Another week down, and for the first time, an easy win! (Ribbon cuttings, champagne poppings, trumpet blarings, bras falling off, and Hallelujahs being shouted in the background.) No sure what there is to take from playing WSU, but the Irish did what they needed to do against a bad team. Anyway, here’s what I saw this week. Do you agree, or do I need my contact prescription adjusted?

Did you see: That Golden Tate is the most dangerous receiver in the nation? Still can’t get over that Hail Mary to end the half. You will never see a better catch. Ever. Tate is the only receiver in the nation that you can say, “Got a new play for the playbook, he’ just gonna run straight down the field when the coverage is playing prevent, get covered by 3 or 4 guys, but we’ll still throw it to him anyway”-and think that the new play is a good idea. Unbelievable.

Did you see: That Jimmy Clausen is in complete control of everything he is doing? It used to be almost catastrophic for the Irish and their fans when Jimmy got a little pressure. Like Edward Scissorhands being a masseuse at the Sonya Dakar Skin Clinic catastrophe. (Look out, Gwyneth Paltrow!) But now, he just steps up, keeps the play alive with his feet, and delivers a touchdown pass to Duval Kamara in the back of the endzone on his 3rd read.

Did you see: That Robert Hughes has finally gotten tough? Better late than never to run like a big back. The kid has been running harder that ever all year, and was rewarded against the Cougars with a 24 carry, 131 yard performance, where he spent the evening trucking numerous Wazzu defenders. I hear the worry is that WSU trainers will run out of SpongeBob SquarePants Band Aids this week to cover the various bumps and bruises caused by Mr. Hughes.

Did you see: That the Irish have plenty of speed in their front 7? Kapron Lewis-Moore, Kerry Neal, Darius Fleming, Steve Filer, and Manti Te’o all ran people down, and made plays from sideline to sideline. The speed looks promising for the future, but they will all have to improve their technique, and how they shed blocks when engaged by an opposing player (better players, at that) to make this a truly formidable defense in the future.

Did you see: That the secondary coverage still needs work? I like the move of Kyle McCarthy to deep safety, and have been pleasantly surprised by the play of Gary Gray. But, the team was just a badly underthrown ball away from Robert Blanton giving up a 99 yard touchdown pass. Just can’t do that.

Navy is up next, and they will be a tough out. The Irish need to keep getting better to be ready for Pitt.

What did you see, and what do you think is on the horizon for the Irish?

One time (and only one time) a year, I do imagine that Notre Dame is in a conference-and it always brings a smile to my face. I do this when any sporting publication (in this case, Rivals) conjures up their preseason “All-Conference” teams. Notre Dame is lumped with the other independents- Navy and Army as a “conference”. Because of who they are grouped with, this “all-conference” team is pretty much all Notre Dame, all of the time (see below).

Then (to indulge my ego-well, actually to indulge my id), I make believe that the Irish are in the SEC, and the all-conference team is still “Guinness-heavy” Irish flavored. (In other words, the Irish players are beating out their SEC counterparts for love from the media-which so happens to be the fairy tail-like truest of all love ) Yeah, I knew Julio Jones wasn’t fit to carry Mike Floyd’s or Golden Tate’s jock strap-so he can sit his ass on the “best of the rest” list!

(Fantasy is always fun, especially and it involves Ginger and Mary Ann from Gilligan’s Island. Why bother with the great debate of either/or?)

From Rivals:

2009 is the moment of truth for Irish fans, whether you realize it or not. This is the year we get to find out if Notre Dame is still truly relevant in today’s college football. Because if the Irish cannot win with the (experienced) roster it has right now-they will never be an elite program again.

Look at what the Irish would have to “overcome” to win less than 10 and not play in the BCS:

The most accurate pro-style quarterback they have ever had. That’s what Clausen is. He was a much better player than Brady Quinn comparing their first two years (better than #1 draft pick Matt Stafford too)-and this is the year he should really take off. The game should slow down for him, and he should pick apart defenses. He has already shown the uncanny accuracy and arm strength that would make most pros jealous, and putting it all together means he will be what Ron Powlus was supposed to be.

An offensive line with over 100 career starts, and a fresh coaching perspective. Notre Dame’s line should play, and play well. They’ve been put through the fire, and have come out alive (getting through 2007, and 2008). Most were highly-touted recruits (Sam Young was Florida player of the year), and are supposed to be talented. Latina was a respected line coach (note the was), and so is Verducci. If these guys can’t play as a cohesive unit after all their experiences, coaching tidbits and weight-training sessions, than Notre Dame is just incapable of getting good offensive lineman anymore.

2 wide receivers, and a tight end that have “NFL” written all over them. Tate, Floyd, and Rudolph will all play in the NFL. I have not seen an Irish offense with this amount of talent spread out over every position. Points should come in bunches.

Contrary to popular belief, Weis can coach. He has made mistakes in developing young talent. Nobody denies this. But he can “X And O” with the best of ‘em when that talent is ripe (as it is now). Hop in the DeLorean and go back to 2005 if you don’t believe me.

A defense that can run. Darrin Walls, Robert Blanton, and Harrison Smith are as athletic a secondary as there is. Ethan Johnson, Kapron Lewis-Moore, Steve Filer, Darius Fleming, and Manti Te’o give the Irish front 7 playmakers that they haven’t had in ages.

A schedule whose second toughest game is Michigan State. USC would scare any team. But after that? It has to be the Spartans. They always play ND tough. But good teams whip Sparty. Ohio State rolled them last year. Do you think Florida would be scared of Dantonio’s bunch? It is sad that ND has a schedule like this-and that it is actually worrisome.

So yes, it is now or never. ‘Cuz if they don’t win with all that is going for them, we will never be sure that good will happen. Not sure no matter how much “talent” is assembled, how easy the schedule is, or how respected the coaching staff is. It will always be “the next coach can get it done.” It will be a dog chasing its tail without end.

And that is the ugly truth.

Like, Joan Rivers Ugly