Spent the last year, Rocky Mountain Way
Couldn't get much higher.
Out to pasture, think it's safe to say
Time to open fire...
Dateline: Denver, CO
I am nothing if not a creature of routine... getting up in the morning, putting coffee on, feeding the cats, popping a bagel or English muffin in the toaster. Pretty much automatic every day.
I like to think of it as my annual "Dian Fossey 'Gorillas In The Mist'" experience.
Some people get their adrenalin fix in an urban plunge context, being a do gooder and performing charitable acts for the less fortunate. Sadly, mine involves alcohol, thin air and hot tubs with miscreants I've known for 40+ years.
I'd like to say I return to Valparaiso each year, a wiser and more introspective person -- where one has gleaned insights from peers who have traveled far, experienced much and offered sage pearls of wisdom, capable of enhancing the finite years one has left on this planet.
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| Meanwhile, over in Breckenridge.. |
Rather, it's what Defarge would describe as a "Try not to hurt yourself and make sure someone else is your one phone call, should it come to that" weekend.
That woman is a keeper.
This year was different for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was that our host, William C. Brittan, Esq. had saved ESPN's 30-for-30 "Catholics Vs. Convicts" episode.
Fantastic - and so fitting for what's in-store this coming Sunday night.
Season 2025 -- Bring it on!
Quote of the Month
Walter Kerr
Walter Francis Kerr was an American writer and Broadway theatre critic. He also was the writer, lyricist, and/or director of several Broadway plays and musicals as well as the author of several books, generally on the subject of theater and cinema.
While the object of Mr. Kerr's scorn was, ultimately, an actor of no historical consequence, I've met more than a few qualified candidates. But let's start with Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes.
For all the ongoing rhetoric of ND's lack of football relevance over the past few decades, can we talk about Miami living on its laurels earned 30-40 years ago?
And coach Cristobal's track record at Miami, in particular, is nothing special to write home about:
Moreover, Miami didn’t beat a single ranked team last year in the regular season and is 1-13 against top 10 opponents since 2010.
And while the first game of the season is always something of a crap shoot (especially in the transfer portal era), ND is not opening up against an elite program. For the Hurricanes, maybe 'adequate' is just the right description.
Word of the Month
Hell, where do you think the expression, "How do you like them apples?" first came from?
It was when Sir Isaac Newton was pelted with said fruit by an insecure peer for having the temerity to espouse his discovery of universal gravity.
Philistines, Jerrence thought, the world has always been rife with them.
So every time he read the repeated know-it-all football ramblings of some philodox who watched a few YouTube videos from their mother's basement and has declared themselves smarter than the coaching staff, Jerrence knew to take it all with a grain of salt.
So every time he read the repeated know-it-all football ramblings of some philodox who watched a few YouTube videos from their mother's basement and has declared themselves smarter than the coaching staff, Jerrence knew to take it all with a grain of salt.
Still, that didn't stop him from quietly thinking, "Cretins."
August Thoughts
There are not many who remember
They say a handful still survive.
To tell the world about- the way the lights went out
And keep the memory alive...
Can one digress before one even starts? I think so. So here goes: HBO Max (or whatever they're branded as currently), presently has a terrific two episode, ~4.5 hour documentary on Billy Joel. In college, whenever anyone from NYC or Long Island spoke about their local experiences, the rhetoric was always a) delivered at a decibel level far louder than required and b) always, because it involved New York, THE GREATEST THING IN THE WORLD.
But in espousing the virtues of Mr. Joel before maybe the rest of the country recognized it, they were not wrong.
Thus ends this week's pop culture PSA.
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Other extremely random thoughts before Game 1's kickoff.
1) 1977. Get used to hearing how ND hasn't won in Miami since when Joe Montana was QB (when the Irish won 48-10).
While factually true, and 0-and-6 over those 48 years is not nothing, it's also fair to point out the two teams have played each other in Miami only once since 1989.
And ND has had more recent success in that stadium (the BCS Orange Bowl playoff win vs. Penn St.) than the 'Canes have had.
