Certainly Brian Kelly doesn’t necessarily think so. He’s the first to note that every game for the rest of the regular season is the equivalent of a playoff. The Irish have no cushion, no safety net. Not only does Notre Dame have no choice but to win, the team must win decisively if it is to be invited to that bowl-game-cum-tournament hybrid presided over by secretive arbiters who seem ever to need more persuasion of a team’s worthiness.

Certainly Josh Adams is the first to assert that any achievement on the part of any individual player is actually the product of the whole team striving together. And that is not limited to the players. The team of coaches assembled in preparation for this season has brought out some extraordinary performances not just by many Irish athletes, but by all the Irish athletes together. Once again Notre Dame is physically strong and playing truly smart football.

Certainly Drue Tranquill was the first to state that the Irish are not a collection of standouts, but a group. And it was a group that wanted the victory over Georgia very much, but were denied. With great foresight, Tranquill expressed sincere sympathy for the remaining opponents the Irish would face, because in the wake of the defeat, every one of them would be punished – in the regular season, and now it seems increasingly likely, in the playoffs.

There can be no flagging, no relaxation, no lack of every effort. That one loss ensured this. “Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, under prosperous conditions, might have remained dormant.” So said Ara Parseghian, the champion.

EFS CSC

The post Sunday School w/Padre: Victory & Defeat appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

As a Leader of Men, Ara demanded much from his athletes: first, that they be good; second, that they be committed to their education; and third, that they be victorious. Though Ara may have found some of them as boys, this leader sent all of them out into the world as men. And though only some were formally recognized as such, all of Ara’s men were champions.

Ara’s life was long and rich. But his mighty heart did not pass through its many years without being pierced by sorrow. Like Job, Ara was given much; and like Job much was taken from him. Yet, Ara did not blame God or bemoan what had befallen him. No – this man of action, though he could not cure his own, led men and women in the unrelenting quest for the means to heal the sick in other families.

This leader was inspiration and example for generations of men and women who came to Notre Dame to learn, and left touched in ways great and small by Ara. His spirit, his zeal, his devotion always to higher principles and greater goods: these marked his 11 years at the University, and were never absent from the University in the decades that followed. Ara was a most Loyal Son to the very end.

At 94 years of age, we cannot say, “We hardly knew him.” Indeed, we are all better for having known Ara Parseghian. Like a Sacrament of the Church, Ara’s life was a sign of grace – grace in victory, grace in defeat; grace in joy, grace in sorrow; grace in always giving, and grace in never taking. In the Roman Legions a sacramentum was the loyalty oath pledged by soldiers to their leader, that bound leader and men together forever. In Roman religion, a sacramentum meant that he who swore it was given to God…as Ara is now.

EFS CSC

The post Holy Saturdays w/Padre: Ara – A reflection of Grace appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

FROM OUR SITE

• Looking back at ND-MSU ’66: A tie to win
• HLS guide to Frisbee golf on campus

PODCASTS

Blue & Gold Illustrated

• Irish Huddle – Michigan State preview

Inside the Irish

• Talking Irish: Breaking down MSU with J.J. Stankevitz

Irish Illustrated

• Big moment awaits
• MSU preview

Irish Sports Daily

• Power Hour loaded – pre-MSU

ND Insider

• Recruiting update 9-15

The Prime Time Podcast

• College football week 3 preview: Michigan State/Notre Dame Fighting Irish

SATURDAY’S GAME: vs. MICHIGAN STATE (7:30 ET, NBC)

Associated Press

• Michigan State-Notre Dame preview capsule
• Michigan State-Notre Dame highlight memorable college ties

Battle Creek Enquirer

• Michigan State, Notre Dame tailgate set in downtown B.C.

Blue & Gold Illustrated

• Film room: Inside Michigan State’s run game ($)
• Notre Dame ready for Michigan State’s press coverage

Campus Pressbox

• Why Notre Dame will obliterate Michigan State

Chicago Tribune

• Big Ten football picks: Price is right for Michigan State at Notre Dame

Click on Detroit

• Notre Dame faces must win game against Michigan State

Cleveland Plain Dealer

• Alabama-Ole Miss highlights week 3: College football 2016 preview, TV, games to watch

18 Stripes

• Notre Dame vs. Michigan State 2016 preview: So we meet again, Sparty

ESPN

• 50 years later, a debate about who’s No. 1 still lingers
• Breaking down Michigan State-Notre Dame

Inside the Irish

• Dantonio ready for another rivalry game with Notre Dame

Irish Sports Daily

• ND vs. Sparty: Key matchups ($)
• ISD Video: Kelly and MSU
• Six thoughts on a Thursday ($)

Irish247

• Tale of the tape: Notre Dame vs. Michigan State ($)

iSportsWeb

• Michigan State football: Notre Dame predictions

MLive

• Michigan State in Bullough siblings’ blood, but don’t forget Morse/Notre Dame ties
• Michigan State hopes young players can grow up quickly at Notre Dame

MSU Athletics

• Grinz on Green blog: Spartans relying on strength in numbers entering Notre Dame game

ND Insider

• Notre Dame passing game will rely on hand-to-hand combat against Michigan State ($)
• Video: Can Notre Dame’s defense do enough against Michigan State?

One Foot Down

• Notre Dame vs. Michigan State weather report
• The anti-preview: Notre Dame vs. Michigan State

Spartan Avenue

• Michigan State football: 5 players to watch vs. Notre Dame

Spartan Tailgate

• History of MSU-Notre Dame rivalry not lost on current players

UHND

• Notre Dame vs. Michigan State ’16 weather, tickets and odds
• Game preview: Notre Dame offense vs. Michigan State defense
• Michigan State game chance for Notre Dame statement

UND

• Hunter Jr., Kizer, Onwualu, McGlinchey press conference transcripts

Wood TV8

• Wood TV8 to host MSU-Notre Dame watch party

.@Brodiesmith21 invades South Bend. Trick shot madness ensues #BRxND pic.twitter.com/sQbbyd8KsT

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 15, 2016

2016 TEAM

Blue & Gold Illustrated

• Notre Dame defense resting better with Daniel Cage’s progress
• BGI Video: Brian Kelly, post-practice Sept. 15
• Brian Kelly, post-practice Sept. 15
• Notre Dame’s offensive line still coming together
• At 5-8, C.J. Sanders has become Notre Dame’s ‘space eater’

CSN Chicago

• Notre Dame unlocking a well-rested Daniel Cage’s potential

18 Stripes

• Is red zone touchdown rate overrated?

