Two Dudes, One Post: The Bowl Edition

Two Dudes, One Post returns with some bowl awards, a quick reflection on the ND-PSU bowl games, and some analysis of the coaching catastrophes in Ann Arbor and College Park, MD.

Let's get to it!

1. It's time for Bowl Awards! What was the best game you watched, best individual performance, biggest shocker, biggest disappointment (player or team), and one team that didn't play in a major bowl that you predict will emerge as a contender next year?

Mattare:
Best Game: North Carolina 30, Tennessee 27 (OT)...Poor Derek Dooley had the rug yanked out from under him twice this season. First it was the comedy of errors at LSU and now it's the terrible break against North Carolina. In both instances the clock hit zero and Tennessee had more points than the opponent, but the refs allowed for an additional play in each game and the result was ultimately an overtime loss. Exciting, ridiculous, absurd, heartbreaking finish.

Best Individual Performance: I'll give the nod to Damaris Johnson of Tulsa. On Christmas Eve in the Hawaii Bowl he was the leading rusher (98 yards and 2 TD's on just 5 carries) and receiver (101 yards and a TD on 4 catches) for the Golden Hurricane as they throttled Hawaii in paradise. He was a one man wrecking crew.

Biggest Shocker: Iowa showing up and finding a way to knock of Missouri. Kirk Ferentz is one of the most uninteresting coaches around, but man what a masterful performance keeping his team focused amongst controversy and suspension.

Biggest Disappointment: Nebraska. What began as a very, very promising season spiraled into one surrounded in controversy and turmoil and crash landed in the Holiday Bowl where they were whipped by a team they'd embarrassed back in September. Rematches are terrible in college football and the team that won the first game has everything to lose in game two, but there's no excuse for the giant turd they laid on the field against Washington.

Team on the Rise: Look no further than the Notre Dame Fighting Irish! If they can figure out the quarterback position--and Michael Floyd comes back (pleasepleasepleasepleeeeeeeeease)--then they're going to make serious noise in the fall.

Bill:
Best Game: I want to pick the National Championship because I have high hopes for that game, but I'll go with last night's Ohio State-Arkansas game. A little disappointed with the outcome though.

Best Individual Performance: Andrew Luck throwing for 4 tds in the Orange Bowl.

Biggest Shocker: Alabama's beat down of Michigan State. Just wanted more out of this one for our conference's sake. Not even a big conference proponent but a 11-1 Big Ten team losing by 40 to a 10-3 SEC doesn't look good.

Biggest Disappointment: John Clay not trucking TCU's defense

Team on the Rise: Texas!

2. The bowl season has had plenty of exciting games (Music City Bowl) and plenty of duds (Liberty Bowl). Has the excitement of the three week bowl extravaganza had any effect on your stance of bowls vs playoffs? Are the bowls the best thing for college football because of their inclusiveness?

Mattare: I love college football so I love the bowls, but the proposal laid out by Wenzel has completely flipped me to a playoff guy. The bowls are good for college football and the legitimate ones not named after a pizza or GoDaddy.com could (and would) exist outside the proposed playoff. They're nice rewards for teams and perhaps more importantly allow for 15 extra practices in December which can pay huge dividends down the road.

Bill: "Inclusive" might not be the right word here. Bowls are great for the players and the die hard fans who aren't contending for a title. It extends the season by a month, they get to go somewhere warm and play a team they don't usually play. Once you get to the elite teams however, the bowl system is far from inclusive as we all know, that's why I want a playoff. And I like that dude's idea about incorporating the bowls into the playoff rounds (i.e. Sugar Bowl is the semi-final).

3. Pretend you're the Michigan Athletic Director. Do you fire Rich Rod? Do you risk putting all year eggs in the Jim Harbaugh basket? Who would you turn to if you fire Rodriguez and Harbaugh says no?

Mattare: You have to fire Rich Rod. He's been a terrible match since the day he stepped on campus and at this point it's more a matter of "when" than "if." Obviously target number one needs to be Jim Harbaugh. He's a former All-American, he played for Bo, and he teaches a brand of football that makes all Wolverine fans salivate. He also is holding a serious grudge against his alma mater and seems more interested in the NFL so a backup plan needs to be in place.

Popular opinion is that Brady Hoke is the next target thanks to his previous ties to Michigan, but that's not exactly a slam dunk hire. People claim that they need to go find a "Michigan Man" who has ties to the school, but I don't think that's necessarily true at all. What they need is the best coach they can find that understands and embraces all the tradition and history in Ann Arbor. Lou Holtz had no ties to Notre Dame before he arrived but he threw himself into the University and now he's more beloved than any alumnus not named Hesburgh or Parseghian.

Short List of the "Non-Michigan Man" to Call - Bobby Petrino (he's slimy enough to bail on Fayetteville), Charlie Strong (great, young defensive minded coach), and Kyle Whittingham (his teams play a hard-nosed brand of football).

Bill: I would fire Rich Rod. No encouraging signs on defense after year three? You're out. Everyone quickly forgets about Denard Robinson's staggering numbers when they start dropping conference games. Can't win without defense. Defense, defense, defense.

4. Your teams had opposite bowl experiences. What are the three big takeaways from your team's performance in terms of what the future holds?

Mattare:
1 - Our defense is really, really good and should only get better. Kudos to Bob Diaco for going back to the drawing board after the Navy debacle and getting his unit to play the best stretch of Irish defense since the 2002 campaign.

