Former Notre Dame Basketball Star Keith Friel Interview

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrnMRzAW40Q&feature=youtu.be

Open letter to Coach Kelly

Dear Coach Kelly,

Please accept and pass along to your players, coaches and staff our most sincere and heartfelt gratitude for providing us with a season of hope and happiness.  We realize your job is not done yet and we are looking forward to celebrating Notre Dame’s latest Championship Monday night.

We are sure you know as well as anyone from fans, alumni, donors and the media that Notre Dame Football means an awful lot to many people.  The season starts in January with early enrollees getting a jump start on their college careers and our first insight to how they adjust to college life.  Then will come February with National Signing Day brining new hope and players to South Bend.  Spring brings practices and of course, the Blue and Gold game, which will give us our football fix through the summer.  Fall comes with debate and expectations, hope, and until recently, disappointment.

Each Saturday, we gather in front of televisions and radios all over the country - actually, around the world - to pull for the Irish.  The reasons vary as to why…our family’s influence, raised Catholic, Irish descent or we just like the fight song…but the one thing we all have in common is our loyalty to the team.

We realize that each coach and player has been chosen by Notre Dame for individual reasons and you will never meet or know 99.99% of us.  We realize that our passion can become ridiculous and even silly at times and that although we may not always show it, there are more important things in our lives such as our families and jobs than a football team and the game they play.  However, this team gives us not only a distraction from the trials in our lives, but gives us an opportunity to gather with friends and family to cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame. 

 

Sincerely,

The Irish Faithful

 

Keeping things in perspective

I am very fortunate to be married to a woman who is a bit of a sports fanatic in her own right when it comes to her beloved Duke Blue Devils, as well as her hometown Bills and Sabres, none of which I care for.  Early on in our relationship she inquired as to which of my favorite sports teams I would most like to see win a championship.  Like a good parent, I would love to say that I love all of my children equally, but that is not the case.  The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and her Loyal Sons hold a special place in my soul.  She first saw my Celtics win their latest championship and the results of my celebration with fellow fans.

With my wife being a Sabres fan, we have had a tumultuous relationship when it comes to hockey as I am a Bruins fan.  When the Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2011, it was the first time in my life I was able to celebrate a Bruins’ championship as I was one in 1972 when they had last won it.  At that time, my wife realized that I was a much more gracious loser than winner (I was apparently unbearable when the Bruins won game 7).  As we approach Monday night, she is a combination of curious and anxious about how I will either celebrate or mourn the game’s outcome.

I have been asked about a million times my take on the game and how I feel.  I have done my best over the past six weeks to keep things in perspective, but as we inch closer it has gotten surreal.  Looking back at my pre-season expectations for the Irish and now being undefeated at 12-0 playing in the BCS National Championship game, there is no way I could be happier.  If in August I was told Notre Dame would finish 12-1, I would have taken that all day long, no matter how they got there.  At this point, for most Irish fans, 12-1 won’t be good enough.

In my view, Kelly has this program a year ahead of schedule, which leaves us in a couple of dilemmas.  First, a loss Monday night will bring tears of disappointment to millions of the Irish faithful who have not been to the pinnacle in over two decades.  We should all be reasonable and look back at this season as a success and look to the future with great optimism.  Yes, it will be little of comfort if they lose, but true nonetheless.  If by the grace of God Her Loyal Sons win, won’t the expectations for next year be overwhelming?  Anything less than another undefeated and another championship would be a letdown.  Well, I will take my chances with possibly being disappointed next season going 12-1… and winning National Championship.

Previewing Incoming Talent

Upcoming High School All Star Games

U.S. Army All-American Bowl Saturday January 5^th 1pm NBC

Notre Dame Verbal Commits Greg Bryant , Steve Elmer , Torii Hunter Jr. , John Montelus, Doug Randolph,  Corey Robinson and Jaylon Smith.

 

Under Armor Game Friday January 4^th 6pm ESPN

Notre Dame Verbal Commits Alex Anzalone, Colin McGovern and Hunter Bivin

 

Semper Fidelis All American Bowl Friday January 4^th 5pm NFL Network

Notre Dame Verbal Commits Cole Luke, Devin Butler, William Fuller, Mike McGlinchey and Malik Zaire

Shamrock Jacks Notre Dame Interview Podcast

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTb7yvuazN8&feature=youtu.be

Awards and Best of list.

So here it is… Our gift to you, Talking Irish’s Awards and Best of list.

MVP – Really?  Anyone other than Manti Te’o?

Pleasant Surprise of the Year – Theo Riddick. Although we expected Theo to play well, I believe he far surpassed expectations, which will propel him to the next level.

Best Feeling of theYear – Watching Rick Reilly eat crow.

Best gift we have to wait until next year to open (the redshirt we are expecting great things from) – Amir Carlisle.  This kid has the potential to be a big time player in South Bend.

Best gift to exchange – Gunner Kiel.  I would love to keep him, but doing so burns his eligibility while using a scholarship spot. This won’t benefit the Irish or this super talented young man.

Best gift to return – Tate Nichols.  At 6’8” 320 lbs. and zero meaningful snaps in three years, it has not worked.

Best gift we want to get again next year – Tie.  Tyler Eifert and Cierre Wood

Heart-Stopping Play of the Year – The Pittsburgh missed filled goal during the second overtime.