Finally, it's not like this weekend's game is a Jimmy Johnson vs. Gerry Faust match up of coaching minds.
Just sayin'.
2) The Arms Race. As much as NIL gets talked about (and justifiably so) in its impact on recruiting, let us not forget about the role of state of the art facilities in making a powerful impression on the athletes. While academics are surely (directionally) more important to the kids ND recruits, all of them harbor ambitions to make it to the NFL -- and any program that can tangibly show resources that'll develop them toward that end has a leg up. (These kids all have agents / advisors who are going to be more attuned to these things than mom and dad or their HS coach.)
The facility will include an advanced training room; a stand-alone sports medicine facility; an equipment facility with body scanning and fabrication technology; a new and expanded locker room; meeting rooms, including a two-level, all-team auditorium and an augmented reality walkthrough room; media innovation spaces, including recording studios and photo studios; academic support spaces; and a new player nutrition area designed to foster community between teams and model healthy eating.
3) Transfer portal. This week's winner of the 'Senator Blutarsky Excellence in Prolonging The College Experience' award goes to...
Rahsul Faison (no relation), the South Carolina RB who has been granted a 7th year of eligibility to play for the Gamecocks this season. Faison, 25, transferred from Utah State, where he played the previous two seasons.
His college career has also included stops at Snow College in Utah, Lackawanna College in Pennsylvania, and Marshall.
4) "Peanut Butter Angeli." At least until November 23rd, I'm gonna be his #1 fan.
It's been reported that he's won the starting job at Syracuse -- good for him.
Hope he kills it up until he returns to ND Stadium.
5) NIL. Every day, it seems, there's some factoid that appears in the news that demonstrates the increasing lunacy impact of the immense 'payroll' infusions college programs are now receiving.
Will the government legislated salary cap bring some sanity to this? I have my doubts.
6) And finally...
A few things:
1) Still hate the white pants.
2) Love how Jeremiyah covers the ball up when he gets close to the end zone.
3) This remains my favorite single picture from last season:
Buddy's Buddy
So a couple things...
My two daughters are both heroes to me. Shea The Younger absolutely is for, among other things, having the courage to say after the 2020 Covid year, "f*ck it, I'm moving to Paris -- without a job -- and no, Dad, you don't get to keep my dog."
She's now on her way to finishing Year IV there, killing it in her job with the French-based Accor Hotel group and both Defarge and I live vicariously through her, as she 'summers' down in Nice or Cannes and takes her dog Jack to every hotel, bar and restaurant where he is greeted with an affection he so richly deserves.
So proud.
Then there's this month's Buddy recipient -- Shea's older sister -- Ryan Corrigan. Every day I feel like I see the adage borne out that "adversity doesn't build character, it reveals it." (Both, it must be said, for those who demonstrate high character and those who do not.)
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| HUZZAH!!! |
As many of you know -- and I won't go into chapter 'n verse here (though if you ply me with alcohol I'll happily go into full Masterpiece Theatre mode and act it all out when I see you) -- but Ryan has been going through a tough, protracted, unnecessary custody battle with her ex-husband, a former (some might reasonably say 'failed') Navy SEAL who, for the past three years, has been more interested in bringing great pain to his ex-wife than actually attempting to amicably co-parent.
Well, clarification (if not total closure) came last week in a Denver judge's ruling that 4 year old Sloane will stay with her mum as her primary parent, with dad still getting frequent, consistent visitation time.
That may not sound like such a dramatic victory -- after all, who expects a child to be taken from their mother -- but insofar as The Douche was petitioning for full custody, attempting to cite mom as representing an unsafe guardian, this was a major victory -- especially with evidence of his abuse of her (both physical and verbal) being formally entered in as a matter of public record.
Suck on THAT, asshole.
The travail surely isn't over but for the time being, The Good Guys are winning. And mom and dad have never been prouder of this young mother.
They had you crying but you came up smiling
They had you crawling and you came up flyin'
...And the last laugh, baby, is yours.
