I reject the idea that there was any sincere concern that the Irish Guard lost its musical roots. While the official history tells us that the original Guard, formed in 1949, consisted of bag-pipers, by 1954, they abandoned musical performance altogether. Instead, they focused on people-moving, initially on moving Notre Dame students who blocked the way to the Field House and threatened to crush band-members in their exuberance to get a good seat. As recently as 2010, Assistant Band Director Larry Dwyer noted that the Irish Guard are instructed to move people out of the way of the band, “with care, but they’re also instructed to get it done.”

I also note that discipline problems have been dealt with in the past. Well-publicized episodes of bad behavior in 1987, 1992, and 2007 made the pages of Scholastic and national television on NBC and Sports Center. Still, the Guard carried on. In fact, in a Scholastic article appearing in 1998, then-director Dr. Luther Snavely admitted to knowing of the existence of initiation practices among the Guard, but that they were “a secret to the guys and the organization.”

While every member of the Irish Guard save its Captain was required to tryout for his (or her) job each season, the presence of veterans among the ranks gave the Irish Guard a uniformity, consistency, and institutional-knowledge that gave meaning to their traditions, and purpose to their steps. All elite units rely on these basics of esprit de corps and discipline, on the fact that they are, in fact, different from, or better than, the rest. Everyone knows what “green beret” implies. So, too, the Legionnaire’s kepi has an immediate impact to the viewer. To remove institutional memory from the Irish Guard will be to diminish the importance of its traditions and lore. It will be the first step in removing the traditions and the group altogether.

This may be Dr. Dye’s purpose. At $2,000 per kit, it’s expensive to suit up the ten Guardsmen and if they lose the height and appearance requirements, I don’t doubt that cost will soon be used to justify further watering-down, either by reducing the number of Guardsmen or by taking away uniform items. A designed life-span of one or two seasons is a terrible idea when applied to a unit whose official use has been to move people. Marching into a crush of people is scary the first time you do it, and removing those who’ve done it before is a bad idea, especially for the upcoming season, which will have no returning Guardsmen.

The Irish Guard means something to Notre Dame and it’s unfair to create a squad of square-jawed men (and women) whose job it is to be different and aggressive and then take away the characteristics that allowed them to do its job. Closing the Guard to non-members will ensure that Dr. Dye’s control over the group is unquestioned and unchallenged. Closing the Guard down, though, may be his ultimate goal.

The post Gutting the Guard appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

I’m sure the police asked why he decided just sitting around with pilfered seafood was a good idea. Well, Molly and I put our heads together and figured that it went something like this…

Via @RussellSauve

The crab legs is always sweeter
When it’s something you just take.
You dream about paying up here
But that is a big mistake.
Just look at the crab around you
Right inside Publix’s door.
No on is looking at you
Just swipe ’em and run out the store!

Down here free crawfish, so happy
With ’em out the door I roll.
Paying for crawfish ain’t happy.
Why pay when I won the bowl?
Auburn in the bowl ain’t lucky.
They in for a worser fate.
One day when they all get hungry,
They gotta pay for their plate!

See Duke is a fluke,
And Wake? They are cake,
The ‘Pack got ’em back,
Ain’t no worries there.
The Heels? No big deal,
VaTech? They’re a wreck,
And Clemson is Clemsoning.
The ‘Canes ain’t no thing,
And Pitt should just quit,
The Cards will be charred,
Oh ‘Cuse gonna lose,
The Hoos and the Bees,
They’ll fall to their knees.
An’ of course BC blows!

In the ACC!
In the ACC!
When the seafood
Becomes the free food
Get in my belly!
What do they got? A price to pay?
We got a grand theft getaway!
Each little clam here
Don’t cost a damn here
In the ACC!
Each little shrimp here
Cash you can skimp here
In the ACC!
Each little fish here
It don’t cost ish here
In the ACC!
Paper or plastic
Nah, we don’t bag it
We got the bag man
On the speed dial, man
In the ACC!

—————–

One of our loyal readers, Candice, had a different take:

Yes, this is one of my worst photoshop jobs. You’re welcome.

(Maybe the police are right. Maybe there is something the matter with me.
I just don’t see how a world of such wonderful things could cost money.)

Look at this stuff
Isn’t it neat?
Wouldn’t you think my collection’s complete?
Wouldn’t you think I’m the guy,
The guy who has everything?
Look at this NC ring,
Don’t mean a thing-
How many wonders can one dorm room hold?
Looking at my heissman, you’d think-
Sure, he’s got everything.
I’ve got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty
I’ve got whozits and whatzits galore
You want thingamabobs?
I’ve got twenty!
But who cares?
No big deal
I want crabs!

I wanna be where the crab legs are.
I wanna see, wanna see them dancin.’
Walking around on those – what do you call ’em?
Oh – legs!

Spendin’ your money, you don’t get too far.
Cash is required for eating, drinking,
Paying all those – what’s that word again?
Bills!

I won’t just walk, I’m gonna run,
After I’ve practiced all day in the sun.
Who cares if Publix loses a few bucks?
Crabs should be free!

What would I give if I could have free crablegs daily?
What would I pay to dip them in butter? (Nothing)
Bet’cha the bag boys understand.
Bet they don’t reprimand a player.
Bright young athletes sick of payin’
Ready to eat!

I’m ready to go to Publix now.
Ask ’em for crab legs  and get some butter.
What’s a pot and how does it – what’s the word?
Boil?

Why should I pay?
Shouldn’t my play, my skills earn me free nice things?
Out of the sea.
Crabs should be free.
Crabs should be free!

The Roundup

Penn State, why do you do this to yourself. Fresh off an absolutely horrid sexual abuse scandal/cover up, this is the guy you decided to hire?!

Looks like the NCAA is ready to head back to court. They’ve, quite predictably, appealed the O’Bannon case.

Let’s have some happier news, shall we? Like a walk on kicker getting the surprise of his life.

Ever wanted to step into the mind of Lane Kiffin? Someone found his playbook for a UCLA game. He actually put fUCLA in it.

More changes are coming to ND. This time, the Irish Guard is getting the overhaul.

And now your moment of Nix… ND coaches and Jack Swarbrick reading athlete tweets:

[youtube id=”wIMguh6-x7I”]

The Booze

So I decided to actually look up what booze Publix had on sale for poor Jameis. I mean, if you’re stealing food, you are saving money for beer right? I’m hoping he sprung for the Dos Equis at $11.99 for a 12 pack. That’s $1 per beer. I’d feel like I was stealing from Publix too, Jameis.

The post Friday Roundup: The “Stealing, Disney Style” Edition appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.