STANFORD, Calif -- Sunny and perfect here in the Bay Area this morning. Never before in Notre Dame history have the Fighting Irish enjoyed better weather and worse fortune for their November slate of contests.The Irish will have faced Navy and Connecticut in South Bend and Pittsburgh and Stanford on the road with each day's climate more sublime than the last. Contrast any of the four games, for example, with last year's sub-freezing snowball skirmish with Syracuse.
And yet, Notre Dame is seriously flirting with an 0-for-November record for the first time in 10 years. That 1999 November wane included, strangely enough, road losses at Pitt and Stanford. Those Irish lost the season finale in Palo Alto on a field goal as time expired, 40-37.
Nothing but blue sky overhead as I type this, but nothing but clouds of uncertainty hang over the Notre Dame program. Whither Charlie Weis? And Jimmy Clausen? Golden Tate? It is probable that tonight will be the last you'll see of them representing Notre Dame.
Consider Tate's choice for just a moment. In his junior year he has already broken the school single-season records for catches and reception yardage with one game remaining. And the person whose record he broke, Jeff Samardzija, set his marks in thirteen games back in 2006. Tate will likely have only twelve.
Should he remain in school to play for a new coach? To catch passes from an inexperienced quarterback throwing behind a relatively inexperienced offensive line? His toughest draft day competition this year is likely to be Dez Bryant (Oklahoma State) and Jordan Shipley (Texas), although who knows if Shipley will apply to the NCAA for a 7th year of eligibility.
Next year, though, A.J. Green (Georgia), Julio Jones (Alabama) and teammate Michael Floyd could all declare themselves eligible for the NFL draft. Normally, I am completely in favor of a player remaining four years in school and never subscribe to the "He's gotta go now" theory. For Golden, though, when you weigh the pros and cons of his decision, it makes sense for him to go pro.
My favorite moment from earlier today: I am sharing a hotel with the Stanford football team. When I walked through the lounge area an hour ago, Cardinal punter David Green was playing the piano. If he punts as well as he plays, the Irish punt return team is in trouble.
I'll be back later today with the tweets. Thanks for reading.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Is Clausen allowed to veto Weis when he calls for a QB sneak on 3rd and 2? Can anyone veto Weis? I veto the next shotgun draw you call, and the one after that.
STANFORD WILL BE LUCKY TO WIN TONIGHT WITH BIG EAST OFFICALS
I certainly know a game comes down to more than just one play...but why no comment about the Stanford player racing off the field on the final drive when Clausen was sacked. Both Brent & Herbie mentioned that Clausen looked like he wasn't ready for the snap but absolutely no word about why. I'm watching at home and see it and yet they don't. Drives me crazy.
Let me see if I understand this - you just had a game where the least-penalized team in the Pac-10 got 90 penalty yards to Notre Dame's 9, and you're talking about a call?
And is there any truth to the rumor that I just heard tonight that Tony Dungy is considering the Irish? If so, what an interesting possibility.
No, my point is that it's amazing to me that the TV commentators who are AT the game miss so much of what we can see just watching at home. Not the missed call, but why the center snapped the ball early. That's why I like following John's tweets - he seems to catch so much more of what the major network commentators seem to miss.
Won't miss bad tuna, won't miss JC, won't even miss GTate. Let's see if these jamokes can turn things around like they did when Holtz took over after that really bleak 1985 season. Gonna take a lot of work, gonna take even more toughness (something in dismally short supply these last 3 years), and, most of all, it's gonna take someone who can still sell ND as a special place to play college FB. This really is going to be the make or break task for the next coach-keeping ND relevant. I'm not totally sold by the Cowherds of the world that say that nobody wants to play for an independent, a northern school, an academically rigid school or a school whose past glories don't mean anything to the modern-day recruit. But a couple more years like these last 3 and it will be lights out for ND as a major FBS player, and ain't nobody ever gonna turn 'em back on again.
No, my point was not with the call, but with the lack of awareness by the commentators as to why the center snapped the ball early. It amazes me that they miss so much. That's why I like reading John's tweets - he catches the nuances of the game much more the major network guys do.
This entire season at Notre Dame has NOT BEEN CHARLIE WEIS fault, yes he is the coach, but the defensive coach sucks major league, every team that goes against this irish defense scores, offense great, but the defense really sucks game after game. If Notre Dame had a good Defense just good defense they would be undefeated. Fire Charlie, but the Defensive coach should of been gone last year.
sometimes its the coaches fault but it takes any good coach to recycle the players it usually takes 4years for their players to start shinning to lose 6 close games by 6 or less their not that far away look at all the great teams that were garbage at one time they bounce back strong but it takes commitment but now a days you have to get a championship within 3 years ,i dont balieve thats fairi say they give him another year and see from their
Kirk Ferentz should be the next head coach of ND.
Hire Gary Patterson Now! STOOPS D IS ALMOST AS BAD AS CHARLIES! GARY GETS THE RESPECT FROM HIS PLAYERS. rECRUITS AGAINST TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, AND ALL THE REST, AND STILL GETS GREAT TALENT. Hire the best coach now. GARY PATTERSON TCU!
Notre Dames Defense was a non-factor all year. Except 28, 89, 58, and 5 who only played half the time. But Charlie let the defensive cord run the show. I was waiting for someone else who could tackle on the team to step forward, it did not happen.They played guys who ran away from the ball. I can not remember a Notre Dame tackle made shoulder pad to below the waste all year. Number 22 liked to go for a ride any time he was near a play. Fire them all.Forget telling kidds they will play if they come to Notre Dame, let them complete for the job, play your best players,no more promises.