It's on.

[scooper]

From an Atlanta paper this morning.

Mark Bradley
Falcons excel in half that counts
Defense counted on to carry Dogs
Stating the obvious: It's over.
Hawks make another serious mistake
Richt makes the smart, safe choice
One team that will play at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday has demonstrated the capacity to beat strong opposition, and it isn’t Notre Dame. One team has proved it can stop a good offense, and it isn’t Notre Dame. One team seems equipped to win this hugely ballyhooed game, and it isn’t Notre Dame.

Notre Dame is No. 2 in the Associated Press poll and No. 1 according to The Sporting News, but at some point a disinterested observer must ask: Exactly what did the Irish do to merit such effusion? Notre Dame didn’t beat a single team ranked in the final AP poll last season. When last seen, it yielded 617 yards to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Yes, it has the newest anointed genius in the coaching fraternity and a quarterback of the first rank, but isn’t it true that the biggest noise the Irish have made under Charlie Weis came in a loss?

Georgia Tech, by way of contrast, beat three of last season’s top 21 teams. Georgia Tech, by way of contrast, can play some D. Georgia Tech, by way of contrast, makes the most noise when confronted by an opponent that has been heralded to the heavens.

Asked if he had wearied of hearing how mighty the Irish are supposed to be, Tech linebacker KaMichael Hall said: “Any team would be tired of it. Not taking anything away from [Notre Dame], but the hype is something serious. If I was the Fighting Irish, I might be a little worried.”

Sometimes the tub-thumping is justified. In Notre Dame’s case, it sounds a bit tinny. Can you be a great team with a lousy defense? (The Irish yielded 397 yards a game last season, and that number wasn’t utterly skewed by the production of big boys Southern Cal and Ohio State. Washington, which finished 2-9, gained 442 yards.) Can you be a great team without actually beating anybody? (Technically, the epic near-miss against the Trojans doesn’t qualify.) Can you be a great team just because you’re Notre Dame and the masses want you to be great?

“America loves Notre Dame right now,” said Joe Anoai, the defensive tackle. And then: “I’m not sick of [the hype]. It’s just more fuel to my fire.”

As bad as Chan Gailey can be in games he’s expected to win, he’s that good in games in which his team is afforded no chance. (Think N.C. State in 2002, Auburn in 2003, Auburn and Miami last season.) Gailey and his men revel in feeling slighted, and here they are again. Asked if this correspondent is the only person who thinks Tech can win, Hall said: “You and the rest of our team.”

Said Anoai: “We don’t think we can win. We know.”

Notre Dame may be the one team in the land with its own TV network, but the cold truth is that Notre Dame hasn’t mattered much since Lou Holtz left. (Of the two schools who will play here Saturday, Tech has been crowned national champion more recently.) Much of the embrace of Weis and Brady Quinn has to do with the legions of subway alums who yearn for the Irish to be restored to their place in the football firmament. But does Notre Dame possess more aggregate talent than Auburn or Miami? And if Tech was stout enough to topple both of those on the road, why should it wilt at home?

Jeff Samardzija is a splendid receiver, but is he better than Calvin Johnson? Darius Walker is a nice back, but Tashard Choice seems poised for a breakout. And while Quinn against Reggie Ball is regarded as an abject mismatch, it should be noted that the much-lampooned Ball has become rather adept at the major upset.

At issue is whether Patrick Nix, the newly minted play-caller, can engineer an offense that will keep the ball from Quinn. Early returns on Nix, whose previous responsibility was the two-minute drill, have been mixed, but a bad Irish secondary figures to fare even worse against the elongated Johnson. Tech should be able to move and to score, and in the end Jon Tenuta’s defense will make the stop it has to make.

Come midnight Saturday, one team will have seized a famous victory, and it won’t be Notre Dame.

Permalink | Comments (87) | Post your comment | Categories: Tech / ACC

Comments

Saturday night can't come soon enough.

 

[irishnd31]

Funny stuff. Cute article.

Bring the pain boys.

 

[A2McGowan]

Ooooooooh buddy........thanks for that post. I needed a little edge. They absolutely will not be able to run the ball on ND's front seven. The defense will be fun to watch.

 

[Bubba]

I hope that's posted in the ND locker room.

