Where I am at times I just can't tell
Hey, hey, hey, now
I'm lost... somewhere between Heaven and Hell
Dateline: Notre Dame, IN
"I don't care how official her ID looks, Peter -- DO NOT make Sloane a Bloody Mary."
At our age, I find consistency to be an increasingly underrated virtue, like when you read a blog knowing you won't understand a fraction of what the hell the clown is writing about but always finding the pictures to be colorful and the songs catchy.
Or going to one's favorite tailgate and knowing the banter will be lively and the food / drink tasty.
Output Meets Expectations.
One wishes one could say the same about Notre Dame Football 2024.
Quote of the Week
"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose..."
Kris Kristofferson
"Me And Bobby McGee"
Perhaps nothing should better describe the going forward attitude for Notre Dame football 2024.
Play free because at this point, playing tight hasn't been working for you.
Word of the Week.
He had come to anticipate, nay now expect, the offense to be stagnant even as the defense kept them in the game.
And yet, quite the opposite was unfolding before his very eyes -- at least for much of the 1st half.
It was all so confusing.
Perhaps it was the white pants but Jerrence wasn't sure what team he was even watching.
Game 5 Thoughts
I wish I could see the future
The same way I see the past
Wish I could draw a conclusion
Why nothing here seems to last...
For a game that left me unsure as to how one should feel about this team, I've got a few thoughts to toss out...
1. Tape Delay. Discovering a tactic my older brothers learned long ago... watching the game after the fact is A LOT easier on the psyche. That opening kickoff fumble would've put me in the fetal position asking for mommy -- luckily I was doing something more societally beneficial, like escorting Marcel out of the state.
And while noted Philosopher King Alan Iverson has cast aspersions on the value of practice, one can't help but think that Riley is playing some catch up on mechanics and timing after having missed all of the Spring work.
At least that's how I choose to see it.
3. Louisville. Are they the best team we've played so far? Probably. Are they the proverbial 'tallest midget in the class' competitively for ND? Maybe. But clearly that was the best QB / WR tandem ND has seen so far. (And likely the best they will see until USC). So give them a few props...
And yet, the D gave up only one drive of any meaningful length.
Whether one wishes to simply attribute it to the mounting injuries, I'd have to think a truly elite defense should've held Louisville to a field goal on at least one of those short field situations.
But I LOVE the young LB's! They're young, excitable and therefore often prone to being out of position every so often.
But boy, are they athletic. And get to the opponents in a bad mood. How long until they're the strength of the unit?
5. Injuries. I wouldn't argue the point if one wishes to rationalize that we've hit the point where a true National Championship contender cannot sustain the number of key injuries (e.g., 4/8 of our top DL, 4 O-line starters, two best Edge rushers, 2nd and 3rd CB's banged up (and the best CB clearly not 100%)) that ND has.
In fact, I'd probably agree.
But if there's anything close to there being a silver lining to this misfortune, it's the bright light that's now being shined on the quality of the last two recruiting classes -- despite what some internet pundits might've viewed as a less than top tier haul.
More on them later.
Here's a rough list of players who've shown they can play at this level:
Freshmen Sophomores
K. Viliamu-Asa Drayk Bowen
Bryce Young Jaiden Ausberry
Leonard Moore Adon Shuler
Anthonie Knapp Jaden Greathouse
Aneyas Williams Christian Grey
Kennedy Urlacher Jerimiyah Love
Loghan Thomas Boubacar Traore
Cooper Flanagan
And that's not even an exhaustive list, considering some of the highest potential guys (e.g., CJ Carr, Guerby Lambert) are being consciously redshirted.
2025 is already looking pretty interesting.
6. Rankings. Another week, another win and a few more moves up the rankings. And we'll see if anyone of note loses this week (looking at you, Michigan, playing at Washington).
BCS Playoff bound? Not yet but hard to not see them qualify if they can win out...
7. Fashion. Finally, lose the white pants. Please.
Buddy's Buddy
This week, my initial inclination was to cite celebrity tailgate guest, Carmen Policy, not for his laudable achievement as a co-architect of the SF 49'e4 dysnasty -- but rather for siring the next Green Bay Packer CEO: his son, Ed. Nice job, Carm.
Then we also gave serious consideration for Jerrence's weekend house guest, Al David Marcel, to be The Bud.
