A Beginner's Guide to Weis-Era Notre Dame Football

[tedwick]

This is inspired by a recent thread. Thought I'd ease any newcomers to ND football into the current state of things. Feel free to add on. Enjoy!

Lesson #1:

- Charlie Weis

- Charlie Weiss

One is a veterinarian. One is a football coach/sith lord. Glad we got this out of the way.

Lesson #2:

This Clausen

NOT this Claussen

Lesson #3:
Mark May is a moron. Let nobody convince you otherwise.

Lesson #4:
On a related note, Lou Holtz can do no wrong. When he sits there on GameDay, lisping his way through commentary, he is simply lulling Mark May into a vulnerable state. Then he strikes.

Lesson #5:
Notre Dame has one rival. Take a guess.

Lesson #6:
Other than the aforementioned rival, Notre Dame has several enemies. Michigan, Miami, and Ohio State come to mind, with Michigan State being a minor one. Learn to hate them all. And if Notre Dame by chance loses to one of them, remember that Notre Dame graduates 95% of its football players. Mention this often.

Lesson #7:
Boston College is not a rival. Boston College is not an enemy. Boston College is Fredo.

Lesson #8:
When Notre Dame drops in the polls, it is because of a media corps with a clear anti-Notre Dame bias. Don't confuse this media with the obviously unbiased media that does features on Notre Dame's golden-boy quarterback and robot genius coach. They're two different things.

Lesson #9:
When a recruit commits to Notre Dame, he gets it. When a recruit does not commit to Notre Dame, he doesn't get it. There is no good reason to not come to Notre Dame.

Lesson #10:
On a related note: During the season, Notre Dame is always in a state of panic with regards to recruiting. Either there aren't enough verbal commitments, or Notre Dame's verbal commitments keep getting downgraded. After the season, Notre Dame should clearly have the best recruiting class pulled in since ever. Keep in mind what time frame you are posting in.

Lesson #11:
Ty Willingham likes to play golf. Ty Willingham recruited poorly. Infer what you will.

Lesson #12:
Ty Willingham will always get lucky. If he wins, it was despite of him. It used to be that you could blame Isaiah Stanback for Ty winning, but you now need to be more creative. Blame the purple uniforms.

Lesson #13:

Charlie Weis has 4 Super Bowl rings. Mention this frequently when in a debate comparing Weis to other coaches.

And lastly, Lesson #14:
This is the Return to Glory. Go Irish!

(hope you found this humorous. feel free to add, or, of course, give me rep : D)

 

[ACamp1900]

comedy, from the "sith lord" on.... and BC is smithers.... I like that one more... lol

funny yet true threads like these make Notre Dame's world a better place to live in,


...GO IRISH

 

[ACamp1900]

Lesson 14: To those of the truely faithful, each of these images are equally sexy, for obviously varying reasons sure, but still equally sexy....

http://www.rumela.com/albums_1/crista_nicole/crista_nicole02.sized.jpg

http://www.cheappremiumtickets.com/images/articles/20.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e25/ttubiolo/crista_nicole02.jpg

http://s43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/guppyfarm/th_CharlieWeis.jpg

 

[punishment]

I have to give credit where credit is due. And that first post was funny. Reps for you, just for your creativity. (And in all honesty, for telling the truth.)

 

[Pete]

I prefer Obi-Wan Kenobi, I mean he is fighting for good over evil

 

[Clotho]

I'll take issue with a few.

#8, see the Weis thread. There IS a legitimate anti-ND bias in the polls and media, just as there's a legitimate pro-ND bias in the polls and media. ND is almost always either over-praised or over-hated, and it's usually rated either higher than it deserves to be or lower. This week we had 2 SEC teams jump us. One wasn't playing, and the other struggled on their home field to a team worse than UCLA, before finally winning with a field goal.

#9, there actually ISN'T any good reason not to come to Notre Dame right now. Of all the D1 programs, it provides the best mixture of NFL prospects and academics. As an emotional decision, many a prospect would have many good reasons not to come here. As a business decision, none exist.

