I've said it before and I'll say it again, watch out for MSU. Dantonio has them playing well and every game they win they gain confidence. They will surprise this year IJS
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sandgk
Watson, Crick & A Twist
A View from The End-Zone
Borrowing from Dickens:
Note - no items in quotation marks were uttered by me - well, excepting one(*).
It was the best of times:
Pre-game was a great time. Spartan fans and those Irish faithful who paid their $1,000 a season seat license fees mingled and chatted, broke bread and brats together. Smack talk from the East Lansing contingent died down quickly when the multitude of of Domers declared Uncle to man, then pointed to next year (and the year after that).
Good humor was the order of the day. Walking in each fan was given that most egregious of Pittsburgh's donations to the modern game of football - a terrible towel. The towels were largely white, causing some to quip that ND wanted to surrender early - and that was from the Irish fans. The Spartan visitors thought they were really cute and wondered if they would make good bar mats.
Hurray for their home team! Finally the Irish got that TD goose-egg of their boards. Surely there would be no further poor play? But there were signs that all was very far from good.
It was the worst of times:
In the stands murmurs of discontent greeted each and every failed play by the Irish. Despite a two TD performance this meant that there were plenty of murmurs - even a few choice hollers.
Choicest holler - "That play didn't work the last two times Charlie, stop calling it!" So much for the offensive genius.
Many fans were openly complaining about Clausen being put in the position to do too much, or not doing that which he was asked to do very well.
One oddity - the student section never filled up prior to the game - I'd take that as a bad indicator of fan faith from the newest acolytes.
Half-time came. Even though the Irish was close on the scoreboard there were large numbers exiting stage left - possibly for cooler confines as the uncovered bleachers were baking in the sun.
No idea how that looked on TV, but it seemed noticeable to me. (In the interest of full disclosure I escaped the heat myself in the 3rd quarter for more Legendary surroundings).
It was the age of wisdom:
"I have never seen an ND team this bad, not in 40 years" A long time ND fan and alumnus sitting next to me.
It was the age of foolishness:
""As long as Weis keeps bringing in these great recruiting classes there is no way we get rid of him."
Methinks that a diminished product for NBC and any continuation of a losing record next year might have the powers that be in South Bend reconsidering that line. $3.6 Million per game from NBC - what would happen if they asked to renegotiate?
It was the epoch of belief:
"As long as Weis keeps bringing in these great recruiting classes there is no way we get rid of him."
"Baby steps" - heard very often in one form or another.
It was the epoch of incredulity:
"The o-line played much better today." -
Riposte (*)- "They could hardly play much worse than before now could they?"
It was the season of Light:
All in all, despite the murmurs the ND fans are more than willing to give Weis a pass on this season - the towels have officially been thrown into the ring.
Another good thing, Clausen was rested in favor of Sharpley on ND's first drive of the 4th quarter. A merciful move in my opinion, and by that I mean merciful to the paying crowd. Sharpley seemed to understand that giving up 10 yards per sack was not a good thing (he was sacked, once, for -2 yards).
It was the season of Darkness:
Reportedly the Clausen family has repeated their follow-the-QB method employed earlier in Tennessee. They have ensconced themselves in a condo in South Bend. If the season continues on it's present trend keep your eyes open for a Nutt/Mustain type soap opera contest complete with doting pater familias and real-estate / QB developer.
I predict that Weis would win this contest at the weigh-in.
It was the spring of hope:
"Next year will be completely different"
It was the winter of despair:
"Even if we wanted to get rid of Weis it is too expensive."
ND had everything before it:
But now they are one third of the way through the season, 0-4 (first time in ND history), looking at going 0-4 versus the Big Ten (also I think the first time in their history). That which is behind them makes that left in front of them look much more daunting.
ND had and has nothing before it:
Nothing - as in no offensive TDs by ND before this game.
Nothing - as in the 0-fer streak that still looms.
We were all going directly to Heaven:
Or at least to the cooler confines of the on-campus sports bar Legends where the tailgating could continue after the interruption of the first half.
Legends was absolutely owned by the outnumbered Spartan fans. I had a great time spitballing with them on the contest between ND's scoreline and MSU's sack count.
We were all going the other way:
Well, at times the play-calling from both head coaches was truly hellish.
Weis' bone-head calls that helped lead to Clausen's bone-head plays have been talked about above.
It might seem obvious that Weis would win the award for bone-head move of the game, but that isn't so. No, it was Dantonio who elicited the biggest head scratching moment.
MSU was driving the field with ease. Their O-line was gashing the Irish defense for 6+ yards on multiple plays. Less than 4 minutes remained on the clock. Clearly, there was a lot of Spartan momentum - the Irish D looked gassed.
Which is exactly when Dantonio calls a timeout.
The Irish defense, rested up, returns to the field where MSU goes away from the run that was working so well. Instead they dialed up a pass play - that was promptly intercepted.
NDs stats for the game?
203 net yards, from 117 rushing and 86 passing. 4 sacks given up for 32 yards. Oh, yes, and two TDs.
Anywhere other than at 119th in the nation that output would be looked at as anemic, ineffective, horrible and a bad harbinger. But, in South Bend it is greeted with the term "Baby Steps."
ND's productivity has now swelled to 2.37 yards per play - good enough for 119th in the nation once more.
