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Friday, October 25, 2013

Light at the end of what started as a pretty dark tunnel...GO IRISH!

A wise man once said...."Wake up every day and thank 
God for the good times, but also thank him for the bad 
times...Why? It's the bad times that make the good times 
feel so much better!" 

This season has been like riding on a roller coaster with 
a pit bull sitting next to you!

You're up.....Then you're down!
You're thrown from this side...to that side!

Your stomach at times feels queasy...then 
celebratory happiness kicks in...but you never have
a real safe feeling that the ride is gonna end without you
being bit...HARD!

So here comes Air Force...to give us the MUCH needed
break in the gauntlet known as the 19th toughest schedule
in college football!

Now normally I'd break down a bit of the Air Force 
team for you...but at 1-6, and the teams they 
beat  resemble a Big Ten out of conference 
schedule...So I figured why break this game down?

I mean they are BAD...not just a little bad...
But really...really bad!


So instead I'd like to talk about my MID-Season
surprise players...and what impact I think they 
will have moving forward!

OFFENSE:
RONNIE STANLEY
At this point...I didn't expect to be talking O-Tackles!
But Ronnie has asserted  himself as a first year starter
and as reliable and mean!

He plays with no fear...and just seems to always 
be part of the "big plays" on game day!

There are times when I see the OLB ready to blitz,
he'll seem to have wide angle on Stanley and then
he flexes out with the speed a 6'6 320 lb kid 
normally doesn't have...he's an All American before 
he leaves Notre Dame!

With Steve Elmer and Ronnie Stanley caliber of talent, 
our drop off with seniors graduating should be 
minimal next season!

WILL FULLER

With the return of Everett Golson just around the 
corner and the departure of TJ Jones, young players 
like Fuller are exciting not only to watch...but to imagine 
what could be possible with a QB extending 
plays!

Fuller is a burner with GREAT hands!
He gets off press coverage with ease and has demonstrated 
the play making abilities that have made the coaches
want to put the ball in his hands!

His transition from freshmen to sophomore year should 
be an exciting one...especially with finally having all 
the pieces in place to run a "Brian Kelly" offense!

Combine Everett with Fuller and Robinson sprinkle in some
Daniels with Niklas, and the emergence of 
Tori Hunter?....Lord..that's a top 5 passing game!

DEFENSE:
DEVIN BUTLER

The easy choice would have been Jaylon Smith!
But I think...when you land the "HIGHEST" rated recruit
Notre Dame has landed in 20 years...You kinda figure he'll 
be a game changer!...and HE HAS!

But when you see a kid like Devin Butler CRASH 
onto the scene, it's exciting!

With Jackson graduating the need for a corner to step 
up...is essential!...Butler is that guy!

Sometimes I watch him and my mind will say...
"DAMN!...RJ looks like he's picked up some speed 
in the off season!" 

He's not lost...he's not confused, and again plays with 
a motor and aggression that is a breath of fresh air!

Most frosh CBs are just concerned with not getting burned...this 
kid wants to make plays!

COLE LUKE
The thing that jumped out to me with
 Cole is his pursuit!

He PROWLS a runner coming out of the backfield!

He closes....and then tackles!

He's experienced some growing pains this season, good QBs 
have picked on him here and there...but every game 
you see less and less of that....he's a big play waiting 
to happen...a tackle for loss, a QB sack...a pick!

He brings sideline to sideline speed to ND!

The defense with Grace returning...and Jaylon with an 
entire season under his belt...we need some D line 
talent to be born!...But the future is gonna be very 
fast and hard to control for teams facing
the D-Boys!

Next year will be, in my opinion the first season 
that we don't feel the HUGE drop off due to 
graduation!

We will need some answers for NIX & TUITT no 
question...they are once in a decade type of talent!

But the cupboards are stocked...and the current 
recruiting class looks to be shaping up nicely...and
from what I'm hearing...there are some REALLY 
exciting additions that will be joining the 
GOLDEN ARMY!

On to the :

 JAMESON IRISH WHISKY 
DOUCHEBAG OF THE WEEK!


This one might not make sense to all of you...but 
there are a select few it will make perfect sense!

Some people are very upset the way their life has turned
out...to the point, that with every breath and every 
bit of dishonesty they will attempt to spread 
negativity about others...

It's sad..but the bottom line is, and the moral
to this story...don't let your buddies have your 
password to forums where they can make you
look like an idiot trying to spread fiction!

If your not happy the way life is turning out...CHANGE IT!

Air Force-Navy-Pitt-BYU-Stanford

When the history books are written...will this season be 
the "rebuilding year" because of the loss of Teo and Golson?