Play of the Year – Fourth down goal line stop against Stanford.

Experience of the Year (maybe of a lifetime) – Watching the Irish play in Ireland.

Unfulfilled Expectation of the Year – No kick returns for a score.  After George Atkinson ran two kickoffs back for touchdowns last year, and watching Davonte’ Neal highlight film, we expected at least some impressive returns.  We may be due on January 7^th. 

Most Popular Player – Louis Nix, who is as lovable as he is big. With a nickname Irish Chocolate, his YouTube videos and tweets, how could he not be the most popular?

Top Offensive Newcomer – Everett Golson, and there should be no surprise here.  His development has been and should continue to be amazing.

Top Defensive Newcomer – KeiVarae Russell, who was supposed to be a running back and got the news at the end of summer that he would be a defensive back.

Offensive Lineman of the Year – Braxton Cave, a very strong fifth year senor who lead this line and guided Golson to maturity and confidence.

Defensive Lineman of the Year – Louis Nix took double teams on almost every play this season, helping make Manti All World.

Offensive Leader of the Year – Zack Martin, and All-American talent, who has started every game since his sophomore year.

Defensive Leader of the Year (not named Manti) – Kapron Lewis-Moore, who up until this season has not had the career he was hoping for because of injuries and other setbacks.  He has practiced, played and led like a champion this year.

Best Entertainment – Trick Shot Mondays.  We loved how these young men were able loosen up once a week under huge pressure and share it with their fans.

Game of the Year – Oklahoma - this game solidified Notre Dame’s spot on the national college football landscape.

Moment of the Year – The fourth down incomplete pass at the goal line stand at the end of the USC game to put the Irish in the National Championship Game.

Story of the Year – Manti Te’o, coming back for his senior year, having seven interception this season despite having none in his first three seasons; overcoming adversity, staying true to his faith and earning truckloads of awards.

Under the Radar Defensive Player of the Year – Danny Spond, who after an early season of battling migraines, has had a solid season at the position of linebacker on a team with names like Manti Te’o and Prince Shembo.

Under the Radar Offensive Player of the Year – Robby Toma, who came in from Hawaii and played in the shadow of Manti’s play, carving his own spot for the Irish this year as a very solid slot receiver.

Coach of the Year – Tie between Co-Defensive Coordinator and Cornerbacks Coach Kerry Cooks and Safeties Coach Bob Elliot, who took this ragtag group of players and got them to contribute on the best defense in the country.

Blossoming Player of the Year – Cam McDaniel - it could have been any number of receivers, but we loved is toughness.

Next Big Thing Award – Tie Tight End Troy Niklas and Wide Receiver T.J. Jones, both of whom are developing into their positions at the big time college football level.

Best Notre Dame Player but you never hear of, but will Award – Will Mahone - The 5’ 10” 211 lb. redshirt running back from  Ohio will make an impact from the backfield sooner than later.

All Hands on Deck

I have been reading a lot of articles about needs to step up for the Irish and who will need to have a big game on January 7^th for Notre Dame to win. Each of these lists have three to ten players on them, from All World Manti Te’o to freshman KeiVarae Russell.  Every single list talks about what each of these players must do or not do in order for the Irish to win.

I don’t believe that any single player or even group of players will need to play the game of their life to carry this team to victory.  I do believe that poor play by even a single player on a single play could cost Notre Dame the championship.  In the same train of thought, I also believe that every single player must play well for Her Loyal Sons to be victorious.

Everett Golson does not need to throw for five touchdowns, pass for over 300 yards or run for one 150 and three scores.  He also cannot turn the ball over or allow the offense to stall or become one dimensional.

The receivers need to get open enough to give Golson a chance to get the ball to them.  They cannot drop passes that hit their hands.

The running backs need to move the ball well enough to keep Alabama’s defense honest.  They also need to catch passes out of the backfield. They cannot turn the ball over.

It is pretty simple for the offensive line - they need to control the line of scrimmage.  They need to make holes just big enough for the backs to gain positive yardage and give Golson enough time to make his plays either with his arm or legs.  They cannot let the defense into the backfield and they absolutely cannot have stupid penalties like holding and especially off sides.

Overall, the offense needs to move the ball, control field position and build confidence as the game progresses and preferably take the lead early and play with the lead for the entire game.  They cannot turn the ball over or conduct too many three and outs.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Irish face a very solid offense led by their offensive line.  Diaco’s squad needs to continue their “bend don’t break” mentality.  I don’t expect the Irish defense to control Alabama, but I hope they can contain them.

Notre Dame’s front seven will need to hold their own against an offensive line that could hold their own in the NFL right now.  Along with two 1,000-yard rushers, the front seven will have to stop and shed blockers then make sure tackles. 

The defensive backs need to do what they have done all season - keep receivers in front of them and make good tackles.

Special teams don’t have to have runbacks for touchdowns, although that would be nice, but they can’t give any up either.  At the very least our special teams must match if not beat Alabama in the battle for field position.  Kyle Brindza must make the most of his chances.  Missing even one attempt may cost the Irish the championship.

A crisp, clean, balanced game could be more than enough to win.  A penalty, a turnover, a dropped pass or a missed opportunity could be enough to give the Crimson Tide the win.  No one player or player has to win the game but any one player or play could lose it.  With the team’s next man in philosophy, I think they will be ready.