Irish Fighting Again



Ara Parseghian: Rudy the NCAA is really strict with this 60 player rule, and in some positions we only have one backup and you know that every year we are competing for the national championship. Is this wish just for your father?
Rudy: No its for everyone who told me that being a Norte Dame Football player would be impossible. My brothers, the guys I work with at the mill they can't come to practice and see that I am a part of this team. — "Rudy" (1993)

College football is better when Notre Dame is a force to be reckoned with. It just is. Notre Dame is one of the most revered programs in college football history, but over the last two decades it hasn't always felt like it.

The Fighting Irish have been a national after thought. When "Rudy" came out in 1993, celebrating a young man who's life aspiration was to get on the field in the Notre Dame uniform, it made sense. Notre Dame has won 11 National Titles and boasts seven Heisman Trophy winners. But the last of those titles was in 1988, and the last of those Heisman winners was Tim Brown in 1987.

Notre Dame still sends plenty of players to the pros — ones that fare better than Brady Quinn, the last serious Heisman contender for the Irish. But for a long time, the school has coasted on its historic reputation rather than what's happened on the field.

Which is what makes this year's squad so exciting. The team is 10-0 and ranked third. Notre Dame sits behind Kansas State and Oregon, right now frustratingly on the outside looking in for the National Title game. That is where this inspiring, heart-warming story takes a bit of a dive.

If nothing changes, the best season for Notre Dame in the last 20 years will end up being good enough to play in a BCS Bowl, but not good enough to play for a title. That's a disappointment consider what Notre Dame means to the college football landscape.

Oregon and Kansas State have strong teams and have had fine years, but seeing them play for a title game won't generate as much interest from casual fans as seeing Notre Dame go for its first title in 25 years.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju...
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co...
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve...
Read more