Or will this be the year that a team was born!

A year that the young talent rose up!

A year where at the darkest hour...the brightest light was born? 

We have an opportunity ahead of us....

We have the chance to show that our two fluke losses,
where exactly that!

We have a mission....The Future of Notre Dame football 
is very bright...

So...the big question is this....What does this CURRENT
team have the ability to do..by taking ONE game 
at a time....?

That's gonna be the Real light at the end 
of this season's tunnel!


This season and next...the IRISH are, and will 
remain a force to be reckoned with!


GO IRISH & GOD BLESS!













Thursday, October 10, 2013

Like sands through an hourglass...

The great thing about college football now, is you can follow 
it twelve months a year...the bad thing about college football?
You can follow it twelve months a year!

Season ends..then it's about signing day!

Signing day ends..it's about the NFL draft!

NFL draft ends...it's about the spring game!

Spring game ends..well you get the point!

Others than wins and losses the biggest drama in the sport
is recruiting, and with the recent slap in the face of the 
"official letter of intent"..now add to that, the drama of:
"Is this kid leaving, or is that kid happy!" 

*Note to the reader!

If you're reading this cause you think I'm gonna put a 
name out there, or drop a dime on a kid...you're gonna be very 
disappointed!


In fact I was as upset as you when people read my tweet and 
ran with it...heck the same time I tweeted my "Vanilla tidbit" 
there was rumors already flying through cyberspace with 
people actually using names!

There are Facebook groups that blow my 
mind with their content!

But back to the topic at hand...We have to first realize
the mindset of kids now a days...but we also have 
to take our "bit" of responsibility for letting 
this sport real out of control when it comes 
to these situations!

This is when it starts!

Being a "stud" athlete is kinda like being a VERY attractive
female..You ever watch the talent shows like American Idol
or X-Factor...when an absolute TEN walks on stage and you
 say to yourself..."If she's a so-so singer...she's making it to the 
next round!"

That's why The Voice is so entertaining...cause you get to 
see honesty for the first time being displayed to someones face!

For the first time the judges can't see you're beautiful...your 
graded on talent alone...and when no chairs turn your almost 
as offended as you are shocked!

"But everyone my entire life has told me how great a singer 
I am...I don't understand!" 

No sh#t sweetheart...ever wonder why no one has ever 
told your you're NOT good at something?

That's the problem with "some" of the recruits in this 
sport...they've been good so long, in a sport where 
not only do their parents want them to excel, but when 
they get to high school...they have THOUSANDS 
of fans of programs now telling them how wonderful 
they are!

So then this happens...

BAM!
You're on the front of 30 recruiting magazines and you've 
got everyone from Urban Meyer to Nick Saban to Lane Kiffen
calling you and ALSO telling you how wonderful you are!

Order this book it will blow your mind!

I've seen this first hand...I had a family member play D1 football
he was a 3 star recruit had many offers to many schools..and 
by the end of it, he didn't know who to trust!

But at this point..the damage has been done!

The "image" is so ingrained into this kids head that
anything short of a Heisman freshman year 
is not good enough!

Chris & Greg Little? 
Ring a bell?
Signing day 2008 

The sky was falling!
One got caught up in a cash scandal at UNC!
The other failed out of Georgia!

Aaron Lynch & Tee Sheppard?

One has like 4 tackles this season!
The other still trying to get academically 
eligible for ANYWHERE!

Committed...de-committed...
committed...transfered! 
Committed...de-committed!

Here's another quick one!
Chris Martin?

Ring a bell?

We all cringe when we see the other hats!

We cheer when they put ours on and a complain when 
they don't!

We celebrate when they hit campus...then curse them 
on the internet if they leave!

But I hate to tell you, Notre Dame is not for everyone!

Just like Georgia isn't...just like Clemson or Ohio State 
or Michigan or USC...

Kids leave programs all the time...but just like the old saying..

"When I do good you never remember..when I do bad 
you never forget!" 
It's exactly opposite with our recruits!

For every Giovani Benard there are ten Munir Princes!

What is a Notre Dame man?

That's really what we need to focus on...cause the hat trick kid 
will never be the core of the program EVER at ND!

Education-
This is ND, your going to class, your 
writing papers and your taking tests...You can't 
study ballroom dancing or basket weaving
and you can't take "aids awareness" as 
your ONE class as a senior!

Your held to a higher ethical standard and there 
is no bending of the rules!

Golson would still be playing if we were Auburn!

This is a hard wake up call for the "elite" kid that hasn't 
yet broken the depth chart!

"Wait...I'm not playing AND I gotta go to class and 
study?...This is different than I saw this playing out!" 