#12, what is Ty winning? His Washington team has played a bunch of people close but they're losing every time out. This is the "inspirational" period of Ty's tenure at Washington, and it's as good as they're going to get. He's simply a mediocre coach and he's been that at every school he's ever been to. Washington will not rise to prominence again with Ty as coach, though in a down year in the Pac-10 they might lose 4 and steal a BCS bowl berth, and a lot of anti-ND pundits (all black) will be going crazy over it. As a coach, he's a loser.


Otherwise, funny, and good effort.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

#8, see the Weis thread. There IS a legitimate anti-ND bias in the polls and media, just as there's a legitimate pro-ND bias in the polls and media. ND is almost always either over-praised or over-hated, and it's usually rated either higher than it deserves to be or lower. This week we had 2 SEC teams jump us. One wasn't playing, and the other struggled on their home field to a team worse than UCLA, before finally winning with a field goal.

We started the season #2...after getting our ass kicked by tOSU in our bowl game...

Then last week we dropped 1 spot in a poll and 2 in another. Similar to Cal's dropping 1 spot in each poll.

We struggled with a crappy team...we paid the price.

Now, if you want to talk about Pro-USC bias I am with ya.

 

[Bubba]

We started the season #2...after getting our ass kicked by tOSU in our bowl game...

Then last week we dropped 1 spot in a poll and 2 in another. Similar to Cal's dropping 1 spot in each poll.

We struggled with a crappy team...we paid the price.

Now, if you want to talk about Pro-USC bias I am with ya.

LMI, I'm not sure if you're supporting Clotho's post or arguing against it. Tennessee struggled with a crappy team and jumped us. Florida didn't play and jumped us. Georgia struggled with a crappy team and made it back into the Top 25. I see some obvious discrepancies with this trend. If we pay the price, so should the others.

I believe we do recieve both too much negative bias and too much positive bias. It goes with being the most loved/hated team in CFB. It's nice to see that our team inspires so much emotion no matter which side of the fence you're on. But, I still hate those negative bastards!

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

LMI, I'm not sure if you're supporting Clotho's post or arguing against it. Tennessee struggled with a crappy team and jumped us. Florida didn't play and jumped us. Georgia struggled with a crappy team and made it back into the Top 25. I see some obvious discrepancies with this trend. If we pay the price, so should the others.

I believe we do recieve both too much negative bias and too much positive bias. It goes with being the most loved/hated team in CFB. It's nice to see that our team inspires so much emotion no matter which side of the fence you're on. But, I still hate those negative bastards!

I am not supporting his argument...

Tennessee did not jump us. We dropped from 8 to 10. They stayed the same. Florida jumped up from 10 to 8 (coaches poll). Tennessee just held tight. And in the AP poll they did lose a spot.

Where I see unfair rankings: Texas and USC.
Where I saw fair changes: ND, Cal, Tennessee.

There are times when I feel we are getting screwed...like any fan of their team does. But there are times when I ask "how did we get there?" For instance, starting the season at #2.

 

[Clotho]

No, Tennessee DID jump us. The poll is not an actual structure; ND did not just drop, physically, and Tennessee sit there and watch us go by. They were put ahead of ND by pollsters.

So why didn't Tennessee pay the price for struggling with a crappy team? Why didn't they drop? We'll destroy an Air Force team that should have taken them to OT in Knoxville, and still probably be behind them unless they have another loss by then. And that's garbage.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

No, Tennessee DID jump us. The poll is not an actual structure; ND did not just drop, physically, and Tennessee sit there and watch us go by. They were put ahead of ND by pollsters.

So why didn't Tennessee pay the price for struggling with a crappy team? Why didn't they drop? We'll destroy an Air Force team that should have taken them to OT in Knoxville, and still probably be behind them unless they have another loss by then. And that's garbage.

Actually, it is structure in the eyes of the voters.

If it was not, there would be more movement week-to-week

 

[Clotho]

That doesn't help your case. Why then, on this structure, did Tennessee not "pay" for commiting the same "crime" ND did?