"Why would you do that?!" you ask.
(Fair question.) To wit:
- He always helps me with my golf game (which he did this time as well)
- He invites copious amounts of fine wine-related discussion and more importantly, ingestion
- And for reasons completely inexplicable, he bonded with the granddaughter to the extent that by the time of the airport drop off, she was calling him 'uncle Dave'...
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| No, Sloane, he's not really your uncle... |
I'm so sorry, Sloane.
Still, 'Uncle Dave' will not be this week's Buddy call. As sideways as this season as already gone, we haven't yet sunk quite that low.
Instead we're going to call out a more traditional, albeit 'behind the scenes' guy for this game's recognition: coach Mike Mickens, with this game being a particularly good example of his high value...
- Morrison missed time with an undisclosed injury.
- Gray didn’t play with a shoulder injury.
- Jaden Mickey left the team last week with plans to transfer.
It all meant Notre Dame’s secondary played Clark at boundary corner, freshman Leonard Moore at field corner (looking like the next Morrison) and safety Rod Heard at nickel, with Watts and Adon Shuler at safety -- against an offense whose top two WR's will probably be playing in the NFL next year and a QB who, at times, looked unconscious throwing the ball.
Special Shout Out! Welcome to the Grandfather Club, Jerry Perez! And welcome, Jerome Andrea Newhouse (yes, yet another Jerry who, thankfully, will be called Rome). Or judging by the seeming size of the package in that diaper, perhaps he'll be known by his stage name, Rex the Human Tripod.
RE-PETE (A shameless, illegal lift of Pete Sampson's weekly mail-bag)
While I'm attempting to practice more consistent positivity about this team (and this season), I struggle.
At the heart of it all, as it seems to be every year, is the old "chicken or the egg" conundrum.
Which is to say, when things go sideways, who does one hold most accountable -- coaches or players?
This year's injury deluge hasn't help make this a clean analysis -- yet one aspect keeps haunting me the most, which Mr. Sampson touches on this week in his post-game wrap up: Marcus and his in-game day decision making...
-----------------------------------
Marcus Freeman wants to be aggressive. That’s fine.
Notre Dame’s head coach also wants to use analytics. That’s fine, too.
Early in the fourth quarter against Louisville, math got shoved to the backseat in favor of attitude when Notre Dame went for it on fourth-and-3 at the Cardinals’ 46-yard line. Notre Dame led 24-14. Excluding Louisville’s two touchdown drives that were gifted by fumbles from Devyn Ford and Jadarian Price, the Notre Dame defense was pitching a shutout, if not a perfect game. At that point, the Cardinals’ other eight drives ended in fumble, fumble, punt, interception, downs, punt, downs and punt.
On top of that, Notre Dame’s punt game actually had worked while the offense had been sputtering. The move here was to punt, pin Louisville inside its 20 and let Golden go to work.
Instead, Riley Leonard got stuffed on fourth down, the only play call Notre Dame was going to run. Louisville took over at midfield, gained 17 yards in seven plays — Morrison’s corner blitz almost made this point moot — then booted a 56-yard field goal to make it a one score game.
Aggressive is good. Math is sometimes better.
Source: The Athletic
October 1, 2024
Maybe he should ask Dan Campbell about being aggressive. On second thought, please don't.
Cocktail of the Month
As more than a few of you have probably heard from me, I like to periodically consider the films that -- mostly for 21st Century political correctness reasons -- just could not be made any more.
At the top of my personal list would be Blazing Saddles -- so funny and yet, making racism a comedic centerpiece, extremely problematic. Leave it to the funniest, ballsiest and probably most kindhearted Jew in Hollywood to do so. Mel Brooks, there'll never be another like you.
Another film on my list would be Tropic Thunder, if only for its conscious thumbing its nose at any political correctness, especially daring to wade into the topic of the portrayal of the, um, mentally diminished in movies. So funny, so wrong.
So, in the continued spirit of Simple Jerrence, how's this for linear logic:
-- ND plays Louisville
-- Louisville is in Kentucky
-- Kentucky is known for its bourbon.
-- Ergo, find a bourbon drink.
Like I said, simple.
