IRISH Men’s Lacrosse - Congratulations!

Notre Dame 12  Cornell 7.

Welcome to the Finals.  Good Luck Irish!

To Coach Kevin Corrigan and the entire Notre Dame Men’s Lacrosse Team, great effort in the NCAA Tournament. 

Thank You from Subway Alumni's Everywhere.

ND vs. Duke W,11-7

ND vs. Penn State W, 12-8

ND vs. Loyola MD W, 11-9

ND vs. Drexel L, 7-6 (OT)

ND vs. Fairfield L, 10-8

ND vs. Denver W, 14,7

ND vs. Ohio State W, 7-6 (OT)

ND vs. Rutgers L, 10-8

ND vs. Villanova L, 9-8

ND vs. Georgetown L, 11-8

ND vs. Providence W, 11-3

ND vs. St. John’s W, 13-6

ND vs. Syracuse L, 12-6

ND vs. Princeton W, 8-5 NCAA First Round

ND vs. Maryland W, 7-5 NCAA Quarterfinals

ND vs. Cornell W, 12-7 NCAA Semifinals

ND vs. Duke      NCAA Finals

The Terrible Curse of the Notre Dame Tight End

1973 Sugar Bowl - Tom Clements

Is the Curse contagious? What is it? Who placed the Curse on the Irish to begin with? Is it centered on individual stupidity? How do you get rid of it?  Is Brian Kelly also to be plagued by the Curse? So many questions, so few answers until now!

The terrible Tight End Curse has infected both Charlie Weis and now Brian Kelly. Will it ever go away?

You set an offense based upon multiple and varied formations utilizing a tall, talented tight end to both block and receive. The tight end is not just for show or deception, but also to block the corner blitzer and to get open over the middle from where the linebackers have strayed. The offense expects to exploit this option and formation to have it available on every play. Something the defense has to take into account on every single down as well.

What are needed are good hands, great body strength to fight off defensive ends and linebacker blitzing but also good size and speed. Team depth at this position is key. Three capable sets of hands and shoulders are ideal. A sophomore, a junior, a senior, the perfect combination of experience, teaching and continuity.

The history of the Tight End Curse:

The latest victim of the Curse is Brian Kelly and for cryin out loud, he has not even run out of the tunnel or coached a single down.

His story is now well known, Tight End Mike Ragone has been arrested on suspicion of possessing marijuana. Pulled over heading East on the Indiana Toll Road by a state trooper for doing 83 where the speed limit is a mere 70 MPH.

Gee, I have traveled that stretch of interstate dozens of times and know two things.  Indiana State Police are thick as thieves and they know how to use radar guns. Slamming down the Toll Road doin, a joint with your chick and having a heavy foot is a made for movie experience set for sheer disaster.

I would guess being 22 years-old and a senior having to face ResLife Court pretty much washes out his career at Notre Dame. Mike desperately needs to find a lower tier school where he can play this fall. Hopefully and mercifully, the Indiana judicial courts will be lenient.  Good luck Mike!

Charlie’s Curse:

Will Yeatman a gifted lacrosse player and tight end succumbed to separate charges of underage drinking and left Notre Dame for Maryland.  He showed nothing in a recent Notre Dame lacrosse upset of Maryland and has announced he will play for the Terripins this fall.

Joseph Fauria transferred to UCLA from Notre Dame, after being suspended by the school's Office of Residence Life for a non-athletic issue.  Some rumors say he was caught streaking on campus.  I don't know, I was not there.

Konrad Reuland transferred to Stanford from Notre Dame, after dropping down the depth chart and seeing little chance of seeing meaningful playing time behind, get this, Yeatman and Ragone. The final straw was even more ironic, Kyle Rudolph had also just verbally committed to Notre Dame. Reuland would have had a clear shot at tight end if he would have stuck around.

So how did the terrible Tight End Curse get it’s start?

Turns out it was a 30-year delayed Curse from the grave. The Curse was set upon Charlie Weis, as he was the first Notre Dame Head Coach since 1973 to coach tight ends. He did it back in 1993-94 for the New England Patriots.

Why 1973? Yes, of course. Don’t you get it? The Sugar Bowl. Number 1 Alabama playing Number 4 Notre Dame. Notre Dame won 24-23 on a 19-yard field goal set up by a miracle pass from quarterback Tom Clements to tight end Dave Casper. The pass was on the final drive, 3rd down, a remarkable catch to keep the drive alive, even with two defenders all over Casper. The win gave Notre Dame the AP National Title. It broke Bear Bryant’s heart and the heart of every Alabama fan. The Bear never forgot nor forgave and he took the bitter lose to his grave, only to place it on Notre Dame.

No one knows how the Curse can be defeated and lifted from the Notre Dame Football Team. Some say in a future Alabama vs. Notre Dame football game, an Alabama tight end must catch a “Hail Mary Pass” to defeat Notre Dame. Others insist Notre Dame needs to recruit tight ends with sufficient gray matter between their ears.  You decide.

The Green Line - Your Chance to Comment

Well the football Dead Zone has definitely spread itself over the Notre Dame Football landscape. The students have all scattered for the summer or graduated to a life of paying taxes. Team members are taking a break at home before summer school or working out in private sessions.


Dayne Crist is making the most of the short period before summer classes starting mid-June to throw the ole pigskin around in California to a number of teammates he has invited to his house. Rotating in are Kyle Rudolph, Duval Kamara, John Goodman, Michael Floyd and Shaquelle Evans over a three week period. This is something Jimmy Clausen did last year by working out with Rudolph, Floyd, and Golden Tate. I suspect it is something being done all over the college football scene to stay in shape, work on the playbook and tighten up on the passing patterns.