ESPN

• The Notre Dame coaches’ coach has made psychology a priority

Irish Illustrated

• Tough acts to follow for McGlinchey, Nelson
• Notre Dame’s marked man
• Prister’s Thursday thoughts ($)

Irish Sports Daily

• Torii Hunter Jr. ready to get his head into the game
• Tillery wants a party in the backfield
• Tranquill ready to battle
• BK notebook 9/15 ($)
• BK transcript 9/15

Irish247

• Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer’s consistency translates to leadership

ND Insider

• Notre Dame QB DeShone Kizer: A history of C-L-U-T-C-H
• Video: Notre Dame CB Nick Watkins on how he bounced back after Texas

One Foot Down

• What has happened to Tight End U?

UHND

• 5 most impressive Notre Dame football players so far in 2016
• Positive Nick Watkins injury update

RECRUITING

Blue & Gold Illustrated

• Pair of in-state visitors hope to land Notre Dame offers ($)
• Four-star DE Malik Vann ready to experience game atmosphere ($)
• Five-star CB Shaun Wade excited for return trip to South Bend ($)
• Four-star DT Donovan Jeter previews Irish official ($)
• The Hot Board: Offensive line/tight ends ($)

18 Stripes

• The big board returns: Quarterback and running back

Irish Illustrated

• Video: Kelly eyes big recruiting weekend

Irish Sports Daily

• Support system spurs success for Holloman

Irish247

• Notre Dame Q&A visit preview: 4-star WR Hezekiah Jones ($)
• Notre Dame Q&A visit preview: 5-star CB Derrik Allen ($)
• Notre Dame Q&A visit preview: 4-star TE Tyneil Hopper ($)
• Tunnel vision ($)
• Notre Dame Q&A visit preview: 4-star DE Malik Vann ($)

ND Insider

• Nighttime sets up Notre Dame for another big recruiting weekend ($)
• WR recruit Jeremiah Holloman ready to experience Notre Dame’s tradition ($)

IRISH IN THE NFL

18 Stripes

• Bengals claim Keivarae Russell

Slap the Sign

• Irish in the NFL: Chiefs release Russell, Fuller shines for Texas

MISC.

Indianapolis Star

• Introducing our Notre Dame beat writer: Laken Litman

Irish Sports Daily

• 2017 Baltimore guard visiting ND this weekend

MLive

• Muskegon lifer, former Notre Dame captain Jim Morse a true rags-to-riches story
• These are the most famous University of Notre Dame alumni in history

ND Insider

• Notebook: Ara Parseghian still positively influencing Brian Kelly, Notre Dame
• Darryl Morsell’s strong summer piques Notre Dame interest
• Notre Dame’s intensity relieves coach Muffet McGraw’s stress – for now

WSBT

• Area traffic to be impacted by Notre Dame game this weekend

The post Morning Roundup: Sept. 16, 2016 appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Credit: Fanbase.com

The “Era of Ara” was off and running as the Irish entered the 1966 season.

1964 had featured a Notre Dame team that came with a “game changing call” of winning the national championship at USC in Ara Parseghian’s first season. 1965 resulted in a 7-2-1 finish, with a late season loss to Michigan State as the Spartans would share the national championship that season with Alabama.

The Irish entered the 1966 season ranked #6 and would eventually grab the #1 ranking after a convincing 38-0 win over #10 Oklahoma on Oct. 22. They would carry this ranking into their Nov. 19 showdown against #2 Michigan State with a national championship on the line.

The Irish would face numerous challenges as they took the field in front of 80,000+ and 33 million national television viewers. For example, the Spartans had one of the greatest defenses in the history of their program. They had not lost at home since October of 1964 (vs. Michigan) and the Irish came into the game battered as they would play without their starting running back Nick Eddy.

During the game, the situation continued to worsen for Notre Dame as starting quarterback Terry Hanratty was knocked out early along with All-American center Bob Goeddeke. Eddy’s replacement, Bob Gladieux, was also later sent to the sidelines with an injury. (“My quadriceps muscle was splattered into hamburger meat & my thigh pad busted into four pieces,” Gladieux would recall years later.)

In a game that will be remembered for conservative play and thunderous hitting the Irish fell behind 10-0 in the second quarter. The Irish would rally, narrowing the gap to 10-7 before halftime and eventually tying the score on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Enter the controversy which still endures today.

With 1:24 remaining, the Irish would get the ball back with a chance to break the tie. After four straight running plays to net a first down, the Irish were sacked on their only passing attempt on the drive. On the following play, Parseghian instructed his quarterback to simply run out the clock thus ending this epic in a 10-10 tie.

To this day Parseghian is criticized by many. However, his logic was sound. He understood that the only way the Irish could lose the national championship was to lose.

Michigan State was ineligible for a bowl game (The Big 10 did not allow the same team to go to the Rose Bowl in consecutive years) so they were playing their final game of the season. This would not be the case for Notre Dame, as they had one more chance to state their case that they were worthy of being #1.

The following week Notre Dame smashed #10 USC 51-0 to clearly and unequivocally state their case that they were indeed #1. The pollsters agreed. On Saturday, the Irish and Michigan State will celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of this epic clash. ESPN or some other network will rehash the game leading to a new generation of talking heads that will debate and criticize Ara’s decision. What cannot be debated is that his decision resulted in a national championship for Notre Dame.