James Baldwin's Bourbon, Neaty
1924-1987
If you decide (and you should) to forego Dylan Thomas's 18 whiskeys, model yourself after Notes of a Native Son author and White Horse Tavern regular James Baldwin and keep it -- here's that word again -- simple, with a bourbon, neat.
* 2 oz. bourbon
Pour 2 oz. of bourbon into a rocks glass.
After, gather a group of friends and head to El Faro, a Spanish restaurant Baldwin frequented in the village.
Pick up the check. Baldwin was known for his generosity.
Source: How To Drink Like A Writer
Writing by Margaret Kaplan
Schedule 2024
August
31 @Texas A&M W
September
7 Northern Illinois L
14 @Purdue W
21 Miami (OH) W
28 Louisville W
October
12 Stanford The Brothers Corrigan game
19 @Georgia Tech
26 Navy
November
9 Florida State Night game - accepting couch viewing bookings
16 Virginia
23 @Army (Yankee Stadium) McSorley's anyone?
30 @USC
December
20 1st round playoff game at ND Stadium -- see you there.
Wager 2024
Team 11 holds serve in which, ON PAPER, figured to be the toughest game on the schedule until the USC game.
On paper being the operative words.
Anyone want to take an option on my 11 win position?
Didn't think so.
Wins | Director - ND Equivalence | Domer |
12  Christopher Nolan | The Nick Saban of the film world - Nolan is Mr. Swing For The Fences Big Idea Guy, even if every effort isn't always a home run. But they are undeniably ... epic. Just like a 12-0 season. |
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11  Martin McDonagh | Hello, he's Irish! Solidly predictable for always being really, really good. And as his reputation has been burnished, the star talent in his cast has followed. Sound familiar? | Jerrence, Daryl Jim S, Tim C. Jerry C, Mike C. Greg R., Bob S. George, Raz, Ted, Bob J. Peter, Tim S., Dave M |
10  David Fincher |
Pretty much a stud in both film and TV formats. Always interesting, albeit with palpably dark undertones... one is never sure how the story is going to end up. Much like a 10 win season will feel like. | Pat B, Mike B. Bill, Jim B. Sloane, Alex Phillip, Randy Mike G., Jerry P Gutsch, Mark Jim T., Brian W |
9  Yorgos Lanthimos | Do I always understand what's going on his films? Nope. | Alvin, Garrett |
8  Richard Linklater | Perhaps the product of recency bias - I quite liked 'Hit Man' - Linklater's films fall for this blogger into the "nice-fun-I see an interesting insight" category. They just don't feel especially memorable. Like we'd view an 8 win season. | |
7  Wes Anderson | When does quirky/idiosyncratic become tiresome? When you feel like you're watching - again - an inside joke that you're not included in. Anderson attracts an an all-star cast that no longer seems to add up to the sum of their parts. In a word, disappointing. | |
6  Lars Von Trier | Uncomfortable. Unpleasant. Disturbing. Often off the rails, his films might be 'art' but it's tough to call it many people's definition of entertainment. | |
Schadenfreude of the Week.
This is a wonderful time of year for the passionate, enthusiastic Schadenfreudist.
There's increasingly meaningful football games. Every baseball game is now hugely important -- sadly involving many (not all) teams who I don't dislike and many of you root for.
And that's not even considering the fertile competitive political landscape -- WHICH WE WON'T GO NEAR (too many of you know where I live)...
So we play the hand that's dealt us...
Georgia. A tale of two halves, apparently in a game yet again this year where you'd really like both sides to not just lose, but be humiliated. So, UGA, I guess you're the pick this week. And honestly, who doesn't like seeing a perennial top dog / NFL feeder school get knocked down a peg?
And it sure looked that way in the 1st half but I guess he can sling it, is likely a high NFL draft choice next Spring and probably has a super hot girlfriend so who's the clever one now, Jerrence?
One last thing about Georgia as it relates to Marcus Freeman. Here's Kirby Smart's record for the first five years as a head coach.
Pretty good, not yet elite. Do you think the fans there wondered if they'd be anything better than a perennial 2-loss team?
Something for the Freeman pitchfork 'n torches crowd to consider.
Utah. What do you have against the Utes, Jerrence?
Nothing. After all, poet laureate Matt Lindon lives there (along with 2 million Mormons). Plus it has my favorite skiing areas, at least back when I did such.
No, this is just a business decision.
