An LA View on South Bend
This is officially the 50th post at Fleece the Pig, Flog the Pony!
Anyone who knows me from ChiSoxBlog, knows that I'm quite the optimist; I held onto the belief that the Sox would squeak by and reach the playoffs as long as possible. Although my beloved Bruins are nowhere near as talented, on paper, as my even more beloved Sox were, I still have hope for a win. Not a ton off hope, but I can dream, can't I?
The prevailing thought about our chances aren't that great. LA fans seem to be realists more than dreamers, but I say where there's a will, there's a way. We are after all, playing the team that ended our 88 game winning streak in basketball. (Yes, 88 game winning streak, how ridiculous is that?). If we learned anything from that game it's that no win is guarenteed. Just ask Auburn who slipped up against Arkansas or Arizona who choked against the Bears.
When I say LA fans are realists, I mean in general. I do have friends who are making the pilgrimage to South Bend and are fully expecting a win. I met a Mexican family at a tailgate who said they were going in for the Notre Dame game and to quote the patriarch of the family, "Man, I hope we win, but if not, fuck it, at least we'll get drunk." The full spectrum is represented, but I think most people, if they are brutally honest will tell you they're not expecting great things tomorrow.
I don't know what to expect, to be honest. I've seen this team look alternately great and alternately Duke-ish (we're talking about football, remember), often times in the same game. UCLA kicked off the season as underdogs against Utah, and proceeded to demolish the Utes. They also looked like a damn good team for the first half of the Washington game, but then decided that a half of football was good enough and lost the game. (Washington is a good team; if they had 5 more seconds or any sense of clock management they would have knocked off the Trojans)
Honestly, it'll probably come down to quarterback play. If we can contain Brady Quinn and get a good game from our backup Patrick Cowan, we'll be in good shape. That's a big if though. Quinn is probably the most polished QB in the college game; he may not be the best overall, but he's up there. The D-line needs to get pressure on Brady, which they are fully capable of. Hickmon alone could wreak havoc in the backfield, and if he plays up to his potential, he could make things quite a bit more difficult for the Irish.
The defense is actually our strength this year. We're not the high-scoring machine of last year. We lost Olson (Drew that is), Mercedes Lewis, and Maurice Drew. This year we had Ben Olson, the former top QB recruit, but he hurt his knee so we're down to Patick Cowan. In relief of Olson against Arizona he looked great; he actually looked to be an upgrade, that is until he played against Oregon. He was seriously dismal last week, so it's up in the air as to what we should expect.
If only we could merge last year's offense with this year's defense; it would be NCAA title number 100 for the Bruins, but oh well. If Cowan sucks it up, we gotta hang our hopes on Chris Markey (pronounced like Marquee) who is a solid running back and has some speed to burn. If I'm Notre Dame I'm stacking the line to stop Markey, and forcing Cowan to win the game.
So there are a lot of ifs that need to go our way if the Golden Domers are to go down, but it's not too big of a longshot. The Bruins could pull it out and make my football teams 2-0 against ND. (I was raised a Michigan football fan). But if they lose or if they get stomped on, please Notre Dame, do me the small favor of beating USC, yah, that other team from LA.
(8-Clap Time)
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh
*Clap**Clap**Clap**Clap**Clap**Clap**Clap**Clap*
U!
*Clap**Clap**Clap*
C!
*Clap**Clap**Clap*
Lllllllllll*Clap**Clap**Clap*llllll
A!
*Clap**Clap**Clap*
U-C-L-A
Fight, fight, fight!
Anyone who knows me from ChiSoxBlog, knows that I'm quite the optimist; I held onto the belief that the Sox would squeak by and reach the playoffs as long as possible. Although my beloved Bruins are nowhere near as talented, on paper, as my even more beloved Sox were, I still have hope for a win. Not a ton off hope, but I can dream, can't I?
The prevailing thought about our chances aren't that great. LA fans seem to be realists more than dreamers, but I say where there's a will, there's a way. We are after all, playing the team that ended our 88 game winning streak in basketball. (Yes, 88 game winning streak, how ridiculous is that?). If we learned anything from that game it's that no win is guarenteed. Just ask Auburn who slipped up against Arkansas or Arizona who choked against the Bears.
When I say LA fans are realists, I mean in general. I do have friends who are making the pilgrimage to South Bend and are fully expecting a win. I met a Mexican family at a tailgate who said they were going in for the Notre Dame game and to quote the patriarch of the family, "Man, I hope we win, but if not, fuck it, at least we'll get drunk." The full spectrum is represented, but I think most people, if they are brutally honest will tell you they're not expecting great things tomorrow.
I don't know what to expect, to be honest. I've seen this team look alternately great and alternately Duke-ish (we're talking about football, remember), often times in the same game. UCLA kicked off the season as underdogs against Utah, and proceeded to demolish the Utes. They also looked like a damn good team for the first half of the Washington game, but then decided that a half of football was good enough and lost the game. (Washington is a good team; if they had 5 more seconds or any sense of clock management they would have knocked off the Trojans)
Honestly, it'll probably come down to quarterback play. If we can contain Brady Quinn and get a good game from our backup Patrick Cowan, we'll be in good shape. That's a big if though. Quinn is probably the most polished QB in the college game; he may not be the best overall, but he's up there. The D-line needs to get pressure on Brady, which they are fully capable of. Hickmon alone could wreak havoc in the backfield, and if he plays up to his potential, he could make things quite a bit more difficult for the Irish.
The defense is actually our strength this year. We're not the high-scoring machine of last year. We lost Olson (Drew that is), Mercedes Lewis, and Maurice Drew. This year we had Ben Olson, the former top QB recruit, but he hurt his knee so we're down to Patick Cowan. In relief of Olson against Arizona he looked great; he actually looked to be an upgrade, that is until he played against Oregon. He was seriously dismal last week, so it's up in the air as to what we should expect.