The post Looking Back at ND-MSU ’66: A Tie to Win appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

FROM OUR SITE

• Opponent watch: Mark Richt has lost control of scheduling

PODCASTS

• Blue & Gold Illustrated: Irish offense or defense – Who must play the best?
• Irish Sports Daily ($): Recruiting Power Hour loaded
• Irish Sports Talk: Notre Dame vs. Michigan State preview
• Slap the Sign: Irish coffee, episode 6: Nevada retractions and Sparty predictions

NEXT GAME: vs. MICHIGAN STATE (7:30 p.m. ET SATURDAY, NBC)

• Bleacher Report: Week 3 win-or-walk games are why college football is the greatest
• Blue & Gold Illustrated: Player interviews, Sept. 14
• Blue & Gold Illustrated: Torii Hunter Jr. ‘confident’ he’ll play Saturday against Michigan State
• Blue & Gold Illustrated ($): Impact matchups: Notre Dame defense vs. Michigan State offense
• Blue & Gold Illustrated ($): Impact matchups: Notre Dame offense vs. Michigan State defense
• Blue & Gold Illustrated: A look at Michigan State: Q&A with Kyle Austin
• CBS Sports: Inside college football: 12 Michigan State at 18 Notre Dame preview
• Chicago Tribune: Ara Parseghian: Those blaming me for Notre Dame-MSU tie should ‘wake up’
• CSN Chicago: Torii Hunter Jr. ‘fairly confident’ he’ll play vs. Michigan State
• CSN Chicago: Revisiting Sept. 21, 2013: The last time Notre Dame played Michigan State
• Detroit Free Press: MSU OL coach Staten grew up near South Bend, knows Notre Dame Stadium
• Detroit Free Press: MSU QB Tyler O’Connor’s guide to victory at Notre Dame: Brian Hoyer
• Detroit Free Press: Michigan State-Notre Dame biggest game in rivalry since 1966 tie
• ESPN: Notre Dame WR Torii Hunter Jr. (concussion) expects to play vs. Michigan State
• Football Matters: Reliving the game of the century: Michigan State vs. Notre Dame
• Fox Sports: Notre Dame legend Ara Parseghian is still made about the Michigan State tie 50 years ago
• Fox Sports: Michigan State can earn the respect its fans desperately want with a win over Notre Dame
• The Game 730AM: Is Michigan State-Notre Dame rival respectful instead of bitter? Dantonio says, ‘I’ll let you know after this weekend’
• Impact89fm: Notre Dame in the light of a friend, not a foe
• Inside the Irish: And in the corner…the Michigan State Spartans
• Irish Illustrated: Torii Hunter Jr. ‘confident’ in MSU return
• Irish Sports Daily: BK transcript 9/13
• Irish Sports Daily: Video: Players talk MSU
• Irish Sports Daily: Coleman confident and ready for MSU
• Irish247: Notre Dame looking to match Michigan State’s toughness
• Irish247: Kizer ready for matchup of Midwest ‘powerhouses’
• Irish247: Notre Dame’s Torii Hunter Jr. expects to play against Michigan State
• Irish247: McGlinchey on ND-MSU: ‘It’s why you play college football.’
• Irish247: Nothing but respect from Onwualu towards the Spartans
• iSportsWeb: Why MSU will beat Notre Dame
• Lansing State Journal: East Lansing legend Randy Kinder still true to Notre Dame
• MLive: 5 things to watch: Suspect secondaries, new faces in Michigan State-Notre Dame
• ND.edu: Football weekend events: Notre Dame vs. Michigan State
• ND Insider: Notre Dame WR Torii Hunter Jr. “fairly confident” he’ll play against Michigan State
• ND Insider: Video: Can Notre Dame’s defense do enough against Michigan State?
• ND Insider ($): Michigan State QB Tyler O’Connor looking to prove himself against Notre Dame
• One Foot Down: Notre Dame vs. Michigan State: The battle for the megaphone
• One Foot Down: Twittermania: Michigan State week
• One Foot Down: 5 things to know about the Michigan State Spartans
• The Only Colors: Make plays – An ode to Mike Valenti’s 2006 MSU-Notre Dame rant
• Pride of Detroit: Exclusive interview: Golden Tate talks MSU vs. Notre Dame, Lions offense and pregame spaghetti
• Spartan Avenue: Michigan State football: Getting to know Notre Dame
• Spartan Avenue: Depth chart notes vs. Notre Dame
• Spartan Avenue: 5 players who will break out vs. Notre Dame
• The Sports Bank: #18 Notre Dame football: Game preview vs. #12 Michigan State
• The State: 5 takeaways from MSU football’s Tuesday press conference
• UHND: Spartan offense preview
• UHND: Plenty for Notre Dame to work on before Michigan State
• UND: These Irish know Spartans
• UPI: Michigan State Spartans-Notre Dame Fighting Irish: College football game preview

2016 TEAM

• Irish247: Preparation not an issue for this year’s Notre Dame team
• Irish247: Irish captains, Kizer talk to media

OFFENSE

• CSN Chicago: Notre Dame’s offensive line working to meet lofty expectations
• Irish Illustrated ($): The telling turnover tale
• Irish Illustrated: Kizer won’t concede vertical pass game
• Irish Sports Daily: Kizer leaning on experience
• Irish247: Kelly on Kizer: He gives you a shot to win every game
• Irish247 ($): Top three strengths, concerns for Irish offense
• Irish247: Notre Dame football tight ends ‘fine’ despite limited involvement as receivers
• ND Insider: Video: Notre Dame QB DeShone Kizer: ‘We do want to push the ball vertically’
• UND: Mike McGlinchey: Things I know

DEFENSE

• Blue & Gold Illustrated: Notre Dame defensive success still begins with stopping the run
• Irish Sports Daily: James Onwualu: A trademark for transition
• Irish247: Jeff Burris playing role as mentor for Irish defense
• Irish247 ($): Top three strengths, concerns for Notre Dame’s defense
• ND Insider: Notebook: Jeff Burris making impression on Cole Luke, Notre Dame secondary
• Slap the Sign: In praise of Daniel Cage, Notre Dame’s not-really breakout star

RECRUITING

• Blue & Gold Illustrated ($): Junior defensive tackle P.J. Mustipher is a versatile prospect
• Blue & Gold Illustrated ($): 2018 Rivals250 LB Dallas Gant returning to Notre Dame this weekend
• Blue & Gold Illustrated ($): 2018 LB commit Ovie Oghoufo ready to see first Notre Dame game
• Blue & Gold Illustrated ($): The Hot Board: Offensive skill positions
• Irish Sports Daily ($): In the film room: Jeremiah Holloman
• Irish Sports Daily ($): Work ethic sets Ahmed apart
• Irish247 ($): Devine calls Notre Dame visit ‘amazing’
• UHND: Notre Dame football recruiting visits vs. Michigan State

SCHEDULE

• WSB-TV: 2017 Georgia football schedule includes trip to Notre Dame

LAST GAME: NOTRE DAME 39, NEVADA 10

• Irish Illustrated ($): Beyond the numbers
• Irish Illustrated ($): I have 64 things to say

BASKETBALL

• Blue & Gold Illustrated: Notre Dame goes in-home with Darryl Morsell, previews official visit
• Irish Sports Daily: Top 2018 hoops recruit making 4th ND visit
• ND Insider: Elite guard prospect Katlyn Gilbert commits to Notre Dame women’s hoops

MISC.

