Balance is key...You're either "optimistic" or "realistic"... Can you be both?

Your favorite team often falls into the part of your brain 

where the concept of "balance" is foreign. 

It's kinda like your kids...you love them unconditionally!

They screw up..sure your disappointed, but it doesn't make 

you love them less!

They succeed..your pride is often displayed by a a natural glow 

coming from your face...along with a devilish grin that a surgeon  

couldn't remove!

When it comes to our BELOVED IRISH...well, that takes

me to the dilemma of, am I too "optimistic" and 

are my expectations "realistic"?

This season has reminded me of a Christmas special 

with beautiful ladies, awesome music, incredible stage

decorations...then halfway through you realize your

host for the evening is Charles Manson!

You're deflated...your excitement is tempered and you 

just don't know how the ending is gonna go, 

but your not quite as excited as you 

were when the whole thing started!

Stanford

Home of the overly educated...eccentric and not quite 

as funny as they think they are, really geeky band!

Oh...and the no. 8 Stanford Football team.

Stanford is no joke!

They've played a really odd mix of games this season.

They somehow figured out how to lose to

 Utah...who is 4-7!

Then they completely DESTROYED the 

Ducks who are 9-2

Then with the exit of Lane Kiffen the Trojans 

have pretty much beat the hell outta everyone

they've played including Stanford..but not ND??

So the Cardinal?...who are they?

Well they are a 9-2 team ranked top ten in the country 

who has:

1. Played a TOP 5 Strength of Schedule!

2. Their Defense is 22nd in the country

-but 101st vs the pass!

-and 3rd vs the run!

3. Their Offense is 69th in the country

-32nd rushing the ball!

-90th passing the ball!

So what does that all mean? 

It means lets be "optimistic" 

"But Damefan are you sure?" 

Look I'm from Ohio...I've lived with OVERLY optimistic,

yet WILDLY un-realistic people my entire life!

I know the difference!

Well...I'm here to talk to you about why we should be:

"OPTIMISTIC" 

1. IF...IF we establish the run we can control the game!

-Stanford is not a great pass defense, but if they 

know your passing the ball every down they 

will drop eight and make it very hard for us!

BALANCE!

Coach Martin will have to call a good game!

2. IF..IF we show up on defense!

-Stanford can run the ball...control the run,

force them to pass, which they are not great 

at and you control the game!

JARRON JONES and TUITT and FOX and CARLO

will all have to have the games of their year!

3. IF...IF we don't turn the ball over!

But is it "realistic"? 

I mean...they've played tougher teams!

They've seen "elite" speed!

We are BEAT UP...and have several starters out!

It's at their house!

They are still dumb enough to think this was a TD!

   Things have just not gone our way this year?

But....this is why they play the game..

This is why the IRISH have the word "FIGHTING" in 

their name!

This is our chance....will we RISE UP...or get beat down?

Are we "optimistic" with good reason?

Or are we just not being "realistic"?

Well my brothers and sisters...it's gonna be about the 

"X's and O's" of the game...

ND-One of only 3 teams with 3 wins over 

BCS top 25 teams!

ND-has two wins over BCS top 12 teams!

ND-had played 7 top 50 defenses and is 4-3 

Stanford- has played 3 top 50 defenses and is 2-1

Stanford- has played 6 top 50 offenses and is 4-2

ND has played 2...and is 2-0

You know what...I'm not really sure what it all means....but 

it seems to me that this is gonna be one hell of a game!

What this means to me...in a season playing with a QB 

that was never recruited to be the starter, and with 

the amount of injuries we've experienced....Hell I'm not mad at ya!

Just imagine what happens next year!

For that my friends I'm very OPTIMISTIC

and that feeling is very REALISTIC!

GO IRISH and GOD BLESS!

Wow...That game made me....Uh..

Let me tell you right now...this may sting a bit,

but if I don't get this outta my system, I may 

cut my own ear off in frustration!

