ND Fan here with thoughts

WilhelmDND80

New Member
Nov 29, 2012
5
0
0
Thank you for the welcome. I will be watching on Saturday and will likely have many things to discuss in the coming weeks.
Best,
W
 

Zedman

New Member
Nov 29, 2012
9
0
0
Hello! I am a Notre Dame fan. I read a lot of forums from other fans, but I hardly ever post. First all, this is a GREAT thread and I am VERY impressed by the quality of the discussion and debate. Too often other fanbases (ours included) can't seem to hold an intelligent discussion while sharing opinions, information and occassional ribbing. Congrats Tide fans on a great thread with some very good responses.

I definitely agree that the Irish have been lucky this year, but as some have pointed out - luck is often needed for an undefeated season. There are two parts of the post below that I wanted to address.

Please,,,,,

1. Triple OT to beat Pitt.
2. ND lost to Stanford,, regardless of what the refs gave them, (they have gotten quite a few strange calls this year) he crossed The goal line, we all saw it.
3. They barely escaped Michigan.... A team that was completely non-competitive with Bama.

ND is fooling themselves, and any Bama fans that see this as a competitive matchup are just nostalgic or being charitable..
Specifically, how did the narrative surrounding ND's game with Stanford shift to the fact that ND lost this game except for a bad call by the refs? The situation actually was the Stanford was driving in the OT period to TIE the game. The only thing that Stanford would have WON is the chance to kick an extra point in a torrential downpour and then to try and score in the next overtime period - neither of which were certainties. Please, please, please....at least get the situation correct. You can still argue that ND would have lost in the next overtime period...but Stanford most certianly would not have WON the game with that controversial 4th down play.

Regadring the Pitt game - I agree that the Irish should not have been taken to 3 OTs with the Panthers. However, once again, if you argue that ND was lucky that Pitt missed the field goal that could have ended the game...they were just as UNLUCKY the Cierre Wood fumbled the ball going into the endzone...which is actually MORE unlikely than missing a chip shot field goal.

Again - I love the level of discussion on this board, but I'm getting a bit tired of the sportscasters and fans making some of the assertions based on incorrect information.
 

M2J

All-American
Jan 28, 2007
2,276
28
67
Notre Dame has a legitimate SEC type defense. HOWEVER, I don't think their defense is a top defense in the SEC. Alabama/LSU/Florida/Georgia (maybe)/USCe have more complete defenses...at best I'd give them number 3 defense in the SEC this year. don't even get me started on the Alabama defenses of 2011 and 2009, LSU 2011, Florida 2009...etc.

Notre Dame, has a legit front 7 though. Legit enough to beat anybody in the country. They don't have the depth or explosive scoring ability to beat an SEC champion IMO. I think the pure balance of Georgia or Alabama is too much for Notre Dame to overcome. Oklahoma and Stanford were great wins...but OU's hurry up and lack of rush attempts hurt them....Stanfords lack of trust in their QB at the time hurt too.
 

Johnwants#15

1st Team
Nov 30, 2005
801
0
0
50
Hello! I am a Notre Dame fan. I read a lot of forums from other fans, but I hardly ever post. First all, this is a GREAT thread and I am VERY impressed by the quality of the discussion and debate. Too often other fanbases (ours included) can't seem to hold an intelligent discussion while sharing opinions, information and occassional ribbing. Congrats Tide fans on a great thread with some very good responses.

I definitely agree that the Irish have been lucky this year, but as some have pointed out - luck is often needed for an undefeated season. There are two parts of the post below that I wanted to address.



Specifically, how did the narrative surrounding ND's game with Stanford shift to the fact that ND lost this game except for a bad call by the refs? The situation actually was the Stanford was driving in the OT period to TIE the game. The only thing that Stanford would have WON is the chance to kick an extra point in a torrential downpour and then to try and score in the next overtime period - neither of which were certainties. Please, please, please....at least get the situation correct. You can still argue that ND would have lost in the next overtime period...but Stanford most certianly would not have WON the game with that controversial 4th down play.