RE-PETE (A shameless, illegal lift of Pete Sampson's weekly mail-bag)
Spoiler alert: I'm NOT (well, technically, it'd be Mr. Sampson) addressing the Notre Dame QB competition / decision.
I'm tired of it. I trust the coaches -- they certainly know more than we do -- and I live for the moment when young Mr. Carr makes his first mistake, throws an ill-advised pass and the ND online Nation FLIPS OUT... boy, won't that be fun.
It'd also be sad if it wasn't so predictable.
Rather, I'd like to focus on a happier topic: that of the Irish's new, perhaps surprising, ally in the future scheduling wars -- the SEC -- and in doing so, pointing out what GIANT WUSSIES the Big10 conference is.
Enjoy.
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What does the SEC’s move to a nine-game conference schedule, plus the mandate to play one major nonconference opponent, mean for Notre Dame? — Pedro S.
I’m glad you asked.
In case you missed it, the SEC adopted a nine-game conference schedule beginning in 2026 that also requires teams schedule at least one ACC, Big Ten or Big 12 opponent every season, with Notre Dame included in that group. There was some uncertainty about Notre Dame’s ability to keep getting SEC teams on the slate in a nine-game conference schedule because teams might opt for more Indiana-style nonconference schedules. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey made sure that won’t be the case.
The SEC change means Notre Dame’s future series with Alabama, Texas and Florida aren’t just protected, they’re basically locked, as those schools look to fulfill the league’s scheduling rules. I would expect Notre Dame to add more SEC teams moving forward; keep an eye on Auburn as a potential addition.
As a college football fan, hopefully this spurs the Big Ten to also move toward having all teams play one Power 4 opponent outside of that league’s nine-game slate. In that world, it’d be even harder for USC to get out of the Notre Dame series. The SEC going all-in on strength of schedule could also move the future of the College Football Playoff to the 5+11 model, which that league seems to prefer. Because if the SEC is fine going with five conference champions and all at-large bids with a nine-game conference schedule plus the nonconference, how can the Big Ten be against it?
The SEC’s announcement feels like a rare win for college football at large.
It should also be a win for Notre Dame.
Source: The Athletic
August 22, 2025
Cocktail of the Month
It doesn't happen all that often but when The Universe speaks to one -- and you're lucid enough to understand it -- the concept of 'harmonic convergence' becomes fully realized.
Case in point: a friend, who we'll call 'Feif', gives you a new literary / cocktail book. It has bourbon-based recipes in it. Interesting. One of the drinks talks of a novel with a character called The Misfit. Hmmm.
And then you go on a trip involving bourbon and misfits?!
Well, I may not be the brightest bulb on Santa's tree but even I know when a cosmic message is being sent to me.
A Good Manhattan Is Hard To Find
"A Good Man Is Hard To Find"
by Flannery O'Connor (1953)
As you read this story of despair and grace, try to find a moment of peace with a sip of this delicious cocktail.
Yield: 1 serving
2 oz. rye whiskey or bourbon
1 oz. sweet vermouth
2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
Maraschino cherry or twist of orange peel (as garnish)
1. Fill a mixing glass with ice cubes.
2. Pour the whiskey / bourbon, sweet vermouth and bitters into the mixing glass.
3. Stir the ingredients well for about :15 to :20, to chill the mixture
4. Strain the cocktail into a chilled martini or rocks glass.
5. Garnish with the cherry or orange peel twist. (To create an orange twist, express the oils from a thin strip of orange peel over the drink, then drop the orange peel into the glass.)
Source: The Turn of the Screwdriver
50 Dark & Twisted Literary Cocktails
By Iphigenia Jones
Schedule 2025
The upcoming 2025 schedule draweth ever nigh...
August
31 @Miami Anyone have the poor judgement courage go get abused at this game?
September
13 Texas A&M First Stayer tailgate of the '25 season!
20 Purdue Corrigan brother reunion!
27 @Arkansas Soooiiieeee!
