A Possible Step in the Right Direction

An NCAA committee announced last Thursday that it will back a proposal to prohibit making scholarships offers to recruits before July 1 in the summer between their junior and senior years in high school. If passed, it would apply to all sports.


Coaches also would have to receive high school transcripts documenting at least five semesters or seven quarters worth of academic work for a young recruit before they can offer a scholarship.



Well it’s about time don't you think?  College football recruiting of younger and still younger high schoolers has gotten completely out of hand.  Who was the coach out in California that just this year offered a scholarship to a middle-schooler?  Just for publicity or a warning to others to keep hands off and lay claim?

However, if that's the case and the new rule, the twelve recruits that Coach Kelly has received verbal commitments from thus far would also not be possible/eligible.  (See right column of blog for mug shots of the Notre Dame booty thus far.)  It will change alot if enacted.  Most of the top tier schools have 20-30 verbals already.

An entire industry and profession has evolved over the past twenty years concerning the identification, promotion, tracking, evaluating, and analyzing college football prospects.  (A second cottage industry has also risen over NFL draft status and hype.)  We now have:

  *  Websites dedicated to following the recruiting agony and ecstasy of a particular Team.  Irish Eyes comes to mind for Notre Dame.

  *  Two companies Rivals and Scouts that put a star or number by every high school prospect.

  *  So called experts like Tom Lemming who evaluate recruit commitments and specific fits for each college Team.

  *  ESPN human meat analyst's Todd McShay and Mel Kiper.

  *  Two national high school All-Star Games and cheesy commitments and interviews in front of the cameras, all for ten seconds of glory, personal publicity and fame.

  *  Thousands of articles, blog posts, team rankings of recruiting classes, and the ultimate wailing and nashing of teeth over lost or ship jumping prospects.

  *  Recruits showing up in stretch Hummers at the College Football Hall of Fame to announce commitments.  Did that really happen?

Why July 1 and not say September 1, around when most high school football players are starting back to school and fall practice?  Because September is way too late for the college coaches and recruiters.  July 1 will become a kind of National Verbal Commitment day just like on February 2nd it is National Signing Day. 

It may make campus visits and summer camps more important.

It all just makes a lot more sense and takes pressure off the coaches and the young players.  Let's them get down to business of playing their senior years and letting the coaches engage in early fall camp.  

What's the next step?

Limiting early enrollment in January that affords a high school player the opportunity to participate in spring practice.  Let them graduate with their friends, classmates and teammates.  Let them enjoy their senior year and everything that goes with it.

IRISH Have Ragone Back

Unbelievable! Hard to fathom! Must be a misprint! Mike Ragone has dodged a bullet. Quick lads find the bullet picture we used in the ‘God Bless Texas’ post and slap it up again.

Mike is working out with the Team, attending summer school at Notre Dame and is cleared to play this fall. Read the story here.

It can only mean three things:

** The ResLife board is now stacked with former football players.

** Brian Kelly has worn out a set of rosary beads.

** Common sense has found a home at Notre Dame.

Coach Kelly probably thinks Christmas comes in June around South Bend.

Hopefully the incident is a wakeup call for Ragone and the entire football team.

Seriously, the Indiana justice system for first time offenders just makes sense. Big fine. A type of probation where they won’t prosecute if he stays clean for a year. Community service.

When Mike catches his first touchdown pass this fall he'd better cross himself and point skyward.

Go Irish.  Beat the Boilerpeople.

Brian Kelly Snags # 10

Brian Kelly and his staff landed verbal recruit number ten - Clay Burton. Somewhere on the right side of the blog is his mug shot along with the other nine commits so far. Guess we are about half way home on numbers for 2011.

Nice to get one from football rich Florida.

You can read all about Clay here, no sense in repeating, but this blog is the only site where you can instantly review the recruits, somewhere on the right side.

Maple Bars and Golden Tate

Well for cryin out loud. Has anyone kept up with Golden Tate? Did he sign a contract with the Seahawks yet? Does he need walk-around $$ until he does? We can take up an office collection here at SAS if it would help. Did he leave his brains at Notre Dame this spring?

Stealing Maple Bars, now what’s that all about? The guy’s lucky. If it had been me or you, we’d been arrested and humiliated. All Golden got was the humiliation part. Hope it has some long lasting effect.