• Irish Sports Daily ($): The back corner fade
• ND Insider: Chat transcript: Talk Notre Dame football with Eric Hansen

The post Morning Roundup: Sept. 15, 2016 appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

via @LTorbin

Corbett Family Head Football Coach Brian Kelly can look back on 2016 and enjoy the moment. With seven players selected in the most recent NFL draft, a solid recruiting class (ranked twelfth by Rivals, sixteenth by ESPN), and a ten-win season behind him, the case that Coach Kelly belongs in the pantheon with Lou and Ara and Knute has only gotten stronger.

In addition to the seven drafted players, which included Notre Dame’s highest pick since 1993, Ronnie Stanley, six players signed free agent contracts with NFL teams over the weekend, giving Notre Dame thirteen players with opportunities to play professionally. That the Dallas Cowboys’ were willing to take such a chance with their pick on Jaylon Smith speaks to the quality of the emergency orthopedic care Smith received at the Fiesta Bowl and to the player’s strength, both physical and mental.

Brian Kelly’s motto for the 2015 season was “culture beats scheme.” From his earliest days in South Bend, when he mandated locker organization, Brian Kelly has been instilling a championship mentality in his players. At the same time, he has had to deal with circumstantial challenges unlike any faced by his coaching predecessors.

This is where KeiVarae Russell’s selection as the Chief’s second pick comes in. Russell was one of 2014’s “Frozen Five,” players who were suspended for violations of school policy that likely involved the honor code and something called “peer editing.” Sidelined for an entire season, Russell roared back in 2015 as a starter, notching two interceptions, four pass breakups, and sixty tackles. While Russell will not graduate before going pro, he’s made enough remarks about being the first in his family to graduate from college “when” he does, that he can rightly be considered one of the better redemption stories to come out of the locker room in a long time.

Sure, the Irish lost to tOSU in the Fiesta Bowl. But they did so without Jaylon Smith and Jerry Tillery on defense, and that they got there at all was due to the depth Coach Kelly developed at the quarterback position. No one thought a playoff spot within reach when Zaire went down at Virginia, but there was Kizer, ready for prime time. He wouldn’t have been without Coach Kelly and his staff.

With fifty-five wins in six seasons, Brian Kelly is just one shy of Lou Holtz’s win total, and while he lacks the national championship Lou, Ara, Devine, and Leahy were all able to manage by their third-season, you have the sense that Coach Kelly has the Irish were the program needs to be to compete for championships every couple of seasons. I wouldn’t bet against 2016 being one of them.

The post The Case for Brian Kelly…Grows Stronger appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Illustration by @phillykelly

Last week, Notre Dame announced it had extended the contract of head football coach Brian Kelly through 2021.

Kelly already has 55 wins at Notre Dame and has the most career victories of any coach currently coaching a FBS subdivision program (226). If he stays for the entirety of his contract*, it’s likely he could eclipse Lou Holtz for games coached (132) and Knute Rockne for wins (105).

But there will be no Brian Kelly statue erected outside Notre Dame Stadium when the coach retires.

COMPARING BRIAN KELLY TO LEGENDS

Here’s the hot take: Brian Kelly is the worst coach Notre Dame has ever allowed to oversee its football team for at least 78 games.

WINS

Fans and alums want nothing more than for their football team to win.

Coach Lou Holtz [Photo: Jonathan Daniel/Allsport]

There is a major difference, however. Holtz won a national championship in his third season. Kelly went to the national championship in his third season; we all know what happened next.

Here’s why I remain skeptical that Kelly will best Holtz. Lou wins his next 17 games – #79 to #95 – before the Boston College stunner in 1993.

If Kelly goes 11-2, 11-2, 11-2 and 12-1 or better in the next five years, that would not only be awesome. It would give him the exact record of Lou Holtz.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

Brian Kelly said recently that he wanted to keep playing the Alabamas, Ohio States and Clemsons. I commend him, because that’s the only way you’re going to figure out what is keeping your team from being elite.

Kelly has faced tough adversaries who win a lot of football games. The only person with a tougher schedule? Lou Holtz.

Nearly 45 percent of Lou’s first 78 games were against teams ranked in the AP Top 25! Holtz went 21-13-1 against those squads, and 13-9-1 (.587) against those in the top 10.

Kelly is 11-12 against those in the AP Top 25 and 1-5 against those in the top 10. (The lone win was against then-#8 Oklahoma in 2012.) Simply put: While at Notre Dame, Brian Kelly almost never wins games against big opponents.

DAVID VS. GOLIATH

My experience is that Notre Dame fans hate to lose. The pain of that loss, however, is dulled if it’s a good team. Any loss to a team that fans consider “inferior” creates a lot of message board bluster about firing coordinators and head coaches.

To Kelly’s credit, he didn’t lose to an unranked opponent in 2015. The sixth-year coach is now 26-3 when his team is ranked and his opponent is not. The losses are to South Florida in 2011 and Northwestern in 2014; both teams finished with a sub-.500 record. The third is to 7-6 Pittsburgh in 2013 (the game during which Stephon Tuitt was tossed for targeting).

Kelly is 18-8 (.692) when both his team and his opponent are unranked at game time, which is also last among the six coaches we’re examining.

THIS IS OUR HOUSE

A home win is the perfect capstone to a weekend odyssey to South Bend. No one should come to your house and push you around.

In this respect, Holtz and Kelly boast similar records. Holtz was 30-7-1 in his first 78 games, while Kelly has been 29-8. Holtz’s losses were to #3 Michigan, a 5-5-1 Pittsburgh team, and #3 Penn State in 1986; a 5-6 Stanford team and #18 Penn State in 1990, #13 Tennessee in 1991 and #18 Stanford in 1992. That loss to Stanford in 1990 was Holtz’s only loss to a team that ended the season under .500. (He was 47-1 at ND).

Kelly’s home losses: 7-6 Michigan, #16 Stanford, 10-3 Tulsa in 2010; 5-7 South Florida and 10-2 USC in 2011; #14 Oklahoma in 2013; and 5-7 Northwestern and 9-4 Louisville in 2014.

