This list is dangerous stuff.  Situations that no sane person would ever want to be in.  And the situations are still 100% safer than playing behind ND’s offensive line.  They would let you get hit by the opposing defense as soon as you touch the ball, and sometimes for kicks, they might even let a defensive lineman just pick one of ‘em up to be tossed like a bowling ball right in your direction.  SStteerrikke!!!

I’ll take my chances with the list.

5.)  Taking part in The Running Of The Bulls in Spain.  Running  for 840 meters in front of 1500-2000lb beasts with large horns ready for goring has to be safer.

4.) Sitting in pool, with an electrical device on a table, and it’s plugged in to an power strip floating on the water on a pair of sandals.

3.)  Getting down with Jenna Jameson-without a rubber.

2.)  Tight rope walking a few feet above a pit of alligators with raw meat hanging out my underwear, just like Steve-O in Jackass.

1.)  Being 5 years old again, and spending the night at Neverland Ranch with Michael Jackson.

Really, anything has to be safer.

Last night looked like 2007 again.  I have refrained from being critical of Weis, but this team is no longer getting better (as it once looked to be), and the season is almost done.    They aren’t even limping to the finish line, they are in a wheel chair.  I have been willing to blame the players more, as I believed they were put in a position to make plays, but failed to do so.  But now, I am willing to blame Weis equally (not 100% as some of you are willing to do.)  It as if he is the mastermind of a bank heist that goes wrong, and his #1 henchman was shot and killed by Bruce Willis.  Maybe it was because his henchman couldn’t carry out the plan, or maybe the plan just wasn’t good enough in the first place.  I’m not sure which is the answer.

The Good

Ummm…….

The Bad

Sorry folks, this one goes straight to the ugly.

The Ugly

The Irish offensive line.  ND cannot run the ball when they need to.  EVER.  If they need a tough yard, they will not get it.  Which leads to…

The Irish being too one dimensional.  When the defense knows a pass is coming, it is just easier to defend.  BC played calm because of this, and the Irish played right into it and turned the ball over because…

Jimmy Clausen has a lot of growing up to do still.  He made some terrible decisions.  Threw into a lot of double coverage.  Every time he was calm and checked down, the very next play he missed big while swinging for the fences.  If that wasn’t enough…

The running backs can’t make a play by themselves.  Armando Allen had opportunities to make a guy miss in space, but he was done in by sure tackling every time.  Finally…

The defense.  I will not give them a pass, every semi-physical team they play imposes their will on them.  BC shut down their offense after they went up by a 3rd score.  I never feel comfortable with the ND defense on the field. and wonder if I ever will.

There were other mistakes, but those are the big picture issues holding this team back.

Once upon a time, in 2004, Weis promised a tough and nasty football team.  I liked the sound of that.  But I would like it even more if the team could turn that promise from a story into reality.

Dazed and Confused. And not in a good way like the movie.  From the classic:  “High School girls, I keep getting older, and they stay the same age.”  It is inspiration for sick men everywhere.  From life as a Notre Dame fan:  “Notre Dame football,  Another season almost done, and haven’t won a game against a decent team in forever.” It is inspiration for me chucking the remote straight through the t.v. screen.  And that is a crime against a beautiful Samsung HDTV.   Here’s what I think:

The Good

Mike Floyd and Golden Tate might be the best pair of young receivers in the game.  A big play in every game by one of them.  There are individual receivers I would take over one of these guys (for now), but I’m not so sure about a duo.

David Bruton is white-out.  He covers up so many mistakes by his consistently good play.

The Bad

Inconsistency on offense.  ND moves the ball for stretches, and then can’t move the ball for long stretches.  It is the product of having young guys at key positions, and an offensive line that must get better.

Attacked by a Wildcat.  This is why we like out animals domesticated, you only have to worry about some scratched furniture and odd odors.  Wild is a whole different story.  Lesean McCoy showed why he is the best back the Irish will face, and he did most of his damage from the shotgun.

Beaten by a B-List quarterback.  Pat Bostick is Corey Feldman, and his work is not fit for the big screen.  And it was still enough.

Jimmy Clausen has acid flashbacks.  The experience of 58 sacks last year still make him uncomfortable in the pocket.  His propensity to pirouette out of the pocket is the single worst move in football.
The coaching staff might try to solve this by putting an electric dog collar on him.

The running game never gets the tough yards.  The o-line must get better.  Also, the ND running backs have skill, but we just saw how it is such a bonus for Pitt to have a great back that can make something out of nothing.

The Ugly

Pitt getting consistent pressure with 3 and 4 man rushes?  Seriously?

ND is Dr. Evil.  Let’s place our enemy into an easily escapable situation involving an overly elaborate and exotic death.  All ND needed to do was shoot the damn guy.