All Things Notre Dame - The Clashmore Mike Memorial Thread

[UMStan White]

Blah...blah..blah..blah..blah Borges sucks! Did I mention that Borges sucks? Did I mention that if only Mary Coleman and David Brandon would recognize my genius I Would have UM in the title game because Borges sucks? blah....blah...blah...blah...blah!

[hack]

You can't, actually. You lack the ability, don't you?

[UMStan White]

Blah...blah....blah..blah...blah Hopefully you've finally understood that your simplistic approach needs no refutation because iyou have no concept of the game. (Uh...in case you haven't appreciated your total lack of any ability to understand the complexities of the game, let me give you a clue: Blah...blah...blah...blah...blah!)

[hack]

You can't.

[Clashmore Mike]

[i]Outside of one player trying to do way too much, I felt like the better team was wearing maize that day...

I understand the point here?it just sounds odd to ND fans. Of the 984 total offense yards Michigan racked up against Notre Dame in ?10 & ?11, Denard Robinson was personally accountable for 948 of them?just over 96%. Given how those games ended, from our perspective if that one player had tried to do anything less, we would have won as Michigan simply didn?t have anything else. Robinson was simply spectacular in back-to-back outings. So from this side of the fence, I think some of the criticism heaped on him personally for this year?s performance is a little overboard and unfair. I do however, completely agree with the criticism of Hoke/Borges for not having an alternate and/or more weapons available in their 2nd season.

[WM Wolverine]

Your defense deserves a lil' credit for confusing Denard a lot more in '12 than in '10 & '11.

[hack]

While I wish Denard would have learned to make better decisions, it was clear by game day this year that that wasn't going to happen. Stupid, stupid game plan designed to accentuate the weaknesses of a player instead of his strengths.

[Clashmore Mike]

Mike, your version of events is appreciated but does very little to dissuade me.

I have no illusions about dissuading any of you. A Robinson interception will always be a bad decision and/or mistake in your eyes and a forced turnover and/or great defensive coverage in mine.

But I would point out that my "version of events" so far has been to describe what actually transpired on the field (granted, using some dramatic / overstated language). Meanwhile the "version of events" according to you guys is based on events you think or wanted to happen, but didn't. Part of that is by default because I got scoreboard, but just remember that it cuts both ways. You can't suppose that if Michigan had tied the score or taken the lead, that Notre Dame would not or could not have answered. Certainly the Irish were more conservative sitting on a lead with the 2nd string QB than they would have been if they were trailing...

Michigan lost to ND because they failed to develop a viable backup OB backup to Denard, it was only a matter of time before DR had a really bad game or was lost to injury. Gardner obviously was and is ready to play, unfortunately when it was clear Denard Robinson was off his game in South Bend, our moronic coaching staff failed to pull him in relief. Later in the season, our Nebraska debacle really exposed of staff, going with Bellomy in lieu of Gardner, really? Hoke's excuses afterward were nothing short of embarrassing, not to mention cause for alarm.

After all, Kelly has used 3 QB's this season much to his benefit, he obviously found the time to get his QB's "game ready" should the need arise.

Two QBs, but otherwise agreed. He doesn't get a tenth of the credit that is warranted, but Tommy Rees had as much to do with this season as any other single player. I'm also (in hindsight) fairly impressed with how Kelly handled that tenuous situation early on...particularly in contrast with how poorly he seemed to handle QBs and the team last year.

Good Luck against 'Bama, you'll need it.

Not sure it'll be 'Bama, but thanks and I know...

[WM Wolverine]

As often as DR turns it over, I don't think you can give too much credit to the defense. I've seen good QB's not nearly as mobile as DR, know when its time to tuck it, throw it away and/or take off scrambling. DR does none of the three, he heaves up jump balls.

[WM Wolverine]

Yes, M was 'lucky' to win vs ND in '11. ND was 'lucky' DR threw so many balls to ND defenders in '12.

[Clashmore Mike]

Michigan beat MSU without scoring a TD. You're not reliant on that alone in making your argument, but it's there to be pointed out. You don't need a TD to win. Michigan could have taken 6 points in the first quarter instead of outsmarting itself. That would have changed the complexion of the game if they'd done that instead. What would have happened is anyone's guess, but you can hardly blame Michigan fans for wondering what could have been if there was a responsible adult in charge of the offense that day.

Not blaming Michigan fans at all for wondering...and / or...projecting...and / or...supposing. I've done a great deal of that myself over the last three years, and last year in particular. It's a Michigan forum and I've been careful not to talk any shit. I certainly haven't addressed, debated or taken issue with any commentary made on ND outside of this thread...and I've bit my tongue for the last couple of weeks as these comments were posted here. I have to assume that if you guys are posting it on the ND thread, that you're looking for an ND response...

As far as what woulda/coulda/shoulda happened if Michigan hadn't turned the ball over and scored more in the first half, I addressed that in my previous. Notre Dame woulda/coulda/shoulda opened things up, come back and won the game...

...which is something we have a knack for doing this season.

[Clashmore Mike]

Your defense deserves a lil' credit for confusing Denard a lot more in '12 than in '10 & '11.

Heh...so Denard's ability to read and adjust to defense regressed over the years that he was your starting QB?

[Clashmore Mike]

Yes, M was 'lucky' to win vs ND in '11. ND was 'lucky' DR threw so many balls to ND defenders in '12.

Like I said, opposing fans will always see a turnover differently. But in the interests of fair/honest discussion, I don't think that those picks were the result of great coverage by Notre Dame's defense...at the same time, I don't it's fair for you to give ND's defense only a "lil" credit.

Robinson does throw up some ugly balls, which made last years game even harder to digest. Notre Dame's defense deserves some credit for limiting Denard on the ground. Cumulatively in '10 & '11, Denard was averaging a whopping 8.3 yards per carry, while cumulatively, Notre Dame got 1 sack in both games.

In '12, we limited Denard to 3.5 yards per carry and had three sacks on him. In other words, we were able to get more pressure on him, and force him into more passing situations...

[Clashmore Mike]

Other miscellaneous thoughts...

Notre Dame boards are miserable right now. The bandwagon is in full effect with gazzillions of new posters with the shiny "1 Month" badge next to their tag...spouting off all kinds of outrageous shit. Wasting all the insider's/moderator's time with silly assinine questions...then arguing the reasonable responses. I've always hated the blind homers on those boards...but at least they knew something about football. These guys are just insufferable.

Big win for the basketball team the other night...don't know who the fuck decided on the black uni's.

Hot topic this week was Jon Embree, the black coach at Colorado who was fired after two years...and the LACK of Jesse Jackson & media pundits crying about racism on the national stage.

Recruiting is looking really good right now. Two decent, but not great, kids looking elsewhere and Kelly is daring them...telling them that their scholarship is on the line. I think we've got a chance to upgrade those spots and will do so if they put themselves in a questionable position.

[hack]

Coulda been. Who knows? I'll just say that last year's game was decided by luck whereas this year Borges prevented Michigan from being able to be lucky.

Agreed about your QBs. I've assumed that Kelly's a screamer who screams and switches QBs to the detriment of the overall plan, but obviously it's worked for him this year.