ROAD DOGS

It’s satisfying to go into an opponent’s house and silence their crowd in a dominating win. My experience with our fan base, however, is they tend to forgive road losses more than home losses (unless they are against opponents deemed inferior).

Kelly’s teams have struggled in true road games. They are 14-11, which puts him well behind the legends.

CURB STOMPING

Fans constantly implore the Irish’s head coach – through their televisions – to keep his foot on the accelerator.

Brian Kelly doesn’t coach those kind of teams. Nearly half of his wins – 23 – at Notre Dame were by 9 points or fewer. If you’re old enough to remember Lou Holtz, only a quarter of his wins in the time period studied were by less than 10 points. And if you’ve been a fan since Ara Parseghian, Kelly’s margin of victory has to feel extremely frustrating. Through 78 games, Parseghian-coached teams won 27 games by 30 or more points!

YOU ARE MY BITTER RIVAL

Beating a historical rival is a feel-good elixir for many of us. I studied six historical opponents – most are considered rivals; a few are not.

Here’s how each coach is doing through 78 games, with the caveat that Notre Dame has zero control over the ultimate successes or failures of other institutions during certain eras

vs. USC

• Lou Holtz: 6-0-0 (1.000)
• Frank Leahy: 5-1-1 (.786)
• Brian Kelly: 4-2-0 (.667)
• Ara Parseghian: 2-4-2 (.375)
• Knute Rockne: n/a

vs. MICHIGAN

• Lou Holtz: 4-2-1 (.643)
• Frank Leahy: 1-1-0 (.500)
• Brian Kelly: 2-3-0 (.400)
• Ara Parseghian & Knute Rockne: n/a

vs. MICHIGAN ST.

• Lou Holtz: 6-1-0 (.857)
• Brian Kelly: 3-1-0 (.750)
• Knute Rockne: 3-1-0 (.750)
• Ara Parseghian: 5-2-1 (.688)
• Frank Leahy: 2-1-0 (.667)

vs. NAVY

• Lou Holtz: 6-0-0 (1.000)
• Ara Parseghian: 7-0-0 (1.000)
• Frank Leahy: 8-1-1 (.850)
• Brian Kelly: 5-1-0 (.833)
• Knute Rockne: 0-0-1 (.500)

vs. PURDUE

• Lou Holtz: 7-0-0 (1.000)
• Knute Rockne: 6-0-0 (1.000)
• Brian Kelly: 5-0-0 (1.000)
• Frank Leahy: 4-1-0 (.800)
• Ara Parseghian: 4-4-0 (.500)

vs. STANFORD

• Frank Leahy: 1-0-0 (1.000)
• Ara Parseghian: 1-0-0 (1.000)
• Knute Rockne: 1-0-0 (1.000)
• Lou Holtz: 3-2-0 (.600)
• Brian Kelly: 2-4-0 (.333)

DISCLAIMER

It is completely unfair to compare coaches from different eras because almost all aspects of the game have changed during the past 100 seasons. There are several issues that a head coaches can’t directly control: academic issues, injuries/luck and transfers, to name a few.

However, I undertook this amateur analysis because I believe fans do this sort of “apples-to-waffles” comparison, especially those who look back at the “good old days” with a certain reverence.

LOGISTICS

Notre Dame Stadium has just one gate that isn’t already dedicated to a former coach.

Gate A belongs to Devine; Gate B to Parseghian; Gate C to Leahy; Gate D to Holtz, and the north tunnel to Knute Rockne.

Leahy’s Lads raised funds for a statue of their coach, which was erected in 1997 on the stadium’s east side. A sculpture of a seated Moose Krause, the former coach and athletics director, was added in 1999 outside the Joyce Center.

The university’s Monogram Club expressed interest in erecting statues in honor of all Notre Dame football coaches who won one or more titles. Parseghian’s went up in 2007; Holtz in 2008; Rockne in 2009 and Devine in 2011. All five coaches are also in the College Football Hall of Fame.

Is Brian Kelly a strong candidate for the College Football Hall of Fame if he wins more than 100 games at Notre Dame and close to 300 overall? Absolutely. But, lacking a national championship, I don’t see a vestige of Brian Kelly cast into bronze and placed outside Gate E.

CONCLUSIONS

Flawed as it may be, I compared Brian Kelly and the four legends in 83 statistical categories. I assigned 1 point to the coach who had the most wins, least losses, most ties, best win percentage and so on. The coach in last place in each category received five points. As in golf, the lower the score, the better.

Here are the results:

1. Frank Leahy (1941-43, 1946 to game #1 of 1951): 193 points
2. Knute Rockne (1918 to game #3 of 1926): 195 points, 2 points behind Leahy
3. Ara Parseghian (1964 to mid-1971): 207 points, 12 points behind Rockne
4. Lou Holtz (1986 to game #5 of 1992): 226 points, 19 points behind Parseghian
5. Brian Kelly (2010-2015): 286 points, 60 points behind Holtz

By the metrics I selected, Brian Kelly is unquestionably the least successful coach who has been employed at Notre Dame for at least 78 games. My findings should not be construed as advocating for Kelly’s firing. (I personally believe the opposite; I really like Brian Kelly.) I’d imagine Brian Kelly will be perfectly content with being a good, but not legendary, Notre Dame coach.

LOOKING AHEAD

If Notre Dame is successful this year, they will play either 13 or 14 games. Here’s how each past coach did in games #79-92:

• Knute Rockne: Now coaching in his ninth year (1926), Rockne compiles an 11-2-1 record in a 14 game stretch. His team hands Northwestern and Army their only losses of the 1926 season, and Georgia Tech its only defeat of the 1927 campaign. His team ties an undefeated Minnesota team, 7-7, in 1927 and loses to 19-0 to Carnegie Tech in the penultimate game of the 1926 season and 18-0 to Army in Yankee Stadium the following year. (The team is 11-1-1 in the next 13 games).
• Frank Leahy: Leahy has also begun his ninth year, and there’s some surprising struggles. The ’51 team loses, 27-20, to a Southern Methodist team that will finish the season with a 3-6-1 record. It ties Iowa, 20-20. The Hawkeyes finish the year 2-5-2. Leahy’s Lads are also blown out by #5 Michigan State, who finishes the season undefeated.
  The 1952 campaign is more successful, including wins over #5 Texas and #9 Purdue who, frankly, did not deserve to be ranked that high. Leahy is 9-3-2 in his next 14 games. (The team is 8-3-2 in the next 13 games).
• Ara Parseghian: Parseghian’s 79th game as Notre Dame coach is near the end of his eighth season. He’ll compile a 11-3 record in the next 14 games. In this stretch, Parseghian’s teams plays only three teams that will end the season with a winning record – and lose to two of them (#14 LSU at the end of ’71 and #1 USC near the end of ’72). (The team is 11-2-0 in the next 13 games).
• Lou Holtz: Lou’s done with losing for a while. His ’92 and ’93 teams will go a perfect 14-0 during this stretch, including wins over previously undefeated (and #4 ranked) Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl and then #3 Michigan to open the road slate in 1993. The streak would extend to 17 before being snapped by…yes…Boston College. Notre Dame’s opponents during the 14-game stretch would finish their seasons a combined 75-88 (.460).

