I've always enjoyed Thanksgiving weekend. I loved the night before Thanksgiving seeing old friends again. Then I went out two years ago on Thanksgiving Eve and it was miserable. All I did was stand in line everywhere. I said I was never going out on Thanksgiving Eve again (I lied). I loved idea of football Thursday through Sunday. Football can be ruined when you have performances like the Jets in 2007 or Notre Dame in 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2011. This weekend was the best. It had a little bit of everything, great football, terrible football, people I hadn't seen in ten years, one of my best friends threatening to murder me, you know, usual stuff.
Thursday night I went out very early with Darryl and Molly. We went out early and beat the crowd. Eventually Vin joined us. Darryl disappeared, Molly drove us home, and unlike last year, I didn't have to go back to Huntington after getting dropped off to pick up Darryl. So this was the best Thanksgiving Eve in a while.
The football on Thanksgiving was interesting. We saw terrible coaching from Jim Schwartz, the Cowboys being the Cowboys, and the Jets with the performance that will hopefully mean the end of Mark Sanchez and Rex Ryan. I was dozing off during the first half of the Jets game. I didn't sleep that long. The score was 7-0 and then I opened my eyes again and it was 28-0. The Jets are a disaster. Let's move on.
Friday was my ten year high school reunion. I hadn't seen most of the people there since high school. It was actually more fun than I thought it would be. Darryl and Molly were in Huntington at the same time. Darryl texted me from Molly's phone and said that if I didn't meet up with them, he would murder me. I never met up with them. He didn't remember that threat the next day.
Saturday was the day I've been waiting for. It was the fourth time in my life that Notre Dame went into the last game of the regular season undefeated. In 1988, they beat USC and then went on to win the National Championship. In 1989, they lost to the forces of evil in Miami. In 1993, they lost to Boston College (one of my first memories of college football). And we've been wondering in the desert since then. Now, 19 years later, we had a chance play for a National Championship once again. It was fitting that we had to go through our biggest rival, USC. The 2005 game at Notre Dame was the most exciting sporting event I've ever been to. But USC's cheating cost us the game and a shot at a National Championship. I loathe Pete Carroll and Reggie Bush to this day for what they did. I had been waiting 7 years, 1 month, and 9 days for revenge for what happened that day.
I felt confident all week. Then yesterday came and I felt nervous (this was the exact opposite of how I felt going into the Oklahoma game). My hands were shaking as I texted my friends in the first quarter. Anyway, it was quite a game. Theo Riddick played the best game of his life. Kyle Brindza outscored USC 16-13. And Manti Te'o picked off another pass. He is the best player in college football. HeIsManti. We took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter and held on for the whole game. We won it like we've been winning games all season, with the best defense in college football. Marqise Lee is the most dangerous player we've played all season. Our defense did a great job on him. For most of the game, whenever he got the ball, we tackled him right away. We took a few pass interference penalties, but I was fine with that. A 15 yard penalty is better than a 50 yard gain or a touchdown. Finally, in the fourth quarter, he made a big catch to set up a first and goal with USC down 9. Eventually, two straight pass interference penalties gave USC a first and goal at the 1. Then Lane Kiffin decided it would be a good idea to try to run up the middle against Louis Nix and his friends. Of course, we stuffed USC just like we stuffed Stanford. It got to fourth down and for some reason Lane Kiffin decided to go for it. Lane, you needed 10 points to win. Three would have helped you, but thanks for being a moron in addition to being a huge d-bag. The incomplete pass on fourth down just about sealed it for us. At first it looked like it might be complete, but when I saw the ball on the ground, I yelled, "No! Yes!" No as in it's not a touchdown, and yes as in this is awesome. We got a first down, took some knees, and then had to punt with about 20 seconds left. We held on for the 22-13 win. I finally got the revenge I had been waiting for since 2005. We are going to Miami on January 7 to play for the National Championship. My friends and I have already been discussing travel arrangements. It was the best day of my life.
