Mike Royko never said, “Some things you wonder, some things you think, and some things you just know.” Bernie Lincicome said that. Regardless, I hope both of them would have said the number of curse words I said in the last couple hours. They’re smart men, and they know what side of the bread the butter’s on.
Defensively, this was a tale of two halves. Facing the toughest team they’d seen this season, they had good plays and bad. If Signthis Winston was anything less than the athletic freak of nature he is, this would have been a Notre Dame victory. Having said that, though, Brian Van Gorder has his roadmap for the rest of the season. If ND can do this in Tallahassee, I’m confident in my 11-1 preseason pick.
You have got to be kidding me.
Right now, this is an elite level Notre Dame program. To go into Tallahassee and give the ‘Noles everything they wanted and get screwed out of a victory by a bullshit call is light years ahead of where we were in Miami in January, 2013.
No matter how angry I get, I refuse to go all Matt Cryer. What happens happens.
Last week, I suspended my conversation about Everett Golson’s Heisman campaign. I still think he’s a year away. But that was the EG we saw against Rice and Michigan. We need him to hang around for a while.
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.
That was a well-coached game, no doubt about it. When the offense needed to be balanced, it was balanced. At the end, when we needed the TD, we threw the ball, but that was OK. The defense played its balls off every down. By rule, I don’t enjoy ND losses, but this is the best I’ve felt after a loss in a long time.
It’s also the angriest I’ve been since January 2nd, 1994. Yes, we played well. But I’m still pissed.
I hate going into a bye week on a should-have-been-non-loss. But I believe my fellow ND fans saw this the way I saw it — a Notre Dame team that competed at the highest level but got robbed of a well-deserved victory. There isn’t a game left ND cannot and should not win.
I haven’t been a fan of the playoff they’ve established for college football. But any rational observer who watched that game must conclude Notre Dame should remain a viable entry for that playoff. So I must grit my teeth and accept it as the M.O. for the time being.
OK, back to the game.
I really enjoyed the balance I saw today. Tarean Folston kept the linebackers on their toes, and when there was too much focus on him, the wide receivers had their way. Greg Bryant shouldn’t be discouraged — it’s a complex team, and the things that lead to wins should be pursued. Patience.
I liked the confidence I saw on both sides of the ball. When you watch Everett Golson on TV, he doesn’t look confident. But if you’ve been watching him as long as we have, you know the confidence is there, you just have to know where to look. Meanwhile, the defense left it all on the field.
I can’t point to an aspect of the team that didn’t make me proud today. No one was perfect, but perfection is reserved for the Almighty. ND played more than well enough to win today, only to have it stripped away.
Plenty of time to do something about that.
NDCeltic says:
Great post. Team played so well tonight. Have to hope for a few losses now (not us). EG was very nice tonight, running and throwing the ball was beautiful. Way to go ND.
Garr says:
I agree with you 100% we definitely saw of the top four teams in the country last night and both should be in the playoffs at the end of the season assuming they win out. I’m not one for moral victories and I don’t think we had a moral victory last night. We did player butts off and proved that we definitely belong. If we get FSU neutral site, we will definitely win. Hats off to the Fighting Irish!
ND Chicago says:
Kelly showed me something last night that I hadn’t seen previously, an ability to get the Irish prepared for a big game and a solid, balanced offensive game plan. Defensive scheme was just as impressive. ND was the physically superior team last night and, unfortunately, the refs took the game out of the players hands and their call decided the outcome. If they play like this the rest of the year, ND will be just fine.
irishhawk50 says:
ND played a great game and I agree about that call. I don’t think it should have been called with the game on the line. It was marginal and after looking at that play several times its clear that Florida State’s number 8 would not have been able to get to Robinson anyway.
RB3 says:
Agree with all your comments. Here’s one more… Golson was/is great. But in recent games, he has not moved around, or out of pocket, quite enough. Too many batted balls, too many deflected passes. Our O-line did well & FSU gets credit for being big, fast and athletic getting to EG. I know EG took the ball down too much 2 yrs ago, and I know he trained last year with the specific desire to become a pocket passer. It’s a fine line, but Golson is even better, if he’s quicker to move, buy time, and find both receivers & passing lanes (like he did on the 4th & 18 to Robinson at end of game).
I know it was a lot to ask, but I was hoping Everett had one more of those left for the last play (like patiently finding Koyak to win the Stanford game), but he didn’t create enough time/space on the final play to give his pass a chance. A classic game – but like “the Bush Push” game where refereeing also was a determinant factor in what will always be a painful loss. No matter how well or noble our team played (and they did), no matter if the other teams’ victories are later “officially” vacated due use of rules-breaking players, last night is a “L” we won’t want to think much about in the future — and it coulda’/shoulda’ ended as one of the storied & forever celebrated ND “will win over all” moments. That’s what bothers me the most.
That said, this team does have it in them to win out, and then win two more games like last night’s that could get us a Championship this season. Quite likely, last night’s experience will make them that much more prepared to do so. Go Irish!
Mark says:
Wouldn’t you love a second shot at these guys, on a neutral field, for all the marbles?