Big Ten

Good Fridays w/Padre: Lost in Translation

September 16, 2016 by Father Sorin

The Agricultural College of the State of Michigan is coming to town for a football game. Well, that was their first name; but they soon changed it to State Agricultural College. Realizing that this was dangerously vague – how would the students know which state’s agricultural college they were attending – the name was tightened up to Michigan Agricultural College. But there’s so much more to Michigan than growing cherries and Christmas trees; so the name was elaborated to Michigan State College ...

Good Fridays w/Padre: Bad Ideas

February 20, 2015 by Father Sorin

Like the icicle that starts to form at the corner of the roof, it slowly grows until it’s a heavy, sharp, pointed thing that will impale you without warning. It was fascinating to behold at one time, but it became a lethal sculpture that plunged through the window and left your room cold and wet. This icicle is a metaphor for a Very Bad Idea, and many of them are forming at this time of year. Not surprising that an athletic conference, the source and summit of bad ideas, is the water ...

Notre Dame Still Squarely in Playoff Picture

October 24, 2014 by WhiskyPoet

I know. Being the second-ranked football team this week would make us all feel a lot more comfortable about our chances of making the inaugural edition of the College Football Playoffs. We are one silly offensive pass interference away from "hosting" a first round playoff matchup. Now that we're all done throwing our remotes, replacing our flat screens, and replenishing our liquor cabinets, it's time to look at the playoff picture. The whole picture. We don't know what exactly the 12-person ...

Friday Roundup: The “Brian Kelly Hates the Goal Line” Edition

August 1, 2014 by Ryan Ritter

So last week, I spent a lot of time discussing how the change were good and the new FieldTurf is just one example of progress. This week, I realize that I have failed you. Just watch the final time lapse of the FieldTurf installation. Let's see if you notice it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d40pJ_tL-2I Did you see it? You probably missed it. The distraction of plastic cancer-causing grass, kickoff shamrock logos, and midfield monograms likely distracted you from the truth. Let's try ...

Just Stop Writing Dumb “Join B1G” Columns Already, Everyone

December 18, 2012 by Ryan Ritter

Ok, usually I don't get drawn offsides very much by any "Notre Dame should join X conference" articles, but this last attempt takes the cake in terms of stupidity. You can find the original by Dave Wischnowsky here, but I urge you not to click it. You'll get all the breakdown you need after the jump. ...

Friday Roundup: The “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” Edition

November 23, 2012 by Ryan Ritter

Notre Dame Football, we need to talk. Let's be honest, the past decade hasn't been kind to me or any Irish fan for that matter. Hell, we could probably go back even further than that, but I'm not going to pretend to have any major Irish memories when my age wasn't even in double digits. The point though, is that you've teased us before. We've seen the undefeated runs and the multiple "return[s] to glory" only to play Charlie Brown while you are Lucy, yanking the football away from us. ...