After the game, I got a call from my old friend Tommy. I met up with him and his friends in Huntington. I wore my Rudy jacket and got lots of comments from people congratulating me. Tommy was quite entertaining. The best part was his plan to find a wife. I won't give it away, but let's just say it involves a suit with a microscopic checkerboard pattern. I finished off the day with a couple of Victory Guinnesses. Life is good. One more game to win.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Number 1
This is my drunkest blog post ever so I apologize if it doesn't make much sense. Notre Dame is number 1. This day was definitely one of the ten best in my life. If we beat USC in a week, that will easily be the best day of my life. And it will be bumped down to number 2 if we win the National Championship on January 7.
I am so incredibly happy for the seniors. It was great seeing the first three touchdowns scored by Cierre Wood, Tyler Eifert, and John Goodman. I wanted Theo Riddick and Robby Toma to get into the end zone as well, but I'll get over it. I can't imagine ever liking a player more than I like Manti Te'o. He deserves this. He is an incredible human being. I mentioned on facebook the story of Te'o taking the picture with the two little girls after the Oklahoma win. I've read the posts on NDNation from the father of those two girls. You could tell how much that meant to the whole family. One of my friends from camp is a big Notre Dame fan. Today he posted on facebook that he would buy a Te'o NFL jersey no matter what team drafted him. I commented that I would do the same thing as long as he wasn't drafted by the Patriots, Dolphins, or Raiders. Now I'm reconsidering that. I might buy his jersey no matter what. He will be missed. But he has two games left to win.
I've said before that I wanted Brian Kelly fired. Unlike a lot of Notre Dame fans, it wasn't for his performance, it was for the uniforms we wore against Miami. I hadn't given up on his coaching abilities, but still, I'm an idiot. We haven't been 11-0 since Lou Holtz was the coach. At worse, this is our best season since 1993. And we're doing this with a quarterback who hadn't played a snap before this year. Kelly is clearly our best coach since Lou Holtz (not saying much, but still).
As great as this year has been, you never know if you'll get back there again. Lou Holtz won a National Championship in his third year and then never did again (although he was cheated out of it in 1993). So let's win these next two games and win a championship.
We have two games left to win. USC next week and then if we beat them, the SEC Champion. It feels right that we have to beat USC. In my first year at Notre Dame, the Bush Push cost us a shot at the National Championship. Now we have a chance to get to the Championship Game by getting through them. Let's do it.
Many Notre Dame fans believed this day would never come again. I believed that we could do it, but I never thought it would be this year. My friend Jon is in law school at Notre Dame. He sent me a text saying that he wished I could be there tonight. Me too, but whatever. I just want to be anywhere for a National Championship win. I looked up flights for Los Angeles for next weekend. I probably won't go, because we have one more game to win after that, and I'd rather go to that game. If we beat USC, I will do whatever I can to get to Miami on January 7. I will have no budget. But first, we have to beat the Trojans.
How am I supposed to teach for three days this week? I'm going to wear a Notre Dame tie every day. My kids want a party. Let's win the National Championship and make it happen.
I was very worried when Kansas State threw that interception at their own 1. They were still up by 11 after Kansas State scored (I think), but I didn't feel good. They actually dominated from that point and Stanford took care of business and now Notre Dame is number 1.
Manti Te'o deserves the Heisman Trophy. I don't know if he'll win it, but I'll settle for a National Championship.
Go Irish! Beat Trojans!
I am so incredibly happy for the seniors. It was great seeing the first three touchdowns scored by Cierre Wood, Tyler Eifert, and John Goodman. I wanted Theo Riddick and Robby Toma to get into the end zone as well, but I'll get over it. I can't imagine ever liking a player more than I like Manti Te'o. He deserves this. He is an incredible human being. I mentioned on facebook the story of Te'o taking the picture with the two little girls after the Oklahoma win. I've read the posts on NDNation from the father of those two girls. You could tell how much that meant to the whole family. One of my friends from camp is a big Notre Dame fan. Today he posted on facebook that he would buy a Te'o NFL jersey no matter what team drafted him. I commented that I would do the same thing as long as he wasn't drafted by the Patriots, Dolphins, or Raiders. Now I'm reconsidering that. I might buy his jersey no matter what. He will be missed. But he has two games left to win.