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* As Blue & Gold Illustrated’s Lou Somoygi noted:

“Whether Kelly actually lasts the full six years on the deal is debatable. … Contracts are mainly statements of buyout or compensation for a given number of years. With virtually any college coach, the objective is an ability to publicize that he is under contract at a minimum of four more years in order to “sell” it on the recruiting trail. To believe that it is gospel is naiveté at its finest.”

The post There Will Be No Brian Kelly Statue appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

It’s completely unfair to compare coaches from different eras because of the college game has evolved in the past 80 seasons. There’s also several issues that are beyond the head coaches’ control: academic issues, injuries and transfers to name a few.

However, I’m going to do it to provide an additional perspective on Brian Kelly’s tenure (Bayou Irish kicked off the discussion Wednesday) and because I believe fans do this sort of “apples-to-waffles” comparison anyway.

I’ll be comparing Kelly, Dan Devine, Lou Holtz, Frank Leahy, Ara Parseghian and Knute Rockne through their first 65 games in a multitude of categories. Kelly, as I’ll prove, consistently fares poorly in a comparison to these legendary coaches.

JUST WIN, BABY

Fans and alums want nothing more than for their football team to win.

While Brian Kelly was 3 wins off Lou Holtz’s pace before the 2014 season started, he finished 5 behind after posting an 8-5

Picture courtesy of Robert Pernett (via Flickr)

record. I’m skeptical that Kelly can ever overtake Holtz. Lou went 9-3-1 in games #66-78 – which would be the equivalent of a 12-game regular season and a bowl game in the upcoming season for Kelly. Then Holtz won his next 17 in a row before the team lost to Boston College in 1993.

TOUGHER SCHEDULE

For all the talk about Notre Dame being “too chicken” to play Michigan or other opponents perceived as “tough,” Kelly has faced the second-hardest schedule among his predecessors through 65 games.

Ara Parseghian’s 52-9-4 record is certainly commendable, but its impressiveness is surely dulled by the fact that he was beating a lot of bad teams.

BIG GAME BRIAN? NOT QUITE.

There is perhaps no bigger obsession for fans than analyzing Notre Dame’s place in the standings. To be the best, you have to beat the best. Knute Rockne falls to the bottom of this list because AP rankings didn’t exist when he was coach.

Kelly is 9-9 against ranked opponents and 5-7 (.417) when Notre Dame and its opponent are both in the AP’s top 25.

DAVID VS. GOLIATH

My experience with Notre Dame fans is that they never like losses. But, if the team has to lose, it better be against a good team. Simply put, our team should make easy work of inferior opponents. And when that doesn’t happen: That’s when they want to put the coach on the hot seat.

Brian Kelly’s 17-3 record when his team is ranked and his opponent is unranked would be commendable, if not for the fact that the fan base tends to remember those three losses vividly (South Florida in 2011, Pittsburgh in 2013 and, of course, Northwestern last year).

Kelly is 18-8 (.692) when both his team and his opponent are unranked at game time, which is also last among the six coaches we’re examining.

BAD LOSSES

Ugh. There is simply no excuse to lose to a team than cannot finish its season with a winning record. Notre Dame has several advantages in recruiting, training and coaching. It simply should not be outclassed by a terrible opponent on Saturday.

Ara Parseghian was a perfect 35-0 against teams that ended their season with a losing record through his first 65 games as coach. Frank Leahy was 28-0 and Rockne was 18-0-1. Kelly ranks last, with a 17-2 (.895) record. Those “bad losses” were to two teams that would finish their seasons 5-7: South Florida in 2011 and Northwestern last year.

PROTECT THIS HOUSE

A win at Notre Dame Stadium is a perfect capper to a great fall weekend in South Bend. The thinking goes: No one should come to our house and push us around.

Kelly is 23-8 at Notre Dame Stadium, which almost exactly mirrors Dan Devine’s home record through 65 games. It still puts him last on this list.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Photo courtesy of OSU Special Collections & Archives (via Flickr)

It’s admittedly also satisfying to steal a win in someone else’s place, although my experience with the fan base is that they tend to value home wins more. Kelly’s 11-9 record in games played at the opponent’s home stadium is not very impressive. (He’s 11-3 in games played at neutral sites.)

STOMP ON THEIR THROATS

I’ve been a fan of Notre Dame football for more than 25 years now. I can’t recall many instances where Notre Dame just absolutely blew the doors off an opponent. I can recall many instances where we as fans pleaded with Notre Dame to curb-stomp a team. It just doesn’t happen a lot. Here’s the scoring differential in each coaches’ first 65 games.

Ara Parseghian was whooping on opponents. Knute Rockne was annihilating opponents. Frank Leahy was destroying opponents. Brian Kelly? At a touchdown differential per game, his teams are just not running away from people. (I recognize this is an imperfect stat to draw the conclusion I’m making, but the data backs it up.)

IT’S STILL A SUCCESSFUL SEASON IF WE BEAT USC

Beating a historical rival is a feel-good elixir for many of us. I studied six historical opponents – most are considered rivals; a few are not.

Here’s how each coach is doing through 65 games, with the caveat that our coach has no control over the ultimate successes or failures of other institutions during certain eras:

vs. USC

• Lou Holtz: 5-0-0 (1.000)
• Frank Leahy: 4-0-1 (.900)
• Brian Kelly: 3-2-0 (.600)
• Ara Parseghian: 2-2-2 (.500)
• Dan Devine: 1-4-0 (.200)
• Knute Rockne: n/a

vs. MICHIGAN

• Lou Holtz: 4-2-0 (.667)
• Dan Devine: 2-1-0 (.667)
• Frank Leahy: 1-1-0 (.500)
• Brian Kelly: 2-3-0 (.400)
• Ara Parseghian & Knute Rockne: n/a

vs. MICHIGAN ST.