Most likely not visiting ND!

This is a fine line, and at the same time shows the EXCELLENT 
job Notre Dame is doing!

This program is excelling and it's doing it with ND men!

Some are ND men...and some are not, some can become
ND men when surrounded with the right influence, some 
will never understand. 

That doesn't mean you don't take chances!
Not every 5 star kid is the head case!
Look at Jaylon Smith!

Watch this interview

Everett Golson
Nick Martin
Max Redfield
Amir Carisle
TJ Jones

You go crazy when someone leaves ND for another 
school...why not start embracing the kids that left the 
commitment they had, to embrace becoming ND men!

At the end of the day we all love NOTRE DAME!

We will fight the good fight within our living rooms 
or arguing at BBQs with friends...but realize 
there is a lot more going on behind the scenes
than we will ever know...


Sometimes there are rumblings...sometimes there is smoke!

Sometimes smoke turns into fire...and sometimes fires 
can be put out....but let's hope they are OUT FOR GOOD!

And sometimes the words "don't FREAK OUT" 

Actually mean...DON'T FREAK OUT!

Nothing would make me happier than all our
current RB's rushing for 1000 yards next year..
But we don't live in a puppy dog and rainbow 
world now do we?...

In the immortal words of Alice Lynch in the 
South Bend Tribune when asked if 
Aaron was staying at Notre Dame?


"Yes he's staying at ND...
STOP THE RUMORS!!!!!" 

How'd that work out for us...?

GOD BLESS & GO IRISH! 



Love you Lamping! 

At least we aren't Georgia?

















Sunday, October 6, 2013

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. IRISH!

In life some people judge others based upon appearance.
They judge people by social class or by education.

But hopefully if we parent our children properly they will 
not judge by either, but instead allow peoples action's to 
define them!

This is the dilemma dealing with the
2013 Notre Dame Fighting Irish!

There are several different disorders in the spectrum of 
mental illness...one is a person suffering from being 
Bipolar...dealing with EXTREME opposites of the 
emotional scale.

One second they are happy and ready to take on the world,
the other, the world has beaten them to the point of no recognition!

This has been my issue with our beloved IRISH!

This season has been a roller coaster of emotion!

Highs, followed by lows, followed by an upset stomach!

I got to a point where I thought...You know what? 
This season is lost!

This season is about getting the freshmen ready, let's 
get the offense and defense tested, and when 
Everett returns we can hit the ground running!

I was out!....I was done!

But then...it happened, something was born...

HOPE!
Faith...a glimmer of what could be was 
displayed in Jerry's house Saturday night!

The birth of a
 
WARRIO
R
!

 Fast..Hungry...and RELENTLESS in pursuit of his prey!

This was a coming out party for Jaylon Smith on the 
GRANDEST of stages!

This was a young player reading plays and reacting!

This was the future of the ND defense being born before 
our very eyes!

This was the future...and the defense ND is building!

SPEED!

Sideline to sideline speed with aggressive force and 
precision tackling!

When I view this defense in a hour glass, I see SPEED!
I see D lineman standing straight up flying 
through gaps!

I see Romeo and Ishaq and Jarron pushing linemen
while Grace and Councell shoot gaps and 
Smith and Luke control the perimeter!

It finally hit me....we are moving in the direction of 
the future at ND!

The days of the 320lb lineman are over!

The days of the 290 pound aggressive fast tackles is 
being born!


The game is changing...speed and aggression!

Players like Jay Hayes...and Andrew Trumbetti!

Did you know Trumbetti was used for a 
PUNT RETURN?   

He ran it back 
70 yards for a TD at 6'5 260lbs!!!

The 2013 season is not over!

The chance to make a statement is upon us!

And until Stanford...Notre Dame will be 
the favorite in the next 5 games!

Their fate is within their hands....

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish made a statement 
in Dallas!

They told the country 
"Hey...we aren't dead yet!...and flawed as 
we may be, this dog can hunt!"



#22 Arizona State 
This was a tested team!
They've played the 7th toughest strength of 
schedule in the country!

They have a top 10 passing game!

They are fast and well coached!

And all I heard Saturday night was...
"They just can't keep up with the speed
of Notre Dame!"

We are an unfinished machine!

We need to fix and address A LOT of issues!

We need to NOT lose to teams we know
we should beat!

We are getting better...with a QB that was 
NEVER recruited to be the starting QB at the 
University of Notre Dame!

We are making mistakes...and fixing them within 
the game it's self!

Have we turned a corner?

I don't know...but this definitely felt like it could be...


God Bless & Go IRISH!