Posted on 07/16/2007 3:08:44 PM PDT by GOP_Raider
By almost any standard you want to set, Charlie Weis has worked out extremely well over his first two years in South Bend. Yeah, Notre Dame has the cozy deal with the BCS, but to get to two straight big money games is still a noteworthy achievement. Considering the concern among many Irish fans that the program had sunk during the Ty Willingham era, what Weis has done has been remarkable. Now the Irish must start to actually win the big games to go along with all the attention and adulation.
Everyone who jumped on the Notre Dame bandwagon early last year quickly abandoned ship at the end after blowout losses to USC and LSU. Most ignored the horrible secondary and the potential for a bad year from the offensive line when setting the national title expectations; it was almost like many were trying to will Notre Dame to greatness. Now the hype and focus has swung the other way. Now it's become fashionable to rip on the Irish.
Yes, Notre Dame was overrated; however, it just couldn't beat the best of the best of the best teams in America. Of the six losses in the two years under Weis, one came in an overtime stunner to Michigan State in 2005, while the other five (USC, Ohio State, Michigan, and LSU) came against national title-level squads that would've beaten roughly 110 other teams like a drum.
Now Notre Dame wants to be one of those national title-level good teams. It's not going to have one this year.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.foxsports.com ...
Just forwarded the link to a coworker of mine. I can feel the heat coming through the walls.
Sullivan; the sixth best player on the team??? that’s laughable...almost as much as Zbikowski, probably the most overrated player in the nation, listed as the team’s top player....
You got your date wrong. Opening day for REAL football is Thursday, September 6.
know what team they are playing in that picture??
The uni’s of the opposing team are Red and White, so my first thinking was Stanford.
” the program had sunk during the Ty Willingham era”
I like Charlie Weis because I eat,drink and breath NE Patriot football and Charlie had a lot to do with the Pat’s success,however I think Willingham is getting a raw deal here. Ty inherited a Bob Davies program that was a mess and in a couple years started to turn the team around.Weis is a great coach though and he’ll keep the Irish interesting !!!
ND has had some very good recruiting classes, and next year's (2008) freshmem look loaded, based on early signings..
However, there is one element that ND has lacked, and seemingly will continue to lack, and oddly enough (or not?) isn't mentioned in the article...and that is S-P-E-E-D..
No, not crystal meth..but FAST atheletes..
Once again, Notre Dame will be incredibly overrated and play a bunch of Big Ten teams, some of them also overrated. They'll kick the crap out of the service academies in order to become bowl eligible and get thoroughly stomped by USC. The difference will be the remaining games on their schedule which they will win upsets a few times causing the national media to proclaim Charlie Weis a genius and whomever is quarterbacking the team an instant Heisman front-runner.
They will make it to a major bowl because, after all, they are Notre Dame where they will be stomped ruthlessly by some team that has twice as many actual NFL prospects as the Irish do.
(Just keep repeating this preview every season until Weis resigns or is fired and it will be true every year).
The Notre Dame football coach ventures far and away to raise money for children, like his own, who have special needs.
July 8, 2007
As strange Southern California invasions go, this ranks right up there with red tide and rain.
He is the Notre Dame football coach, and tonight he will enter USC country with hat in hand.
He will show up at a swank Beverly Hills hotel. He will step to the front of the room. He will make a speech.
He will ask for money.
You will wonder, how?
How can tight-jawed, chill-glaring Charlie Weis travel to the middle of a Trojans neighborhood in the middle of a Trojans dynasty and expect a gift that doesn't include a jeer or a gesture?
You will wonder, what is he thinking?
This is where he will really surprise you.
That jaw will go slack. Those eyes will go soft. His wallop becomes a whisper.
"WE'RE BAAAACK!!!!"
I know what you mean. ND could be 0-8 and still be in the running for the national title.
Fight On!
Funny you should “mention” that...
My brother and I were chatting about BSU’s chances and looking at their schedule, I would be surprised if they won fewer than 10 games. Granted, whomever ends up getting the starting QB job between Tharp and Hamdan will be an “issue” but I look at the current WAC and I don’t really see anyone right now that is anywhere close to them.
Then again, if they go up to Seattle and beat Washington, all bets are off.
However, there is one element that ND has lacked, and seemingly will continue to lack, and oddly enough (or not?) isn’t mentioned in the article...and that is S-P-E-E-D..
Ha,ha,yeah and the reason they have trouble getting those athletes with speed is ND actually expects those “students” to go to class,AND PASS THEM !!!
Mark it down, Florida vs USC in New Orleans.
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