooooo much more skilled than Tate to overcome the year of experience playing and also a year in the system.

Wes Mantooth

December 1st, 2009 at 10:01 AM ^

DG will definitely not be starting right off the bat. He's not enrolling early which leaves him all of a few weeks to learn everything. And from what everyone says he's still pretty raw. Barry Every at Rivals says DG 'Definitely needs that redshirt year in order to hone his skills and learn the offense.'

So I fully expect Tate to start and take most snaps this season, but DG will be a better backup than Denard. He'll eventually win the starting job, but not right off the bat.

gnarles woodson

December 1st, 2009 at 9:54 AM ^

My favorite part was when he said it was important for ND **AND** College football for the Fighting Irish to be a top ten team. Why is it important for college football???? I would say, CFB has been very good without ND as a top ten team.

Hannibal.

December 1st, 2009 at 10:26 AM ^

Notre Dame still has ridiculous levels of talent. They have had that talent available to them on the recruiting trail all through the Bob Davie, Tyrone Willingham, and Charlie Weis eras. Notre Dame's problem hasn't been talent. It has been crappy coaching hires. Davie was a putz and as you can see at Washington, Willingham was terrible. Weis had never been a head coach and it showed. As Brian mentioned yesterday, Weis repeatedly landed big prospects that Michigan wanted. Weis's last four classes were ranked #8, #8, #2, and #21 by Rivals. His current class is ranked #11. The right guy is going to turn them into a powerhouse.

gnarles woodson

December 1st, 2009 at 10:38 AM ^

they need to stop focusing on guys like Urban Meyer and Bob Stoops. They should absolutely offer them the job but they need to realize that they are not above hiring guys like Gary Pinkel or Brian Kelly.

Right now, taking the ND job wouldn't even be a lateral move for Meyer or Stoops.

BTW, my bad on the misspell earlier....I meant Delusional.

Hannibal.

December 1st, 2009 at 10:48 AM ^

Oh I agree wholeheartedly about Stoops and Meyer. And I think the ND administration is probably not trying very hard to get these guys. I think that they are smartly going after a winning coach at a lower profile program (e.g. Harbaugh, Kelly, Fitzgerald, etc). I'm more worried about this hire than any of their previous hires. I think that they will get it right this time.

north ingalls

December 1st, 2009 at 10:35 AM ^

Hey, sorry for posting this in your thread (I finally created an account and don't have enough points to make my own thread yet). But I thought some people might enjoy this:

From an ESPN article talking about Kelly, this is a quote from one of his players:

"We had another coach [Dantonio] who looked us straight in the face and said he wasn't leaving. We remember that."

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=4701…

steve sharik

December 1st, 2009 at 11:13 AM ^

...he starts one chapter by saying something to the effect of...
"To be a successful football coach, one must:
-graduate all his players
-have zero discipline problems
-have zero off-the-field problems
-keep alumni happy
-fill the stadium every game
-win the national championship

Yeah, and then I'll fly to the moon!"

I can't recall it exactly, and have stored that book away.

Ironically, this seems to be the exact expectations of the ND fan base.

scottcha

December 1st, 2009 at 11:29 AM ^

Some of the bluehair alums calling for RR's head might be well served to read this quote (all the way to the end) as well.

It might seem like the exact expectations of the ND fan base, but it was only a couple weeks ago that the Daily penned an article about what it takes to be canonized as a Michigan Man and the comments exploded into why RR needed to be fired because he wasn't as Christlike as Bo.

Engin77

December 1st, 2009 at 1:07 PM ^

came from Lou Holtz yesterday, after CW's firing:
"It's easier to win at ND now than when I (Holtz) was there."
LH cited the much nicer facilities and easier schedule.

I would love to see Skip Holtz get the job, and see Lou do a complete 180 on such comments.

HAIL 2 VICTORS

December 1st, 2009 at 3:31 PM ^

I am beyond thankful that Bo Schembechler stepped down and away from football when he did. Dr. Lou is an embaressment and Bowden held the Florida State program hostage. Bo knowing when to walk away was one of the greatest decesions of his incredible career.

As for ND fan...Many have taken note from our two years with RR and just how difficult it is to change a football culture as well as head coach. ND moving away from "traditional" football and opting for the spread under Kelly might be just as challenging for them as ourselves and perhaps the talent pool just as bare considering what is needed for the system.

Imagine your disposition if we had to fire RR after a miserable year three and then followed that up with another coaching failure, a resume liar who had to be let go in a month and finally an alum proclaimed as SAVIOR only to be the greatest mistake of them all. You might be a bit jaded yourself.

I toast to 15 years of ND misery and the sincere hope for 15 more.