ND's Talking Heads ... The good, bad & ugly

[ickythump1225]

I would rather play Wiscy than some other big name programs in a NY6 bowl. It wouldn't be easy but it's better than getting OSU or a truly elite program.

 

[IrishLion]

Would have to be a Pac 10 team in there. If it’s USC, then he’s basically predicting we play them for a playoff spot Thanksgiving weekend, no? (Figuring we’re 10-2 to make the Rose). Obviously I’d rather we win, but that’d be pretty cool

He's got both Ohio State and Washington in his top four, so I assume he's got them both in the playoff.

 

[arrowryan]

I also bought the ND Insider 2018 Notre Dame Football Preview Magazine yesterday. I'll post some things every now and then from the mag until the season starts. For now, here is what the "insiders" predict for the Irish this season.

Eric Hansen: The Irish finish 10-2 with a bowl matchup against Miami in the Peach Bowl

Mike Vorel: Notre Dame finishes 10-2 and will face Washington in the Fiesta Bowl

Tyler James: Notre Dame finishes 10-2 with a game against West Virginia in the Camping World Bowl (??)

Tom Noie: Notre Dame finishes 9-3 and this was his comment on the bowl predictions (and I quote) "If Notre Dame doesn't make the College Football Playoff, does it really matter?". He's officially on my shit list after that one. What half ass job on his part. Stick to basketball and congrats on being labeled the new Al Lesar.

Bonus: Here is a game-by-game score prediction for the entire season from the mag...

Michigan- 17-20 L. This board would be unreadable lol
Ball St- 48-14 W
Vandy- 24-10 W
Wake- 27-14 W
Stanford- 31-24 W
VT- 28-23 W
Pitt- 34-14 W
Navy- 38-24 W
NW- 23-21 W. Many people have this as a trap game
FSU- 30-20 W. I was pleasantly surprised by this score
Syracuse- 38-21 W
USC- 20-24 L

 

[snoopdog]

I would rather play Wiscy than some other big name programs in a NY6 bowl. It wouldn't be easy but it's better than getting OSU or a truly elite program.

Not me....I would rather play OSU and bama at the same time, in the Antartica....televised globally of course.....we are Irish.....never, ever make it easy on ourselves

 

[BobbyMac]

My head would explode if ND played UDub here in the Fiesta Bowl.
Especially if ND stayed at the Scottsdale Plaza again. I'd have unlimited backstage passes in both camps.

Now... if ND could just break the AZ losing streak they're on.

 

[Irish#1]

My head would explode if ND played UDub here in the Fiesta Bowl.
Especially if ND stayed at the Scottsdale Plaza again. I'd have unlimited backstage passes in both camps.

Now... if ND could just break the AZ losing streak they're on.

You better get that addition finished, because if the Irish play in the Fiesta you're going to need the room to house all of us.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

My head would explode if ND played UDub here in the Fiesta Bowl.
Especially if ND stayed at the Scottsdale Plaza again. I'd have unlimited backstage passes in both camps.

Now... if ND could just break the AZ losing streak they're on.

My head would explode seeing Petersen make BK chase his tail for 4 quarters.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Yeah I definitely don't wanna see UW, because I'd wager damn near anything on Chris Petersen over BK

 

[arrowryan]

If James Franklin can beat Petersen, anyone can.

 

[BobbyMac]

I watched Todd Graham beat the Pete Show last fall. Totally ruined the post game festivities.

... so anything's possible.

 

[NDdomer2]

I dont know if id put ND RB's at #22 as a group.

Tom Noie = derp

I pray our two losses arent Michigan and USC by a combined 7 points.

 

[stlnd01]

Bonus: Here is a game-by-game score prediction for the entire season from the mag...