Being born and raised in Michigan, I had no idea what a Maple Bar was. Had to Google to find out.

Well shoot, we call them ‘long johns’. Actually, they taste better if they are smeared with white sugar frosting instead of maple frosting.

Wonder if Golden has ever tried (stolen) them that way?

God Bless Texas

Well obviously, Notre Dame dodged a bullet. Independence as a football entity is still very much intact. The Big East did not get raped or imploded. Notre Dame still has a venue to compete in other sports. Thank god for Texas. That “Don’t mess with Texas” slogan is not just hollow words. They hung tough against the Pac-10 (11) and will live another day in the Big-12 (10).





It’s pretty much agreed that the Big Ten (11) (12) got at least half of what they wanted, those greedy schmucks. No one in the Big East appealed enough or could add value. So they penetrated the heartland of America and bring a great football school and tradition to the Big Ten (11) (12). It just did not make economic sense to slice the TV revenue pie into smaller pieces for the likes of Missouri, Rutgers, and Syracuse. Once again, Notre Dame said no and was able to get away with it. Wouldn’t a national championship type year or at least a BCS bid be sweet to add salt to the wounded Big Ten (11) (12)?

Man they need to sort out all the conference names.

I can’t wait for the first time Nebraska fans buy up every ticket on the planet and take over someone’s stadium in a sea of Red.  Been there, seen it, did not like it.

Notre Dame needs to start winning and winning against teams that have for the past twenty years been using the Irish as a doormat. If ND can again become a college football power on the national scene, no one would dare setup a BCS or playoff system without the proviso that a 12-0 or 11-1 independent Notre Dame Team be somehow included in the mix.

It appears the real threat to Notre Dame wasn’t necessarily being shut out of the BCS bowl situation because of the possibility of 16 school mega conferences that would control playing for the national championship. There is always work a rounds for that. The frightening scenario involved the SEC raiding the ACC to acquire a slate of 16 schools. The ACC would have in turn raided the Big East to do the same. By the time the Big East would have woke up and looked around, no viable football schools would have been left and no conference for Notre Dame to compete in other varsity sports. Whew.

79 days to Purdue. But who’s counting?

Notre Dame's Worst Nightmare Erased by the NCAA

Well the sad state of affairs in Trojan Land has finally been made public. The chickens have come home to roost but unfortunately the bad chickens have flown the coop.  Those punished of course are the fans, the current roster of student-athletics and the current coaching staff. Reggie Bush, Pete Carroll, the two slug-type wannabe sports agents, the Bush family, and a bunch of greedy intermediaries all got off Scott Free.

“LOS ANGELES -- The NCAA threw the book at storied Southern California on Thursday with a two-year bowl ban, four years' probation, loss of scholarships and forfeits of an entire year's games for improper benefits to Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush dating to the Trojans' 2004 national championship.


USC was penalized for a lack of institutional control in the ruling by the NCAA following its four-year investigation. The report cited numerous improper benefits for Bush and former basketball player O.J. Mayo, who spent just one year with the Trojans.


The penalties include the loss of 30 football scholarships over three years and vacating 14 victories in which Bush played from December 2004 through the 2005 season.


USC beat Oklahoma in the BCS title game on Jan. 4, 2005, and won 12 games during Bush's Heisman-winning 2005 season, which ended with a loss to Texas in the 2006 BCS title game.”

So what does it mean?
Our worst nightmare never happened!
The 2005 Bush-Push!!
God Bless the NCAA!

The Irish and Eagles Agree to Continue Attending Mass Together

Couple of years ago Notre Dame renewed/extended their annual football matchup with Purdue. While we all banged our heads against the wall and asked why?   Especially since the Irish were already playing the Skunkbears and Sparty, some pundits came out of the woodwork and hushed everyone quiet.  Seems like when a million years ago most of the Big Ten schools headed by Michigan were under the table blackballing and boycotting Notre Dame, good ole Purdue continued to schedule and play the Irish.  Good for them.  Thank you Boiler Type People.

The whole thing is kind of like Navy, they came on campus during WII and kept the school alive and afloat (nice analogy huh) just so we could get our heads handed to us in 2007 and 2009.  Not even gonna talk about that Roger guy and what he did to the Irish.

