From the Associated Press, looks like Notre Dame will be playing a to-be-named opponent at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando in 2011 and 2014. AD Kevin said this was another step in getting back to Notre Dame’s independent roots. It’s safe to say that the Irish football team won’t be joining your Big Ten anytime soon and that’s fine. My question: will the Irish play 8 home games and 1 ‘neutral’ game in these years? Leaving just 3 games on an opponent’s home field? Or does the neutral site game take away from one of the home games?
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Maize, Blue and My Adidas
Update August 2008: Inside the new jersey We learned this week that Michigan will drop its long relationship with Nike and suit up with Adidas gear in 2008. The deal is worth about $7.5 million in cash and uniforms, and fans will be able to start buying Maize & Blue studded Adidas gear next summer. While Nike is certainly the king of athletic marketing and team sponsorship in the US if not the world, Adidas has managed to capture a few high-profile clients such as the NY Yankees, Notre Dame & Nebraska football. And while Nike can boast the top athletes on its side (T Woods, Jordan, LeBron), Adidas has established a cultural following starting with Run DMC and its previous stranglehold on soccer. On New Year’s Eve 1997 a group of friends went to a show at the Viper Room on Sunset in Los Angeles that featured none other than Run DMC. What we were doing in LA on New Year’s Eve in LA? Of course, we were there to watch Brian Griese, Charles Woodson and the crew win a national championship about 20 hours later. Yes, the Hollis trio performed ‘My Adidas’.
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Pee in the Cornflakes
Just learned from classmate Rosey that Corwin “Cornflakes” Brown is leaving the staff of the New York Jets to take the defensive coordinator job at Notre Dame. This hurts. It always hurts when a player or coach becomes affiliated with a rival, but a captain? Cornflakes served as captain for the 1992 Wolverines, who were Big Ten and Rose Bowl champs. The team was also undefeated but didn’t win the national title because three of the games amazingly ended in ties. This team took the tie to a new level. [Michigan trivia buffs, check yourself on ‘How many Michigan teams were undefeated in the 1990s?’]. When they weren’t tying people they were kicking ass. The 1992 Wolverines scored more than 30 points on 8 of 12 games, including putting up 61 on Houston, and tossing a 63-spot on Minnesota. Brown was popular with the Michigan students when he played. It is confirmed that one group of madcaps even painted C-O-R-N-F-L-A-K-E-S on their pasty bare chests during one game. He’ll have his hands full with the Irish, who were smoked by his former school, LSU and USC this past year (and each of these teams put on the brakes late in the game).
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Onion Sports: Bowl Game Gifts
I grabbed a copy of the fake news newspaper, The Onion, while in Minneapolis this week. There were some real classic articles in the Onion Sports section. Check out some lines from an Onion “Sportsgraphic”, higlighting some of the gifts that are awarded to this year’s bowl participants: Sugar Bowl: In keeping with college-football tradition, Notre Dame and LSU will receive different gifts of equivalent value: Each Notre Dame player will receive a 2007 Saturn Sky roadster, a PlayStation 3, and a video iPod; the LSU team will receive an autographed football signed by the entire 2006 Notre Dame Squad. Liberty Bowl: Upon satisfactory conclusion of the game, participants will be given the most precious gift of all—–liberty. Rose Bowl: USC and Michigan players will follow trails of rose petals to their locker rooms. Upon entering the changing area, they will find the rooms lit by the flames of 1,000 red candles and filled with string-quartet music and hundreds of bouquets of roses; both teams will then slowly begin tearing up as bowl officals present them with engagement rings.
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Ivan the Terrible
Some excerpts from this week’s chat on ESPN.com with college football analyst Ivan Maisel: On USC vs. Michigan and the #2 BCS slot: Anthony (Troy, OH): Who would win in a match-up between Michigan and USC? In your opinion, isn’t it unfair to base rankings on what your ideal National Championship scenario is? I prefer to see what people truly think teams should be ranked. Ivan Maisel: That’s the way the system is supposed to work.
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Maybe When Irish Pigs Fly
Wishful Irish What IfsSounds like Ivan Maisel of ESPN got a little pissy on his weekly chat. He clearly doesn’t think Notre Dame can pass by a 1-loss Michigan. Check out this brief exchange on his Nov 21st chat, and his smart ass remark: Rick (Dublin, Ohio): What do you think? If Notre Dame goes into #2 USC and beats them at USC do you think they could get into the title game? I mean thats a huge statement! Ivan Maisel: I think Notre Dame will play Ohio State if Michigan loses between now and Dec. 2. Coincidently, Maisel actually has Notre Dame projected to play Michigan in the 2007 Rose Bowl, but retracted that prediction during the chat. Many have learned that insiders at the Rose Bowl have leaked that they don’t want a Michigan vs. Notre Dame rematch in Pasadena.
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BCS Headaches
SALINE, MI For good reason, there’s a lot of focus on what will happen after the big game on Saturday, and the fate of the team that loses the game. It is clear that the winner will go the championship, but there are still questions on what will happen to the loser. To focus on the loser right now is a little ridiculous (and annoying) but here’s some items that I must get off my chest. 1. The possibility that a 1 loss Notre Dame is now well positioned to pass by a 1 loss Michigan. The mere thought of this really chaps me.
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MSU Buries Irish, Plants Flag
Above, check out a video of the 2005 MSU flag-planting incident in South Bend Five in a row in South Bend? SALINE, MI SEPTEMBER 18, 2005 A half time you knew this was going to be a classic. Congratulations to the Spartans for an impressive 44-41 win over ND, and now five straight wins against the Irish on the road? Wow. This game sparks a bunch of thoughts. Five thoughts on the game: 1. Five straight in South Bend? My god, what a feat. From the perspective of the Michigan fan, there are few things going on with MSU Football that bring on feelings of envy for those in Ann Arbor. This is certainly one. The Spartan’s dominance over the past decade over the Irish is amazing. It is comparable with Michigan’s dominance over John Cooper’s Ohio State teams. 2. No TD for Irish. For Irish fans grumbling about the play where MSU knocked the ball away on the goal line. It was close, but couldn’t be overturned. Chad Henne was probably in the end zone on first down last week (before fumbling on second down), and that wasn’t even reviewed. My advice: take your beatings like men. 3. Planting the Spartan Flag. For Irish fans concerned that excited Spartan players (see above – #14 should’ve had a V8) took…
