This is quite a milestone for us, and considering that we aren’t connected to a blogging network, have struggled through growing pains like server moves, redesigns, and crashes, this is simply awesome — especially considering we have a full month to go in 2012!

I would like to personally thank all of our staff for all of their hard work on the blog and behind the scenes. This doesn’t happen without their dedication.

I would also like to thank anyone that has ever linked us, shared our work, or suggested to people that they come drop on by. Of course huge thanks are in order to NDNation, One Foot Down, The Subway Domer, and Inside the Irish for consistently linking our work through their sites and Twitter. A special thanks to the Strong and True blog as well for coming into the blogging game in all their official glory and showing us some link love as well.

Of course, there are loads of others that have shared our work, and they are too numerous to name. Trust me, it’s very appreciated.

And finally, a thanks to the Loyal Readers that continue to come here every day to read our work and talk Irish football with us. I can’t thank all of y’all enough. It’s just going to keep on getting better from here!

The Roundup

The coaching carousel has started. One Foot Down has a good overview to get you caught up.

Happy trails, Monte Kiffin. I have a feeling USC fans are wishing a different Kiffin is leaving though.

There is one other game of musical chairs going on. The ACC needed a replacement for Maryland and they found one in the Cards.

Law & Order: Teabagging. Remember that Alabama idiot that put his junk on the face of a passed out LSU fan? Well, he’s about to enjoy two years of prison. Want a do-over there, buddy?

You realize there is going to be a drug test right? Here’s a suggestion, Honey Badger, lay off the weed so you don’t screw this up too.

We can never have too many #HEISMANTI posts. Here’s a fantastic (and long) piece that John Walters put together for UND.com.

Put These Games on Your Radar

#2 Alabama vs #3 Georgia, SEC Championship, 4:00pm EST, CBS -Pretty simple, future scouting of ND’s future opponent. Should be a great one.

#11 Oklahoma @ TCU, 12pm EST, ESPN/WatchESPN – Should be a good start to the day and if OU wins, they could win the Big XII title if…

#18 Texas @ #6 Kansas State, 8:00pm EST, ABC – …Texas manages to pull this game off.

And a special, FRIDAY game:

#21 Northern Illinois vs #17 Kent State, MAC Championship, 7:00pm EST, ESPN/WatchESPN – Thought I was going for the Pac 12 Championship didn’t you? Nah, we’ve seen that game already, settle in for some MACtion and possible BCS hilarity. If Kent State wins, they might actually find their way into a BCS game as well.

Predictions

Closest to the Pin – Week 12

Well, the regular season is over and Twibby takes the last win coming scarily close with his 22-13 prediction. Only one more to make, but until January, here are your standings:

Bayou likely has the title in hand; however, an exact prediction by either Biscuit or Twibby will mean a tie for first.

The Beer

I know Biscuit hates when I tap into my Texas roots and suggest a Shiner beer, but I’m going to do it anyway.

With Winter now upon us, the ever so delicious Shiner Cheer is available once again. If you can get this, I cannot recommend it enough:

This brew is easily my favorite Shiner seasonal. I’m usually not a fan of sweet brews, but this is an exception. Peaches and roasted pecans are the major players here and they are delicious.

Plus, this is definitely a season full of cheer: a shot at the title and a basketball team off to a great start.

P.S. If you are a current student right now, I hate you so much, you lucky bastards.

The post Friday Roundup: The “One Miiiiiiiiiiillion…” Edition appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

So after a decade away these two teams, now both in the top ten, are set to face off in one of the biggest games of the season. And Sooner fans are…out for blood?

Perhaps this is all due to the hype machine being cranked into severe overdrive, but the amount of venom coming from Norman is flying at the rate of a freshly tapped oil geyser. Bottled up since the aforementioned streak-snapping game of 1957, the hate has exploded. With no wins against the Irish since then, proper “vengeance” has yet to be exacted on Notre Dame and Oklahoma must claim it!

And the college football world says that Notre Dame fans live in the past…

Several different posts and articles have been publish this week with such a theme. They range from understandable sports pain stemming from 1957 to downright calling Notre Dame cheaters and thieves.

The South and football, y’all, serious business.

I started collecting these articles earlier in the week for the Roundup, but the sheer amount is so much that I’m actually going to split the Roundup into multiple sections. The Sooner Irish-hating will get their own special little section this week (feel better there, big guy?) and the usual Roundup will follow after.

As far as my own thoughts on all this hate…well, I’ll just let the next section speak for itself…

OU MAD?

Refusing to vote for Regan because he played the Gipper is totally logical! This was the first article that started this mess. And my God, is it full of gold. The Irish victory in 1957 inspired vandalism on barns, made mothers cry, caused people to lose respect for the state of Oklahoma, and is actually equated to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. These are all things Sooner fans actually said. I’m not embellishing any of this.

Pretty sure this guy was fired from the Bleacher Report. A poorly researched, trash article that serves little to no purpose — and you don’t even have a numbered list that’s a slideshow?! For shame. Also, don’t forget to drop by comments and watch an OU fan try to explain their sub-50% graduation rate on the singular fact that OU produces more NFL talent than ND…even though ND currently has 4 more players in the NFL than OU does. Details, so heavily biased in ND’s favor.