 

[marv81s]

Writer has a short memory it seems. What was the score of GT's bowl game and who did they lose to? Oh yeah, UTAH, 38-10. Bring it boys! Good posterboard article to hang in ND's locker room, help stoke the flames a little bit.

 

[Dannyboy Ayers]

somebody feel that guys head for lumps because he must of bumped his head

 

[luckofirish8]

There are a fews things.

First, the article grossly underestimates the idea that the Irish D may be much improved in its second season under Minter. A lot of teams did put up huge numbers against the Irish defense last season. That was because the pass defense was horrible and the teams were down by 21 points before they knew what happen.

I don't care how good Ga Tech thinks their defense is, it can't be any better the likes of USC and Ohio State was last season.

Also, I believe that Calvin Johnson is the best wide receiver in the country, but he is only as good as the throws coming his way...and he has Reggie Ball as his QB. Honestly, there is no way anyone in the country would rather have Ball over Quinn.

Remember last season, when Weis had all that time to plan against Pitt...I like our chances. LET'S PLAY SOME FOOTBALL.

 

[tommy]

i got goose bumps the size of lepercy boils no offense if any one has lepercy

 

[Bubba]

I went over and checked out the article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution just to check out some of the comments to the article. The major headline....341 lbs of meth found in N. GA. I think Mr. Bradley got a hold of some of that before he wrote his article!!!

 

[scooper]

i got goose bumps the size of lepercy boils no offense if any one has lepercy

Don't worry. None taken.



Anybody want to sit next to me at the Army game?

 

[irishnd31]

Don't worry. None taken.



Anybody want to sit next to me at the Army game?

#1 Can I get drunk first?

#2 How contagious are you?

#3 Can I get drunk afterwards?

If yes to #1 and #2, then why the hell not.

LMAO.

 

[tommy]

hey man i will like boosum buddies

 

[scooper]

#1 Can I get drunk first?

#2 How contagious are you?

#3 Can I get drunk afterwards?

If yes to #1 and #2, then why the hell not.

LMAO.

Not you. Boils are one thing. I can live with that. But I couldn't handle the smell of cabbage for an entire game.

 

[irishnd31]

hey man i will like boosum buddies

Umm, do you two want to be alone for a while?

 

[scooper]

Umm, do you two want to be alone for a while?

If he has tickets, maybe.

 

[tommy]

lol lol im not gay just happy

 

[irishnd31]

Not you. Boils are one thing. I can live with that. But I couldn't handle the smell of cabbage for an entire game.

I understand completely. Looks like tommy's in though. You two "boosum buddies" have a fantastic time.

Oh, and you just made my Ignore List Mr Birthday Carousel. Joking

 

[irishnd31]

If he has tickets, maybe.

You slut.

 

[tommy]

ohhhhhhhhhhhh i feal the love today boys its amazing how nd football can make a person so happy im speaking for everyone hear and thats a first

 

[tommy]

what scooper i thought you had the tickets

 

[scooper]

I understand completely. Looks like tommy's in though. You two "boosum buddies" have a fantastic time.

Oh, and you just made my Ignore List Mr Birthday Carousel. Joking

Svo, could this please go under my avatar?

 

[irishnd31]

Svo, could this please go under my avatar?

LMAO!!

 

[tommy]

hey im polish cabbage is nothing you smell like perogies thats even better

 

[Bubba]

hey im polish cabbage is nothing you smell like perogies thats even better

Tommy, you're going to offend Waldo!

 

[tommy]

i know im a inarticulate racialy motivated polok that cant spell

 

[BGIF]

Don't worry. None taken.



Anybody want to sit next to me at the Army game?

Just Waldo.


So he can castigate you with four quarters of PC play by play and color commentary (can I say color commentary?) on your latent Hansen's insensitivity.

 

[scooper]

Just Waldo.


So he can castigate you with four quarters of PC play by play and color commentary (can I say color commentary?) on your latent Hansen's insensitivity.

Does the ignore function work inside Notre Dame stadium?

 

[BGIF]

Does the ignore function work inside Notre Dame stadium?

Waldo's irritate function works anywhere.

 

[BGIF]

i know im a inarticulate racialy motivated polok that cant spell

For your edification tommy, accepted spellings are: Pollack or Pollock or Pollock or Polak or polak.

 

[tommy]

thanks bg