That was a really solid team for the Tigers.
UGA TBD
you’re right that it remains to be seen how UGA does.
Also, and perhaps more relevant, that likely cost ND a playoff berth. I think that team was better than this team will be. That 2015 ND team was loaded. Much, much more talented offensively than this team. And while this year’s D is probably more talented overall, there’s no one on the level of Jaylon Smith. Maybe Hamilton can be, but not now as a freshman.
Your post is correct, but in reality I bet very few ND fans expected anything positive to happen on that 4th and 9 play. Why? Because a Kelly coached team has never made that play.
Sadly, even some of the worst coaches in ND history have had big wins and "made that play". What separates Kelly from all other coaches in ND history is:
1) He isn't overtly horrific or great -- our history is nearly exclusively bi-polar
2) He is a 9-4 possibly now a 10-3 coach that cannot ever win a title
- That's a 7-2 coach in the era of Ara
- That's a 9-3 coach in the era of Holtz
ND faces the ultimate decision the same as UGA did with Richt, Ohio State did with Cooper, etc. Do you just settle for being above average but knowingly never elite, or do you fire that coach and hope to become elite?
3) He will go his entire career at ND without knowingly ever beating a single elite team. Zero.
His sole win over an "elite" team will be the MSU win and at the time of the game we thought we were playing an unranked / at best barely top 25 team. No real joy from that game -- because at the time we were just hoping to not lose yet again to some half assed team.
When the lights are bright and the world knows it is a giant moment -- Kelly has never won over an actual elite team. His greatest two moments at ND will be Stanford and Oklahoma in 2012 -- which in the Holtz era, for example, wouldn't be in the top 15 or maybe even top 20 wins.
4th-and-long at FSU. Golson to Robinson. Of course (perhaps not due to our own fault) we ultimately didn’t finish the job.
And of course, we still finished that year with five losses and 2016 happened shortly thereafter (and I actually thought the FSU game was more competitive/even [and better coached] than Saturday, where UGA felt in control basically the whole 2nd half until we weirdly had a chance at the end to steal it). So I’m taking Saturday’s “moral victory” with a grain of salt.
actually did make the play.
That felt like a much better played game by ND, and was subsequently a much harder horsekick to the scrotum afterwards than last Saturday
their fond memories during their glory days. I sometimes wonder if they ever went to games when they were there.
like grumpy old men to these young guys. ND was the NC in CFB my Sophomore year (1973) and I missed a 2nd NC that happened the year after I graduated (1977). NONE of these young guys have experienced that and as a result, most of them are content with the constant near miss seasons that we have now. It's similar to the situation with the US Marine Corps. The young Marines don't understand why I get so upset when I see a fat Marine. There use to be a time where you NEVER saw a fat Marine! They're use to seeing it but us older former Marines are not.
It was not open to question. The questions were always "by how much?" and "will they score at all?"
That mindset was so ingrained that I found myself expecting to win when we got the ball the last time last Saturday night; even continuing to believe when Book's last pass was still in the air.
It's not 1966 any more.
The Faust years were such an aberration. In 1982 or 1983, I remember thinking as I drove back to Chicago after a game that "this just can't be happening--how long is this hell going to last". Then came Lou and everything felt better from Day 1. It's also not 1988 anymore.
These were the games and ways ND used to win but I can’t temener the last time we won a game like this - and of course we didn’t
we have another five or so years before any coaching changes are made.
coming anytime soon.
I picked ND to lose 38-23. I kind of wish that had happened. Instead, the team kept it close almost all game. It gave me irrational hope that the Irish would somehow prevail. It sucked me in again.
When they lost I was pissed. I then had to ask myself what I was so upset about. I KNEW we'd lose and we did. The manner in which we lost is what was so upsetting.
There is nothing worse than false hope or false optimism. Brian Kelly will find a way to lose. The sooner I grasp that fact (however late) the better I will sleep.
score after the 1st. I knew the Defense would show up, but figured the O would blow it.
I prepared well before the game; had an amazing surf session in the morning. I swore I wouldn't let this game erase the after glow of that.
Then, as you said, that fookin irrational hope sprung eternal (even with BK on the sideline). I just felt we were f'ing due - and Kirby Smart proving he's a little dumb sometimes added to it.
I really relate to your post, if you haven't figured that out by now...