You know, there are “ow, my balls” moments associated with Notre Dame football and then there is what is happening this year. Ever since the calendar turned to 2013, it’s been one disaster after another.
I really don’t have adequate words to describe it, so I’ll let the Big Lebowski do it for me:
After each disaster, we try to be The Dude, but when everything keeps snowballing we end up being the other Lebowski. And who can blame us? Let’s just recap the mess that has happened since January:
- Blowout loss to Alabama
- Brian Kelly talks with the Eagles and people freak out
- Lennay Kekua revealed as fake
- Resulting media circus surrounding Te’o
- Gunner Kiel transfers
- Golson expelled
- Eddie Vanderdoes begins the process to get out of his LOI
- Resulting media “outrage” directed at ND yet again
- Danny Spond is forced to retire from football before the season starts
- Tony Springmann, Nicky Baratti, and Chase Hounshell suffer season ending injuries before the season starts
- Loss to Michigan
- Loss to Oklahoma
- Jarrett Grance and Daniel Smith suffer season ending injuries during Arizona State Game
- Ben Councell suffers season ending injury against Navy
- Loss to Pitt, ending any BCS hope and ensuring the Irish will remain 0-for-BCS Bowls in the BCS era
- Yesterday, Louis Nix announces his season is done
And those are just the highlights of woe. I’m sure there are several other things that I could list, but I would prefer that this post not run too incredibly long.
I really don’t have much of a point other than that this year has seriously sucked and can kindly go die in a fire. I will be welcoming 2014 with open arms because there is no possible way it can get any worse.
…right?
The Roundup
As bad as things have been this year, I’m glad I’m not a FSU fan. Sure, their season has been great on the field, but the Jameis Winston investigation appears to now have the double whammy of actual evidence and questionable police practices. Oh, and then Deadspin pretty much lit their entire program on fire. I’m 80% sure this won’t end well.
Lane Kiffin simply won’t go away. And now he’s giving Southern Cal his expert advice on hiring coaches. What could possibly go wrong?
RUN THE DAMN BALL, SHAW!!! I can deliver no better proof that this argument is so horribly overused than when Stanford’s head coach is having to address this criticism.
Please sit in front of the cameras so our stadium doesn’t look empty. This is something that a university officially asked its fans to do.
Here’s some NCAA change I can get behind. While I’m never a fan of government trying to get involved in sporting matters, this Congressman has the right idea. Protecting players with a goal of securing their education despite injury and oversigning is something that I will always support.
In honor of senior day, I feel that this First Lecture to Notre Dame students is incredibly timely to put out there.
And now your moment of zen…In honor of the big guy–get healthy soon.
Put These Games on Your Radar
Even 3-3 for last week bringing me to a total of 17-18. Two completely even weeks is still keeping me below the .500 mark. Time to break through.
Picks in bold/with spread next to team as always.
[table “” not found /]I’m only taking one home team…this concerns me…
Predictions
As a reminder, here are your standings.
[table “” not found /]NDtex (@HLS_NDTex)
I am so incredibly conflicted on how to project this game. Nix’s injury is a major concern as far as the void it will leave. Then you have to account for the fact that BYU has a pretty solid defensive unit.
Still though, the Irish are coming off a bye week and it’s senior day. I think that combo will give the Irish just enough of a boost to win.
I hope…
ND 27 – BYU 23
Biscuit (@HLS_Biscuit)
Via:
The hornblowers simply can’t match up against Notre Dame’s red-zone defense. They will move the ball but points will be hard to come by. It’s not a gimme by any stretch but we should handle the 1 percenters.
ND Wins 26-17
1 Leprechaun for BYU. Could be one of those that make us nervous
Bayou Irish (@HLS_BayouIrish)
Tommy throws 2 picks, one early, one late. Then he gets hurt. Hendy can’t help and an overly-emotional senior class can’t get out of its own way. Tuitt plays like a man possessed but a weakened Schwenke and no LNIII spells a death by a thousand three and a half yard runs. Jaylon Smith picks up 15 tackles. BYU loads the box and plays tough in the redone, spelling a terrible end at home for this senior squad.