So, now Notre Dame announces that they are going to continue a nice series playing the only other top flight (another analogy coming) Catholic University, the Eagles of Boston College and the Anti-Catholics starts trashing Notre Dame for cup caking the schedule.

Gee, Boston College has had our number for so long, we should drop them and should start playing some more of those compass colleges from Michigan (WMU among others).

Gee you can’t win. 

Well  Subway Alumni Unite!!  Notre Dame should win.......Go Irish, beat the Boilermakers, the Eagles, and the Broncos!

Another Boring Article About Conference Realignment and Notre Dame

The football conference talk is reaching feeding frenzy proportions. What possibly can be left for the sports media to write, discuss and debate? Are things that slow in the office? World Cup that boring?  Tiger playing that badly?  Obviously, everyone is waiting for the Big Ten (11) to make its move. It appears that both the Big East and the Big-12 are going to be raided and sooner rather than later. The Big Ten (11) has started something they cannot stop and if they do not act soon, the Pac-10 will act first instead.


The $$$ just appears too easy to pass up. The Big Ten network has to be fed and increasing the number of teams and presenting a conference championship game is proving too hard to ignore any longer.

Here at SAS we pulled the old sheet off our vintage Univac computer, plugged it in and held our breath. It started to hum which amazed everyone. Good ole IBM sure knew how to make them. The staff had been punching IBM cards for over a week and the stack was impressive. The boss finally gave the approval and the cards were hand-fed into the machine. We crossed our fingers and here are the results.

The Big Ten (11) will:

Once again, invite Notre Dame to join the conference.  ND will decline and dodge the first bullet.

Take Syracuse from the Big East and snub Rutgers. The Big East will invite Marshall from Conference USA to maintain eight teams playing football and keep their conference BCS bid. Notre Dame manages to dodge a second bullet and will continue to compete in all other sports within the Big East.

The Big Ten (11) now has penetrated the Eastern TV market.

Invite Missouri, Nebraska, Texas, and Texas A&M to join the now Big Sixteen. Texas Tech. will be left out in the cold.  Many Texans will be angered by the raid the nose thumbing of Texas Tech.  But come on, who wants Texas Tech?  Calls to remember the Alamo will be made and heard, but to no avail. The $$$ is just too sweet and nice.

The Big Ten (11) will have penetrated the South and Western Plain States TV market.

The Pac-10 will:

Take Colorado, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech from the Big-12 and become the Pac-14.  Texans are happy and so are the Red Raiders.

The Mountain West, Conference USA, and recently raped Big-12 will:

Realign to ensure a BCS spot for each conference.

The Results:

A bullet, which Notre Dame could not dodge, was its out-year schedule.  Purdue and Michigan State will be forced to cancel their contracts with Notre Dame to increase playing time in the Big-Sixteen.  The Michigan rivalry is too big and fat for the conference network to pass on.

The thirty-odd bowl games will see their lock-ins with certain conferences change.  This will open up opportunities for Notre Dame.

The ACC and SEC will continue along without any changes in their memberships or TV contracts.

The Pac-14 will negotiate a conference network and make tons of $$$.

Notre Dame will dump the 7-4-1 schedule and bury that dumb idea deep under the south goal post.

The Texas-Oklahoma rivalry will be played across conference boundaries.

New teams will have the opportunity to play in the Rose Bowl.

Recruiting will take on more of a national level, which will hurt Notre Dame in the long run.

NBC will renegotiate it's contract with Notre Dame, and both will make even more $$$.


Well the sheet is back on the Univac and yet another article written about the conference realignment talk.

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.”

Don’t forget to add us to your favorites list: http://subwayalumnistation.blogspot.com

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

What Will the Fighting Irish Do During the Dead Zone?

Every Wednesday Eric Hansen of the South Bend Tribune runs a question and answer session. He probably has more insight into Notre Dame Football than anybody…….

Here is one question, it has been cleaned up a bit, along with Eric’s answer.  Every good Irish sports fan should add: http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=NOTREDAME to it’s favorite's list.

Question: Now that spring practice is over, what do the players do until practice resumes in August?  Do they work on their own, or is there some kind of "off season " program at the University that they can partake in?