October
4 Boise St. Alumni Hall Reunion weekend, Union Pier MI
11 NC State
18 USC "Lincoln, We Hardly Knew Ye" (wussy)
November
1 @BC
9 Navy
16 @Pitt
23 Syracuse
29 @Stanford
December
19-20 PLAYOFF GAME!
Wager 2025
And oh, my dreams
It's never quite as it seems...
As prognostications begin to find their way to the blog site, this year represents an interesting study in optimism. There's always been that group of "12-0'ers" -- to call them a 'special needs' group would be borderline cruel and unfair, although literally speaking 'specially needy' would not be an inaccurate description.
But this year, that bunch has had other, far more grounded thinkers, joining their play group.
Huh. Given the immense question mark that the QB position represents, that's quite an interesting move in the market.
One things for certain, we'll probably know who's clever (or sadly delusional) by the Sept. 20th Purdue game.
Wins | ND Equivalence | Domer |
12  The Joker | "Do I really look like a guy with a plan?" ----- Ledger's Joker is mercurial, charismatic and a complete psychopath. Utterly unforgettable. Just as a Notre Dame undefeated, on-their-way-to-a-national championship-season would be. | Kevin C. John P John L Brian M JP Bryan G Raz Dave M Tim B. |
11  Otto | "Don't call me stupid!" ----- Ex-CIA operative Otto lives at the intersection of dangerous and moronic. An 'Otto season' for ND would be a rollercoaster -- a lot of fun with youth at some key positions, and likely more than it's fair share of 'that wasn't very clever' moments. | Gutsch Jim S. Peter Tim Ted Bill Jim B Pat B George |
10  | "That's a bingo!" ----- Jew hunter Landa -- equal parts chillingly pathological and pragmatic, this character would probably represent a 10-win regular season that might make you sick to your stomach but ultimately pretty satisfied. | Jerrence, Mike C, Tim C. Mark U. Jerry P. Jerry C. Mike B. Brian W. Jim T. Jerry W. |
9  RP McMurphy | "I'm a goddamn marvel of modern science." ----- What's the residual emotion from Cuckoo's Nest? Sadness. RP, a guy who sees things clearly but can't get out of his own way. When it doesn't end well, one is left thinking what could've been. Like a 9-win season.
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8  | "I don't know who I am. Or where I'm going. None of it." ------ An apt summary of an 8-win ND season. A lot of difficult questions ultimately unanswered. Still, the Bourne trilogy rocks and JB is The Man. | |
7  | "I'm thinking I'm back..." ----- For many, ND winning only 7 games would be akin to someone shooting their dog -- and requiring appropriate payback. And like with John Wick, rationale requiring very few words of explanation. | |
6  | "Are you not entertained!" ------Probably not, if ND only won six games... but that's not the point here: it probably says a lot about me that the final ranked character is the most moral, selfless one of the bunch. | |
Sports Imitating Art.
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| Madonna and Child, artist unknown (National Museum in Warsaw), 1800-1850 |
Schadenfreude of the Week.
And it's true. Visionaries such as myself often see things -- insights and connections -- that others... the common man, the hoi polloi... do not.
Of course, there's also those times when one stares at the page and think, well I gotta write SOMETHING down.
This would be one of those times.
Russell Henley / Patrick Cantlay / Corey Connors / Scottie Scheffler / Cameron Young. Of course I don't dislike all of these golfers and celebrate their losing -- that would be reserved for Bryson DeChambeau -- but as runners up to last week's Fedex Tour Championship, they do represent Exhibits A through E entitled, "Better you than him."
With so many 54 hole leads, he was becoming the equivalent of a Greg Norman tribute band -(except everyone on the PGA tour actually likes Tommy).
Me too. While it's hard to get excited, one way or the other, about a bunch of (mostly) white guys playing the ultimate sport of affluence, this made me happy. And because I live in world where I believe in puppy dogs and rainbows, I found it cool that so many of his peers were happy for him too -- even if it meant celebrating some of the other good guys losing...