13-10 BYU
Twibby (@HLS_Twibby)
Tommy leaves ND in fitting style by making the fans hold their breath until he leads a last minute touchdown drive for a 17-16 ND victory. #ThankTommy
Irish Elvis (@IrishElvis)
Too many people around here are picking ND, so I’m going to be contrarian. I (and my liquor cabinet) hope I’m wrong.
BYU 27, ND 20
The Irish Twins (@HLS_IT1 & @HLS_Podcast)
Twin 2 “The Younger” Duex: (@HLS_Podcast): Based on some nervous sentiment out there, and my own gloominess on our last podcast, I will represent the glass half full for BYU. Notre Dame will win convincingly. Why? Because everything could have and should have gone right against Pitt but didn’t. And with Nix out and little to play for outside “senior day”, perhaps Notre Dame will again surprise us. Notre Dame will win and while the fans focus on the seniors like Tommy and TJ, young faces will shine on offense. Look for Fuller and Folston.
Irish 34 – 16
Twin 1 (@HLS_IT1): 28-27. Flip a coin for the winner. [Tex: Heads = ND, Tails = BYU — it came up heads. ND wins on the toss.]
Blog Davie (@BlogDavie)
BYU is the logical choice given ND’s depleted defense, but I’m going with my gut.*
Irish 30 – BYU 24
*My gut has s#%^ for brains.
Steve in Iowa (@SteveInIowa1)
Irish bounce back for impressive win sending the seniors out in style. Rees has monster game 275+ yards and 4 tds. Balance reigns as pass/rush even out and rushing game gets it together with 200+ yards on the ground.
35 – 14 ND
ManCaveQB (@ManCaveQB)
Tommy Rees pitches a classic Tommy Rees performance featuring “I’ll take you to heaven before I take you to Hell!!” type afternoon in Notre Dame Stadium. A head scratching 3rd quarter interception by the QB most never wanted and in many ways we didn’t deserve leads to a momentum swing for BYU that sees them holding the ball and a 27-26 advantage with under 3 minutes to play. A defensive stand led by Kona Schwenke & Prince Shembo followed by a long return by T.J. Jones gives Tommy one last chance at game-ending heroics. Rees makes multiple perfect decisions with the ball and the Irish watch a Kyle Brindza field goal sail through the uprights to seal another last second victory for a class that helped lead Notre Dame back into relevancy.
29-27 Notre Dame
SuperManTDJesus (@SuperManTDJesus)
Notre Dame escapes a last minute BYU drive and survives senior day.
20-14 ND
The Booze
This is also in honor of Nix.
We are going back to beer this weekend and going Irish Chocolate inspired. Firstly, I can think of no beer that screams “Irish” like a good stout. Of course, Nix being quite stout himself makes this an even better fix.
As far as chocolate? Yeah, that’s something mixed in with a stout as well.
It’s a bit of an “out there” taste for some, but you owe it to the big guy to have at least one chocolate stout in his honor. Hey, if you hate it, you can pour it out in his memory too, I guess.
- Epilogue - January 3, 2022
- HLS Podcast Finale - January 2, 2022
- The Final Fiesta: Notre Dame vs Oklahoma State NCAA ’14 Sim - December 31, 2021
Brian McKeown (@BrianJMcKeown)
This year, I’ve celebrated the birth of my first child and the beginning of a new, kick-ass job. I’ve had the luxury of being distracted from Irish football. That being said, fuck you, 2013 CFB season. 2013 has been one of the most Notre Damey seasons I can remember. Please, please go away.
Davie Dave
The curse lives on and the Lads drop a heartbreaker on Senior Day. Misguided youth turn on the team with leftover mellows while the old dude in the gold seats rubs his hands in pleasure and gives a maniacal laugh. BYU 21 Irish 14. (Dear Sweet Baby Jesus let me be wrong)