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The "Stare Down" Was A Huge ND Pre-Game Mistake In My Opinion

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Alasippi

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Aug 31, 2007
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I guess it's a Notre Dame tradition to line up and kinda stare down their opponents as they exit their locker rooms.

They did it in "Rudy" and they did it Monday Night as we exited the tunnel.

I really think that was a bad bad move because I can't help but think that feeble attempt at intimidation accomplished one thing---It ticked our players off and pumped them up even more so than they already were.

Just an observation but I really thought it was dumb on their part.

sip
 
As I watched that play out on TV I was thinking that the Alabama players looked HUGE, and ND players looked nervous. If they were trying to "stare down" the Alabama players, they failed.
 
Alasippi said:
I guess it's a Notre Dame tradition to line up and kinda stare down their opponents as they exit their locker rooms.

They did it in "Rudy" and they did it Monday Night as we exited the tunnel.

I really think that was a bad bad move because I can't help but think that feeble attempt at intimidation accomplished one thing---It ticked our players off and pumped them up even more so than they already were.

Just an observation but I really thought it was dumb on their part.

sip
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it was a feeble attempt. actually, i would guess that our team didn't really care. i think the die was already cast at that point. when i watched the replay last night, it was funny to watch how amped the nd defenders were after the first couple of tackles they made (on kick off and lacy's first run). its so cute when they still think they have a chance ;)
 
Heck I just thought it was done that way because of the arrangement. Teams had to exit the same tunnel, and Alabama had to go first because we were the "road" team. In any event, our guys seemed not to even notice that they were there.
 
another thing i noticed was that before, during warmups etc. the cameras kept getting shots of the nd players (especially te'o) "pumping" each other up during warm ups and the intensity would always rise a bit when the cameras were on them.

they went down to shoot our players and steen motioned the cameras away and kept going through warm-ups.
 
TideEngineer08 said:
Heck I just thought it was done that way because of the arrangement. Teams had to exit the same tunnel, and Alabama had to go first because we were the "road" team. In any event, our guys seemed not to even notice that they were there.
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Like during the game?:)
 
Alasippi said:
I guess it's a Notre Dame tradition to line up and kinda stare down their opponents as they exit their locker rooms.
They did it in "Rudy" and they did it Monday Night as we exited the tunnel.
I really think that was a bad bad move because I can't help but think that feeble attempt at intimidation accomplished one thing---It ticked our players off and pumped them up even more so than they already were.
Just an observation but I really thought it was dumb on their part.
sip
Click to expand...

I saw the same thing you did. I thought the 'Stare Down' attempt, was a sign of dis-respect toward our team.
IMO: That piece of 'Gamesmanship' came back to bite em.
 
When you're smaller, weaker, and less talented than your opponent, staring doesn't help.

Did anyone notice how much earlier the Notre Dame team arrived at the Stadium than the Bama team? Seemed like they had been there for awhile when they showed the Bama buses arriving.
 
92tide said:
another thing i noticed was that before, during warmups etc. the cameras kept getting shots of the nd players (especially te'o) "pumping" each other up during warm ups and the intensity would always rise a bit when the cameras were on them.

they went down to shoot our players and steen motioned the cameras away and kept going through warm-ups.
Click to expand...

It's amazing the subtle details you pick up on about Coach Saban's operation when you're watching the product on the field. Thankfully for us, those things are never subtle to him.
 
I don't discount your point but personally I don't think it mattered. After listening to post game comments from players I really don't believe our players were affected by any of the hype surrounding the game one way or another. I don't think they were worried about the ND players, the ND scheme, who got how much media coverage...none of it. I think they simply intended to come out, execute to the best of their ability, and be satisfied with that. I think ND was just a nameless, faceless opponent. The only scoreboard was the one that measured the result of the current play and their only motivation was their own standards of excellence.
 
The game is won Sunday thru Friday. Seriously.

Staring...all that jumping up & down, woofing & hollering, that's all "clutter" as Coach Saban and Dr. Ilko like to say.

I try to teach the kids that I coach that all that pre-game nonsense and "motivation" only lasts for about 5 minutes or until you get hit in the mouth. After that, it comes down to execution. And I don't care how motivated they were, Notre Dame was out-executed in EVERY.....FACET...OF...THE...GAME
 
TideEngineer08 said:
It's amazing the subtle details you pick up on about Coach Saban's operation when you're watching the product on the field. Thankfully for us, those things are never subtle to him.
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while we can definitely be beat from time to time, bama is currently existing on another level than pretty much any other program in the country and its because of those little things. also, (at least i think) that is not something that coach told them to do. it is more the product of players buying into the system and figuring the right thing to do on their own (also see nico's comments after the game).
 
I agree the stare down was a huge mistake.

With the Miami humidity it obviously dried their eyes out and made it tough on them to execute!
 
TideEngineer08 said:
Heck I just thought it was done that way because of the arrangement. Teams had to exit the same tunnel, and Alabama had to go first because we were the "road" team. In any event, our guys seemed not to even notice that they were there.
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I said that to my wife. Only a couple of walk-ons on our squad even looked in their direction.
 
92tide said:
while we can definitely be beat from time to time, bama is currently existing on another level than pretty much any other program in the country and its because of those little things. also, (at least i think) that is not something that coach told them to do. it is more the product of players buying into the system and figuring the right thing to do on their own (also see nico's comments after the game).
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Oh no, I too don't think he coaches them to do those very specific things. But he's a master at conditioning their minds to be focused and dedicated to the task at hand and removing all of that "clutter." And we see the end result in those little things and of course, the winning.
 
That and Manti Teo beating his chest like Tarzan as they were exiting the tunnel just came off as manufactured bravado to me. I'm glad we don't rely on cheap theatrics like that and do our talking on the field.
 
WMack4Bama said:
The game is won Sunday thru Friday. Seriously.

Staring...all that jumping up & down, woofing & hollering, that's all "clutter" as Coach Saban and Dr. Ilko like to say.
Click to expand...

Yes... to us, that is.

For them if it was something they may have been counting on having an effect on us; when it doesn't work it ends up being backfiring as the "uh oh, they're not intimidated by us" begins to settle into the back of their minds.
 
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