Regadring the Pitt game - I agree that the Irish should not have been taken to 3 OTs with the Panthers. However, once again, if you argue that ND was lucky that Pitt missed the field goal that could have ended the game...they were just as UNLUCKY the Cierre Wood fumbled the ball going into the endzone...which is actually MORE unlikely than missing a chip shot field goal.

Again - I love the level of discussion on this board, but I'm getting a bit tired of the sportscasters and fans making some of the assertions based on incorrect information.
I know the situations very well... Stanford had momentum in that game.

And if you can't see that it took a TERRIBILe PI call to get past Pitt,, you need to take those green glasses off..
I never mentioned the field goal. Because the bad officiating was the biggest issue in deciding that game... And ND should never have needed help if they are a championship caliber team.

I notice you had no comment on the Michigan game, which was a very telling outing in my opinion.
 

FriendlyIrish

3rd Team
Nov 22, 2012
217
0
0
I know the situations very well... Stanford had momentum in that game.

And if you can't see that it took a TERRIBILe PI call to get past Pitt,, you need to take those green glasses off..
I never mentioned the field goal. Because the bad officiating was the biggest issue in deciding that game... And ND should never have needed help if they are a championship caliber team.

I notice you had no comment on the Michigan game, which was a very telling outing in my opinion.
Whoa whoa whoa whoa ... Now I'm willing to give and say the PI call was lucky. I'm willing to say the missed call was lucky. But I think its really unfair to equate those calls with us not being a championship caliber team. It is a slippery slope and not does not correlate.

We are the only undefeated team. I could say that with your one loss, you are not a championship caliber team. I could say with Georgia's one loss, or LSU's two losses, they are not championsihp caliber teams. That is obviously not true. I think all of those teams are championship caliber teams. The fact is they have lost.

Oregon is a championship caliber team (and most of you, as well as I, would be frightened to play Oregon in the NCG). Yet, they have one loss. I'd go as far and say Stanford is a championship caliber team (if you can run the football and play D, you can get there). Yet, they have 2 losses.

We got lucky on two calls. Did it determine whether or not we made it to the NCG? Maybe. Yet we fought and clawed our way back in the game and came out on top. I'm not justifying the close game, but I am saying we know how to fight back against an opponent. Again, I think its unfair to equate a lucky call in a game to say we are not a championship caliber team. Our stat sheets show as much.
 

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
84,527
39,617
437
Huntsville, AL,USA
Whoa whoa whoa whoa ... Now I'm willing to give and say the PI call was lucky. I'm willing to say the missed call was lucky. But I think its really unfair to equate those calls with us not being a championship caliber team. It is a slippery slope and not does not correlate.

We are the only undefeated team. I could say that with your one loss, you are not a championship caliber team. I could say with Georgia's one loss, or LSU's two losses, they are not championsihp caliber teams. That is obviously not true. I think all of those teams are championship caliber teams. The fact is they have lost.

Oregon is a championship caliber team (and most of you, as well as I, would be frightened to play Oregon in the NCG). Yet, they have one loss. I'd go as far and say Stanford is a championship caliber team (if you can run the football and play D, you can get there). Yet, they have 2 losses.

We got lucky on two calls. Did it determine whether or not we made it to the NCG? Maybe. Yet we fought and clawed our way back in the game and came out on top. I'm not justifying the close game, but I am saying we know how to fight back against an opponent. Again, I think its unfair to equate a lucky call in a game to say we are not a championship caliber team. Our stat sheets show as much.
I don't have a problem with this. All undefeated seasons have a certain amount of luck and that goes to calls, injuries and to the funny bounces the pointy ball takes. I know we'll have umpteen of these "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin" arguments between now and January, but that's the date that really determines which arguments win - and that's whether you play us or UGA. The only thing I can't abide are the whines about injuries during championship games. I've heard "if Colt hadn't got hurt" until I just suffered a slight barflet even now, thinking about them and that abominable fan base...
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
1,351
232
Tuscaloosa
We had a championship run WAAAAAAYYYYY BACK in 2009 - I can understand if many weren't old enough to remember - where we won a game against a mediocre, barely bowl-eligible team via two blocked field goals (Tennessee), two games we won with quarterback play that was somewhere below poor and perhaps nonexistent (Ole Miss and South Carolina), and some partisans still haven't forgotten a McElroy interception that wasn't in a one score game (LSU).