I've said before that I wanted Brian Kelly fired. Unlike a lot of Notre Dame fans, it wasn't for his performance, it was for the uniforms we wore against Miami. I hadn't given up on his coaching abilities, but still, I'm an idiot. We haven't been 11-0 since Lou Holtz was the coach. At worse, this is our best season since 1993. And we're doing this with a quarterback who hadn't played a snap before this year. Kelly is clearly our best coach since Lou Holtz (not saying much, but still).
As great as this year has been, you never know if you'll get back there again. Lou Holtz won a National Championship in his third year and then never did again (although he was cheated out of it in 1993). So let's win these next two games and win a championship.
We have two games left to win. USC next week and then if we beat them, the SEC Champion. It feels right that we have to beat USC. In my first year at Notre Dame, the Bush Push cost us a shot at the National Championship. Now we have a chance to get to the Championship Game by getting through them. Let's do it.
Many Notre Dame fans believed this day would never come again. I believed that we could do it, but I never thought it would be this year. My friend Jon is in law school at Notre Dame. He sent me a text saying that he wished I could be there tonight. Me too, but whatever. I just want to be anywhere for a National Championship win. I looked up flights for Los Angeles for next weekend. I probably won't go, because we have one more game to win after that, and I'd rather go to that game. If we beat USC, I will do whatever I can to get to Miami on January 7. I will have no budget. But first, we have to beat the Trojans.
How am I supposed to teach for three days this week? I'm going to wear a Notre Dame tie every day. My kids want a party. Let's win the National Championship and make it happen.
I was very worried when Kansas State threw that interception at their own 1. They were still up by 11 after Kansas State scored (I think), but I didn't feel good. They actually dominated from that point and Stanford took care of business and now Notre Dame is number 1.
Manti Te'o deserves the Heisman Trophy. I don't know if he'll win it, but I'll settle for a National Championship.
Go Irish! Beat Trojans!
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Basketball in Brooklyn
It's Senior Day at Notre Dame today. I thought about making the trip for Manti Te'o's last home game, but decided not to. Hopefully I'll go to our bowl game. Instead of travelling to Notre Dame last night, I was watching the basketball team in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center. I was also there the night before for Celtics-Nets.
My roots are in Brooklyn. My dad was born there. I'm a Dodger fan because my dad was a Brooklyn Dodger fan. And I've spent just about no time there. I've driven through it a few times when I was going to or from school in my Georgetown days. And I think I was in Brooklyn on a field trip during seventh or eighth grade, but there's a good chance that I'm just thinking of being on the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge. The only part of New York City that I've possibly spent less time in is Staten Island. But I spent the last two nights there for basketball.
First, it's nice to have an alternative to Madison Square Garden for basketball. Especially with the Knicks being good (for now at least), tickets for the Nets are going to be a lot cheaper. Also, it's almost as easy to get to as Madison Square Garden with the Long Island Railroad going to the Atlantic Terminal (although getting home can be trickier). I would love it if the ACC tournament came to the Barclays Center. The worst thing about Notre Dame joining the ACC is not being in the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden (still, definitely the right move).
The Barclays Center was built where Walter O'Malley wanted to build his new stadium for the Dodgers. As much as I would have loved having the Dodgers in New York, everything really worked out for the Dodgers. O'Malley wanted a dome. That stadium would have been like Shea Stadium, but worse. Dodger Stadium is a million times better than the stadium O'Malley wanted to build in Brooklyn. But Brooklyn is a good home for the Nets.
