At this time in July, as families travel across the country, grade-school children catalog their new experiences so they can write those all-important “what I did on my summer vacation” essays. At this very same time, across America, sports journalists are sloughing off the blackened husks that used to be their integrity and are skimming the sewers of half-truths and scurrilous gossip, as they prepare to smear Notre Dame in the style of angry chimpanzees with handfuls of their own filth. This ...
You're So Predictable
The Absurdity of K-State Above ND
We all know the polls are dumb. I don't mean any individuals are dumb (which is also likely) but that the collective group is. They lack data, they don't pay attention to data if they do have it, and their own biases impact everything. It's kind of a silly system, and the current ranking of ND behind K-State is also silly. This is a rock. We have a golden dome with Jesus' mom on it. C'MON! Here's why. Let's take a look at a few data points to evaluate the order here: 1. ...
You’re So Predictable: Opening Weekend FAIL
Three traditionally major college football programs (including 1 with real student-athletes), have an actual opportunity to suffer an opening weekend loss because their programs are in some sort of state of flux. One hopes to take the momentum from a bowl game all the way through the offseason. One hopes the first freshman starting QB doesn't end an era. One hopes their coach doesn't embarrass them by crying because then he might get embarrassed himself and make the team run more. A lot ...
You’re So Predictable: 2010 Irish Draftees
Our announcement of the ND vs. Opposition Draft, coupled with this post over on UHND, reminded me of this post we did a year ago looking at draft talent in ND's upper classes and this post from this past spring looking at the poor state of draftable players on the 2008 squad (again, keep in mind, we were looking at the more senior classes) where we proposed a thought-experiment: What sort of ratio of wins-to-2010-draftees would that represent? Go ahead and throw your guesses down in the ...
A passing in the Notre Dame/NBC family
Sadly, NBC and Notre Dame will be missing a familiar face when this season eventually, finally, rolls around. Bea Arthur has left the building. Silky coiffed Bea Arthur waves "So long" to an indifferent crowd of well-wishers. Soon after the cancellation of her hit sit-com Golden Girls, Arthur found her way to another passion: Notre Dame football. Assuming a nom de télévision, Arthur worked alongside former USC quarterback and elf Pat Haden to bring her wry wit, ...
You’re So Predictable: 2009 B&G Game
Once again, Notre Dame will utilize Bizzaro Rules for their Blue and Gold game. And really, I'm not opposed to the idea because it seems to enable the coaching staff to utilize the game as an actual practice rather than some sort of dog and pony show. Still, it makes keeping track of the score a bit tricky, so naturally we're asking y'all to predict the score and the final outcome... [poll id="20"] ...
You’re So Predictable: Loser Mentalities
F it. We're bring this "Very Special, Man Up Edition" of You're So Predictable because we just can't stand the cloud of pathetic from which so many Irish fans seem to be taking hits. You sissies! The Irish are going to win this damn game or my name isn't domer.mq! Who's with me? [poll id="17"] ...
You’re So Predictable: Best Running Back We’ll See All Year
Last week, y'all guessed that Ty Willingham would mismanage his way to 2 Delay of Game penalties against the Irish. And you were wrong! I guess Ty is a better coach than you gave him credit for, eh? This week, Notre Dame faces the best running back on the 2008 Schedule: LeSean McCoy. A man so talented, he can make Dave Wannstedt appear non-stupid on occasion (if and only if Dave remembers to just give LeSean the damn ball). A talent so great he gets 4, count 'em, FOUR capital letters on ...
You’re So Predictable: Poor Game Management
Last week you did a pathetic job, predicting that Southern Cal would not beat a team who had to hold open try-outs for a QB roster spot by at least 42 points. Also pathetic: Last week Washington started the first drive of the game with a delay of game penalty. It was mind blowing. It was stunning. And if you were a Notre Dame fan, you were just surprised they didn't also get hit with a penalty for too many men on the field because you know all too well that delay of game penalties to ...
You’re So Predictable: Spreadable Spreads
Last weekend, we saw some really intriguing match-ups. Texas v. Okalhoma lived up to the billing. UNC v. Notre Dame, while terribly disappointing, was quite entertaining. LSU v. Florida... okay, not so much. But hey, what a barn-burner Michigan (sucks!) v. Toledo proved to be! This week, we've got some match-ups that are so uninteresting that we actually have to look at the Vegas point spreads to find some intrigue. Last week, some of you did pretty well, guessing that Vandy is a great ...