Answer: They are finishing up school and exams now, then will go home for the balance of May. They are free to work as much as they want when they're home. Some, like QB Dayne Crist, already have plans to work with teammates every day. Some, like LB Brian Smith, will stay in South Bend and work out. They'll reconvene June 7 -- which is earlier than usual, and strength coach Paul Longo will have a program to follow all summer. They'll depend on the team's leaders to organize 7-on7 drills and things of that nature until fall camp begins in August.

This is no different than anyother school or program, but it gives a warm and fuzzy feeling concerning the Notre Dame Football program.

Nine and Counting!

Well so far, nine top-notch looking recruits for 2011 and counting. Unbelievable!! Can Coach Kelly land any from the high school football rich bastions of Florida and Texas? Surely, a true test of recruiting prowess and ability he can achieve and maintain.

Each recruit’s individual bare facts and pictures are somewhere on the right side of the blog. SAS sees no need to regurgitate what other websites and blogs are presenting about Kelly’s blue and gold mining.  [SAS also can not figure out how to line up items on the right side to match the post.  @#$%!!]

We are sure Jim Tressel and theOSU are peeved over Kelly’s success in Ohio. Before when he was at Cincinnati Kelly was an annoying fly to be swatted and out-recruited. Now he has the Notre Dame Football firepower to back-up his coaching, recruiting and win record. Go Irish.

Blue - Gold Game Pictures

We probably could have placed these pictures into a slide show of some sorts.  However, it is easier to post them and then they will display a lot larger.  Scroll down to the bottom of the blog.

Sat in the South End Zone and took these shots.  Light was not all that great and it sprinkled rain most of the game.  The majority of the action took place at our end so it worked out super.

Never did figure out who participated as the Irish Band.

Parking attendants, ushers, police, many open concession stands, official Notre Dame Greeters were out in force.  Can remember in the not to distant past when you couldn't find an open concession stand.

Notice the construction in the stadium.  They are tearing out some of the old wooden splintered boards/seats.  On the East Side they are fixing up the yellow rich-peope chairs.

Wonder what SAS would have to donate to get two yellow seats on the East Side 50 Yard Line?  Except for the afternoon sun, those are the best seats in Rocks House. 

$15 And You Can Have One Too!

Here is the 2010 Alumni Shirt.

Anything is better than the mustard colored 2009 version. It faded and the designed cracked and peeled.  Kind of like the 2009 version of the Irish.

We here at SAS have already subjected ours to a number of unorthodox tests to include sitting out in the rain during the Blue - Gold Game, spilling BBQ sauce down the front and being hit in the back with a muddy football. "The Shirt" came clean and looks ready for Purdue.  Although it has come under some criticism for rather small print and pictures.  Oh well.

Looking forward to watching on TV a student section sea of green come September 4th.  Go IRISH Beat The Boilermakers.

The Dead Zone Cometh Once Again

Contemplating the label on my second or is it my third bottle of Stella Artois, I have decided I’m not looking forward to the challenge. It comes every year, always very predictable, always a terrible brain numbing experience, just like clockwork. Sort of like those nasty Dementors flying around in the Harry Potter Series.

Now American college football has its share of special terms and a number of them have to do with Zones.

End Zone. Red Zone. Zone Defense. Yet the one that spells dread is the nasty Dead Zone.

The Dead Zone that just kind of sucks the college football life right out of ya.

That terrible time of year between the end of the NFL college draft and the first day of Fall Camp.  

** When the last of the Notred Dame senior hopefuls have either been drafted or picked up in free agency, you know the Dead Zone is upon you.

** The recruiting trail and news has dried up. Some coaches try to catch a short vacation with the family. Others are hard at work in the bowels of the film room. One former Notre Dame Head Coach was even famous for working on his golf handicap.

** Reporters are hard at work covering NBA Basketball and NHL Hockey playoffs and of course Major League Baseball. The media articles are far and few between concerning college football.  Trolls don't even bother to try and stir things up on blogs.

** Campuses are basically empty except for those toiling to graduate early or trying to catch up and graduate at all. Football players are there too, but mostly taking difficult classes they do not want to attempt in the fall and of course are working out.

For Notre Dame the little news traditionally comings trickling out of the Dead Zone is usually bad news.