2 - Brian Kelly is not as bull-headed and inflexible as originally thought. Over the last few games he gave opponents and heavy dose of the run game because it gave ND the best chance to win. The balance the Irish began to achieve will be huge next season as the offense takes strides toward reaching its enormous potential.

3 - We're definitively headed in the right direction and for the first time in what seems like an eternity there's a palpable sense of optimism heading into the offseason. It's not only a wonderful feeling, but an enormous relief.

Bill:
1 - McGloin cannot start ever again. There's just no point. Trying really hard not to spiral into a Bolden transferring rant here...

2 - Defense played well. Setting aside MyGroin's pick 6 and the blocked punt TD Penn State only let up 23 points against a faster Florida team that had many short fields.

3 - LB Hodges saw plenty of time and looked like our most explosive linebacker while Astorino spent most of the game on the sideline despite having a year left of eligibility. I like where this is going.

5. Let's go back to the Coaching Carousel for a bit. What's your take on what happened at Maryland? The Terps fire the ACC Coach of the Year Ralph Friedgen, allegedly for the glamor hire of Mike Leach, but suddenly end up with Randy Edsall. Did they handle the situation correctly? Is Friedgen for Edsall a huge upgrade? Was passing on Leach a smart move?

Mattare: What an unbelievable display of mismanagement. I feel like the Maryland athletic director played the role of the Cleveland Indians owner in Major League all season, privately rooting for the team to fail so Friedgen could be junked for a flashier hire.

Friedgen had probably hit his ceiling at Maryland and the program had become somewhat stale, but he deserved more respect than he received from his alma mater (which, oh by the way, he resurrected from the ashes when he took over). Edsall is a fine coach (who made his own terrible decision in notifying his UConn players he was leaving via text message), but he's the polar opposite of a "glamor hire." He'll piece together a solid program that has 9-10 win peaks and some 5-6 win valleys...just like the guy he replaced (2009 notwithstanding).

Should they have hired Leach? Well, he's a hell of a football coach, but he's also a well-documented blowhard (and a borderline whackjob_ with an odd obsession with pirates. He sure would've made a splash, but there's a good chance his mouth would've made more national headlines than his team the first couple years on-campus. Why? Because no one really cares about Maryland football since they're a middle of the road team in a mediocre conference. That's their ceiling. Reality can hurt sometimes, but that's the truth.

Obviously the AD weighed the pros and cons and decided the baggage Leach brought was too much to overcome the fannies he'd put in the seats. There must have been a whole lot of baggage when all was said and done.

Bill: I'm not going to pretend to know who's the better coach here since I'm no coach myself but firing your conference's coach of the year doesn't make sense to many people. I think this move may have had something to do with the offensive coordinator jumping ship to Vandy and trying to take the staff with him.

Edsall did a great job at Connecticut and maybe Leach still carries a stigma from the Matt James incident but I do think Leach's offense would have taken the weak ACC by storm. No I don't think Maryland handled the situation correctly but time will tell with Edsall's performance and when we see where Freidgen ends up.

ON TO THE RAPID FIRE FINISH!

Mattare: Allentown Central Catholic quarterback Brandon Nosovitch was the 2010 Pennsylvania Player of the Year. Notre Dame's offensive coordinator was at 4th and Chew visiting him this week but Penn State doesn't seem interested. Are the Irish about to poach him from under JoePa's nose?

Bill: We are interested, we just don't offer early. You answer: No Way! He's a PSU lifer, I can feel it.

Bill: Why is Chuck Weis trying to go back to coaching at the college level when he clearly excels as a coordinator in the NFL?

Mattare: Because it was a package deal where his son is going to be a "student-coach" for Florida. Get ready for Gator fans to constantly bitch about Charlie Jr on the sidelines even though he does no harm being there.

Mattare: Last night Ashley Schaeffer BMW registered a big W in the Arlington Men's Basketball League to even our record at 1-1. How much do you think our mutual friend and occasional blog reader Aggon contributed to the victory?

Bill: 5 minutes played, 2 rebounds, 0-1 shooting, technical foul, ejection.

Bill: How much did he actually contribute?

Mattare: 1 assist, 1 rebound, 0-2 shooting with 2 airballs, 2 unforced falls due to a loss of balance, and a lack of athleticism that would've made a bowler shake his head.

Mattare: The unthinkable happened in our NCAA Dynasty League and MY WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS WON THE NATIONAL TITLE. Are you finally prepared after getting smacked around two years in a row that I'm just better than you? And what's your prediction for year three?

Bill: Absolutely not. I will chug that duck in 2011 and then paint it blue. My prediction is what it always is: Dukie Domination.

Bill: When am I getting paid for my contributions to the blog?

Mattare: When you start contributing. You're 7th in line to get paid behind Hinkle, Chuck, Mikey, Lord of Shots, Dip, and that dude from El Paso that threatened me in the running diary.

Mattare: Got any New Year's Resolutions?

Bill: To write less.

Bill: Remember when we were just going to open a bar instead of working 9-5's? Let's make it happen. I have like $200...

Mattare: Why didn't you ask me this before I bought an engagement ring? If we pool the $80 I've made from WNG with your $200 and Hinkle's tips from The Melting Pot we can open a bar...tab.

