The Easiest: Navy Yes, Navy! Before readers attempt to tar and feather me - or worse - I’m going with the Midshipman for a couple of reasons. But wait, what about the vaunted option attack and Ken Niumatalolo’s offense? Remember the years Notre Dame has struggled with it? Consider this: In the last five meetings with Navy, Notre Dame’s average margin of victory has been 22.6 points. This includes a decisive 41-24 victory last year against a Navy team that featured Heisman Trophy ...
Miami
Film Session: Notre Dame vs. Miami, 1990
The Miami-Notre Dame series, while largely dominated by Notre Dame, was full of excitement in the late 1980s. Whether it was the unforgivable 58-7 humiliation that was Gerry Faust’s last game or the near riot prior to the 1988 thriller, the games were hard-hitting, emotion-fueled, big-play dramas. While games in both 1988 and 1989 largely decided the national championship, the 1990 game was actually ranked #3 by fans for the best games in Notre Dame Stadium in a 2005 poll. It also played a ...
What Should The Yearly Expectations Be For ND Football?
What is good enough for Notre Dame? I was a child of the Lou Holtz years, when Notre Dame was in the hunt for a national title almost every season. That has not been the case at any point since Holtz left. In this article, I'm going to look at some of the stated "hurdles" and determine if they're relevant. Then, I'm going to answer: What is a reasonable expectation for Notre Dame football on an annual basis? Schedule “We won nine games two years out of the five. I think the difficulty is ...
Friday Roundup: The “Trick or Treat: Here’s a Podcast” Episode
Earlier this week, it was brought to my attention that quite a few of y'all were not aware that the Friday Roundup went podcast a few months ago. Firstly, y'all are all totally busted for not having read the Roundup in ages, but secondly it made me re-think how I've been marketing this thing. Thus, the title of this week's episode which (I hope) makes it incredibly clear that there is yet another podcast for you to consume. While Notre Dame will get its fair share of air time every week, the ...
Friday Roundup: The “Winter Is Coming” Edition
No, this isn't another Game of Thrones gag. I did that already. However, I couldn't think of a more appropriate line than the motto of House Stark to describe the impending offseason. After Monday night, a new king of college football will be crowned and the winter of college football will hit immediately and September 5 will seem as if it is years away. We will stay warm and feed our football hunger with the bits and pieces that come from the never-ending news cycle. The fires of HLS will ...
The Louis Nix III Experience
At first it seems impossible to capture the essence and impact of Louis Nix on the Notre Dame Football program and fan-base. The depth of his tenure in South Bend is legendary in a way that almost seems void of a quality comparison. Why is it that we love to cheer for our All-American nose guard in manner unlike any other current or former Irish player? What is it about Louis Nix III that touches ND fans in such an astoundingly positive way? Bring up his name in front of any Domer and their ...
Good Fridays w/Padre: You Got a Motto
I like a good motto. So, for me, one of the few bright spots of our July 1 union with our new Conference (as I am inherently suspicious of all conferences), is that it comes with a catchy motto: The Journey Begins. Every place, every event should have a motto with a nice ring to it. We have several. ...
Good Fridays w/Padre: Atlantis Found
“When criticizing a Catholic institution, be sure to troop out quaint stereotypes so that your comments contain vague accusations of sacrilege or apostasy, and the humorous implication that its leaders are, in fact, just bad Catholics.” At least that’s what I presume is written in the general press conference guidelines down at Arizona State. Or maybe the athletic director has one of those desk calendars that gives a new piece of advice for every day of the year. But if that’s the case, he ...
Where Are They Now? Derek Brown
Derek Vernon Brown, the legendary tight end on Notre Dame’s 1988 national title team, spent most of his childhood on the move. His father, who worked for IBM, was often forced to relocate, with Brown following suit. In fact, he had lived in Virginia, California, Texas, Washington DC, Georgia, and even England (the country!), all before he was eight years old. He is a man of many firsts -- a first team All-American and a first round draft pick, Brown took his Notre Dame triumphs with him to the ...
Good Fridays w/Padre: Blessed
I’m too old to play. The game is too complicated for me to coach. But I’ve been working out my blessing arm and I’m ready to play to my strength. This is the National Championship, so I’m a blessing machine. You name it, I’ve blessed it. But I invite all loyal readers to let me know what else needs blessing. Here are the rules. ...