You can almost bet that just about any team that goes undefeated will not do it without some controversy or simply overcoming a poor performance. Did Notre Dame seem to have a lot of circumstances go their way, but I'm sure outsiders felt the same way about Alabama in 2009. They're in the title now and they'll either earn their title or lose it.
 

FriendlyIrish

3rd Team
Nov 22, 2012
217
0
0
I don't have a problem with this. All undefeated seasons have a certain amount of luck and that goes to calls, injuries and to the funny bounces the pointy ball takes. I know we'll have umpteen of these "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin" arguments between now and January, but that's the date that really determines which arguments win - and that's whether you play us or UGA. The only thing I can't abide are the whines about injuries during championship games. I've heard "if Colt hadn't got hurt" until I just suffered a slight barflet even now, thinking about them and that abominable fan base...
Haha ... fair enough. That's in the nature of the game. I remember that game (obviously) distinctly. 'Bama would have won even if Colt stayed. I can tell you, from me and most rational ND fans, that I will have no excuses come NCG. As a young ND fan who has waited patiently (except 2005, Bush Push) for a chance, I'm amazed at our season and glad to be back. ND's motto this year is "Next Man In." We have had our fair share of pre-season injuries, especially our DB's.

There are plenty of games that are decided throughout a season by one possession or another, where another team could have gotten lucky. Many of them in magical seasons. Here are the last few NC's, and games decided by a possession or less:

2011: Alabama - 1
2010: Auburn - 6
2009: Alabama - 2
2008: Florida - 1
2007: LSU - 6
2006: Florida - 4 (a loss by 10 points, too) - luckiest season alive

Nebraska '95 was probably the last time a team was so physically dominant that they never needed luck ... ever.
 

CrimsonSEC

Hall of Fame
Jan 8, 2007
7,822
78
67
Brewton
Haha ... fair enough. That's in the nature of the game. I remember that game (obviously) distinctly. 'Bama would have won even if Colt stayed. I can tell you, from me and most rational ND fans, that I will have no excuses come NCG. As a young ND fan who has waited patiently (except 2005, Bush Push) for a chance, I'm amazed at our season and glad to be back. ND's motto this year is "Next Man In." We have had our fair share of pre-season injuries, especially our DB's.

There are plenty of games that are decided throughout a season by one possession or another, where another team could have gotten lucky. Many of them in magical seasons. Here are the last few NC's, and games decided by a possession or less:

2011: Alabama - 1
2010: Auburn - 6
2009: Alabama - 2
2008: Florida - 1
2007: LSU - 6 -luckiest season ever
2006: Florida - 4 (a loss by 10 points, too)

Nebraska '95 was probably the last time a team was so physically dominant that they never needed luck ... ever.
Fixed it for you. That's the year the "mad hatter" earned his nickname.........never seen so many lucky 4th down plays (that were bad calls to begin with)
 

RollTide1224

All-American
Feb 18, 2008
2,385
87
67
Spartanburg, SC
Fixed it for you. That's the year the "mad hatter" earned his nickname.........never seen so many lucky 4th down plays (that were bad calls to begin with)
Yeah not to mention the fact that they had 2 losses in the regular season. They were like 6th or 7th going into the last weekend of the season. No reason that team should have lost two games, but at the same time that team should have lost 5 games haha.
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
1,351
232
Tuscaloosa
2007 LSU was undoubtedly the most fortunate champion of the BCS era. What other team could fall to 8-5 Arkansas and Kentucky - overtime or not - and somehow play in the title? This is before even considering the questionable time management that turned out golden against Auburn or the the seemingly two-dozen fourth down plays they needed to win 3 or 4 other games. That was a very, very weird season and they just happened to somehow end up being the beneficiary.
 

snake plissken

1st Team
Apr 13, 2011
578
35
47
Birmingham
Haha ... fair enough. That's in the nature of the game. I remember that game (obviously) distinctly. 'Bama would have won even if Colt stayed. I can tell you, from me and most rational ND fans, that I will have no excuses come NCG. As a young ND fan who has waited patiently (except 2005, Bush Push) for a chance, I'm amazed at our season and glad to be back. ND's motto this year is "Next Man In." We have had our fair share of pre-season injuries, especially our DB's.