*** So-and-so finds himself four-deep on the depth chart and with three years of eligibility remaining, bolts for some program allegedly needing his skills. With a coaching staff more appreciative of his talents where he will get a fresh start and maybe some playing time.

*** Or worse, some transgression surfaces involving alcohol and a proven Irish starter finds himself in hot water. The Law, ResLife, and the Head Coach are standing in line to get a piece of his kester. He is hoping and praying for community service and a zillion push-ups. No suspension. No dismissal from the Team.

*** It leaks out that another potential starter and great hope for the future has temporarily left the Team or Notre Dame for the dreaded “Personal Reasons.” This normally happens right around the start of the Dead Zone period and corresponds to semester grades being sent home. Everyone is mum and the hope is that he will be back in a year.

The one ray of hope trying to break through the Dead Zone shield is the plethora of magazines coming out in late summer to usher in the soon to be ending of the Dead Zone.

Which teams are predicted to win their conferences.

Who’s the preseason favorites for the Heisman?

Tons of touchy-feely articles about who during the off-season taught dwarfs in Hungary how to read or which players overcame debilitating injury to come back for a final year.

Will this Dead Zone be any different? Can it rest in peace for once and not haunt the IRISH?

Come on August 5th and the start of the Fall Camp.

Go IRISH Beat the Dead Zone!

Attitude Adjustment and Wake Up the Echoes

Rereading most of the previous posts, I am a little bit surprised at my negativity and skepticism. Like those few that have chosen to migrate over from BGS, I pretty much bleed Blue and Gold and consider Notre Dame Football the greatest team sport to watch and enjoy.
The issue has been isolated and I will try to be more positive. After all, I do not want to drive anyone away before we really get started.
The problem is that I was burned by Charlie Weis.

After watching Lou Holtz and the Administration part ways with hard feelings all the way around. I was not sure Bob Davie was the right fit with no head coaching experience and was not sad to see him get his walking papers. The general consensus was that Ty Willingham would be able to recruit like crazy and bond with the African-American athletics at Notre Dame. With better talent than he could get from the likes of Stanford, I thought for sure he would succeed with the Irish. He rode some great defenses left over from Davie and when that dried up, he was exposed.  Duh.

I should not have however I embraced Charlie and all that he said.  Bring in a pro style offense. His approach to practices and the handling the Irish like any pro team in the NFL. Hint that the NFL awaited anyone and everyone. Show the rings, talk up the offensive genius and plan to out smart the opponents. Recruit like mad.  Gee, went to school at Notre Dame, NJ tough-guy attitude, daughter with special needs, pass right on the first play, bond with the Navy team after the game, I bought it all. Lock, stock and barrel. Duh.

When the defense began to stink like week-old dead fish, the plan to ease out the inexperienced Corwin Brown and bring in defensive genius John Tenuta seemed perfect. I stayed on Charlie’s bandwagon and started singing happy days are here again with the rest of you.

I fell off the bandwagon with the second loss to Navy. My butt is still sore and I have to rub it from time-to-time just to remember my gullibility.

Everyone likes the idea of a proven coach and staff. Plenty of college experience. Coaches who had to ride on buses with the team to games played with open end zones. Brian Kelly says he is going to bring back toughness and a new style. Secretly, I think he is surprised at the talent level and may even drool a little over the possibilities. Kelly Camp, training table, study hall, game room in the Gug, new young hungry coaches and a promise to play old fashion Notre Dame Football. Sounds great, still I’m going to hope, pray and wait and see. However, I will sound  more positive and root for the echoes to be heard by one and all once again.

SAS Blue - Gold Game Plans

The entire staff at SAS is making plans to tailgate, drop some serious money at the Bookstore, throw the old pigskin around on the Quad and watch the IRISH scrimmage.

Anyone going to the Blue Gold Game and would like to provide game perspective and comments. Please do so here at this post.

If you took any pictures, please send to: dragonspress@gmail.com and we will post them up and give you credit.

Two Notre Dame Spring Football Story Lines

It appears from reading all the hype and hyperbole coming from the media and the internet concerning Notre Dame Football Spring Practice that two story lines seem to be emerging. The sources include ND students, hangers-on, spies from the Big Ten, credible websites, drunkards, reporters of dubious character, and of course persons trying to turn an honest buck. Here in a short nutshell is what the National Security Agency (NSA) and Subway Alumni Station (SAS) have gleamed from the intelligence flow coming out of South Bend.


