All Things Notre Dame - The Clashmore Mike Memorial Thread

[Jeff Buchanan]

Proximity makes the ND game a good match up economically so, Brandon is going to see that as a reason to keep them on the schedule. All the other points are valid but CFB is is driven by economics these days.

That and, again, proximity, are what are going to keep M from finding good OOC home and home match-ups with SEC, B12 and PAC12 (don't even want to think about the PAC12 ..... way too far) opponents. I hate what Brandon did with Alabama but that is the trend. That is where we are going to see elite match-ups ...... at seat prices that will set your bank account way back if you want to attend.

With the advent of the play-off system, I'd be happy with concentrating on the conference schedule and figuring out ways to make it more balanced and equitable. I don't like the current Division alignment, room for improvement.

[entropy]

The perfect description of ND football:

"Despite posting a 32-31 record the past five seasons and winning 10 games twice since 1993, the Irish remain a force. They've become that high school hot girl who shows up at the reunion 20 years later, looking a bit haggard but still attractive in a nostalgic kind of way."

so.. ND is easy.

[Clashmore Mike]

I've never been enthused about playing ND, even in the recent years when we have won more than our share. It ticks me off that they get special consideration regarding TV coverage, bowl eligibility, and generally an advantage in all realms of media exposure. It never has been a truly level playing field. So I say why keep playing this game by their rules. If they will join the B1G that's different.

This is nothing against Clash or the Notre Dame fandom or the school itself. They have a top notch university and many many fine attributes. But, they compete with us directly for recruits and will always have many intangible advantages over members of the conference. And when they bring in the next Ara Parseghian, or Frank Leahy, or even Lou Holtz they'll waltz right back up to the top of the heap.

I don't feel this way about MSU or even OSU. They work within the framework of a joint and equally arranged conference where there is sharing of revenues and other measures of equality. And I'll even add praise the scarlet and gray by noting they don't schedule ND and it hasn't hurt them one bit.

I just don't like organizations where one member is considered special and better than anyone else regardless of achievements.

Hodkal, first and foremost, I appreciate the respectful and objective manner. I am in the unique position of being able to claim both South Bend, IN., and Ann Arbor, MI. as my hometown?as such this topic has consumed a proportionally exaggerated measure of my life. The vast majority of the time the language includes a plethora of unsubstantiated hyperbole. Notre Dame is ?scared?, ?intimidated?, ?threatened?, ?washed-up??etc. And yet somehow, Notre Dame is still ?arrogant?, ?selfish?, ?greedy?, ?condescending??etc. Nobody ever bothers to explain how many of those (often mutually exclusive) characterizations are all true.

Having said that, I certainly understand how a number of those things would tick opposing fans off. Selection in bowls I think is among the most glaring. There are some examples in both the 80?s and 90?s that are particularly biased in their selection of ND. It would be all too easy for me to simply say that ?bowls are a business decision? and wash my hands?but this is an amateur sport, and there is a lot to be said for ?earning? and/or ?deserving? a bowl invite for a good season. There are a lot of kids who worked there asses off only to get stuck in some shit-hole for a mid-december fly-by-night bowl with a two year tradition?meanwhile an under achieving ND team was pampered for New Years at a resort just before getting their asses kicked in front of the entire nation?I?d be a blatant hypocrite not to acknowledge that?and don?t think that ?special consideration? is an unfair characterization.

[Clashmore Mike]

The perfect description of ND football:

"Despite posting a 32-31 record the past five seasons and winning 10 games twice since 1993, the Irish remain a force. They've become that high school hot girl who shows up at the reunion 20 years later, looking a bit haggard but still attractive in a nostalgic kind of way."

Only on a homer UM board would I respond to a post that takes issue with special considerations attributable to Notre Dame...then two posts later...be tasked with addressing a post that says there is nothing special about Notre Dame...

[lineygoblue]

Yeah, but you still love us, Mike ... :-)

[Rocky Bleier]

ND is taking the path of least resistance? Shocking!

[Hannibal]

Very very impressive defensive performance by ND. They have got some ridiculously good young talent on the DL. Guys we wanted. I hope that Wormley, Pipkins, Ojemudia, & co can answer when they are the starters.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Very very impressive defensive performance by ND. They have got some ridiculously good young talent on the DL. Guys we wanted. I hope that Wormley, Pipkins, Ojemudia, & co can answer when they are the starters.

Maybe not as good as it seemed to look and I agree with you from the TV they played with a lot of intensity that finally seemed focused. This from an MSU fan's post ......

My opinion is that Maxwell can pass and will be very good. However, when Fuonoti went down on Thurs last week, we had to string together a patchwork OL with some guys moved around to positions they don't play usually, and then with Skyler Burkland who clearly was not prepared to play.

Maxwell had no time to let routes develop and his receivers did him no favors ......

So, Dantonio had to do some shuffling on a thin OL (sounds familiar). Remember M's first couple of plays when Molk went out v. VaTech in the Sugar? The offense looked very out of synch.

I'm hoping that is why ND's DL looked good v. MSU.



This is a huge deal

[Clashmore Mike]

ND is taking the path of least resistance? Shocking!

Right?just to clarify, my previous characterization of Talent?s bait as ?weak?, that was based on the sum of material provided at the time. In consideration of Rocky?s recent submission, I would now call Talent?s postings shrewd and clever, though flippant. The above is pretty weak.



Most of us have been discussing this issue for 15 years now?and I don?t want to do it again?particularly during the season?particularly this week. For most intents and purposes, the only thing that applies to this board is scheduling. Otherwise, I don?t see why any of you would care that ND baseball and women?s soccer is now ACC in-lieu-of BE.


At the end of the day, without cynicism, conjecture and invective, I consider this is really a very straightforward situation. The B1G, on principal, will not allow ND a partial membership. That is something that I, along with every rational ND fan I know, acknowledge and respect. ND wants to remain independent in football, and has found a way to do so while protecting its other athletic programs. Nobody has betrayed their principals...and nobody got forced into a deal they didn't want. I don't see any reason to argue over it.

[Clashmore Mike]

Our 5th year Sr. Safety Jamoris Slaughter has been lost for the season with an achilles tendon issue. He had surgery yesterday. It's a fairly significant loss. Slaughter was a veteran who saw plenty of game time in '09 and even started a couple of games. He's been a regular starter since, with the exception of missing a couple games due to minor injuries. He will be replaced by Matthias Farley. A Sophomore who transitioned from WR to S just a couple of months ago. He (Farley) saw time in the 2nd half of Navy and then again in East Lansing after Slaughter went down. He has shown himself well enough considering, but certainly doesn't bring the leadership or playmaking ability of Slaughter.

No other significant injuries. Our veteran starting DE Lewis Kapron Moore and rookie starting WR Davaris Daniels had lingering injuries from Purdue. Both saw extremely limited play at MSU and are not yet 100%.

Manti Te'o will be on campus all week and play against UM. He will go back to Hawaii over the bye week for 2-3 days to mourn with family and friends.

[hack]

A Sophomore who transitioned from WR to S just a couple of months ago.

Michigan fans know a little something about how long it takes to build depth after a bad spell...

[entropy]

I passed out before I could watch the ND and MSU game. Sounds like ND dominated. Can someone provide the cliff notes?

[Clashmore Mike]

A Sophomore who transitioned from WR to S just a couple of months ago.

Michigan fans know a little something about how long it takes to build depth after a bad spell...

Heh...true. I think it's been our MO for the last eight seasons. I'm a bit thrown off that Farley has surpassed Sr. Dan McCarthy...who was always a S and rated much higher as a recruit at that position.

[Clashmore Mike]

Entropy, ND played tough defense and more or less contained Bell. We showed consistently good special teams for the first time in forever. Offensively, we looked mediocre at best...but made the plays that we had to make to win the game. You can watch it below or if the full version on watchespn.com.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzB76YFnddw"]Notre Dame @ Michigan State 2012 - First Half Condensed - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4_MYgZQ_Z4&feature=channel&list=UL"]Notre Dame @ Michigan State 2012 - Second Half Condensed - YouTube[/ame]

[entropy]

thanks