Sadly, I am down on my fanhood.

[Old Man Mike]

A little different perspective: I graduated from Notre Dame a million years ago so I'm blessed. On the other hand, I taught 30 years at Western Michigan University. You can't relate to what it's like to know that not only are you going to lose every game of any importance, but you have no chance of expecting anything better. At least Notre Dame is no "loser" or, to put it euphemistically, no "little brother". If we lose, by gum there's every reason to believe we'll get it done next game---and often we do. Even the Cubs [another of my suicidal favorite teams] have at least a legitimate hope of sometime winning. Here in Kalamazoo we wake up every morning knowing that we're NOT going to get any elite recruits, NOT going to ever have any depth, if we ever get a miracle coach he'll be gone ASAP-----count your lucky stars fellas that we, as ND, have legitimate reasons to have real hope---because we've DONE IT BEFORE and we'll do it again.

 

[ACamp1900]

A little different perspective: I graduated from Notre Dame a million years ago so I'm blessed. On the other hand, I taught 30 years at Western Michigan University. You can't relate to what it's like to know that not only are you going to lose every game of any importance, but you have no chance of expecting anything better. At least Notre Dame is no "loser" or, to put it euphemistically, no "little brother". If we lose, by gum there's every reason to believe we'll get it done next game---and often we do. Even the Cubs [another of my suicidal favorite teams] have at least a legitimate hope of sometime winning. Here in Kalamazoo we wake up every morning knowing that we're NOT going to get any elite recruits, NOT going to ever have any depth, if we ever get a miracle coach he'll be gone ASAP-----count your lucky stars fellas that we, as ND, have legitimate reasons to have real hope---because we've DONE IT BEFORE and we'll do it again.

there's hope though, Kansas St, Miami, Marhsall, Northwestern, Texas Tech, Oregon St. who all during different eras like the 1970's were flagrantly bad... and many other programs who traveled that road say hi...

although, yeah, you have to really invest in the program at some point...

 

[Old Man Mike]

I'm with you ACAMP, but very few of those programs you mentioned did it "cleanly" with class. Northwestern sort of doesn't fit the mold since they were a traditional power once upon a time and had some big-ten-cred to build on. I watched how Miami and Florida State did it, and then how Virginia Tech raced to compete for the elite speed to match them. My beloved brother, and VT weight-room legend, staunchly refuses to take off his rose-colored glasses and admit the increased quantities of non-academic thugs over there recently [check the press regularly over the past decade], but it's been no mystery to me how some of these places [including my home state "little brother" Marshall] did it. Marshall accepted Randy Moss after even Florida State decided they couldn't afford to keep his commitment---one of the major mysteries of the twentieth century. I'm not trying to argue that point really; the intent was to point out that Notre Dame is a place that one can wake up to with hope and pride, and this year is even better than most. ---and I always agree with your mantra that we need to wait to see it demonstrated on the field.

 

[ACamp1900]

Well... no one ever said Western Michigan was clean did they...???

 

[IrishandColts]

Wont be the first, wont be the last fan to jump off our base

 

[ACamp1900]

Wont be the first, wont be the last fan to jump off our base

California is litered with former "Notre Dame fans"... they call themselves "USC fans" these days...

 

[IrishinSyria]

I was feeling a little sad on Saturday too (who wasn't) but I am FIRED UP about my fanhood right now. Good recruiting, good news from practice, and I'm starting to feel like we're going to bring the hammer down on Michigan State.

I even think we could survive a Crist injury now, with AA running hard and Kelly knowing the importance of getting our back-ups game ready.

 

[tankjeep]

I was a pre 2004 Red Sox fan, i know what you mean, i think it would help even more for you to think about that stats of the man we hired, his credentials, and his recruits, all im saying is, give kelly your best shot, if he doesnt come through, there are alot of other good teams with tradition out there

boy do i remember those days. talk about testing your fanhood.....that was a yearly "wait til next yah!!!!".

 

[tankjeep]

I'm with you ACAMP, but very few of those programs you mentioned did it "cleanly" with class. Northwestern sort of doesn't fit the mold since they were a traditional power once upon a time and had some big-ten-cred to build on. I watched how Miami and Florida State did it, and then how Virginia Tech raced to compete for the elite speed to match them. My beloved brother, and VT weight-room legend, staunchly refuses to take off his rose-colored glasses and admit the increased quantities of non-academic thugs over there recently [check the press regularly over the past decade], but it's been no mystery to me how some of these places [including my home state "little brother" Marshall] did it. Marshall accepted Randy Moss after even Florida State decided they couldn't afford to keep his commitment---one of the major mysteries of the twentieth century. I'm not trying to argue that point really; the intent was to point out that Notre Dame is a place that one can wake up to with hope and pride, and this year is even better than most. ---and I always agree with your mantra that we need to wait to see it demonstrated on the field.

you are the michelangelo of writing. props to you.

 

[iamtrulyblessed]

I agree, mad props to you Old Man Mike.