1. The infant still learning-to-walk Notre Dame offense SUCKS big time.

2. The Fighting Irish defense is starting to look like they will simply destroy opposing teams. Hard hitting, swarming, gang tackling type killers. It is about time and long over due. Sign SAS up. We are ready to help engage and kick butt. The Irish faithful want to see opposing offensive players simply carted off the field attended by trainers and team doctors. It will happen this fall and it is about time. The last good Irish defensive, believe it or not stemmed from Mr. Footbaw, Bob Davie.  (Who else was the last to beat U$C?)

Why the problems on offense? Simply a hobbled Dayne Crist who can’t play at 100% and thus no identifiable leader at quarterback who can step up to the plate. Everyone including Coach Kelly hates red jerseys and no contact. Also apparently, Nate Montana is not going to be the answer. Watch the Blue-Gold Game to verify his lack of ability.

The well documented Kelly offense is very high powered and scores at will, often with surprise and frequency. Not the offense that has been displayed coming out of South Bend thus far during Spring Practice. The unknown linchpin is quarterback. Quinn, Clausen, and now will it be Crist?

The Green Line to South Bend - Questions to Address. So Little Time.

A place to express your thoughts on Notre Dame Football.

Each week a new posting will take the place of the previous one.   Come on Join In.  - Week Four

Well it’s another week and the Green Line is rolling down the line to South Bend once again.   Serious questions still persist:

Who's going to the Blue - Gold Game?

Will "The Shirt" be worth the $15?  (Last year it was not!)

With Dayne Crist out of the scrimmage, how will Nate Montana and Tommy Rees respond? (Come on Nate!)

Will it be first team defense against first team offense?

Will you be able to fight the crowds and into the Bookstore to max out your credit card?

Who will be the first quarterback drafted in the 2010 NFL draft?  Poll is somewhere on the right side of the blog.  Vote early and vote often as we say in WV.

Leave a comment.

Open Letter to Nate Montana

Nate, you obviously have a window of opportunity that many Quarterback Wanabees can only dream about and never realize.

Fate has cast you into the number two slot behind the heir apparent starting quarterback Dayne Crist for ‘The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame’.

Notice how the School name is written out. Surely something never to be ever taken lightly.

Dayne has been wearing a ‘red-do-not-hit-me-jersey’ all spring and will not play come the Blue-Gold Game on April 24th.  However, you will Nate. Seize the Day!

Notre Dame, Charlie Weis, and your dad set up the improbable turn of events that now has cast you on the stage. Seize the Day!

From a preferred walk-on, to back-up, to possible starting quarterback. Can you succeed? Do you have the ambition, the Will, the needed gray matter between the ears and the physical ability to perform?

Is it only the name or something You really want to excel in?

The ‘Golden Boy’ title as heir to the quarterback position for The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame is up for grabs. Surely, you can feel it and taste it.

You are competing against three unproven freshman for back-up honors.  Can you be successful?

Remember the number two guy is only a hit or a poor outing away from running in to take over the Notre Dame offense. 

Work extremely hard this summer. Get and learn from the best professional instruction money can buy. Seize the Day!

Good Luck.

Go Irish. Go Nate.

Who Wants a Ride? Get on Board!

Rereading my initial posts, I am a little bit surprised at my negativity and skepticism. Like those that have chosen to migrate over from BGS, I pretty much bleed Blue and Gold, especially on Saturdays in the fall and consider Notre Dame Football the greatest team sport to watch and enjoy.

The issue has thus been isolated and I will try to be more positive. After all, I do not want to drive anyone away before we really get started here. The real problem is that I was burned by Charlie Weis.  But who wasn't?

After watching Lou Holtz and the Notre Dame Administration acrimoniously part ways with hard feelings felt all the way around. I was not sure Bob Davie was the right fit with zero head coaching experience and was not terribly sad to see him get his walking papers.

The general consensus around was that Ty Willingham would be able to recruit like crazy and bond with the African-American athletics at Notre Dame. With better talent than he could ever get from the likes of Stanford, I thought for sure he would succeed with the Irish. I bought into all that baloney. Duh.