Dear Diary...Notre Dame - Miami

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the final running diary of 2010! This one comes to you live from La Casa Del Blomstrom, the same location where we witnessed the Lane Kiffin Face in full effect as Notre Dame knocked off Southern Cal a little over a month ago. Adding to the fun will be the “No Country For Bold Men” game that is described in this link here.

As we covered in the pregame, I’m a bit worried about Miami’s talent and speed on defense and how Tommy Rees will handle it. That being said I’m pretty confident in Jacory Harris’s ability to keep us in the game with boneheaded decisions. If Tommy’s able to limit his mistakes and play more like the first two games of this three game streak then we should be in good position to win this game.

Let’s get to it!

2:08 Our first image of the El Paso area is one covered in snow. Snow?? I was under the impression that the one redeeming thing about going to a bowl in the El Paso area was the warm weather. I’m sure a lot of fans were thrilled when they checked the forecast after booking their flights. On the field this will have a much larger effect on Miami than the Irish.

2:10 Nice montage covering the old 80’s rivalry. Our friend Andrew asks, “why do they embrace the convicts moniker?”

My hypothesis is that much like Philadelphia sports fans love to embrace the “we’re tough, nasty fans to the opposition,” they embrace it only on their terms…but when someone else criticizes them for it they get very defensive (just listen to the responses on Philly Sports Talk Radio when a national talking head blasts Philly fans). Did you see the 30 for 30 on Miami? They loved calling themselves the bad boys, but as soon as they started talking about ND comments like “there were just as many convicts on their team” and “they started the fight in the tunnel, not us” flew around. The big, bad boys always have a sensitive underbelly.

2:12 The Canes come out arm in arm. They are not hard, tough “U” of old. Somewhere (probably in line at a soup kitchen), Randall “Thrill” Hill is watching and shaking his head in disgust.

2:15 Danielson spends the next couple minutes gushing about Tommy Rees and Jacory Harris. His big point on Tommy is that “stats don’t matter, he just wins.” I’d disagree—turnovers matter and if we want to win he’s got to make sure his throws end up in the right team’s hands. I don’t care if he throws for 300+ yards, we just need him to manage the game and not hand it over like he almost did against Southern Cal. Danielson ends his analysis of Harris by saying he’s prone to make some decisions that make you say, “come on Jacory, you’re better than that.” Let’s hope for lots of those throws!

2:17 It’s 36 degrees at kickoff, which is almost 20 degrees colder than the temperature in South Bend right now. Gross. The Irish will receive the opening kickoff.

2:18 GREAT RETURN by Austin Collinsworth gives ND some great field position out of the gate.

2:19 Tracy Wolfson delayed interview with Kelly…My former roommate Brad cracks his first terrible “where’s the rest of his hat?” visor joke of the day. It’s a joke older than Joe Paterno that lacks intentional or unintentional comedy.

2:20 False start on Dever. That’s a sign of how antsy he is about Miami’s speed on the edge.

2:21 Great third down pickup by Rees, hits Eifert for a great gain but it’s coming back thanks to a crappy and borderline inexplicable penalty for illegal player down field. ND has to burn a timeout prior to what’s now 3rd and 15. So far we’ve had three penalties called and a timeout—sharp is not a word that would describe either team at the moment.

2:25 CBS flashes a graphic for “Great moments at the Sun Bowl”…but it’s not old game highlights, it’s just a bunch of crazy people from both fan bases excited about being on TV. There seem to be an inordinate amount of people who dress like Sam Elliot. That was just a bizarre, from out of nowhere 20 seconds.

2:26 Michael Floyd catches a quick slant, breaks a tackle and rumbles for a big gain! First down Irish, a great block by Theo Riddick sprung him for an extra 10 yards.

2:27 Another target to Floyd draws a pass interference and ND is inside the 10. The offense is picking up some steam here.

2:29 TOUCHDOOOOOOOOWN IRISH!!!!!!!!!! MICHAEL FLOYD WITH A QUICK OUT AND THE IRISH STAKE AN EARLY LEAD FOUR MINUTES INTO THE GAME. Floyd is clearly here to dominate in what could be his last game in the blue and gold. Miami better make some significant and immediate adjustments.

2:33 The kick return goes nowhere and the returner gets shoved into a boom microphone which makes a loud noise. A Miami player (#84) is doing a lot of barking. Could we have a new brawl brewing? The entire room is on edge and rooting for some sparks to fly.

2:33 Good stick by Darrin Walls on the first play.

2:34 CBS rolls back some highlights of when Jacory Harris’s brain got packed in on a hit against Virginia. I watched that live and wondered whether he’d ever get up.

2:35 The Irish force a three and out. Great start on both sides of the ball.

2:39 Theo uncorks a great little 7-yard run out of the Wildcat. Another 7-yarder picks up a first down. He needs to get the ball in this capacity at least 5 times a game.

2:41 Robert Hughes busts a 15-yard run down the right side. Beautiful.

2:44 TOUUUCCCHHHHDDDOOOOOWWWWWNNNNNN IIRRRRRRIIIISSHHHH!!!!!! MICHAEL FLOYD 35-YARDS ON A JUMP BALL. YOU CANNOT STOP HIM, HE IS A MAN AMONG BOYS. 14-0 IRISH.

2:47 Bennett Jackson snuffs the return at the 14-yard line. Well one team showed up to play today—the Irish are FIRED UP.