Terry's Tools.
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| The few, the proud... |
With any luck, we're a mere week away from returning to a diet of football, or at least sports related, jiggery pokery (defined as 'deceptive or dishonest behavior')...
But this is not that week.
At least not entirely (for that, we can thank our eternal 'go to', the NCAA).
So, hopefully, consider this an amuse bouche for what surely will be a season's worth of head scratching, mind numbing decision making.
The kind that would make this section's poster children say, "Even by our low standards, what were they thinking?!"
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1) Kim Jong Un. Unlike Stockholm's Vasa Museet -- and who says the Swedes don't have a sense of humor about their historical embarrassments -- I'm doubting that North Korea is going to be building any museums around this particular misstep...
BTW, has anyone seen the ship's architect lately?
2) NCAA. They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result.
So why did I expect this impotent body to actually drop the hammer on Michigan for cheating their way to a national championship?
I mean, when you're literally spying on an opponent so you know what play is coming next, there's really not a more pure definition of 'cheating' than that, is there?
So what draconian measures did the NCAA mete out when they reviewed all of the incontrovertible evidence against the Wolverines?
- A show cause for an NFL coach who is never coming back to college football anyway
- A show cause for the assistant who ran the scheme (but is now basically toxic).
- A 3-game suspension for the current head coach, for games against designated patsies
- A $20M fine. Wow. UM Booster Larry Ellison just made that an hour ago.
- And a VERY stern talking to.
One would like to say it's unbelievable but it's sooo very 'on brand' for that organization.
3) University of Colorado fans. I understand fans booing the athletes, however boorish and unfair it often is. But shaming your mascot into retirement? That's simply beyond the pale. So as one who shares Ralphie's recalcitrance toward 'aerobics on command', I say, "You go, girl."
Or don't go, as the case may be. You had a good run - literally and figuratively. Let's hope your next stop isn't a Boulder slaughterhouse.
4) Paul Beauchamp (AKA The Ex Son-In-Law). Here's the thing about narcissists: whenever things don't go their way, it's NEVER their fault.
They'll say they've got an incompetent Commanding Officer, or that one of their peers got the choice assignment because they were a sycophant, or it was all their spouse's fault for their marriage falling apart.
Well, Mr. Zero Sum Game, you took your shot at Team Corrigan -- full custody of Sloaney Baloney (child, please, in what world were you getting...) -- and probably ended up getting more future visitation time than you deserved, though you surely won't see it that way.
Good.
Your momma said I was a loser -- a dead end cruiser,
And deep inside I know that she was right.
Born to lose, you're just bad news,
You don't get a second chance.
Note: For the vast majority of the readership who will never see Social Distortion in concert, you're missing a treat. Sure, you might suffer mild bleeding of the ears and the subsequent persistent ringing in those same ears takes a few hours to go away -- but that's more than offset by the euphoric experience Mike Ness & Co. deliver.
Sadly, the band will probably never get invited to Ravinia. Pity. North Shore Chicago's loss.
Name of the Week
Sometimes the personal back story overwhelms the uniqueness -- or the implied humor -- of a name.
Take Kansei Matsuzawa. A young man from Tokyo, where at age 20 he was a waiter at a Morton's Steakhouse.
On a vacation to the US he saw a NFL game.
Returned home and taught himself to place kick via YouTube videos.
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| I love this country! |
He spoke almost no English and had so little money he gave himself haircuts.
Excelled in both kicking and English. Transferred to Hawaii this summer.
And, on Saturday night, just booted the game winner to beat Stanford, 23-20.
Kansei, you rock.
Trivia!
Q. What song was investigated by the FBI for offensive / subversive lyrics but forced the investigators to give up because no one could understand what the hell was being said?
B) "Louie, Louie" by The Kingsmen
C) "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke
D) "Sunday Bloody Sunday" by U2
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Final Thoughts
Why do we care so much about Notre Dame and the football program?
I give you Kevin Bauman as Exhibit A... watching this, I get chills.
Go Irish!
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