Well yes, its been a couple of weeks. I'm nothing if not consistent in my inconsistency.
By the way, in case you care whatsoever, AOL is closing down the AOL journals, so if I decide to continue my little project here, it will be at another site---stay tuned for details that will be forthcoming within a couple of weeks (since there closing things down around 10/31/08).
Well, let's look at some pain that the world of sports has thrust upon me since last we spoke. Yep, the Cubs managed to blow it---again. I'm going to be 47 yrs old within the next 2 weeks (shop early....spend lots) and this was the best Cubs team I've seen in my lifetime. They opened up the divisional playoffs against the worst team in the playoffs, the Dodgers. They went up in the first game 2-0....things were going fine, and then Ryan Dempster, who must have been like 12-1 at home this season, serves up a grand slam. And the entire crowd sort of went silent for a second and then all looked at one another and said:
"Uh-oh."
And it was over. Right at that moment, the Cubs collectively sort of left the ballpark.
They were done. Swept 3 to 0 by the Dodgers and that God forsaken Manny Ramirez.
UGH. Sometimes I totally hate that I'm a Cubs fan.
Notre Dame has officially hit the halfway point in their season and is 4-2, after a tough 29-24 loss to North Carolina on the road this past Saturday. I just got done watching the game, which featured a sort of wild finish, complete with a couple of pretty badly blown calls by the officials (one for us, one against us) towards the end of the game.
Truth be told, if I knew back in August that we'd be 4-2 at the midway point, I'd have taken that. Last year's team was so bad, so totally NOT Notre Dame, that I recognized that a lot of what this season was about was going to be continuing the development of some of our young play makers--and there's no question that it is definitely happening.
Jimmy Clausen is becoming an AMAZING quarterback, with tons of zip on the ball and he's capable of making some throws that just have you going WOW! Of course, because he's still relatively young, he's also occasionally capable of doing something that will make you do the Chris Berman-esque....WHAAAA?? And he had a couple of those moments which cost us dearly against UNC. Running back Armando Allen has had a couple of games where he clearly showed his vast potential as a all purpose running back who's effective running or receiving the ball. Robert Hughes seems to be battling some injuries as he has not been as effective as he was late last year during his freshman campaign, and James Aldridge finally seems to be escaping the devestating injury to his knee that he suffered during his senior year in high school with some quality runs having taken place the last few weeks. Wide receivers Golden Tate & Michael Floyd are turning into incredible players very early in their careers, and are potentially the best duo we've ever had at one time at Notre Dame. Both are very special players. The offensive line has really turned things around while pass blocking, but still haven't shown the ability to scratch, maul and claw for that 3 or 4 yards when its needed. TE thru attrition has been pretty much reduced to freshman Kyle Rudolph, who has shown himself to be the best frosh TE the Irish have had since the days of Derek Brown back in 1988.
On the defensive side, the line simply lacks true play makers at this point. There may be some in the freshman class that just haven't developed at this point, but upperclassmen like Justin Brown & John Ryan just aren't making plays. Fellow senior Pat Kuntz shows flashes of ability, but is more likely the kind of guy who would be a backup on a really good line that comes in and provides a few big plays a game with lots of recognition, since he's what used to be described as "a free spirit"---and because he gives great interviews to the local reporters. Sophomore Ian Williams has not shown himself to be as effective at defensive tackle as he was last season. The remainder of prospects on the line are extremely young, and while players like Ethan Johnson and Darius Fleming show tremendous potential, you have to wonder if physically their really capable of handling an entire game's worth of action. At linebacker, sophomore Brian Smith gives the Irish potential for play making ability that they haven't had since the halcyon days of Demetrius Dubose in the early 1990's, but still capable of the occasional boneheaded mental error that an underclassman will occasionally make. Senior Maurice Crum has been part of the starting unit for the Irish for the better part of 4 years....and while he's smart player with good leadership skills, he just is not a play maker, and will never be. He always seems to be making the tackle 5 yds past the line of scrimmage or after the reception has already been made. Last year he played the game of his life vs. UCLA and made all those plays--too bad that's the only game that he's really made that sort of an impact.
Sophomore Harrison "Hayseed" Smith shows flashes of tremendous play making ability, depending on the particular scheme that is being used. The basic fact seems to be that our real play makers are the underclassmen who haven't had or who aren't ready yet to make an impact (Filer, etc). Finally, in the secondary, the play (outside of the UNC game) has been pleasantly strong. Starting safeties David Bruton and Kyle McCarthy have been the MVP's of the defense so far, and corner backs Rashon McNeil & Terrail Lambert have both played well---although a lot of ND fans regard Lambert as sort of a Maurice Crum of the secondary. A guy who is really "just there" and starting because of his experience who will be replaced next year by a guy with more ability who may not be ready just yet---or who is not currently in school (hello Darrin Walls).
And now....special teams. Or maybe I should say....not so special teams. When your kicker is 1 for the entire season going into the UNC game....and the head coach feels that if the ball is anywhere past the 44 yd mark for a "make able" field goal....your special teams are in rough shape. Kicker Brandon Walker has amazingly been dead perfect on extra points---and completely horrible on field goals. I mean, seriously...when your head coach doesn't feel comfortable kicking a field goal from further out than 44 yds, and your a national known team like Notre Dame---folks, that's just embarrassing. You have to wonder if special teams coach Brian Polian is going to be able to survive a season like this one. The return units have been nothing special either, but the coverage units, lead by David Bruton & Mike Anello, have been absolutely outstanding.
The coaching staff has been an interesting mix. Defensive coordinator Corwin Brown has had to mix his defense with that of new defensive guru John Tenuta, and although the pressure on the quarterback has increased, it has exactly turned into sacks galore, if ya know what I mean. The wide receivers have shown great improvement, as has the Jimmy Clausen at QB, which is a credit to all those respective coaches. The offensive line has improved tremendously at pass blocking, but their run blocking remains inconsistent and.....at best....a work in progress. So offensive line coach John Latina gets high marks for his work on the pass blocking, but an "incomplete" at run blocking.
So at the halfway mark, with a 4-2 record, I'll give the Irish a......B- thus far.
The good:
1) Jimmy Clausen appears to be the real deal.
2) Golden Tate & Michael Floyd=best WR duo in school history?
3) Offensive line's pass blocking has improved substantially.
4) Lots of help from the freshmen.
5) The spread offense from the shotgun has jump started the offense.
The bad:
1) The kicking game--especially the field goals.
2) Defensive line play has been nothing special.
3) Offensive running game has been wildly inconsistent.
4) The return games (both kick and punt units) haven't excited anyone.....in a while.
5) Turnovers=losses on the road. (See: '08 UNC)
Later,
Jeff
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