2:49 INTERCEPTION ROBERT BLANTON! GREAT PASS DEFENSE THERE. LAY THE HAMMER DOWN BABY, LET’S BURY THEM!

2:53 Unfortunately the drive stalls and Ben Turk predictably unloads a crappy 29-yard punt. Miami will take over at their own 15-yard line.

2:56 Miami picks up a first down with back-to-back runs. It looks like they’re going to be able to run effectively off-tackle if they actually commit to doing it, which worries me a bit. Hopefully they try to unleash Air Jacory in an effort to catch up which will play right into our hand.

3:03 Miami is starting to find some rhythm on offense. Come on boys, stiffen up.

3:04 INTERCEPTION HARRISON SMITH!!!! JACORY FLOATS ONE AND HAYSEED COMES OVER THE TOP AND SNIPES IT. Tack on a 15-yard facemask and the Irish will take over at the Miami 39-yard line. STOMP THEM IRISH.

3:07 CBS puts up a nice little Jacory stat: three completions, two INT’s for Jacory. That’ll do Donkey, that’ll do.

3:09 TOUCHDOOOOOOOOOOWN IRISH!!!!!!!!!!! CIERRE WOOD TAKES A QUICK OPTION PITCH A WEAVES UP THE MIDDLE FOR A 34-YARD TOUCHDOWN! OPEN THE FLOODGATES! 21-0 IRISH.

3:14 ANOTHER INTERCEPTION HARRISON SMITH! This is so wonderful that my CAPS lock is getting fatigued, what a thing of beauty. Jacory Harris is playing even worse than we could have hoped. The Irish take over just short of midfield. Now let’s jam it down their throat and punch it over the goal line again. Don’t let up.

3:18 Three and out for Notre Dame. Miami muffs the punt but recovers because ND long snapper Jordan Cowart has a colossal brain fart. He was right there to make the play and the ball popped right into his hands, but for some reason he flinched backwards like he wasn’t supposed to touch it. It’s so much easier to let things like that slide when you’re up 21-0 though.

3:21 Jacory Harris has been yanked and Stephen Morris is in. He’s wearing a horrendous turtleneck that makes his neck look Dino Flintstone-esque long.

3:24 Miami is driving into Irish territory again.

3:25 HARRISON SMITH PICKS ANOTHER PASS OFF! MY PREGAME PICK OF HARRISON SMITH AS THE IMPACT PLAYER IS MAKING ME LOOK LIKE NOSTRADAMOUS.

3:30 Rees hits a wide-open Michael Floyd across the middle for a huge gain. Tack on another 15-yards for a late hit.

3:32 Robert Hughes bruises for another first down. Damnit, why did it take 3.5 years for his lightbulb to go on?

3:33 Rees delivers a great ball to Floyd deep for what should’ve been a touchdown, but Floyd only goes for it with one hand and he drops it. Come on Michael, no hot-dogging necessary right now.

3:35 Drive stalls, Ruffer comes out to rip yet another field goal through the uprights. Somehow he continues to overcome the statistic that flashes about him never missing a field goal every time he comes on to the field. Notre Dame 24, The U 0.

3:42 Miami’s drive stalls quickly and the punter shanks it, which means Notre Dame will have 1:49 to try to extend their lead before the half.

3:43 A Brian Kelly at Cincinnati reference means that in our No Country for Bold Men game, Paul has become the Chili Boy. He’s sporting a lovely sombrero and will no be in charge of getting us food/beverages until the next ‘Nati reference.

3:44 Hughes takes a draw up the middle for 9.9 yards on second down.

3:46 Another great draw play—this time Cierre Wood—nets 17 yards and Notre Dame is on the verge of field goal range with just under a minute left.

3:49 Drive stalls and Ruffer DRILLS a 50-yard field goal that would’ve been good from 65. Notre Dame is laying the smackdown on The U right now.

(Let me channel my inner James Lipton)

This…is……stupendous.

The bad news is that Tommy Rees is hurt and limping to the locker room. I’m not ready for Nate Montana to take the field again for ND, not one bit.

3:53 VERNE LAUGHS AND I HAVE SEIZED THE BOLD GRAND DAD TITLE (Refer back to the rules for how crucial this is)! Paul unbelievably finishes his entire bowl of beer with a spoon in less than a minute. Disappointing, but impressive nonetheless. I will embed the video once I get it off of my girlfriend's camera.

3:56 Miami sneaks into field goal range just before the half and gets on the board. Bummer. Notre Dame 27, Miami 3 at the midway point.

Could you have imagined a better start for the Irish? Notre Dame has completely dominated both sides of the ball, forced Miami to yank their quarterback, avoided mistakes, and beatdown the Canes with a well-balanced attack (113 Passing Yards, 116 Rushing Yards). I’m not going to lie, I’m a bit worried about the Nate Montana Experience that we appear destined to go through…but we’ve given him a huge cushion to play with.

What I’m looking for in the second half is a lot of the same on defense and a serious dose of bruising ground game. Miami is going to be in full-throttle attack mode on Nate and dare him to throw in the face of pressure. It’s going to get a bit bumpy if that’s the case; hopefully it doesn’t get to the point where we’re holding on for dear life.

Let’s make everyone feel better with a flashback…

That was great, I'm reenergized. On to the second half!