Michigan- 17-20 L. This board would be unreadable lol
Ball St- 48-14 W
Vandy- 24-10 W
Wake- 27-14 W
Stanford- 31-24 W
VT- 28-23 W
Pitt- 34-14 W
Navy- 38-24 W
NW- 23-21 W. Many people have this as a trap game
FSU- 30-20 W. I was pleasantly surprised by this score
Syracuse- 38-21 W
USC- 20-24 L

This would be a good, though rather painful, season. We lose to Michigan, maybe fall out of the Top 25, and endure a solid month of hot takes on the "Brian Kelly Revisited" thread before regaining some measure of dignity with wins against Stanford and Va. Tech.
From there we actually climb all the way into the playoff hunt (though with some nagging doubt from that close NW game), and take out FSU. Before losing close in a winner-take-all game (or, worse, an upset) at USC and wrapping it up against W. Va. in the Camping World Bowl (is that was they used to call the Outback Bowl?)
Beating FSU and Stanford aside, that might be the least satisfying 10-win season imaginable.

 

[stlnd01]

Tom Noie: Notre Dame finishes 9-3 and this was his comment on the bowl predictions (and I quote) "If Notre Dame doesn't make the College Football Playoff, does it really matter?". He's officially on my shit list after that one. What half ass job on his part. Stick to basketball and congrats on being labeled the new Al Lesar.

It'll matter when he kisses his kids goodbye on Christmas morning so he can make it to Shreveport for the Independence Bowl, instead of spending New Years Day in Phoenix at the Fiesta.

 

[arrowryan]

This would be a good, though rather painful, season. We lose to Michigan, maybe fall out of the Top 25, and endure a solid month of hot takes on the "Brian Kelly Revisited" thread before regaining some measure of dignity with wins against Stanford and Va. Tech.
From there we actually climb all the way into the playoff hunt (though with some nagging doubt from that close NW game), and take out FSU. Before losing close in a winner-take-all game (or, worse, an upset) at USC and wrapping it up against W. Va. in the Camping World Bowl (is that was they used to call the Outback Bowl?)
Beating FSU and Stanford aside, that might be the least satisfying 10-win season imaginable.

Losing to Michigan and USC by a combined 7 points would be tough, but it is basically impossible to get a season prediction right so I don't put a lot of thought into them.

I don't agree in that Notre Dame would fall out of the top 25 with a loss to Michigan. Michigan will probably open the season in the top 12; a close loss to a top 12 team doesn't warrant dropping out of the top 25 unless you're ranked between 21-25.

 

[stlnd01]

I don't agree in that Notre Dame would fall out of the top 25 with a loss to Michigan. Michigan will probably open the season in the top 12; a close loss to a top 12 team doesn't warrant dropping out of the top 25 unless you're ranked between 21-25.

Fair enough. Maybe we fall from 16th to 21st or something. Early season rankings don't much matter regardless. The month of angst is what I'm really hoping to avoid. The Fire Kelly crowd has been rather mellow around here lately and I've grown to enjoy the quiet.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Oh and no the Camping World Bowl was not the Outback, it was the Russell Athletic Bowl

 

[IrishLion]

The more I think about that prediction, the more I think it will be 100% accurate lol.

A season that should be considered great and successful will still feel like a failure... bookended by heartbreaking losses to rivals, only to win/lose a NY6 game, completely at the mercy of a random matchup...

The 'Fire Kelly' crowd will be pissed because we couldn't beat the two biggest names on the schedule, while the 'Kelly Is Not So Bad' crowd will say "We beat FSU and Stanford, thus splitting the four big games, AND we still have a bunch of people coming back next year to a team that nearly made the playoffs"

Basically stuck in limbo after a season that most programs would consider a wild success; bringing BK back; hoping things don't fall apart after a successful season from '18 to '19 like they did between '15 and '16.

That would be so Notre Dame it would hurt.

 

[zelezo vlk]

The more I think about that prediction, the more I think it will be 100% accurate lol.

A season that should be considered great and successful will still feel like a failure... bookended by heartbreaking losses to rivals, only to win/lose a NY6 game, completely at the mercy of a random matchup...

The 'Fire Kelly' crowd will be pissed because we couldn't beat the two biggest names on the schedule, while the 'Kelly Is Not So Bad' crowd will say "We beat FSU and Stanford, thus splitting the four big games, AND we still have a bunch of people coming back next year to a team that nearly made the playoffs"

Basically stuck in limbo after a season that most programs would consider a wild success; bringing BK back; hoping things don't fall apart after a successful season from '18 to '19 like they did between '15 and '16.

That would be so Notre Dame it would hurt.

FTR, the Camping World Bowl is not a NY6 bowl.

 

[IrishLion]

FTR, the Camping World Bowl is not a NY6 bowl.

Yeah, but going on the season prediction, 10-2 gets ND into a NY6 bowl. At that point we are at the behest of the bowl 'draft pick' process.

I think that's why Ryan had the ??? after the '10-2 Camping Bowl' season prediction. 10-2 and playing in the Camping Bowl makes no sense.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Less than 2 months until we collectively wish for the sweet release of death

 

[arrowryan]

Yeah, but going on the season prediction, 10-2 gets ND into a NY6 bowl. At that point we are at the behest of the bowl 'draft pick' process.

I think that's why Ryan had the ??? after the '10-2 Camping Bowl' season prediction. 10-2 and playing in the Camping Bowl makes no sense.

Yes. The only way I see Notre Dame going to the Camping Bowl is if they go 9-3 or 8-4. A 10-2 record almost guarantees a NY6 bowl for the Irish.

I want to beat Michigan and USC just as much as the next guy. If Notre Dame's only losses were to UM and USC, that means they still would've beat Stanford, FSU, VT on the road, and a NW team that some think could be a dark horse to make the B1G title game.

I personally don't see Notre Dame dropping both UM and USC games. I think splitting those games is more likely and I'd be ecstatic to see Notre Dame come out 2-0 in those games. I think Notre Dame dropping one of UM/USC and FSU/Stanford is more realistic.

 

[KizerWilhelm]

We guessed correctly.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">So today’s the day. <br><br>Thrilled to let everyone know that I’ve joined <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAthleticCFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAthleticCFB</a> covering Notre Dame football. New challenge. New coverage. You’ll love it. Here’s more:<a href="https://t.co/5TTfsflUQx">https://t.co/5TTfsflUQx</a><br><br>Subscribe using this link to receive 40 percent off: <a href="https://t.co/Ct00WUBeF5">https://t.co/Ct00WUBeF5</a></p>— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteSampson_/status/1018859462512267264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[zelezo vlk]

Damn, that's a loss.

 

[IrishLax]

The Athletic has been spending a LOT of money to poach a LOT of top talent... and they're nowhere near profitable at this point. I really hope it works out for them, because I like virtually everyone they've hired and they produce fantastic content.

 

[dublinirish]

tbh its good news for ND fans, the athletic launched a bunch of team sites today and half of them are manned by folks totally new to their respective beats (a clemson site run by a UGA alum for instance) It's good to have Sampson on the ND beat still irregardless.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

tbh its good news for ND fans, the athletic launched a bunch of team sites today and half of them are manned by folks totally new to their respective beats (a clemson site run by a UGA alum for instance) It's good to have Sampson on the ND beat still irregardless.

Public Service Announcement (not a criticism):

It's just regardless

 

[phork]

Public Service Announcement (not a criticism):

It's just regardless

Was just going to say the same thing lol. No other word bothers me like "irregardless" and I have no explanation as to why.

 

[BobbyMac]

I'm actually considering this which goes against all things Crusader.

 

[IrishLion]

The Athletic has been spending a LOT of money to poach a LOT of top talent... and they're nowhere near profitable at this point. I really hope it works out for them, because I like virtually everyone they've hired and they produce fantastic content.

Is that an educated assumption based on the talent they've hired combined with their relatively low subscription price, or is that info out there somewhere?

 

[BobbyMac]

Is that an educated assumption based on the talent they've hired combined with their relatively low subscription price, or is that info out there somewhere?

They just got $20M in funding a few months ago. No way they are profitable.