For ND to move up, somebody's gotta come down. It might as well be you.
So good for you, coach.
But having you lose is a right thing for a bunch of reasons, not the least of which is putting a little dent in that insufferable conference superiority perception.
Thank you, Tigers!
And BTW Houston, maybe talk to either your Marketing dept. or your longtime sponsor, Occidental Petroleum about a different arm patch. You've got enough long-term ill will from fans, nationally, without folks thinking you're pro-opioid addiction.
Terry's Tools.
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| The few, the proud... |
This is, after all, the city that booed Santa Claus and, if I recall, perfected the battery-in-a-snow ball tactic.
The City of Brotherly Love, indeed.
But are they really the OG when it comes to sports-related misbehavior? Perhaps if we looked a little farther west for inspiration...
program and will redshirt with intentions of entering the transfer portal, he announced last week on social media.
He attributed the leave to "certain representations" which he says were not upheld that the school made to him when he transferred from Holy Cross this offseason.
Which is PR-speak for they didn't show him the money. Allegedly, he walked into his coach's office and said, "I want $100k or I walk."
Interesting that the school said, "there's the door" even after a CEO offered to pony up the $100k.
Let me repeat, UNLV is undefeated (4-0), ranked #25 and theoretically, a BCS Playoff candidate. And he bailed on his team because of... the money.
A few morals to this story. One of which being, "Dude, next time, get it in writing."
Bear Alexander. The new normal... yet another starter who apparently didn't like having his snaps cut, is now on school #3 in less than four years. One wonders where the NFL ranks character in their player evaluations.
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| Run, |
Case in point, ND recruiting. Once ND's season started going sideways, it's been very for those message board savants who watch YouTube videos of high schoolers and proclaim, "Reach!" with every recruit who isn't proclaimed a 5-star and / or isn't being recruited by Georgia, Ohio State, LSU et al.
And yet, significant evidence to refute that, maybe ND knows more about player identfication and development that you do.
Louisville. Everybody knows what the expression, "but she's got a great personality and is a terrific dancer" implies. Not great.
Similarly, in football parlance when one says, "they play hard to sound of the whistle," it often really means watch your back -- they're borderline dirty but they often get away with it.
So it looks like there's a new default member of the Schadenfreude Club.
And no, it doesn't excuse Jordan Clark for a really stupid, premeditated penalty.
- Why going after priceless art? And in particular, what did the Impressionists ever do to you? Given that particular art period ended ~1900, that's seems an unreasonably long time to hold a grudge. Sure, Van Gogh ran with a thuggish crowd but what about Monet, Matisse and Renoir -- they were relative choir boys!
- And throwing food?! I understand the use of tomato soup (unless it's paired with a grilled cheese sandwich on Fridays during Lent it has relatively little societal value). But not mashed potatoes! Oh the humanity! Did you consider other potato forms (e.g. why not something cheese-inclusive, like au gratin. Or French fries could be super surgical in their tactical worth.). But not mashed potatoes.
Deuce Knight. Not a surprise. And while one may not like the way he handled it (and who knows who was calling the shots on how it was handled), it'd be pretty hypocritical of ND Nation to damn this kid's actions while also celebrating every WR we flip.
Let's face it, college recruiting circa 2024 -- both of high school and transfer portal players -- is a really messy (read dirty) f*cked up process. And only getting worse.
I'm 18!
I get confused every day.
18!
I just don't know what to say.
18!
I gotta get away...
Name of the Month
Specifically, Notre Dame's latest commitment. (With the massive caveat that given the current world of NIL-driven college recruitment (and the fact that this particular athlete represents a 'flip'), the concept of an oral commitment is oxymoronic along the lines of jumbo shrimp, military intelligence and United States...)
But I digress. Apparently, we need WR's. And fast ones. Okay, this kid isn't exactly yet a WR... it seems he's played QB for his high school career but is exceedingly swift, evidently very teachable and at this point, beggars can't be choosers.
Antavious Richardson
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So if I begin to refer to you as Jayvious, Jerious, even Ungious...
...understand that it's meant with the deepest respect and as only the highest of compliments.
Final Thought
I'm looking for hard headed woman
One who'll take me for myself...
Happy #39, Lisa Ann! October 5, 1985 -- remains one of the very best days of my life...
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