4:24 Well apparently Tommy Rees is going to play which is phenomenal news.

4:26 Ruffer crushes one through the endzone on the second half kickoff for a touchback. Wow. I’m used to our kickoffs landing around the 10 so when Ruffer beats it out of the endzone it’s borderline startling.

4:29 Miami goes three and out but the absolutely terrible news is that Manti Te’o is down and it looks bad. SHIT. My stomach just did a cartwheel. Please for the love of God be ok.

4:33 Huge run by Robert Hughes. He has the ball knocked out from behind but it ends up out of bounds, which means it’ll be spotted back where the fumble occurred. It’ll still go in the books as a 25 yard run and ND is over midfield at the Miami 40.

4:35 Another good 7-yard strong run by Cierre, very good blocking by the offensive line. This is a good sign for the second half. If we dominate the line like this then this will get ugly quick for Miami.

4:36 Gary Danielson goes on a rant about how Taylor Dever was highly touted and chose between Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Michigan…but in reality he’s given a description of the recruitment of Trevor Robinson. Get your head in the game Gary.

4:42 Michael Floyd catches a 10-yard pass for another first down. He’s now over 100 yards and ND is down to the Miami 16.

4:43 Theo fumbles out of the Wildcat but the Irish recover. Come on, can’t be that careless with the ball. Let’s get some points here.

4:44 Rees somehow gets the ball past a defender and into the arms of Tyler Eifert for a first down to the 3-yard line. Punch another one in Irish.

4:46 Hughes gets stoned three straight times and Notre Dame is going to have to settle for a field goal. Ruffer converts the chip shot and Notre Dame extends their lead. Man, this is ’08 Hawaii Bowl relaxing. Notre Dame 30, Miami 3.

4:53 Manti is on the sideline asking to get back in the game which is even better news than the fact that we’re beating the crap out of Miami. I am indescribably happy that his injury doesn’t appear to be serious. He better be growing roots on the sideline because there’s no reason for him to reenter the game at this juncture.

4:56 Notre Dame STUFFS Miami a fourth down attempt at midfield and will take over with 5:02 left in the third. Irish ball at the 50. This is glorious.

4:58 First play of the drive is a Theo Riddick reverse that goes for 18 yards. Miami looks about as interested in playing this game as a vegan at a Brazilian Steakhouse.

5:04 The drive stalls and Ruffer misses the first field goal of his career. Honestly I’m somewhat relieved. I’m a pretty superstitious fan and to say the constant statistics flashing about his streak wore thin would be a colossal understatement. I also feel like this will free him up a bit. It’s human nature for him to think about the streak as it’s in progress, almost like a bowler during a potential 300 game. Miami ball at the start of the 4th quarter.

5:10 Three and out for Miami. What a pitiful performance.

5:15 Three and out for Notre Dame. This is a pretty boring final half with Miami waving a giant white flag and the Irish concentrating on bleeding the clock.

5:19 Nice little Catholics vs Convicts video means I get to flex my Old Grand muscle and go Luther Campbell all over someone’s ass. Predictably I choose Paul (who is still the Chili Boy). This game is adding so much to the day, I love it.

5:21 Miami drives down the field and scores to cut Notre Dame’s lead to 20 points with 10:36 left in the game. Let’s respond with a solid, dominating drive here boys. Notre Dame 30, Miami 10.

5:27 Tommy Rees finds John Goodman dragging across the middle on third down and he streaks down the sideline for a 31-yard gain. Big pick-up, we don’t want do give them even a sliver of hope. Amazingly there has been no mention on the broadcast of The Bard of Bergen County—Duval Kamara—being absent for the game.

5:30 Well, the drive stalls again and ND has to punt. Good news is the idiot Miami returner attempts to bring it out from the 2-yard line and it leads to a -1 yard return. Only 99 yards to paydirt for The U.

5:35 “You have to be tough to play quarterback at Miami” – Gary Danielson. He proceeds to list everybody who used to play for Miami and talks about how tough they were, including (of course) Gina Torretta. Why was it tougher to play QB at Miami than other places? Was it the beautiful climate? The endless arsenal of talented weapons at their disposal? Was uber-dork and national championship winner Ken Dorsey tough? How did I never realize how terrible Danielson as a color guy? Perhaps he’s just completely phoning this one in.

5:36 My buddy Supercrombie sends me the following text: “Someone better get these announcers off the air before I stab myself in the eye with a #2 pencil.” Better yet, someone just stab Danielson in the eye with a #2 pencil.

5:36 Touchdown Miami on a deep 41-yard pass down the left side. Their quarterback Dino Flintstone is chirping at the Notre Dame sideline, which is ridiculous given how we’ve beaten their ass all day long, but whatever. Miami has cut it down to 30-17. This better all be window dressing.

5:39 Cierre Wood recovers a half-assed onsides kick and Notre Dame takes over with 3:59 left on the 35-yard line. Come on boys, ice this.

5:43 Tommy Rees picks up a huge first down with a throw to TJ Jones on the left sideline. That’s a dagger to the slim chances of a Miami comeback.

5:44 Cierre Wood rips off a 26-yard run. It looks like that previous first down conversion sucked the life out of the Canes. ND ball at the 21.