If only we could merge last year's offense with this year's defense; it would be NCAA title number 100 for the Bruins, but oh well. If Cowan sucks it up, we gotta hang our hopes on Chris Markey (pronounced like Marquee) who is a solid running back and has some speed to burn. If I'm Notre Dame I'm stacking the line to stop Markey, and forcing Cowan to win the game.
So there are a lot of ifs that need to go our way if the Golden Domers are to go down, but it's not too big of a longshot. The Bruins could pull it out and make my football teams 2-0 against ND. (I was raised a Michigan football fan). But if they lose or if they get stomped on, please Notre Dame, do me the small favor of beating USC, yah, that other team from LA.
(8-Clap Time)
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh
*Clap**Clap**Clap**Clap**Clap**Clap**Clap**Clap*
U!
*Clap**Clap**Clap*
C!
*Clap**Clap**Clap*
Lllllllllll*Clap**Clap**Clap*llllll
A!
*Clap**Clap**Clap*
U-C-L-A
Fight, fight, fight!
posted by Jeeves at 2:38 AM
17 Comments:
haha, Nordie's the one that wanted dat dere sheeet.
But he may regret it if we win. We're up 14-10 at the moment!
yeah, dickie, I asked jeeves for an "insider" perspective
i didn't realize I'd be wanting to delete the whole game
echoes awoken, and jeeves, I'd rather have the win be versus Michigan
and I currently don't have a voice
from the Bears to this, I need a valium
Jesus, and no I don't mean touchdown jesus. The Bruins pulled a friggin' Cardinals-esque performance.
All I can say is I love prevent defenses.
F'ing Brady Quinn.
50 posts! Awesome! Thanks again, Jeeves, for the help.
And thanks readers! You guys are the best.
As much as I want to blame the prevent defense, I gotta give credit to Quinn. He led his team down the field in all of like three plays. It was incredible, how quickly and efficiently he got them down there.
Since I spent all my time looking for the Illini on TV (no I didn't) I missed the UCLA vs. ND Acronym Bowl. I hear tell it was quite the event; not for the faint of heart. It seems the lads from EAST Indiana had quite the comeback. Too bad, whenever they don't do well we are all treated to their alumni talking about how the high admittance standards make it hard to get the "good athletes" because "the blacks have a hard time with the tests".
Speaking of a hard time with tests, next up for the mighty South Benders is the powerhouse that is Navy football.
Hey, Dickie, don't forget the legend that was Jeff George! Maybe Jason Whitlock can type up a retrospective for F&F.
Yeah, Double-U, don't forget the Illini lost to Indiana. At least the Irish's last two losses have come at the hands of the #1 & #2 teams in the BCS.
The Illini's everlasting legacy has, ironically, little to do with my favorite NFL team, but everything to do with the local franchise.
You speak of Red Grange. Ever notice the similarity of colors between Illinois and the Bears? As a bonus for Red Grange happiness, Halas, who always liked the colors, made them team uni colors. Remember, the Bears used to be the Decataur Staleys. (Staley was the company team name.)
Idiot's Note: I read all of this a while ago. I guarantee none of it for accuracy. That would require research. The truth is out there. And maybe partially here. If you have read this far you can read enoguh to find the story yourself. Now go, and leave me to my sad dreams of Jason Verduzco. I root for the Illini because it is my state's school, not because they are a bandwagon school.
Besides, just wait for basketball, and let us wish ND good luck in this year's NIT.
If proximity is the question then you better start rooting for St. Xavier, brother. And as far as I can tell, ND is the furthest thing from a bandwagon school. Doesn't everyone hate ND, not unlike the Yankees?
And one more thing: "enoguh"? Why, mister perfection, what ever do you mean by that?
Don't forget the Kurt Kitner era that led the Illini to a sugar bowl birth.
And an absolute dismantling in said Sugar Bowl by Josh Reed and LSU.
Dickie, I bow to you! That was excellent.
I had to neglect the Kurt Kittner success because it would inevitably reference the Sugar Bowl failure.
I saw the misspelling upon rereading and cringed at my ineptitude.
Jimmy, it isn't about proximity, per se. It's more about cheering for our state's biggest universitarial representative.
Yes, everybody WHO ISN"T ON THE BANDWAGON does hate Notre Dame, just like the Yanke(r)s. The issue is that ND IS one of those schools/teams that get bandwagons, like Boston(Red Sox), Michigan, Florida, FSU, Duke (b-ball), North Carolina (B-ball), etc. It's not that those teams shouldn't have any fans, or just local fans. My problem is with people who could root for, say, Duke, but don't know what state it's in, or think Notre Dame is a city in Indiana. People liking something because everybody else does is always a little (or more) scary of a concept for me to observe, let alone embrace. If this doesn't reflect you in particular, than you needn't take offense. My venom is aimed at the mindless masses that control far to much of our societal ether. I just want fans to put the slightest thought forth about who they root for and why.
To quote Sting (of Police era) in one of the best sociological observations of almost any period: "Packed like lemmings into shiny metal boxes, contestants in a suicidal race."
Now, can somebody help me down from this soapbox? I don't know how I got this high.
Post Script: The ENOGUH thing would be funnier about the whole coming out if it wasn't against the backdrop of a Catholic university. If any more Irish-Catholics "come out" people might forget the drinking thing entirely.
See Jimmy; homosexuality and ethnic slander. I too can be politically incorrect.
I wouldn't go attend Notre Dame if they gave me a full scholarship for all six and a half years of undergraduate school (I'm being ambitous there).
Really guys, some help here off the soapbox. I'm getting woozy up here. Guys? Helloooo....
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