Mandel is debunking myths about Notre Dame

[ShivaIrish]

Here's a mainstream sport's journalist take on the upcoming season at ND. I think it's pretty good, let us know what you think.

In addition, check out their slideshow of the top ten ND football players of all time.



http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/stewart_mandel/08/13/notre.dame/index.html

 

[Irish Envy]

I think it is a very good article actually. I agree with a lot of it.

 

[BGIF]

I think it is a very good article actually. I agree with a lot of it.

I've got a nit here or there (Willingham's 2nd year of recruiting) but wow the haters are going to be P.Oed!

I hope those ND fans that whine about hapless defense read it and digest it.

I think that's a great list of All-Time Players. Too many ND fans seem to think ND football started in 1986.

 

[jiggafini19]

I think that's a great list of All-Time Players. Too many ND fans seem to think ND football started in 1986.

If you were born in 1978, it might as well have.

I read this over on the BGI board and agree with much of it. Even a dark cynic like me has optimism about this defense. Linebacker is a bit of a worry, but upfront and the secondary can only get better than last year.

If the defense plays well, I'm sure it will be because the schedule is week and the grass is too long.

Author brought up a great point that some once proud programs pretty much all sucked at the same time. These schedules, of course, are made years in advance.

 

[Irish Envy]

I've got a nit here or there (Willingham's 2nd year of recruiting) but wow the haters are going to be P.Oed!

I hope those ND fans that whine about hapless defense read it and digest it.

I think that's a great list of All-Time Players. Too many ND fans seem to think ND football started in 1986.

Yeah, I also didn't agree 100%, but the gist was dead on. That is also saying a lot considering Mandel generally seems like an all-out anti-ND guy.

 

[NDAlumSon]

A little surprised my guy, Dave Casper, isn't on the top ten list.
Pretty damn impressive credentials.

 

[Irish52]

Both truthful and honest, a great article. I think the 3 obstacles to the national championship are Mich. Mich. St. and USC........but if we get by the first 4 games, then I'm ready to mortgage the house on ND.

 

[LuckoftheIrish86]

Notables missing from the list:

Jerome Bettis, Autry Denson, Joe Montana and Joe Theismann

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Wow...great assessment. I thought he tempered it well. Especially about the schedule... YES, it was easy. NO, it was not planned. DON'T FORGET, that our losses were close (and 2 of the teams were top4). We were always competitive.

He is also VERY right... IF we get through the first 4-5 games unscathed we could go all the way.

 

[ShivaIrish]

Notables missing from the list:

Jerome Bettis, Autry Denson, Joe Montana and Joe Theismann

With all of Notre Dame's great history and tradition, the list of those players to not make the top 10 could go on almost indefinitely. You gotta stop somewhere, though. If anything, these lists just give people a good chance to reflect on the years past and engage in good-natured debate.

 

[onenybrother]

Great article, thats my brother ( U.S.C.) main gripe when he discussing N.D.. The treatment we get from the media. Oh by the way, that Ohio State ass kicking didn't help things either.

 

[Irish Envy]

Great article, thats my brother ( U.S.C.) main gripe when he discussing N.D.. The treatment we get from the media. Oh by the way, that Ohio State ass kicking didn't help things either.

Then, no offense, but your brother is an idiot. The treatment from the media prior to Weis was nothing short of horrendous. We were a laughingstock, a scapegoat, a leper all wrapped into one. Even after Weis took over, they continued on that path for some time.

Notre Dame will always be treated like a celebrity because of the fascination that goes along with being "America's Team" like the Cowboys, the Yankees, the Celtics/Lakers and the other instituions among college and professional sports.

When we're down, they'll kick you and rub sand in your face. When you're riding high, they'll be calling shotgun. It's sickening but it's all about money.

 

[ShivaIrish]

Then, no offense, but your brother is an idiot. The treatment from the media prior to Weis was nothing short of horrendous. We were a laughingstock, a scapegoat, a leper all wrapped into one. Even after Weis took over, they continued on that path for some time.

Notre Dame will always be treated like a celebrity because of the fascination that goes along with being "America's Team" like the Cowboys, the Yankees, the Celtics/Lakers and the other instituions among college and professional sports.

When we're down, they'll kick you and rub sand in your face. When you're riding high, they'll be calling shotgun. It's sickening but it's all about money.

Notre Dame may get kicked more than anyother team by the media, but there aren't many teams that get supported by the media as much either. No other team would be so venoumously and with so much bias ripped on, such as ND by Mark May. But then again, nobody else had a dude like ol' Holtz supporting ND as a sort of rebuttal. It eventually became kind of a joke. We gotta remember, ND does have their own media contract!