 

[JeremyND07]

I am sick of being optimistic and talking about next year in week 3! I am sick of hearing myself say things like DC looks better in his 2nd start then BQ and JC, only to see him not improve over the next 2 years. I am sick of trying to pretend that our defense is better when it is only one player better. It is the same defense that has been at ND for the last 10 years! DL that cannot get to the QB consistently, LBs that are WAY too big & slow, CB that get burnt consistently because they are out of position, make huge stops then give up first downs on 3rd & longs, and a new coach that is suppose to bring us back to glory! I will still torture myself every Saturday for the rest of my god for saken life until we return to Glory but I am DONE pretending like this year is any different from Davie’s, Ty’s, or Weis’ first years! As Saturday’s game goes down to the wire and I allow myself to fall into the trap of actually caring…I will raise my beer to all the ND fans that have suffered with me win or lose! GO IRISH!!!!!

 

[iamtrulyblessed]

Believe me, this is a new era..........it will get even better. I understand how you feel, don't give up, "We are Notre Dame". Please, hang in their!!

 

[Old Man Mike]

To Tank and Truly: thanks for the kind words. Relevantly to this site, I owe it all to my freshman english writing prof at Notre Dame, who returned my first "great epic" writing piece with more red ink on it than I had placed black. Very humbling but good in the long run. Just like "tough love" from good coaches I think.

 

[INFIDEL STRONG]

I have suffered for what seems like forever, **** im a Red Sox fan, I can take suffering, no problem lol...
Im tatted with the ND leprachaun on my right forearm, I live in So Cal, I hate USC like I hate the yankee's, I catch **** all the time about my tat, my response to them, kiss my Irish ***, one day soon we will reach the top of the stepping stones,and you will be the **** under my shoe that we stepped on on our way to the top.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOO IRISH

 

[tankjeep]

I am sick of being optimistic and talking about next year in week 3! I am sick of hearing myself say things like DC looks better in his 2nd start then BQ and JC, only to see him not improve over the next 2 years. I am sick of trying to pretend that our defense is better when it is only one player better. It is the same defense that has been at ND for the last 10 years! DL that cannot get to the QB consistently, LBs that are WAY too big & slow, CB that get burnt consistently because they are out of position, make huge stops then give up first downs on 3rd & longs, and a new coach that is suppose to bring us back to glory! I will still torture myself every Saturday for the rest of my god for saken life until we return to Glory but I am DONE pretending like this year is any different from Davie’s, Ty’s, or Weis’ first years! As Saturday’s game goes down to the wire and I allow myself to fall into the trap of actually caring…I will raise my beer to all the ND fans that have suffered with me win or lose! GO IRISH!!!!!

i understand what you are saying but even if you look at ty's and cw's 1st season as headcoaches at ND, it was pretty impressive (whether it was their recruits or not). but then the coaching begin to shine thru and the success came crashing down.

this time around, IMO, it feels different....even though we lost to UM. you can sense a culture change with the players and you can actually see improvement over last season's team. i hate losing to UM, but there were a lot more positives to take away from this loss than i ever saw with ty's and cw's campaigns.

i feel that this team, as the season goes, will get better and the expected success will start to follow.

 

[tankjeep]

To Tank and Truly: thanks for the kind words. Relevantly to this site, I owe it all to my freshman english writing prof at Notre Dame, who returned my first "great epic" writing piece with more red ink on it than I had placed black. Very humbling but good in the long run. Just like "tough love" from good coaches I think.

my pleasure. i have a more technical writing background, but love to delve into the beauty of telling a story.

 

[Seanthornton]

I'll probably take an increadible amount of crap for this. I have been a Yankees fan since I was old enough to know what Baseball is. (Grew up in NJ.) Im also a Jets fan.
There has been plenty of misery being a Yankee fan since "73" Yanks stunk for many years before they started winning again. The Jets.......well....are the Jets I have suffered many many seasons. The Irish are no different. It will just make it sweeter when we are on top of the NCAA. Remember gentleman Alabama sucked canal water only a few years ago.
Man up !!! take off those briefs and wear Boxers !! WE WILL RETURN !!

KEEP THE FAITH !!!

GO IRISH !!!

 

[Nd thruN'thru]

Being a ND fan the past few years has definitely been trying. The big game hasn't been the strongest point for ND, they never seem to be able to pull through them. But non the less I root for notre dame week in and week out fully expecting them to win no matter what the opponent.

 

[tankjeep]

I'll probably take an increadible amount of crap for this. I have been a Yankees fan since I was old enough to know what Baseball is. (Grew up in NJ.) Im also a Jets fan.
There has been plenty of misery being a Yankee fan since "73" Yanks stunk for many years before they started winning again. The Jets.......well....are the Jets I have suffered many many seasons. The Irish are no different. It will just make it sweeter when we are on top of the NCAA. Remember gentleman Alabama sucked canal water only a few years ago.
Man up !!! take off those briefs and wear Boxers !! WE WILL RETURN !!

KEEP THE FAITH !!!

GO IRISH !!!

you're a closet red sox fan...i knew it.

teehee.

 

[ndcoltsfan2010]

You always have to stick by your team no matter what. I am a life-long Notre Dame fan and a Colts fan since they came to Indianapolis back in 1984. Talk about waiting a long time for success in Indianapolis..., We finally got our due and it has been nice the past few years with all of their success. But I remember a time when a 4-12 season was considered the norm for them. Notre Dame is headed in the right direction, and like alot of fans here, I get really upset when we lose..., especially in games we should not lose, or the games that come to the wire and we end up with the short end of the stick. Our time will come! Keep the faith and believe in this team and it's coaches. I believe we are due, just give it a couple of years and enjoy the transition to greatness and the ride along the way. This year will be a good one. I think we pull off 9 plus wins!