Johnny Irish

No Mas!

Sun, 11/25/07

It’s over. Thank Touchdown Jesus, it is finally over.

That’s really the best thing I can say about that game yesterday (and, for that matter, this season). Finally, it is over and done with.

Notre Dame 21, Stanford 14.

3 wins, 9 losses.

Some (including Yours Truly) had jokingly referred to Saturday’s slopfest as Notre Dame’s bowl game. And if that was the case, then at least they finally won a bowl game. Even if it was so soiled and sloppy and nasty that dubbing it the Toilet Bowl doesn’t even begin to do it (in)justice.

Thanks For Playing!

Thu, 11/22/07

Greetings, Irish Fans. I hope that this column finds you well. Hopefully, you’re not reading this because you simply can’t stand to be in a room with your family for another minute. Or stumbling across this as you search frantically for fantasy football stats on Brett Favre, Terrell Owens and Tony Romo.

Anyway, no matter what brings you here, my message to all of you is the same:

Happy Thanksgiving!

Home At Last

Sun, 11/18/07

VICTORY!!!

Yes, I know that under normal circumstances, celebrating a victory over sorry, sloppy, silly Duke is nothing to be proud of. Well, not in football, at least. Beat the Blue Devils on the gridiron (as just about everybody does), and you’re merely doing what you’re supposed to do. Especially if you are a program with the pedigree of Notre Dame.

Back To The Future

Thu, 11/15/07

Wow, you guys! The feedback on what you want to see out of the site has been great. And for those of you that emailed us some suggestions about some things you'd like to see us do this spring and next fall (e.g. live web chats, golf outings, etc.) thank you ... they were great, and keep them coming! Again, this sight is for you, so tell us what you'd like to see and be able to do while you're here, and we'll do our best to make it happen. Who knows, it just may be your suggestion that gets the ball rolling on something really cool next year.

Losing Is Academic

Sun, 11/11/07

For the first time in a long time this season, your old pal Johnny Irish woke up on a Saturday with a pep in his step.

Green NOTRE DAME shorts? Check. Pint (or six) ’o Guinness? Check. Notre Dame Fight Song cranking on the iPod stereo? Check. Utter and absolute faith in an impending Irish win? Check.

Not Ready to Jump Ship … Yet.

Sun, 11/4/07

Swab the decks. Seasickness has NEVER hit me this hard. In fact, I just lost my lunch. Twice.

But I’m not ready to jump off this ship. Or throw its captain overboard.

Not yet.

It’s one thing to be 1-8 at Notre Dame. (Actually, it’s a million things, and only one of them good.) But it’s another thing entirely to lose to academy teams. Especially when you’ve had an extra week to prepare for them.

And when said academy team has lost to you an NCAA-record 43 straight times? And has allowed 148 points over its previous three games?

Bye of Relief

Mon, 10/29/07

Bye of Relief

Ahhhhh, the bye week. Or, as I like to call it, the High Week (trademark pending, and I’m still willing to accept corporate sponsorship on this one … call me, Miller High Life!).

Trojan Hoarse

Sun, 10/21/07

Woe, Irish.

Woe, indeed.

OK, so the switch to Evan Sharpley didn’t exactly work out too well Saturday. At all.

So … now what?

Coach Weis finally heeded the call of Johnny Irish (and a good chunk of Notre Dame Nation) and gave the strong-armed junior his first career start against the hated Trojans of USC.

But that move was as ill-fated as my “debut” in the Bengal Bouts tournament many moons ago, as the Irish got smacked, punched, dragged, kneed and pimp up and down the field in what may be the most depressing loss in a season chock full of them.

I Smell An Upset

Thu, 10/18/07

Stop for a moment, Irish Fans, and put that nose that God gave you to good and noble work.

Wherever you are, take a moment to gather yourself, stand up (first make sure your pants are on and your coffee’s not resting between your legs), and thrust your honker skyward. Then, take a long, deep, full breath through your schnoz. Hold it for a few moments (the breath, not your nose), then exhale, slowly.

Did you smell that?

No, not Early Stages B.O. Though if you did get a good whiff of that, perhaps it’s time to start rethinking your choice of deodorant.

Dome Improvement

Sun, 9/23/07

Well, Irish fans, there you have it.

For the first time in their illustrious, championship-rich, 119-year history, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are 0-4.

Or, in this case, more like Oh!-4.

Michigan State made sure of that Saturday, running away from the Irish 31-14 … and becoming the first opponent ever to win six consecutive games at Notre Dame Stadium.

Yes, Irish fans, this stinks. As if we all didn’t all know that already.