I should not have, but I embraced Charlie and all that he said and did. Including bringing in that pro style offense to Notre Dame. His approach to practices and the handling of the Irish like the pro teams in the NFL. Hinting that the NFL awaited anyone and everyone who would embrace his style and football philosphy. Showing off the gaudy Super Bowl rings, talking up his offensive genius and plans to out-smart the opponents. Gee, he even went to school at Notre Dame, New Jersey tough-guy attitude, lovely daughter with special needs, pass right on the first play, bond with the Navy team after the game, son standing next to him on the sidelines, I bought it all. Lock, stock and barrel.  Duh again.

When the defense began to stink like week-old dead fish, the plan to ease out the inexperienced Corwin Brown and bring in defensive genius John Tenuta seemed perfect. After all, John kicked our butts once.  I stayed on Charlie’s bandwagon and started singing happy days are here again with the rest of you.

I finally fell off the bandwagon with the second loss to Navy. My kester is still sore and I have to rub it from time-to-time just to remember my gullibility.

So here comes the Kelly Wagon. Everyone likes the idea of a proven coach and staff. Plenty of college experience. Assistant coaches who had to ride on buses with the team to games played with open end zones. Brian Kelly says he is going to bring back toughness and a new style. Secretly, I think he is surprised at the talent level and may even drool a little over the possibilities. Kelly Camp, a training table, study hall, game room in the Gug, new young hungry coaches and a promise to play old fashion Notre Dame Football. Sounds great, still I’m going to hope, pray and wait and see. However, I will sound positive and root for the echoes to be heard by one and all once again. We are all way over due.

So let me be the very first.

Go IRISH! Beat the Boilermakers.

Two Reports of Investigations - When Will the Other Shoe Drop?

SAS is anxiously waiting an announcement on the results of two significant reports of investigation. Between now and whenever the NCAA rules and infraction Gestapo get around to it, the immediate future of Notre Dame Football and also its storied history could be effected.

Richard A. Rodriquez (University of Michigan and West Virginia University)

Allegation: The habitual violation of NCAA rules by requiring attendance at unofficial scrimmages and requiring players to work-out more hours than NCAA rules permit during the off-season. The Detroit Free Press first broke the story based upon (then) present and past player sworn statements. The kicker being that the NCAA infraction Gestapo just figured out that they probably should investigate Rodriquez’s time and actions while Head Coach at WVU.

You will hear and see the results in a most unusual way. If the violations are proven true, a violent, soon to be drunken, riotous mob will rise up starting in Ann Arbor. It will then spread all across Michigan, even to the god forsaken Upper Peninsula. They will be carrying rope, rails, feathers, tar, and demanding that Rodriquez resign. IF such violations occurred during his tenure at WVU, their will be a hew and cry so loud bellowing out of West Virginia that it will frighten even those poor souls living in Alaska. The lynch mob pouring out of West Virginia will try to get to Rich first. Possible penalties heaped on top of the humiliation from Coach Rodriquez infamous skedaddle to Michigan a couple of years ago. Wow!

What could be at stake for Notre Dame? Michigan’s forfeiture of their 38-34 win over the IRISH in 2009? Possible loss of scholarships and no bowl attendance? Possible forfeiture of wins that effect Michigan’s grand total at the winningest football program in the world? A slap on the wrist?

If the violations are proven false, the murmurs of firing will continue in Michigan, especially after Notre Dame beats there pants off this year. A loud collective sigh of relief and hopefully final good riddance will be heard from the Mountaineer State.

Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II (University of Southern California)

Allegation: A report surfaced raising questions about whether Bush's family received gifts ($$) in violation of NCAA policies. The school has requested that the conference investigate the matter, and Bush has denied any impropriety. In April 2009, the Los Angeles Times reported that the NCAA is combining its investigations of Bush and former USC basketball player O.J. Mayo into a single probe of the Trojans' athletic program. A lawsuit against Bush was filed by sports marketing agent Lloyd Lake, who alleges he gave more than $300,000 in cash and gifts to the former Trojans running back during his college career.  Some of that money allegedly went toward rent for a family home.

