How good is former Irish idol Brady Quinn? First, the man had the record-shattering quarterbacking skills and the Wilt Chamberlain-like love making talents that were good enough to bring Notre Dame from laughingstock to BCS prominence in ‘05 and ‘06.

Now, he has proven that he is good enough to win in the NBA as well. With a little over 1 minute left in last night’s Eastern Conference Finals Game 5, the camera panned out to Quinn in the audience, who flashed his trademarked megawatt smile. This boost of energy and leadership led to a 3-point play by Cav’s forward Varejao that pretty much sealed the deal.

It was this type of support throughout the game which lead the Cavs to a 112-102 victory over the Magic.

The result had absolutely nothing to do with this guy (and his ridiculous off balance pass on the previously mentioned 3-point play):

Nothing, whatsoever.

ON A BED MADE OF MONEY.

Well, at least Notre Dame does. The Irish are college football’s most watched team. And they don’t need a conference to be that way. Most interesting. And they don’t need a conference to be that way. Most hated. And they don’t need a conference to be that way. So, they get a national contract with NBC. And they don’t have to split the money with anybody. What if they make a bowl appearance? Yeah, the school gets to hog all of that money too. Licensing merchandise? That money belongs to only Notre Dame as well. What could a conference (which means dividing hard-earned cash) offer that can top that?

So, when Joe Paterno says the Big 10 doesn’t want Notre Dame, it’s kinda like Rosie O’Donnell saying she doesn’t want to reach her hands down your pants.

From ESPN:

The legendary Penn State coach also knows which school he wants to keep out: Notre Dame.

He says there might be pressure to add Notre Dame, which rejected an invitation to join the Big Ten a decade ago. Paterno’s view: “They’ve had their chance.”

Booooo-hoooo! (Frowns. Wipes tears with a $100 bill.) Joe and others can say what they want about Notre Dame not joining a conference, but as long as the Irish can remain the institution of college ball, it doesn’t mean a damn thing.

IT FEELS GOOD TO BE GREEDY

The ND world is getting geared up for another season, and this one has all the makings of being a good one. The talent level is pretty high. There are playmakers at the skill positions. Experience returns everywhere. The combined starts of the OL have been discussed ad nauseum. The new position coaches, by all accounts, are energetic difference makers. The defense seems ready for some good things. There is depth. The schedule is easy.

Then why am I still so concerned?

Part of it, of course, is that I’ve been trained over the past 16 years to expect the worst. I’ve come to expect these ND teams to play down to inferior competition or not show up against top teams. “Here we go again . . .” is a feeling that we, as fans, know all too well. Try as I might to talk myself into 10 or 11 wins, and with every effort to jump on the “we’re back” bandwagon, I am simply worried. Past “we’re back” moments have been premature. Perhaps I’ve been burned too often, and now look for the worst, but here’s what worries me:

The Offensive Line
Sure, they have accumulated a ton of combined starts. Sure, there are 4.5 returning starters (I give Duncan the 0.5). The pass protection was better last year, but the running game was still awful. Maybe some of that blame should be put on the RBs, but I don’t recall seeing a lot of big holes. Also, despite fewer sacks, teams still seemed to spend an inordinate time in the backfield, especially at inopportune moments. Why should I think this year will be better?

The Running Game
What have these highly touted running backs shown me to make me think that this is the year the running game will take off? We seem to take as an article of faith that Allen, Aldridge, and Hughes have a ton of talent. All I can think of right now, though, is that Allen hasn’t broken any long runs, Aldridge and Hughes can’t pick up a 3rd and short, Gray fumbled in crunch time against Navy, and Wood is a mystery. Other teams have freshman superstars that start from day 1 and rush for 1500 yards. Shouldn’t we hold our backs to the same standard? Show me the ability to break a big play, as well as the ability to grind out the clock in the 4th quarter.

The Defensive Line
This is a little incomplete because the D-line is so young, but I guess that’s what scares me. ND hasn’t been able to stop the run in a while, and it really hurt in a couple of games. Also, there’s never any pressure on the QB or RBs in the backfield. Too often, the secondary is left to fend for itself while the opposing QB has 7 seconds to find a receiver.

Jimmy Clausen
Is he a leader? Can he minimize mistakes? Can he play up to his talent EACH WEEK? There are clear flashes of brilliance, but it’s still unclear if he’s going to make the jump that he needs to if the Irish are going to go somewhere. He can’t melt at the first sign of adversity.

The Wide Receivers
What?! I must not follow ND football at all, right? True this is the position with arguably the most talent on the team. With a little more seasoning, it could be the best group in the nation. However, what worries me is that the Spring passed with Tate’s playing baseball, Floyd and Kumara injured, and most of the reps going to guys who didn’t see the field last year. I appreciate getting those guys in there so they can contribute this season, but I wish I had heard anything about the starters looking good in practice.

Their Heads
Please, please, please stop blowing it in big moments. Quit playing USC like they are gods among men. Get your heads on straight against BC and MSU. Drop the overconfidence against lesser teams. Play 60 minutes. Make a play when it is called for. And most importantly, play like you are a top team. You aren’t young. You aren’t outclassed. Play like you’re supposed to.

Charlie Weis
I just need to see that years 1 & 2 weren’t flukes. I need to see some creative play calling. I need some player development. I need to see the team take the field and play to its strengths by dictating the game flow, instead of reacting to the other team’s plans. Game plans are great, but everyone knows Tebow is going to go up the middle on the goal line, and he does it anyway. I just hope Weis has it all figured out after some difficult growing pains in recent years.

So these are the things that worry me. Those are 6 real issues, which is a lot for a team that’s supposed to go to the BCS this year. Can they be overcome?