This game...this scheme..this COMPLETE 

pooch screw that we laid on the field 

in Pittsburgh...is exactly what would NOT

be happening if we had all 

the right pieces!

I'm not here to make any excuses for this game!

Throw Tuitt out for nothing?... F-U it's Pitt!

Turn the ball over three times?... F-U it's Pitt!

Play with absolutely no emotion?... F-U it's PITT!!!!

Now...let's assign some blame!

Your Honor I'd like to call Coach Chuck Martin 

to the stand....

What in the Hell was that last night?

First things first...You do realize we are playing with a 

skeleton crew on defense...We are stopping NO ONE!

So slowing the game down and pounding the 

ball to protect this defense at 

it's most vulnerable state??

That never crossed you're mind?...no? 

So you decide that with the absence of what?...6 starters 

on our defense, and losing our 1st round Daft pick

D lineman...that trying to sling the ball 

around on a team that ANYONE has rushed 

on in the past was a great idea?

No...let's not run the ball at all in the second half?

No..let's reward the ONLY REAL running back 

on the team, that broke the freshman rushing record

THE WEEK BEFORE with what,

FOUR touches the ENTIRE GAME?

Really?...That made sense to you?

I mean I know it's Pitt, and they are 63rd in the country 

vs the rush....so that should be intimidating!

At one point I was expecting to see Weis's big ass

burping his way though a press conference

after this debacle!

Coach Brian Kelly, do you swear to tell the 

truth, the whole truth and nothing 

but the truth?

What in the world?...Take control brother!

Look...this is year four, and if a player is just 

not progressing...then you gotta get him 

outta there, regardless of the "C" on his uniform!

We have Defensive secondary running around like 

fairy tale characters!

If it's not a players night...then SIT THEM DOWN!

Let's get some new blood flowing!

Eilar Hardy

Devin Butler

Max Redfield

You can't tell me, that at WORST, these kids 

wouldn't at least TACKLE the player when 

they have one running at them!

I hope Coach Kelly takes a HUGE long

look in the mirror and says..

"WOW...That was fu#king embarrassing!" 

With our 3rd string we should beat Pitt by 20!

Look...I'm not looking to "NEG" you out...but 

this season is what this season is....we got caught

with our pants down!

We were a motor-cross racer without the proper 

spare tires on the truck!

This is Notre Dame's offense!

Got a great engine...speed and is full of horsepower.

But the front wheel is Tommy Rees....God love Tommy,

I'll never fault a kid for giving 100%, he is just 

limited...he's a great kid, and in a game 

when everything is clicking...he's more than 

enough to win...

But in a game when we need a QB to put the team on 

his back and lead....to make something from nothing.

In a game where we are needing the offense to bail out

the defense...Tommy is a square wheel on a dirt bike!

It may roll clumsily here to there,

but it's never gonna be smooth enough

 to win a race!

The quarterback at Notre Dame affects both sides of the ball

when you run a Brian Kelly type system.

Why was our D so dominant last year...The offense had long 

sustained drives...Keeping the defense fresh and ready!

By the time our 65 yard, 11 play 5 min drive was 

over...the D was rested and ready to attack!

When we had a 3rd and 4....if no one was open, Golson

would take off and get the first..When the pocket collapsed, Golson

would rush and gouge the defense for 15!

When the play would break down, Golson would scramble and

someone would get behind a defender and he had the arm

to make them pay!

Trust me my IRISH family....the darkest hours often 

produce the greatest light!

We have 3 more games....then we roll into spring 

ball with a commander at the helm of this 

battleship!

BIGGER-STRONGER-FASTER

And mentored by the best QB coach in the country!

The missing piece is returning...time to make the picture!

GO IRISH & GOD BLESS

**My editor was busy tonight...so sorry for the 

grammatical errors!

Can't get my secretary to accept editing my 

blog as part of her job description! 

There are girls you date, then there are spring break girls!

Life is all about timing...and anticipation!

The timing of an event must be right in order to test our

normal everyday standards!

Like when you trying to work out and eat right...then 

some lady brings brownies into work with cream cheese icing!

You don't want to eat one..but damn they are right there, 

and it's just bad timing!

Anticipation will build excitement if you 

can get excited about normal everyday

opponents?

Navy reminds me of spring break!

There were girls you'd date...if your buddies where 

watching..Then there were girls you'd date, cause 

all your buddies where out of town on spring break!

Make sense?...Navy is the full figured lady!

Yeah...she's pretty...She's nice and she's here...but 

damn, she's a bit bigger than the standard you're used too!

Now to the "idiotic" fan of other programs pointing out 

Navy on our schedule is like justifying playing teams 

from Florida with an "A&M" behind their name!

But to the "educated" fan we all know why Navy has 

a relationship with Notre Dame and that is to be 

respected and honored!

HISTORY LESSON ON NAVY & ND

But Navy can be like that full figured girl A LOT!

When your not looking this can happen!

She creeps away and re-appears and SHOCKS YA!

Navy is one of those teams!

In the past 4 years they've:

Taken Ohio State to the final minutes 

and the Buckeyes barely escaped!

Taken South Carolina at home to the 

wire..and the Cocks barely escaped!

They run the ball...they are very disciplined, and they

play with heart cause they all know: They are 

NEVER gonna play football beyond this 

stage of life!

So you have to respect them!

So who are the 2013 Navy football team?

4-3

Wins over:

Indiana- Nobody

Pitt- Nobody this year

Deleware- ? Uh yeah

Air Force- Bad

Losses to:

Western Kentucky- I got nothing

Duke- Not much better

Toledo- and were done!

They are 61st in Total Defense

89th in Rush Defense 

And...as always a top 10 rushing team!

Now with that being said..this should be a very 

similar game to the Air Force match-up from

last week!

On to more interesting topics:

Watkins is IRISH as I'm sure most 

of you have heard!

I first laid eyes on Watkins at the ND coaches clinic

in March...The kid walked around the practice 

like a 1st round draft pick being shopped 

by NFL teams...he is not short on confidence 

that's for sure!

From what I heard just this morning this is domino 

one, in a decent size line that should be dropping 

in the next few weeks!

Then we have a few that are "work in progress" type

of situations...

 Two are HUGE names ready to pop,

and one that popped, then un-popped, all 

are due to academics!

These kids getting into ND will be a marathon not

a sprint...so don't expect them anytime soon!

One would be as big a get as Jaylon last season and 

can play ANY position...but he's gonna have to hit the 

books hard to even come close!

The other is a substantial need with what I'm sure will be

 a mass exit of our current D line come draft day!

But again this kid is not splitting the atom anytime soon!

Sometimes being ND is hard...cause at any other school

they'd already be committed regardless of grades!

A big time Offensive playmaker is getting ready to 

join the ranks also...just working on timing!

We are on the verge of taking that next step 

in the re-birth of the IRISH program!

Notice since Kelly's arrival each recruiting class 

get's better and better!

Each season more and more young talent hits the 

roster and is making a substantial impact!

Aggression

Speed

Determination

Kelly recruits a different breed of kid than we've seen 

at Notre Dame in a very long time!

No more free lunches!

No more 5'11 D tackles!

If ND offers...there's a reason!

So with that being said...not much going on,

the team is together...a bit dinged up but timing 

seems to be on our side with 

the bye week approaching!

Get a W vs Navy!

Move on to Pitt!

Relax and get healthy!

Cause BYU is no walk in the park!

Then it's time to chop some trees!

So drink it if ya got it, and have a great weekend!

GO IRISH & GOD BLESS! 

Picked up this locker name tag this week...
Just felt right to me....May you walk with the 

angels big Ace...See ya again some day and 

rest in peace!

GO IRISH! 

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!

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!

ORDER MEAT MARKET

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

MAX

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?

WOW BULLDOGS!