Irish Ladies upset #1 ranked UConn at their place...we've beaten them something like 5 out of the last 6 times we've played them. UConn was looking dominant again after not just beating then #1 Stanford in Palo Alto but hammering them by 30 points. Standford had previously beaten then #1 Baylor to end a pretty long wining streak that Baylor had going. I'm guessing Baylor will be #1 again when the polls come out. Irish were #5, I would assume that they will be at least #4, with UConn maybe falling to that #5 Slot. Not sure they can jump any higher though. Irish Men had a good game at home vs Seton Hall and looked strong after a 8 day layoff for the holidays. They play tonight at Cincy, who is very good this year. Oh and I'm on pins and needles waiting for the kickoff.
Our Bolivian born law clerk, who earned his undergrad degree at Miami, was kind enough today to offer Lloyd and I the opportunity to live at his family home in Bolivia during the CFB offseason in case I lose the BAPP bet tonight to avoid the seven months of abuse I will be taking from the Domer grad in our office. Ralph's postings and my law clerk's kind offer to provide me refugee status are turning me into a Canes fan. Plus, if my credit card bill is listed pesos, Anne may not be able to figure out how much I lost.
I actually have butterflies in my stomach. This hasn't happened since my HS playing days over a hundred years ago.
The mens' BB team faces a very tough test tonight on ESPN2 at 6:30 vs. Cincinnati. For me, it will be a good warm-up for the main event.
My son has a ticket! It's from a big donor who attended the Lou's Lads event yesterday. He told Brian that he's not sure of the cost but that it will be no more than face value. Wow! GO IRISH!
I can expand it Sid but the image gets all pixelated and becomes very fuzzy. It's easy to take a large picture and make it smaller just not the reverse.
Terry, check out my amended post. Thanks for your attention to my plight, but the situation has changed, and all is well in Miami. Go Irish!
ND <t>Well the game is almost here. The experts all seem to be picking against us. Regardless of the outcome, it's been a great season for ND football. so many things accomplished. As an ND fan for 42 years my heart as always says ND will find a way to win. If nothing else this game will tell us where we are as a football program. The odds are against them but I doubt if these boys think they will do anything but win. Go Irish!</t>
Tough loss for the Irish, but it was a great year inspite of big loss tonight. Kelly has us on the right path I believe, but there is work to do. Getting this great incoming class inked in Feb, developing they younger players and we can have another great season. That's the goal build the program so that we are in the conversation and have a shot at the Championship every year. Go Irish.
You are right Corey. The Gators lost just as bad to Nebraska after the 95 season and we then won it all the next year. Kelly is a winner and I think you have good things to look forward to.
Notre Dame's 2013 outlook It is very tough to get much better than a 12-0 regular season, and while Notre Dame benefited from five wins by a touchdown or less this season, a lot of those games were close because of an inconsistent Irish offense that will be much more experienced next season, particularly at the quarterback position. The results started to show down the stretch this season as Notre Dame's offense averaged 485 yards per game in its last four contests as redshirt freshman QB Everett Golson continued to improve. Look for even more growth next season out of the young signal-caller. Though tight end Tyler Eifert will leave school for the NFL -- and running back Cierre Wood may decide to forgo his last season of eligibility for the next level -- the talent drop-off will not be that significant. A couple of players to keep an eye on are running back Amir Carlisle, a transfer from USC who sat out this season with a foot injury, and tight end Troy Niklas, who was still learning the position this season after playing on the defensive side of the ball in 2011. The offensive line also returns its best player in Zack Martin, who has started the past three seasons. Nose guard Louis Nix makes up part of the Irish's stout D-line. On the other side of the ball, while the Irish will lose their heart and soul on and off the field in linebacker Manti Te'o, the defense could be just as good with the return of as many as eight starters. It starts with quite possibly the best defensive line in college football entering 2013, as both Stephon Tuitt and Louis Nix have the eye of many NFL draft scouts, and true freshman Sheldon Day got extensive action this season. When the defense features a four-man front, outside linebacker/defensive end Prince Shembo is one of the best in the country at getting to the quarterback. At linebacker, Danny Spond, along with possible fifth-year players Dan Fox and Carlo Calabrese, give the Irish plenty of experience -- and they will welcome aboard one of the best incoming freshman linebackers in the country in Jaylon Smith. Finally, the secondary, which performed admirably despite dealing with injuries and inexperience this season, will be led by a great cornerback combo of Bennett Jackson and KeiVarae Russell. Notre Dame's 2013 schedule will rank as one of the nation's toughest, but that is nothing new for the Irish. Road games include potential top-20 teams Michigan and Stanford along with a tricky matchup against Arizona State in Cowboys Stadium. However, the Irish play key games against USC and Oklahoma at home, and both the Trojans and Sooners will have new starting quarterbacks. Add it all up and it looks as though coach Brian Kelly has the Irish here to stay. At the very least, next season's team appears to be another BCS-caliber squad with an outside shot of getting back to the national title game. ND 2013/Alabama 2013
Terry, nice end-of-season prognostication for 2013. Thanks. I can't wait for next season to start shaping up. That's not an "S". It's the number "5" for LB Manti Te'o and/or QB Everett Golson, likely Te'o.
We did learn one valuable piece of information in this game. Unlike Lou's assessment, occasionally a 10 beats a pair of 5's. :wink: