Pictures from before the game: Cindy found the Refs from the Michigan game: Kes, Terry, and Scott: Terry almost persuaded by Kesley: Tim and Terry:
My apologies to Kes and Scott. Not being able to stretch my legs out was playing havoc on my back. Cindy went and traded in our tickets that Kesley picked up for us on tickets in the folding chair handicap area. We enjoyed the game not having a dog in the fight. With the score and outcome, I'm glad we moved. I'm certain that the atmosphere was not very up beat around the WSU fans. :?
Got back a little while ago and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend, great to see Tom, Cindy, Tim Gentry, Brian "the Blazin Asian" Gentry, Scott and Kes. The weather was beautiful, the game turned out great for us ND fans and I got John Huarte's Autograph he was sitting in the row behind me. Our tailgate turned out great, they had a terrific band there that had a range from Louis Armstrong to Roy Orbison, to Pink Floyds "Another Brick in the Wall, to Elton John. These guys were good and there were only 2 of them. We had the new Bud Wheat on tap and I have to say I liked it but then I don't expect it to be in BDR's famous beer fridge but for us regular beer types it was a nice beer. They had a good crowd at the Alamo Dome, 95% Irish fans but it was probably 15K short of a sellout (65K is sellout). But I think all the ND fans who traveled to SA had a great time, I know I did. Got to play golf Friday before the pep rally with my brother and nephew and we snuck in a Sunday round before I hit the road to Houston. Played Sunday at a place called La Canterra which is a Westin Resort that has 2 courses we played the Palmer course and it was really spectacular, a classic Texas Hill Country course. Stay away from the rocks because the rattlers like to sun themselves there! As far as the game itself. I just come away from each game more and more convinced that both Jimmy and Golden Tate should be 1st team AA's this year and that both of them deserve to be in New York for the Heisman ceremony. Also Theo Riddick, now finally we have a NJ kid who is going to pan out. He has some serious speed and he hits the hole fast and was just so close to breaking big runs. He's got something that Armando doesn't have something that great college backs have can't quite put my finger on it but he's got it. I think he's going to be in the rotation from here on out. Also I've been a critic of Robt Hughes but he played great last night, much more consistent last night he ran tough and he caught the ball out of the backfield. Naturally it was really scary to see Crist go by right in front of me on the way to the lockeroom being helped and not being able to put any pressure on the knee. I hope he's alright. With Jimmy's toe being the problem it is, and only having Sharpley behind him we could be in trouble, but if Jimmy is anything he's a tough SOB so it's going to take a lot to get him out if he knows he has to continue on. Of course we could go to the Wildcat and I would not be suprised to hear that John Goodman was taking snaps at QB. Speaking of Goodman, the Ft. Wayne flash really looked good on that TD, as did Crist. His parents were in the section next to me and he came over after the game and you could have lit up the stadium with their pride. The defense, now WSU is a young team so you can't really say they turned the corner. But this is the first freshman QB we didn't make look like a AA and our DL/LB's really played well even Hayseed (Harrison Smith is from Tenn) looked good. We got after them on defense. DB's still weak spot on defense though. I wonder if Te'o can play safety! Great win, great weekend, and I see we've moved up to around #20 depending on the poll.
I forgot to mention Ragones hustle to run down the WSU guy on the blocked xtrapoint. It happened on the other side of the field and I didn't know it was him till tonight when I started to read game reports. I have to say WOW! That guy has got his wheels back, he was moving for a TE. Hopefully now Weis will start finding some roles for him. Quite a hustle play!
Weis said tonight that Robinson is not as bad as first thought and will be "doubtful" for this week. Crist moving better today but MRI on Monday. Floyd will also have a CT scan on Monday and a decision on him will be made for Navy, but everybody expects positive news and that he will play against Navy. KLM is probable.
By the way... enjoyed the heck out of the "fixed" discussions. Let the ones that didn't go think about that one for a while. :twisted:
Ragone is a Jersey boy too and his was the play of the game outside of the Hail Mary.... he looks faster than some of our WRs.
Wish I had been there. Corey, Tom is 200% right, as I know you already know, about spending time with your son. These years will be gone soon enough but the memories last forever. I enjoyed the pictures Tom and now have three more facts to put with names. Tim, now I would recognize you in a crowd!
Great time, as always with any of the Skybox crowd. Good to put some more names to faces. Tom and Cindy are a hoot, and it was nice to meet Tim and his son Brian. Terry had some other family there as well, but they weren't on my side of the table much so I couldn't really pick on them. Tom - totally understand about moving. The Alamodome isn't known for luxuious seating! One thing I've learned about the WSU folks... they like to root for their team, but I suspect they like to drink beer more. They start off doing more of one, but then end up doing more of the other, and are pretty good sports no matter how things go. 8) Sorry we didn't catch up with any of you folks Sunday. It's a bit of a drive back to Dallas, so Kesley and I rolled out of bed, and were on the road pretty quick. Ready for the next trip!!
Cindy and I didn't set an alarm and got up at 8:30 for the trip home. As it was with the KC trip, we had a blast. Always fun to meet up with the Skybox crew.
Early in the game, before he chased down the WSU ballcarrier, I asked who was that guy wearing Ragone's uniform? He was actually throwing some nice blocks, something he had not done in prior games. He really had a coming out party. Blocking, a catch, and showing great speed for a TE in the chase-down.
ND/WSU <r>Well to say it was a great weekend in San Antonio would be a huge understatement for me! It started out rather ominous though as Brian and I left El Paso driving over. The weather in El Paso had been unseasonably cold last week with a lot of wind to boot. It still hadn't warmed up on friday morning when we left and the cold and wind stayed with us through most of the day. It gave me a bad feeling of how the weekend might go.<br/> <br/> Finally as we got close to San Antonio the temp started to rise and the winds fell off and as we pull into the magnificent Riverwalk Days Inn Motel, it was in the 70's with blue skies and no wind. It was then that I thought maybe this would be a good weekend after all.<br/> <br/> The Irish finally gave me the game I've been waiting for all season. They broke out front early and scored often! Game never in doubt. Sorry WSU fans but I gotta gloat here. Golden Tate is just awesome, and Clausen isn't bad either. Terry has already describe much of the highlights of the game so I won't go there but it just felt good to see the Irish clicking on all cylinders! Go Irish!!! <E></E> <br/> <br/> Like everyone else it was good to meet some of the skybox posters that up to then I hadn't met before. Enjoyed the ND tailgate party with Tom, Cindy, Kes and Scott. Of course it's always great to see our friends Terry and his family. Enjoyed meeting and talking to you all. <br/> <br/> Of course the win was great but as we are leaving the Alamodome, I hear an ND fan who's looking at his blackberry saying USC is getting their arse kicked by Oregon!!! <E></E> <E></E> <E></E> It didn't stop there either, Michigan had been beaten by Illinois and Purdue, my favorite team to beat, just lost another one!!! <E></E> <E>:lol:</E> <E>:lol:</E> <E>:lol:</E> <E>:lol:</E> <E></E>...mmm, sorry Stu lost my composure for a second there.<br/> <br/> It would have been perfect if Maimi hadn't been lucky and pulled out their win over Wake but Mich St took another one on the chin and made up for it.<br/> <br/> Needless to say, I was a happy man Sat night and slept like a baby!!<br/> <br/> As we left San Antonio on Sunday morning to drove back to El Paso I was one satisfied man. Good weather for the weekend, an Irish blowout win, getting together with friends, USC losing(badly) ahhhh yes I was one happy guy the whole trip home!<br/> <br/> <E>8)</E> <E></E> <E>:lol:</E> <E></E> <E>8)</E> <E>:lol:</E></r>
Terry, did you go over and tell them that you know the father of the tailback and co-captain of Dwenger's last undefeated state championship team in '90? :lol: :lol:
One thing that is riding on Crist not having a ACL tear that keeps him out of Spring training is the QB position if Jimmy declares for the NFL. Neither of the Irish QB's who are comited are Early Entree guys so they won't be on campus for Spring drills, Sharpley is out of eligibilty, and that would leave Nate Montana if he comes back to ND and walkons. Now Nate is at Pasadena City College and the reason was given that it would give him an opportunity to play, but he's not the starter and if you look up his stats when he does play he's not very good. This will severely hurt the passing game for next year if we don't have a QB beyond a Walk-On and Nate is a walk-on not a scholarship QB. Of course we can and probably would work extra hard on the running game which isn't a bad thing but if Charlie is the coach he needs the passing game.