Finally I can sit down and write up a real hangover. This season has been pretty special, and through it all, I have been as busy as I can ever remember. Sucks for me, but I'm still riding this rainbow of fist pumps like 17 year old on bath salts.
It's not nearly as bad as you think.
On to the Hangover…
Please keep in mind the "top" doesn't exactly mean "the best." It's the top things on my mind coming out of the game. I guess I could change the title- but I won't. Screw you guys:
The Top 5
1. Tommy Rees is exactly who I thought he was. I have found, and unfortunately still find, the debate about who the starting quarterback for Notre Dame should be a toxic wasteland full of hot air and quicksand for a walking path. Rees still eyes his receivers down as if they were Wendi Nix walking along the beach in a string bikini, and he is as immobile as ever. These are not good qualities. Tommy has been fantastic off the bench and perhaps there really is something to calling him the "closer," but as Brian Kelly will almost vomit out every time he is asked- EVERETT IS OUR STARTER.
2. Theo Riddick runs like a man possessed. I will still argue that Cierre Wood is our best running back, but Theo plays hard, plays smart, and brings something different to the offense. His biggest fault was clearly displayed as he was ran down by 3 BYU defenders. It was Darius Walkeresque. Still, despite that top end speed, Theo has a burst and enough athletic ability in his body to get the tough yards when needed- and then some.
3. The offensive line is not nearly as good as we had hoped, and it is a bigger reason for the offensive struggles than the quarterback situation. I realize that is a pretty bold statement after a 270 yard rushing performance that had two running backs go over the 100 yard mark, but I can't unsee what I have seen. There is just something lacking on our offensive front, and it resides on the right side.
4. The no touchdowns allowed streak from the defense finally came to an end with two BYU passing touchdowns in the 2nd quarter. Even though we all knew that it would come to an end soon enough, it was still disappointing (meaning: I wanted to keep riding that rainbow). There was little comfort in the fact that one of those touchdowns was clearly not a catch and the review booth was full of moron juice. The Irish were in a tight game and after those missteps, the Irish defense went back to pitching a shutout in the second half.
5. I'm already sick and fucking tired of the talking heads dissecting this team to the point where the Irish might as well be East fucking Carolina. And it's only Monday. LSU just "winning" always seems to be just fine, but Notre dame going 7-0 with 4 of those games being fairly close means shit. I realize that the schedule wasn't as difficult as what everyone thought it would be, but the simple truth is that Notre Dame has won games with grit, GREAT defense, and ball control offense. You know who else did that? The 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes. OSU is the only team north of the Mason Dixon line to have won the BCS Title. Remember that season? They just won. They. Won. Every. Fucking. Game.
Headbutts
Tyler Eifert. Eifert bailed out Rees and the Irish early in the game with one jumping catch after another.
Manti Te'o & Stephon Tuitt. Both added to their respective interception and sack totals, which are among the nation's best.
George Atkinson III. Yeah, Wood got over 100 yards & Riddick almost got 150 yards, but it was GA3's smooth move at the goaline that got him in the endzone. That was a MONEY move.
Swift Kick To The Nuts
Replay officials. Fuck those guys.
Kyle Brindza. 6 points went wide. Have to punch them in.
False Starters. Whoever's fault it is… YOU A DAMN DRIVE KILLAH SON!
Final Words
Everyone in the country was calling this a "trap" game, and you know what… it was. Despite ours and the teams insistence of the denial of that fact, it had the makings of a trap game and because of many factors turned into one fairly quickly. HOWEVER… the Irish were still able to come away with the victory. How is that a bad thing? Sure, we all would have loved a 38-6 victory but it wasn't. Fortunately, I think it left a bad taste in the mouth of this team and will drive them to work harder towards the biggest game for Notre Dame since USC 2005.
Winning cures all, or so the poets say, but for fans of college football it is always tied with the Sydney Dean way. The stylish way. Call me old school and call me a fool, but a win is a win IS A MOTHERFUCKLING WIN! Just remember what we have gone through all these years and remember to appreciate what we are witnessing.
Winning.