• Frank Leahy: 2-0-0 (1.000)
• Lou Holtz: 5-1-0 (.833)
• Dan Devine: 5-1-0 (.833)
• Brian Kelly: 3-1-0 (.750)
• Knute Rockne: 3-1-0 (.750)
• Ara Parseghian: 4-2-1 (.643)

vs. NAVY

• Lou Holtz: 5-0-0 (1.000)
• Frank Leahy: 7-0-0 (1.000)
• Ara Parseghian: 6-0-0 (1.000)
• Dan Devine: 6-0-0 (1.000)
• Brian Kelly: 4-1-0 (.800)
• Knute Rockne: n/a

vs. PURDUE

• Lou Holtz: 6-0-0 (1.000)
• Frank Leahy: 4-0-0 (1.000)
• Brian Kelly: 5-0-0 (1.000)
• Ara Parseghian: 3-4-0 (.429)
• Dan Devine: 5-1-0 (.833)
• Knute Rockne: 6-0-0 (1.000)

vs. STANFORD

• Frank Leahy: 1-0-0 (1.000)
• Ara Parseghian: 1-0-0 (1.000)
• Knute Rockne: 1-0-0 (1.000)
• Lou Holtz: 3-1-0 (.750)
• Brian Kelly: 2-3-0 (.400)
• Dan Devine: n/a

CONCLUSIONS

I’ve acknowledged that this sort of comparison is greatly flawed because of the evolution of college football. However, I went forward and compared these coaches in 83 statistical categories. I assigned 1 point to the coach who had the most wins, least losses, most ties, best win percentage and so on. The coach in last place in these categories received six points. Like golf, the lower the score, the better. Here are the final results:

1. Frank Leahy: 172 points
2. Knute Rockne: 211 points, 39 behind leader
3. Ara Parseghian: 228 points, 56 behind leader
4. Dan Devine: 259 points, 87 behind leader
   4(t). Lou Holtz: 259 points, 87 behind leader
   6. Brian Kelly: 329 points, 157 behind leader

By the metrics I selected, Brian Kelly is least successful coach who has been employed for 65 games or more. My findings should not be construed as advocating for Kelly’s firing. (I personally believe the opposite; I really like Brian Kelly.) Instead, the only conclusion I can safely make is: They’re not putting a statue of Brian Kelly outside Notre Dame Stadium when he retires.

I’d imagine Brian Kelly is perfectly content with being a good, but not legendary, Notre Dame coach.

LOOKING FORWARD

If Notre Dame is successful in 2015, they’ll be invited to a bowl game, which would be their 13^th contest. Here’s how each of Kelly’s five peers did in games #66-#78.

• Knute Rockne: Rock starts the 1925 season with wins over Baylor, Lombard and Beloit, before a decisive loss to Army in Yankee Stadium. He’ll finish 1925 at 7-2-1. His first three games of the 1926 season are all wins, bringing his record in this 13-game period to 10-2-1.
• Frank Leahy: Leahy’s team is #1 by game #66, which occurs during the last half of the 1949 season. He beats Iowa and USC at home and SMU on the road. His team is again ranked #1 heading into the 1950 season, but falls to Purdue in its second game. By the end of a disappointing 4-4-1 season, the Fighting Irish are unranked. Leahy’s squad, ranked #14 in the pre-season of 1951, wins its home opener against Indiana. His record in this 13-game stretch is 8-4-1.
• Ara Parseghian: Ara’s 66^th game as head coach pits the #3 Fighting Irish against #18 Missouri. It’s a decisive three-touchdown win on the road, followed by wins against Navy (in Philadelphia), Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech and LSU. An end-of-season loss to unranked USC spoils a perfect season, but the #6 ranked Irish beat top ranked Texas in the Cotton Bowl. Ara opens the 1971 season with a #2 ranking and five straight wins, but drops the sixth game to an unranked USC team (again!). His record during this 13-game period is 11-2-0.
• Dan Devine: It’s the end of the road for Devine, who will coach just 5 more games in his Notre Dame career. He finishes with a 2-2-1 record, including wins over Alabama and Air Force and losses to USC and a Herschel Walker-led Georgia team in the 1981 Sugar Bowl.
• Lou Holtz: As previously mentioned, Lou compiles a 9-3-1 record during his 13-game stretch that starts in mid-1991 with wins against #12 Pittsburgh, Air Force, USC, Navy, Hawaii and #3 Florida in the Sugar Bowl. His #3 ranked Irish tie #6 Michigan the following year and lose to #18 Stanford at home.

The post Let’s Give ‘Em Something To Talk About: Notre Dame Coaches at 65 appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

PODCASTS

• Irish Sports Daily: 2-16-15 Power Hour (1:06:27)

RECRUITING

• Irish Sports Daily: In the film room: Donnie Corley
• Irish Illustrated: Irish offer 2017 four-star (Maleik Gray)
• Bleacher Report (Monaco): Notre Dame football recruiting offers of the week (Cary Angeline, Maleik Gray and E.J. Price)
• UW Dawg Pound: 2016 UW football recruiting: The rest of the West (Devin Duvernay, Byron Murphy and Chase Lucas)
• USA Today: Nation’s No. 3 player in Class of 2016 set to commit; Ole Miss seems to be the favorite (Shea Patterson)
• Shreveport Times: Calvary QB Shea Patterson to pick college Tuesday
• WLOX: Ole Miss could make biggest catch on Fat Tuesday: Blue chip quarterback Shea Patterson
• Northeast Ohio Media Group: Gregory Little, Jaylon Jones and T.J. Vasher – looking at Ohio State’s recent scholarship offers (Little, Patrick Bethel and Khalid Kareem)
• The Patriot News: Pennsylvania’s top 2016 football recruits; Pittsburgh C.C. corner Damar Hamlin
• Victory Bell Rings: Penn State football recruiting: Top 10 2016 recruits – Pennsylvania (Damar Hamlin & Cary Angeline)
• Burnt Orange Nation: Texas offers Florida QB Xavier Gaines
• 247 Sports: Best of the Midwest Combo MVPs (Quinton Baker)
• Slap the Sign: Notre Dame football recruiting class: Defensive grades

