One characteristic that benefits all athletes is the ability to play with abandon. Players are said to have “left it all on the field” when they’ve expended a total effort.
Based on this picture, it looks like Francis might have what it takes. (By the way, the smaller version to the right doesn’t do her justice. Click on the picture to blow it up and see the full francis scowl.)
She and I have been throwing the ball around and talking about Notre Dame football, getting ready to cheer for the Irish in the opener tomorrow night. Most Notre Dame kids grow up knowing one ND fight song: the Victory March. Based on daily repetition, there’s a strong chance Francis will know the Victory March, Hike Notre Dame, Irish Backs, On Down the Line, and the Alma Mater – all before she’s two.
I didn’t set out to be one of those parents who brainwashes his kids. I can’t help myself, though.
* UPDATE – 9/6/05 *
Because the game kicked off at 7:00, Francis only watched part of the first quarter. I think she was asleep before the Irish took the lead for good. For those of you who don’t follow college football or the Irish very closely, Notre Dame beat the University of Pittsburgh 42-21 on Saturday night. The game featured the debut of two head coaches: Charlie Weis for the Irish, and Dave Wannstedt for the Panthers. Having endured ten depressing years of ND football, this game was like something out of a dream.
Notre Dame went down 7-0 on a longish pass to Pitt’s best receiver running a post route right by one of our untested cornerbacks. This is nothing new. In the last ten years, I’ve probably seen that scenario play out thirty times. The difference came when the defense adjusted and limited that guy to three more catches for short yardage.
ND’s defense is not what people are talking about, though. See, Charlie Weis is this guy ND hired away from the New England Patriots. The Patriots, with Charlie coordinating their offensive attack, have won the last few Superbowls in the national football league. He is understood to be intelligent and creative when it comes to moving the ball down the field and into the endzone on offense. At least against Pitt, Weis’s experience translated into a more potent ND offense. ND’s scored six touchdowns on Saturday. That’s a pretty good statistic, but it means a lot more when you consider that it took the previous coach an average of four games to score that many touchdowns.
One game doesn’t make a whole season (especially not a game against Pitt), but I’m optimistic about this team and those to come. I just feel like ND football is in the hands of a guy who cares as much as I do whether we win or lose.
Another thing about Weis: he never played college football. He was a backup lineman in high school who attended Notre Dame as a student. He was a student in the stands from 1974-1977. I love that.
by Sally
Donoghue Nation - Alright, I think you are giving the Irish D too much credit. I am afraid the Michigan offense shut down all on its own and the Irish were recipients of that.
Matt - Donoghue has provided an example of comments typical among Michigan faithful: "You didn't beat us; we beat ourselves." Effectively, "your team still sucks (although mine sucks worse)."
I'll allow you whatever comfort this mindset provides. And I look forward to hearing the same thing next year.
Donoghue Nation - Oh and the best part of the pics on that website, is watching the reaction of the guy in the bottom corner of each shot. Very funny.
Matt - Fair enough. But there's an element of derision in distinguishing between "our offense shut down" and "the Irish shut our offense down" that's hard to swallow. Perhaps Henne was feeling the pressure on this play. Perhaps he was anticipating the need to get the ball out quickly even if there wasn't much pressure on this particular play. Maybe the noseguard insulted his mom.
If Henne had seen that guy in the endzone, would I now be complaining that our secondary "shut down" and allowed Michigan to win the game? Would that detract from the credit that Henne normally deserves for a touchdown pass?
Your complaints still amount to "we would have beaten you if . . ." Just like me saying we would have won if Desmond hadn't caught that ball on fourth down . . .or you saying UM would have won if Rocket hadn't returned those kicks.
Should we play games with Feynman diagrams or should we play them on the field?
Matt - And with that, I'll let Donoghue have the last word.
Matt - I think we've made a record here that speaks for itself.
Alexia - great pic of you two!!!
imron - first, tough game ND agains mich state. the spartans outlasted ND, and that is hard to watch. i like a lot of offense though.
second, gulde is right here – the record does speak for itself. all he was looking for was the admission that ND was the better team (and not that it won by default because MI didn't try), and donoghue gave that up in one of the last messages.
hope all is well on your hemisphere guys!