The Nets really screwed up with their name/uniforms. Either change the name and change everything, or keep the name and come up with good uniforms. The Nets had red, white, and blue (you know, the greatest color combination in world history) and they couldn't come up with good uniforms. These new black and white uniforms are incredibly bland for no reason. You could say that the Celtics have bland uniforms (still not as bland as the Nets, green isn't as bland as black), but there's good reason for it: their incredible history and tradition.
Anyway, my dad and I were sitting almost exactly at mid-court way up high. The Barclays Center is built very differently from Madison Square Garden. The slopes in the area are much steeper than Madison Square Garden. I felt very high up, but also closer to the court than I would be in comparable seats in the Garden. As for the atmosphere, it's no Madison Square Garden. I would say it's like everything Notre Dame fans fear about putting a jumbotron in the stadium. Very loud and the PA guy was pretty annoying. I guess most NBA arenas are going to be like that. The one thing that really stood out to me was how the fans chanted the word Brooklyn in the same tone that Red Sox fans derisively changed "Roger" when Roger Clemens would pitch in Fenway Park as a Yankee. I didn't get that.
I've seen the Celtics play the Nets one other time in person. It was February 2010 in Boston with my friend John. I was supposed to take a bus on a Friday night for a Saturday afternoon game. Unfortunately, a snow storm cancelled all the buses that Friday. So I had to get there on Saturday and I had to get there early since the game was at 1:00 or something like that. So I took a 6:30 bus on Saturday morning. The only train that got me to the city on time got in around 5:00 in the morning. Let me tell you, there are few places as depressing as Penn Station at 5:00 on a Saturday morning. Anyway, the Nets were really bad that year and the Celtics played like crap and lost to them. I thought the Celtics were going nowhere that year, but they ended up making it to the Finals. So I assume seeing them lose to the Nets on Thursday night is a sign that they're going to the Finals this year. Rondo didn't play, which was disappointing since he's definitely their most exciting player, but it also made me less upset about the loss.
Last night I went for the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. We sat in the same section as the night before, but this time we were in row two of that section (row 19 the night before). The first game was Florida State and BYU. I will always root for Mormons over Florida State, but more than anything else, I was rooting for a quick game. I was disappointed. There were a ton of fouls called in the first half and Florida State won. They pulled away in the second half and I was starting to nod off due to the lack of sleep the night before (it was after 1 when I got home and I got up for work at 5:25). But I got a second wind when the second game started. It was Notre Dame and St. Joe's. I was really surprised by the lack of Notre Dame fans at the game. There are always a lot of Notre Dame fans when we play at Madison Square Garden, but there weren't a lot of any fans at these games. Tons of empty seats. But St. Joe's fans probably outnumbered us 10 to 1 (they had a lot of students make the trip). I guess we're still worried about football and aren't concerned about basket ball yet. Anyway, we shot the ball pretty well, but our problem was giving up easy second chance points to St. Joe's. I had to leave early to catch a train (not enough train options after a late game, which was why I wanted a quick first game). I left with about five minutes left and we were leading by about 6 points. St. Joe's came back and won in overtime, but I'm going on the theory that it doesn't count if I didn't see it.
Disappointing result, but I think our basketball team will be fine. I can't get upset about it when it's November and our football team is undefeated. Go Irish!
My roots are in Brooklyn. My dad was born there. I'm a Dodger fan because my dad was a Brooklyn Dodger fan. And I've spent just about no time there. I've driven through it a few times when I was going to or from school in my Georgetown days. And I think I was in Brooklyn on a field trip during seventh or eighth grade, but there's a good chance that I'm just thinking of being on the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge. The only part of New York City that I've possibly spent less time in is Staten Island. But I spent the last two nights there for basketball.
First, it's nice to have an alternative to Madison Square Garden for basketball. Especially with the Knicks being good (for now at least), tickets for the Nets are going to be a lot cheaper. Also, it's almost as easy to get to as Madison Square Garden with the Long Island Railroad going to the Atlantic Terminal (although getting home can be trickier). I would love it if the ACC tournament came to the Barclays Center. The worst thing about Notre Dame joining the ACC is not being in the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden (still, definitely the right move).