ND's total yards now stand at 548.
ND's total yards punted now stand at 1368 :yow:
Borrowing from Dickens:
Note - no items in quotation marks were uttered by me - well, excepting one(*).
It was the best of times:
Pre-game was a great time. Spartan fans and those Irish faithful who paid their $1,000 a season seat license fees mingled and chatted, broke bread and brats together. Smack talk from the East Lansing contingent died down quickly when the multitude of of Domers declared Uncle to man, then pointed to next year (and the year after that).
Good humor was the order of the day. Walking in each fan was given that most egregious of Pittsburgh's donations to the modern game of football - a terrible towel. The towels were largely white, causing some to quip that ND wanted to surrender early - and that was from the Irish fans. The Spartan visitors thought they were really cute and wondered if they would make good bar mats.
Hurray for their home team! Finally the Irish got that TD goose-egg of their boards. Surely there would be no further poor play? But there were signs that all was very far from good.
It was the worst of times:
In the stands murmurs of discontent greeted each and every failed play by the Irish. Despite a two TD performance this meant that there were plenty of murmurs - even a few choice hollers.
Choicest holler - "That play didn't work the last two times Charlie, stop calling it!" So much for the offensive genius.
Many fans were openly complaining about Clausen being put in the position to do too much, or not doing that which he was asked to do very well.
One oddity - the student section never filled up prior to the game - I'd take that as a bad indicator of fan faith from the newest acolytes.
Half-time came. Even though the Irish was close on the scoreboard there were large numbers exiting stage left - possibly for cooler confines as the uncovered bleachers were baking in the sun.
No idea how that looked on TV, but it seemed noticeable to me. (In the interest of full disclosure I escaped the heat myself in the 3rd quarter for more Legendary surroundings).
It was the age of wisdom:
"I have never seen an ND team this bad, not in 40 years" A long time ND fan and alumnus sitting next to me.
It was the age of foolishness:
""As long as Weis keeps bringing in these great recruiting classes there is no way we get rid of him."
Methinks that a diminished product for NBC and any continuation of a losing record next year might have the powers that be in South Bend reconsidering that line. $3.6 Million per game from NBC - what would happen if they asked to renegotiate?
It was the epoch of belief:
"As long as Weis keeps bringing in these great recruiting classes there is no way we get rid of him."
"Baby steps" - heard very often in one form or another.
It was the epoch of incredulity:
"The o-line played much better today." -
Riposte (*)- "They could hardly play much worse than before now could they?"
It was the season of Light:
All in all, despite the murmurs the ND fans are more than willing to give Weis a pass on this season - the towels have officially been thrown into the ring.
Another good thing, Clausen was rested in favor of Sharpley on ND's first drive of the 4th quarter. A merciful move in my opinion, and by that I mean merciful to the paying crowd. Sharpley seemed to understand that giving up 10 yards per sack was not a good thing (he was sacked, once, for -2 yards).
It was the season of Darkness:
Reportedly the Clausen family has repeated their follow-the-QB method employed earlier in Tennessee. They have ensconced themselves in a condo in South Bend. If the season continues on it's present trend keep your eyes open for a Nutt/Mustain type soap opera contest complete with doting pater familias and real-estate / QB developer.
I predict that Weis would win this contest at the weigh-in.
It was the spring of hope:
"Next year will be completely different"
It was the winter of despair:
"Even if we wanted to get rid of Weis it is too expensive."
ND had everything before it:
But now they are one third of the way through the season, 0-4 (first time in ND history), looking at going 0-4 versus the Big Ten (also I think the first time in their history). That which is behind them makes that left in front of them look much more daunting.
ND had and has nothing before it:
Nothing - as in no offensive TDs by ND before this game.
Nothing - as in the 0-fer streak that still looms.
We were all going directly to Heaven:
Or at least to the cooler confines of the on-campus sports bar Legends where the tailgating could continue after the interruption of the first half.
Legends was absolutely owned by the outnumbered Spartan fans. I had a great time spitballing with them on the contest between ND's scoreline and MSU's sack count.
We were all going the other way:
Well, at times the play-calling from both head coaches was truly hellish.
Weis' bone-head calls that helped lead to Clausen's bone-head plays have been talked about above.
It might seem obvious that Weis would win the award for bone-head move of the game, but that isn't so. No, it was Dantonio who elicited the biggest head scratching moment.
MSU was driving the field with ease. Their O-line was gashing the Irish defense for 6+ yards on multiple plays. Less than 4 minutes remained on the clock. Clearly, there was a lot of Spartan momentum - the Irish D looked gassed.
Which is exactly when Dantonio calls a timeout.
The Irish defense, rested up, returns to the field where MSU goes away from the run that was working so well. Instead they dialed up a pass play - that was promptly intercepted.
NDs stats for the game?
203 net yards, from 117 rushing and 86 passing. 4 sacks given up for 32 yards. Oh, yes, and two TDs.
Anywhere other than at 119th in the nation that output would be looked at as anemic, ineffective, horrible and a bad harbinger. But, in South Bend it is greeted with the term "Baby Steps."
ND's productivity has now swelled to 2.37 yards per play - good enough for 119th in the nation once more.
ND's total yards now stand at 548.
ND's total yards punted now stand at 1368 :yow:
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