5:48 For whatever reason they trot out Nick Tausch for a field goal instead of Ruffer. SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MISS A FIELD GOAL DAVID???? I’m just joking, please come back next year. Tausch bangs it home and Notre Dame extends its lead. Notre Dame 33, Miami 17. Shut’em down and end this game Irish.

5:53 Gary Danielson is just raving about Miami’s effort as the drive down the field with only seconds remaining. He sounds like Andy Dick’s character in Old School. “Way to give it 110% Miami!”

5:55 The game ends with a Morris pass that leads his receiver straight into a concrete wall behind the endzone. He’s not seriously hurt—just his pride and ego—which makes it infinitely funnier. What a perfect ending.

This was a great way to end the year. Let’s highlight two big stats before we go:

Turnovers: Miami – 4, Notre Dame - 0

This game was over at halftime thanks to the turnovers. Jacory, way to come through for us buddy!

Time of Possession: ND – 37:11, Miami – 22:49

Wow. I’d love to see a stat that shows the most a BK team had possessed the ball in the last five years. What this tells me is that dominating out of the spread offense in the way many fans want to see (control the clock, balanced attack) is predicated largely by the defense’s ability to make stops and force turnovers. Kind of interesting.

Thanks for following along with the diaries all year and thanks to all that contributed texts/emails/commentary to make them more interesting. Maybe we’ll fire up a diary for one of the basketball games in Big East season.

Only nine months until the next kickoff…

GO IRISH, BEAT BULLS!

The WeNeverGraduate Sun Bowl Drinking Game

New Year's Eve is going to start a little early this year for many Fighting Irish fans thanks to a 2pm kickoff against the Artists Formerly Known as Convicts and Still Known as Candidates for Derek Zoolander's School for Kids Who Can't Read Too Good.

I'll be taking in the game from the friendly confines of my college roommate Brad "They Call Me Mr. Balls" Blomstrom's house, the same place we watched the Irish knock off Southern Cal over Thanksgiving Weekend. We figured this momentous end of the year showdown deserved some special treatment. Our answer? A drinking game of course.

Drumroll Please...

* Any camera shots of Juarez, mentions of a donkey show, or mentions of how the players had their passports got revoked results in a drink of Dos Equis.

* Any mention of Duval Kamara: go around the room and name individuals who were one year rock stars from college (people who put forth one great year and then vanished into party oblivion). The first person who hesitates has to take a drink.

* Any mention of Kelly at Cincinnati: first person to say “the chlli capital of the woild” tells anybody else to chug a Dos Equis. The chugger becomes the Chili Boy. If a sombrero is available then they should be forced to wear it. The Chili Boy is tasked with getting the entire room food until the next Cincinnati reference where the process starts again.

* Anytime a player is shown moping on the sideline, yelling at a coach or his quarterback then the group chooses a girl to take a drink for entering a “glass case of emotion.”

* Drink anytime Verne mentions the following:
- the SEC
- Charlie Weis or Randy Shannon
- References the 3-0 2008 game featuring Dave Wannstedt
- Chris Stewart is in law school
- Cam Newton

* If there’s a fight in the tunnel all must scream in a Lou Holtz voice “SAVE JIMMY JOHNSON’S ASS FOR ME” and shotgun a beer.

* Double-barrel shotgun if someone stomps on someone like Brandon Meriweather in the FIU brawl.

* Any time a Jewish player makes a play it’s time for 8 crazy shotguns.

* Verne says the wrong name of a player, first person to correct him gets to tell someone else to drink. If they are wrong, they must drink.

* Every Irish touchdown results in a shotgun “For the Love of the Game” Style.

* Every time Verne Lundquist laughs for more than a second, last person to yell "Shut the &%$# up Verne" has to drink, and the first person to yell becomes the Old Grand Dad. The Old Grand Dad has the power to do two things:

- At any mention of Miami in the 1980's or the ESPN 30 for 30 Documentary, the Old Grand Dad becomes the grand dad of 1980's Miami football, Luther Campbell of 2 Live Crew. Thus, he gets to tell one person "Face Down, Ass Up," and that person must take a shot of Bold Grand Dad and watch the game with their face on the floor and their ass in the air until the next commercial break.
- Any crowd shot of ND football grand dad Joe Montana or his son means the Old Grand Dad gets to tell one person to play the "Chicken Soup Game." Said player will pour a beer into a bowl, and has one minute to drink it all with a spoon during the next commercial break. Should he fail, he receives a shot of Bold.

ONWARD TO VICTORY IN BOTH THE DRINKING AND REAL GAMES!

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.

GO IRISH BEAT CANES

Irish Blogger Gathering: The Most Interactive Edition EVER!

Subway Domer has delivered the final IBG of the 2010 season and as always we're more than willing to answer the bell. This edition is the most interactive yet. Below should be a poll supplied by the Subway Domer that you can participate in. The results will be calculated and sent back to SD for a giant compilation of how the Irish Faithful feel.

So pull your weight and be a part of the IBG and then enjoy the correct answers below.

GIDDYUP!

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

1. What is your biggest “FEAR” going into the bowl game?

For whatever reason as we approach this game I keep having terrible flashbacks to the 2001 Fiesta Bowl. Freshman quarterback Matt Lovecchio rode a seven game winning streak (throwing just a single interception during that stretch) into that contest against Oregon State. Over the course of 60 minutes Lovecchio demolished most of the fan base's confidence, turning the ball over three times in the third quarter that saw Notre Dame's deficit balloon from 9 to 38 points.