So no one can remember where exactly Lou saw a sign, let’s call it theft! Reading this entire piece is just hilarious. It starts as clear click-bait for Irish hating clicks with the quote of a Sooner fan claiming said theft and then ends with one Oklahoman being all “welp, didn’t think about it much, thought everyone had one.”

My mom said the Irish cheated so it must be true. I kid you not, that’s the argument — in full. Notre Dame is a bunch of cheater McCheaterpants.

Hey, Barry, the ND hating articles are getting a lot of clicks, throw another one together. It’s fine if it’s comprised of nothing but fan feedback. Yes, even if they think CBS is the channel ND plays football on and that Nebraska left the Big XII because ND refused to join the big ten. Just run with it. Gold, Barry, gold.

OU students may not be into this as much as the older fans. Proof.

And now switching gears to return fire…

OU discipline: send a strong message and suspend a starting defensive linemen until the ND game is done. Oh crap, ND is good? Uh, SUSPENSION LIFTED!

All you need to know about Norman, pretty much ever. Spoiler alert: the law about eating someone else’s hamburger is pretty much the only interesting thing.

Here’s the closest the Sooners will get to the title this season. Then it’ll go to WalMart.

Finally, OU’s president wants to be the peacemaker. I guess he’s worried things might get out of hand. Whatever — I’ve been to games in the Big House, Sparty’s backyard, and at Southern Cal. Do your worst.

The Roundup

For those heading to Norman, here is your itinerary. I’ll out there Saturday with the ND Club of Dallas, so hopefully I see some of y’all out there.

It isn’t all about the big plays. A friend of mine did a nice bit of research on the big play potential of OU and how ND has fared this season. Great read and a great take on how the game could play out. He did a follow up on how K-State took OU apart as well.

Trick Shot Monday is on notice. The ND hockey team has thrown down an impressive gauntlet.

Speaking of hockey, the Compton Family Ice Center is quite impressive. Don’t just take our word for it. A third party has given it rave reviews.

Now joining the family of badass athletic facilities: Fencing. Well deserved for a program that has won its fair share of national titles.

Running on the field without a plan isn’t a good idea. If you run out onto the field in the middle of a play and just kind slowly jog while waving your shirt around, you’re going to have a bad time.

I’m glad we got to the bottom of Texas’ problems. Mack Brown blames the Longhorn Network. Yes, it makes about as much sense as you’d think.

SEC! SEC! SEC! Over seven grand at a strip club? Just expense it.

Law & Order: Honey Badger. Yep, he still don’t care.

That’s so Kiffin. Don’t worry, this doesn’t look shady at all, Lane.

Put These Games on Your Radar

Twibby’s Marquee Matchup of the Week is the Notre Dame game this week. Here’s how to pass the time until Sooner tears flow again:

Temple @ Pittsburgh, 12pm EST, ESPN3 (WatchESPN) – Yeah, the noon games suck. Scout next week’s opponent.

#2 Florida vs #10 Georgia, 3:30pm EST, CBS – The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party will likely cannibalize one of these SEC teams out of the top ten. Georgia is still liking their wounds after the ‘Ol Ball Coach rained a beatdown on them. If there was ever a great chance for them to play spoiler, this is it.

#14 Texas Tech vs #3 Kansas State, 3:30pm EST, FOX – Texas Tech’s “top” defense is starting to look like a myth after the games TCU and OU have put up against them. It’ll be interesting to see how K-State approaches this game.

Predictions

Tex

I’ve gone back and forth on this prediction. I marked this as a no doubt loss preseason, but OU has proven to be more than beatable thanks to K-State. And you know, 7-0 is a horrible time to stop drinking the koolaid. Irish defense makes a statement to the entire nation, again.

20 – 13 ND

Biscuit

Leprechauns once again:

Stoops is back. There are a lot of injuries. But this game happens late enough where the Sooners should be able to get their depth chart figured out, and young guys will have more experience. This is, also, the #4 team in the country pre-season. This is, also, in Norman. ND will also be at the end of a pretty long grind, though the 2nd half against BYU will be a decent rest to add to the 4 hour long nap we all take when we play Purzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Anyway, if this were at home, I’d paint a different picture. But assuming Rees isn’t the QB, this will be a first-season starter in a big, hostile environment. This will be a top 15 opponent for sure (though we will also be ranked), and it will be an electric atmosphere. I think it’s a bit much for the team this Fall. But we perform admirably and don’t slide much in the polls.

ND Drops Another 34 – 21

2 Leprechauns for the Sooners.

Bayou

Irish 21 OU 17

Twibby

Irish 24, Sooners 21

Grantland-X

I’m really bringing up the rear with these score predictions…time to change that. 27-16 Irish

Closest to the Pin Week 7

All of us were very, very far off the mark last week. Twibby’s prediction was the best of the worst. Let us never speak of week 7 predictions again.

Leaderboard

The Beer

I really enjoyed the last time we had suggestions coming in from the comment section. Considering that we are all so spread out, I figure we should do this more often. I’ll pick a style of beer, and sound off on your favorite that can be found in your area.

Since the month of October is coming to an end and the time for winter brews are fast approaching, we should enjoy the Oktoberfest brews while they still last. I’ve previously professed my preference for Shiner’s Oktoberfest (and St. Arnold’s is pretty damn good too), but let me know your favorite Märzen style brew in the comments below.

GO IRISH!

The post Friday Roundup: The “OU Mad?” Edition appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.