The Barclays Center was built where Walter O'Malley wanted to build his new stadium for the Dodgers. As much as I would have loved having the Dodgers in New York, everything really worked out for the Dodgers. O'Malley wanted a dome. That stadium would have been like Shea Stadium, but worse. Dodger Stadium is a million times better than the stadium O'Malley wanted to build in Brooklyn. But Brooklyn is a good home for the Nets.
 |
| Outside the Barclays Center |
The Nets really screwed up with their name/uniforms. Either change the name and change everything, or keep the name and come up with good uniforms. The Nets had red, white, and blue (you know, the greatest color combination in world history) and they couldn't come up with good uniforms. These new black and white uniforms are incredibly bland for no reason. You could say that the Celtics have bland uniforms (still not as bland as the Nets, green isn't as bland as black), but there's good reason for it: their incredible history and tradition.
Anyway, my dad and I were sitting almost exactly at mid-court way up high. The Barclays Center is built very differently from Madison Square Garden. The slopes in the area are much steeper than Madison Square Garden. I felt very high up, but also closer to the court than I would be in comparable seats in the Garden. As for the atmosphere, it's no Madison Square Garden. I would say it's like everything Notre Dame fans fear about putting a jumbotron in the stadium. Very loud and the PA guy was pretty annoying. I guess most NBA arenas are going to be like that. The one thing that really stood out to me was how the fans chanted the word Brooklyn in the same tone that Red Sox fans derisively changed "Roger" when Roger Clemens would pitch in Fenway Park as a Yankee. I didn't get that.
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| Our view for Celtics-Nets. |
I've seen the Celtics play the Nets one other time in person. It was February 2010 in Boston with my friend John. I was supposed to take a bus on a Friday night for a Saturday afternoon game. Unfortunately, a snow storm cancelled all the buses that Friday. So I had to get there on Saturday and I had to get there early since the game was at 1:00 or something like that. So I took a 6:30 bus on Saturday morning. The only train that got me to the city on time got in around 5:00 in the morning. Let me tell you, there are few places as depressing as Penn Station at 5:00 on a Saturday morning. Anyway, the Nets were really bad that year and the Celtics played like crap and lost to them. I thought the Celtics were going nowhere that year, but they ended up making it to the Finals. So I assume seeing them lose to the Nets on Thursday night is a sign that they're going to the Finals this year. Rondo didn't play, which was disappointing since he's definitely their most exciting player, but it also made me less upset about the loss.
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| I love the American flag, but this bothered me. Isn't this flag way too long? |
Last night I went for the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. We sat in the same section as the night before, but this time we were in row two of that section (row 19 the night before). The first game was Florida State and BYU. I will always root for Mormons over Florida State, but more than anything else, I was rooting for a quick game. I was disappointed. There were a ton of fouls called in the first half and Florida State won. They pulled away in the second half and I was starting to nod off due to the lack of sleep the night before (it was after 1 when I got home and I got up for work at 5:25). But I got a second wind when the second game started. It was Notre Dame and St. Joe's. I was really surprised by the lack of Notre Dame fans at the game. There are always a lot of Notre Dame fans when we play at Madison Square Garden, but there weren't a lot of any fans at these games. Tons of empty seats. But St. Joe's fans probably outnumbered us 10 to 1 (they had a lot of students make the trip). I guess we're still worried about football and aren't concerned about basket ball yet. Anyway, we shot the ball pretty well, but our problem was giving up easy second chance points to St. Joe's. I had to leave early to catch a train (not enough train options after a late game, which was why I wanted a quick first game). I left with about five minutes left and we were leading by about 6 points. St. Joe's came back and won in overtime, but I'm going on the theory that it doesn't count if I didn't see it.
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| Lots of fans came dressed as empty seats last night. |
Disappointing result, but I think our basketball team will be fine. I can't get upset about it when it's November and our football team is undefeated. Go Irish!
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