Sometimes, life smacks you in the face, and shouts “Wake Up!” Breaks you from your routine and causes you to pay attention once again. Who knows if it is for a reason or just coincidence, but it happens. We have felt it with the recent deaths in the entertainment world of Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and now Steve McNair.

In football, shock can happen any week, and South Bend Blarney thought it would look at some of the (bad) most shocking moments in recent Notre Dame history:

The Bad Ones

Booker “Just Says No” To ND. In 2002, the most celebrated and exciting running back recruit resided in Ventura, California. His name was Lorenzo Booker, and he was the big play guy that the Irish coveted and needed to return to prominence. Then coach Tyrone Willingham had good relations in California from his Stanford days, and with St. Bonaventure in particular (already reeling in o-lineman James Bonelli). Booker was considered “in the bag” by everyone who followed recruiting. Then, a funny thing happened. He pulled a Nancy Reagan “Just Say No” to ND live on ESPN and announced for the Florida State Seminoles. Another year, another playmaker lost.

A season lost. 2007 was a year that made me not like football. The Irish went 3-9, and even lost to Navy for the first time since man invented the wheel. We knew that the Irish did not have much in the way of upper class talent, but thought the young guys would be developed enough. to have a 7 win season or so. Wrong. The Irish played to a level of grotesqueness that matches men in Speedos at the French Riviera, and were often 3 scores down and out for the count halfway through the first quarter.

Squeezed by the Orange. Syracuse is a bad football program. Really bad. Smelling like Lindburger cheese, bad. Greg Robinson was only good for a victory or 2 a year, and in 2008, the Irish were one of the fateful few. Leading for most of the game, something seemed to go wrong on the 4th quarter. The Irish, unable to run, kept going 3 and out, and watched a 23-10 lead turn into a 24-23 loss on Cameron Dantley’s touchdown pass with 42 seconds left. Notre Dame let a freshman running back with only 13 career carries torch them for 126 yards, as the ‘Cuse dominated at the end. Typical of the Irish, the offense stalled when they couldn’t run the ball and they scored only 6 points in 4 redzone visits. This one hurt.

Skip (Away) to my Lou. Lou Holtz is probably the last Domer to be truly adored (maybe Brady Quinn reached that level), and he was forced out in 1996. The pressure of coaching the highest profile school in the nation, as well as supposed struggles with admissions (and higher powers) to let players in got the best of him. The school thought it best to part ways. The sad thing is, many fans thought it would usher in a new era (Holtz was a Woody Hayes run the ball disciple), and Irish fans are still waiting for it 15 years later.

The phantom clip. ‘91 Orange bowl. Notre Dame is down 10-9 with 43 seconds left, and Colorado is punting. Awaiting the punt is college football’s most exciting player, Rocket Ismail. Also known as Superman, the Irish’s brightest star had often returned kicks and broken enemy hearts with a single bound. And he almost did it again, with a pinball-bouncing 91 yard return for a touchdown. However, the Orange Bowl refs claimed clipping on the play, even though it looked like the Irish blocker got his head in front of the opponent. The closest call in Irish history.

BC breaks Irish hearts. 1993 was Notre Dame’s last really good team. Studs like Aaron Taylor on the offensive line, as well as Bryant Young, Jeff Burris, and Bobby Taylor on defense. These Irish weren’t given their due and were never supposed to make it though a schedule that included Michigan, Michigan State, Southern Cal, and especially, Florida State. The Seminoles had too much firepower and speed for the “slug it out” Irish, after all. Well, the Irish took care of them all, even dispatching mighty Florida state (31-24) in one of the great Irish victories of all time. Another national championship seemed in the making, only the Irish stumbled (losing 41-39 on a last second field goal) when Boston College visited the very next week. Dream over. Has there been a more heartbreaking moment?

These are the shockers in my mind, but perhaps you guys might have some others as well?