There are plenty of games that are decided throughout a season by one possession or another, where another team could have gotten lucky. Many of them in magical seasons. Here are the last few NC's, and games decided by a possession or less:

2011: Alabama - 1
2010: Auburn - 6
2009: Alabama - 2
2008: Florida - 1
2007: LSU - 6
2006: Florida - 4 (a loss by 10 points, too) - luckiest season alive

Nebraska '95 was probably the last time a team was so physically dominant that they never needed luck ... ever.
Nebraska '95 maybe the greatest college football team of all time.
 

We_are_Bama

Suspended
Dec 11, 2008
3,816
1,007
187
All I know is, I have NEVER forgotten that awful day in November 1987 in South Bend, Indiana. That was the last time Bama and Notre Dame played, and I have been longing to play them again ever since. I won't even post the final score of that one, but I will say that it was every bit was bad as the 1998 Alabama-Arkansas game. At one point, we had signed a home and home with Notre Dame (IIRC, it was originally scheduled for 2004 and 2005) but it got cancelled. I'm not sure why it got the ax, I even asked someone from the athletic department that very question, and they told me that no reason was ever given. I just remember being upset that it had been pulled, as I had waited so long to play them again. But, now, we are THIS close to a game 25 years in the making. Redemption for 1987 is finally within reach, we just need to take care of business against Georgia.
 

FriendlyIrish

3rd Team
Nov 22, 2012
217
0
0
All I know is, I have NEVER forgotten that awful day in November 1987 in South Bend, Indiana. That was the last time Bama and Notre Dame played, and I have been longing to play them again ever since. I won't even post the final score of that one, but I will say that it was every bit was bad as the 1998 Alabama-Arkansas game. At one point, we had signed a home and home with Notre Dame (IIRC, it was originally scheduled for 2004 and 2005) but it got cancelled. I'm not sure why it got the ax, I even asked someone from the athletic department that very question, and they told me that no reason was ever given. I just remember being upset that it had been pulled, as I had waited so long to play them again. But, now, we are THIS close to a game 25 years in the making. Redemption for 1987 is finally within reach, we just need to take care of business against Georgia.
Were you treated well by fans? I hope so. I haven't heard too many stories of opposing fans having a bad experience at ND.
 

We_are_Bama

Suspended
Dec 11, 2008
3,816
1,007
187
Were you treated well by fans? I hope so. I haven't heard too many stories of opposing fans having a bad experience at ND.
Oh, yes, the fans were great! When I refer to that as an awful day, I just meant that from the standpoint of being on the losing end of a beat down! That and the loss to Arkansas in 1998 still rank as two of our worst losses ever. The experience there was great. I just wasn't prepared for what your team had in store for us that day! Plus, I was only 14 at the time, so I REALLY did not take that loss very well!
 

FriendlyIrish

3rd Team
Nov 22, 2012
217
0
0
Oh, yes, the fans were great! When I refer to that as an awful day, I just meant that from the standpoint of being on the losing end of a beat down! That and the loss to Arkansas in 1998 still rank as two of our worst losses ever. The experience there was great. I just wasn't prepared for what your team had in store for us that day! Plus, I was only 14 at the time, so I REALLY did not take that loss very well!
Well atleast our fans weren't overly annoying. I'm sure you guys are getting nervous for tomorrow. GL.

If you do win, I think it will be a good debate on who will travel better to Miami, as far as fanbases are concerned...
 

Latest threads

TideFans.shop : 2024 Madness!

TideFans.shop - Get YOUR Bama Gear HERE!”></a>
<br />

<!--/ END TideFans.shop & item link \-->
<p style= Purchases made through our TideFans.shop and Amazon.com links may result in a commission being paid to TideFans.