His final stat line read 13/33 for 138 yards, 2 INT's, 1 Fumble, and 6 Sacks. It was so horrendous that friends of mine who were on-campus at the time gave him the nickname "Father Matt" (the thought was he might as well become a priest because there was no way he was going to reel in another female). Nine months later Carlyle Holiday usurped the starting job and shortly thereafter Father Matt took his talents to Indiana.

My biggest fear Tommy Rees doing anything that resembles that giant turd Lovecchio laid on the field at Sun Devil Stadium (to be fair it wasn't all his fault, but he certainly compounded the problems to the n-th degree). I like Tommy Rees and I applaud the way he's responded to the very difficult situation he was thrown into down the stretch, but I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop on him.

Of course I hope it doesn't. I have no agenda or preference for who leads Notre Dame, I just want them to win. My humble opinion is that Tommy isn't capable of being that guy in the long-term. Yes, he won three consecutive games including over a ranked Utah team and an archrival, but he hardly spearheaded those victories (in fact, ND won that last one despite his performance).

He'd be the perfect backup for whoever emerges from the Crist-Hendrix-Golson trio. Rees can step into the fire and calmly lead the team in a crisis and he's proven he can get the job done if called upon, but his ceiling is light years closer to Evan Sharpley's than Joe Montana's.

2. Will Michael Floyd and Kyle Rudolph enter the NFL draft?

Good News: I have some close, well connected family friends that talked to Rudolph's parents and they said he was coming back. I assume they have some good insight on that decision so I'll predict that Kyle stays.

Bad News: Everything I read and hear says that Floyd will be gone.

The biggest reasons for Floyd to come back would be a chance to prove he's actually durable (he's missed time every year of his collegiate career), he'd avoid the potential NFL labor issues, and he'd duck what could be one of the most loaded receiver classes in recent memory (AJ Green, Julio Jones, Jonathan Baldwin, etc). If Floyd stays another year and blows up--which is very possible and even likely with the entire offense becoming more comfortable with the spread--he could skyrocket into the first round discussion. This year the best case scenario seems to be late 2nd, early 3rd round.

It's a tough decision but my guess is all signs point to ND getting back only half of their potentially All-American duo.

3. Duval Kamara did not make the trip for personal reasons. This is very bad – true or false?

In terms of production/gameplan? It's not a huge deal. The fact that he's going to miss the game though is absolutely a bad thing. Who the hell would want the Bard of Bergen County's career to end a game early?

Kamara had done a very nice job of reestablishing himself as a contributor the last few weeks of the year and you always want to see a senior go out on a high note. Unfortunately it sounds like his actions in some way have cost him that opportunity. I hope everything is ok with him and it doesn't turn out to be a big deal.

4. Which senior will have the biggest game?

I'll go with Harrison Smith. I don't know if anyone's watched Miami much this year, but Jacory Harris has a tendency to make some god-awful decisions. Smith has steadily trended in the right direction over the course of the season and turned in some gritty performances while banged up at the end of the year.

My guess is that (at least) one of Jacory's passes finds Hayseed's hands and sticks. Combine that with another solid all-around performance that he's consistently handed in over the second half of the year (I'm knocking on every piece of wood in my entire house right now) and I think he's your senior MVP for the game.

5. Vegas has the Irish as a 3-point dog: Wrong or Right?

It's about right. I figured it'd be right around a PICK with the Canes probably favored slightly so this falls pretty much in line with that. The deciding factors that nudge the points to Notre Dame are the Freshman QB, the mutual opponent comparison (ND squeaked out a W over Pitt at home, Miami thrashed Pitt on the road), and the general assumption that the U has a slight overall talent advantage (probably an accurate assessment across the board).

6. Does Notre Dame NEED this bowl win for a good start to 2011?

A close loss wouldn't be a killer, but keeping the positive momentum heading in the right direction would be huge for the confidence of players and fans alike (not to mention it'd give a little boost for the final recruiting push). Almost every year in recent memory Notre Dame has headed into the offseason with their heads down. If the Irish can beat the Canes it will be the longest win streak to end a season since 1992.

Find a way to finish the season with wins over Utah, Southern Cal, and Miami in three of the last four games and you give everyone plenty of ammunition to stay optimistic. Lose handily to the Canes and it'll be amazing how quickly people forget the three game November win streak.

7. In the 2010 Hyundai Sun Bowl Notre Dame will…

...win in a barnburner. Let the good times keep rollin'!

Notre Dame 27
Miami 23

THE BODOGS ARE BARKIN: Non-BCS Bowls

Just a month ago it appeared that Hinkle had a stranglehold on the title. Unfortunately for Joshua though, the season did not end then. Mattare started a furious comeback with "All-In Weekend 2010" and rode that to a 9-3 finish, pulling him into almost a dead heat going into the bowl season. Mikey and Chuck? Not so much.

Now we have two more weeks on the slate. Week one will be all non-BCS games and there will be a $200 maximum just like the regular season (but you only have to select three games). Week two will be a $300 maximum for the BCS games (three game rule applies as well).

Can Mikey or Chuck come back thanks to an absurd win on the moneyline (Helloooo UConn!)? Will Mattare find a way to win or will Hinkle put the finishing touches on a great start-to-finish run?

The race is on! Let's check the standings and get to the picks!