Anyone have thoughts on:

 ** Mike Ragone and his chances of ever suiting up to play for Notre Dame?

 ** Positive results from the Blue-Gold Game?

 ** Brian Kelly’s 2011 verbal recruits so far?

 ** Where the Big Ten (11) is going with expansion?

 ** What are Notre Dame's options if the Big East Conference folds?

Starts some comment threads in the comment section below.

Lou Holtz Quotes

“You’ll never get ahead of anyone as long as you try to get even with him”



“If he’s got golf clubs in his truck or a camper in his driveway, I don’t hire him.”


“A lifetime contract for a coach means if you’re ahead in the third quarter and moving the ball, they can’t fire you.”


“No one has ever drowned in sweat.”


“When all is said and done, more is said than done.”


“No, but you can see it from here.“ (when asked if Fayetteville was at the end of the world)


“If you don’t make a total commitment to whatever you’re doing, then you start looking to bail out the first time the boat starts leaking. It’s tough enough getting that boat to shore with everybody rowing, let alone when a guy stands up and starts putting his jacket on.”


“Broadcasting is easy; you just talk until you think of something to say.“


“I never learn anything talking. I only learn things when I ask questions.”


“If what you did yesterday seems big, you haven’t done anything today.”


“If you burn your neighbor’s house down, it doesn’t make your house look any better.”


“The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is most likely the one who dropped it.“


“Absolutely. There are a 1000 better coaches in the cities, but I’m the best in the country.“ (when asked if he was the best coach in the country)


“To my wife…I told you I was sick.“ (Lou Holtz, when asked what he would want carved on his tombstone)

"You're never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you're never as bad as they say when you lose.”



"If you're bored with life - you don't get up every morning with a burning desire to do things - you don't have enough goals.”


"Don't tell your problems to people: eighty percent don't care; and the other twenty percent are glad you have them”


"Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I'll show you someone who has overcome adversity.”


“I can't believe that God put us on this earth to be ordinary.”


"Don't be a spectator, don't let life pass you by.”


"I think everyone should experience defeat at least once during their career. You learn a lot from it.”


"On this team, we're all united in a common goal: to keep my job.”


"Coaching is nothing more than eliminating mistakes before you get fired.”


"The alumni buried me every week. The plots have a view of the dome. It's a better view if you're standing up than if you're laying down.”


"The ability of a defense to dominate and stop the run forces you into a one-dimensional game. You come out wanting to play ball control, field position, but by the second quarter, you're down by 17 and you're forced to throw.”

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Notre Dame Head Football Coach Quotes

While searching for a good quote about defensive college football, I stumbled across this list of quotes from some former Notre Dame Coaches.  Never did find a good defensive football type quote though.

“There are two kinds of people in the world, Notre Dame lovers and Notre Dame haters. And, quite frankly, they’re both a pain in the ass.” (Dan Devine)

“A school without football is in danger of deteriorating into a medieval study hall.” (Frank Leahy)

“At home we’re the hosts, and I never liked the idea of being embarrassed in front of our friends.“ (Knute Rockne)

“Yes, I know that you feel you are not strong enough. That’s what the enemy thinks, too. But we’re gonna fool them.” (Knute Rockne)

“Lads, you’re not to miss practice unless your parents died or you died.” (Frank Leahy)

“I’ve found that prayers work best when you have big players.” (Knute Rockne)

“The only qualifications for a lineman are to be big and dumb. To be a back, you only have to be dumb.” (Knute Rockne)

“It isn’t necessary to see a good tackle. You can hear it.” (Knute Rockne)

“Give me a lead of 14-0 at halftime and I will dictate the final score.” (Frank Leahy) 

“One man practicing sportsmanship is better than a hundred teaching it.” (Knute Rockne)

Also, found a bunch attributed to Lou Holtz, who of course is a walking one-line quipper. Will share those later in the week.

Slow Down in Service

It looks like the subway trains are going to be parked in the depot for a couple of weeks. Have urgent business in Florida. The staff has created a couple of articles that hopefully they will post during my absence.  Of course, the working staff bears considerable watching. 

Don’t go away. Hold your tickets.

-- Subway Alumni

Where Are They Now?

Something that should have been simple and straight forward turned out to be quite frustrating.  Has that ever happened to you? 

All that the post was suppose to do was note the previous coaching position of the 2009 Irish football coaching staff and chronicle where they landed in 2010.

Former offensive line coach Frank Verducci and graduate assistant Brian White have apparently fallen off the face of the college and professional football world.  The research staff at Subway Alumni Station came up with a big goose egg.  Here is what was uncovered.........

Charlie Weis - Head Coach

Offensive Coordinator – Kansas City Chiefs

Tony Alford - Running Backs Coach
Wide Receivers Coach – Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Corwin Brown - Associate Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs
Defensive Coaching Staff – New England Patriots

Randy Hart - Defensive Line Coach
Defensive Line Coach – Stanford Cardinal

Rob Ianello - Assistant Head Coach (Off)/Receivers Coach & Recruiting Coordinator
Head Coach – Akron Zips

Bernie Parmalee - Tight Ends and Special Teams Coach
Tight Ends Coach – Kansas City Chiefs

Brian Polian - Special Teams
Special Teams Coach - Stanford Cardinal

Ron Powlus - Quarterbacks Coach
Quarterbacks Coach and Passing Game Coordinator – Akron Zips

Jon Tenuta - Assistant Head Coach (Def)/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
Linebacker Coach – North Carolina State – Wolf Pack

Frank Verducci - Offensive Line Coach
????????????

Brian White - Offensive Graduate Assistant
????????????

Bryant Young - Defensive Graduate Assistant
Defensive Line Coach – San Jose State Spartans