CURRENT TEAM

• Inside the Irish: Spring solutions: Quarterbacks
• UHND: At long last, depth for Notre Dame football
• St. Paul Pioneer Press: Twinsights: Torii Hunter Jr. returns to baseball at Notre Dame

COACHING

• Irish Illustrated: Piecing together assistant coaching puzzle
• Slap the Sign: Something new for 2015, a six-year coach at Notre Dame
• Bleacher Report (Arnold): Projecting Brian Kelly’s 2015 coaching staff
• Idaho Statesmen: Boise State football coaches Harsin, Yates up for new contracts (Mike Sanford)
• Mountain West Connection: Broncos extend Bryan Harsin to a new five-year, $7.35 million deal (Mike Sanford)
• Fansided: Boise State, Bryan Harsin agree on 5-year extension (Mike Sanford)
• ESPN: Roquan Smith got it right by waiting (Charlie Weis)
• Eleven Warriors: After coaching turnover, familiarity might correlate with stability for Ohio State (Tony Alford)
• Vavel: Charlie Weis on coaching again: ‘Highly doubtful’

IRISH IN THE NFL

• St. Paul Pioneer Press: Vikings’ Rudolph eyeing a full season
• The Times-Picayune: 2015 NFL draft: Brandon Scherff could be great tackle or all-pro at guard, says Mike Mayock (Zack Martin)
• Heavy: Jess Gysin, Jimmy Clausen’s wife: 5 fast facts
• Steelers Depot: Jerome Bettis says it’s too early for Browns to give up on Johnny Football
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Ray Fittipaldo’s Steelers chat (Ben Koyack)
• Carolina Panthers: Panthers name Steve Wilks assistant head coach
• The Republican: Patriots NFL Draft 2015 position preview: Looking for Rob Gronkowski insurance (Ben Koyack)
• News-Sentinel: NFL Combine brings annual scrutiny to Indy (Ben Koyack, Kyle Brindza and DaVaris Daniels)

HISTORY

• Chicago Tribune: How Michigan State’s Duffy Daugherty helped integrate college football (1966 & Ara Parseghian)

MISC.

• Inside the Irish: Mailbag: What to expect from defense
• TigerNet.com: Clemson announces 2015 football game designations, spring game date (Notre Dame game is IPTAY Day)
• Addicted to Quack: Roundtable: Oregon’s out of conference football games
• USA Today: Examining college basketball’s scheduling conundrum
• Bleacher Report: Meet college football’s most inexperienced head coach (Gerry Faust)
• EDSBS: The presidents assigned to their proper schools (Abraham Lincoln assigned to ND)
• ESPN: Ultimate ESPN 300: 15 things to know

The post Morning Roundup: Feb. 17, 2015 appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Since 1887, we’ve had worse seasons, but few as divergent as this one.  A fine defeatist platitude says, “These things happen.”  But this is so true.  In Rockne’s 11^th season, he only had one more victory than his four losses.  Leahy’s eighth season was flat, with only four wins, just as many losses, and a tie.  The Ear of Ara was marred by a 7-2-1 finish in the fifth year of his tenure.  In his penultimate year with the Irish, Devine managed only 7-4.  And in year nine, Holtz eked out but six wins, suffered five losses, and settled for one tie.

What’s interesting is that Rockne’s nadir came after three undefeated seasons and one championship, and it fell immediately before his two final undefeated championship seasons.  Leahy bottomed out after four championships, four undefeated seasons, and came in advance of a final undefeated effort.  Parseghian had one championship and one lossless season under his belt before he faltered, but came back with two more undefeated years and one more championship.  And Devine and Holtz were both national champions before they were brought low, Devine’s crown blemished by one loss, and Holtz losing two crowns by dropping the last game of two regular seasons.

Thus, Brian Kelly and this team, though not doing well, have not done anything out of the ordinary – except in the manner that they have done it.  No team has ever stoked the fires of hope by starting with six straight wins, then thrown a urine-soaked blanket on that blaze with five losses.  If the offense hadn’t been able to score a slightly more obscene amount of points than North Carolina, we’d be staring at the season-equivalent of a tie, a draw, a very stale stalemate.

People love to use the word EPIC – usually shouted in exultation or awe.  Read a damn darn Classical Epic, people!  Lots of heroes die; and even if they don’t, they all suffer horrible, degrading defeats and losses.  Epics are long, in excess of 20 books; and they are not defined by the first five.  Everything turns out well after all the blood and death, but the hero must have courage, belief in himself, and hope.

Behold the epic comparisons:

* The Trojans lost to the Greeks, but founded Rome…just like we lost to the Trojans, but we look forward to vanquishing them when next they come here to Little Rome.

* Everett Golson made spectacular plays but had abysmal turnovers…just like Odysseys fought his way through the Mediterranean returning return home to his devoted wife, all the while cheating on her.

* Agamemnon defeated Priam but was axed to death in his bathtub…we shutout Michigan but got cut to pieces by USC.

* We lost many fine players to injury, even a captain…just like Achilles lost Patroclus, Aeneas lost Anchises, and Odysseus lost his whole crew.

* Dido fell on Aeneas’ sword when the Trojan wouldn’t marry her…just like that USC cheerleader was flattened by her own Trojan player.

* We escaped Navy like Odysseus escaped Poseidon, but both were costly victories; Hoke coached like he only had only one eye in the middle of his forehead; Sarkisian sounds like some sort of island monster (the Sarkisian devoured a whole sow in two bites!); and Odysseus’ guide was blind…just like Brian Kelly went for two.

* The similarities go on and on, of course without the murder, idolatry, and incest – that would be the SEC.  My point is that the greatest stories in history have their dark moments.  Heroes have their flaws.  We had a good run, followed by a terrible fall.  But like our five greatest coaches, we still fight, and we march onward to victory.

I began this reflection with a literary echo of Dickens’ epic A Tale of Two Cities.  The hero Charles Darnay escapes the bloodbath of the French Revolution to see a better day; but right now we’re more like his identical counterpart Sydney Carton – young, talented but sloppy, and drunk.  Let’s just try to avoid the Guillotine Bowl brought to you by Robespierre.

EFS CSC

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