Week 14 Results
1. Mattare: $85…Ends the regular season on a sizzling hot streak.

2. Hinkle: $21...His conservative moneyline plays stop the bleeding.

3. Chuck: -$104.55…Devastating blow to any slim comeback chances.
4. Mikey: -$198…Woof.

Preseason Prop Bet Results (Listed here)
1. Mattare: $85…Jordan Toddman and UConn get it done!
2. Mikey: $70…Took the under on Iowa and Southern Cal's win total.
3. Hinkle: $30…Kirk Cousins passes Hinkle to a small gain.
4. Chuck: $0…YOU'LL GET NOTHING AND LIKE IT.

Final Regular Season Standings
1. Hinkle: $398.50…A solid all-around year for Hinkle.
2. Mattare: $390.10…Epic comeback in the final month.
3. Chuck: -$227.10…Rough year.
4. Mikey: -$394…Rougher year.

Non-BCS Pick Summary

Hinkle: Miami > Notre Dame, FSU-USC (Under), Toledo > FL Intl
Mattare: Boise St > Utah, Tulsa > Hawaii, Mizzou > Iowa
Chuck: Utah (ML) > Boise St, Tulsa (ML) > Hawaii, BC (ML) > Nevada
Mikey: Boise St-Utah (Under), SDSU > Navy, MSU > Alabama

-----HINKLE-----

It was a fairly good year for me so far. I was dominating then slacked off on my analysis which led to a mediocre finish but that is a good thing because now the bowl games mean something. You know what else means something? BEATING MATTARE, ON HIS SITE, AT THE HANDS OF HIS OWN TEAM!

Sun Bowl: THE U (-3) over Notre Dame...$110 to win $100

This is what I want Mattare to tell me for the next 9 months until its time for Round 2:

A. I really thought heading into Bowl Season I was on fire and going to beat you but damnit!

B. Not only am I pissed I lost, but its because Notre Dame blew it for me. (Insert 7 reasons why they should have won)

With that being said, I am not overly excited about this play but thats how I am going to roll!

Chick-Fil-A Bowl: FSU-South Carolina (OVER 54.5)...$22 to win $20

I just see this being monster shootout. Like 39-29. Hopefully they do not disappoint!

Little Caesars Bowl: Toledo (-1.5) over Florida International...$66 to win $60

Four of Toledo's losses came to Arizona, Boise, and Northern Illinois. Florida International is 3-4 on the road and only covered two times as a dog this year, the first two games of the season vs an overrated Rutgers and Texas AM. They PF and PA are identical, but playing a tougher schedule I think Toledo is a double digit victor.

PS. Brotzman is pathetic at kicking and catching.

-----MATTARE-----

Ohhhh Joshua, the enemy is at the gate. Time to deliver the death blow and set up a BCS showdown. All lines from Sportsbook.

Maaco Bowl: Boise State (-16.5) over Utah...$55 to win $50

Boise State is mad, especially after the Utes gave some serious bulletin board material this week. Utah was unbelievably underwhelming in every game I saw them play this season. They're going to watch their nine game bowl streak go down in flames

Hawaii Bowl: Tulsa (+10) over Hawaii...$44 to win $40

I love the Hawaii Bowl. I love Hawaii. I love the crazy, high-scoring games that seem to always take place on the big island. These are two high-octane attacks and though Hawaii's defense is far better than in recent memory I don't think it's enough to blow Tulsa out.

Insight Bowl: Missouri (-3) over Iowa...$33 to win $30

There isn't a chance in hell that Iowa can have its head in this game, is there? Their friends (and key starters) are getting suspended, their drug business has been ruined, and the underclassmen realize that they're stuck in Iowa City without any weed for the next few years. Bummer dudes. Mizzou rolls.

-----CHUCK-----

Just call me the Lord of the Moneyline.

Maaco Bowl: Utah (+550) over Boise State...$10 to win $55

Because I need a big, fat moneyline victory right out of the gate.

Hawaii Bowl: Tulsa (+320) over Hawaii...$180 to win $576

Do you hear that Matt and Hinkle? That is the sound of the Category 6's blowing into Aloha Stadium, and blowing away y'all's lead. Tulsa's superior offensive talent will find a way to outscore Hawaii's superior offensive scheme. The final score may be more reminiscent of a Maui Invitational final than a college football game.

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Boston College (+270) over Nevada...$10 to win $27

This is a strength vs. strength slugfest with Nevada's potent rush attack taking on the best run defense in the nation. Something tells me that Colin Kaepernick left everything on the field against Boise State and is due for a letdown.

-----MIKEY-----

My best pick all season was Andrew Luck to win the Heisman. Maybe they'll give it to him after Newton mails it back. C'mon backdoor Heisman win!!! (all lines from covers.com):

Maaco Bowl: Boise St-Utah (UNDER 60)...$110 to win $100

This just seems to be a matchup of 2 very disappointed teams. I can't see the normal display of firepower showing up that we normally see from them so give me the under.

Poinsettia Bowl: San Diego St. (-4) over Navy...$55 to win $50

San Diego St. has got to be the most overlooked school in the 2 major men's sports. Overlook this, Navy.

Capital One Bowl: Michigan St. (+11) over Alabama...$55 to win $50

11 points?? Are they serious? Would Alabama still be favored over Auburn and Oregon? I just can't ignore this line so go Sparty.