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

That doesn't help your case. Why then, on this structure, did Tennessee not "pay" for commiting the same "crime" ND did?

They played a better team... Or at least a better team in the eyes of the voters. Rivalry plays in as well...

 

[FleaFlicker]

I am not supporting his argument...

Tennessee did not jump us. We dropped from 8 to 10. They stayed the same. Florida jumped up from 10 to 8 (coaches poll). Tennessee just held tight. And in the AP poll they did lose a spot.

Where I see unfair rankings: Texas and USC.
Where I saw fair changes: ND, Cal, Tennessee.

There are times when I feel we are getting screwed...like any fan of their team does. But there are times when I ask "how did we get there?" For instance, starting the season at #2.

I agree that there is both pro and anti - ND bias all over the media. But in regards to our preseason rank, I can't argue with it. Who else was going to be higher?

Look at all of the top teams right now, which ones looked really promising coming into the year?

We basically returned our entire offense, which was one of the best in the country. We returned much of our defense, which many thought would be inproved because of the added experience. So last year, we had basically the exact same team, and got to a BCS bowl. We got whipped by OSU in yardage (although we only lost by a few touchdowns).

Because of this, it was obvious OSU was No.1, even though they were starting almost an entirely new Defense. VY WAS UT, they returned a lot of players, but with a Freshman QB coming in, no one knew how they would fair. If VY had returned, they would have been No.1, and OSU No. 2.

USC lost tons of people, 2 heisman trophy winners. We almost beat them (should have), and weren't losing many from our team (especially impact players, except for Fasano and Stovall).

And a few of the SEC teams looked good but not superb the previous year.

Michigan was what, 7-5? They didn't deserve to be ranked #2.

Our ranking made total sense at the time.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

Back to the original intent of this thread.....

#15 When ND wears the Green Jerseys, it's something BIG. You WILL get excited and pysched up. The media WILL play it up. The team WILL MOST LIKELY lose. ND hasn't had good luck with the green uni's as of late. 1977 was a looooong time ago.

 

[tedwick]

And now, for a little more reading material on the night before Navy:

A Beginner's Guide to Weis-Era Notre Dame Football... II
Electric Boogaloo

Now, where did I leave off?

Lesson #16:
Charlie Weis is not fat. He is fluffy.

That, my friends, is a good looking man with a good looking flattop.

Lesson #17:
Every team Notre Dame beats will be overrated. This is a law of nature. Prepare to defend not only the Irish, but every team they have played, to your local Wolverine fan. Or ESPN writer.

Corollary to Lesson #17: Michigan State is never a big win. After Notre Dame beats Michigan State, Sparty begins his mid-season implosion to mediocrity. This happens ever year. All your "OMG WE JSUT BEAT MSU!!! THEY WERR UNDEFEATED!!1!11!!" comments will look very, very dumb.

Lesson #18:
Notre Dame shows the utmost respect to the service academies, and so should you. You should also expect the Irish to beat said academies by 50. Get upset if they don't.

Lesson #19 (The D.J. Gallo/Jason Whitlock Theorem):
Page 2 at ESPN.com tends to employ dumb people. Thus most writing on Page 2 tends to be dumb. You should still read it. Send angry e-mails when appropriate.
(Note: Greg Easterbrook is usually an exception to this rule. Usually.)

Let the flame-throwing commence.

Lesson #20:
Know the fight song. Love the fight song. Hum the fight song loudly during meetings.

Lesson #21:
When, on an off chance, a recruit visits your message board of choice, DO NOT bad mouth the recruit. God will smite you.

Lesson #22:
Go Irish. Beat Navy.



If these are actually funny, I'll keep doing them. If someone else wants to contribute, feel free! (please. I know some of you are funnier than I am.)

 

[Vince Young]

Lesson #23:
Never, never, never, NEVER mention Ty Willingham in any context whatsoever. It will not end well.

 

[Mare426]

Thanks for the great post. I am truly going to study it often so that I will appear knowledgeable about ND football.

Go Irish Beat Navy