You will hear the results in the usual ho-hum way. A slap on the wrist? After all it has been four long years since Bush left U$C and less than a year since Pete Carroll jumped ship and Hollywood for the crappy climate of Seattle.

What could be at stake for Notre Dame? A number of embarrassing drubbings by U$C might be erased from the record books through forfeiture? The remote possibility that U$C would have to forfeit a National Championship and that Reginald would have to return the Heisman trophy to the Downtown Athletic Club in New York? Both of which would temporarily ensure Notre Dame’s lead over U$C in those bean counting categories.

Will/can the NCAA take back a National Championship? Will/can the boys from New York demand the return of the metal and wood statue? Does it matter?

Although unfortunately nothing will ever erase the “Bush Push.”

High School Junior to Enroll and Play Football for the Irish?

The most improbable recruiting story ever told.  Instead of regurgitating it and boring you, here it is in-total.


Kyle Brindza a class Junior high schooler is scheduled to graduate THIS June. Kyle is ready to forego his senior high school year of studies, proms, dating chicks, goofing-off and playing football for Plymouth High School in Canton Michigan as their premier all-around kicker.  Instead, he intends to enroll in the fall at Notre Dame. 

He got this idea from the UM who offered him an athletic scholarship. Coach Brian Kelly also recruiting Kyle found out about the offer from Michigan and countered with the same offer to Notre Dame.  Kyle accepted and verbally committed to the Irish.

Now it is up to the Notre Dame admissions office to approve his fall enrollment or defer it until January of 2011.  Either way, Kyle is Irish.

Go for it Kyle!  Turk, Walker, and Tausch need the competition and push. Competition breeds excellence. Something sorely lacking from the Irish kicking game in the immediate past.  Consistency in field goals, automatic touch backs, and 45+ yard punts with a 4.8 hang-time.

Name Tapes During Spring Practice 2010

If Brian Kelly had coached the then unknown and unheralded The University of Notre Dame Football Team back in 1912, I’m not convinced he would have put a name tape on this guy's helmet during Spring practice. One look and Coach Kelly would surely have remembered his name.

Raw Defensive Statistics

Was the objective to count alligators or drain the swamp? To compare what new defensive coordinator Bob Diaco accomplished at Cincinnati during 2009 or the dismal showing of Tenuta and Brown at Notre Dame?  Probably neither.


The point being, what do Irish fans have to look forward to in 2010 with Diaco calling the defensive shots? Remember nine of eleven Irish starters from the Charlie Weis era return. FBS Rankings out of 120 teams. You decide.


Total Defense: Cincinnati - 67th      Notre Dame 86th


Scoring Defense: Cincinnati 44th      Notre Dame 63rd


Rushing Defense: Cincinnati 61st      Notre Dame 89th


Passing Defense: Cincinnati 78th      Notre Dame 76th


Sacks: Cincinnati 10th      Notre Dame 89th


Tackles for Losses: Cincinnati 3rd      Notre Dame 48th


Passes Intercepted: Cincinnati 50th      Notre Dame 23rd


Passing Efficiency Defense: Cincinnati 82nd      Notre Dame 59th


Red Zone Efficiency Defense: Cincinnati 89th      Notre Dame 15th


First Downs Allowed: Cincinnati 86th      Notre Dame 72nd


Third Down Efficiency Defense: Cincinnati 69th      Notre Dame 67th


Fourth Down Efficiency Defense: Cincinnati 111th      Notre Dame 101st


Punt Return Yardage Defense: Cincinnati 89th      Notre Dame 105th


Kick Off Return Yardage Defense: Cincinnati 32nd      Notre Dame 69th


Fewest Penalties Per Game: Cincinnati 12th      Notre Dame 69th
Not a defensive statistic, but looked impressive enough to include)

Also, the punt and kick off return yardage on defense is obvious a special teams issue, however the majority of the players participating play on defensive.


The two early story lines coming out of Cincinnati were that on defense the Bearcats replaced 10 of 11 starters in 2009 and that the game plan was always to score quickly and often on offense. Well it got the Bearcats as far as the Sugar Bowl and Florida.


NOTE:  This post obviously lends itself to a simple table.  Unfortunately after struggling mightily, the entire SAS staff could not get Goggle to work or cooperate.  Pasting, tabbing, inserting, aligning, all failed.  Thus a redundant post.